An august August

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Enjoy this lot by clicking here.

 

Seriously Sunny in Snowdonia

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

An interesting postscript...

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

A VARIED MONTH

After the success of the Pennant work party I headed south to Llangurig for two days to literally recharge batteries, have a tidy up and briefly visit the local bothy where all was well before heading through the Cambrian mountains calling at three other bothies where again all was well and a note taken of the odd minor repair needed.

 A quick overnight at Sennybridge allowed me to deal with mail and enjoy a takeaway from the locals owned pub - The Shoemakers at Pentre-bach.

After receiving my second Covid jab all was well and on the Monday Jan, Pete and I nipped in to Moel Prysgau to repair the footbridge, fix a new picket gate to the front door, and remove a large camp bed/mattress/sleeping bag combination that had obviously been taken in by vehicle at some stage. Since some bright spark (ha,ha) had decided to set it on fire and the mice had moved in we dismantled it and took other rubbish out as well. Down at the confluence we also considered how best to allow access for horses through the gate but deter off road vehicles - later research on the BHS website produced the concept of horse stiles which I think will do the job.

Pete and Jan walked down the track to give her two Labradors a good swim and we all met up again at Nantystalwyn before returning via the Llyne Brianne - unfortunately the two pubs in Rhandirmyn were both shut on Mondays seemingly at odds with calls from the hospitality industry for a desperate need to generate trade.

Pete disappeared off to west Wales to meet up with friends whilst I took advantage of dry ground, good weather and the availability of my two trolley jacks and air compressor to strip and clean the van brakes, a task I normally do every year but had left last year as my annual mileage was so low. I noted that all tyres will need replacing before the August MOT. When that is done I will also have a timing and auxilliary belt change, oil and filter and get the gear linkage bushes renewed as well as requesting a thorough check of the cooling system - other service items I can easily do myself - all this being in the expectation of heading south for the winter in mid December.

 

Thursday night saw us all enjoy Jan's excellent cooking in the summer house as her friends arrived before their trip to Dorset. The following day Pete and I met a fellow caver above Llangattock to drag a steel gate over the moor to seal off a for now abandoned dig with Barry having crafted a substantial grid ingeniously secured to the existing frame.

Superb weather over the weekend gave us a hot but rewarding day out from above Trecastle over towards Cerrig Cennen and back across some quiet lanes and interesting tracks with the siting of a film location's base above Llandeusant prodding our interest. One section of blocked byway required lifting the bikes over 6 fences and was duly reported to the local authority a few days later.

 Watering the hanging baskets, pots and raised beds took a fair while but proved very relaxing and we all enjoyed beers on the lawn as the sun set.

Sunday was an easier day with a walk in to the local wood for a dip in the pond for some and a clamber round the recently toppled beech tree that once stood nearby before the Bristol contingent returned home.

 

On the Monday evening a local friend and his wife called in for eggs and brought the ingredients for a delicious barbecue enjoyed out on the lawn -

Jan and Ian returned on the Tuesday and kindly took us out for a meal before I took off for Rhayader where I spent the night in a quiet car park after a ride round the valley and an rv with Crad who had been on a local time trial. I had enjoyed a tough ride out along the Claerwen Dam to Teiffi Pools and back through Cwmystwyth via the Hafod Estate where the previously illegally blocked cycle route still has a misleading home made diversion sign, which of course I ignored.

Mandy's trip from Sheffield to Abergavenny was again delayed by cancellations so I took advantage of the spare couple of hours to shop and investigate train times with a view to doing the Radnor Ring bike ride over two days later in the year. We both headed across to Sennybridge for one night before stopping at Lower Chapel in cooler weather for a couple of days and then returning to Llangurig for the hilly two bothies ride through the wind farm.

An easier day followed with the back lane down to Rhayader - en route we stopped to chat to the young driver loading 25 tonnes of timber on to his lorry, harvested from a particularly demanding site, and heading for a fencing company in Cheshire, before riding up to the excellent cafe alongside Pennygarreg Dam : Penbont House. 

The Brigands Pub at Mallwyd provided an excellent meal and allowed us to overnight in the car park - belly pork and salmon from the chef's special board washed down with a bottle of Pinot followed by a quiet night as it rained steadily outside.

