Cambrian Circle, Somerset Circle and a Social Circle......

We headed west via the Woodhead Pass, passed a busy Manchester and then headed on in to Wales stopping in Newtown for a food shop and arriving at Sue Pope's small campsite near Llangurrig for a night before walking in to Nant Rhys bothy on Sunday morning where all was well, as was the Elan Valley bothy later that day. Four uni students from Aberystwyth had stayed the night and whilst it was all rather chaotic I was sure they would leave the place in good order.

Later at Lower Chapel we sorted out the bikes prior to our trip and caught up with Ian and Jan's news from the last year.

On a grey but mild morning the three of us set off to climb up to Upper Chapel, cross the Epynnt via the lonely Drover's Arms and then whizz down in to Garth where Jan left us and looped home via Builth Wells.

We  took the turning to Llangammarch Wells and then Beulah with a short break at the church on the way to Abergwesyn. The stunning lonely valley brought us to the foot of the notorious Devil's Staircase which was beyond our ability to ride, partly as my chain was dropping off the larger cog intermittently but mainly because I am far less fit than a year ago. Once at the top it was an exhilarating descent to Nantystalwyn and a mile along their track brought us to the Elenydd Wilderness Trust hostel at Dolgoch. 

We had arrived in good time and were made very welcome by the wardens George and Zack who showed us our four berth dorm and said that given another ten minutes the showers would be warm. Unfortunately despite the new solar installation undertaken recently this was not the case as there had been little solar input in recent days so we were soon out and warming up in front of the stove in the common room. The new solar does power much improved lighting, charging points and a fridge and no doubt would provide hot water in the summer months.

We chatted to the wardens, who are familiar with Moel Prysgau bothy a few miles further up the valley and another guest working for NRW on the reintroduction of bog habitats. There was a comprehensive library including some interesting information about the bothies of the area compiled by Tony, our Wales Area MBA Organiser who is a dab hand at researching local archives. 

After a comfy night we were soon away on a much brighter day and headed up the Towy track before taking the middle track that avoids several river crossings and looping round the head of the valley before dropping down to Moel Prygsgau where unfortunately some of nature's finest had been at play.

Quad bikes had ripped up the grassy area in front of the building splattering the door, walls and windows with mud and scattering bags of rubbish equally minded neanderthals had tried to burn outside. As ever this is somewhat dispiriting but as we had time to spare we soon had things washed down, the rubbish gathered and sorted and the burnable stuff in the stove. The remaining bag was taken up to the top track for eventual collection by either NRW or Chris and Frank the long time MOs. They had been instrumental in blocking off access from above and down at the confluence a new steel barrier prevented access via the river but lower down the quads had forged a new way in by destroying the bank, crushing the vegetation and leaving a large track in to the bothy. Unfortunately tactically felled trees that would have provided a long term solution were removed in error as part of harvesting during a clear fell two years ago so we need to rethink the issue.

As always it was good to leave the place in better order than when we arrived and we headed out along forestry roads before the sustained descent to Strata Florida Abbey where the information centre was happy to provide hot drinks and for us to eat our sandwiches in the warm. In the newly restored barn of Great Abbey Farm a lovely old local lady full of enthusiasm and local gossip was keen to show us a range of old artefacts, machinery and tools from days gone by - whilst they close at the end of October until the Spring the renovation of the rest of the farm will continue and should in due course become well worth a visit. 

After a spell on the road we picked up the cycle track in to Tregaron and arrived at the Talbot Hotel where again we took one of their very well appointed ' Garden Rooms'. After washing off the bikes and storing them in a locked shed we enjoyed hot showers and a rest before dining rather too well.

Wednesday centred on a ride down to Aberystwyth and back via Sustrans Routes 82 & 81 although due to intransigence from a land owner you have to leave the old line for a short steep descent on a busy twisty road before climbing steeply back to the track bed.

This section makes it dangerous for families but otherwise it is a cracking ride and arrives at the harbour entrance from where we headed in to town. I made use of two bank branches that were actually open and borrowed a roll of sellotape to temporarily fix my cycling boot before buying a cheap pair of trainers that might actually get me home. The corner cafe provided warmth and refreshment before we returned to Tregaron after 41 thoroughly enjoyable miles.

Thursday was only a short day so we checked out after a substantial breakfast, left the bikes locked away and enjoyed a look round Tregaron which whilst far less significant than in the heydays of droving is still a lively enough place with a lovely craft centre and excellent home baking at Gwen's Cakes.

The flat road along to Llandewi Brefi lulled us in to a false sense of ability as we then climbed steeply back in to the Cambrian mountains on a sunny afternoon. A long descent brought us to the gate of the Tyn y Cornel hostel where the warden Terry made us very welcome and showed us our accommodation for the night. We had booked their excellent shepherd's hut which was immaculate and set away from the main hostel building. We soon had the underfloor heating on, enjoyed hot showers and then on a blustery late afternoon walked down the track to the Doethie river that then leads on out to Soar y Mynydd Chapel. The onward track has been impressively eroded and is now in places a 10' deep gulley that would defeat any vehicle - repairs carried out a few years ago failed to address the issue of track drainage and unfortunately all the good work has literally been washed away. Back at the hut we had a comfortable night having cooked up a simple ready meal but my cough which had appeared at the start of the trip unfortunately disturbed us, as did the water pump located under the hut which clicked in regularly.

