Early Winter Excitement

Over the last few days of the late autumn fine weather I had planned to catch a Heart of Wales line train from Llandovery to Swansea but it was cancelled so I headed off round the Llyn Brianne valley only to find that road closed due to a bridge replacement. The long diversion round through Llanwrytyd took me through Abergwesyn and over the excellent Devil's Staircase. As the road through to Tregaron was also closed I came down to the Llyn Brianne from the north without a soul in sight and parked high above the reservoir for a peaceful night.

 

The following morning I cycled in to Moel Prysgau bothy where all was well although deep brash on the top track made for a tedious mile or so of progress. The bothy was in good order : new barriers, some tactical felling by NRW, a concerted effort to ensure that the barriers are locked and regular visits by the MOs seems to have eliminated many of our misuse problems. NRW are also replacing all padlocks and issuing numbered security keys to authorised personnel so that should help further.

 

A night at Teifi Pools gave me the opportunity to walk in to Claerddu bothy, managed by Elan Valley Trust who rebuilt Lluest Cwm Bach for us almost ten years ago. As Claerddu is now looking a bit tired with graffiti and an accumulation of rubbish the Wales MBA team are in the process of arranging a spring clean next year - in the meantime we hope that EVT will install a barrier and liase with the local rural crime teams as this combined approach has achieved good results elsewhere.

On my way north to Sheffield I called in at the home of one of our longer standing MBA volunteers who was at the end of his battle with pancreatic cancer, it was good to talk with him, go over some photos that the team had sent me and remember the many good times, it is sad to report that he passed away within a fortnight  : 'Dangerous' - one of the good ones.

We called briefly in York to see my aunt, uncle and cousin before managing an unexpected rendezvous at Scotch Corner with Mandy's brother heading down to Sheffield to visit family. From there we crossed the Pennines and in a thick fog followed the old Coal Road from Garsdale Head Station over to Dent Station which at 1150' ASL is the highest station in England but still some 200' lower than Corrour in Scotland.

I had stayed in the station car park over the summer whilst tackling the Pennine Bridleway and took a leaflet for the Snow Huts, hence our arrival at this remarkable place high above, and four miles from, Dent village.

The single storey building sat just yards from the line and provided 2 superb holiday lets. We were in Hut One near to where the old signal box would have stood and soon had the place toasty warm with fuel provided for both stoves, underfloor heating and plenty of hot water. Almost immediately the first passenger train announced its arrival with a whistle and the bright  carriages slowly slid by. Later freight trains carrying timber and aggregate passed in each direction but the snug and well appointed building was sealed against them and the strong winds blowing.

The next day we explored the station and its surroundings - the old station as with most on this the Settle to Carlisle Line has also been preserved and turned in to holiday accommodation but the station master's house is privately owned. The guy behind the Dent project, Robin Hughes, has written an excellent book about his restoration and the hut even entertained Michael Portillo during one of his Great Railway Journeys. Robin had interests in New Zealand before this scheme and is now developing a retirement village in Windsor but still returns to Dent and its isolation from the phone and internet. We caught the train down to Skipton for market day and enjoyed cold but bright weather - again I had passed through here on the PBW earlier in the year

Sunday saw us walk down to Dent and enjoy a good lunch in the cafe by the small visitor centre which had a sunny patio. The final pull up from Cowgill left us ready for a cosy night in with a good sunset and moon.

We caught the train to Kirkby Stepen for the Monday market, lovely just to be able to walk to the platform in two minutes but at KS it is a good 40 minutes walk in to the town where the market was modest to put it kindly. Back at the station a guy got off the northbound train and struggled with a full barrel of beer over the footbridge before loading it in to the boot of his small car - no idea.

 

 

 

Tuesday was a day walking above the track via the PBW and down to Blea Moor tunnel before another ascent from Cowgill whilst on the Wednesday we did a circuit from Dent to Carlisle, around the Cumbrian Coast passing St Bees Head and Sellafield to Barrow in Furness, across to Carnforth and finally a return via High Bentham to Settle and back to Dent - all the trains and connections ran to time and it was to quote a phrase 'a grand day out'...

 

 

 

Our final day was wet and wild but we took the train down to Settle, walked up on to Castlebergh Crags for the views over the town and then enjoyed the Museum of Craven Life in the Grade 1 listed Folly. The 3 Peaks Cycle Shop did a good lunch at a remarkable price before we got the train back up to Horton in Ribblesdale and jumped off to visit the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct in less than favourable conditions. However it underlined how stoic the several thousand navvies and their families must have been to work and live up there in the shanty towns for many years.

The Station Inn provided a warm room and cold beer whilst we waited for our train back and a lovely final evening in the hut - the strong wind meant the bedside stove burnt rather too strongly leaving us sweltering.

 

The Fat Lamb at Ravenstonedale has free hard pitches for four vans and on a cold windy night we enjoyed excellent food, despite the actual presentation, surrounded by motoring memorabilia as the pub hosts many classic car rallies and owners meetings.

Our annual (Covid permitting) fortnight in Langdale began with a large food shop in Penrith before we arrived at the lodge and took off for a swim in the stylish pool.

Our friend Penny arrived for a few days on the Sunday so we walked in to Ambleside over Loughrigg Fell and were amazed to see a mountain biking couple with the mum pulling a trailer containing a toddler descending the rough track.

Over at Ullswater we caught the ferry from Pooley Bridge and returned via the shore path on a fresh but sunny day and were rewarded with the sight of a pair of red squirrrels chasing around a line of pine trees.
 

The Drunken Duck provided an excellent lunch but we would have preferred just a snack or sandwiches and returned having passed the house where my grandfather had spent many contented years of his retirement.

An indulgent evening in the spa finished off her stay and as she left on the Thursday other friends were heading north from Bristol.

 

 

 

 

A windy day with low cloud on the Friday kept us off the hills but we enjoyed exploring the old slate workings of Tilberthwaite descending deep in to an old quarry and then up at the Betsy Crag mine daring each other to cross the single span slate bridge in windy conditions. After returning via Tilberthwaite Ghyll we dropped in to the Three Shires pub before returning after dark using head torches.

 

 

Storm Arwen blew through overnight and just as Tony from Blackburn arrived to join us with tales of fallen trees and the Estate Landrover being crushed all power in the area ceased.

