BACKING BRITAIN

A tough 55 mile ride from Llangurrig down to Rhayader, round the Elan Valley, on to Cwmystwyth, past The Arch and a return via two bothies left me tired but exhilarated, especially as now all 3 bothies have been found to be in good order. It was lovely to be back in Sheffield later that week and I took time to sort out all my maps and travel guides that I had been lugging around, probably for the last time as many of the guides are out of date and the internet provides more relevant information. Similarly my SatMap 1:25,000 maps cover most places as well as various cycling and walking apps. One of the Satmap Battery packs fell apart which just leaves me the one and a pack that will take 3 AAs if necessary, such a shame the company went under as the device has been one of my best ever purchases for outdoor pursuits.

 Mandy's lad and his girlfriend were dropped at the station at the start of their trip to Colombia and Central America after which we departed for a few days away in Lincolnshire staying initially at Binbrook after looking round the rather delightful Brigg. Three Romanian construction workers were in a caravan on the CL but otherwise it was very quiet and they were a friendly lot due to return home soon so in good spirits. We cycled 53 miles the next day down to Louth for market day where I sourced some antihistamines after almost swallowing a wasp and developing a ludicrous 'trout pout'. Pushing on to the coast near Donna Nook we failed to see the attraction of staying in, let alone purchasing, one of the statics that sit densely packed in along the coast. A highlight of the ride was an old deconsecrated church where you could almost feel the history in its poignant remains.

Similar emotions came to the fore at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Museum at East Kirby where a team of dedicated and skilled restorers are working on a surviving Lancaster bomber. By chance it was due to taxi out around the airstrip twice that day and we were suitably impressed as the 4 Merlin engines fired up one by one before the immense airframe moved out on to the grass with a number of enthusiasts occupying the cockpit, gunnery positions and rear section. It was hugely impressive and whilst waiting for the second event after lunch we very much enjoyed the large number of displays relating to the history of the Lancaster, Bomber Command and of course the remarkable Dambusters story. Lunch in the NAAFI was another opportunity to support the restoration project after which we were again mesmerised by the sheer power and presence of 'Just Jane'.

The complex was a former military airfield and the various buildings held cameos and exhibitions relating to wartime life - perhaps the most moving relating to the fate of those shot down over enemy territory and assisted in safe passage by courageous locals who often experienced severe retribution for their actions. All in all it was a moving and fascinating place to visit with far too much there to be fully related here. We were also allowed to stay overnight in the peaceful grassy car park - hugely appreciated.

 

The following day we pulled in to the Lincoln P&R to catch the bus in to town and visit the stunning cathedral which had been closed on our last visit a few years ago. Whilst enjoying lunch in the courtyard cafe the Red Arrows shot past directly overhead - a great sight but too fast for photos.

Moving on we stayed in Dethick where the friends I met in Germany are based and met a mutual friend Barry who has just secured an Irish passport thus banishing his Brexit shenanigans once and for all. We were staying there to pick up some clothing ordered in at Bakewell and I also had a cunning plan up my sleeve. Warning Mandy that we mysteriously had to be outside The Chakra Lounge cafe for 11. 30, this was merely a ploy to prevent her realising that we were about to jump on the recently launched Peak Sightseer open topped bus that follows a one way figure of 8 circuit every half hour to Chatsworth, Baslow, Hassop and Ashford in the Water. For £6 a head you can jump on and off all day and the experience of travelling through the scenery high up and just missing the tree branches and tunnel arches is certainly one to go for. We stopped at Chatsworth for an hour but on our return to Bakewell forgot to signal the bus to stop so were quite happy to go round once more, this time on the top deck again but at the front under cover as the continuing poor summer was letting the side down again. The service is a credit to Stagecoach and Derbyshire County Council and I emailed them positive feedback, mentioning in particular the friendly drivers who seemed to be really enjoying the service.

Back in Sheffield a new Shurflo water pump was waiting - stupidly leaving the old one running for several hours in Czechia had done the leisure battery no good (replaced earlier) but I was aware that the old pump was running more noisily, less efficiently, was not holding the pressure and had a slight leak. Access to replace it meant removing all clothing etc. from the wardrobe, dismantling my free standing shelves and easing up the floor to gain access, being fully aware of how brittle 20 year old plastic has become. I took photos of the plumbing and electrical connections as I went but remarkably even after 20 years the replacement pump had identical water and power connections - and even the four mounting holes lined up. I had ordered a new in line pre strainer but was surprised at how little had accumulated in the old one after 20 years and in the 6 years of my ownership almost full time use with a shower every day. Screw fit connectors were soon in place, the wires attached and a test run confirmed that all was well with quieter running, no leaks and pressure maintained so the floor panel, shelves and contents could go back in. I left the old pump tucked away in a void as it would make a serviceable spare but I fully expect the new one to see me out!

 

Monday saw the delivery of new outside seating which we manoeuvred in to place on the balcony with the help of Lynn and Steve - it's a good job he's well over 6' tall whilst I packed up for another trip south including some bottles and kegs from Bradfield Brewery for a forthcoming BBQ.

We joined Penny, a colleague I trained with 45 years ago, and Yolande a contact from Portugal who had met Penny when we took Mum out there in 2014 after Dad's passing almost a decade ago now, for a good meal at Zara's in Crookes. Yolande like me has to contend with the new Sheffield Clean Air Zone and is loathe to scrap a perfectly good camper van (other than being a T5!) that is much newer than mine but still falls foul of the regs. To this end as Sheffield has inexplicably included the congestion reducing ring road in its zone I merely travel one junction futher up on the M1 and then drive through densely populated urban areas passing many schools, care homes and the local general hospital - what a ludicrous situation......

