Autumnal Activities

On a damp Sunday afternoon I drove through the forest to check out Nant Rhys bothy where all was well - touch wood last year's spell of bothy misuse has abated, I guess those who failed to behave responsibly for the common good by respecting Covid restrictions are also less likely to respect the bothy ethos of simple unlocked shelters available to all. The amount of gear and rubbish people leave behind continues to amaze me and is I guess another sign of our buy cheap, use it once society.

Anyway my faith in the vast majority of people was as always restored by the friendship, laughter and generosity of the Wales Area Mountain Bothies Association team of volunteers over the next week at the Nant Syddion bothy work party.

 

This began later that afternoon when I met Martin and his family who had made a special journey up from Swansea to deliver a remarkable array of tools, materials and equipment which we carried down the steep path to the bothy storage area. Two substantial 5.4m joists completed the load after which they set off for home leaving me to enjoy a peaceful night tucked away further up the track.

On Monday morning I swept and sanitised the bothy before removing the various patches of loose plaster on some walls and ceilings before starting to sugar soap and scrub all the walls and ceilings prior to painting. Others arrived sporadically later that day and late Monday night as the fuel shortage had impacted on travel plans and whilst Wales was relatively unaffected those on long drives from as far as Portsmouth and Brighton were understandably reluctant to risk a stranding in rural Wales which has limited availability at the best of times.

Over the next few days gutters were cleared and renewed, walls and ceilings patched and painted, a new front door installed and perhaps most dramatically the two new joists installed by fearless Phil our very competent joiner. With a deadline to accomplish most tasks by the following Saturday we put in many hours with the evenings dedicated to food, drink and reflecting on the memories of the last year or so.

Starting with the completion of the barn roof above the Pennant Valley in Snowdonia in late Spring, sweltering in the heat at Dulyn over the summer, moving on to the post shuttering horrors of Penrhos bothy above Dolgellau and now refreshing Nant Syddion we have as a group achieved a remarkable amount.

So a huge thanks to Tony our Area Organiser and the Maintenance Organisers who put many hours in to ensuring that tools, materials and volunteers all arrived in sufficient numbers and at the appropriate times and locations - fantastic work guys and a privilege to be part of it.

With much of the work done we left Richard to keep an eye on all our gear as we headed off to Newbridge on Wye for our First Aid Training Session at MWMAC. With the mountain road closed we made good progress via main roads and arrived on time for an excellent day with Danny from MediArb - as good a First Aid Trainer as you could ask to meet - 07939669115.

He covered the basics along the lines of DRSABC and added in scenarios and solutions to our specific exposure to working in remote areas as well as allowing plenty of hands on practice with dressings and disturbingly realistic prosthetic limbs. He also extolled the virtues of AED's and hemostatic granules such as Celox in catastrophic bleed control. The advice re crush injuries was also of great interest to our team particularly following the (to some of us) unnerving installation of the joists a day or two earlier.

We headed home with some of the team scurrying around for a few more litres of fuel - I was grateful to have a full tank, 600 mile range and nowhere to get back to anyway - and arrived back long after dark, glad that we had deferred our Area Meeting until the following morning.

At this meeting we decided to purchase upgraded first aid kits in the light of Danny's recommendations and planned our future works. Then it was back to the here and now and with most people due to head off  later that day we sorted out all the kit, loaded up vehicles and said our goodbyes.

A much diminished but still enthusiastic team put the final coats of paint on anything that didn't move and yet again another of our precious buildings was brought up to standard.

I moved on via Llangurig and Lower Chapel spending a memorable night bang beneath the old Severn bridge before collecting a new leisure battery in Bristol and heading down to Frome to fit it the following day before Pete and I enjoyed a sunny ride round Wiltshire including Alfred's Tower and Stourhead. On our return leg we watched as a tree felling nearly went badly wrong at a local church.