Our plan was a day walk anyway and we set off up the slope of Silver How with the sun on our backs. As we ascended we reached the snow line and began to find the going tricky, particularly once we reached the ridge and felt the full force of the northerly wind. It was bitterly cold and hard to stay upright but after a couple of hours hard going we reached Stickle Tarn where conditions were ferocious. Jan took a nasty tumble as we descended the steep track with verglas making for cautious progress.

 

Once below the snow and out of the wind we stopped for lunch in the sun before reaching Dungeon Ghyll where all the lights were still out. A steady return along the Great Langdale Valley brought us back to the lodge where eveything was still off and the staff had no idea of a likely reconnection time.

Fortunately we all had head torches, there was still hot water in the tanks and I had come up this year in the camper so was able to provide additional torches, power banks and cook the excellent food that Sue had provided on the gas cooker. Marcus and Sandra had joined us so we enjoyed a memorable evening after which we retired to the van grateful for the diesel heater and the following morning produced a cooked breakfast for all. As we were all somewhat battered by Saturday's walk we took an easy stroll round the estate and were amazed at the number and size of trees that had been blown over - apart from the Landrover there was no significant damage to any lodges or buildings despite some very close shaves. A game of Monopoly entertained us but with the power still off the lodge got a bit too cold for comfort so the five of us piled in to the van for a cosy evening of quizzes, crosswords and hot soup and rolls. The estate restaurant had sourced a small generator and was trying to provide drinks for other lodge guests but many had left or been deterred from arriving. Large amounts of smoked salmon, cheese and other goodies were also being given out as all the chillers and fridges were failing.

On the Monday our guests packed up just as the power was restored so we spent the morning tidying up, changing beds and then went for another walk round to assess the damage. The groundsmen had been hard at work clearing the roads but some of the hung up trees would require specialist skills and judging by the widespread damage across a huge area the tree surgeons will be busy for weeks.

 

With pool and other facilities yet to come back on stream we enjoyed the comfortable lodge, finished the game of Monopoly and walked in to Chapel Stile to admire the old church and reflect on the local lads who had perished in the two world wars. The Burlington Slate works have suspended their quarrying and concentrated on crushing the huge mountains of waste in to a usable aggregate for paths and weed suppression and I noticed a considerable reduction in the once extensive deposits. The on site washing machine saw to our laundry - always handy to get it done and dried in the winter months.

A bus in to Ambleside gave us the chance to get some new walking boots and enjoy an excellent veggie lunch in the small Ghandi's cafe before walking through to Rydal and back over to Elterwater. The back lane was blocked in several places and these would have to be removed before a crane could be brought in to support a monster pine that lay across the roof of a large property.

On the Thursday we took the back lane to Little Langdale and passed around another monster pine that had taken out the telephone poles and would have toppled just a few hours after we walked that way the previous Friday. A path climbed up on to Lingmoor Fell with views south to Blackpool Tower across Morecambe Bay and south east to looming Pendle. After squeezing through The Needle we dropped in to the Great Langdale campsite before a return to base and a long awaited swim.

 

On our last day we took a circuitous route across to Chesters at Skelwith Bridge where we ate a delicious veggie lunch outside before returning to the Brimstone Spa for a final indulgent night in the various heat and steam rooms and the magical pool which reaches outside through sliding doors. I always hugely appreciate our good fortune in staying here and it is certainly a different experience from van life.

 A very soggy Saturday hastened our departure and we drove north to enjoy the entertaining Keswick Pencil Museum with its history of the local graphite mining, links to the SOE in WW2 and the Bond movies as well as a history of the manufacturing now relocated to Workington on the coast. The large art deco factory still stands and will I hope soon be repurposed for perhaps affordable housing, so vital for the area's young people.

In sleet and strong winds we headed over to Penrith for a night with Marcus and Sandra - their new barn coversion adding to an already comfortable house. We both enjoyed a good tour of his extensive model railway layout and Sandra's excellent cooking. As usual we kipped in the van with the heater keeping us warm and dry, sleeping well in the quiet location.

After a good breakfast Marcus and I had some fun knocking up a Go Pro video with the camera mounted on various locos and carriages before reluctantly we started our journey south after 3 very successful and varied weeks away.

I have returned to mid Wales sitting out Storm Barra en route and dealing with some paperwork relating to the new AED sourced for the Wales Mountain Bothies Team. We hope of course that it will never be used but as most of our volunteers are long in the tooth if not hair it seems a prudent purchase.

In reality it will sit for much of the year in a volunteer's house so may come in handy far from the bothy scene.

I am waiting for my boster jab in 48 hours time which will two weeks later perhaps permit my escape down to Spain and eventually Portugal but almost a fortnight needs to elapse before travel and as I have no intention of travelling over the busy Christmas/New Year period will with luck get a Santander bound ferry in mid January.

Anyway watch this space and if you've nothing better to do click this SPACE

 

Autumnal Activities

On a damp Sunday afternoon I drove through the forest to check out Nant Rhys bothy where all was well - touch wood last year's spell of bothy misuse has abated, I guess those who failed to behave responsibly for the common good by respecting Covid restrictions are also less likely to respect the bothy ethos of simple unlocked shelters available to all. The amount of gear and rubbish people leave behind continues to amaze me and is I guess another sign of our buy cheap, use it once society.

Anyway my faith in the vast majority of people was as always restored by the friendship, laughter and generosity of the Wales Area Mountain Bothies Association team of volunteers over the next week at the Nant Syddion bothy work party.

 

This began later that afternoon when I met Martin and his family who had made a special journey up from Swansea to deliver a remarkable array of tools, materials and equipment which we carried down the steep path to the bothy storage area. Two substantial 5.4m joists completed the load after which they set off for home leaving me to enjoy a peaceful night tucked away further up the track.

On Monday morning I swept and sanitised the bothy before removing the various patches of loose plaster on some walls and ceilings before starting to sugar soap and scrub all the walls and ceilings prior to painting. Others arrived sporadically later that day and late Monday night as the fuel shortage had impacted on travel plans and whilst Wales was relatively unaffected those on long drives from as far as Portsmouth and Brighton were understandably reluctant to risk a stranding in rural Wales which has limited availability at the best of times.

Over the next few days gutters were cleared and renewed, walls and ceilings patched and painted, a new front door installed and perhaps most dramatically the two new joists installed by fearless Phil our very competent joiner. With a deadline to accomplish most tasks by the following Saturday we put in many hours with the evenings dedicated to food, drink and reflecting on the memories of the last year or so.