We had a chat with Terry before leaving as he was working in the unlocked shed provided by EVT for walkers and cyclists and I expect to meet him again in early November when I return to Dolgoch for a work party. It was a cold and wet start as we dropped down to the river and began the steep climb on a narrow path above the deep gouge of the damaged track so we were soon warmed up as it levelled out and we were able to pedal onwards. Another steep descent brought us to the Chapel where we stopped briefly before following forestry tracks around the western side of Llyn Brianne passing above Dalarwen which had once been a potential bothy project. We crossed the dam and noticed that the military exercise known as 'Cambrian Patrol' had set up a base above the car park. As we dropped in to Rhandirmyn we could see the extensive scorched hillsides caused by a serious fire in the summer, turned towards the Towy Bridge Inn and then dropped towards Cilycwm. Just before the village at Cwm Rhaedr we met Frank from the MBA and a contact from NRW who was going to show us a new bothy project. As it was raining heavily and we were getting cold we cycled up the final mile and a half, actually getting there first as there was a tree down across the track.

The old Scout hut had been located in an L shaped range of farm buildings and once James from NRW had opened up we had a good look round. The larger building had lovely old signs from the scouting days but would be difficult to scale down to make a cosy bothy, despite an existing if redundant Rayburn. Alongside another building seemed viable but in fact the two smallest ones to the right would be nearer the mark and perhaps provide an initial 'test bothy' requiring minimal input initially and an opportunity to gauge over a year or two the degree to which the building was used and with what level of acceptable behaviour.

Anyway as we were getting cold again we left Frank and James to discuss the project and rode down to Llandovery as the sun came out. We checked our train was on time (always advisable on the HOWL) and retired to the West End Cafe for lunch, hot drinks and a dry out in the sunlit window.

The train passed under the Sugar Loaf Mountain and dropped us off at Garth for our return climb over the Epynnt which initially involves a long climb to the plateau that will form part of next year's Welsh stage of the Tour de France. We pushed most of it so the peloton needn't worry about the competition and eventually reached the turn up to Jan's as dusk arrived. The new water heater is considerably more efficient than the previous one and we were soon showered and changed after a hugely enjoyable 5 day ride.

We spent Saturday helping detach two large branches hung up in a beech tree, kept a bonfire going to tidy things up and whilst Mandy tackled the old tomato plants I gave all 3 bikes a thorough clean, service and lubrication. A meal at the local pub on Saturday night was middle of the road at best and after a leisurely start we were off towards Somerset for the next round of events. We stopped under the old Severn bridge at the former ferry causeway and watched the swirling brown waters head out to the Bristol Channel. At one point the SARA lifeboat was launched but returned soon after as it had been a malicious call out - bothies are not by any means the only recipients of unacceptably antisocial behaviour.

We reached our overnight campsite near Trowbridge, after calling in at Bradford on Avon, by late afternoon and stretched our legs on local lanes before retiring indoors with some of the russet apples from a nearby tree. We'd bought eggs from the farmer and the simple and reasonably priced site had water and waste facilities but no hook up so the Eber kept us warm and cosy.

Monday saw us heading over to Frome where I dropped a deformed rear wheel in at Pronto's bike shop who said they couldn't look at it until Friday. We then met Mandy's sister in law and niece who are touring Europe for five weeks using Interail passes, flights and hire cars. Sonia seemed adept at driving a stick shift RHD car on unfamiliar British roads and Jenny was keen to show us the multitude of places they had visited.

We then returned to BoA and took them to see the magnificent mediaeval tithe barn before walking back along the Kennet and Avon canal and explaining the mysteries of lock workings as neither had seen one before. We thought (correctly) that they would enjoy the high tea served at the Bridge Tearooms. A remarkable spread served elegantly really hit the mark before we all jumped in the hire car (a modern Fiat 500) and drove to Bath where they checked in at the Old Mill Hotel on the Avon.

We then all walked along the K&A Canal in to the centre with Sonia and Jenny amazed by the various live in boats and the views across Bath's Georgian architecture. The shops and buildings on the Pulteney Bridge provided further fascination and I was reminded of the time I nearly came to grief on the eponymous weir whilst kayaking there forty odd years ago. We went our separate ways with S&J hopping in a taxi before we caught the train back to BoA and drove back to our site.

On Tuesday I dropped Mandy off at Trowbridge as she was joining her relatives again for the day whilst I dealt with the van domestics and headed off to check in with Pete at Frome as we were due to help with his 'Missing Link' cyclepath project on Friday which is part of the Somerset Circle. I then moved on to Greg and Alex's new home on the edge of Frome as they moved up from Lynton this summer. It's a lovely cosy cottage with well kept gardens, some useful outbuildings and a paddock for their 3 dogs to roam in and it was good to catch up before I headed to Trowbridge to collect Mandy who had ended up going to Stonehenge for the day. 

