Southern Sardinia, Cagliari and the mountains.

Back on the mainland at Oriestano we made use of the service area before crossing a curious region of flat reclaimed land mostly used for agriculture, stopping briefly at a small shop for supplies before crossing an inlet to reach the coast running south from Capo di Frasca which has a NATO base on the northern tip.

In Arbus town we found the small knife museum where Paolo Pusceddu the owner showed us his collection of knives from over the years and then left us watching a fascinating video of how he produced a folding hunting knife whose handle was fashioned from a ram's horn that required much shaping, heating and bashing before the finished product was given a blade and polished up. He is still crafting beautiful examples of knives for a host of uses using traditional tools and techniques.

At Marina di Arbus we took a walk through the village and down to the harbour where a number of large yachts were undergoing maintenance on their hulls and a smart cafe run by a friendly young owner provided mid morning refreshments. A small convoy of classic Fiat 500s pulled in as we departed and further down the Costa Verde we found a large parking area above a huge curve of a beach so spent the afternoon walking to each end and had a quiet night with just three other vans dotted about. A Dutch couple in one were keen paragliders so took advantage of the cliff and onshore wind to enjoy the conditions the following morning.

Mountain roads took us inland to Guspini as the dirt road required a sandy looking river crossing after which we headed to the coast again at the town of Buggerru. Around Carbonia, a former mining area, there were abandoned villages and pithead workings before at the coast once more we crossed via a bridge and spit of land to the Isola di Sant Antioco and parked by the harbour at the north end in Calasetta. This small town is the departure point for a regular ferry over to the Isla di Sant Pietro and the large parking area was to be our base for three nights. We walked around the harbour admiring some large pleasure craft and even larger fishing vessels before the ferry loomed in to sight.

Remarkably having being built in Edinburgh in 1983 she spent twenty years linking Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight being at the time the largest ro ro car ferry on that route. In 2002 she was sold to the Italian company that now runs this service and was sailed here with a crew of just 11 which must have been an adventure. Running 7 days a week around the clock we decided to take a trip over with the bikes the following day so checked out the fares and timetable before tucking away in the small harbour cafe.

 

The vessel docking and departing at times through the night was reassuring background noise and we caught the 10.20 with just a handful of foot passengers and two cars. Some of the original IOW signage was still in place and we enjoyed the top sun deck for the forty minute journey.

Cycling away from Carloforte we passed old salt pans teeming with flamingoes and reached La Calletta with its numerous shuttered holiday homes and a large unfinished and abandoned hotel. A return to Carloforte via an inland road gave us the opportunity for lunch on the seafront whilst watching the various ferries that link across directly to the mainland. An error in translation saw me tackling a huge plate of meats, cheeses and seafood that was probably aimed at a family group but I rose to the task before we set off climbing steeply at first towards the north west of the island. Far reaching views, blue skies and empty tracks made for a great day as we dropped down to the tuna processing unit at Tonnare and then returned to Carloforte for the return at sunset to Calasetta. We found a small restaurant in town and ate well with simple local food and drinks, the bill was on the high side but the place had great character although sadly we were the only customers.

A tour of Santa Antioco took us on more deserted roads, past beautiful beaches and down to Capo Sperone before a run up the east coast looking across the Golfo di Palmas returned us to the main town for coffee in a smart cafe that also sold some deli foods. We were taken by the sand timer for judging tea brewing and the sugary donuts that fuelled us for the final few miles back to Calasetta following the old railway that is now a cycle path.

With rain in the forecast for 48 hours we crossed back to Sardi itself and took a twisting road through the mountains to Teulada passing through a very loud and dramatic hailstorm that put two inches of white marbles on the road just as we passed the highest pass with the tightest corners. A solitary bike track was visible and soon enough we passed a guy heading to lower levels at speed. Park4Night indicated that a campsite provided services part way along the linear village of Chia but when we got there the barrier was down but not locked so we passed through and gave the owner a call. He only spoke Italian but turned up after ten minutes to switch on the power and water which was hugely appreciated. So for €20 we were pitched up alongside a salt water lagoon and five minutes walk from a spectacular beach. We had done our laundry in Calasetta that morning so soon had a line rigged up and I gave the bathroom a good clean as we had access to plenty of water before we walked out to the sea. The night was quite wet so we were glad to be in a warm and comfy vehicle with some catch up TV watched as we both have O2's 25 GB roaming limit. I am very pleased with my decision to switch providers as Three had a lower limit and a £2/day access fee : another Brexit bonus...

From Chia we moved swiftly on to the island's capital Cagliari, reached by passing industry on the west side and then circumventing the commercial port south of the airport. In the centre of town the MSC Lirica, a large cruise ship was moored up alongside the ferry to Civitavecchia near Rome and we were soon pulling in at the secure aire just to the east of the centre. Two African lads were manning the barrier and were very friendly, particularly once they realised I could speak French, originating from Guinea Bissau we wondered about their back stories as we were directed to a parking spot. Quite a few vans were in storage and once the owner had returned I booked us in, and paid the 20 euros and took on board his advice for how best to explore the relatively compact centre.

Thus we walked down to the sea front and along towards the cruise ship before a drink in a cafe where an intriguing character stopped to sell us some trinkets. He was a tall and very engaging African gentleman with a humorous approach to his trade so we very much enjoyed the encounter and bought just a few things. The old fortified centre was reached by numerous stairs and back alleys with excellent views in all directions and very few tourists even though the Lirica could have disgorged up to 1500 people.

In fact we met an Irish couple from the boat who said it was leaving at 16.30 having arrived from Civitavecchia over night. Their cruise was a 10 day tour of the Med but I noticed that at the end of the year the ship would offer a cruise over to Brazil and then spend the winter in warmer waters.

The city walls were impressive with the main gate the Bastione di Sant Remi being particularly imposing, an adjacent cafe revived us with good coffee and even better ice-cream before we moved on heading back through the old centre to view the remarkable Roman amphitheatre carved directly in to a limestone gorge. As work was apparently (if invisibly) underway to refurbish the access paths the site was closed but the ticket office open where the lady said you could pay to enter and walk a short way down the boardwalk for a less impressive view than could be obtained from outside on the street...