Starting with the completion of the barn roof above the Pennant Valley in Snowdonia in late Spring, sweltering in the heat at Dulyn over the summer, moving on to the post shuttering horrors of Penrhos bothy above Dolgellau and now refreshing Nant Syddion we have as a group achieved a remarkable amount.

So a huge thanks to Tony our Area Organiser and the Maintenance Organisers who put many hours in to ensuring that tools, materials and volunteers all arrived in sufficient numbers and at the appropriate times and locations - fantastic work guys and a privilege to be part of it.

With much of the work done we left Richard to keep an eye on all our gear as we headed off to Newbridge on Wye for our First Aid Training Session at MWMAC. With the mountain road closed we made good progress via main roads and arrived on time for an excellent day with Danny from MediArb - as good a First Aid Trainer as you could ask to meet - 07939669115.

He covered the basics along the lines of DRSABC and added in scenarios and solutions to our specific exposure to working in remote areas as well as allowing plenty of hands on practice with dressings and disturbingly realistic prosthetic limbs. He also extolled the virtues of AED's and hemostatic granules such as Celox in catastrophic bleed control. The advice re crush injuries was also of great interest to our team particularly following the (to some of us) unnerving installation of the joists a day or two earlier.

We headed home with some of the team scurrying around for a few more litres of fuel - I was grateful to have a full tank, 600 mile range and nowhere to get back to anyway - and arrived back long after dark, glad that we had deferred our Area Meeting until the following morning.

At this meeting we decided to purchase upgraded first aid kits in the light of Danny's recommendations and planned our future works. Then it was back to the here and now and with most people due to head off  later that day we sorted out all the kit, loaded up vehicles and said our goodbyes.

A much diminished but still enthusiastic team put the final coats of paint on anything that didn't move and yet again another of our precious buildings was brought up to standard.

I moved on via Llangurig and Lower Chapel spending a memorable night bang beneath the old Severn bridge before collecting a new leisure battery in Bristol and heading down to Frome to fit it the following day before Pete and I enjoyed a sunny ride round Wiltshire including Alfred's Tower and Stourhead. On our return leg we watched as a tree felling nearly went badly wrong at a local church.

Returning to Bristol where Mandy had arrived on the train from Sheffield we stayed on the CAMHC site in the centre at Baltic Wharf as we had tickets for the SS Great Britain the following day. Access was complicated by construction work reinforcing the banks of the Avon but the location of the site gave us an easy walk in to Bristol centre where large numbers were enjoying the spell of fine weather.

 

The SS GB experience is a must do with the enormous vessel cleverly displayed in a floating dock allowing you to get right up close to the spectacular hull, enjoy the recreation of life on board and learn of the remarkable scale and depths of Brunel's achievements in the recent Brunel shed addition.

With much left to see we departed for Portishead, showering and changing en route ready for an evening with friends and an excellent meal at Aqua on the marina. Saturday saw an early departure as were due in Frome by 10am and somewhat annoyingly got caught out by the Bath LEZ scheme which is both poorly signed and administered - it was impossible to check if we had incurred a £9 penalty so paid anyway to avoid this increasing to £60 and more. I am a great supporter of these initiatives but they should be fairly imposed and probably apply to private cars as well - but then of course they are driven by the voters.......

 

Whilst Mandy enjoyed the delights of Frome, Dale, Pete and I tackled a number of tracks and trails over and around the Deverills before a night of pizzas and pints. After a Sunday group walk we departed for another memorable night high up on Win Green at Cranborne Chase and walked the tops on a sunny day admiring the hang gliders soaring overhead.

Later we arrived at our destination for the next 3 nights at a small 'members only' campsite near Ringwood in the New Forest . We were taken along a forest track to a delightful clearing and told to pitch where we liked with water available nearby and settled down at what I would say is the best site I've stayed on in England. We had it to ourselves and could walk or ride straight out in to the Forest as there were no boundaries which heralded the arrival of some ponies the following morning in a vain search for breakfast leftovers.

 

The Forest has endless miles of good cycling which we thoroughly enjoyed over the next couple of days with the autumn colours, ponies, donkeys and pigs adding to the experience. In Brockenhurst we had lunch in a sunny hotel garden and were astounded later in Lyndhurst to see even second hand Ferraris starting at £289k - a disgrace in a world with so much need.

The Lamb Inn at Nomansland did a good meal at lunchtime as we cycled in an area I had last explored forty years ago whilst training as a student nurse at nearby Calmore before returning for a final night at this perfect pitch.

A short run over to Weymouth allowed us to meet Pete and Nina who had brought their RV down from Derbyshire for an MOT and service so we caught up over pizzas in the site's cafe - the Red Barn - after a walk down to the lagoon trapped by the shingle of Chesil Beach.

On the Friday we parked up at the Hardy Monument before cycling the bridle and cycle paths down to Weymouth and then across to Portland where a huge new mould had just arrived by sea at the Sunseeker International boatyard. A steep climb up to the quarries gave good views along Chesil beach before we dropped down to Portland Bill for a look at the lighthouse and resolved one day to stay at the  Pulpit Inn, which allows overnighting in the car park, for a sunset. The long climb back up to the ridge nearly did for us so we moved on to near Honiton and stayed in the Golden Pond Chinese Restaurant car park, a slightly strange experience but convenient enough and very peaceful. By then we had resolved the Hardy conundrum - two Hardys are linked to Dorset, one related to Nelson's demise and later the renowned author.

 

After a very enjoyable spin along the Grand Western Canal from Tiverton to Westleigh, the current limit of restoration, we headed across Exmoor to Lynton for a couple of days taking advantage of the dry ground conditions to be tucked away in the meadow. Greg and Alex have had a successful season with guests in both the annexe and shepherd's hut and we joined them and a friend for a night at the local theatre in the town hall for a clever interpretation of the 'Louisa' incident . This told the story of the heroic hauling, by people and horses, of the Lynmouth lifeboat over Countisbury Hill and down in to Porlock to assist a vessel in distress.

Sunday saw us walk over to the Hunters Inn at Heddon's Mouth for a cream tea having spotted the Lynton and Barnstaple steam train puffing it's way north. That evening we enjoyed an excellent tapas evening at The Oak Room - well worth checking out.

On a rainy Monday we had a quick look round both Lyns before a quick night up on the Mendips at Priddy as a prelude to revisiting the SS GB in Bristol once more to see everything else and walk around the Floating Harbour. A night outside Newport in stormy weather at the Lighthouse Inn was eased by the flood defences providing shelter and in blustery sunshine the following morning we walked along the top looking across to many of the places we had visited in recent days.