Wednesday saw me relocating the switch for the gas side of the new Truma so I can switch the hot water on whilst in bed (luxury) whilst Alex and Mandy took the dogs up on to the Ridgeway to see the Westbury White Horse and later we all enjoyed a good Italian meal at Castellos in Frome.

Mandy and I headed off on Thursday and parked up at the White Horse on a sunny day with excellent views. We walked down in to Eddington, admired the beautiful church and then discovered that the excellent Three Daggers pub, farm shop and micro brewery were on the edge of the village. We had called in last year whilst returning from our King Alfred's Way ride so again enjoyed their excellent produce before climbing back up to the Ridgeway. Near the car park are some impressive art installations in the shape of large steel silhouettes representing the various people who live, work or play in the area. I was intrigued as to how the faces appeared equally clearly on both sides of the steel.

We occupied Pete's drive on Thursday night before walking across to the cyclepath project where new fencing is being erected on a strip of land kindly donated by the owner of the adjacent manor. This will allow a new and wider track to be installed once gabions have been constructed and to this end we were charged with assisting to move many tons of stone from the manor's old quarry. A new four wheel drive dumper had been hired in to supplement the project's own rather archaic two wheel drive machine and in pleasant sunshine we loaded each by hand before they chugged off down to the woods. We had a lunch break watching two tree surgeons reduce and remove two pine trees before resuming our efforts with the stone. Greg and Alex dropped by to see what was going on and just as we were packing up the steel mesh for the gabions arrived. Thus a final effort was made to get them on site before we called it a day. Back at the van Mandy showered whilst I walked in town to pick up the wheel which was apparently beyond repair - they hadn't got a replacement in stock but Pete offered to bring over a spare bike for our planned ride over the weekend.

Nick and Bill got in touch to say that Eastwater Farm's small campsite was closed as sadly dear old Dorothy had gone in to care (something I feared would happen as she seemed frail even a year ago). They had tried the CACC site in Priddy who were asking for almost £35 a night even for members so we decided to try the alternative at Ebborways - £20 but no hook up.

Thus we all met up that evening on a largely empty field and gathered in the battle bus for beers and a catch up with the heater on as it was chilly outside. I managed to get my wheel in to a usable shape for the  day ahead, a good job as Pete's spare bike seemed to lack a front brake and once Dale had joined us we were zipping down Ebbor Gorge for a cracking day over to Glastonbury, through the Shapwick Heath wetlands and on for a break at the Avalon Marshes Visitor Centre. More flat riding brought us through to Wedmore and eventually busy and tacky Cheddar Village before we started on the climb up the Gorge. We had included a visit to last year's bridge installation which was now fully landscaped and finished off with a 'simplicity bench'. The 3 ebikes zoomed off home whilst Mandy, Bill and I climbed steadily as a succession of motorbikes and cars took away the very tranquility of the place they had come to see.

Three of us rode to the Hunters and were joined by the others for the usual hearty and no frills meals washed down by local ales and ciders before a fast ride back for a comfortable night. My new panel had topped up the LB but Nick's battery is in need of replacement so he had to fire up the engine first thing for pump, light and power. Dale joined us again for a walk via Priddy Pools and eventually over to East Harpreet for a pint before the return which involved the odd road section as there are no footpaths across the Priddy Circles.

Finally we said our goodbyes and headed back to Wales using a section of the newly dualled Heads of the Valleys road to reach Glynneath, turn up the hill, pass the lane to my old place and park up in the Ancient Briton carpark as their campsite is closed for the winter. It was a quiet night, costing £15, refundable if you ate in the pub but food finishes at 4pm on Sundays so we dined well in the van.

After a look round Ystradgynlais we had lunch with our old friends the Pegges, heard most of Tony's jokes for the umpteenth time and then drove to Brecon for yet another social occasion.

We parked out on the promenade where a new drinking water station has been installed but what is really needed is a fresh water tap and waste disposal point as these are lacking across Powys despite it's very reasonable tolerance of camper vans. As the Tour will pass through the town next year and many van owners from the UK and abroad will arrive I think this is something the council should consider and which I might pursue.

As we looked round town I made various appointments for my annual health MOT, called in on Jason at BiPed cycles, bought a new watch for me and then returned to the van to freshen up before joining Crad, Dawn, Mike and Claire at Zeera's for an early but excellent curry and a long overdue catch up.

On Tuesday we dropped some caving gear off at Jan's and then drove back over to Garth where we both caught the train to Shrewsbury on the HOWL. It's a lovely journey and as Mandy departed on her Sheffield bound train I took a walk round the town despite heavy rain. The Abbey was impressive but the poor weather persuaded me to take a comfy chair in the cosy arts centre cafe and sit out the time until my return to Garth.

I stayed overnight in the car park and caught a mid morning train down to Swansea on a much better day that showed off the Welsh countryside to its best. In Swansea I got a flu jab in a walk in pharmacy, enjoyed an Indian for lunch and walked back to the station thinking how little that part of Swansea has changed in the 30 years plus that I have known it. 

