SO WHAT DO I KNOW ...................

 

 

As winter sets in we are all faced with longer evenings perhaps exacerbated by various restrictions beyond our control and as a long term vanner I am no exception to the challenges (but also opportunities) this presents.

As regular readers will know I generally head south in winter where the days might be warmer but the nights can often be colder and the hours of daylight not hugely different, although if like me you are not a huge fan of the rain usable hours can be much greater.

However events have over the years occasionally conspired either to prevent me from getting away or necessitated a premature return but as with any challenge in life there are lessons to be learned and opportunities taken - my recent trips to the Outer Hebrides and South East England described in recent blogs are a testament to this.

Now though I am looking at a few months in the UK with unpredictable limitations but fairly predictable wind and rain - plus I hope some of those precious cold clear spells that make winter a very special time.

I earlier described myself as a long term vanner which to date means living largely in a van since selling up a smallholding in the Brecon Beacons in 2005 and since 2011 living what is to all intents and purposes almost full time on the road. In reality I do spend time in other settings - a combination of hotel treats, house sitting, a very precious fortnight in Cumbria each year and occasional nights in bothies, under canvas, bivvying or hostelling. Thus I do not have the status of full time that insurance companies tend to steer clear of and remain UK domiciled for tax, health care and financial proceedings - of which more later.

 Anyway to the Blog Title - WHAT DO I KNOW.........

Well after so many years OTR quite a bit thank you, mostly shaped by my own experiences but also knowledge gained from chatting with and observing others, reading blogs, watching vlogs and even reading books - how quaint.

 So with cosy evenings to fill and having passed a significant birthday in March - roll on 40, I feel I should offer my thoughts, hints, tips, opinions and warnings to the many people intrigued by if not actually contemplating a similar approach to life.

It has been my pleasure and privilege to speak at and listen to many excellent and occasionally well polished presentations at the annual Horizons Unlimited  events in the UK and abroad - sadly unable to take place this year so if you were there some of the following may be familiar.

    GET ON WITH IT........

OK.  There is a lot to cover but for now I will look at vehicle choice - if you are contemplating a vehicle read on but even if you already have one in your possession read on too and feel free to challenge me, add to the discussion and share your experiences...

 

Budget is a good starting place as it may be fixed, limited or uncertain and straight away we find the nub of the problem - everyone's is different and may, indeed should, include an element of costs beyond the initial purchase as there will almost certainly be things you will want to do or add to the vehicle you find to make it just right for you.

And that I believe should be your starting point - it is for you, it may well become your home so every irritation or defect will face you every day, similarly if something does the job well and makes daily life even better then you will have no regrets.

So take your time and really look at what you want your van for : when you will want to use it, where you hope to travel, whether or not you have access to another vehicle, what are your hobbies and interests, what possessions you cannot do without and so on.

Also consider your ability (or just willingness) to deal with any issues that might arise either on the mechanical side or the habitation side.

Unless you really do intend to cross the Ghobi Desert or are a winter sports enthusiast (seriously consider winter tyres, chains or LSD - the diff not the drug- for when you need them) then AWD adds to initial and running costs, mechanical complexity, weight and may limit the size of underslung water and waste tanks. I met a couple in Morocco in a Unimog with a Unimog trailer a few years ago and he estimated tyre wear was 20p/mile and the guys in the expedition trucks struggle (as in fact do most motorhomes) with the narrow lanes of say Cornwall or the Vercors. Use your van to get near to these places but then your legs, wheels or public transport to explore them - you will be fitter, the place nicer and the local economy more sustainable.

Height is an oft overlooked factor re tunnels and bridges, a high vehicle costs more on the ferries and French peage network, can limit access to carparks in city centres or be a physical issue on smaller ferries.

 Similarly length as despite (sometimes because of) Sat Nav everyone will have to do a U turn at some point and even with reversing cameras it can be a stressful experience in something that you are heavily invested in - and want to sleep in that night!.

Hump back bridges, ferry ramps, tight bends and ever shrinking supermarket spaces should lead you to as short a vehicle as possible - bearing in mind that you may also want a bike or scooter on the back adding to the length of your rig and often capable of misleading your camera or sensors.

 

Personally I am a convert to diesel for many reasons - the generally improved MPG, lower price especially abroad and better availability in rural areas - although I appreciate modern petrol engines are squeezing quarts out of pint pots - and the relative simplicity and longevity of the diesel design - 500,000 HGVs in the UK alone must be right.....

Yes there are emission considerations but modern diesels are much improved and whilst we may be denied these choices within a decade I am sticking with it - for another very important reason to be discussed later. Cities that are banning diesels in their centres usually have excellent P&R facilities (3 cheers Canterbury), or as I often do, park or camp cheaply in a nearby regional town or village, hop on the bus or train, or cycle in as often the most environmentally conscious cities have the better provision for two wheeled travel and it gives you a handy way to flit between the various attractions.

I also feel diesel is a far safer fuel to be sitting on top of in the event of a shunt, when carrying spare cans and the engines are less prone to failure in wet conditions. As regards longevity my old Volkswagen T4 Short Wheel Base van had covered 345,000 miles on the original engine with no attention to the mechanics other than a new fuel pump operating spindle and was maintained mostly on the road by myself - a self taught grease monkey. 40 oil and filter changes from Norway to Christchurch (NZ not Dorset) over 12 years were I think a major factor in this - every 6000 miles plus air and diesel filters every 12,000. I am not a fan of these long life oils and whilst the current bus is every 10k miles and annoyingly due to the location of the filter impractical without a ramp I stick to it religiously and do the air and diesel filters myself every 10k miles as this combined with a premium diesel such as BP Ultimate or Shell V Power seems to have avoided injector issues. This fuel is also a consideration in another area - see later.

OK one downside - my small portable generator runs on unleaded so my spare can has petrol in it but over the years I have learnt never to go less than a quarter tank of full and there is now another consideration on this matter - see later. Generally I keep the tank full as there is less chance of condensation putting moisture in the filter and whilst there is a penalty in lugging 80kg of fuel around I feel the range of 600-650 miles is well worth having in reserve - something I know the adventure motorcyclists I have met envy and something that was a game changer in the Oz Outback.

 I do hope the Tesla Camper will match that.

Anyway back to the vehicle basics.

Again depending on your plans global availability of parts, brands familiar to mechanics in far flung places, tyres of an easily sourced size and the availability of dealers should you have a warranty to protect must be a consideration - the latter also applies to your conversion as many warranties require annual damp ingress surveys and habitation checks (an important safety issue anyway and ironically probably more important in a less used van).