 

A night at Talybont broke the journey to Brecon where we dined well at Mike and Claire's house, joined by Crad and Dawn. Badminton and the Bond film in Brecon took us to the weekend where we had booked to stay in the Forest Of Dean on another small site a few miles above Monmouth. This gave us access to the cycle track from Coleford down to Parkend and en route we heard steam whistles in the valley below. These belonged to a steam roller and traction engine that were heading to Parkend to join in the Covid delayed 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Forest of Dean Heritage Railway. It was a great atmosphere and their achievements were due to that same level of generosity, enthusiasm and determination to get things done as we enjoy amongst the bothy volunteers. A lovely variety of tracks and trails took us up to Cinderford and back round to the site for a quiet night before a similar ride on Sunday where we heard but didn't see the wild boar. Wetter weather on Monday saw us walking over to Clearwell and its privately owned castle with a warming pint in the cosy pub much appreciated before a better day on Tuesday encouraged us to cycle down to Monmouth, take the trail along the river to Symonds Yat and then climb steeply to Yat Rock for its remarkable views of the meandering Wye.

Finally we returned to Brecon for another visit and fitted in a group spin round the Usk reservoir above Trecastle before returning to Sheffield for a charity event which went very well.

I have now returned south again to fit the door wiring loom to the van, change the fuel filter, upgrade headlamp bulbs and get the diesel heater serviced as with luck and Covid booster permitting I will be heading to Portugal in a little over a month. Yesterday I explored a corner of the Beacons new to me - the Clydach gorge looking stunning in Autumn colours and after a night in Sennybridge tonight head off in to mid Wales for the weekend.

 

 A plethora of piccies sit here...

September Surprises

The car park of the Sycamore Inn between New Mills and Hayfield provided an enormous, well sheltered camping spot from which to tackle the remaining sections of the Pennine Bridle Way - the pub ask that you have a drink or meal and their food was excellent and served by delightful staff.

I set off towards Buxton but on a badly eroded ascending gully met three idiots on ebikes careering down the narrow path, one just missed me, I jumped out of the way for the second but the third slammed in to my front wheel. On expressing the opinion that they should be more considerate towards other users and slow down I received an Anglo Saxon tirade after which they shot off. At the top of the push I discovered that the latter genius had knocked my wheel well out of shape - cheers guys.

Thanks to having disc brakes I was able to ride it though and continued south on a good mix of tracks, trails and minor roads. As the southern sections of the PBW are well known to me I decided to pick up the Monsal trail instead and head down towards Bakewell and then over to Bamford from where my digital railcard enabled me to get a ticket for the train back to New Mills and the short ride back along the Sett Valley Trail for a good meal in the pub.

The following day I headed north to Broadbottom and took the Trans Pennine Trail back through Penistone in to Sheffield stopping en route at a great little snack bar in a converted horse box. As Mandy had an unexpected few days extra free she drove us both back over for another good meal and quiet night at The Sycamore.

 

The helpful landlord allowed us to leave her car there and we skirted Manchester to park up at the Ship Inn at Downholland on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal for a couple of days good riding using the canal, the old railway lines and coastal cycle paths to explore the area. Up at Southport we cycled to the end of the pier where an ice cream van in an old Citroen van wasn't quite what it seemed - look at the wheels.

 

That morning we had had trouble unlocking a recently bought D lock that secured both bikes so we returned it to Halfords and bought a sturdy padlock locally from the most disorganised hardware store before returning for a well earned pint in the canal side pub garden.

The canal took us south towards Bootle where a large terrapin sunbathing on a raft of reeds provided interest and amusement before we followed a trail towards Liverpool. Unfortunately my derailleur had not been running right since, on reflection, the meeting with the ebike and decided to fail. I removed it and shortened the chain to give me a rideable gear for the flat terrain and we headed out to Crosby to see the art installation 'Another Place' which was very impressive.

As the tide receded we walked the two mile stretch of beach that contains a 100 of these statues before returning to base along the old railway line.

 

A bright idea developed to avoid tedious driving and parking in Liverpool - again using our railcard we took the commuter train in to the city from Formby which had free secure parking (and no 'No Overnighting' signs incidentally) and for a few quid each were dropped at Moorfields Station just a few minutes walk from the waterfront. We decided to take the Mersey ferry which now carries few commuters and instead has rebranded itself as a docks tour boat and enjoyed the views of a graceful cruise ship, the Liver building and the new museum as well as the drama of a very smart chopper making numerous landings for scenes in the next series of the BBC's Silent Witness.

 

Across at Birkenhead we disembarked for a couple of hours there peering in to the Uboat museum and enjoying a Thai meal in the cafe before catching the ferry back which took us past the shipyards and returned with good views across to the city's two cathedrals.

The train had us back to the van in time to get round Manchester to New Mills before rush hour which I then sat out for a couple of hours and had a swift journey across to the cheap and basic site at Northrop near Flint which enabled me to wash the bike, fill up with water and clean the bathroom.

A steady run down to Coed y Brenin north of Dolgellau, passed Llyn Celyn which was very low, and I collected a key to give me access in to the forest for our work party at Penrhos bothy.

Here the security team from Alfa were being assisted by our Area Organiser to remove the shuttering and padlocks that had been necessary to keep Covidiots out of the place last year after some lockdown vandalism. The bothy is dark at the best of times but a year of closure had seen mould grow on the walls and windows, a layer of dust and debris accumulate on most surfaces and the place looking a bit run down with some damage to windows and internal doors.

 

Thus a list was made of the cleaning, repair and decorating materials and equipment we would need and I headed off in to Dolgellau to get them leaving Tony to sweep out. The builders and farmers merchants between them provided the bulk of our needs and I returned to spray all walls, ceilings and painted surfaces with Jeyes fluid before we called it a day and left the doors and windows open to get things dried out.

So as at Dulyn bothy in August we spent the next few days washing the surfaces with sugar soap to prepare for painting, doing the actual painting , starting upstairs, and repairing the damaged windows and doors using the skills and tools of Chris and Martin, the latter having fetched in a remarkable array of equipment all the way from Swansea.

Slowly the place brightened up, the walls shone, new glazing sparkled and the floors gleamed although slightly unsettled weather meant we were working around it with regard to external glossing.Three of us were occupying our vans and two were tenting giving the bothy time to air and the odd walker dropped by to admire the work done. By the Monday we had really made a difference so I decided to head off and return to Brecon to play badminton for the first time in two years, staying in the town centre car park I have used on and off for 15 years.