After another thoroughly enjoyable journey I headed in to Llandrindod Wells for a grocery shop to see me through a five night stay at Llangurrig during which Storms Austen and Boelo were due to hit. I then spent a very quiet night at Pont Ar Elan in the Elan Valley and was away across the bog to Lluest Cwm Bach bothy to assess recently reported damage. This must have taken place the previous weekend as all was well on our visit two weeks earlier. There was rubbish lying around, the shed side panel had been kicked in and the picket gate burnt. A timber from the memorial bench had also been burnt : nice one.

Anyway I set too and tidied up, swept out, burnt the dozen black bags of mixed rubbish outside as they contained gas cartridges which added a frisson of excitement and then sorted through the embers to remove the glass and metal which I bagged up for removal next weekend when we return to repair the damage. I measured up for what materials we would need and noticed a group of 6 red quads led by a blue dirt bike literally tearing up the Monk's Trod byway across the water which is in theory closed to all traffic. Back at the van the unplated blue bike roared past me and later in Rhayader I saw him and the 6 quads filling up at the petrol station, opposite the police post. I knocked on the door and explained what was going on but they said as I had no photographic evidence they couldn't really do anything. Despite the 3 officers inside and two patrol cars outside they also cited a lack of resources...

I had dropped my bike in at Neil's Wheels where I had bought it from and he said he could look at it straight away so I took my laundry off to be done and on my return he advised that the wheel rim was distorted beyond repair and that as the freewheel was also knackered a new wheel was the only option. Fortunately he had one in stock and could do it that afternoon so I headed up to the Elan Valley Trust Office to catch up with the team there who were so proactive with LCB 15 years previously. Only a new girl was there, Shin from Taiwan on a 3 year placement so we had a good chat and I asked her to pass on news of the recent bothy damage to the Estate Rangers. I also confirmed it would be OK to use their skips for next weeks rubbish removal.

Neil had my bike all sorted for a very reasonable £85 and I was soon up at Llangurrig filling up with water and catching up with Sue and Amey who are missing the lad Ozzie as he is working on a farm in New Zealand. The summer had been a challenge for water for both the livestock and campers but that was due to change over the weekend. Later that evening a large number of quads, dirt bikes and off road karts passed through, the latter sporting powerful light bars, loud sound systems and LED lights and poles all over the framework. It was quite intimidating and they had pulled up to reattach their number plates before hitting  the highway. Sue said they were an increasing menace but contacting the police had produced a similar response to mine earlier.

Saturday saw Austen come and go so I rested up in the van with the heater on reading books on a Kindle found amongst the litter at LCB. I also passed on two sleeping bags and a wind up LED lantern which I had repaired to a guy hunkering down in a tent at the far end of the site. Apparently he is a bit of a loner working his way down from Scotland and I hoped dry bags would make life more comfortable for him. Boelo blew through overnight in to Sunday so that by late morning it was bright but breezy so I gave the bike a test run up to NR bothy where all was well and two guys who had stayed the night before had left an appreciative note in the bothy which was clean and tidy. Unfortunately our MO of 25 years up there felt so intimidated by the aggressive behaviour of 8 lads who had driven in illegally the previous weekend that he has decided to step down from the role.

It is ironic that we could do with more volunteers to help at out bothies and yet people blame antisocial behaviour on the lack of things for young people to do - how we square that circle is something to think about but for now that is more than enough from me so enjoy a few more pictures HERE

My next post will be a little sooner as I am still in Wales for another 3 weeks with plenty going on.

Sorting, sorted, sort of ........

 A riverside aire beneath the castle and churches of San Vicente de la Sonsierra was in full sun and we were intrigued to see a very similar Autosleeper T4 already parked up and sporting UK plates. The owners from Falmouth stopped for a chat and later we all walked up to the village for a couple of beers and to observe an ancient and bizarre ritual of self flagellation undertaken by sinners of the area. We followed the small procession up to the church as a few hooded youths walked slowly whilst whipping their bare backs with rope flails. Prayers were said and the small crowd dispersed whilst the icon they had been following was put back in storage alongside those for Easter and Christmas.

After a warm night we walked back up to the castle and climbed the main tower for extensive views over the Rioja region before heading off to nearby Briones where we caught up with Glyn and Martin again to enjoy a more uplifting spectacle. This took the form of a Mexican touring band playing in the square where the food and wine was flowing. The church was beautiful inside and again we felt privileged to come across such experiences unexpectedly.

A few miles west of Bilbao we found a free aire with power and water so after a walk in to town were able to freshen up prior to our sailing.

Thus on Tuesday morning we arrived with time to spare at the Brittany Ferries Terminal out at the port where boarding was automated and straightforward. The fast road had bypassed any fuel stations so we missed out on a cheaper top up which I seem to recall having caught me out before.

Our cabin up on Deck 7 was clean and comfortable with a good view and before long we were underway and watching the pilot jump safely across to his launch. We listened to an interesting presentation from the ORCA whale preservation and observation scheme and settled in to enjoy the 32 hour crossing. There was a flurry of excitement several hours later when the upper decks were cleared to allow a medical evacuation by helicopter - I had wondered why the ship had turned 90° E from its course : this was to reduce the distance the chopper needed to cover. 