An imported European conversion may use parts hard and/or expensive to source in the UK and also bear in mind that even some top notch conversions such as the VW California leave the main entry door on the dodgy side. Also the Europeans don't seem to like bacon or toast - surprisingly few have a grill - outrageous.

Good friends based in the UK elected to buy a LHD van as they travel mostly in Europe - a sound decision and worthy of consideration.

For me its RHD as that was the only option and very much a minor consideration despite extensive European mileage : I'm never in a hurry so rarely need to overtake and if the proverbial did hit the fan the suicide seat is usually empty.

So still focussing on the vehicle and mindful of the huge range of options here are some basics IMHO

 1) If you are going to do anything more than odd weekends and a couple of summer weeks out and about then get a high top van FULL STOP. This a far more important concern than the length for the following reasons - practicality when cooking, moving about, washing etc, storage, warmth and weather proofing. My good old T4 had a pop top for the first 6 years including two years full time in Oz and NZ, great for keeping cool but not so good in Tasmania's high country or en route through a wintry Europe to get to Southern Europe.

The fabrics do eventually deteriorate (even without the unwarranted assistance of a possum), need drying out if wet, can be noisy in high winds and need to be folded away carefully. Also whilst you can get roof racks to fit the actual elevating section I doubt it would be practical for say two heavy kayaks and having to offload the rack every time would be irksome and possibly an opportunity for theft.

 Even that quick coffee en route is a joy in a high top and the times I have been unable to access places have been very few (0 cheers for Derby P&R that has a 2.2m barrier).

Incidentally on the old van I changed to a high roof and noticed no difference in fuel consumption as the bikes were then beneath the roof line reducing wind resistance and turbulence so that bike covers last far longer (3 cheers www.bagsandcoversdirect.co.uk ).

 

 

As mentioned earlier toll motorways can be more expensive - take the road less travelled and relax - and on ferries length often counts for more than height although there may be less choice at busy times for overheight vehicles - incidentally quick tip : if possible have a fold up bike rack and put the bikes inside for the crossing to reduce your overall length. Be warned that many companies use manufacturer's databases and ANPR ( great for speedy ticketless booking) and will know the true length of your vehicle - be fair or it might cost you quite a surcharge or even lose your sailing.

2) So you've gone diesel, high, 2WD what about length?

I see absolutely no point in a fixed bed on anything other than top end luxury rigs as the wasted space is just being dragged around. You can't store stuff on it if you want to go to bed later on, very few of the so called garages beneath will take bicycles etc. Many are elevated to try and improve this storage leaving limited headroom and over cab beds whilst fun for kids often require gymnastic skills to access.

A well designed conversion will have seating that makes up a bed in minutes with minimal infill cushions, struts, boards or other irritations. Ideally look for flexibility as it should be possible to have one or two singles or a good double which should avoid any misunderstandings if you take your best mate away for the weekend for a few beers. Incidentally a blog later on will deal with space saving ideas but here's one - for the last 15 years I have used two down 4 season bags zipped together inside a duvet cover with a fitted sheet that can all be rolled up in to a very tight bundle in seconds. These quality bags are then available for backpacking trips with silk liners and have never been washed and look (and smell) as good as new. The less than five minutes it takes to make and break the bed each day is a small price to pay for having a van that is only 5.2m or 17' long - hugely practical as my all day every day vehicle.

Beware the  quirks of converters - my van was marketed as a four berth but only had belted seats for three. Also those kids beds in the roof - when they grow out of their shoes it's bad enough but might they soon outgrow that cute little roofspace, then what?

 

 

 

3) I am aware that budget is a major consideration but again consider how and where you are intending to use your van, how you feel about wild camping and the costs of campsites these days.

A 'full timer' could easily run up a bill of over £7000 per annum if using a site every night, even in Europe so a few quid spent at the outset to reduce this might be an investment. Sadly due to thoughtless and selfish behaviour by people new, and even worse, old to vanning I think our already limited opportunities to camp off grid will be futher reduced but it is still possible and can provide some of the best experiences. Combine this with the ongoing closure of many public facilities, an understandable reluctance to use shared facilities even on sites as a result of Covid and the convenience (ha ha) of an onboard facility I would certainly say definitely have at least a portapotti although consider how close you are (or in fact want to be) when your significant other needs to open that door in the wee or worse small hours.

Again having managed for the first 12 years with neither loo nor shower I wouldn't be without either now and the independence is probably saving me £50 - £100 a week on site fees so that investment would soon be repaid.

Downsides are of course more water and gas used and the need to deal with waste roughly weekly but as I tend to take one night a week on site for other reasons - see later - this is not a problem.

4) Width varies - I am under 2.2m (the van that is) so rarely face issues and a sliding side door means you can enter or leave even in a tight spot  but generally bigger and longer will mean wider and those fancy mirrors are a fortune to replace. Again transverse fixed beds will mean a wider vehicle so avoid!

5) Ground clearance is one of the most overlooked considerations and of significance, particularly if you want to get off the beaten track. Again vehicle length will affect grounding, AWD  vehicles may have raised suspension but steps, underslung gas and water tanks, flimsy drainage valves and waste pipes can all add to the issue - check carefully what is there and how it might be damaged.

Anyway that's enough to be going on with - next time more factors to consider with the actual conversion and habitation options.

 

 

SOUTH BY SOUTH EAST

After the highly successful trip to the Outer Hebrides we returned south and I then headed to my base near Sennybridge to change maps and clothing in anticipation of cooler weather.

I headed across to Bristol for a catch up with friends before briefly dropping in to Frome to plan the walks and rides for the forthcoming weekend with Pete.

Finally I headed to the area known loosely as Cranborne Chase and parked up at the Cashmoor Inn that allowed overnight stays, found via the Park4Night app.

 After a quiet night I set off on the bike for a day of exploring an area unknown to me despite having lived within an hour for three years whilst training forty years ago and then in Bristol for ten years again little over an hour away. Following numerous tracks, trails bridle paths, RUPPS and BOATS I stitched together a very enjoyable ride including the impressive Badbury Rings hillfort and the old WW2 airfield at Tarrant Rushton then heading towards Salisbury before returning along Ackling Dyke, an old Roman road, for a second night at the pub.