Returning to Bristol where Mandy had arrived on the train from Sheffield we stayed on the CAMHC site in the centre at Baltic Wharf as we had tickets for the SS Great Britain the following day. Access was complicated by construction work reinforcing the banks of the Avon but the location of the site gave us an easy walk in to Bristol centre where large numbers were enjoying the spell of fine weather.

 

The SS GB experience is a must do with the enormous vessel cleverly displayed in a floating dock allowing you to get right up close to the spectacular hull, enjoy the recreation of life on board and learn of the remarkable scale and depths of Brunel's achievements in the recent Brunel shed addition.

With much left to see we departed for Portishead, showering and changing en route ready for an evening with friends and an excellent meal at Aqua on the marina. Saturday saw an early departure as were due in Frome by 10am and somewhat annoyingly got caught out by the Bath LEZ scheme which is both poorly signed and administered - it was impossible to check if we had incurred a £9 penalty so paid anyway to avoid this increasing to £60 and more. I am a great supporter of these initiatives but they should be fairly imposed and probably apply to private cars as well - but then of course they are driven by the voters.......

 

Whilst Mandy enjoyed the delights of Frome, Dale, Pete and I tackled a number of tracks and trails over and around the Deverills before a night of pizzas and pints. After a Sunday group walk we departed for another memorable night high up on Win Green at Cranborne Chase and walked the tops on a sunny day admiring the hang gliders soaring overhead.

Later we arrived at our destination for the next 3 nights at a small 'members only' campsite near Ringwood in the New Forest . We were taken along a forest track to a delightful clearing and told to pitch where we liked with water available nearby and settled down at what I would say is the best site I've stayed on in England. We had it to ourselves and could walk or ride straight out in to the Forest as there were no boundaries which heralded the arrival of some ponies the following morning in a vain search for breakfast leftovers.

 

The Forest has endless miles of good cycling which we thoroughly enjoyed over the next couple of days with the autumn colours, ponies, donkeys and pigs adding to the experience. In Brockenhurst we had lunch in a sunny hotel garden and were astounded later in Lyndhurst to see even second hand Ferraris starting at £289k - a disgrace in a world with so much need.

The Lamb Inn at Nomansland did a good meal at lunchtime as we cycled in an area I had last explored forty years ago whilst training as a student nurse at nearby Calmore before returning for a final night at this perfect pitch.

A short run over to Weymouth allowed us to meet Pete and Nina who had brought their RV down from Derbyshire for an MOT and service so we caught up over pizzas in the site's cafe - the Red Barn - after a walk down to the lagoon trapped by the shingle of Chesil Beach.

On the Friday we parked up at the Hardy Monument before cycling the bridle and cycle paths down to Weymouth and then across to Portland where a huge new mould had just arrived by sea at the Sunseeker International boatyard. A steep climb up to the quarries gave good views along Chesil beach before we dropped down to Portland Bill for a look at the lighthouse and resolved one day to stay at the  Pulpit Inn, which allows overnighting in the car park, for a sunset. The long climb back up to the ridge nearly did for us so we moved on to near Honiton and stayed in the Golden Pond Chinese Restaurant car park, a slightly strange experience but convenient enough and very peaceful. By then we had resolved the Hardy conundrum - two Hardys are linked to Dorset, one related to Nelson's demise and later the renowned author.

 

After a very enjoyable spin along the Grand Western Canal from Tiverton to Westleigh, the current limit of restoration, we headed across Exmoor to Lynton for a couple of days taking advantage of the dry ground conditions to be tucked away in the meadow. Greg and Alex have had a successful season with guests in both the annexe and shepherd's hut and we joined them and a friend for a night at the local theatre in the town hall for a clever interpretation of the 'Louisa' incident . This told the story of the heroic hauling, by people and horses, of the Lynmouth lifeboat over Countisbury Hill and down in to Porlock to assist a vessel in distress.

Sunday saw us walk over to the Hunters Inn at Heddon's Mouth for a cream tea having spotted the Lynton and Barnstaple steam train puffing it's way north. That evening we enjoyed an excellent tapas evening at The Oak Room - well worth checking out.

