OCTOBER 'OUSE SITTING

Our time near Sennybridge soon came to an end as friends returned safely from Dubrovnik but we had fitted in a good walk to the top of Fan Gyhirych, a summit above the Upper Swansea Valley that featured in my first visit to the Brecon Beacons in 1980 and was instrumental in my decision to move to the area a decade later and latterly provided a literal and figurative highpoint for the Brecon Beast Cycle Event we used to route over the tough estate track. To the south the hills of North Devon were visible perhaps 40 miles away but a good 150 mile drive for the following week. We also walked near Talybont before calling on friends who have a very capable 4x4 demountable camper and provide very good cake!

As I had a week to wait for my flu jab we decided on a short trip to the Gower Peninsula so were soon parked at the Oxwich Bay Hotel that very kindly allows vans to park up in the rear car park. We walked round the huge bay to Three Cliffs with a heavy shower catching us out half way round. However the sun emerged and was strong enough to have us dried out on our return before we walked round the headland discovering an abandoned camping spot deep in the woodland where judging by the amount and age of a large pile of litter someone had sat out Covid in near total isolation.

Next day we caught two almost empty buses round to Rhossili above its amazing beach and returned via the coast path to Port Eynon and then Oxwich. Strong winds whipped up the seas and created huge swirls of foam as we neared the mediaeval structure of Culver Hole before dropping in to Port Eynon passing the ruins of the salt works. A very sharp shower above Mewslade Bay had soaked us but again a warm sun emerged to have us dry before we got back in time for a meal in the restaurant. An excellent meal was slightly tarnished by a loud mouthed drunk at a nearby table who was embarrassing himself and his friend - all credit to the young staff members who eventually persuaded him to retire to the bar although perhaps not serving him his last four pints of cider would have been more sensible.

A wedding in the adjacent marquee seemed to be going well although again the demon drink convinced two guys to head out to the beach, strip off and brave the waters albeit not for long. We enjoyed a walk after dinner under an almost full moon and passed the Michelin starred Beach House restaurant which seemed to be doing well.

 Crossing over the Gower Ridge of Cefn Bryn we stopped to admire the Maen Ceti burial chamber looking back towards the Llanelli coast and beyond to the Beacons. Down at Loughor we parked up and cycled through Dunvant and Killay to the Mumbles. It was a hot and sunny day so we headed round to the pier for refreshments and watched an excavator crushing the demolished remains of the Copperfish Restaurant that had burnt down recently. A pleasant ride took us past Swansea to the ongoing redevelopments of SA1 before a return via the marina to the van. 'The Secret' provided a good lunch sat outside overlooking the wide sweep of Swansea Bay before we then moved on to the peace and quiet of Kidwelly Quay where a German plated van was also parked up and locals were fishing as the highest tide of the year accompanied a spectacular sunset. The occupier of a moored yacht took the opportunity to row over as at low tides the mudflats are extensive and we passed a very peaceful night in the warm and comfy van.

 

Sunday's ride through Pembrey and Burry Port back to Loughor was enjoyable although a cool wind had picked up - we met some endurance horse riders and enjoyed the scenery looking back across to Gower. That evening after a shop at Tesco's in Carmarthen we headed inland to the Caravan and Camping Club site at Rhandirmyn for the usual service stop including good long hot showers - the site shuts at the end of October and was very quiet which suited us and at £12/night was good value. The washing machine was also a bonus and we left our stuff drying in the warm sun as we cycled up to the nearby mountain bike trail at Cwm Rhaedr - a steady climb up a forest trail leads to a good red run of mostly single track back down to the car park which Mandy tackled valiantly. After lunch we cycled up to the RSPB reserve at Dinas, walked through the gorge and climbed up to the cave on a sunny afternoon.