A good walk the following day saw me passing through the Rushmore Park Estate at Tollard Royal and checking out the Win Green parking area for an overnight with the guys from Bristol before moving on to another P4N stop at the Rainbow on the lake at Steeple Langford

I'd forgotten a water hose so nipped in to Wilton garden centre for a very useful compact 10m hosereel that uses a microbore pipe that will not kink unlike lay flat and collapsible hoses. In Salisbury I went to the Tesco store to book a flu jab as my GP in Brecon had run out, picked up some touch up paint and bumper stops to prevent bike handlebars catching the tailgate paintwork and then headed back to Win Green to meet Pete in time for a walk back through Rushmore again. Sunny weather and autumn colours combined with extensive views to make for a grand afternoon.

After dusk Nick and Bill arrived for the night and we walked out to the trig point for superb star gazing and the longest shooting star any of us had ever seen.

 

Win Green

 The following morning we set off along the Ox Drove track towards Salisbury, added a loop towards Downton and then cut back past Salisbury race course for a ridge track all the way back to the start. There is a vast choice of tracks in the area and I will certainly be back to explore further.

Nick and Bill headed home leaving Pete and I to enjoy another quiet night before on the Sunday  walking from Bradbury Rings and eventually moving on to a small certificated site for the night as I was in need of water and hook up. The simple field based site amongst woodland was idyllic and allowed us to start a ride in to the New Forest on the Monday without moving the vans. Pigs were hoovering up the acorns on the roadside edges as we crossed heathland, deciduous woodland, some coniferous plantations and various trails in yet another area that I will return to in the near future.

On Tuesday I had booked to visit the Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop which whilst almost deserted gave me a fascinating insight in to the history of this oft overlooked sector of the British Army.

 

Perhaps the display I found most thought provoking was the home made IRA mortar fashioned out of a Calor Gas cylinder - such devious/deviant tactics made helicopter transport of troops essential as it did many years later in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Nearby I stayed the night up a narrow track near Figsbury Ring, one of the area's many hillforts, and right on the boundary of Porton Down. A speedy and efficient appointment at Tesco saw me duly jabbed and the cupboards filled before I headed down to the Solent and parked up in Lee on Solent for a ride along the coast to Warsash where the small passenger ferry links with Hamble. Further down at Gosport I stayed on another P4N recommendation where the council allow overnight stays for £10/24 hours. From there I walked round to Gillicker fort enjoying the maritime traffic including a cargo ship delivering a wind turbine blade, the IoW hovercraft, the Queen Victoria heading to Weymouth for a Covid enforced winter at anchor, assorted car transporters and freighters and rather poignantly the Brittany Ferries ferry heading across to Cherbourg that perhaps in different times I might have actually been on.

A windsurfer was enjoying the last of the light as I settled in for a quiet night.

 

 

 

First thing the following day I was on the bike to the Gosport ferry terminal where I left it locked up, took the short hop across to Portsmouth with good views of our two new aircraft carriers and spent a day mesmerised by the Mary Rose Museum. The sheer volume of artefacts, information and displays was a credit to the team behind this remarkable project but I was still unprepared for the sheer size of the actual ship's hull that has been recovered, preserved and is now presented for all to see. It is a visit to be recommended but does need a full day to itself.

 

 

 

Back at Gosport it was another lovely sunset and a quiet night with just two other vans for company. 

 Moving on I stayed the night above Goodwood Racecourse in the Sussex downs ready to visit the Weald and Downland Museum of Rural Life, an impressive collection of old houses, workshops and other rural buildings carefully rebuilt on a large 40 acre site. In a corner a large barn and adjacent work area are the set for the Repair Shop which was filming its Christmas Special.

 

It wasn't far then to move on to Amberley Museum which focusses more on transport and machinery as well as rural skills and yet again it was a very worth while visit with displays covering public transport, power and telephone communications, rural skills, lime manufacture, brick making and quarrying. The old chalk mine had been used in the Bond film 'A View to a Kill' doubling up as a gold mine above San Francisco and seeing the demise of Grace Jones.

Some of the quarry wagons are still painted in the green of the evil Zorin whose Z symbol is also visible. I took a night on another small certificated site and was grateful for the shelter of the tree belt as a storm blew through. There was no hook up but my small genny purred quietly outside to reinvigorate the leisure battery and provide hot water. The following morning water and waste were dealt with before I continued eastwards.

A walk up to Chanctonbury Ring on a grey afternoon offered great views but I decided to stay in an empty car park at Cissbury ring with the genny running again to give me an idea of its fuel consumption - around half a litre an hour. Later on a large 4x4 pick up with the BiMobil camper pod attached to the tray arrived so I killed the genny for the night and slept soundly as the heavens emptied.The following day was a much brighter affair so I nipped up to the summit for good views to the IoW, Brighton and inland towards London.

Hastings was an interesting place with its castle and priory after which I moved on to the surprisingly busy Birling Gap at the eastern end of the Seven Sisters Country Park.

The eponymous cliffs were a truly spectacular site and I walked beneath them on the shingle beach before heading over the tops for a view of Beachy Head at sunset. The Beachy Head pub allowed overnight camping so I booked for an excellent meal, a couple of welcome pints and the paper in a comfortable environment - all credit to Vintage Inns for this initiative. As van numbers increase I hope even more rural pubs follow their lead as it would be a welcome boost to their trade and ease pressure on  campsites.

Arriving at Dungeness on a stormy day was surreal as it bore more than a passing resemblance to the barren west coast of North Lewis with single storey houses squatting low on a windswept coastal strip.

I overnighted further east but returned on the bike the following day to see more and take a few photos.

The broody nuclear power station sits behind a shingle bank with the old and new lighthouses close by whilst pulled up above the high water mark were numerous fishing boats.

 Laundry was done in Deal as I passed through in wet and windy weather choosing again to stay on a small site for water and power before heading to Canterbury.

 

 Here again all credit to the local authority who have dedicated a section of the P&R to motorhomes for a few pounds a night with a free bus in to the city and water and waste available. Alongside is the Kent Drive In cinema - not something I have seen before and I question the idea of two showings with over 150 cars at each sat with their engines running for two or more hours at a time...

Anyway it did not disturb me and I enjoyed the cathedral the following day. The sense of history attached is brought home by the tombs of Archbishops, the various chapels, the cloisters and the superb stonework both inside and out. The old streets of the mediaeval centre were interesting to explore and I had a quiet night at the P&R with perhaps half a dozen other vans staying.

 

 

More unsettled weather saw me moving on to the Isle of Sheppey staying high on a shingle bank that offered parking between Minster and Sheerness with good views over the Thames estuary. That night 45mph winds blew constantly but the van was warm and dry and the shipping provided much interest.