I called at Lower Chapel to assess the bike and managed to straighten out the wheel using the bike rack as a mount and a small screwdriver to identify the points of distortion. I then ordered a new derailleur and chain but as delivery was delayed turned my attention to replacing a failed brake light bulb that required some dismantling of the van wardrobe shelving to gain access. I then decided to head off  back to Brecon and visit the new Y Gaer library and museum. This project had overrun and gone well over budget and in my opinion there was little to show for it with a museum that lacked the sophistication of the many others I have visited this last year. However it is early days for the site and certainly the library will be popular with children and families.

Neither the cinema nor theatre were open so I treated myself to an excellent pizza instead and slept well in the quiet corner.

On Sunday from above Talgarth I walked over to the small bothy in the Black Mountains where apart from a small amount of rubbish all was well although as the stove lacked a regulator it popped rather dramatically. There had been a rave further down the valley a couple of weeks previously but I don't think they had got as far as our tiny hut.

 

Gliders were taking advantage of the thermals and a northerly wind as I returned and then drove round to Hay on Wye for a night in the main car park alongside a couple of other vans.

On the Monday I dropped a note through the door where I hoped the friend I cycled round Nepal with for 6 weeks in 1987 still lived and then enjoyed a good look round the enchanting town. Hay Castle is being restored at long last and I walked down the Wye watching various canoeists on the slow moving water.

Dave made contact and came to find me - he plays table tennis on Mondays and invited me to tag along so somewhat unexpectedly I ended up in the same theatre space that in recent years I had given HUBB presentations at Clyro Court. Later we returned to Hay and the Blue Boar Inn and enjoyed a long session of catching up having not been in touch for almost twenty years.

As I left next morning I noted an issue with my windows so decided to investigate later and returned to Lower Chapel to fit the now arrived bike parts. This was fairly straightforward and I began to inspect the van's wiring loom where it passes through bellows in the crook of the door. An alarming electrical fizz could be heard so I disconnected the battery, removed door and dash trims and managed to expose the loom and unpick the outer covering.

Of the maybe twenty wires that link window, mirror and central locking switches or motors four were severed, and eight had breaks in the insulation. Thus I carefully bared the wires for rejoining with connectors, taped up the damaged insulation and carefully returned everything to find all well for now.

Next day I was meeting a friend at Talybont who'd just come back from a cracking trip round Ireland and suggested to Jan that she could take her paddle board from there back to Brecon. Crad had enjoyed a memorable trip and Jan managed to reach Brecon before later that evening we went down to badminton to meet the crowd I'd last seen two years ago. We played a shortened session and only had a quick pint as Jan and Ian were off next morning to London for the Chelsea Flower Show.

Next morning they left early and I fed and watered the various animals before returning to the issue of the van wiring - whilst this van is lovely and really comfortable I did prefer the simplicity of my previous one with manual doors, mirrors and windows. I looked online for a replacement loom but figured second hand ones would be heading the same way so contacted TPS who supply OEM parts to VW. They said there was only one left in the UK at the VW central parts warehouse in Milton Keynes and after that was gone it would be a discontinued item so I asked to buy it only to be told that they can only supply to the trade.

Thus I rang the VW commercial van centre in Swansea and spoke to the parts manager - remarkably after twelve years he recognised my name and said 'you're the guy who shipped a van to New Zealand....'. In fact I'd had a spare key supplied by them and on the day of heading to Southampton to get the van loaded in to a container after our Brecon Beast Mountain Bike event had discovered that it had been wrongly coded and wouldn't overcome the immobiliser so had had to head down there in something of a panic to get it done properly. Anyway after a chat he said he'd happily order the loom and pass it on to me at cost price and I hope a friend from Swansea will bring it up to our forthcoming work party next week.

Yesterday I visited the bothy in the Elan valley as part of a catch up with my brother - the reservoir was the lowest I've seen it so we were able to collect bottles and cans from the shore to add to the few removed from the bothy and then enjoyed a light lunch at the excellent Penbont Tearooms half way round the dams.

My final night in Brecon linked the experiences of the last week in a neat way as I attended a fund raising dinner in the Brecon Guildhall organised by the Nepali families of Gurkha soldiers who have a long association with the town. Singing, dancing, music and superb Nepali cooking made for a memorable evening with generous bids at the auction, a successful raffle and  great company.

So I'm now at Llangurig for one night before heading to Nant Syddion bothy where a group of us will spend a week getting the place back on track - it has been a bit neglected in recent years and seen some abuse so we hope to work our magic again. There is a hitch on fuel availability which may affect people's journeys and the closure of the Cwmystwyth road will mean longer journeys for those stalwarts coming from the south. This will also add to our journey times next Saturday for our First Aid Training session near Builth but I'm sure our loyal and resourceful team will overcome the hiccups.

Piccies here

As I will be out of communication for much of the next week you can spy on me using this link to the

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An august August

 After my night on a small site in Dent I moved up to the station further up the valley at Dent Head where rail users are allowed to park and began to prepare for cycling the Pennine Bridleway that runs from Cromford in Derbyshire to Ravenstonedale near Kirkby Stephen. Thus next morning I was on the platform waiting for an early train north to KS and was pleased to find adequate cycle storage and plenty of space as bikes cannot be booked on.

 

So by 08.30 I was pedalling south towards the northern start point passing numerous traveller families heading for the delayed Appleby Horse Fair. South Lakeland District Council had provided numerous facilities by the roadside with water bowsers, portable toilets and bins or skips but disappointingly some of the stop over sites were strewn with rubbish. I stopped to talk to one family and they said it is (as always) a minority who spoil things but it irritated me that officialdom often pursue individual van dwellers like myself, but won't address the issues caused by the larger groups.

Anyway they were a lovely couple and I continued to the start of the PBW and climbed beside Wild Boar Fell before a good descent in to Mallerstang and then picked up the well surfaced track to Garsdale Head passing an interesting piece of sculpture. It was a sunny breezy day with the Dales looking at their best as I passed under Dandrymire Viaduct before arriving at the pretty and well kept station. Having made good time I lingered on the platform as a variety of freight and passenger trains passed through and workmen repaired the steps up to the manned signal box. Finally the old coal road took me swooping back to Dent station for a quiet night with good TV reception but no mobile signal.