Needless to say we took some piccies and then returned to the harbour in time to see the Lirica depart as the sun set. Benches near the gates were hung with sodden blankets and sleeping bags where homeless migrants must have endured an uncomfortable time in the previous day's downpours: compare and contrast with the lives of the departing cruise guests....

Counting as ever our good fortune we moved on to the final 'zone' of Cagliari and chose a small and cosy trattoria for an excellent meal : sea food for me, cheeses and salad for Mandy all washed down with Ichnusa beer and half a carafe of house white.

Back at the aire the security guy gave us a friendly wave and we retired to bed after walking almost 11 miles.

Checkout was at midday giving us time to walk up to the covered market at St Bernardino where the meat counters groaned with choice cuts of pork, beef and even horse, the colourful fruit and veg stalls were a delight to see and on the lower floor the fish market exhibited almost every species of edible marine life known to man. On one a large swordfish head was almost all that remained of a huge specimen and we bought a couple of fresh looking tuna steaks plus some oranges and chocolate bars as a little something for the guys back at the aire. They were obviously hugely touched by our gesture and we felt very humbled as we headed off towards the south east corner of this absorbing island. Another park up at Solanas gave us a couple of hours in the sun on the beach which was less than 20 yards away. A local guy had gone off snorkelling for hours and an Italian guy turned up in a large Fiat based 4x4 camper but otherwise we had the place to ourselves as yet again the majority of the houses were empty holiday homes. A tiny shop/bar had milk and biscuits but little else other than two friendly enough local couples.

A short run along twisting coast roads with superb views brought us to Villasimius where we stopped for lunch above a curved bay overlooked by another tower and with a small marina alongside . Out at Cape Carbonara we walked down to an interesting old granite quarry before moving on to another quiet park up at Sinzias where we had our first east facing beach with a hilly ridge behind meaning we lost the sun a bit earlier so after two hours on there in the mid afternoon sun we walked around the Cape to the next bay passing another Spanish look out tower. I had upgraded my Mapy.cz app to the paid version allowing me to use offline maps and they proved remarkably accurate as we followed the paths and tracks. I have downloaded all the maps for Turkey,  Greece and the Caucasus as the latter do not feature on my Satmap and data may be an issue beyond the EU.

After visiting the solitary Nuraghe Asoru a Euro Spin supermarket at Muravera provided a good restocking of fridge and cupboards as we were intent on heading inland to the even more sparsely populated mountainous areas where a more traditional agricultural life predominates. A newer road cuts through the hills and valleys via tunnels and bridges with the old road glimpsed turning and twisting nearby. We picked this up to call at Armungia where the easily accessible village tap quickly filled our tank and then followed more wriggling roads to descend to a point on what would have been the shoreline of Largo Mulargia but low winter rain has put this way lower and whilst we stopped for lunch the setting below a hill meant we would lose the sun early. Thus twenty minutes later we pulled up at a dedicated aire in Escolca just by the sports club with a choice of five pitches, a good view west and a small but attractive village to walk in to. The local bar was friendly enough and yet again I wished for more of this tolerance and encouragement of van dwellers in those less visited parts of the UK and elsewhere. We require few if any facilities, by and large behave respectfully and bring income to local outlets. 

A bizarre blue lighting scheme made the spot all the more memorable with a large flock of sheep passing by in the morning as we breakfasted in the sun. Up at Barumini we stopped briefly for cash and bread before reaching the Nuragi Sur Nuraxi where as luck would have it a guided tour in English was about to leave. Carlota gave us and the three Dutch visitors an excellent tour of this hugely impressive bronze age settlement. A huge central tower on 3 levels was surrounded by scores of circular huts which would have had thatched wooden roofs housing several hundred people. Access to the main tower was via steep stone steps and a narrow passage and beyond to the four secondary towers narrow passages within the walls were remarkable to experience as they threaded between the huge boulders used in its construction. From the top of the main tower you got an impressive overview of the site but I include a photo of a postcard giving the best bird's eye view .... They are missing a trick here by not offering a tethered hot air balloon ascent or similar.

As our tickets included a visit to the Zapatta Palace back in Barumini we returned to see the former home of a family from Aragon who had settled in the area. In less informed times they had constructed a magnificent home using the solid walls of a Nuraghe and it's outer towers to support the structure. The last baroness left the property to the community and funded the small elderly people's home in the grounds after which the archeologists moved in to excavate the bronze and iron age ruins. These can now be seen through extensive glass flooring whilst display cases show a number of artefacts recovered from this site, Nuraxi and others in the area. The lady who took us round was again well informed and had excellent English and after a look round the folk museum with its exhibits from more recent local history we dropped in at the small cafe. In the folk museum I was intrigued by the 'shoes' for oxen and an elaborate wooden box with ropes and pulleys used to compress hay in to bales : thirty years ago I had made a similar contraption to do the same thing when I once made hay manually at the farm.

So after a thoroughly absorbing day we have moved on to an aire at Genuri, an even smaller village tucked beneath the limestone plateau of Giara where we plan to cycle tomorrow as today has seen a few showers. The aire has shade provided by solar panels and we have plugged in to the hook up prepaid by debit card. In the tiny bakery two locals were clearly delighted that this new facility was being used and as often happens once I had used my few words of Italian went on a long discourse which I completely failed to understand.

So we have another ten days or so before returning to Italy for a visit to Rome before Mandy returns home at the end of the month and I head for Greece aiming to be in to Turkey by mid March......

More pics

Au revoir to France and on to Sardinia.

My night in Mazamet was bitterly cold and after 5 weeks with little solar input and limited driving the leisure battery had been working hard to keep the heater on for about 10 hours a day. Thus I decided to head up in to the Montagnes Noir and find a sunny and isolated spot to run the genny for a few hours to restore normal service. It fired up first pull and provided a good boost to all utilities on board.

The flight tracker confirmed that Mandy's trip from Manchester was running smoothly and just after lunch I pulled in at the small Carcassonne airport having seen the Ryanair flight arrive. We called at a large supermarket for supplies and lunch in a cafe before driving the short distance to the aire just a short walk from the walls of Carcassonne citadel. It was still very cold so we donned our warmest coats and followed the path in to town. The remarkable walls, turrets and towers enclosed a maze of houses, shops and cafes so after getting our bearings and watching the sunset we returned to the van for a comfortable night.