News of the second English lockdown began to filter through so I decided a retreat to Wales that was about to exit its local fire break might be sensible in due course. Thus a Tesco at Sheerness saw my supplies replenished and whilst I waited to see if a friend needed a lift out of London I moved on to near Chatham only to find the historic dockyards had closed the previous day for the winter season.

However a walk around the extensive marshlands and bird reserve at Cliffe more than made up for it with much of interest at sea, sand and shingle extraction on land and the old Cliffe fort slowly losing its battle with subsidence and regrowth. This area had once been eyed as an alternative to expansion at Heathrow but this now seems unlikely. The RSPB guy seemed happy to lock me in to the large car park overnight which suited me fine and by 09.30 the following morning I embarked on a trouble free journey west and back in to Wales.

Restrictions here ease tomorrow so I will begin a round of bothy inspections, yesterday Jan and I had a very satisfactory day above Abergavenny dealing with a disgusting pile of rubbish left by irresponsible visitors. Huge thanks to her for the assistance and a place to lie low for a couple of days and to Crad and Dawn over at Sennybridge for the same.

A selection of pics sit here.

Moving On

So several months further on and after many changes at various levels it is time to restart the blog.

Life is different for all of us but I still have a passion for travel and have adapted to the new circumstances that prevail and as always prefer to look to the future rather than dwell on the past, mindful that when I do look back over the last 15 years of van life that it has been a rich and varied experience.

With international travel restricted I decided to revisit parts of the UK and explore hitherto unknown areas so in early September headed north initially to Skipton where Craven District Council have an enlightened and welcome approach to camper vans, allowing overnight stays in designated bays of the central car park.

The ticket machine had a mind of its own and resolutely failed to issue the desired motorhome ticket and I ended up with a £15 ticket that entitled me to seven consecutive parking sessions. This I interpreted as allowing me to stay three nights plus the relevant day periods, longer than originally intended but with a flexible schedule I took advantage of the adjacent Leeds to Liverpool canal and cycled back towards Saltaire that afternoon.

A full day took me over the Peninnes towards Burnley with a good pub lunch at Foulridge near the tunnel. The towpath is rough in places so more suited to a mountain bike than tourer but offered fine views on a sunny day.

Another day long excursion took me over Embsay Moor on a superb bridle path before dropping in to Cracoe and passing through Wharfedale past Bolton Abbey to Ilkley with another good lunch at Burnsall where staff and customers were getting used to the new methods of ordering and paying for food. A climb over Ilkley Moor put me back on to the canal for a return to Skipton and the final night of an unexpected but very enjoyable stay there.

I met an old friend in the Forest of Bowland for a good walk above Slaidburn and stayed the night on the quiet road over towards Ingleton.

Moving north again I enjoyed a good walk in the Howgills with extensive views across to the Lakeland fells before finding a quiet spot for the night in the countryside south of Appleby in Wesmorland.

 

 

Dufton provided the starting point for the excellent High Cup Nick, a deeply incised valley with the hard rock of the great Whin Sill key to the formation of this remarkable feature. It was a stunning day and as the village car park was empty on my return I stayed the night and enjoyed a quick pint at The Stag before a quiet and cosy night in.

 

 With a few days in hand before I met up with Mandy I decided to explore some of the Seven Stanes mountain bike trails in Southern Scotland and the Borders so headed initially to Newcastleton NE of Carlisle. I'd managed to get a gas bottle exchanged in Longtown - the huge increase in camper and caravan use in the UK had created a national shortage - and enjoyed a good days ride before settling down for the night on the remote road over to Langholm in a thick fog.

North of Langholm just off the A7 I stayed on a small certificated site for the night to avail myself of the usual services and left for another Stanes location : Glentress near Peebles  and tackled the rewarding red route before staying the night at Innerleithin a few miles east which is one of Forestry and Land Scotland's excellent stay the night locations.

On leaving the following morning I detected a rattle in the exhaust and spotted a cracked joint which would require attention fairly soon. However it did not prevent me from meeting Mandy and her brother for a night at the superb Kelpies near Falkirk and the following day I arranged for ATS at Stirling to take a look. The parts would take a few days to arrive which put paid to our plans to meet up with our friends in Dumfries and Galloway so we decided to return to Glentress and Innerleithin for a good walk, a mountain bike ride and a great route along the Tweed Valley to Selkirk again staying at the stay the night facility.

A return to the Kelpies gave us a memorable ride along the Union Canal towards Edinburgh before we dropped down to the Forth Crossings and cycled over to North Queensferry to get a superb view of the famous Forth Bridge. Our return along the south shore of the Forth to Grangemouth took us through the grounds of Hopetoun House and past Blackness Castle with the oil refinery looking surreal as the skies darkened.

 

The exhaust was done as arranged despite the wrong part being supplied initially - magically the correct one arrived within half an hour which begs the question as to why I had had to wait 5 days initially.

Anyway Mandy had enjoyed an archery session in local woods with her brother and we set off north with the van full for water, food gas and fuel but needing a laundrette as local ones were closed. The garage at Lix near Killin had a self service machine so we loaded up and popped down to see the Falls. Unfortunately on our return the machine had been faulty and the wash failed - we tried the other one only to find it too was faulty and sat for an hour whilst it whirred its way through the programme.

Our base for the night was another stay the night location at the start of the route up Ben Lui after which we returned to the Green Welly service area for a working washing machine before exploring Glen Orchy and watching some kayakers on the falls.

That night we met Pete and Jan at another stay the night spot further down Glen Lochy - it was good to see old friends after so long and we enjoyed a socially distanced catch up.

A glorious day saw us head back to Tyndrum, park at Bridge of Orchy and walk over to Loch Dochard - lunch by the river and a break at the Loch gave us a long but enjoyable day in perfect conditions.

 

 

Friday saw us going our separate ways as we gave Jan a lift to Oban for the ferry to Barra and Pete headed off in search of more Corbetts Loch Arkaig way.

 

 

Oban was bathed in sunshine and busy but not crowded as we passed a couple of spare hours - Jan had kindly bought fresh crab sandwiches but lost hers to a sneaky seagull - before boarding the CalMac ferry for a superb 5 hour crossing. Porpoise tracked the boat as we passed through the Sound of Mull and the Skye Cuillin dominated the skyline as we crossed the Sea of The Hebrides.

After disembarking we drove the couple of miles round to Vatersay using the short causeway and were soon parked up near the Community Centre at Siar Beach.

A local crofter collected £5 as a contribution to the upkeep of the facilities before we walked down to the beach for a perfect sunset.