Later and back on track we dined very well in the Azul restaurant : Brittany Ferries may cost more but their vessels and staff are well worth the slight premium. The NW tip of France and the Channel Islands offered a brief period of connectivity until by late evening we were rounding the IOW and approaching Portsmouth. Unusually the Spinnaker Tower was unlit but the police patrol boats still circled endlessly around our naval vessels - all pleasantly familiar. 

We were soon offloaded and after a quick passport and customs check were out on the motorway which made my adjusting to driving on the left easier. The Park and Ride at Winchester has spaces for motorhomes and was almost deserted at 22.30 so we were soon settled in with nothing to pay.

We were away in good time, paid £2.36 a litre for BP Ultimate at Newbury (50p in the Stans!) and arrived in Sheffield just after my odometer clicked past 170,000 miles meaning this 10 month trip has covered 20,000 miles.

After a start on unpacking we decided to enjoy the afternoon sun by cycling up to The Strines for a pint, my first decent ride since Barcelona in March. Over the next few days I emptied the van of much of the clobber I carry and was then able to access and remove the faulty Truma Ultra store water heater. It came out easily and I didn't need to disturb the Eber which was good news and after consulting with the helpful guy at www.12vplanet.co.uk a new unit was on its way for £400. Unfortunately FedEx do not include Saturday as a work day so with delivery not until Monday I took the opportunity to catch up with Penny, a colleague from my nurse training days 45 years ago, as she was leading a walk in the local area and gave the van and engine bay a thorough clean.

On Monday I dropped the van down at Autohaus Dolby for the MOT, and an oil and filter change plus the fitting of a new ancillary belt and an investigation as to the cause of the clunking which had altered our plans. I had the bike with me and Mandy joined me soon after once delivery of the replacement heater had been completed. We followed the canal to Rotherham, lanes and tracks out to Wentworth village for some sandwiches, passed Wentworth Woodhouse itself and then arrived in Wortley. The garage had rung to say that as expected the van needed a few new parts and they would need the van for another day or two. Thus we carried on riding out to friends at Finkle Street before returning on a rather hilly route via Oxspring and Bradfield. The decision to return a little early and use ferries to reduce the mileage was clearly the right one as getting the work done abroad would have been challenging as VW specific tools are required.

Tuesday saw a day of sorting out maps and travel guides, gathering left over currency and planning the next adventures as well as dropping my rear wheel down at Butterworths to have a tubeless set up rejuvenated. As a result I rode with a small local group on a spare Scott bike with narrow bars and skinnier tyres feeling very different.

Dolby rang to say the van was ready to pick up so I pedalled down there at full speed and was quite happy with the £900 bill of which £600 addressed the replacement parts - top wishbone ball joints on both sides, ditto track rods and track rod ends, anti roll bar bushes and drop links. Most of these were replacements for the 25 year old originals and after 170,000 miles with much of the last 40,000 being on challenging roads seemed fair enough.

I then addressed fitting the new heater which itself was straightforward as the dimensions plus gas, 12v and 240v connectors, breather pipe, condensation drain and flue were all identical. Only the gas and 240v control switches had been upgraded which meant they both needed to be recessed and a dual pole isolator fitted which required some innovative carpentry using ply salvaged from an overcab headboard (part of the original 4 berth sleeping accommodation) that I had realised had been serving no useful purpose for the last 9 years. Its removal has given me more storage space and knocked a few kilos off the payload and I used a newly purchased jig saw and hole borer to knock up a suitable mounting plate in the old switch location. Wiring up was largely straightforward and I reconnected the gas and water but left it all overnight to check for leaks. Thus yesterday after a final double check of all connections I switched on and within minutes had hot water from the 1250w heater (for off grid use, ie with the genny, there is an 850w setting) and the gas now operates at either 50 or 70 degrees C. This too fired up first time and burns cleanly and quietly in contrast to the last year or two. I will need to spray the new cowl black but otherwise all is good and things are back to normal.

After a tidy up, a couple of house tasks that included drilling out a hole for the washing machine drain and replacing essential clobber in the van for the next trip we finally loaded the bikes this morning and are now in Mid Wales. On Monday we leave Lower Chapel for a 30 odd mile ride through the Cambrian Mountains with 4,000' of ascent to stay at Dolgoch hostel. We then ride on to Tregaron for a bit of luxury over two nights at the Talbot Hotel, ride round to the Shepherd's Hut at Tyn Y Cornel hostel and then drop down to Llandovery for the Heart of Wales line train back to Garth and a steep pull back over the Eppynt to Lower Chapel. This should be a cracking little expedition and it feels good to have the van and heater sorted although unfortunately I can still detect something amiss under the van somewhere - hey ho, we'll see what happens....

No extras pics this time ☹️☹️

Italy and a slight change of plan....