It appears that my friend in Portugal may have sold the campsite that has been my refuge for many Christmases over the last 15 years but that does give me other options for the forthcoming winter with Italy, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey looming large - watch this space. Anyway it was good to catch up and the following day I headed across rural Derbyshire via Buxton and then Stoke to catch up with my brother in Shropshire. We arranged to meet up on mountain bikes and I left for Brecon and another shambolic lumber around the badminton courts. Over at Sennybridge I joined Crad and Dawn with their son and his Czech fiancee for a good meal at their local - the farmer owned Shoemaker's Inn that has a new tennant landlord.It was good to see the happy couple and Leah was of course very familiar with places in her native country I had visited less than a month ago.

Up at Lower Chapel Jan and Ian were hosting the Hereford Caving Club 'Summer' BBQ so we spent Friday putting up a marquee, organising seating and planning the food. I also undertook a repair with fibreglass of the washroom toiletry cupboard as a leaking insect repellent had eaten right through the plastic floor, the repair is far stronger than the original and the fumes soon evaporated. Inclement weather caused a few issues re the marquee later that day but things eased off on the Saturday and we all enjoyed a memorable evening, due in no small part to Dan's ingenious 'cave jenga' that involved a steel IBC container frame and wooden poles that recreated the sorts of squeezes and bending that caving often requires. It was a brilliant evening so many thanks to Jan and Ian for all their hard work and hospitality. A mate from Frome was enjoying his new Wild Ax Pulsar - a definite consideration should I eventually have to change vehicles but as yet I have no intention of doing so and will adapt to the new regimes of CAZs, LEZs and the like.

On Sunday afternoon I cycled up to Moel Prysgau bothy for the first time in a year - clear felling across the river has changed things a bit for access from the 'top track' but at least a screen of Sitka spruce has been left to retain the bothy's seclusion. All was well there although with no bridge thanks to some idiots breaking and then burning it a while back the feet took a soaking.

After a quiet night in the hills I had planned to ride the Sustrans route from Tregaron to Aberystwyth but my brother rang asking to bring our planned ride forward by a day so we met at Nant Yr Arian Visitor Centre later that morning for a long overdue - 40 years - ride together on the Syfydrin Black run - 20 plus miles of mixed, remote, challenging but hugely rewarding Black level trail. We chatted to a guy in one hamlet who has almost finished rebuilding a shell of a cottage that I have been observing over the years, noticed a completely new and stylish new build and looked down on an old farmhouse that is also undergoing restoration with solar panels and what may well be a bunk house. Coffee and cake as the hundreds of red kites arrived for their daily feast of raw chicken saw us going our parting ways but not before I had a quick whizz on his emtb - very impressive but not for me yet as I still enjoy the buzz and the burn.

This changed for me the very next day as after a night at Glangwy campsite near Llangurrig I cycled over to the Hafren Forest, up the tracks towards the sources of the Wye and Severn and then encountered almost wintery conditions on the slopes of Plynlymmon as a I crossed to the Sweet Lamb motor racing circuit. Even the shepherds gathering sheep looked cheesed off as I shot down to the A44 and crossed over for a return to Nant Rhys bothy with the intention of locking all access gates. A long climb up to the hut had me drooling over power assistance but I will hold out for as long as poss. due to charging and weight considerations. The bothy had seen a visit from a fellow, and local, bothy stalwart whose regular visits combined with NRW's new padlocks and restricted key holders' policy seem to be keeping on top of bothy misuse.

Back at Glangwy I dealt with the loo, cleaned the washroom, washed most of the muck off the bike and prepared for an early start to Sheffield following morning. I had found out that the Calor depot at Worcester still had some 3.9kg Propane cylinders despite their unwelcome and unpopular withdrawal by Calor UK. As it was more or less en route to CAK tanks at Kenilworth I called in and had a good chat with the lad there - he reckons the company cannot make a profit on smaller cylinders but as they are a quarter of the price of the nearest equivalent Camping Gaz 907s they could change this by charging slightly more : Flogas seem able to supply an equivalent at a competitive price but have a short term cylinder shortage. In a corporate world where being green is foremost in company literature it again seems ludicrous that the withdrawn Calor cylinders will be scrapped whilst Flogas commission thousands of new almost identical cylinders, surely a safety check and a respray would be better all round. Anyway with luck I now have enough to see me through Autumn after which I will be back on CG for my winter trips.

At CAK I wanted a Thetford Freshen Up kit to give me a new loo seat as the old one has split - they should strengthen their design and I will use the remainder of the fibreglass kit to do just that. The spare cassette can sit quietly in store but the yellow cap has gone in the van as a spare as they are so easily lost down a poorly designed disposal point. I also picked up a new fresh water inlet point and a length of pipe before heading up to Sheffield and an empty house as Mandy is on an unexpected cycling holiday in Mull. 

Thus today I replaced the old fresh water inlet and leaking filling pipe - this plus a small overflow tube and the washroom sink waste pipe all exit the van through a tight space near the rear swing arm. It took some ingenuity and a hairdryer for heat to ease out the old pipes and replace the new plus a section of rigid waste pipe to join the new filler pipe to the existing run to the tank but eventually all was done and that concludes a long list of minor repairs and tweaks that with luck will set me up for Autumn in the UK and another longish trip through winter and in to 2024.

Before then there  is much to look forward to as I head to Dumfries and Galloway next week, then down to Wales and Devon for house sits via a meet up on the Mendips before our trip to Lundy in October. November sees MOTs and the traditional Langdale break before I head south.

Further pics here.....