On the Saturday we were up early to walk over to the abandoned village and return to the van in time to meet Jan with her hire bike. We then set off to ride round Barra, having lunch at Barra airport as a flight took off from the beach and returning to Castlebay in time to catch the fish and chip van that evening. It had been a superb day but as we set off  back to the van a sea fog drifted in creating an eerie atmosphere. Vatersay was still in the sun so we enjoyed another quiet night.

We returned to a beach near the airport for lunch before catching the afternoon ferry to South Uist and camping by Smercleit beach in breezy conditions - a walk on to Orasay before the tide covered the causeway was followed by a quiet night lulled to sleep by the sounds of the sea.

 

From Smercleit we followed miles of sandy but firm tracks through the dunes running parallel to the coast and reached Drimsdale before returning in to a stiff headwind along the island's only real road. The winds were heralding the arrival of a storm so on the Tuesday we crossed to Benbecula on one causeway and to North Uist on another to take a pitch at the Carinish campsite which as a result of Covid guidance was taking self contained vans only. We sat out the bad weather with Scrabble and reading and hoped Jan in her tent was warm and safe back on Barra.

 

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny so wet set off to do a circuit of North Uist passing some lovely traditional black houses, a charming folly and covering a total of 57 miles. The eastern side of the island seemed to be more water than land and we had lunch at a beach that looked to be a perfect overnight stop near Hosta. A second night on the site saw us filled up with water and power as we headed off to Lochmaddy to book our ferry over to Harris, visit the museum and gallery and enjoy a coffee on the decking overlooking the harbour. Back at Hosta we spent time on the beach before another great sunset.

 

We stayed a second night but moved up in to the dunes for the perfect spot and enjoyed a day on the beach before a windy night but with stunning views.

The short crossing to Leverburgh gave us plenty of time to set off from the port and ride over to the pretty church at Rodel before following some of the Golden Road (so called as it had been hugely expensive to build in such difficult terrain). The bikes gave us the freedom to be nosy and we took various side tracks to quiet hamlets and remote crofts such as Quidnish and Aird Mhighe with some good views of seals basking on the rocks.

A night above Luskentyre bay was fine and allowed us to complete the rest of the Golden Road passing more crofts, hamlets and a few very stylish new build properties before we moved down to park by the stunning Luskentyre bay with its vast expanse of golden sands at low tide.

Before moving on we cycled round to the new Community Centre at Borve which has motorhome facilities and then drove to Tarbert and round to Miabhaig for a walk to the eagle observatory further up the glen. 

No luck on that front but we met the keeper with a freshly shot stag in his truck and enjoyed a quiet night with a couple of other vans further down the road.

Tuesday saw us setting off for a tough day starting with the climb back over to Tarbet where a new Calmac ferry terminal is being built and a new whisky distillery is waiting for their first product to mature. We took the road out to Scalpay reached by a substantial bridge and eventually saw signs out to the lighthouse reached by a rideable track. This was an impressive spot with superb views, an eye catching array of buildings and an honesty box for very welcome teas and coffees. The return to Miabhaig ended with a fast descent back to the van but still no sign of the elusive eagles.

Wednesday the 30th of September saw us heading over to Rhenigidale for a coast walk past an old croft to a secluded beach and the start or end of the postmans's walk back to the Scalpay road. A solitary seal watched us as we enjoyed views across to the northern tip of Skye. On Great Bernera we stayed the night at Bostadh with its ancient village and neatly kept cemetery with a sunset enjoyed from a slightly chilly vantage point facing Flodda - as October was approaching we were very aware that life on these windswept islands would be hard work now for many months.

Round on the Valtos peninsula we parked above the beach for the night with a few surfers and on the Thursday took the coastal road to the dead end at Mealasta where during WW2 several hundred troops had been stationed to man the military observation posts. It was a remote place and a brief shower had us sheltering under a solitary boat hull for lunch before we returned north and dropped off to beautiful Mangersta beach. There were some very impresssive eco builds there that blended well in to the scenery and one owner had a quirky sense of humour judging by some of the art installations. Returning to Valtos we were rewarded with an eagle soaring overhead and passed through the gorge delighted to have at last seen such a magnificent bird.

The first day of October saw us setting off on the bikes again but heavy rain persuaded us to turn back, seeking shelter in a small bothy for lunch before a superb rainbow heralded brighter skies. We drove to the closed community campsite for a tank of water before then returning down the Mealasta road to walk the cliff tops, visit a natural arch and admire the impressive sea stacks.

After another memorable night I took laundry down to the store and did a shop whilst Mandy enjoyed the beach and a walk through the valley to meet me. The weather was grey and showery but we still enjoyed visiting the old Norse kiln and mill, a broch and the Callanish stones before spending a very stormy night at the Butt of Lewis lighthouse. 

Stornoway on a Sunday is very quiet as no shops or services open so we were soon away for our final night up at Tolsta where we walked on a huge beach before visiting the Bridge to Nowhere, cleared some mindless litter from the car park and headed round to Stornoway on the Monday morning for a couple of hours before our journey to Ullapool. This was a calm crossing with another sighting of porpoise or dolphin and a visit from the coastguard helicopter adding to the excitement.

From Ullapool we drove to south of Inverness for the night and arrived back in Sauchie in time for another archery session. 

Having been so impressed by High Cup Nic we returned to Dufton for the night, enjoyed a superb lamb pie in The Stag and then walked up to see the remarkable feature on a windy but dry day.

The final night of this relatively short but fun packed trip was spent in Skipton to break the journey and all was well when we returned to Sheffield.

Since then I have been off again but will reveal the details of that trip in the next post.

More than enough photos from this trip can be found here.

Update

Due to unforseen illness I have returned from the Winter 2019/20 trip prematurely and will be suspending the blog for a few months.

Chilly Italy

With poor weather affecting this north western corner of Italy as well as through Switzerland I had to adapt my plans accordingly.

The UNESCO recognised rolling hills and vineyards of Piedmont were indeed beautiful with many opportunities to taste the world recognised red wines produced in abundance. I headed to Saluzzo where a very well maintained aire near to the centre provided free overnight parking and a metered but very cheap hook up. It's been over a month since I was last on mains power and the leisure battery has done sterling work providing for all my power needs as well as firing up the heater which has seen regular use  in the cold conditions. Once running the power consumption is quite low as it purrs quietly in the background and it's best left running on low rather than cycling as the glow plug is heavy on juice (and costs £90 at service time) and the unit only uses 100ml of diesel per hour so perhaps half a litre over the evening and a quick early morning blast. The fuel take off from the vehicle tank is situated so that it won't leave you stranded and of course the leisure battery is totally separate to the starter battery for the same reason. As I'm not moving on many miles per day there is limited time for the alternator to top things up and the shorter, cooler days are limiting the use of the solar panels. However everything has functioned satisfactorily but two nights on mains gave me a chance to ensure everything was up to scratch whilst I walked up to the town's castle, historic civic buildings and traffic free centre.