On a rainy Monday we had a quick look round both Lyns before a quick night up on the Mendips at Priddy as a prelude to revisiting the SS GB in Bristol once more to see everything else and walk around the Floating Harbour. A night outside Newport in stormy weather at the Lighthouse Inn was eased by the flood defences providing shelter and in blustery sunshine the following morning we walked along the top looking across to many of the places we had visited in recent days.

 

A night at Talybont broke the journey to Brecon where we dined well at Mike and Claire's house, joined by Crad and Dawn. Badminton and the Bond film in Brecon took us to the weekend where we had booked to stay in the Forest Of Dean on another small site a few miles above Monmouth. This gave us access to the cycle track from Coleford down to Parkend and en route we heard steam whistles in the valley below. These belonged to a steam roller and traction engine that were heading to Parkend to join in the Covid delayed 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Forest of Dean Heritage Railway. It was a great atmosphere and their achievements were due to that same level of generosity, enthusiasm and determination to get things done as we enjoy amongst the bothy volunteers. A lovely variety of tracks and trails took us up to Cinderford and back round to the site for a quiet night before a similar ride on Sunday where we heard but didn't see the wild boar. Wetter weather on Monday saw us walking over to Clearwell and its privately owned castle with a warming pint in the cosy pub much appreciated before a better day on Tuesday encouraged us to cycle down to Monmouth, take the trail along the river to Symonds Yat and then climb steeply to Yat Rock for its remarkable views of the meandering Wye.

Finally we returned to Brecon for another visit and fitted in a group spin round the Usk reservoir above Trecastle before returning to Sheffield for a charity event which went very well.

I have now returned south again to fit the door wiring loom to the van, change the fuel filter, upgrade headlamp bulbs and get the diesel heater serviced as with luck and Covid booster permitting I will be heading to Portugal in a little over a month. Yesterday I explored a corner of the Beacons new to me - the Clydach gorge looking stunning in Autumn colours and after a night in Sennybridge tonight head off in to mid Wales for the weekend.

 

 A plethora of piccies sit here...

September Surprises

The car park of the Sycamore Inn between New Mills and Hayfield provided an enormous, well sheltered camping spot from which to tackle the remaining sections of the Pennine Bridle Way - the pub ask that you have a drink or meal and their food was excellent and served by delightful staff.

I set off towards Buxton but on a badly eroded ascending gully met three idiots on ebikes careering down the narrow path, one just missed me, I jumped out of the way for the second but the third slammed in to my front wheel. On expressing the opinion that they should be more considerate towards other users and slow down I received an Anglo Saxon tirade after which they shot off. At the top of the push I discovered that the latter genius had knocked my wheel well out of shape - cheers guys.

Thanks to having disc brakes I was able to ride it though and continued south on a good mix of tracks, trails and minor roads. As the southern sections of the PBW are well known to me I decided to pick up the Monsal trail instead and head down towards Bakewell and then over to Bamford from where my digital railcard enabled me to get a ticket for the train back to New Mills and the short ride back along the Sett Valley Trail for a good meal in the pub.

The following day I headed north to Broadbottom and took the Trans Pennine Trail back through Penistone in to Sheffield stopping en route at a great little snack bar in a converted horse box. As Mandy had an unexpected few days extra free she drove us both back over for another good meal and quiet night at The Sycamore.

 

The helpful landlord allowed us to leave her car there and we skirted Manchester to park up at the Ship Inn at Downholland on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal for a couple of days good riding using the canal, the old railway lines and coastal cycle paths to explore the area. Up at Southport we cycled to the end of the pier where an ice cream van in an old Citroen van wasn't quite what it seemed - look at the wheels.

 

That morning we had had trouble unlocking a recently bought D lock that secured both bikes so we returned it to Halfords and bought a sturdy padlock locally from the most disorganised hardware store before returning for a well earned pint in the canal side pub garden.