We called at Brecon to see Jan's family who are over from Switzerland before returning to Sennybridge for my jab and a catch up and overnight stay before setting off for North Devon. We broke the journey at the old Aust Services on the original Severn Crossing and walked across the bridge as the brown waters of the Severn finally spilled in to the Bristol Channel. Our destination for the night was Watchet where the town council allow overnighting in vans down near the marina - well done WTC - others need to wake up and follow your initiative as van owners bring money and trade to these places, especially out of season. £5.50 for 24 hours is very reasonable and we wandered across to the West Somerset Steam Railway station to get tickets along to Minehead in a couple of hours time which gave us an opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the harbour and small town. A pleasant chug past Blue Anchor brought us to Minehead with enough time to enjoy the station, browse some second hand books and watch the engine run round before we steamed back to Watchet.

We walked in to find a pub and settled on The Pebbles, a quirky cider bar with a warm and cosy atmosphere. They didn't do food but do encourage you to bring in your meal from the adjacent chippy which we did - we also got chatting to someone carrying a lute who was happy to play a few very entertaining tunes adding to an already memorable day. Later we watched a charter fishing boat which had been waiting offshore for the incoming tide to allow them to surge in through the narrow harbour entrance and over the cill which normally maintains a static water level in the marina.

After a very quiet night we walked down to the harbour and watched a power dredger circling slowly round the pontoons - apparently it dislodges accumulated silt just before high tide which is then washed out by the retreating currents which explained why for a few days the harbour was being allowed to drain. The East Quay arts and cafe space is a bold attempt to inject new life in to this very appealing town and we enjoyed the various exhibitions and were fascinated by the hand made paper making. Four stylish accommodation pods are available and would be an interesting experience in winter.

Another quirky highlight was the Radio Museum - well worth a visit - please give it a try......

  

After an unexpected coffee with a couple in the adjacent van who were just about to embark on full time van life (good luck guys !) we headed west via the ascent of the mighty Porlock Hill, long descent of Countisbury Hill and twisting switchbacks of Lynmouth and Lynton to reach our next base for a week in The Valley of Rocks where Greg and Alex had prepared our self contained annexe with stylish en suite to their usual high standards.

We took note of the routines for two dogs, three chickens and a hive of bees before they left for a night in Bristol and an early flight to Girona.

We have enjoyed a week of remarkably good weather giving me time to give the van curtains their first wash in probably twenty years and repair a leak in the fresh water tank that arose after some rough tracks in Spain five years ago - with luck the Quicksteel applied carefully with a mesh strengthener and the tank pre- warmed using a hair dryer will do the job, if not I will revert to the cork and PTFE that has sufficed for long enough.

A tough ride out of town took us up on to Exmoor where we stopped to reflect on life (and death) at remote Hoar Oak Cottage ( www. hoaroakcottage.org ) before we crossed the river and returned via the Lyn Valley to Lynmouth leaving us a steep ride/walk/push back up to Lynton.

Another tough ride took us up to Caffyns Cross with a view of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway steam train leaving Woody Bay Station before we shot down to the Hunter's Inn for coffee on a remarkably warm morning. Fortunately the contractors core drilling prior to the construction of a new bridge over the Heddon allowed us across giving us a steady climb up to Trentishoe Down before we looped round to Parracombe for lunch in the church yard. At Dean we took a superb bridlepath down to Lee Abbey past Sixacre Farm and returned in time to enjoy the sunny conservatory as the dogs chased each other round the garden. We were rewarded with an excellent evening in the Oak Room Tapas Bar at Lynton - so nice to be able to walk to such a good venue.

Yesterday saw a walk down to Lynmouth and up Countisbury Hill for lunch at the Blue Ball before dropping back to Lynmouth via Wind Hill high above Watersmeet. I had put a ship finder app on my phone and was kept absorbed by following the tracking history of the various vessels in the area as we soaked up yet another warm afternoon sun. The remarkable cliff railway soon had us back up to the streets of Lynton - it's always a fascinating experience.

Today I have dropped Mandy off at Taunton for a train back to Sheffield as her brother has come over from Canada and will have my last day here tomorrow before heading over to the New Forest for a few days - it was an afternoon of torrential rain so we have been very lucky over the last few weeks - things are dropping in to place for the winter departure with my Covid boost imminent, a van MOT and a few service issue to be addressed and our traditional fortnight in the Lake District to look forward to - that may well be my next opportunity to post so until then  : more pics here.