A less attractive but equally useful parking spot in Giavenno offered a chance to cycle over in to the Susa valley and head west towards the border Alps with the lofty Monastero di San Michele towering above and reached amongst other ways by a very tempting looking via ferrata. It was a chilly afternoon and snow lay on some of the lower slopes whilst the tops had had quite a fall.

Heading to Susa and the Fort D'Exiles the following day heavy rain was falling and turning to snow so I decided to head away from the mountains and stay at Ivrea a town with strong links to the Olivetti family of typewriter fame. The Museum of Modern Architecture which included the original factory plus old and current headquarters rather passed over my head, looking as they did rather like Slough in the days of The Office.

Unfortunately en route on a section of motorway something struck and cracked the screen (fortunately not in the field of view) so I hope it will hold out for the rest of the trip. A couple of years ago I had the screen replaced whilst getting some rust treated and a couple of weeks later found the floor mats saturated so I would prefer to address the issue back in Sheffield next summer to ensure that there isn't a repeat performance.

The local canoe club very kindly provide a free aire (donations accepted) right by their slalom course on the river and it was good to see youngsters demonstrating their skills on the fast flowing waters. An hours train journey in to Turin seemed the best way to visit a large and busy city with no doubt a shortage of parking, especially for a longer vehicle not able to use underground or multi storey car parks. From the new central station I walked along the Po valley through parkland to the Auto Museum, grabbed a coffee and a cake and spent a couple of hours immersed in all things car related.
It was very well put together and covered history, design, manufacturing, sport, leisure and the future.

As I walked back through the city my decision to take the train was confirmed as a good one with the rush hour traffic crawling in a cacophony of horns and over revving. I am far from a city lover but these occasional forays do provide their rewards in this case I came across the week long Chocolate Festival with dozens of brightly lit stalls lining the main square and following Via Roma with its extensive high end cloistered shopfronts. I could have stood for hours listening to a saxophonist busking as well heeled shoppers thronged the streets but as always felt very humbled by the beggars and homeless who were ever present.

From Ivrea I headed towards the Italian Lakes and took a twisting road to a chapel high above Lago D'Orta with good views down across the lake to snow covered mountains and a very peaceful overnight stop. Unfortunately heavy rain set in overnight and continued the following day, the same weather system had left a lot of snow further west in Susa and Aosta so I was glad to have moved out of those areas.

With my return to the UK fast approaching I began preparations for leaving the van for 3 weeks with a packing list made, maps swapped in the GPS, old maps to be taken home put in the rucksack and all fresh food used up. I have parked up alongside Lago Di Comabbio where the lakeside hotel allows stays for £8 a night with unmetered power giving me a chance to charge everything fully once more, ensure the fabric and contents of the van are as dry as possible and on a grey but dry day enjoy 30 miles around this and Lago Di Varese.

Finally the WC tank has been emptied and cleaned thoroughly, water and waste tanks will be emptied in the morning and the fridge cleaned and turned off.
Parking and hire car arrangements are all confirmed and my health insurance renewed for a very reasonable £180 or so. 
For the first time Europcar have asked for a DVLA code - available online - as without the paper licences of old they have no idea of your driving history, but it is a straightforward procedure. I have also taken an annual policy with ICarHire 4 U to cover any claims during the hire period, a more cost effective solution than their own in house offering and so now just have a forty minute drive in the morning to the covered parking arranged near Malpensa airport and a flight at 14.00.

Back in 3 weeks with a possibility of an update from Cumbria so until then piccies are here.

South for some Sun and across in to Italy

A wet day in Sassenages allowed me to update the blog but things had cleared up the next day (a French National Holiday, All Saints) so I followed the Isere on a level cycle track covering 40 or so miles before returning and dealing with the van utilities as these are accessed through the rear tailgate that is a bit too heavy to safely lift and support singlehandedly when both bikes are on.
With the remnants of Storm Amelie that had caused damage back at Bordeaux sitting over my next intended destination : the Ecrins NP I decided to make full use of my flexible schedule and lifestyle and headed south to hopefully warmer climes.
In the Verdon Gorge I settled at a lovely aire above the Ste Croix Lake which the following day I circled on the bike dropping in to two picturesque villages and finishing with a heart busting climb out of Moustiere to the plateau back to Sainte Croix passing fields with rows of recently harvested lavender bushes. The 43 miles ended as the sun set and temperatures dropped under the clear skies so once again the cosy Eber did the job.

Following the Verdon Gorge east I stopped in Moustiere to climb up to the Chapelle but it was only later looking back at photos from the past that I discovered I had spent over a week in the village some 12 years ago - I don't think this is a failing memory but reflects how very full and varied the intervening decade and more has been.




Entrevaux  in the Var valley provided the perfect aire : quiet parking alongside a quiet railway on the edge of a small village with the old medieval village across the river and dominated by a lofty castle. 
I set up and then paid the £3 to pass the turnstile and begin the steep series of hairpin bends that took the track up to the impressive semi derelict fortress. It was a dramatic place with several levels, hidden passage ways, gateways protected by heavy pivoted doors and a reminder of more recent history with some very miserable looking cells that had held German Officer POWs from the First World War. From the top battlements I watched one of the colourful two car trains that link Nice and Digne a couple of times a day chug along the valley floor and decided to take a trip the next day.
Down in the old town I was reminded of the souks and medinas of Morocco as I wandered through the maze of narrow walkways and alleys with the tall buildings almost meeting overhead.

Thus at 10.30 the next day I was hopping aboard the northbound train to Saint Andre les Alpes and enjoyed a trip reminiscent of the Ardeche steam train with stunning scenery and a steady pace. I'm surprised the line stays open as it has very few trains per day but £21 million was being spent on modernisation and upgrades to the 16 stations so I guess it is busier in the summer.

As a result of this engineering work the last section was by bus and left me 3 hours in St Andre to enjoy a superb lunch washed down with a couple of beers as I wasn't driving before the return train headed south as empty as before. At Annott I noticed one carriage wrapped up under blue tarpaulin that still failed to disguise its twisted, deformed state - a quick Google discovered that four years ago the train had been hit by a boulder the size of a house that derailed it and killed two people, one a Russian tourist.