The early southbound train soon had me in Settle after passing over Ribblehead viaduct and I began a stunning day climbing high above Settle, dropping down to Stainforth, heading across to Helwith Bridge with its memories of caving trips to the area perhaps 20 years ago or more and then reaching Feizor where the excellent Elaine's Tea Rooms did a good bacon sandwich.

 

The track around the east side of Ingleborough offered great views of the limestone scenery and dropped in to Selside where a gathering of photographers indicated something was afoot and indeed shortly afterwards the Dalesman steam train puffed in to view - awesome. The climb over Cam Fell had superb views back over my route and across to Ribblehead before I arrived once more for a quiet night at Dent. I spoke with a family staying in the old station building and took a leaflet for the Dent Snow Huts which lie a little further down the track.

 

A heavily laden timber train headed past along with stopping and through passenger trains but I had another peaceful night before dropping down to Barnoldswick where the Rolls Royce Social Club allow vans to overnight for £7. Water was available but as the club only opens at weekends I had the place to myself. RR designed their main jet engines there hence the prefix RB in the numbering of aero engines as in RB211....

I followed the PBW back up to Settle where 3 Peaks Cycles have a good cafe and then took a different route back to Barnoldswick with Pendle Hill looming in the distance. The following day this lump was almost always visible as I headed south to Wycoller Hall east of Colne and then dropped in to the town to return along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal including a stop at Foulridge wharf by the tunnel for refreshments.The trail was by and large well signposted and rideable with a good variety of road, track, trail and bridleway - a quirky sculpture above Wycoller was of interest and the old hall ruins down by the river enchanting.

Moving on to a pub, The Shepherd's Rest above Todmorden that allows overnight stops (another park4night app recommendation) started me on the route back to Wycoller with a return passing the numerous reservoirs around Widdop and a return along quiet roads and through Hebden Bridge before a good meal in the pub.

I picked Mandy up in Sheffield and we spent a quiet night in Derbyshire near the High Peak trail before joining the friends at Dethick to treat them to a 3 course meal in Topaz luxury. We discovered a perfect puffball in the long grass  and decided it would make an amusing contribution to our gathering in Wales the following day.

So on Monday we headed across to Newtown for a good shop and arrived at Llangurig to find Sue had given us a private spot in the far field where the others began to arrive shortly afterwards. It was cool and grey but with Bill's BBQ and a fire pit under Kate and Malcolm's gazebo we were all very comfortable and said puffball was cooked in a variety of ways.

Tuesday saw some decide to walk down at the Elan Valley whilst the rest of us cycled down to Rhayader, around the dams and then against a stiff headwind returned via Cwmystwyth and the welcome shelter of Nant Rhys bothy where all was well. After the fast return to the site we were grateful for hot showers and another night around the fire.

Wednesday saw the girls walk locally whilst the guys took to the saddle again and rode through the wind farm over to Nant Syddion bothy for lunch and a return via The Arch and Cwmystwyth's melancholy mines - the tough hills had taken their toll so we opted out of a futher loop towards Rhayader and were back onsite by early evening.

 A group walk the following day was wet at times but we found shelter for lunch and after the friends had departed for the Bristol area we moved on to a pitch with EHU as the grey cloud had limited our solar gain.

Friday and Saturday saw us joining friends at Sennybridge and Brecon before a return to Llangurig for one night to top up with water and deal with the loo before on the Monday heading to Llandrindod Wells where we had booked the bikes on to the midday train to Knighton. This allowed us to tackle 40 odd miles of the excellent but hilly Radnor Ring, largely National Cycle Route 825, with a coffee break in lovely Presteigne, some stunning valleys around Glascwm and a return to the car park at LW for an overnight with a good curry at Zeeras spoilt initially by my mistaking a hot green chilli for a tasty runner bean.

 

 

Day two of the RR involved the same train to Knighton and then a return via Abbeycwmhir and Rhayader - we missed a sign so climbed high to Bwlchysarnau unnecessarily and that combined with a late departing train meant a late finish at Llandod which justified a chip supper.

As we had a timed entry to the Blist's Hill Victorian town at Ironbridge the following day we decided to do half the journey that night, breaking it with an overnight in the Clun Castle car park down by the river. The ready availability of both loo and shower in this van has opened up so many more opportunities whilst the 6m length even with the bikes on means narrow lanes and tight turns are a breeze.

 

 

Right on the Severn at Ironbridge the Half Moon Inn also allows overnights but first we parked up at Blist's Hill for a fascinating day enjoying all the relocated shops, businesses and trades on this extensive site. We'd each bought an Annual Pass to all attractions for £29 so will return again soon as not all attractions were open yet. The whole set up was very well done with friendly knowledgeable staff, a good atmosphere and lots going on. Many old buildings are still awaiting restoration which will add to the experience but it already needs a full day to see everything.

Despite a rather steep car park the pub overnight was fine and the meal excellent and the handy location meant we could easily walk along the Severn to the famous and now fully restored Ironbridge itself - a spectacular site. We had a timed entry for Enginuity but as this is largely aimed at families with children keen to discover the mysteries of science we didn't stay too long but walked up to the Darby houses where the founders of the industrial revolution in Britain lived above their works, workers and foundries. Both properties were quiet and peaceful with simple furnishings in line with the family's Quaker beliefs and provided good background information on the rise and fall of their fortunes.

 

After looking at the original old furnace where Abraham Darby first perfected the smelting of iron using coke instead of charcoal we had an excellent lunch in the Furnace Kitchen before returning along the Gorge to browse in the small shops and back lanes.

 

 

Back at the Half Moon service was a little slow but the staff worked hard and we fully appreciated the difficulties of staff recruitment in hospitality at this moment and the food was as good as ever. 

So on the Bank Holiday Friday we visited the Jackfield Tile Museum where thousands of beautiful tiles were displayed along with reconstructions of whole scenarios from butchers, public loos and stations - we reflected on the beautiful scenes displayed at the old station near Marvao in Portugal that should also be preserved. 

 

 

 

 

Then before traffic built up we scooted across to the small simple site near Rugeley I had used in May for four nights far from the crowds. Tap and waste tank met our needs and we cycled out to the Trent and Mersey Canal for 40 miles of peace and quiet including a short detour on the Coventry Canal. The National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas looked busy so we had lunch at the Bank Cafe (excellent) in the nearby village before returning through an area of Staffordshire soon to be dominated by HS2, dropping briefly in to Lichfield to see its stunning cathedral, busy though thanks to a food festival.

