Day 12

Day 12 Dorchester to Farnham 82 miles.

Wake at our leisure, cereal tea and coffee. Sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. Its going to be a scorcher.

Damo has already left for work so we hitch up and say our goodbyes to Tori, who has very kindly replenished our home baked bread supplies. Hit the road about midday, I decide to ignore just the one satnav today so should be an easy run.

Halfway or so, bacon butties and coffee in yet another layby then roll into Farnham around 2.30.

This is another CL booked at the last minute as we werent sure when we would be arriving. Located in Sands, a rather affluent area of Farnham this looks like another cracker.

Up a tiny mud track from the road and into a forest. We are the only people here tonight and its total seclusion. Although the nearest house is only I suppose a few hundred yards away it cant be seen from where we are pitched.

Seclusion.

Quickly set up then off to Sisters for tea. An excellent homemade curry, apple and plum crumble followed by a view of Jupiter and her moons through Ians new telescope.

Back to the caravan, get mum settled, write this then off to bed to be prepared for the Farnham food festival tomorrow. No idea what it is but the word food in the title is good enough for me.

Day 10 and 11

Day 10 and 11 Swansea to Dorchester 172 miles

As a means of catching up I will combine two days into one.

Not much to say about the journey to Dorchester boring motorways for most of it. Luckily as we were leaving Wales there was no toll to pay over the Severn. In a bid to make it a little more exciting I used two sat navs and my extensive geographical knowledge of the south west. Least said about the route the better, but we arrive at Damien towers around 16.00


Dick `o th Banks Road.

And no I didnt make that up.


We are here to meet up with old family friends, John, his wife Val and his two sons Dan and Damien. Havent seen them for a long long time. We are expecting more tears.

Damien lives in a fabulous house with his wife Tori and her grandmother who they care for, and their lovely kids Isaac and Mary. We are pitched in the drive for a couple of days.


John and Val come over from Dorchester and Dan from London for the night. Barbecue time. Huge amounts of seared meat  and bread. Proper man food. Hours of reminiscing and old photos. Quite a lot of wine too I think. Real top quality night, hope we dont leave it so long this time.

Awake to Bacon and toast cooked on the aga, then off to Weymouth for the day. Cream teas on top of Portland and a walk round the old artillery emplacements. Amazing views over Chesil Beach and the olympics site.

Back to Damos and out for Dinner.

This visit was probably more about me than Mum. Was so good to see how well Dan and Damo have done for themselves. Both in good jobs with great families, wont go into too much detail here but these two days have been the high spot of the trip for me.

Day 9

Day 9 Three cliffs Bay Park Swansea.

Whoopee!!

Mum seems to have mastered the door. Lie in till 9.30. Feels like a holiday now.

Sausage eggs beans and toast, tea, coffee seems like a good start to the day.

Today we have decided to walk down to the beach. After all its only a couple of hundred feet away, as the stone falls. Mum smothered in sun cream and wearing her best cap, Sarah and me resplendent in check shirts,  shorts and walking shoes. You`d never guess we are tourists, we do like to blend in.

The walk down is not too bad, about an hour give or take and mum very proud if a little tired but not too sure that she understands we have to go back up again. Sit on the beach for an hour or so, take some photos of stepping stones and even more wonderful views then its time to return.

Luckily I know a short cut.

The fact that my short cut was about twice as far and three times as steep will not be discussed here.

After bravely battling brambles, sand, rocks and gravity we managed to navigate Mum up a path that has defeated Bear Grylls, Sherpa Tensing and Ranulf Fiennes and back to the caravan.

Fully revived by tea and showers we think we have earned some dinner. King Alfred it is then, where I hope to find a signal and get this uploaded.

Tomorrow we leave early 172 miles to Dorchester to see family friends who we havent seen for many many years, they live in the road with the best name I have ever heard.

Running a little behind. but now I have a decent connection I will post more tomorrow. promise.

Day 8

Day 8 Three cliffs Bay Park Swansea

Please please please.

As a pleasant break from the normal cries for help Mum this morning switched to a quiet refrain of pleases. Released once again from the toilet and ready for breakfast.

Cereal, bacon and eggs, tea and coffee. Another couple of days of this and I`m going to need an HGV license to move us all around.