With warm sunshine and clear skies I decided to head towards the Mercantour and Europe's highest road the Col de la Bonnnette so followed the impressively narrow Tinee Gorge towards Roubion diverting en route up a steep series of hairpins to Bairols beautifully straddling a craggy ridge. The streets were too narrow for cars and from the church the views were impressive. Alongside a memorial to the fallen of WW1 showed the devastating effect such carnage must have had on a small village and in particular two families who had lost several sons or husbands.
Above Roubion at a small ski centre I parked up on the lofty aire and then walked back down to the village which clung to the mountain side. The autumnal colours were stunning but the village very quiet apart from workmen digging up the cobbles to relay water pipes in what looked to be a very complex undertaking. The old wash house was interesting and many of the houses had carefully decorated doors and windows but seemed shut up for the winter. I walked out to inspect a via ferrata on the edge of the village but decided it would be foolish to attempt a solo trip and returned to the van for what would prove to be the coldest night so far - what would you expect at a ski resort...
Anyway with thermal screens in place, the heater for the evening and a double down bag overnight all was well.

However the snows left by Amelie had closed all the high passes so I dropped back via the remarkable Daluis Gorge passing through 17 tight tunnels before returning to Entrevaux for a shop and to use the laundry kiosk outside the store - all washing done and dried in under an hour for £8 - before I returned to Entrevaux station once more and admired a very clever two ball quad trailer that was secured rigidly behind a large camper - two castor wheels at the back rotated fully and incorporated suspension and loading was courtesy of two aluminium ramps.
Following the Dar Valley down to Nice I stayed off the motorways as tolls are surprisingly more for a high top van and enjoyed the coast road with its views of the sparkling Med.
Monaco was congested due to road works to the point that at one stage I turned round grateful to be only just over 5m in length as a road was closed off but I was soon over the border and in to Italy with no delay.
I then took two mountain roads across to Triora via Pigna and was again grateful for modest dimensions as some of the hairpins were too tight to get round on a first attempt. The 2.4l 5 cylinder engine that is so refined compared to my old 1.9ABL had plenty of power to cope with the long ascents and I was glad that my pre trip overhaul had seen new pads, discs and hoses for the brakes as they dealt with equally long descents.
Triora has a long history associated with witchcraft and more recently was a stronghold for the partisan resistance until Nazi troops succeeded in overpowering the cliff side village and destroyed many of its houses. Thus nowadays the narrow alleys and covered walkways have many collapsed houses but many people do live there and certainly properties were cheap - half reasonable doer uppers at £25k - if you fancy a challenge.
The aire above town behind I think a disused convent was simple and very quiet but more than adequate and I enjoyed a cosy night.
Again roads to the north were snowbound so I took the more direct route down to the Ligurian coast and joined the sea at San Remo. A nearby marina in Santo Steffano al Mare provided two cylinders of Campingaz at £23 each, not bad for a prime location but the cylinders have a different paint and labelling scheme to those in France and the UK so I hope they will be exchangeable elsewhere.
If my plans go as hoped I will be in Italy until early March after the last 8 weeks in France so it shouldn't be an issue for a while. Beyond that in Greece, Turkey and most of eastern Europe Campingaz won't be available anyway so I am likely to resort to the small genny I carry, hook up in the unlikely event that it is available or I have a plan to buy a local larger cylinder plus regulator and just keep that outside the van with the piping entering in through one of the drop vents in the gas cupboard that can then easily be linked up to the existing fixed pipe junction. 
Having dropped the thermostat down on the Truma from 70 to 50 (something I should have thought of ages ago) should mean each cylinder does a fortnight and warmer weather will mean less cooked food and less water heating. The option of a fixed refillable cylinder has been considered but I wouldn't want to reduce my already low ground clearance and the availability of filling points is something of a mixed bag in various countries so I guess the petrol in the genny is a useful catch all and will charge up the leisure battery as well.
Anyway back to the Med. where just outside the marina a parking area permitted overnight stays right next to the coastal cycle path for a very reasonable £8 (my first paid night in five weeks) so I pulled up overlooking the sea, pointed the solar panel to the south and took off on the bike for a 20 mile round trip to San Remo passing a marina on the way where a Saudi billionaire's yacht 'Kingdom 5KR was berthed dwarfing other million dollar and more vessels. The track passed through stylish San Remo and after a long illuminated tunnel finished at Ospedalettii that once held Grand Prix fixtures on a street circuit.

After returning to the van I watched a spectacular thunderstorm breaking out to sea and after dark walked around the marina where no one challenged me and millions of pounds of floating wealth sat rocking gently on the waters. Some were occupied and I reflected with some amusement that the presumably affluent occupants were still largely just sitting aboard with Saturday night telly for entertainment.

Yesterday I stopped in Albenga for a walk round its historic centre and on a fresh day was tempted by a cosy trattoria to indulge in an excellent pizza, profiteroles and coffee before heading a few miles up in to the hills to Zuccarello where I overnighted outside the village. The cloistered streets were deserted but surprisingly I did meet two old friends from near Brecon resting on a bench and walked up to the castello which lay high above the village.

Today I have left Liguria and entered the UNESCO titled part of Piedmonte so honoured due to its remarkable landscape of hills and valleys dominated by acres of yellowing vines. It has been a dampish day but tomorrow bodes well so I have taken advantage of a data passport to update the blog and will catch up on some TV tonight - I too can live the millionaire lifestyle!

Pics here.... enjoy.

Delights of the Ardeche, Heights in the Vercors

A cool cloudy day saw me labouring up to the top of Mt Aigoual passing a lean bare chested cyclist who arrived in a surprisingly short time after me at the 1567m summit. From there I descended to Florac and then left the Cevennes to enter the Ardeche region staying the night at Vosgues with its illuminated chateau. On the Tuesday (22/10/19) after the rain eased I took the VV down to Grosspierre the 40 mile trip being accomplished just before the weather closed in again.
I followed the Ardeche gorge through some torrential rain and dramatic thunderstorms before heading over to Le Cheynard where an empty lakeside aire was to be my base for a couple of days.
Sat almost at the junction of a Y shaped trio of VVs it was the perfect setting with just below me a massive weir resonating with the roar of the flooded river pouring over its edge.