 

September Song

 A night on an aire adjacent to another impressive boat lift allowed me to service the van facilities one more time before I arrived at thr Hook of Holland on the Friday night, a day earlier than planned but not bad after 73 days away.

A long run of parking spaces looked out over the shipping lanes leading to Rotterdam port and I settled in to watch the numerous tankers, freighters and ferries passing by on a sunny afternoon. The five allocated camper places were full but numerous other vans were lined up for the night so I nipped out to get fuel and food before settling down. 

 

At 9pm however two policewomen began knocking on doors telling us all we would need to move on - they had no idea where we should all go this late on a Friday so most people were pretty annoyed as there were still dozens of empty spaces. Anyway I had spotted long term parking down at the Stena terminal half a mile away so relocated there at 5 euros a night which was fine. I later showed a German couple where I had moved to as they had returned to their van after a meal to find a sticker on their screen indicating a 150 euro fine if they did not move  - they were very grateful and later dropped off a few cans of beer. I slept well and spent the Saturday walking the length of the breakwater in warm sunshine - at the terminal I had tried to bring my booking forward but being a holiday weekend at the end of the season all sailings were full.

 

Thus after another quiet night I moved the hundred yards to join the queue and was soon aboard for the 7 hour crossing in calm conditions - the dockers' strike at Felixstowe meant that the quays were empty and the cranes stood silently as we arrived on time. Customs and Border facilities were a bit slow but by 9 I was whizzing along empty roads, including the M25 and M4 before crossing in to Wales and arriving at my tuck away in Brecon at 1am after a speedy 270 miles.

Next day I called on a friend who has been very ill with pneumonia and was shocked at how frail he looked despite being on antibiotics and resting. I then headed up to Lower Chapel where I was to farm sit for ten days as friends went off to Alderney to celebrate a big birthday.

After a couple of months away and the bogging incident I decided to remove everything from the van in to their barn and have a good sweep and sort out. Down at the local weighbridge the van came in at 2300kg, some 500kg under its MTPLW but once loaded up was almost at the upper limit of 2800kg.

However I had come across very little that I would happily leave out so was content to fit some top quality Michelin Agilis Cross Climate Tyres at ATS ready for my winter trip - these will meet the requirement for winter tyres should I head across colder climes : unlikely!

I visited the new Brecon Museum and Library with a neighbour whilst they were being fitted and found it much more interesting than on a first visit last year.

My two electrical issues were resolved - the fridge fuse holder leading to the relay needed changing and the leisure circuit isolation relay just had a loose contact that needed tweaking so all is now well. I have an early MOT booked for November to give me the potential for a longer trip next time if Morocco stays open - unfortunately the geographical definition of Europe has changed so I will now be obliged to get insurance at Tangier at an apparently exorbitant £150/ month ; it is a cheap country to stay in though so this won't be a major issue but I hope the UK insurance provider will agree to a 3 month suspension of my policy as it will not be valid there. I'm also having a gearbox oil change as the van will have done 100k miles, plus engine oil and filter and a lower wishbone ball joint picked up on the June MOT.

Whilst at Lower Chapel the team gathered for a long weekend with a good walk in the Beacons above Ystradfellte reservoir and the classic loop around the mountains with a ride from Brecon to Talybont, over Torpantau to Pontsticill and back via the Gap Road. Apart from Phil losing a derailleur on the final ascent all went well - the station cafe at Pontsticill providing a welcome brew and the scenery was as good as ever.

Sunday saw 3 of us ride from Gilwern to Cwmbran along the canal before following the old railway up to Blaenafon and then descending through the Clydach gorge - another classic and enjoyable ride.

Once Jan and Ian were safely back from an enjoyable week I joined the badminton session but within minutes had ripped my shoulder so retired to the comforts of the van before relocating to my favourite site at Llangurrig. En route I called at LCB Bothy in the Elan Valley where all was well but the water level particularly low as there is maintenance work under way on the top dam.