 

On Sunday Pete and Nina joined us for the day for a super al fresco lunch and a walk on the canal - amazing that Nina can now do up to 5 miles which has given them the confidence to order a new van for travel and adventures next year : good on you guys.

On the Monday we enjoyed exploring a surprisingly empty Cannock Chase with miles of traffic free tracks and trails and had a peaceful final night.

The farm is the location for the Just Crisps company which uses their own spuds and rapeseed oil to produce a delicious range of quality snacks so after a quick look round we came away with a good stash of their products before stopping at the National Trust's Shugborough Hall former home of Patrick Lichfield the royal photographer. The estate had passed to the NT in lieu of death duties and is being slowly restored to good order with extensive walled gardens and grounds. We felt it lacked organisation and could have been better signed but I guess it's early days yet and they too have been profoundly affected by staff recruitment issues and funding challenges.

 

We arrived at a newly opened Certificated Site at Millmeece near Stone to meet the owners who rear Boer goats for meat and are converting an old RAF building in to what will be a substantial property so we had much to discuss with them. The site is close to the busy Midland Main Line so a variety of trains shot past including a large number of freight trains, Avanti West Coast high speed trains and the rather rare Royal Mail specials that shift letters and parcels from London to Scotland.

On Wednesday we had planned to visit the Gladstone Pottery Museum but it had just closed for a refit so we carried on up the Trent and Mersey to Kidsgrove, climbed above the Harecastle Tunnel and returned on old railway lines through Burslem where my tubeless tyre picked up a nick that defeated the sealant. Unbelievably I was carrying the wrong spare and Mandy's unused one had a hole in it so we googled nearby bike shops and fortunately found one less than half a mile away. The friendly owner  of Plant Cycle Works soon had a new tyre fitted and four tubes supplied whilst we ate our lunch and we carried on back along the canal via Stone in time to see a steam special head north.

So after a very rewarding few weeks I am off to finish the last sections of the PBW before heading back to Wales for some bothy related commitments.

We have managed to avoid the holiday crowds as hoped and as education and work get back to normal I hope the countryside gets even quieter.....

Enjoy this lot by clicking here.

 

Seriously Sunny in Snowdonia

After an excellent meal at the Leather's Smithy pub by Macclesfield Forest, where we also overnighted, we briefly visited Buxton before turning up at the Royal Oak pub with its small camp site alongside the Tissington Trail north of Parsley Hay.

 The two Petes arrived and we had an evening catching up outside despite the unseasonal chill.

They walked locally the following day as I ran Mandy home and returned later with another walk up to Tideswell the following day using part of the Monsal Trail and dropping down Monk's Dale in torrential rain on a very slippery and uneven path.

After our group had departed I met Mandy and her Dad at Parsley Hay where he hired a Tramper scooter enabling us to enjoy the trail as far as the restored signal box at Hartington with extensive views across the limestone scenery.

I then spent a couple of quiet nights at Dethick before stopping in Sheffield for a few days to prepare for a fortnight in Wales.

A couple of hours via the Woodhead Pass put me over in the Conwy Valley where the first group of bothy work party volunteers had arranged to meet at Surf Snowdonia in Dolgarrog. I was early and had plenty of time to watch the remarkable wave created by a powered blade that gave all grades of surfers an exciting experience. 

 

 

Unfortunately a phone call confirmed that one of our MBA stalwarts had vehicle trouble and would not be able to provide a UTV and trailer for moving supplies. An urgent email was sent out and very kindly the previous MO (Maintenance Organiser) for Dulyn bothy was able to assist with a Land Rover and trailer. Phil the current MO arrived from Brighton with Hannah and Martin turned up from Swansea so we all retired to the pub in Rowen to plan the logistics. Later Martin and I set off for the quiet car park that would be my base for the fortnight leaving the others to a last night of comfort in a bunkhouse. 

On the Friday morning we met at the RWE compound where a couple of pallets of sand, cement, fixings, paint and other necessities sat alongside a large amount of timber. Martin's LWB van swallowed up most of this and Penny turned up with the Land Rover to tow a trailer up with the rest. A gate key was signed out to us and we began the steep twisty ascent through three gates up to the car park grateful not to meet any oncoming vehicles. Martin had left the new heavy duty Dowling Stove up there and this was used to weigh down the timbers that were almost twice the length of the trailer before Penny and I set off - however it soon became apparent that further ballast was needed so I jumped in to the trailer for the slow and bumpy two mile trip up to the off loading point half a mile and 100m above the bothy. We unloaded everything, turned round and returned to the car park for a second load which included a substantial number of power tools, a genny and personal and camping kit for those present - Covid rules meant that overnight stays in bothies were still not allowed. However there is a perfect spot below the bothy alongside the river with room for half a dozen tents.

 

With almost everything now stashed by the track we again turned the Land Rover and disconnected trailer round and then took what we could down to the bothy prioritising the camping and personal kit as everything else could wait.

 

 

Penny, Martin and I returned to the car park from where she headed home and we enjoyed a peaceful night in a very quiet place. Saturday saw Penny return and we began the hard work of shifting the sand, cement and timbers down to the stream and then the last hard slog up to the bothy door. The skirting and other timbers made useful temporary sledges for the downhill section and despite the hot sun we made good progress particularly as a guy called Pete out walking pitched in. We had been considering the thorny issue of moving the heavy but robust stove only to find Pete had lassoed it with a strop and was hauling it down single handedly - awesome. Several bodies were needed for the final stage uphill but by then others had been arriving including Jane from Bognor and Paul and Mike who live more locally.

By late afternoon a lot had been achieved so many went up to the small reservoir for a swim - the dry spell had revealed the poignant lone propellor of a war time Dakota that had crashed in to the steep cliffs.

Martin and I hitched a lift with Penny again after carrying out the various sacks of rubbish left by recent visitors - always an issue and perhaps worse during the pandemic as those who ignored restrictions on bothy use were no doubt less inclined to contribute in any meaningful way - and later that evening went to inspect the dam that had failed in 1925 killing several villagers in Dolgarrog and resulting in new dam standards being introduced world wide. Limited signal allowed me to catch up with other volunteers' intentions and speak with loved ones before a sweltering night even at well over a thousand feet up. I spoke to the local farmer next morning who had lost a sheep dog and said we would keep an eye out for 'Lad' and then cycled up the track to continue moving materials down and in to position on another scorching day.