Wednesday was spent giving the town a thorough exploration and included a decent lunch in the depths of a cosy restaurant before we took the ramparts tour that thoroughly entertained us for a couple of hours.

Moving on after filling up and getting to grips with the automated barrier we drove to a park up on the Canal due Midi in time to meet the harbour mistress and pay the 20 euros for 2 nights with hook up. The small canal port was home to some enormous live aboard cruisers and provided the start point for a memorable ride along to Beziers, stopping en route for coffee before we dropped alongside the staircase of locks to reach the Pont Vielle with its stunning view of the cathedral high above the river. In the centre we found a small restaurant in a sunny square for lunch before returning along the towpath passing the Malpas tunnel for a second time.

The canal side aire at Le Somail was very peaceful but the power went off overnight, possibly we think thanks to a large 6 wheel A class drawing too much power and in the morning the water had been turned off against frost so as we headed to Arles we found a water tap via Park4Night before parking by the river and walking in to town for a combined ticket to the ruins of a Roman theatre and amphitheatre. Having enjoyed the first we arrived at the second only to be told it was about to close. According to the sign it should have been open for another half an hour but the guy on the gate stood firm so we decided to return the following day as our ticket was valid for 48 hours.

Breaking the cardinal rule of avoiding driving after dark also involved a frustrating search for Camping Gaz and we ended up paying a surprising amount for one at a SuperU supermarket before reaching an aire at Fontvieille where we could load and unload water and sleep well in the old quarry. It was a short hop back to Arles where we could park near the ruins for free as it was a Sunday, raid an ATM using both cards and then give the hugely impressive amphitheatre our full attention.

We had received emails and texts advising us that our ferry from Toulon to Sardinia was leaving 3 hours early due to bad weather so we headed off using the peage to bypass Marseilles and arrived in plenty of time. We chatted to an English guy who lives in France, has a boat on Sardinia and delivers goods around Europe to earn a living : he had some useful tips and advice which were much appreciated.

On board our spacious cabin on deck 5 lacked some of the little extras you would get on a Brittany Ferries vessel but despite being over 40 years old everything was in good condition and we enjoyed our departure as the sun set. In view of the forecast rough crossing we decided against eating and after several circuits of the various outdoor decks we decided to tuck away for the night. Our twin portholes allowed us to view the huge seas close up courtesy of the ship's lighting and on occasions waves crashed against our high level accommodation. Whilst the ship didn't seem to roll or pitch that much the powerful waves shook everything in an alarming way as we forged across the Med. At 7am we realised that we were pulling in to Ajaccio on Corsica to allow a number of vehicles to offload - we think they had combined two different sailings due to the weather allowing the larger vessel to face the rough conditions. A much calmer sea encouraged us to try a light breakfast and at noon we arrived on time at Porto Torres.

Disembarking was of course fuss free as we had not crossed any borders and we had already set the sat nav for Stintino to the north where we stopped for a walk round the old fishing village, bought some crisp breads from a tiny shop and by late afternoon had pulled up above a beach on a gravel track. The path down was quite eroded and back at the van we settled in for a quiet night.

Tuesday saw us heading south towards Alghero stopping initially at the now almost fully abandoned mining town of Argentiere which may one day be restored and developed but for the time being is a forlorn and thought provoking sight. The small bar was friendly enough and we climbed away from the coast before descending to eventually reach Cape Caccia where from a parking area with stunning views across the bay we could walk up to a highpoint with cliff views to the north and a lighthouse to the south. We walked down to this and then round on a coast path to pass the steps down to Neptune's Cave, usually reached by tour boat from Alghero, and then back passing one of the many look out towers dotted around the Sardinian coast.

A parking area on the marina at Alghero was conveniently placed for a walk in to the old fortified city centre following the walls and defensive towers and passing a rather enchanting stray cat sanctuary created in a corner by the locals and handy for scraps from the adjacent fishing boats. A good restaurant provided our first and excellent pizzas before we walked back through the narrow streets for a quiet and mild night. The bikes were used to cycle up to the Nuraghe Anghelu historic site and we enjoyed a couple of hours admiring the bronze age burial chambers that had been carved in to the rock up to 6000 years ago and only discovered in the last century when the area was quarried. The lady in the ticket office spoke good English and explained about the different dialects of Sardo across the island before we headed back to base for lunch. We then had time to ride south on some of the coast road towards Bosa and stopped at a lovely beach with a small cafe. Things are very seasonal here and at this time of year many places are shut, wild camping is tolerated and there are fewer people around which suits us fine. Back at Alghero a trendy bar overlooking the sea was popular with the younger set and did us well for a couple of drinks and tapas before we rode through the inner town and back to the van.

Before moving on we found a laundrette that turned out to be much better than the reviews suggested and was adjacent to an interesting cafe/bookshop whose owner had spent time in Glastonbury as she was very much in to all things spiritual. With the washing hung out to dry round the van we took the mountain road via Villanova Monteleone that then dropped down to Bosa. The sat nav had had a few giddy moments as new roads hadn't actually been finished and down at Bosa the only way to reach the harbour area was to go the wrong way up one way streets (as fortunately did the locals) as work to install a new water supply had closed the main road but no diversions had been signed. We decided in any case that it was a bit out of town so returned to nearer the centre and parked along the river side next to a college. We jumped on the bikes to ride some of the coast road north back to Alghero passing a number of closed agriturismo and other businesses that in the main season offer fully serviced camping on bays and beaches.

I have started using the two alarmed padlocks and my demountable motion activated security light as well as having the bikes under cover and the steering lock highly visible so we were happy to leave the van and head off in search of a restaurant. From a stylish footbridge over the river I noticed that said light had come on so we walked back briskly but soon ascertained it was being triggered by passing traffic. A small restaurant across the river from town said they would be open at 7pm so we did a circuit of the centre before returning and being shown upstairs to an unexpectedly large dining area. It was hugely quirky with a pirate theme that avoided being naff and the waiter seemed delighted to have foreign customers. Our meal of spaghetti followed by tuna and swordfish with salad and frittes was excellent and the place developed a lovely atmosphere as other clients arrived.

