A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER

 As expected the van passed its MOT with no issues or advisories and Autohaus Dolby had sourced and fitted an OEM starter motor - the old one was the original and after 22 years might I thought be about to expire - the only time I needed recovery in the old van was when the SM failed so thank you Maddison and the team.

I packed up for a solo trip of five weeks and headed down to Church Stretton which allows overnight parking for vans. This set me up for catching the Heart of Wales Line train down to Swansea next day - it's a lovely route but notoriously unreliable but the train manager assured me that this one would go all the way to Swansea and return as she was on it both ways. Thus 3 and a bit hours through the familiar scenery of mid and south Wales on a sunny Autumn day passed very enjoyably with time for a pie and a pint in Swansea before I headed back. On the way down the northbound train was running late so as we couldn't enter the single track token controlled section the TM announced we would be waiting at Llanwrtyd Wells long enough to walk in to town for the shop which a few of us did.

By the time we reached Llandrindod Wells the train was empty but a rather unruly drunk boarded and the TM asked if she could sit next to me as a precaution. He stumbled off at Knighton and the rather eerie train carried on towards Shrewsbury with just myself as a passenger.

After calling on my brother in Bishop's Castle I stocked up in Newtown for a spell at Llangurrig where I sat out a few wet days. I tried to ride up to the nearby bothy but my chain kept slipping so I returned to base just before the heavens opened.

After a night in Brecon for badminton I collected a fully overhauled bike from Jason at Biped Cycles : £650 covered a new rear wheel, block, chain and chainring plus bottom bracket bearings and rear pads, I use the bike a lot so after two years this seemed reasonable enough. I joined friends in Sennybridge for a meal at the Shoemakers before heading down to Swansea to look at various options for a new laptop. Two nights at Kidwelly Quay gave me a superb ride in bright sunshine through Pembrey, Burry Port and along to Swansea. Later I walked the shore path and had the stunning spectacle of four marsh ponies careering across the muddy flats, ploughing up the river and then heading towards me arriving in a flurry of sweat and sea water - they were just being inquisitive and perhaps, although in vain, hoping for a carrot or two.

 

I moved on intending to spend a night on a small aire north of Llantrisant so arrived at Ali and Amy's smallholding reached by some rather tight lanes. It was a quiet spot and handily placed for a visit to the Museum of Rural Life at St Fagan's the next day. This is mainly a collection of various old buildings from around Wales and is well worth a visit. It was a bright sunny day and I enjoyed  revisiting the place after perhaps 30 years. Friendly and informative staff were sat tending open fires in the older buildings and work was under way to open the latest attraction - an old pub. I also visited the castle and gardens which had not been available last time which add to an already worthwhile attraction.

 

Back at the aire I decided to stay on and had a chat with the owners about my previous life and their hopes for the set up - access for larger vans is tricky but otherwise it is lovely spot I stayed on four nights. I visited the Royal Mint at Llantrisant which was within walking distance but felt it to be less absorbing than St Fagans. Their displays and exhibitions were interesting but access to the production areas was limited and understandably subject to strict security. On my return I passed a local curiosity - tucked away in a wooded valley a 'pagan' site consisted of an unusual rock protusion and some carved faces.

During some torrential rain the next day I headed in to Cardiff to the Fenix shop for a new head torch and rear bike light and to check out the John Lewis IT department where the staff seemed ill informed and disinterested. I also endured the delights of the NCP parking app, yet another modern day frustration.

On the Friday I headed up to the Whistle Inn just along from the UNESCO WH site of Blaenavon where the pub offers somewhat dishevelled camping high up in the hills. With no usable facilities other than water and a manhole cover I was grateful for the van's off grid capabilities as the Eber purred away on a damp and chilly evening. A couple from a van with not even a pop top looked cold and uncomfortable, not helped by them running out of gas the next morning. He came over to borrow a spanner but did not have a spare cylinder and hadn't realised that his size of Calor is no longer available.

As it was a fresh but sunny day I followed the cycle routes down the Clydach gorge with a stunning array of autumn colours to the canal that took me via the Goytre Wharf cafe to Ponytpool where I picked up the cycle track towards Abersychan. Here I rang Crad's son who lives nearby and was soon introduced to their delightful first son Henry who was an absolute charmer. George and Teri have taken on a fair old project with their large house but seemed very positive about everything. Back at the pub after almost fifty miles I was pleased with how much better the bike felt and enjoyed a hot shower and cosy van with good TV reception.

 

On the Sunday I moved on to the Promenade at Brecon for another quiet night in Brecon prior to the first of two dental appointments so presented myself on the Monday morning for a surprisingly quick extraction after which I headed to a friend's empty house at Talybont - they were away visiting family in Queensland and had offered their drive as a park up : much appreciated.