 

We had booked a two hour afternoon session at the National White Water Centre near Bala so after a couple of hours in Dolgellau arrived in time to watch a few groups descend the rapids whilst walking alongside the swirling waters. It's a great place to spend the day and well worth a visit. At two we all assembled to don wetsuits, helmets and buoyancy aids before a thorough learning session with Nathan out by the river. Two rafts were loaded up behind a Transit with soaking wet seats that took us up to the embarkation point and within minutes we were afloat and heading down to the first challenge. It was hugely entertaining, probably especially for Nathan as we attempted to listen to his commands, coordinate ourselves and avoid the slalom poles as we plunged in to foaming pools, beached on rocks and all too soon were back to the end point. However we were all keen to crack on and managed four runs with a wave surfing encounter that soaked us all and the whole experience left us keen to do more.

Nathan lives in a van full time and over winters when possible in other prime rafting locations such as Ecuador so was interested in my lifestyle and suggested we could probably stay in the car park overnight but as I had other plans we eventually left and spent a memorable night above Bala on the Bwlch y Groes. From here Mandy swooped downhill to Lake Vyrnwy where I met her for a spin round the Lake admiring the striking Victorian valve tower, collecting basic provisions at the small village shop and returning to the car park for lunch. Midges devoured me as I loaded and covered up the bikes before we walked through the woods to a small unofficial bothy sublimely located deep in the trees.

A short drive took us up to another wild camp from where the following day we walked across to inspect the next Welsh bothy project and return to the road  for a climb back up to the van collecting discarded cans and bottles as we went.

 

 

 Our destination that night was an hour or so away at Bryneglwys where a very well kept CL site provided a good base for four days. The immaculate facilities with water and electric at the pitches were really appreciated as was the view across to the Clywdian Range beyond Rhuthin.

Climbing up over Llantysilio mountain we spotted some good opportunities for future wild camps before dropping in to the Dee valley and reaching the Horseshoe Falls that feed water in to this arm of the Shropshire Union canal. Horse drawn barges still shuttle visitors along the impressive canal cut in to solid rock. Passing high above Llangollen we avoided the weekend visitors and soon arrived at the ever impressive Pontcysyllte Viaduct which we walked across as boats passed high above the Dee in the fragile looking cast iron trough. A few more miles saw us at the next viaduct near Chirk reached via two long low tunnels. We returned along the same route but continued on to Carrog to pass round the end of the mountain saving a challenging climb.

Back at the site Dorris the hen arrived for scraps as we relaxed after a 40+ mile ride.

Rhuthin's pleasant old town on top of the hill kept us amused as our laundry was done - the gardens of  Nantclwyd y Dre were a credit to the volunteers and provided a peaceful spot for a couple of salad boxes from Chatwins Deli take away. The  hotel in the old castle buildings had lovely grounds with peacocks roaming freely.

 

Clean laundry was collected and we headed off to Llyn Brenig for a two hour ride delighted to see that the ospreys have occupied the new nest provided atop an aerial access platform by the RSPB since some moron felled their previous nest a few weeks ago.

 

On a sunny breezy day we decided to have a rest from the bikes and climbed up to do the ridge encompassing Llantysilio mountain for good views across the entire area - at one point my GPS went in to a spin placing our location west of America with a trip distance of almost 6000 miles but a night with batteries removed seemed to reset things - good as it has been a most excellent device allowing us to enjoy so many different walks and rides.

Moving on we arrived at a simple field based site between Mold and Flint - at £5/night with nothing but fresh water and waste facilities it provided the start point for a ride down to Connah's Quay and then along the Dee to Chester. The huge Airbus wing factory at Broughton loomed across the water and we spotted the bizarre Beluga - a modified aircraft that takes single wings down to Toulouse in France where final assembly takes place. A couple of years ago whilst visiting the space complex there I saw the same plane taking off.

 The city is a delight to visit with the river, city walls, cathedral and timbered buildings adding to a relaxed atmosphere before we picked up the old railway line back to Queensferry. We were then tempted to carry on to Flint to see its old castle before heading back.