Friday dawned bright and sunny and as we walked up to the castle we stopped in a cafe that looked very basic from the outside but was opulent and luxurious indoors with chocolate croissants to die for .... The castle was closed (don't always rely on Google maps) but provided a good vantage point and we returned to the van along the river admiring the seried ranks of colourful housing that reminded us of Hotwells in Bristol.

Park4Night suggests that taking on board fresh water and dealing with waste is possible at the garage in town but despite filling our diesel tank this seemed to be no longer an option. The twisty mountain road south took us to Cuglieri with its huge basilica and then reached the large town of Oristano where a P4N listing suggested a water and waste station in the corner of a car park. Although taped off (I think due to freshly laid concrete) we could get near enough to do the necessary and then headed over to the mostly flat Sinis peninsular where we parked for the night in St Giovanni on an area dedicated to motorhomes, although we were the only ones there. We walked out to the entrance to the ruins of Tharros where a very friendly guy explained the ticket arrangements and gave us good advice about visiting.

We decided to spend Saturday riding north to Putzu Idu following a range of coastal tracks passing some stunning coves and beaches before finding a small and popular fish restaurant where we sat outside for spaghetti, mussels and prawns washed down with a beer and wine. The watchtower out on the headland was our turn round point and after passing through a village of shuttered up holiday homes we were back to St Giovanni by sunset.

Today has been a scorcher and we visited Tharros early in case it got busy with the same friendly guy giving us a good overview of what was once one of the most important cities in the Roman Mediterranean. The extensive site on a sheltered bay stretched out over a south facing hillside and included various temples, thermal baths, a grid of streets with central covered drains and the remains of housing and shops. Two graceful columns oversaw the area and gave an indication of how this remarkable place must have once looked. After two absorbing hours with almost no other visitors we then went up to the Spanish Tower only to find that you needed to get the girl from the ticket office to reluctantly come up with a key. Despite her rather offhand manner it was well worth persevering for the views after which on a very warm afternoon we walked south to the lighthouse. We have moved on to a wild camping spot we saw on the bikes yesterday so are tucked away at Punta Is Arusas and have had a few hours on the beach. There are a couple of other vans about which is always reassuring so we are now planning our onwards travels south.

Pics as usual click....

Heading South but not too much sun......

 The cold grey weather continued but I layered up and began riding south along the river only to realise 90 minutes later that I had forgotten my bum bag with tools and two pumps in so although running tubeless I decided to return just in case. My earlier return prompted me to go to the circus so I joined the short queue on a cold night and purchased a ticket for a seat right at the front which was also padded - I'd taken my sit mat in case we were on wooden benches!

The big top was warm inside as it filled up with mostly families and then the lights went down before the circus master announced a promising evening of fantastic attractions....

This started with two acrobats on a pair of suspended spinning wheels who threw themselves around them both inside and out some thirty feet off the ground. There then followed a remarkable array of gymnastics, acrobatics, tight rope walking (and cycling), two well trained horses going through their paces and so on.

The appearance of half a dozen camels and four ponies engaged in a choreographed display was unexpected but rivetting with my chosen seat bringing me unnervingly close to these ships of the desert.

An excellent display, largely by the same performers on the trapeze was again astonishing and after two hours there was a final grand parade before the lights fell for the final time. It was a memorable evening and I gained an insight in to how much practice and effort must go in to every performance as well as the huge logistics of moving from venue to venue.

An aire at Les Rives Mayenne offered more cycling options, initially north to a remarkable bridge over the river with a fairly standard road crossing also incorporating beneath it a pedestrian walkway in the form of a series of wide, steep wooden steps that rose at an angle of 50°.

Further north I reached a familiar point where I had stayed on an aire 6 years ago - my memory fails me as usual but the 'Search' function on the blog helps fill in the gaps😳, so returned to the van passing some lovely water mills at weirs with the attendant locks and pretty keepers cottages.

A ride south to Angers brought my planned rides to a close, the river which soon after joins the Loire was very high and had flooded many of the surrounding fields.

Moving on the following day incorporated a launderette session and a big food shop including three 907 bottles - these are lasting  for about ten days which gives me a gas 'bill' of £60 a month but other than two 2 euro jetons for water my first month over here has cost nothing other than the usual food, fuel and entertainment.

A quiet aire at St Leger de Montbrillais provided the necessary but as much of it was on sloping wet grass I played safe and parked near the service area. The following day an hour's ride took me to the remarkable Fontevraud- L'Abbaye where a combined ticket got me admission to both the abbey itself and the museum.

In the main chancel of the abbey lay four tombs including those of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart and after being a place of retreat for up to 900 monks and nuns it had also served as a prison, the vestiges of which have now been removed restoring the place to one of calm and tranquility. I spent several hours there, had lunch in the caff and then whizzed home to a cosy van. Later I walked in to the village for a beer in the friendly bar : they had drawn the Christmas raffle and various people turned up to collect their prizes, the winning couple looking absolutely astonished to have gained a 55'' colour TV.

Warmer but very wet weather dominated a longish drive south placing me alongside the river at Coutras which as the rain eased I walked in to and enjoyed the last few Christmas lights strung across the large square.

Bergerac had an interesting mediavel quarter and another hugely impressive cathedral and provided a delicious lunch break but I only stayed a few hours before parking up at Issac, one of many mediavel villages in the area that count as bastides meaning they are semi fortified.

The aire in Villarreal was tucked away alongside a paddock of donkeys with a short walk in to  another very enchanting village with a huge central covered market place, immaculate town hall and a statuesque church. There were a couple of other vans staying but it was a very quiet night.

The unusually named Luzech on the Lot was reached after a quick walk round Montflanquin, another bastide but very quiet on an off season Monday however the one open cafe was warm and cosy and the hot chocolate very welcome.

Luzech had another lofty castle beyond which a walk out on the ridge led me to the remains of a Roman villa and on my way back to the riverside aire I was lured in to a patisserie for some no particularly well deserved treats.

A brief stop in Cahors provided some atmospheric photo opportunities at the remarkable Pont Valentre before I moved on again heading mostly south through hilly and wooded countryside.