The canal took us south towards Bootle where a large terrapin sunbathing on a raft of reeds provided interest and amusement before we followed a trail towards Liverpool. Unfortunately my derailleur had not been running right since, on reflection, the meeting with the ebike and decided to fail. I removed it and shortened the chain to give me a rideable gear for the flat terrain and we headed out to Crosby to see the art installation 'Another Place' which was very impressive.

As the tide receded we walked the two mile stretch of beach that contains a 100 of these statues before returning to base along the old railway line.

 

A bright idea developed to avoid tedious driving and parking in Liverpool - again using our railcard we took the commuter train in to the city from Formby which had free secure parking (and no 'No Overnighting' signs incidentally) and for a few quid each were dropped at Moorfields Station just a few minutes walk from the waterfront. We decided to take the Mersey ferry which now carries few commuters and instead has rebranded itself as a docks tour boat and enjoyed the views of a graceful cruise ship, the Liver building and the new museum as well as the drama of a very smart chopper making numerous landings for scenes in the next series of the BBC's Silent Witness.

 

Across at Birkenhead we disembarked for a couple of hours there peering in to the Uboat museum and enjoying a Thai meal in the cafe before catching the ferry back which took us past the shipyards and returned with good views across to the city's two cathedrals.

The train had us back to the van in time to get round Manchester to New Mills before rush hour which I then sat out for a couple of hours and had a swift journey across to the cheap and basic site at Northrop near Flint which enabled me to wash the bike, fill up with water and clean the bathroom.

A steady run down to Coed y Brenin north of Dolgellau, passed Llyn Celyn which was very low, and I collected a key to give me access in to the forest for our work party at Penrhos bothy.

Here the security team from Alfa were being assisted by our Area Organiser to remove the shuttering and padlocks that had been necessary to keep Covidiots out of the place last year after some lockdown vandalism. The bothy is dark at the best of times but a year of closure had seen mould grow on the walls and windows, a layer of dust and debris accumulate on most surfaces and the place looking a bit run down with some damage to windows and internal doors.

 

Thus a list was made of the cleaning, repair and decorating materials and equipment we would need and I headed off in to Dolgellau to get them leaving Tony to sweep out. The builders and farmers merchants between them provided the bulk of our needs and I returned to spray all walls, ceilings and painted surfaces with Jeyes fluid before we called it a day and left the doors and windows open to get things dried out.

So as at Dulyn bothy in August we spent the next few days washing the surfaces with sugar soap to prepare for painting, doing the actual painting , starting upstairs, and repairing the damaged windows and doors using the skills and tools of Chris and Martin, the latter having fetched in a remarkable array of equipment all the way from Swansea.

Slowly the place brightened up, the walls shone, new glazing sparkled and the floors gleamed although slightly unsettled weather meant we were working around it with regard to external glossing.Three of us were occupying our vans and two were tenting giving the bothy time to air and the odd walker dropped by to admire the work done. By the Monday we had really made a difference so I decided to head off and return to Brecon to play badminton for the first time in two years, staying in the town centre car park I have used on and off for 15 years.

I called at Lower Chapel to assess the bike and managed to straighten out the wheel using the bike rack as a mount and a small screwdriver to identify the points of distortion. I then ordered a new derailleur and chain but as delivery was delayed turned my attention to replacing a failed brake light bulb that required some dismantling of the van wardrobe shelving to gain access. I then decided to head off  back to Brecon and visit the new Y Gaer library and museum. This project had overrun and gone well over budget and in my opinion there was little to show for it with a museum that lacked the sophistication of the many others I have visited this last year. However it is early days for the site and certainly the library will be popular with children and families.

Neither the cinema nor theatre were open so I treated myself to an excellent pizza instead and slept well in the quiet corner.

On Sunday from above Talgarth I walked over to the small bothy in the Black Mountains where apart from a small amount of rubbish all was well although as the stove lacked a regulator it popped rather dramatically. There had been a rave further down the valley a couple of weeks previously but I don't think they had got as far as our tiny hut.