Yesterday we drove a few miles across to Burton where the Burton Mere RSPB bird reserve provided safe parking for our circuit of the Wirral Peninsula. Following old railway lines up to Hoylake in warm sunshine we made good progress along the estuary with another Beluga sighting and good views across to Flint. The northern edge of the Wirral was followed using the huge sea wall, although low tide meant the waters were a couple of miles distant with huge offshore wind turbines visible way out to sea. Lunch at Leasowe lighthouse refreshed us for the continuation round to Wallasey and down to Birkenhead with a traffic free promenade giving great views across to the wharves and cranes of Liverpool docks, the iconc Liver buildings and the Fred Olsen Borealis cruise ship due to leave for a cruise up to Scotland in a week or so.

 

Crossing Birkenhead to regain Sustrans Route 56 was a wake up call but we were soon following quiet lanes and tracks back towards Burton. A side excursion to attractive Parkgate near Neston gave us a chance for a refreshing pint before after 50 very enjoyable miles we were back to the van where the birds out on the marshes were remarkably vociferous.

We'd decided to grab a takeaway but were tempted by an Asian restaurant in Mold to try their 'banquet for 2' which gave us the opportunity to enjoy a remarkable range of delicious dishes before we returned to the almost empty field with surplus food and wine to enjoy tonight.

Tomorrow we move on to Derbyshire and in a fortnight I begin a two week stay in Snowdonia for another major bothy work party so until I report back from that please enjoy the photos here. 

A JOB WELL DONE

With recent incidents of vandalism and misuse at a couple of our mid Wales' bothies we have where possible increased the frequency of our visits and appreciated the support and assistance of both Natural Resource Wales and the Dyfed Powys Police Rural Crime Team.

Up at Nant Rhys near Llangurig all was well with a new barrier to the south providing an additional deterrent so I moved round to The Arch near Cwmystwyth and cycled in to check on Nant Syddion where a group of lads had driven two vans in for the weekend. Bothies are still closed due to the pandemic and unauthorised vehicles in the NRW forests are not permitted at any time - NRW will pursue these contraventions so please be aware of the current temporary restrictions that exist as well as the more long term ones.

After a quiet night above Tregaron I parked at Nantymaen and cycled in to Moel Prysgau which has seen the more serious misuse. This has been attributed to off road buggy drivers accessing the bothy from the Towy Track and I was pleased to see that some tactical felling of two large conifers will provide a substantial barrier to such access - thank you NRW. I enjoyed a few hours tidying up outside and in, but the heavy rain of the preceeding 48 hours was obviously deterring all but the most determined off roaders so I returned to the van.

 

A superb run along the Clywedog reservoir and a steep climb up from Dinas Mawddy put me atop the second highest road in Wales at the Pass of the Cross for a memorable night with stunning views.

After checking out the parking for a proposed excursion the following day I returned to Cae Adda at Trawsfynydd for a night taking time to enjoy a circuit round the lake on the reinvigorated bike after swopping out a tyre that had taken a slice to the wall after the forestry tracks. Then it was off to the station parking at Blaenau Ffestiniog in time to catch the train down to Llandudno passing almost immediately through the UK's longest single track railway tunnel before descending gently to the Conwy Valley passing Moel Siabod standing high above Dolwyddelan Castle, Betws-y-Coed and Llanwrst before spotting Conwy Castle and arriving in Llandudno. It was a sunny day to enjoy the promenade and pier before the journey home and a quick whizz across to the Caravan and Camping Club site west of Criccieth. As it was only a service night to empty tanks and bins, top up the battery and take on water it was adequate but being located on sloping ground adjacent to a busy road I was glad not to be booked in for a week.

 

Wednesday saw me in Porthmadog to do laundry and a food shop before around mid afternoon I arrived at the farm in the the Pennant Valley that would be my base for a week. I walked up to the bothy and gave it a good tidy up and sweep out before sterilising all work surfaces, doors, handles and other contact points in advance of the other volunteers arriving the following day. I then spent a quiet evening in after nipping across to the barn project who's roof was to be the focus of our efforts. Further work had been undertaken last October and it looked like the task would be completed if the forecast weather did indeed arrive.