A ride through to Nant Syddion and Nant Rhys bothies was as ever a tough one with much ascent but both bothies were in good order and the new ty bach at NR was a credit to the team of volunteers. I met a crew repairing a turbine blade using a 50m reach cherry picker and was interested to hear how varied their work in renewables is.

An overnight in Derbyshire after a visit to my brother in Shropshire pretty much rounded up a hectic session of catching up with friends old and new - Pete and Nina are looking forward to taking possession of their new van and now have a new serviced location to store their existing unit to use as a base.

Up in Sheffield at long last it was a busy day sorting out various affairs both family and personal but we were able to get away on the Wednesday with my Baltic round trip amounting to 6000 miles and called on family in York before staying at a Britstop near Pickering. The North York Moors Railway station looked very smart and we managed to visit the coach repair shed where a beautiful vintage dining car was being restored to its former glory.

The New Inn at Crompton had a large leafy car park and we enjoyed an excellent meal before retiring for a quiet night.

A twenty mile ride round Dalby Forest offered good views as we headed north from Pickering - the centre will be well worth returning to one day.

Thursday and Friday nights were spent with friends from Penrith in a holiday cottage at Alnwick giving us the opportunity for a linear coastal walk passing Dunstanburgh Castle and Craster. An Indian that night in Alnwick was memorable and we departed after an all too short a stay for Bamburgh where we eventually managed to tuck in behind Mandy's brother and his wife in their van with a stunning view across the rough grey North Sea and across to both Holy Island and the Farne Islands as well of course the spectacular castle.

 

We donned wetsuits after a walk and braved the rough seas for an exhilarating hour or so being tossed around in the foaming waters. A walk in to the village gave us the chance to visit the Grace Darling Museum which recorded the heroic achievements of the lighthouse keeper's daughter following a ship wreck.

A drive across to Coquetdale in the Cheviots saw us parked for the night in a remote spot at the head of the lonely valley but next morning despite it being the Queen's funeral we heard a vehicle turn up quite early. It turned out to be army instructors supervising a tough selection exercise and before long heavily laden soldiers appeared on the skyline dropping down to the RV point only to have to return up the long incline to head for the next checkpoint.

We were told it was OK to cross the Otterburn Ranges which made reaching Kielder Castle via the forest drive a much shorter journey than expected so we were soon set up in the top car park where overnighting is being trialled on a temporary basis at £10/night.

Thus we set off on the circuit of Kielder Water which is around 26 miles in total. It was a lovely day and we stopped to help a guy out with a puncture before carrying on down to the dam. Beyond there at one of the visitor centres there was one of the more remarkable art installations in the shape of a large underground burrow which had very little lighting, sculpted cork lined walls and played a series of sound tracks meant to mimic the living experience of burrowing animals.

 

 

 

Back at Kielder Castle we had the car park to ourselves apart from one other van and enjoyed a quiet night with no phone, internet or TV signal.

 

 

One of the medium grade off road routes occupied the next morning before we set off south calling at Hexham for a break and a shop before heading for Beamish Open Air Museum. In Hexham we stopped at an interesting cafe that is run by recovering drug addicts - the two girls behind the counter were humbly frank about their life stories and were grateful for the new start offered by the Betel charity.

 

 

Our campsite en route to Beamish had superb views but no loo disposal which was a shame but we had power and water and enjoyed the elevated location.

Beamish was excellent and although a timed admission was required the ticket was an annual one and included all transport within the 350 acre site on the old trams and busses that ran regularly between the attractions. We started at the old pit head adjacent to the colliery village, moved on to the church and two manor houses before reaching the Victorian village. All the staff were dressed to match the displays and seemed happy to be working in such an intriguing setting. After returning to the pit village and passing through a row of terraced houses with backyards and outside privvies we were amazed to find that all the structures had been moved and faithfully recreated on a once barren site.