The aire below the hill top village of Najac was on some old tennis courts but the services were shut off for the winter as advised on the invaluable Park4Night app but I was OK for water so parked up and walked the mile or so up a steep path to emerge alongside an old church. The nearby castle was as expected closed for the winter but had good views down in to the Aveyron gorge where I noticed a single track railway line. Against expectations this still ran regular services so I checked out options to go north towards Aurillac or south to Gaillac. The user friendly SNCF app showed a train cancellation for the following day which would have limited my options for returning from Aurillac or Figeac so instead I booked a 10.30 departure southbound to Gaillac. I walked down through steep woodland to check out the station which was only a 15 minute walk from the aire, where on my return a Spanish van had parked right alongside despite the huge area available, people are odd. Later that evening a text from SNCF said my train would be 20 minutes late but the following day I arrived in good time anyway and was soon in a comfortable seat heading through the twisting valley via a series of tunnels and bridges. After a quick look round Gaillac I found a cosy bar with a 19 euro menu de jour and arrived at the station for my return trip pleasantly replete. Parked up in a siding were a number of old postal service carriages, now of course made redundant by planes and vans. I was back in time to climb up to the village once more and enjoy some late evening patches of sunlight before returning to base.

I moved on to Albi as overnight my gas had run out and as the loo needed doing it made sense to get to both hatches via the tailgate once the bikes were off. 

I stopped off at the bizarre Cap Decouverte which is a huge former opencast coal mine trying to reinvent itself as an outdoor activity centre (listen up Merthyr Tydfil) with a number of enormous earth movers, cranes and excavators providing great interest : truly the Titans as claimed.

The excellent aire provided everything necessary and on arrival there was a huge live in lorry parked up with his generator running. Due to the cold weather other vans were running their engines so I chose the quieter corner and took off in to town in search of bread. A bakery opposite the world's largest brick built cathedral did the job but I decided to return for photos when the sun made its forecast appearance in a day or two. Walking back to the van I got quite wet but yet again the Eber came to the rescue. 

Saturday was a grey, wet day and I barely left the van but enjoyed finishing a couple of books and cooking some delicious duck breasts with a couscous salad and the promise of sunshine for Sunday.

This arrived along with a marked drop in temperatures under a clear sky but I layered up and set off across town heading for the voie verte down to Castres. En route we managed to arrange for Pete and Nina to join me at Albi that night so I enjoyed the 67 mile round trip with a beef hotpot to look forward to. However I succumbed to a McDonald's in town at lunchtime as I'd a fair few miles to do to get back and thoroughly enjoyed the well maintained track through wintry countryside.

Back at Albi we had a great catch up on a very chilly evening with overnight temperatures well below freezing causing me to stick the heating on in the wee small hours and the hot water to prevent any issues.

After a further catch up with Pete who is heading south to Spain we looked at my onward plans and had a WhatsApp call to Mandy who with luck arrives tomorrow. After saying our goodbyes, and persuading a frozen water tap to start running we both filled up and went our separate ways. I have parked up at Mazamet having done the laundry and will restock the fridge and cupboards tomorrow morning before the hour's drive to the airport.

It's been good to see the sun and know that I can deal with the cold nights and of course things should get warmer as we head south - an overnight ferry from Toulon to Sardinia early next week will save 500 miles of driving and put me back on track with the Brexit timer....

A few pics here.....

La Francette

After the delights of the Lake District Storm Darra encouraged us to head directly back to Sheffield which gave me a useful extra day or two to prepare for departure. We used up the last of the Decathlon bike exchange voucher, the van had an oil and filter change and an ancillary belt for good measure : I have it done every year as at almost 8' long it's tricky to replace by the roadside and I was also pleased to get the right semi synthetic oil put in after the debacle at the Continental Garage, Galway.

A gentle run down to Brecon was only interrupted by an hour's delay north of Monmouth due to a landslide and I was soon tucked away in my usual corner before an enjoyable evening of badminton. At my dental appointment all was well so I immediately booked on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry for the following Thursday at 08.00. I caught the bus down to Neath to catch up with friends and then on the return broke the journey in Ystradgynlais which has seen a few changes in the 20 years since I left but the waitress in Merlin's cafe was the same. Back in Brecon I saw a double bill at the Coliseum and on Friday a group of us enjoyed a good catch up at the Shoemaker's over an excellent meal. I fixed an aluminium tread to the side door step whilst at Pentrefelin where the litter of puppies were as adorable as you would expect.

I walked out along the canal to Talybont on Usk to raid the bus shelter book exchange but couldn't nip over to see Mike and Claire as the swing bridge is out of order. The bus back to Brecon was late which had me thinking I'd have a 7 mile walk back after dark with a heavy bag of books....

Moving on to Lower Chapel I caught up with Pete and Jan and Ian. Pete had nearly come a cropper in his van avoiding fallen trees on the lane so we nipped down to resolve the issue and later enjoyed a good Thai meal in Brecon. The final engagement was the much anticipated Badminton Club meal at the Bull, Libanus. It was a memorable evening amongst good friends, many of whom I have known for over 20 years: as I was driving directly to Portsmouth overnight I stayed on the soft drinks and felt sure that my new shirt (an excellent present from Mandy's brother) went down very well.

There was little traffic on the M4 and south of Newbury I called the police to report a car that had careered off the road - it wasn't safe for me to stop - before arriving at the Portsmouth Ferry Terminal just after 6am. 

We were loaded and away on time passing our two new aircraft carriers docked as they always seem to be with a constant police presence on the water. Earlier in the year I had watched 'The Warship' a BBC series about life on board one of these huge and complex vessels : well worth a look.

After leaving the fascinating waterfront we headed out past the Isle of Wight (still on my list to visit properly) and I found a quiet corner to catch up on some sleep. We docked on time and I was soon away via a supermarket for some basics to a quiet park up in the Grimboq forest with one other van arriving later.

After a quiet night I cycled back north to Caen and then out to the ferry port at Ouistreham following the old railway line that forms part of La Francette a 600 km voie verte that extends out to the coast at La Rochelle. I very much felt for the group of African migrants occupying a humble array of tents and shelters as they attempted to cross to a new life and I could only I imagine the hardships they had already faced to get this far.