A glorious day on the Thursday encouraged me to walk up to the head of the valley, pass the old slate quarries and mines and return via Moel Lefn, Moel Yr Ogof and Moel Hebog. From the latter I dropped down to the impressive workings at Cwmystradllyn where the little cafe did a very welcome cup of tea and a cake in their garden.

 

 

Other members of the team arrived on the Thursday night and in a light drizzle with low cloud we all trooped off to the barn on the Friday to organise the tools, equipment and materials before making a start. Slates were cut to size, nailed in to place and ridge tiles fitted but with better weather forecast we stopped by late afternoon and I returned to the comforts of the van.

Bright sunshine inspired us all to crack on during Saturday with everyone working in ones or twos on a variety of tasks - gutter and slate fixing at the bothy, roof work and pointing at the barn, the construction of two sleeping platforms there for occasional use and ongoing tidying up and site clearance.

A fine Saturday evening enabled us to hold our Area Meeting outside and review the challenges of the last 18 months in the bothy world, prioritise our immediate concerns and plan for their resolution over the next few months.

 

Even though bothies are still closed a trio of walkers turned up but were persuaded to move on - in such good weather this was hardly likely to be onerous. Otherwise we had the place to ourselves and achieved a lot with the support of Ed and his son Chris who ferried up the additional materials Martin and I had sourced in Tremadog that morning.

After a sustained effort on Sunday and Monday the final ridge tile was put in place by our AO Tony and a general sigh of relief was heaved by the assembled volunteers as this has been a major undertaking. We cleared away all the tools and equipment which were returned to the store shed at the bothy for future use and looked back one last time at this quaint building in a most spectacular location.

The team slowly dispersed and will with other members meet up again over the next few months but before then I would like to thank all those who attended for a week of laughter, hard work, great company and apalling humour.

This is what we've missed most and what makes all the effort worthwhile, despite the odd instances of misuse, we know that our work is hugely appreciated by others.

 

I now head south to the Brecon Beacons for a fortnight and have my second Covid jab on Saturday. Whilst at Lower Chapel the van will get a good look over, the shower mixer tap needs replacing and a group of us will be heading off on the bikes for some off road routes.

 

Piccies here.

 

 

 

Things slowly return to 'normal'.....

A long interval since my last post when I was beginning the longest stay in one place for me in 16 years of van life as a result of course of the UK Covid Lockdown.

 

My 14 weeks staying put in mid Wales from before Christmas until mid March saw me celebrate my 61st birthday, walk or ride to a local bothy 28 times, assist in the evacuation of a cold walker from said bothy and generally watch as the pandemic slowly came under control as movement ceased and vaccines were issued.

Thus in mid March I presented myself at the Vaccine Centre in Bronllys, Powys where I was hugely impressed and moved by the kindness and dedication of all those involved in this remarkable achievement - there is so much to be said about the pandemic in other media but for me it was another chapter in my life on the road and apart from missing Mandy as we were apart for 6 months it was yet another episode in what has been a varied and rewarding life. As always I prefer to look forward with my plans and blog about the latest experiences.

 I spent a few days in Lower Chapel and finally, I hope, got on top of the long term van water ingress, discovering a slight leak between the air intake and fan housing either side of the bulkhead - remedied by replacing the OEM foam gasket with silicone. I then fitted camping mats for sound and heat insulation followed by a one piece replacement carpet that took some cutting and fitting before putting back the Autosleeper carpet to give a much warmer quieter finish and dispense with the water saturated rubber matting.

Then with lockdown easing only allowing self contained vans to use campsites I took off for southern Snowdonia and stayed near Trawsfynydd on a small, idyllic and empty campsite arriving in a substantial storm. However the forecast break in the weather materialised allowing me to catch a bus down to near Barmouth and begin a traverse of the Rhinogs in perfect conditions.

A steady climb in hot sun took me over Diffwys and then Rhinog Fach before a sublime bivvy beside Llyn Cwmhosan. This left me ready to tackle Rhinog Fawr and then head over the central Badlands passing above the Roman Steps and Cwm Bychan for lunch at Llyn Pryfed before a long afternoon haul over tough terrain had me up to the summit of Clip, the trig point on Moel Ysgyfarnogod, Diffwys (2) and back to the site after a demanding but rewarding day. 

 

Clear blue skies offered superb views in every direction and I was pleased to complete a long held ambition to enjoy this remarkable ridge.