 

It was such a remarkable place that we decided to return the following day so left for a Britstop which we decided wasn't too practical so instead pitched up late at a small Certificated Site run by a young couple with a new baby. Infuriatingly they told us that a visitor the previous night had left without paying - it was only a tenner, how low can people stoop....

So with a good service stop behind us we returned to Beamish on a cooler day so were grateful for the coal fires in the old station waiting room and other period houses. Thus we covererd all of Beamish that was open and left somewhat amused that the 50's housing project being installed was as good as in our own lifetimes!

Another quiet Britstop at Whytton off the A66 near Scotch Corner was another success - we had decided not to use one right on this busy main road - and had another excellent meal although the car park would struggle to accommodate larger vans.

A flying visit back to Sheffield to deal with paperwork gave us a service and laundry option before we moved on to Bakewell to ride the Monsal Trail on a sunny evening. At Miller's Dale the old goods warehouse has been restored and incorporates old photos beneath a roof with an impressive array of solar panels. From here it was a short hop to Dethick for another visit to Pete and Nina with the opportunity to climb the steep inclines from the Cromford Canal up to Middleton Top and then cut across for a circuit of Carsington Water with the obligatory tea stop at the cafe overlooking the depleted waters. That night they treated us to an excellent meal at 'The Dog at Pentrich' before on the Sunday we walked along the canal to view the cottage being restored by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust as a visitor and interpretation centre.

Quiet roads on the Sunday afternoon had us smoothly down to Hay on Wye for a quiet night in the large car park - free with all day parking only £4 for smaller vans, £8 for 3t plus. Unfortunately Hay Castle was shut for the snagging I had noticed on my first visit. However the town has many other attractions and kept us happily occupied that day and the following morning.

Tuesday saw us dropping briefly in to Lower Chapel for me to collect both my trolley jacks before a large food shop in preparation for our week above Sennybridge house sitting for friends who were off to Dubrovnik for a much deserved holiday. Our duties cover 6 chickens, two horses, one adorable spaniel and a polytunnel all surrounded by superb views south to most of the Brecon Beacons.

Once they had got going on Wednesday morning we set off on a walk over local tops but high bracken and a missing footbridge made a long diversion necessary so the 12 miles was rather more than we had expected. We went in to Brecon that evening with Mandy going to the pictures whilst I returned to the badminton court and was pleased to see a host of new faces replacing a few of the longer term players who have various injuries and ailments.

A quieter day on Thursday suited us before we headed over to Lower Chapel for a chilli at Jan and Ian's enjoyed by their cosy wood burner. Friday was a shocker weather wise but we joined former neighbours of mine at the farm for a good meal and catch up at The White House in Sennybridge - good food but a chilly dining room.

Yesterday the weather changed dramatically once more giving us the ideal opportunity to head for the summit of Fan Gyhirych accessed by the long Cnewr estate track over which in previous years we had routed 800 or so victims of the Brecon Beast charity mountain bike event. The impressive glacial cwm has a history for me going back forty years as it featured in my first ever visit to these beautiful mountains whilst training in Southampton.

Today has seen an annual memorial vintage tractor run pass the end of the lane - perhaps more than 50 vehicles chugged up the long hill - after which I enjoyed a few hours tidying the polytunnel remembering the happy hours I had spent in mine as long as thirty years ago. I feel very fortunate to have experienced so many amazing and varied opportunities over the years : 3 years training on the edge of the New Forest were followed by a decade in Bristol where I discovered the joys (?) of caving around the UK and beyond and took two extended cycle tours in India and Nepal which were particular highlights. The 15 years renovating and transforming a smallholding in the Beacons were in themselves a way of life attuned to the vagaries of nature and the seasons since when I have lived more or less 17 years in the van with a big OZ/NZ trip, a run up to the Nordkapp and repeated visits to Morocco, Portugal and Spain other highlights.

My journey south for the winter should begin in December but before then we have a few more days in the Beacons, will revisit West Wales briefly and then head to north Devon for another house sit before the annual trip in mid November to the Lake District.

I will post again a few weeks - as always additional photos sit here.