Reflections on another aspect of sacrifice came back at the Pegasus bridge, a vital link in the 1944 Normandy Landings when troops of the 6th Airborne Division landed by glider to secure the location. The original bridge, on display in the adjacent museum, was replaced by this faithful copy in 1994. 

After another quiet night in the woods and despite a worsening chest infection I cycled south the following day returning via lanes and a village bakery that unerringly sold me a memorably mis formed baguette.

After returning to Caen for a bigger shop and to get a Campingaz 907 (€30) I moved on to the small village of Clecy where the service point needed a jeton available from shops in the village for €2. The small deli I went in to was run by an English family who had moved here from Cumbria 32 years ago quite a bold move as there were two other similar outlets run by locals.

The weather remained cold and grey but dry although quite a wind blew up in the small hours but by mid morning it had abated and I rode north to Grimboq again before tucking away with the heater on and one of the dozen or so books liberated from Talybont bus shelter. A night of paroxysmal coughing and a dawning of grey blustery conditions persuaded me to rest up on what was the shortest day of the year, marked at midnight by an impressive firework display although given the torrential rain at the time I'm not sure how many saw it.

Down at Domfront the aire was tucked away on the north side of the town hall and only accessed by the narrow streets of this pretty mediaeval town with half timbered houses and impressive castle ruins. It provided a good base for rides on Christmas Eve and Day and I was surprised that on the 26th almost everywhere was open and all public services running - apparently Boxing Day is a largely British tradition.

The rides north and south filled in the gaps before I moved south to a small aire at St Loup de Gast right alongside the cycle track. Unfortunately the water supply was off so I headed across to Lassay Les Chateaux where the service point was working and even the sun came out as I walked round the pretty village with its convent, rose garden and yellow stoned castle.

With my coughing fits easing I rode north through the bocage of Normandy with barely a soul around returning after 20 miles for a delicious meal of roast duck washed down by a local farm cider.  

Yesterday saw me cover 63 miles down to Laval and back passing through Mayenne but it remained very cold and grey so the hot shower and warm van were appreciated more than ever. The lack of opportunity to use the solar panel combined with very little driving means that the leisure battery is having to work hard, particularly when firing up and powering down the Eber. It is better left on continuously and I have been using the EcoFlow power pack to charge phones, the SatMap and so on as it can be recharged when I do drive. 

So today I have moved south of Laval to Chateau Gontier on the banks of La Mayenne with a large parking area providing the necessary - easily accessible water and the prospect of two routes north and south following the river which joins the Loire at Angers. After yesterday's long day I have settled for a walk round the town admiring the huge old hospital building that at first looks like a castle and now watching people arrive for the Sunday afternoon performance at an Italian Circus located further along the bank. I may well give it a look tomorrow night after my planned ride south, the weather is forecast to get warmer if not brighter before rain midweek and beyond that the possibility of some sunshine.

I meet Mandy in Carcassonne in a fortnight so will be following this route towards the coast and then another inland via Toulouse and may well be able to intersect Pete and Nina as they head south in early January.

Free WiFi here has enabled me to get the blog done and compile a reflective album of the many highlights of 2024 - yet again I fail to see any tangible benefits of our ludicrous decision to leave the EU and would welcome any of the ' vote leave' brigade (who seem hard to find and largely silent) to list the top ten benefits so far....... OK, I'll make it easier : three will do!

Click here for this trip

And here for 2024

Lake District Delights

After my thoroughly enjoyable ride round the mid Wales bothies I carefully checked the unlikely figure of 17,000' of ascent on the OS mapping map which stated a revised figure of just over 20,000' !

A day on the Heart of Wales line from Llandovery up to Llandrindod Wells for lunch gave me lovely winter views of the surrounding scenery after which on the Thursday afternoon I arrived at the Elenydd Wilderness Trust hostel of Dolgoch for their autumn work party. I parked up in a flat corner, had a chat with Colin the warden and organiser and then settled down for a quiet night in the van.

A fine sunny morning saw others arriving and I busied myself with moving log piles, pruning round the car park and drive way and occasionally looking through the impressive archive of local farming history. I joined the other volunteers round the fire in the evening but had come fully prepared to self cater so retired to the van for around 7pm.

A group of us set to with barrows, shovels and a whacker plate to attend to over a hundred potholes on the mile long approach track and I discovered that Anthony knew the couple who had provided such good catering during the Shepton Mallett work camp and Daz had a shared interest in the rail industry being part owner of a Class 20 loco.

Others were splitting logs, felling trees, deep cleaning the hostel and attending to a host of minor internal and external repairs to prepare the building for the winter period. Being off grid and with low hours of sunshine there was little hot water so after another sociable early evening I was back to the van for a hot shower and home cooking.

A change of weather on the Sunday meant that after a few more hours of log splitting I was away to Llangynidr to collect a 22 year old terrapin that was being rehomed in Rotherham. Said creature was in a secure box on a damp towel and would I was reassured be OK for up to 48 hours. The owners kindly gave me a contribution towards fuel, some beers and some top quality noodles so I was OK for even longer.

I called to see my brother in Bishop's Castle but he had to leave for Shrewsbury later so with Lilly safely locked in his barn we enjoyed a good meal and catch up before he headed off. With heavy snow forecast I decided to get away very early and arranged for the reptile Rescue Centre to take Lilly a day early in case I got stranded in Derbyshire.

Thus I arrived at an ordinary enough house near Rotherham where a guy inspected Lilly and declared she had a touch of shell rot (caused by a lack of UV light) apparently so he rang the owners to confirm they would foot the vet's bills. He claimed to have about 500 rescued creatures and many were indeed visible on his numerous CCTV screens but it was all a rather bizarre set up and I didn't linger long.

Having picked up Mandy from Sheffield we drove via Matlock to Dethick for a very enjoyable evening with Pete and Nina in their comfortable Winnebago. Overnight 7'' of snow fell which gave the new all weather tyres a good test as we left the field and headed back to the Decathlon store where we spent some of the dosh from the repurposed bike.