However the next morning the storms had passed and a hot sun emerged encouraging me to cycle up to Lamastre on an enchantingly beautiful route.
Another fine day on the Friday gave me the opportunity to cycle right down to the swollen Rhone - a lovely almost constant descent through the gorge but of course a long uphill return.
On the Saturday I nipped in to town to get laundry done at the supermarket auto laundrette which even offered the option to be texted when the cycle had finished - is this the 'internet of things'?
Leaving the washing to dry in the van I then followed the 3rd arm of the trio to climb relentlessly up to St Greve, the reward being a 9 mile descent at a steady 18mph with no pedalling, I guessed this is what an electric bike would feel like so perhaps - one day. Current reservations around this move centre on weight - especially when lifting on to the rack and the need for mains power to charge up as an inverter off the leisure battery would soon stuff it!

Talking of weight I have been trying to minimise the overall weight of the van as it is near to its MTPLM figure of 2800 kg so left the spare larger and rarely used table and leg at home, some items of clothing, unnecessary books and other odds and sods but really I feel I am down to the minimum as I also carry quite a few 'get out of jail free' items such as the power pack, 12v winch, bottle jack, axle stands, trolley jack, generator, tools, service spares and the like. However I shed another few kilos by disposing of an unused insert cushion, replaced by a spare pillow and dispensed with one of the overhead bed boards that merely acted as a restraint for items in the overcab storage. I also now keep a few packets of dried food for emergencies rather than tins and endeavour to keep both water bottles full of clean water rather than keeping a litre of bottled water in the cupboard.

Over the years I feel I have refined the art of minimal living and feel confident that my low impact way of life is pretty environmentally friendly. My weekly water usage is about a tenth of the amount used per person per week in an average house, much of my electricity is from the solar panel, I tend to shop very locally producing little waste, most of which can be recycled  and whilst my gas costs are relatively high this is due to the exorbitant price of LPG rather than excessive consumption. Heating the van on the rare occasions it is required uses a very small amount of diesel and with the insulated windscreen and side window screens I stay very cosy. When cooking I tend to grill most food with saucepans sitting on the hob getting most of their heat from the grill below and much of the fridge power is generated whilst driving, although when parked up it uses a very small amount of gas. All my lighting is LED and the various devices I use are 12v USB rechargeable.
My annual mileage is slightly higher than the UK vehicle average but with an average MPG well above 40 in very mixed driving I feel that is acceptable as I have no other home based emissions.
My returns to the UK by air twice whilst away are hard to avoid, mainly as they are a condition of my post MI health insurance but I generally use Easyjet as they operate one of the most fuel efficient fleets and of course during those returns the van is sitting still.  I have looked at train travel but as an example Milan to Sheffield would cost £260 and take 20 hours each way - might be fun to do it one day though. Ironic though isn't it that I can fly home from Milan to Manchester for £20 but a train to Sheffield is then £28 and airport parking around £80....

Anyway that is for the future and after a very pleasant few days at Le Cheynard I moved down to Tournon back on the Rhone from where the Petit Train de l'Ardeche followed the gorges and valleys back up to Lamastre on the initial leg of my Y shaped cycling itinerary. The venerable steam engine was hissing away as people took photos and settled in to the wooden seating on the original carriages - I was glad to have brought a sit mat along although there were some very plush first class carriages available. In fact I rarely sat as you were able to ride outside on the carriage access which gave the best views as we climbed steadily through the mountains. The rhythmic clacking of the wheels and sedate pace made for a memorable journey with a half hour halt at the half way point. Here the bizarre velorail participants were waiting for us to clear the single track line before in a rather amusing and good natured convoy they all set off to pedal some 8 miles down hill in adapted carts.
Up at Lamastre we had 3 hours to explore the pretty town and enjoy a meal. I chose a smart bistro in the sun and later walked up to photograph an old Citroen I'd seen previously that looked similar to a friend's Morris Oxford.

The return journey was equally enjoyable and at the halfway point we stopped again and the mystery of how the pedal cars return was solved - in the funniest scene imaginable all the passengers return in one of two diesel powered rail cars with the fifty or so carts all linked together and trailing behind.



After a superb day I moved on towards the Vercors where at St Jean en Royans I stayed amongst 100 acres of walnuts at a free on farm aire where the following day I bought some walnut oil from the well stocked shop.
A stunning road through tight tunnels took me up Combe Laval to the Vercors plateau and my base for the next few days Font Des Urles a small village that has perhaps seen its skiing heyday.

I set off to walk over the limestone escarpment to the Ambles pasturage and took lunch at one of the mountain huts in the area. Similar to our much loved bothies back home these refuges are run by the local Department and provide free basic accommodation with a stove, compost loo and eating/sleeping areas. A generous supply of wood is provided and the interior felt very cosy as the previous night's inhabitants had had the stove lit. Across at the edge of the plateau was a simple shepherds hut - an A frame of timber and corrugated tin - but at this time of the year most of the flocks have been taken to lower pasture and the patou guard dogs with them. Thus over winter walkers are allowed to take their dogs to the area but only on leads as there is still the natural fauna of boar, chamois and deer to be protected.
I returned after 13 miles to the van where the solar panel had done its job leaving me with fully charged batteries and the prospect of a cosy night with the Eber needed for a couple of hours as we were at 1500m.
The following day was sunny and cloudless so I set off to a distant ridge and then its end summit with stunning views across the Vercors ranges - I had been here 30 years ago to tackle the Gouffre Berger away to the NE, at the time the deepest cave in Europe. I was lucky enough to capture a glimpse of a small group of chamois and a pair of eagles and returned as a chilly fog descended after 12 miles of energetic walking.

Yesterday I moved on to La Chapelle en Vercors to enjoy a lesser walk of 10 miles that took me up to a grand vantage point over the Grand Coulets - an impressive gorge with a now closed road that passed through more tunnels and under precarious overhangs. On the way down a cluster of fly agarics looked surreal under the pine trees. I had intended to stay at Lans en Vercors but when I arrived the aire's water and waste services had been removed so I returned to Villard De Lans and filled up from a very inefficient water pillar that required the use of an old washing machine flexi adapter sourced from a shop in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Down in the village the main run of shops was looking very festive with a combination of Halloween, All Saints Day, the onset of the winter ski season and Christmas all contributing to the scene.
I have now dropped in to Sassenages near Grenoble as unsettled weather has returned and seems likely to hang around over the holiday weekend. I hope to move up in to the Chartreuse when it clears as there are some 2000m peaks to be done but may squeeze in a bike ride along the Isere Valley tomorrow.
My intended visit to a friend's goat and bee farm in Italy may have to be delayed following damaging floods in the Alessandria area but if necessary I will call in after my return from the UK in mid December.
Beyond that we intend to visit Sardinia in the New Year as I continue a steady drift south.

Plenty more photos here and the odd location here.