Still find it hard to believe we have such a spectacular view from the van. Three Cliffs Bay is constantly altering, as the light and tide change so do the shape and appearance of the bay. Hard to describe in words but I hope when I get a chance to upload some more photos I can show what I mean. Truly a beautiful place. Mum has already decided we will come back next year.

Lazy day today, a little shopping, Mum looking very stylish in her new coat. Managed to upload a few pictures then back to the van for tea.

Beef in red wine with dumplings, cooked for 3 hours and eaten in the awning under a rapidly clearing sky. Very well recieved even if I say so myself.

First pictures

Just managed to upload the first lot of pictures from my phone, hopefully get the ones up from the camera soon. you can see them from the links on the left.

Enjoy!!

First pics Three cliffs.

Our view today

Tide coming in to the bay

Wheres my dinner

Home smoked duck, raspberry jus, thats better.

First pics New Quay

Our view today

New Quays famous £1.20 shop

This was a result of......

......this.

Out on border patrol.

First pics Dolgellau

Cadair Idris hiding in the clouds.

The Arousal cafe. No I dont know either.

One of Archies signs.

I touched them. Repeatedly.

First pics Chester.

Snapper blending in with the ground

Chester Fairoaks site

Day 7

Day 7 New Quay to Penmaen 65 miles (My route nearer 75)


Help Help.

Help Help.

Time to get up then.

Cereal Bacon rolls and coffee. Good start to the day. The well oiled highly trained machine that is Jon and Sarah leaps into action and we are packed up and ready to rock n roll in a matter of minutes. Snapper waves goodbye to the goats and we hit the road once more bound for the south coast.

As usual I decide to play route roulette and punch the postcode into my now 5 yrs out of date satnav, and then choose to ignore most of the directions as i know so much better. There are some beautiful B roads in South Wales some of them suitable for caravans, some not so suitable.I can safely say my towing skills have greatly improved today, and we would like to apologise to all the people who were late for church.

The sight we are heading toward today is the one I am most excited about, winner of various odd awards "best view from a campsite(UK) 2006" among them. The site overlooks 3 cliffs bay about 10 miles west of Swansea. After 8 miles of very slow moving traffic we arrive about 2.00 and are guided onto the field. Warden asks "do you want a front pitch"I`ve no idea what shes talking about so of course I say yes.

WOW

PIcture this if you will, from the front of the caravan we have about 15 feet  of grass, then a cliff drops maybe 150-200 feet down to a beautiful sandy cove. Why anyone would choose a pitch at the back of the site and miss the view I will never know.

Mum`s off. Round the site up and down chatting and telling everyone how lovely everything is while we set up. Think shes going to like it here.

Out for Dinner tonight. Pub recommended by the warden "The King Arthur" Just when you thought this place couldnt get any better, dinner to die for in a charming old pub. Home smoked Duck with a raspberry jus, braised lamb shank with rosemary and red wine reduction and a chargrilled chicken Caeser. Proper fresh veg and hand cut chips, all beautifully cooked and presented, that`ll do nicely.

Back to the van for a glass or two of red I think.


Posting whenever I can get a connection at the moment. please be patient with me.


As ever pics to follow...

Day 6

Day 6 Llainfran House CL Nanternis, New Quay

Awoke to the now familiar cries of HELP HELP from the smallest room, and the relieved look on Mums face as she is once again liberated.

Light breakfast of cereal and/or toast with lashings of tea and coffee.

Took the dog down to the dog walk area where she had her first close up meeting with a live goat. After their initial Mexican standoff through the fence she barked, once. Goat took off as fast as its little legs would carry it, till......THWACK......its reached the limit of its chain and much to the amusement of the other goats completed an amazing if not very stylish back flip. This has been my personal high spot of the holiday so far.

Off to New Quay for dinner. Two Haddock and one Plaice and chips. Top quality proper sea side food and absolutely huge portions followed by a walk round the small harbour with an Ice Cream, didnt quite manage the doughnuts.

Spent a couple of hours up and down the tiny streets, found out that Dylan Thomas wrote Under Milk Wood here, did a little bit of shopping including the £1.20 shop, I kid you not, and back to the car.