Wednesday saw us travelling up to Barnard Castle for a night at the Red Well Inn that allows park ups. It was well below freezing but the pub was cosy and the Eber did the job overnight. BC was a lovely town to explore, although the actual castle was closed and we found a trendy deli for lunch before moving on to the Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk for a very comfortable night and a great meal. We had worked up an appetite by walking along the Tees to Cotherstone and then back along the railway line cycle track.

Friday saw us meeting Marcus and Sandra at Locomotion in Shildon which is a large and impressive railway heritage centre. Two huge sheds displayed a remarkable range of steam and diesel locomotives plus carriages, freight waggons and track maintenance equipment including two huge snow ploughs. A set of carriages from a royal train were beyond luxurious but a major highlight was the vast Flying Scotsman sitting quietly awaiting its next outing: just a year ago we had seen her powering through Dent on the Settle to Carlisle line.

Due to a planning fubar our next overnight was away to the south up on the North York moors where the Owl at Hawnsby put us up in a well presented annexe across the road and we enjoyed another excellent meal in stylish surroundings. Another 6'' of snow fell overnight so we waited for the forecast thaw to arrive before testing the Cross Climates on a snowy car park and then a steep icy hill, the latter being at the outer limits of my comfort zone but impressive nevertheless. We decided to detour around a series of hairpins on a 1:4 lane but were soon down on to the A19 near Thirsk where the thawing snow, heavy rain and strong winds scuppered our plans to head west through Wensleydale. With the A66 also blocked we took the more southerly option via Skipton where we bought a fortnight's food and then passed through numerous flooded sections on the A65 and A591 to reach Elterwater just as the light faded.

The lodge was as warm and welcoming as ever and as always immaculately presented so we were soon settled in to the familiar surroundings which have many happy family memories for me. This annual fortnight always gives me a time to reflect on the good fortune and adventures of the previous year and look ahead and plan for the forthcoming trip.

We walked in to Ambleside to get Mandy a decent down jacket and caught the last bus home making use of the £2 fare cap before attending the owners' meeting for an update on the large solar installation above the leisure centre, the proposed new adventure centre in the nearby slate mine and the planned power cut of 10 hours for the following day.

To avoid this we joined Andy the estate manager who has worked here for 42 years on a walk to learn more of the history of the site from when it was a gun powder factory to it's time as a caravan park and then the transformation to the timeshare of today back in the 80's. It was a really interesting talk with many of the site's quirks now making sense.

A memorable  ride over to Wray Castle, along the west shore of Windermere, across to Oxen Fell and back via the eastern shore of Coniston gave us the final section done in the dark using new bike lights to good effect. We persuaded two Chinese tourists in a hire car a long way from the tarmac to turn round and not attempt to find or explore Cathedral Cave at this time of night with only phone torches. A swim and time in the sweat rooms eased our limbs after some 40 miles of exertion.

Another ride in to Ambleside and round to Grasmere via Rydal gave us a chance to explore the quiet village although there were a few very dramatic passes of a quartet of fast jets threading their way northwards through the fells.

Marcus and Sandra joined us for the weekend with a walk back from Dungeon Ghyll and a good meal in Stove and more time in the pool being enjoyed by all.

A ride over to Grasmere again and then north over Dunmail Raise gave us the chance to return along the quiet western shore of Thirlmere before a welcome lunch to warm up on a cold day.

Our plan to catch the open top bus from Grasmere to Kendal was scuppered as due to rain they put on a closed top double decker but we still enjoyed the lofty viewpoint from the front of the top deck. Kendal has some very pleasant corners and alleys along one of which we found an excellent vegetarian cafe after which we caught the mid afternoon bus right back to Elterwater.

A final day ride over to a very quiet Hawkshead was the coldest ride of the week and whilst the food and drink in the cafe revived us we were soon back to feeling the rawness of early December.

All too soon our fortnight was up but we managed to meet Mandy's family in Ambleside on the Friday as both our bookings for a planned meet up in Keswick had been scuppered by the campsite flooding. As it would have been £50/night for us as non members this was no great loss and we saw them again on the Saturday morning before a trouble free run back south as Storm Darra wreaked havoc along the west coast of Britain.

Back in Sheffield I have spent the time sorting out the van and it's contents for the start of another trip and am currently waiting at Autohaus Dolby for an oil and filter change plus ancillary belt before heading to Brecon for a dental appointment and COVID jab.

With luck I get a ferry on the 19th over to France and will spend a month getting down to Italy where Mandy will join me. Then it's on to Sardinia, Sicily and Greece as the Brexit clock counts down which will be reset by time in Turkey and with luck the Caucasus.

As always I will update in due course so enjoy more pics here until then.

Old Favourites of Mid Wales

 

Moving on from Blaenavon I dropped in to Brecon for the regular badminton session and then moved on to the Mynydd Illtud Common near Forest Lodge where Wild Camping Brecon Beacons provides only the most basic facilities, ie a tap and a few portaloos, but is cheap enough and in a good location. On the Friday I set off along the Sarn Helen Roman road that heads south west to Neath and was a regular favourite when I lived towards the southern end twenty and more years ago. The curious weather system known as an anticyclonic gloom kept the cloud low and sun hidden but the temperature on the mild side for my thrash along the deserted track with only the steep rough climb below Cerrig y Gleisiad requiring a push. At the Ystradfellte road I followed this for a couple of miles and then took a side track passing the limestone quarries before emerging by the sadly closed New Inn.

Heading down towards Pontneddfechan I turned off on the Pont Melin Fach road passing a 'ROAD CLOSED' sign and in due course came across a long section that has collapsed in to the river. Walkers and cyclists could pass but it will be a major task to re open the route fully. Emerging from the forest back on to the Sarn Helen I took a nose at what was once a fairly close neighbour and gardening customer but Eddie had long since passed and his family have been renovating the various sheds and barns to a high standard.

The route crossed the upper reaches of the Nedd but as I slogged up the track selecting the easier surface two ignorant walkers heading downhill stood firmly in my way, neither uttered a word or seemed inclined to move so I dismounted, gave them a cheery thank you and left wondering why people in such glorious surroundings can be so uptight.

Back at the site I had a good chat with the farmer with whom I shared many acquaintances before settling down to a good night's sleep. 