After a final swim at Palataria we managed to exchange a couple of 907 cylinders in Igoumenitsa before lining up for the sailing to Brindisi where Mandy had to board separately after we had checked in for the boarding cards. We were loaded 90 minutes before departure and with only a daytime crossing hadn't bothered with a cabin so enjoyed exploring the ship which was one of Grimaldi's flagship vessels and very stylish. A meal in the a la carte restaurant was unfortunately nothing particularly special but the seas were calm and the sunset memorable. At Brindisi we were soon off and round to the Aire near the old port we had used before and with the hour's clock change enjoyed a walk down to the waterside and a welcome ice-cream as it was still very warm.

After a quiet night we moved on up the east coast to Torre Canne where a simple park up under large nets provided some much needed shade and access to a beach along with hook up and a reasonable price of €20 compared to €80/100 per night at the more sophisticated sites. Later we walked in to the village passing a large spa resort and were amazed at the number of people crowded on to the small beach. A small restaurant run by a very friendly lady squeezed us in for a memorably good pizza before a large pre booked group arrived and back at the van we slept soundly.

On Mandy's birthday we diverted inland slightly to enjoy the cool and cavernous depths of the Grotti di Castellana west of Bari which were extensive and beautifully decorated and accessed by a vast open roofed chamber.

A good restaurant at Castle del Monte also allowed overnight stays with hook up included and the terrace had a perfect view of the lofty castle high above us. It was an excellent meal washed down by a decent bottle of wine served by friendly staff and we dined outside on a warm evening with a perfect breeze. After a quiet night we walked up to the octagonal castle with two impressive doors, eight towers and numerous rooms with vaulted ceilings spread across two floors.

We then followed the coast round the 'spur' of Italy's boot known as the Gargano on a superb if twisty road high above the blue sea and pulled in at Parcheggio Mare Azzuro near Monte Sant Angelo. This simple site amongst olive trees provided shade and access to a small cove and beach via a steep track. The clear waters invited a session of snorkelling with the limestone rocks and deeper channels holding a good variety of fish species. Mandy mastered the kit and enjoyed a good look round before we returned to the van and called in at the house to buy 5l of their own olive oil and order bread for the following morning. This was duly delivered with four croissants and a huge tomato foccacia arriving still warm. Moving on round the coast however, as we had found in northern Italy on a similar road, the driving style of both Italian motorbikes and cars combined with lumbering motorhomes struggling with the many tight hairpins encouraged us to pull up early by following a dusty track down to a limestone headland near Peschichi. There was one other van parked up and a caravan used by the owner and no services available which weren't required anyway. However the location and view were amazing and ten minutes walk away we could reach a sandy beach and have another enjoyable dip before returning to watch the sun set behind one of this coastline's numerous defensive castellis. The sun rise the following morning was sublime and we slid open the sliding door whilst still in bed to get the best view. 

Further round at Peschichi itself we parked by the marina and walked up to the old part of the village that surrounds the cliff side castle. This contained a macabre museum of torture with all manner of grizzly devices designed to punish the possibly guilty or extract confessions from the possibly culpable. From an external balcony we had a good view over the small port and spotted a dolphin down below. More twisting roads, quieter now being a Monday, led us around the final stretches of the Gargano before we headed inland towards the Apennines and the small village of Biccari. Here the council provide a fully serviced aire for €10 on the edge of the village with access controlled by a barrier. We had to ring Angelo who turned up promptly and showed us how to access the key safe to get to the remote control for the barrier and gave us a card to use the recycling facilities. He didn't seem to mind that we had interrupted his siesta and gave us a few pointers for places to eat later on. We dealt with the water and waste, plugged in a few pitches down from a friendly Dutch couple in a corner with shade and later walked down to the village to visit a spectacular church. Unfortunately being a Monday Angelo's suggestions were closed so we picked up pork chops from the butchers, wine from a small shop and headed back to cook at the van.

En route to the old Roman fortified town of Saepinum we stopped at Riccia which had just held a folk festival before reaching the ruins where due to an extensive redevelopment project access to the site was free of charge. The amphitheatre, walls and gates were remarkable and work was underway to create museums and interpretative displays in the mediaeval buildings that later occupied the site.

However something had been occupying my mind for several weeks and a few thousand miles as I had detected an occasional clunk and groan in the area of the OS front suspension. As many of the roads over the last 20,000 miles, particularly in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and rural Turkey have been challenging I suspect anti roll bar bushes or similar to be the issue. The van drives, steers and brakes smoothly but occasionally something gives a bit and I felt uncomfortable at the prospect of driving the final 2,000 miles through the Apennines and the mountains of France.

Thus we decided to cut out almost a thousand miles and stick to smooth straight roads by retracing the route I had followed earlier in the year. A ferry to Barcelona from Civitaveccia was booked and we headed north west to stop at a shady parking area alongside the old cathedral outside Venafro, half way between Naples and Rome. A walk down through the old town brought us to the more modern part where it proved surprisingly difficult to find a pizza restaurant. Eventually however we found a place that met our needs and after walking back up to the cathedral we had a comfortable night despite a few local kids hanging out nearby.