The following day I returned to Brecon to meet up with Pete and Nina who were on a tour of Wales in their new Ducato and we enjoyed a walk round Brecon, lunch at the excellent tapas bar - The Hop Inn - before later that evening going to the pics to see the rather lengthy Killers Of  The Flower Moon. Another energetic badminton session was followed by a quick call in at Sennybridge for post before I tucked away at the Usk reservoir with time to walk the perimeter path. It was a quiet spot although another van arrived at midnight, faffed about noisily and then drove off to the far side of the dam - cheers pal.

My plan to catch the HOWL train from Llandovery to Llandrindod was thwarted by cancellations so I drove to Cynghordy instead and completed a circular walk that took in the impressive viaduct. On my way back I got talking to a mother and son who manage a herd of 350 Saanen milking goats with the milk going to a cheese maker at Abergavenny. The goats seemed content to be housed year round and were quietly inquisitive as the son proudly gave me a tour of their 60 bay milking parlour. I moved on to the Sugar Loaf where the eponymous next station down is usually identified as the least used station in the UK. The car park for the short walk up to the summit with good views looks a good spot to tuck away some time. On the Sunday I headed down to my old haunts in the Swansea valley enjoying coffee with former neighbours and a good catch up with a fellow smallholder after almost 5 years. Great to see his kids now young adults and on their way in life.

After a walk round his fields and woods I returned to Brecon as a second dental appointment loomed for the Monday.

 

This did not go quite as well as the first - a wisdom tooth came out with ease but the final extraction took 90 minutes, involved some gruesome procedures and left both myself and the dentist somewhat shell shocked. I retreated to Talybont for two nights and cycled the canal out to Abergavenny the following day feeling a bit roughed up.

A covid booster jab on the Wednesday plus some anti malarials ordered online via Boots saw me as prepared as possible for the forthcoming jaunt to West Africa but after the long drive to Sheffield on Thursday I felt a bit rough and had an early night.

On Friday we packed up the van for our trip to Cumbria and headed off for Skipton via York where we visited my aunt who is now in care permanently and my uncle who is resting at home exhausted after four years of looking after her in the family home. Their son Michael is proving to be an absolute rock but clearly has a lot on his plate. Skipton main car park had perhaps 20 vans spread around and the town was busy on a crisp Friday night but we enjoyed a good meal in the Two Sisters Bar opposite the castle and enjoyed the Saturday market before a big Tesco shop and the run to Langdale.

 

As always the lodge was immaculately presented and we unpacked and settled in before Penny arrived on the Sunday. Whilst booking a table for midweek at the Stove restaurant I realised I had mislaid my bank card and after a search of the lodge and van worked out that it was last seen back at Tesco's - fortunately I eventually made contact with the store to confirm it was safely with Customer Service.

Thus late on Sunday evening I enjoyed a fast drive on empty roads in a lightly laden van, parked up overnight at Gargrave station and arrived bright and early at CS only to find they didn't open until 8 - thus a meal deal and Top Gear on IPlayer filled two hours before I retrieved my card and was back by 10am. We walked locally and dined well in the Stove restaurant which has at last managed to recruit staff and chefs and provides a good range of menu options.

On Tuesday Tony from Blackburn arrived early on a bright morning and the four of us set off over to Little Langdale stopping at Dale End Farm where hot drinks and cakes are available under a covered area with an honesty box. Passing through Tilberthwaite via the lovely Slater's bridge we went our separate ways at Tilberthwaite Gill as the girls returned via Hodge Close and Colwith to Skelwith Bridge and we climbed alongside the Gill to head south to wards Coniston before swinging north for an easy ascent of Wetherlam with stunningly clear views across to Ingleborough, Pendle Hill, Heysham power station and the fells to the north, some with a dusting of snow. Our route continued via Prison Band to Swirl How with a return via Wet Side Edge and down in to Greenburn. The last hour back past Dale End by head torch was great fun and concluded a 13 mile walk in perfect conditions.

Wednesday saw a walk over Loughrigg to Ambleside on a chilly day with the bus back and after an indulgent session in the spa and super hot pool with an outdoor section Penny left on Thursday giving us time to enjoy a swim before Marcus and Sandra arrived on the Friday with an excellent curry.

 

We woke to an inch or so of snow on Saturday morning and were mesmerised by the further 8 inches that fell in the next few hours bringing most of South Cumbria to a halt. I had drained the van water but forgot to open the various sink and shower taps so put up all the window insulation and left both the Eber and electric heater blasting away for a few hours. The lodge cleaning teams were unable to get home that night and various guests were trapped on site with new arrivals unable to get beyond Windermere. We walked out to Colwith Bridge and round to Skelwith Bridge via the converted byre at Park House with hot drinks and cakes available. Stove were able to honour our booking so we all enjoyed another excellent meal and took in the magic of 9 inches of snow that had settled vertically in the absence of any wind. The roads were impassable all day so Marcus and Sandra stayed a third night but got away and home safely this morning leaving us a final few milder and wetter days that should see the white stuff on its way.

 

We return to Sheffield on Saturday, the van has an oil change booked for a week today and a week tomorrow I should be on the ferry to Santander so with luck my next post will be from a warmer and sunnier Portugal.......

More pix ear...