Having the bike meant heading home was a freewheel down to a busier car park as many people had come up to escape the heat and swim in the depleted reservoir and it is also a popular spot to leave vehicles if planning a few days on the hills. We had taken 6 spaces anyway so left explanatory signs on the vehicles and gates and parked a couple of our cars on the other side of the locked gate.

So began a few days of washing mould off internal walls, disguising a block built fire escape with stone, removing the old woodworm infested skirting, removing the old stove and adapting the flue as well as dropping down to the stream regularly to fetch, boil and then cool water for the thirsty team.

A pallet was adapted as a stretcher bearer to bring the genny down so that the doors could be sanded and prepared for painting, a new chimney cowl was fitted followed by the stove and various passers by were greeted. With a range of tasks and three rooms to work in we all kept our distance despite almost everyone being double jabbed and enjoyed the usual banter and micky taking that work parties demand. 

As the week progressed the walls began to gleam with fresh paint, the ceilings were also enhanced and Phil began replacing the skirting with new 7x2 lengths of treated wood that he ran a chamfer on to further improve the new look. Each evening I headed out with cordless batteries to charge them down at my van as my 800w genny has a smoother output than the heavy duty one. It also meant my water and fridge were heated and cooled without using gas which as last year has proved difficult to get thanks to the huge numbers of camper vans in circulation and the trend to holidaying in the UK.

Mid week the local farmers arrived at 5am for a couple of mornings to gather and then shear the sheep in cooler conditions but the errant 'Lad' had not yet returned. One evening as I returned a forlorn group were sat on the wrong side of the other locked gate as they had driven off the tarmac whilst it was open and a mile up the rough track for a swim. There wasn't much I could do so having ensured they had plenty of water left them to kip in the car until released early the following morning.

 

By Friday we needed more paint, sand and cement so I dropped down in to Llandudno Junction sourced the necessary and topped up my fresh food at Tescos. The kindly manager also allowed me to fill up with water which solved a nagging issue and I returned that evening to the quiet car park.

The enthusiastic Pete of day one had become a real convert and was more than happy to bring his Land Rover along to move things up, being a soft top it was like being on safari but the big game were absent. Near the car park a rotund wild pony had produced a skinny legged foal and others were seen around the valley. 

I had bought a small solar powered power bank and left it up there with a number of leads so helpers were able to recharge phones etc - it worked very well and an intermittent signal allowed us to keep an eye on the forecast change in the weather which dictated the order in which we completed jobs. 

An army helicopter appeared overhead one day and clattered around above the reservoir practising load drops before roaring off with a flourish and later a police chopper also came over for a nose round.

On the second Saturday the non arrival of a volunteer from the south east caused us some concern given the hot conditions for walking in over rough terrain but he arrived the following day having had a tyre blow out and needing to get a replacement sorted on a Saturday afternoon - not so easy in North Wales.

 

 

Other volunteers arrived to fill the gaps as others departed so great progress was made although by mid week the weather was changing and we concentrated on finishing the external paintwork.

As the rains came in a much reduced crew took to internal work - Pete's wife Pat was a dab hand at lime pointing the gaps behind the new skirting, the final walls and a ceiling were painted as well as internal doors, windows and other woodwork. I began the careful undercoating and glossing of many metres of new skirting board and wondered if the painting of the Cistine skirting should have received as high an accolade as the ceiling.

With everything almost done and whilst waiting for lime or paint to dry we began carrying out those tools and equipment that were no longer required and using a pallet as a bearer four of us got the genny back up to the top track. Shortly after a Chinook appeared to practice up at the dam - if only we could have given them a real life task....

 

So as a busy and productive fortnight drew to a close we were almost done and on a rain soaked Saturday morning I walked in for a final time to help Phil with a tidy up and final removal of equipment - the slow drying paint and lime would require a solo visit on the Monday to finish off but Phil had a couple of nights in a hotel to look forward to whilst I departed for a small and simple camp site near Mold that provided only a tap and waste point and was despite the talk of overcrowded campsites completely empty - perfect.

The success of this hugely enjoyable fortnight was largely due to Phil's enthusiasm and skills but pivoted on the many hours put in by contacts old and new : thank you all for such a memorable experience.

I caught up on much needed sleep and then headed over to Sheffield as I was getting a set of tyres fitted before the MOT. It is always useful and much appreciated to be able to tidy up, vacumn, and clean the van interior, put some power in to the leisure battery and sort out maps etc. for the next trip.

Wednesday saw me dropping the van off at the excellent Autohaus Dolby garage where I had the timing belts done which also requires a new water pump and tensioners, plus an oil and filter change and MOT which was passed with no issues. I spent the day in the vast Meadowhall shopping complex tucked away with a coffee and pastry whilst setting up a new 10'' tablet that will be a huge improvement when planning trips compared to squinting at a phone screen. I started planning my intended exploration of the Pennine Bridleway before returning to find the van not quite ready so passed a reflective hour in the adjacent Tinsley cemetery where the deceased of many faiths are buried - this segregation even at the end of life seems rather dispiriting.

Finally on Thursday after a good walk with Penny out near Penistone I set off to York to vist relatives and was well fed and watered before sleeping out on the drive.

Poor weather has delayed my start on the Pennine Bridle way so I parked up at Dufton and walked down to the Stag Inn for one of their excellent pies but unfortunately tables had to be pre booked as the lifting of Covid restrictions had finally enticed people out and about.

A walk round the back of Dufton Pike and up the valley to Threlkeld Side took me past old mine workings and on the track up to the shooting hut I picked up some fine examples of galena crystals. A slog across the boggy flanks of High Scald Fell took me past some lonely aircraft wreckage before I reached the standing stones on Knock Old Man. As the rain was now torrential I abandoned plans to continue over Great Dun Fell to Cross Fell and Greg's Hut and dropped in to Dufton for a welcome hot shower whilst the Eberspacher warmed up the van and dried my wet gear.

Last night I saw friends near Penrith who have transformed a barn in to a superb kitchen and dining room with a sewing room for her and upstairs a room to accommodate an extensive hand built model railway layout - hours of fun for this fat controller.

A night on a small site tonight at Dent will enable me to re energise the van's utilities before starting the PB - I  think my leisure battery is getting rather tired but after four years solid use I can't complain and will replace it in due course.

These pics cover the recent events but finally here is a return to 2004, the last time I was active on the renovation front at Dulyn bothy....

 

 

An interesting postscript...

https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/wales/douglas-c-47b-43-48473-craig-y-dulyn/