 

 

 

With no one else staying over Easter as the Welsh lockdown excluded English visitors I stayed on for a few days and enjoyed walking the lake and the excursion down through Welsh rainforest to Maentwrog - an 18 mile day that I hadn't really planned so soon after the traverse...

I called briefly at Arenig bothy on behalf of Tony, the MO, where all was well and had a good night above Lake Vyrnwy before taking a look at the potential new bothy building to see how it had weathered another winter : good news, all was well.

 

With travel to England allowed once more I picked Mandy up from Sheffield for the start of a month away - strange but lovely to have another person on board. Three days on a cracking little Certificated Site south of Longnor just over the border in to Staffordshire saw us walking in the White Peak to climb Chrome Hill and cycling down to Hulme End to enjoy the Manifold Trail down to Waterhouses. From there we took a lovely side road past the ruins of beautiful Throwley Hall with the world's friendliest cat curling round our legs in the warm sunshine. At Fenny Bentley we picked up the Tissington Trail and returned north stopping in Tissington for an overpriced sausage sandwich - everyone seemed vaguely overawed by unfamiliar freedoms as people socialised for the first time in months.

 

A couple of nights at Dethick gave us chance to catch up with good friends, Nina is determined to endure pain and discomfort to overcome her injury and is making great progress. It's a lovely spot to be based but like us they are keen to be on the move again with the constrictions of Brexit and Covid to be accommodated.

 

 We walked in Tideswell Dale and then in the village I discovered the small organic butcher whose Saddleback pork and bacon was almost as good as the Oxford Sandy and Black meat I used to produce in another life two decades ago. For a variety of reasons I have decided to eat less but better meat and this was certainly a good start.

 

 

 

Moving on we walked round the idyllic Blithfield Reservoir before pulling up at a Club Site of the Caravan and Motorhome Club that we have joined just for this year at High Onn. This simple site met our needs very well and we enjoyed two day rides using the Shropshire Union Canal, Sustrans Route 55 and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal to create some great traffic free rides. Having read a good book on canal history recently I was delighted to see my first crossover bridge and see canal features that appear in the BBC series Canal Diaries.

 

A steady day's drive placed us on the North Somerset coast on a small site at Blue Anchor near to Dunster where a good friend was staying in her brother's beach hut.

We enjoyed a steady walk over Withycombe Hill passing the ancient settlements of  Bat's Castle and Gallox Hill before passing through dreamy Dunster - at its best when quiet and enjoying a cream tea before heading up to the Conygar Tower - a folly giving extensive views across to South Wales and the Brecon Beacons.

 

Retracing our steps slightly we stopped in Glastonbury, climbed the tor in a stiff breeze on a sunny afternoon and finally arrived in Frome to stay on the drive of an old friend Pete who has just retired.

 

Our plan the following day was to ride the Imber Circuit, a mostly off road route around a part of Salisbury plain so we met up at Westbury White Horse car park and set off on a spectacular 26 mile route in bright sun but a stiff fresh easterly. It was a great ride with the added excitement of two helicopter gunships hovering on a live firing exercise above nearby woods. Pete produced an excellent curry and Sunday saw a longish walk to Nunney Castle and back via the impressive stone quarries near Mells.

We then headed off for two enchanting nights at Win Green by Cranborne Chase for a good sunset, starry night and pleasant walk down to Tollard Royal and back through the Rushmore Estate - the setting for our last group gathering last October.

Three nights on a CS south of Fordingbridge were very peaceful and we cycled through the New Forest, avoiding the free ranging ponies and donkeys but not seeing any pigs at this time of year. Most of the trees were still bare as despite the sunshine there was, as throughout this trip, a chilly easterly wind but we covered many peaceful miles on the excellent network of gravel tracks and trails. A walk on a slightly wet day took us past a fish hatchery at Bickton where the herons had breached the net and over 30 were sat in a large oak awaiting their turn at the free for all.