Took a little detour on the way back to the van and just by chance happened upon Cymtydu a tiny village in a cove once used by smugglers. Had a very bracing stroll on the pebble beach watching the waves break on the cliffs either side, apparently regularly visited by seals and dolphins but all we saw were seagulls and a slightly overweight Jack Russell.

On the way back to the car and we hear a call of "bloody hell what you doing here". Its an old friend from my days up north. Havent seen him for four or five years. Hes with a gang of 16 who have rented a huge house to celebrate a fourtieth birthday. Small world.

Back to the caravan to dry out and Mum went off to do her perimeter patrol and hedge inspection. I am sure given a sharp implement of some kind the hedge would be gone. Somehow Mum managed to polish off a small ham salad and G&T to round off the day.

Tomorrow we depart for the south coast of Wales and a site that I believe has wifi so hopefully will upload some photos.

Day 5

Day 5 Dolgellau to New Quay 65 miles

Lovely lie in till 9.00 this morning!

Start the day with home cured bacon, hand made pork and leek sausages and free range eggs. It would appear the site owner is actually called Archie not Jasper and a real character he is too. No idea where I got the name Jasper from. Had the site for 30 years and never advertised so he seems to be getting it right. Highly recomended site if you like scenery or walking.

Lasting memories of our short stay in Dolgellau?

A man with a huge grey beard wearing a cape riding through the town on a vintage Schwinn bicycle, Archie`s sheepdogs riding pillion on his quad and a Hercules flying over the caravan at about 100ft then dropping into the valley below.

Depart at noon for the drive to New Quay.

Mountains and valleys all the way to Aberystwyth then the roads level out a little as the sea hoves into view. Just past New Quay to Nanternis. This site is a Caravan Club certified location, a privately owned site of no more than 5 pitches that attains a certain standard for certification. Just us and 2 other vans and spectacular views to the sea a mile or so away. Again pictures to follow.

Mum very excited about the goats.

Like poetry in motion Sarah and I have everything set up and the kettle on in 20 minutes, then a quick visit to town for a little shopping. New Quay looks like a picture postcard fishing village, all brightly painted houses and steep tiny streets. Decide to return tomorow for fish and chips... and ice cream... and doughnuts... I think we may like it here.

Day 4

Day 4 Cefn Maelan Caravan Park, Dolgellau.

Great nights sleep. Not a peep from mum till 8.00 this morning when Her faint cries of Help Help alerted us to the fact that she still hasn`t quite mastered the toilet door.

Finished the last of the bread with just a little bacon to help it along.

Now the clouds have lifted and the sun is starting to break through we can really appreciate the amazing views from this site. Across the valley to Cadair Idris is truly spectacular. There will be photos as soon as we find a pigeon strong enough to carry them to the border.

We decide on a day out in Barmouth. Well I do.

On the way a quick stop at the GeorgeIII in Penmaenmawr for a couple of photos then over the old wooden toll bridge and on to Barmouth, scene of many many holidays from a very young age right up till my early 20`s.

It hasn`t changed a bit.  Mum remembered a lot of it, so on the way back we took a slight detour up the mountain and past the converted chapel where we used to stay. Probably one of the steepest and narrowest roads in the world but well worth it. The chapel stirred a few memories too....photos to follow.

Tea tonight was some absolutely amazing local lamb fillet with roast veg and new potatoes. Just thought I would mention that.

Day 3

Day 3 Ellesmere Port to Dolgellau 65 miles.

Another odd night last night. Mum pacing up and down the caravan at 4.00 this morning. At each end of the tour stop and touch the wall and then back the other way. As she seemed to be sleep walking thought it best to see if it passed. 20 minutes later managed to steer her back to bed. Back under the covers and fast asleep in a few minutes.

Another hearty breakfast. Only one day of home made bread left, may have to try in the caravan oven unless anyone between Dolgellau and New Quay fancies making us some?

Brief stop at Bala Lake, still as beautiful as I remember, and also still as wet and windy so only a very brief stop.


Dolgellau site was randomly selected on Google Earth so we approach it with a little trepidation....