 

Gliders were taking advantage of the thermals and a northerly wind as I returned and then drove round to Hay on Wye for a night in the main car park alongside a couple of other vans.

On the Monday I dropped a note through the door where I hoped the friend I cycled round Nepal with for 6 weeks in 1987 still lived and then enjoyed a good look round the enchanting town. Hay Castle is being restored at long last and I walked down the Wye watching various canoeists on the slow moving water.

Dave made contact and came to find me - he plays table tennis on Mondays and invited me to tag along so somewhat unexpectedly I ended up in the same theatre space that in recent years I had given HUBB presentations at Clyro Court. Later we returned to Hay and the Blue Boar Inn and enjoyed a long session of catching up having not been in touch for almost twenty years.

As I left next morning I noted an issue with my windows so decided to investigate later and returned to Lower Chapel to fit the now arrived bike parts. This was fairly straightforward and I began to inspect the van's wiring loom where it passes through bellows in the crook of the door. An alarming electrical fizz could be heard so I disconnected the battery, removed door and dash trims and managed to expose the loom and unpick the outer covering.

Of the maybe twenty wires that link window, mirror and central locking switches or motors four were severed, and eight had breaks in the insulation. Thus I carefully bared the wires for rejoining with connectors, taped up the damaged insulation and carefully returned everything to find all well for now.

Next day I was meeting a friend at Talybont who'd just come back from a cracking trip round Ireland and suggested to Jan that she could take her paddle board from there back to Brecon. Crad had enjoyed a memorable trip and Jan managed to reach Brecon before later that evening we went down to badminton to meet the crowd I'd last seen two years ago. We played a shortened session and only had a quick pint as Jan and Ian were off next morning to London for the Chelsea Flower Show.

Next morning they left early and I fed and watered the various animals before returning to the issue of the van wiring - whilst this van is lovely and really comfortable I did prefer the simplicity of my previous one with manual doors, mirrors and windows. I looked online for a replacement loom but figured second hand ones would be heading the same way so contacted TPS who supply OEM parts to VW. They said there was only one left in the UK at the VW central parts warehouse in Milton Keynes and after that was gone it would be a discontinued item so I asked to buy it only to be told that they can only supply to the trade.

Thus I rang the VW commercial van centre in Swansea and spoke to the parts manager - remarkably after twelve years he recognised my name and said 'you're the guy who shipped a van to New Zealand....'. In fact I'd had a spare key supplied by them and on the day of heading to Southampton to get the van loaded in to a container after our Brecon Beast Mountain Bike event had discovered that it had been wrongly coded and wouldn't overcome the immobiliser so had had to head down there in something of a panic to get it done properly. Anyway after a chat he said he'd happily order the loom and pass it on to me at cost price and I hope a friend from Swansea will bring it up to our forthcoming work party next week.

Yesterday I visited the bothy in the Elan valley as part of a catch up with my brother - the reservoir was the lowest I've seen it so we were able to collect bottles and cans from the shore to add to the few removed from the bothy and then enjoyed a light lunch at the excellent Penbont Tearooms half way round the dams.

My final night in Brecon linked the experiences of the last week in a neat way as I attended a fund raising dinner in the Brecon Guildhall organised by the Nepali families of Gurkha soldiers who have a long association with the town. Singing, dancing, music and superb Nepali cooking made for a memorable evening with generous bids at the auction, a successful raffle and  great company.

So I'm now at Llangurig for one night before heading to Nant Syddion bothy where a group of us will spend a week getting the place back on track - it has been a bit neglected in recent years and seen some abuse so we hope to work our magic again. There is a hitch on fuel availability which may affect people's journeys and the closure of the Cwmystwyth road will mean longer journeys for those stalwarts coming from the south. This will also add to our journey times next Saturday for our First Aid Training session near Builth but I'm sure our loyal and resourceful team will overcome the hiccups.

Piccies here

As I will be out of communication for much of the next week you can spy on me using this link to the

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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.