We arrived in August with three days before our first guests. Three. Days. 😱

The handover from the previous owners was brilliant, but there's only so much you can learn about running a lake in 72 hours - especially when you're also trying to unpack a whole house, find the kettle and your socks, stop the cat escaping, and work out how all the equipment works (or doesn't).

You can't make it up! The lawnmower died on day one. We'd tried to squeeze in time to learn some French, but Duolingo doesn't teach you how to get your mower repaired! By then I could confidently ask for directions to the swimming pool and buy nine green skirts! 🙄

CLEARING THE SWIMS

James spent those three days doing more strimming, mowing, and cutting than anyone thought was humanly possible. The priority was simple: get the most productive swims as clear and accessible so guests could get on with fishing.

We widened paths where we could, cleared overhanging branches, and made sure we could get guests' gear to the bank. There was one swim we hadn't managed to tackle by the time our second week of guests arrived - James was out there making space until 11pm so they could fish there that night.

It wasn't perfect. But it was fishable. And that's what mattered.

Before...

After!

GETTING READY FOR GUESTS

Our first guests were lovely. Absolutely lovely. Which was lucky, because there was a fair bit of winging it. But honestly, is there ever a better way to learn than just having to get on with it?

Actually, all our guests were absolutely lovely and we don't think we did too badly - they've already booked to come back!

The lake was accessible, the swims were fishable, and the carp were waiting. Everything else? We figured it out as we went along.

This was the emergency prep - getting the lake ready for the season. The proper planning and big work would come later, once we'd caught our breath!

James & Liza