....even with the gale force winds and clouds its an absolutely wonderful site. Stunning views over the valley to Cadair Idris and no other sign of habitation in any direction.Only us and one other van on site. Very brief chat with the site owner Jasper a man very proud of his campsite,spotless showers and toilets but still surrounded by sheep. Lamb for breakfast then?

As soon as we get some kind of internet there will be some photos. At the Moment we have to send blog posts via pigeon to the English border then by royal mail to the internet in London.

Day 2

Day 2. Chester Fairoaks Caravan site.

Tired today.

Mum had a very restless night last night, to be expected I suppose. Up at about 2.00ish calling out "help help help" Somehow she`d managed to turn off the night light and had lost all sense of where she was. Light back on and settled again till about 4.00. Standing in the doorway saying "I need paper" over and over. Managed to steer her back to bed and she settled then. Think she was sleep walking, something that has happened before.

Anyway, we all managed to have a decent lie in then sausages in home made rolls. Great start to the day.

After the excitement of yesterday decided to laze around in the van and have a couple of little strolls out with the dog. No need to cook today invited out to eat chilli in Heswall.

Mum seems a lot more settled now, just hope the move to Dolgellau tomorrow doesn't unsettle her too much, if so we may have to rethink the itinerary a little.

AND THEY`RE OFF

Day 1. 140 miles Harborough To Ellesmere Port.

Departed Harborough at 9.00 ish. First stop, layby, Bacon Butties. Lovely.

On site and all set up by 13.30 drinking coffee and eating Sarahs famous chocolate cakes.

This afternoon we have a little treat for mum, a visit with Peter a very close friend from her teaching days. Been telling Mum about this visit for a while now but she`s still unsure as to where we are and where we are going. I`m sure it will sink in when she sees him.

Back in the car and drive down to Cefn Mawr near Wrexham, right next to the fabulous Pontcysyllte aqueduct built in 1805 by Thomas Telford to take the Llangollen canal over the river Dee. We pull up at Peters house and and it all comes back to Mum. Laughter, tears and screams of delight

Peter and Sandy give us the guided tour of their fabulous cottage, library my favourite, cant remember the last time I saw a room with so much "stuff " in it. Sandy is a very keen quilter and we admired a lot of her work.Out for dinner to the Poachers Pocket, a local Hostelry beside the canal where Peter, an excellent story teller, regaled us with tales of his times working with Mum at Padgate college. Haven't seen her so happy in ages.

Back to the caravan about 8ish. G&T for Mum, a splendid Rioja for me and a nice cuppa for Sarah. A great day was had by all.

Just received a text from younger sis after mums visit at the weekend. She has located the missing julienne slicer in the garden blunt and muddy. Well at least we have found out what mum was using for the attack on her borders.

THE BAG.

Sorry about the sporadic nature of my blogs of late, but been a bit busy writing a lot of lists of things in preparation for a little sojourn I have been planning. All properly researched now and entered into a spreadsheet. Nice and tidy so what can go wrong, two weeks in a caravan with a miserable old semi lame dog, Mum and me. I really do feel sorry for Sarah.

Mum woke up very upset Sunday. Again we struggled to get to the bottom of the cause, she kept mentioning "how terrible it was yesterday"  But couldnt let us know what it was. She did leave  her bag in the pub the day before and had to go back for it. All we could guess was she remembered the feeling of panic but not the cause. The Bag has to go everywhere with Mum. It contains 3 sets of keys, a huge assortment of tissues, several address books all containing the same numbers and various other ephemera. If it is ever misplaced the world must stop till they are reunited. Breakfast and several cups of tea later and she is coming round and seems ok.

Anyway, packed a bag and bundled a still slightly confused Mum into the car and off to Sisters for a frankly marvelous roast dinner, Mum is staying for a couple of days so Sis is hiding all the garden implements, scissors, knives and anything Mum could use for a campaign against the plants. The ride in the car and dinner has perked Mum up no end so Sarah and I escape for a couple of days peace, and some furious list making on my part.


Almost forgot to mention, "THE BAG" can clearly be seen in the above photo with mum in Thurstaston on the Wirral, and yes that sky colour is real!

 

Her Absent Mind

Quick entry to wish @Beeeze many congratulations for her excellent blog her absent mind hitting 10,000 views. Pop over and have a read I think you may enjoy it.