With the BH approaching we did laundry in Wimborne, took a walk round the town, stopped at Dorchester for lunch and arrived in a hailstorm near Crediton to tuck away with John who is still doing great work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming hedgehogs. The ducks and rabbits were as charming as ever and we enjoyed a couple of good rides on the traffic free lanes of mid Devon. We reached Witheridge for a pub lunch and returned via a mix of lanes and bridleways with me using a hybrid road bike as my Cube was away for an overhaul. I had intended to get a new bike but last year's renewed interest in cycling and Covid related factory closures has led to a shortage of stock across the land. Anyway it added to the excitement and reminded me of a You Tube clip of a 2CV going over the Gap Road in the Brecon Beacons and a guy I met in Morocco heading for Cape Town in a Renault Kangoo - any fool can do it in a 4x4 - well almost! 

We also had the privilege to meet a friend of John's who many years ago helped a Tibetan family escape the Chinese invasion and now runs a charity in India restoring the sight of people with cataracts - mixed feelings about these humbling efforts when that nation has a nuclear weapons programme, a space programme and large numbers of multi millionaires who could hire private jets to return to the UK en mass a couple of weeks ago to escape Covid lockdowns.

The Bank Holiday Monday was predictably wild and stormy so after watching the tumble weed blowing around in deserted South Molton we pitched up on an empty and exposed field near Twitchen, south Exmoor for an exciting night. The van is warm, dry and feels very stable in all conditions and we had a good TV signal for the evening. Much better conditions dawned the following day and we walked up on Exmoor to Pinkerry Pond, encouraging en route a skittish lamb to get out of a fenced hedge bank and return to its wary mother.

Greg and Alex at Lynton made us very welcome and have achieved much over their first three years - the annexe and shepherd's hut provide different but comfortable accommodation - Google : Air BnB, Lynton Shepherds Hut and the linked properties for further details. We walked up to the remote Hoar Oak Cottage whose website is worth a look for its fascinating history before returning along the Two Moors Way.

 

Soon after departing we stopped at Countisbury Hill to walk down to Foreland Point lighthouse and look across to Nash Point in South Wales, our destination in a few days time, before returning to a favourite private campsite up on the Mendips near Priddy. Despite being less than half a mile from the highest TV mast in the south west I neatly aligned myself behind a large conifer thus negating any signal for TV or phone, as discovered later. Bristol friends joined us for a walk across the hills, down Ebbor Gorge and back through Wookey with Nick completing the walk despite taking a nasty tumble on a stile early on. I guess as a few friends are planning to retire and move away further south to Devon these old haunts will become forgotten but with luck new opportunities will arise and we at least may be able to travel abroad soon enough.

Crossing the swirling muddy waters of the Severn over the original bridge was the prelude to visiting Chepstow Castle but  a navigational error led us down to the slightly eerie Old Ferry Boat departure point right under the bridge - as it turns out well worth a visit. An enormous pylon takes 400,000kv power lines across the estaury and the Severn Rescue team have their HQ down by the turbulent river.

The castle as it turned out still needed to be prebooked so we just enjoyed the quiet streets of Chepstow and shared briefly some of the joy of a couple getting married in the local church. A nip along the M4 brought us to Nash Point where the cafe allows camping on its dramatic cliff top headland.

After dark we could see Foreland Point flashing 17 miles away across the Bristol Channel and the next morning walked down to the pebbly beach beneath beds of limestone that at sea level reminded me of the tessalated limestone I saw in Tasmania a decade ago now.

Coffee with friends near my old farm was a good chance to catch up before we headed to Lower Chapel where I am due to farm sit in a month or so. As always Jan produced superb meals and we enjoyed a good walk over to the Wye Valley, had a long sighting of a kingfisher feeding its young in a river bank nesting hole and admired the remarkable bark of old sweet chestnut trees near Llangoed Hall. Back at the farm the bottle fed lambs were a delight but pesky pheasants were hoovering up spillage from the bird feeders at first light. A sparrow hawk darts in occasionally to grab a small bird and woodpeckers also visit.