We used the toll roads to pass Rome without issue and with plenty of time to spare stopped an hour short of Civitaveccia on a stretch of sandy beach. At the port we found Terminal 1 and I queued for our boarding cards armed with both passports only to be told they needed to see the V5 as well, not needed by the same ferry company on the crossing from Greece to Italy.

Whilst waiting on the quay side there was some drama as an HGV tyre burst with an almighty bang - a fate that looked likely to affect a couple of heavily overloaded vans that we assumed were heading to Morocco via Barcelona, a journey we had done a couple of years ago. Our vessel, the Cruse Roma, had been extended by 30m in 2019, a YouTube video on the process is well worth seeking out but for tonight's sailing the vessel was less than half full and with a 20 hour overnight crossing we had booked a comfortable outside cabin. We dropped off our bags, had a cabin key card reprogrammed to work properly and then stood on the stern observation deck to watch as we cast off. Italy slid away from us and whilst I was happy that for reasons of safety and convenience we had made the right decision I was very much aware that this amazing ten month trip is drawing to a close. It has been a long and at times demanding trip with a dizzying number of countries, languages, currencies, cultures and experiences to address and the prospect of getting home with much of the responsibility lying with the captain and his crew was hugely welcome.

We'd taken fruit and a pasta salad on board but did indulge in ice creams on the sun deck during a calm and uneventful crossing. The huge ship docked neatly in a tight space at Barcelona and we were straight off and heading north in the late evening to a park up an hour away at El Papiol on the edge of the village. Here we found a small bar and enjoyed a couple of drinks whilst watching local life pass by. As is usual in Spain people generally eat out late and we were tempted by the simple menu before heading back.

Lleida was worth a couple of hours to break our journey from Barcelona to Bilbao as we have five days to cover less than 400 miles. Up at the Seu Vella (the old cathedral) we had a good meal at the Baluard restaurant overlooking the town before moving on to a new concept for me. This was an Aire run by the Camping Car Park organisation who are mainly spread across France, Italy and Spain and have largely taken over the running of the old 'camping municpal' sites that villages used to provide. At the barrier we followed the instructions, downloaded the app, topped up the newly created account and after some confusion with various SMS codes persuaded the barrier to lift. A dozen or so other vans were parked up on the gravel surface with a few small olive trees, a service point and hookup at every pitch. For €12 it seemed good value, as did the option for a five hour 'service stop' with access to power, water and waste facilities @ €6. An English couple recommended the wine tasting available at 7pm at the vine yard that accommodates the Aire so we duly presented ourselves outside a smart new building set alongside the huge storage tanks, bottling plant and associated store rooms. Another English and two French couples joined us as the friendly and enthusiastic Pierre took us through the whole process. As he used French I translated what I could to the others and we all tasted various wines at their different stages. A wide range is produced from Cava through Vermouth and Sangria to a table wine and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The vineyard is owned by a local who has a chain of boulangeries and patisseries that use the olive oil and almonds also produced on their land and the Aire is another avenue of diversification.

This morning we picked up 3 Cava, 2 Sangria and a decent red for under £40, thanked Pierre for his tour and said goodbye to the English couple who are now both retired and heading south on their first long trip in a nice Wildax van. As we were leaving a German couple in a huge van unloaded two enormous Indian motorbikes via two power assisted ramps from their cavernous garage, all very impressive but a lot of faffing around.

We have passed Zaragoza and are parked up looking across to the Bardenas Reales, an area of unusual geology we visited a couple of years go, having moved from another Aire ten miles away that had no shade and a plague of flies. A young German couple with a delightful ten month old are taking advantage of the German scheme to help young parents and hope to get down to Morocco for the winter.

Despite my looking forward to finally returning to the UK and an intention to undertake various trips to slightly more local destinations there is a feeling that we are heading the wrong way and no doubt by next September I will have new ambitions and plans. Meanwhile we have two more days to get up to Bilbao and with luck will be back in Sheffield next Thursday. Thus the next post will be from oop north....

Last extras Here

A FINAL WEEK IN GREECE

Tracking Mandy's flight was as always fascinating with the remarkable number of flights criss crossing Europe contrasting sharply with the empty skies over the swathes of Central Asia I have visited in recent months. A two hour delay meant we returned to the park up late but the gates were not locked and we were soon quietly in situ next to the friendly Bulgarian family I had been chatting to earlier.

Next morning after refreshments in the friendly bar we moved on to Vergina having stopped at a foreign exchange bureau in busy Thessaloniki to change the US dollars I had not used in the Stans in to Euros for the rest of this trip. We had also called at a camper accessory shop for two new and more comfortable chairs and a powerful USB powered fan that would combat the high temperatures. A hot parking place at Vergina was very convenient for the main sites but lacked shade so we walked in to the village for a good salad at Alexander's Place on the crossroads which had powerful fans adding to the gentle breeze. We walked up to the amphitheatre beyond which lay the Aigai Palace as the town had been the first capital of Macedon. In 336BC Phillip II had been assassinated in the theatre and his son Alexander the Great proclaimed King. 

