Moo with a view

After spending the morning wrestling with an ongoing website problem, I escaped into the countryside to clear my head.

Climbing up to Rodborough Common certainly gets the pulse racing, so steep is the ascent, and it's nice when you get to the top to meander along without even thinking about where you are going.

I encountered plenty of cows (all seated - not necessarily a good sign) and endless dogs. Aaaargh!

Apologies if you are a dog owner, but I was attacked by one when I was a kid and have not been a huge fan since. So it was particularly irritating to have them bound up to me and jump up my legs and generally sniff around me. Their owners did nothing and said nothing.

Once I was finally out of their way, it was a gentle stroll to the Winstone's ice cream factory for a '99' and a sit-down on a nearby boulder to watch excited youngsters tuck into their own iced goodies.

It's so nice to be away from work. I just want to apply the holiday handbrake to stop it hurtling out of control towards my next stint at the office.

Seems to be working at the moment. It's still Monday and there's plenty of Monday evening left!