Triscape comes to Tresco

This is what a Triscape adventure break looks like if you join their Tresco retreat. Take a moment to appreciate the wonder of immersing oneself in nature as you travel at eye level with the sea, glimpsing fish as they dart behind craggy rocks and crabs scuttle to take cover as you pass overhead. This truly majestic sky was lost on me, and the others too I expect, as we swam towards our goal of Bryher shores. There are four of us in this shot; how easily we merge into the flotsam that are buoys bobbing in the water - all the more reason to be swimming in a group with a safety boat to keep us together as we made our way to Anneka's Quay and then on to Church Quay.

We were ferried in two groups in to the small sandy cove just below Cromwell's Castle which was to be the starting point for our first open water adventure. On Friday we had to seize the day as the weather was perfect for the crossing between Tresco and Bryher and fresh winds had been forecasted for the weekend ahead. Prior to this, we had sessions in the heated pool where our coaches - swimming legend Kerri-anne Payne and Jonathan Cowie (ice swimmer and contributing editor to Outdoor Swimmer magazine ) - had observed each of our strokes, explaining and showing us on video what needed to be fixed to improve efficiency. Now was the time to put these adjustments into action.

Seven intrepid, or maybe slightly nervous, swimmers gathered on the tiny beach below Cromwell's Castle ready for their first inter-island crossing. Personally, I'd had butterflies and adrenalin rushing about my body for the best part of the day by the time we gathered for our watery adventure at 4pm. As you know, I'm no stranger to sea swimming, but group swimming seems to increase the tension of the event.

And we're off! 

Mid channel is flat calm, but truly dark water beneath which can be unnerving for some swimmers who aren't used to sea swimming. We held together as a group and that really helped.

We swam behind Hangman's Island on Bryher, hugging the coastline, but the long thongs of seaweed were so thick we could barely traverse them. I couldn't help laughing out loud at the slippery progress I made - neither swimming nor paddling!

And this is the triumphant beam of Sacha (not my daughter Sasha) after her channel crossing - what a joy!

For some of the group, their challenge was to cross to Anneka's Quay and as you can see they were all thrilled with their success. 

My own challenge was to complete the swim at Church Quay. Two swimmers and our two coaches welcome me in with applause as I stagger onto the steps. The real battle had been the final stretch of water between both of the quays which was being hit by the tidal wash. At points it was shallow enough to wade which was what we did at for a moment or two to ease the strain. Somehow if your coach is wading it seems okay for you to do the same.

And what better way to celebrate than with jumbo portions of fish and chips? We gathered on the lawn above Raven's Porth and congratulated each other on our success. 

The course ran from Wednesday to Monday, so you can bet I've got more photos to show you but I'll keep those for another day. Suffice to say that I've been in my element, not just learning from the double world champion and silver medal Olympian that is Kerri-anne Payne, but also for spending time with other water babies, all keen to improve their swimming style and efficiency. I'm pleased to say that I've cracked some of my issues, but still need to refine my stroke. I'll be signing up for another course with Triscape next year that's for sure!

                                                                                        Anna x

The party outfit

Well, here it is - the party outfit from last weekend! I packed three options for the surprise birthday bash for ex-Tresco farmer, Paul Christopher who turned 70 on Friday. Paul was indeed totally surprised at the turnout for him and we were all so happy to see the look on his face when he opened the door of the pub in Cornwall. Family, friends and work associates filled the venue, sharing stories, filling the air with laughter, and showering Paul with hugs and kisses. The night was a fine celebration for this unassuming, gentle and kind man to give him the affirmation that he so deserved.

My wonderful husband, diplomatic soul that he is, advised me not to wear my beloved pea-pod suit to the party and how right he was. It's not that kind of party, he told me, as I was giving him a show of each outfit an hour before the party and it was great advice. This, however, was just right to ensure I felt comfortable, not out of place, leaving the focus clearly on the birthday boy and not my extravaganza of an outfit.

The trousers were new from TK Maxx in the spring and this was their first outing. They're a mix of polyester and elastane, making for a heavy drape with a comfy bit of stretch too. The high waistline is emphasised by the twin belts with brass popper fastenings, an unusual feature that lifts these Oxford bag style trousers out of the ordinary and into something quite stylish.  A white turtle neck body ensured a sleek, streamlined fit avoiding that constant tucking in that a vest top might need. The zip up crochet cardigan in autumn hues is by Karen Millen, a pre-loved purchase from a charity shop from some time ago. 

My Asos ecru platform boots finish off the look. The trousers are too long to wear with flats so these will be what I wear with the trousers next time too.

The vintage necklace works well with the colours of the cardigan don't you think? The rings are old as are the Quay Australia sunglasses. 

No mainland trip would be complete for me without a tad of retail therapy. I dodged into TK Maxx, rattled through Primark and bustled into a couple of charity shops during the couple of days resulting in an armful of new and pre-loved clothes in a rainbow of colours -

Trousers, sweaters, cardigans, a skirt suit and two pairs of boots plus one pre-loved necklace was the haul. It's so lovely to end the season with an array of bright colours to dress in over the drab winter months ahead. I really don't enjoy the gloom of these next few months, but having some cheerful clothes to ward off the winter blahs will surely help!

                                                                       Anna x

Ready to party...