The following morning we visited the combined museum and tombs with the former displaying vast amounts of the treasures retrieved from the three tombs whose portals are now firmly secured. Everything is underground as once the tumulus had been excavated a large roof structure was installed and covered over allowing the artefacts to be displayed in  the atmosphere of a necropolis. Just outside the village is a new surface level museum with more displays and as we visited there was a conference underway with dignitaries and officials watched over by a large police and security presence. We climbed in to the mountains stopping for lunch at Edessa located on a limestone escarpment where a number of water powered industries are still represented in a series of small museums. The guide at the sesame seed mill seemed pleased to have visitors and showed us the processes involved in obtaining sesame seed oil and similarly the security guy in the small former cathedral was proud to explain the various frescoes that adorned the building but the staff at the other couple of exhibits had locked up early. The impressive waterfall provided a cool breeze and also had a well decorated cave hidden behind it. 

At Agios Panteleimonas the municipality provides a free Aire located above a large reservoir with shaded flat pitches, power and a clean toilet and shower block. We took a swim in the warm water but the skies darkened before dusk and a slow moving thunderstorm rattled around but there was very little rain.

The Prespa Lakes straddle the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia and at Mykrolimni we found a perfect park up by the Small Prespa Lake on a level gravel track yards from the water's edge. The reed fringed lake is an important wild life habitat but swimming was permitted away from the reeds and if you were comfortable sharing with snakes. Thus I enjoyed a solo dip before we walked in to the tiny hamlet where a small taverna occupied a stunning location on the shore just along from the small jetty.

Looking north to North Macedonia and west to Albania started feeding my travel plans with a visit looking likely in a year or so. The owner had relocated here from Athens with his family for a better quality of life and had put a lot of time and effort in to creating a memorable place that I will definitely return to as the food was exceptional.

More twisting mountain roads through deciduous woodlands largely empty of human life took us to the lakeside town of Kastoria where we walked through the old town, nosed around a small church and then dropped to the water's edge for lunch at a shaded cafe.

A boat is supposed to do trips around the headland but after locating the departure point and waiting a while we saw no sign of it so dropped in to a Lidl for groceries before heading west again and towards the Pindos Mountains. At another free camp site provided by the local Nature Society we stopped in good shade on a grassy field with  hook up and access to water. The small cafe bar is known for its local sausage which was as good as expected and made for a pleasant space to sink a couple of beers with any profits going to maintain the surrounding woodland reserve.

Up in the Pindos mountains we stopped at Konitsa where high above the village large columns of smoke indicated the location of a wild fire. A couple of helicopters were clattering around the skies dropping to the river to fill up and then heading up to the hotspots. Spotter planes were also flying around and apparently fire fighters had been lifted up to the nearest access points. A few kilometres further on we stopped at a small campground by the Voidomatis which lacked any meaningful shade but was handy for access to the rafting experience run on the river. Thassos gave us the contact details and we booked places on the 10.00 departure the following day. Thassos and his wife also run the small Cantine bar by the impressive arched bridge so we took a walk up to it and then cooled off in the grounds of the bar. The firefighters flew all day, apparently the fire had been started by a lightning strike and been burning for 5 days with a warning message about the smoke arriving on our phones.

Next morning we met the guides from the rafting company and climbed aboard their minibus which towed a trailer with three rafts on board. During the half hour drive we collected a few more participants and eventually dropped down to another bridge where a number of other companies were sending people off. Our young Greek/Albanian guide had very good English and explained the various procedures before we launched in to the surprisingly cold waters. There were just the three of us on board as the water levels were low so it was interesting to chat to Andreas and hear about his life and hopes for the future. With his skill at steering and our obedient responses to his instructions we made good progress down the river passing through small rapids and still pools. The water was crystal clear with craggy mountains towering overhead and the smell of smoke wafting down from the peaks occasionally. After a brief stop for a drink at a natural spring we carried on down to reach the bridge by the Cantine and drop down over two weirs with the low water requiring Andreas to hop out and manhandle us over. After a very enjoyable couple of hours we were back at base and then walked across to the campsite for showers.

As it was still very hot we strolled up to the Cantine again, took a walk up the gorge in the shade and then retired to the comfortable chairs where Thassos and his friendly wife plied us with ice-cream and alcohol.

With about 6 weeks to get home we decided that walking in the Vikos gorge would have to wait as it would be too hot so headed to Igoumenitsa and round the coast to Palataria where we had last stayed in a sunny but chilly February. Now of course it is a very different scene with all the beach bars open, the sea warm and the sun hot. We stayed on the same aire and went for a swim in pleasantly warm water with a number of yachts moored in the bay. Later whilst walking in to the village we chatted to the owners of 'Yorkshire Rose' who turned out to be the family behind the Duvalay foam mattresses popular with some van owners. Having received an investment on Dragon's Den the company has expanded considerably over the last 15 years and the owners where clearly enjoying the spoils. A sunset pizza rounded off a cracking week in Greece and we have spent today getting the laundry done and enjoying a swim and beach time. 

Our ferry to Brindisi takes 7 hours and leaves at 1pm tomorrow so my next post will be from over in Italy.

Extra pics Here