 

 

 

I'd noticed a slight feathering on my n/s rear tyre so swopped it for the unused spare and will get a depot to flip the wearing tyre to even things up - it's likely to be a tracking issue but few places seem willing to set up the rear so it will just have to be ignored. My MOT is not until August and with only 7,000 miles on the clock since the last one it should dovetail nicely with a 10,000 mile oil change. I will do the other filters myself before departing for Europe this winter if possible but need a timing belt change at the oil service as well. As this also includes changing the water pump I will get Autohaus Dolby in Sheffield to carefully go over the entire coolant system as well before a longish trip. The new Brexit rules (and that's making the hefty assumption that Europe will be on top of Covid anyway, let alone Morocco) will limit the EU element of my winter away to 90 days in any 180 so an extended period in Morocco beckons - brilliant!

Whilst at Lower Chapel in June I will strip the brakes as usual and check the floating caliper sliders as after a winter in the UK these can stick if the small rubber gaiters perish and cause premature pad wear. I'll also get a second MOT done in November to align the date with a time when I am most likely to still be in the UK as I have the privilege of two weeks in the Lake District - very much missed last year. I have pursued extending the two weeks to four but at present cannot get two successive weeks in the same lodge so will have to bide my time. It's part of my end of life care plan anyway so there's no rush - life in the old dog yet : see later.

We nipped in to Moel Prysgau bothy after following two logging trucks that remarkably negotiated the Devil's Staircase in Abergwesyn Gorge and found all well with just a quick tidy up and the removal of two tents needed. At Llyn Brianne an army Chinook enthralled us with some training exercises before we lunched high above the reservoir.

 

 

The final night of our trip was spent at my Sennybridge base where I collected my all Wales bus pass that will open up some linear coastal walking opportunities and circular walks from stations on the Heart of Wales Line out of season. My Cube has also been restored to good working order - the guy who did the work is considering the leap in to full time self employment as a bike mechanic so if you are within reach of Talgarth get in touch and I'll pass on his details.

We also admired a substantial Toyota Hilux Crew Cab based drive away camper that belonged to friends of Crad and Dawn. With all on board conveniences and great ground clearance it should just about keep up with the Topaz in Morocco - how about it guys??

 So after one of the best UK based months away I can remember we returned to Sheffield briefly where I gave the van its first full vacumn for a year, swopped maps and winter clothing (a tad ambitious perhaps) and then left Mandy to catch up with friends, family and supervise some work on her house.

 

I picked up some more excellent bacon in Tideswell, imposed myself on Pete and Nina for a night and then headed off to Rugely in Staffordshire where a farmer has a simple field with tap and bins for a tenner a night. From here I took the Trent and Mersey Canal past the disused power station's cooling towers that are due to be demolished on the 6th of June and headed towards Stone and Stoke passing Shugborough Hall. The tow path was quite bumpy for twenty odd miles but improved as I approached Stoke and then the long Harecastle Tunnel. A route over the top took took me in to Kidsgrove before the Sustrans Route 5 brough me through Hanley and back on to the canal. It was a painful return not helped by dislodging my GPS battery and having to retrace my steps adding another 4 miles to give a total of 92 - so bike well and truly tested and faultless but bits of me now needed repair.

 

 

Despite this the following day I knocked out 30 miles around Cannock Chase, definitely an area to return to before yesterday heading back in to Wales where I stopped above the Elan Valley to check on the repairs to a bothy door 5 weeks ago. This seems to have worked and all was well with the hut which remains shut until the final lifting of retsrictions in June.

I had intended to ride the Radnor Ring today but a nasty little storm has brewed up so after a comfy night in Rhayader I am now plugged in to life support at Llangurig for two days and will visit the local bothy tomorrow. Three others then beckon over the weekend before from the middle of next week I am based in Snowdonia for a week as a group of us try to complete a Covid delayed barn roof project. Then it's a week spare before the mid June farm sit, after which we plan to visit Chester, Ironbridge, the Black Country Museum and Etruria at Stoke before a few days in July in the White Peak.

As you can see we have packed a lot in to a month yet completely avoided the crowds by visiting places perhaps not on the Sunday papers' must do lists but often for that very reason well worth the effort to visit anyway. Having over the years largely concentrated my UK trips either high on the hills or (although perhaps not recently) deep undergound it has been a revelation to experience new highlights , something that began last October with my trip to the south and east.

Foreign travel will loom large in my plans for the future beyond the end of 2021 but with flexibility, a compact self contained van and the desire to look around the next corner  there is much to be said for looking in your own back yard.

Piccies here and thanks for reading.