Hello lovelies, and how are you? Today's blog features a dry run for an upcoming party. Steve and I have been invited to join a gathering for a surprise party on the mainland on Friday and this is one of my possible outfits. I'm not sure how dressed up this party will be and can't decide if I'm wanting to be too 'out there' amongst lots of people, some of whom may not know me or my penchant for dressing up. 

Is it just me who feels more confident on home ground? Or even simply with friends? On Tresco I'm known for my over the top dressing and often have people drop in to the Gallery just to see what my outfit of the day is. It's an easy talking point and a great lead-in to more in depth conversations. In some ways, this suit could be an ice breaker at the party, but it also might backfire if I'm seen as an old bird (heck, I am 64 after all) doing the proverbial mutton dressed as lamb thing.

Anyway, to the outfit - this is my (almost famous) pea-pod suit, a gem of a find from H&M in the spring of this year. In case you missed the reveal of this you can read the post here. Over the months I've had readers of my blog and Instagram followers turn up at the Gallery requesting that I wear my suit sometime during their stay - how lovely that is! And thank goodness, it has never failed to please and even astonish. I've never had so many compliments in response to an outfit, even from men! In fact, it seems that the dapper nature of the trouser suit is what's so eye-catching for the menfolk.

I've glammed up the suit by adding a sequinned vest and bejewelled belt along with silver high heeled boots. But maybe I'm guilty of trying too hard? In my head, the word party does mean pushing the boat out and this is my boat well and truly out!

I leave Tresco on Thursday and will be packing my bag in the morning. I would have liked to showcase some other party options but I've been busy this weekend doing my big six monthly clothes changeover and still haven't quite finished. The good news is that this ensemble is close at hand. The bad news is that my confidence levels are dropping as time goes by. One less jazzy outfit I'm considering is this one - see here - a Joe Browns dress. And another is this one - see here - another trouser suit, but much less bling. 

So, here's where you come into play... Please send me your thoughts - drop me a line in the comments box below as to which of these three outfits you would suggest I wear, or anything else you've seen on the blog. This far, I only know that the venue is within a pub, although not the actual pub itself. I know I'd be happy to wear my pea pod suit here on Tresco in our local pub, but beyond that I'm not sure at all. And on a purely practical point, I am more than a little worried that something dire may happen to my precious pea pod suit, like someone spills a glass of red wine on me or I sit on some chewing gum in the taxi. Have I just persuaded myself not to venture off island with my beloved Iris Apfel ensemble or am I missing the opportunity to showcase this spectacular outfit beyond the shores of home? 

                                                                                  Anna x

Layered Lux, this month's Style Not Age challenge

Hello and welcome to our monthly style challenge which is Layered Lux this time, the theme being chosen by Gail of Is This Mutton. Our outfits reflect the difference in weather and temperatures across England and Ireland during the past week when we took our photos; luckily it was a warm and sunny day here on Tresco when I wore this summery outfit, probably one of my last ones of the year. So let's take a look at how my blogging friends approached Layered Lux...

Jacqui's silky blouse certainly says Lux and she has co-ordinated it well with jeans and long line jacket for a casual look. Check out those fab shoes! See her blog Mummabstylish for full details. 

Hilda's layering comprises of silk shirt, leather jacket and woollen coat - a sure sign that the temperature has dropped over in Ireland. Read her backstory on Over the Hilda blog. 

For Gail, the trick is all about lots of thin layers to keep warm in the season ahead. A fine roll neck, topped with thin tee shirt and tie wrap starts her outfit and later she adds a sweater and gloves - see the final flourish on her blog here. Those rose gold boots surely say Lux, Gail!

Emma from Style Splash is ready not just for autumn, but winter too in this trouser suit topped with fur trimmed leather coat. It's a look I'd wear in a heartbeat Emma - pass it on when you're done!

This outfit was an absolute joy to put together, mainly because it's based around old or pre-loved items which always makes me feel good. The trousers are very old indeed and were from New Look costing £5 in the sale many moons ago. The pairing with this charity shop jacket is what makes me smile; I love the marriage of colours but the clashing of patterns. Jewellery-wise there's nothing new here either - the frosted disc necklace came from Marks & Spencer yonks ago and the silver rings are old too. Sunglasses are from Quay Australia.

It's the first time I've worn the jacket and had been put off by the fact that it didn't have buttons on the sleeves - although that wasn't enough to stop me buying it a few summer's ago. It was only recently that I found the jacket lurking in the back of my wardrobe and set to in finding some suitable buttons from my button box. I also put a new button on the front of the jacket and suddenly the whole thing came to life. 

This lace shirt definitely adds an element of luxury to the outfit. A recent charity shop purchase, it was brand new, still with the labels on and was reduced to half price. This was its first outing and I must admit I think it'll be very useful for many summers to come.

Lace blouse and sparkly belt surely sum up Lux for this challenge today. I also liked the version without the blouse and with the jacket on (see below, although the sunlight was casting quite a different light for these following shots).

It's such a shame that I've only discovered this stylish jacket now, just as I'm about to do my autumn/winter changeover. Never mind, it'll be a joyful find for me when I come to unpack these clothes again in the spring! As ever, thanks for dropping by and I do hope that you've picked up some ideas for seasonal layering too.

Wishing you a fab week!

Anna x