I moved up to Lower Chapel a day early as I wanted to clean the bike thoroughly and had decided to spray the white fridge, gas heater vents and EHU inlets black to match the new roof colour. Sunday on another grey day saw Jan and I knock out another 20 odd miles across towards the Wye Valley and back over Llandefalle Common. We also nipped down to give friends a hand fetching in some young Exmoor ponies before Jan as always fed me very well. They were away on the Monday to a gig in Shrewsbury and I finished off the spray job before looking at the possibility of rerouting my Eberspacher exhaust over the short length of exposed water pipe. Whilst this may be possible with access from a pit or ramp I decided to leave things as they are other than add a replacement terminal section that a careless trolley jack back in Ireland had damaged.

Pete arrived for a couple of days but the ongoing gloom dimmed our enthusiasm for a ride (plus my bike was too clean to get it mucky again!) so we took the dogs up the Crug and felt for a photographic group up from London on such a washed out day.

Jan and Ian returned safely on the Tuesday and we enjoyed an excellent Thai meal in Brecon after I'd loaded all my clobber back on the van ready for moving on.

Wednesday saw the three of us heading back up to Llangattock Escarpment for another day of hauling spoil from the ongoing Hereford dig. We raised some hefty boulders and steady progress was made with the rift now requiring additional ladders for safer progress.

After another energetic badminton session I moved on up to Llangurrig where I was to leave the van safely during my planned multi day ride. I left mid morning on the Saturday under more grey skies and followed the lane up and then down to the bridge and ford over the Afon Diliw before striking right on an improved footpath and rebuilt bridge towards Nant Rhys bothy. All was well there with the new stove looking good and the relocated long drop loo clean and tidy. Down at the locked gate three trials bike riders were squeezing their machines under the barrier but predictably had no readable plates and as I headed by the stationary turbines I met a large group of quad bikers travelling at speed.

Nant Syddion bothy was again in good order with 3 lads staying the night to explore nearby mines so I left them to it, locked the gate at The Arch as I passed through and began the steady climb through Cwmystwyth passing the ever thought provoking mines. Tillyd farm and small riverside camping seems to be currently unoccupied and apart from the Highland cattle at the top of the road it was a deserted scene.

Dropping down to Pont ar Elan I cut across the Bog of Doom which like the reservoir was as dry as I have known it and arrived at Lluest Cwm Bach just as the afternoon gloom became dusk. Four lads in the bothy weren't particularly engaging, nor seemed inclined to shift any gear to accommodate me so I took an old inflatable mattress in to the tool store and had a night interrupted by various rodents scurrying around beneath the bags of sand and a pile of scaffolding. The boys in the hut were up until late and I was away early so probably best I'd stayed outside and after cycling the shore line I was soon at the Craig Goch dam and then whizzed down to Rhayader as the rockfall in the Devil's Gulch has been cleared. I stocked up at the Co Op as Remembrance Day arrangements were being set up and stopped at the Elan Visitor Centre for coffee and a bacon roll. Despite the continuing grey skies the autumn colours as I headed up to the Claerwen dam were superb. Up at the dam 3 lads were filming a YouTube clip in homage to the Top Gear episode where they had recreated an old Land Rover advert.

I rode along the track keeping an eye out for any traces relevant to the wetsuit clad body of an unidentified male found at the dam a few weeks ago but nothing jumped out on this high and lonely route. Two lasses on bikes were heading the other way but otherwise it was deserted and I reached Claerddu bothy just as rain began to fall around mid afternoon. The picturesque cottage needed a bit of a clean out which kept me busy and the accumulated rubbish soon disappeared in the stove whilst keeping me warm as I sat on the very comfy sofa. More sandwiches as I'd not bothered with a cooker were supplemented by a donated Tesco's Finest tinned lamb curry heated up on the top in one of the cleaner pans. The vast majority from the kitchen needed ditching so I bagged them and other rubbish in the hope that the Elan Valley rangers will be able to dispose of them. I had a quiet night's sleep with stars emerging as the skies cleared and woke to a memorable dawn. A fast descent in to Pontryhdfendigaid was exhilarating and a small shop avoided the need to continue on in to Tregaron so I began the long steady climb past Strata Florida and in to the Tywi Forest to reach Moel Prysgau bothy by late morning. Again all was well and the MO's efforts to prevent bikers from accessing the bothy seem to be working. Another new stove looked the business and the bothy itself has new views across the stream following recent extensive felling. The bridleway up to the top track is hard going at present due to the timber extraction but once up there it is a good ride south to Nantystalwyn with good views back across to the bothy. 

I called in to the Elenydd Hostel at Dolgoch and met Jim who is wardening for the week. He has accumulated a fair archive relating to the hostels, bothies and a long disappeared way of farming and I look forward to delving further when I return next weekend for a volunteering work party.

In glorious sunshine but falling temperatures I rode over to the superb chapel at Soar y Mynydd before taking the byway over to the Doethie Valley and Tyn y Cornel, the second EHT building. The track was repaired at great expense a few years ago following a huge washout but the weather has won again and the track is only passable to walkers and cyclists and even then with care and a more durable solution with improved drainage will be required. Peter, the warden, was waiting at the gate as I powered up the track and after a very welcome hot shower and change of clothing I spent an enjoyable evening with him and his wife who are retired farmers from near Hay and also here for the week.

I slept soundly, woke to another bright dawn and then left for Tregaron via the forestry tracks to find just the one small cafe open but with a pastie to die for. The cycle track alongside Cors Carron Nature Reserve brought me to Ystrad Meurig and a back road put me in Ysbyty Ystwyth and the start of a route through the Hafod Estate. Access issues at the start of that section seem to have been resolved which avoids a nasty and occasionally busy road climb and I reached Cwmystwyth again for the final climbs back over to Llangurrig. Another eroded section of track has been repaired but there is quite a deep ditch now to one side but at least it is passable and I reached the campsite after 120 miles and apparently 17,000' of ascent which seems unlikely. I soon had the bike washed, enjoyed a hot shower and settled in to reflect on a memorable ride as a cold night set in.

Today I returned to Brecon, took a cancellation for a last minute flu jab and will shortly return to the badminton court.

After the Dolgoch work party I am heading oop north for a month but will report on things in due course.......

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