it's been a long time!

Blogging was something strange that I fell into a few years ago. Looking back I was not too bad at it. With a bug NZ trip it was easy to fill pages and also lots of other things going on in our lives. 2023 and water has definitely flowed under bridges. Most significant are;

More grandchildren 

Moving South 

Covid

Diagnosis of me with Cancer

Alfriston to Newmarket Inn 14 miles

Weather set fair today and a promise of all day sunshine. Leaving the Pretty village of Alfriston behind we ascend for 2 miles high up onto the ridge. Views all around of hills fields and the sea, to our left. Just a gentle breeze today but hats and sunscreen a must. 170+ walkers soon spread out just leaving the track to small groups with the occasional dog walker and cyclist, coming from the other direction.......until we are confronted by a swarm of snaking green tea-shirts coming at us for the next 2 hours. This was the Macmillan Brighton to Eastbourne walking marathon. 26 miles is tough and almost 2000 starters set off from Brighton at 7am in the hope of making Eastbourne,  we believe, by 6pm. To be honest,  those we passed at Southease still had a 3 hour journey to Alfriston, their lunchstop, and then another 12 miles, over the Seven Sisters......no chance!
We had our first break on a ridge with mounds and my favorite, a trig point. Several had chosen this vantage point with its excellent views and natural seating inluding a mixed group of 15 years old Duke of Edinburgh do-ers. What is it they carry in their rucksacks? They are almost the same size as those trying to porter them. Yeah! I have got 4G service, uttered one of the lads, as if he had just found a bag of sweets.
On passing the transmitter at Firle hill and down a loop towards Southease before taking lunch at the excellent YHA. Refreshed, we crossed the railway line and the River Ouse before entering the village where most had taken their lunch break. A tap by the round spired church to replenish our bottle and on and up to a typical downland scene. Just 7 miles to go and views to die for, all around. Finally with aching feet we took our last break and then decended what seemed an everlasting path down into our stop for the day at Newmarket Inn. Not a pretty pub but nice pint of Harvey did the job before taking the last coach back to Shoreham.  Not a fast walk but thoroughly enjoyable. 

Last day almost.......culture

Auckland day to visit museums. Turned out our brains could only take the Maritime Museum before overload set in and the sun enticed us to the harbour. Only the second ice-cream of the trip and a lay in the giant deckchairs.
Back for a spruce up before last meal out to Speights Alehouse for a pie and a pint. Not a quiet night as Monday was quiz night and it was packed.
Last sleep looms

Driving Creek Railway and the infamous highway 309

Morning run/ walk in the early sunshine along the waterfront again. Took a punt on the weather and went over the mountains to near Coramandle for the narrow gauge mountain railway up to a Eyeful Tower.  Yes that's the right spelling, everything about this railway was querky! Built only a few decades ago it has twists and turns plus switchbacks to get this 15" gauge up to the top. Banks made of bottles and sculptures on every turn, thick bush takes you to a newish built tower for views over the coast towards Auckland.
Querky cafe just down the road for coffee and cake, same theme of statues and a structure made out of old bits of wood and corregated metal that doubled as a second  hand  bookshop.
Then, without telling Hettie, we took the 309 unsealed route back through the bush and over the mountains!  On the way and  into the Waterworks,........weird again. 3 acres of water things that get you wet, spin fast or are just plain silly.
Back on track as the skies opened to enter into the rainforest! Great scenery and narrow winding track that goes almost back to Whitianga.

The fying bike, I was on the other bike that spins round ,you both pedal, it gets higher and faster!

Go West to find the weather!

Wrong! Caravan hitched and off the Stowford Farm near Ilfracombe for a few days stopover on our way down to Cornwall.  Lovely site , facilities and views. Beds DA had a field for a few weeks and we joined a nice crowd on their first visit but our 2nd. This was our first venue with little Ethel, our first baby caravan where we quickly learned the ropes on a gusty night when our "free deal " awning parted company from the caravan at circa 3am. All was not lost as it was soon replaced by the dealer for a better quality, 3 season awning, rather than the 1 season we were given! This awning lasted us unit our caravan and all the contents were stolen a few years later........but that's another story for sometime soon!
Back to the holiday, the weather was a real mixed bag but never bad enough to be a washout, however my togs stayed in the drawer with just a few paddles with the inevitable pain from the sea that had no where near started to warm up above 10C.

Plenty of walks and plenty of breaks in the dullness to get out along the coast path near to Woolacombe.  Bracing air and stunning views with long sandy beaches and a surfer's paradise who unsurprisingly all wore wetsuits.
Leaving Devon behind for a 3 hour drive south to Falmouth,  or a small village just south of the harbour town. Met up with cousins in their caravan who had already  pitched on a somewhat steep slope with our slot reserved next to them on an even steeper slope. No problem though after the farmer bought us 2 concrete blocks in his tractor to level us up. With the nose scarily in the air and the rear buried in the bank, this was home for the week. New awning up and all was good. Plenty  to do as this was the week of the International Shanty Festival which we joined in on the Sunday.
Rain joined us too and apart from the those happy shanty singers on stage everyone was given a good old fashioned West Country ......soaking!

Being British, it didn't dampen spirits and we all enjoyed it more than we thought we would. Falmouth is a pleasant place with too many eating places and grockle shops for my liking and that in turn, attracts too many people. But... we found an excellent coast path walk via beaches and coffee n cake  stops to get it out of our system

Being this far west gave us the opportunity to head to The Lizard via the 6ft wide lanes where the rugged coast should have looked spectacular if only the sea fog would clear. National Trust owned, so free parking, we ventured out on another coast path walk to Marconi's communications hut  just 3 miles away, however.......closed Tuesdays of all things. Fog bound, we strained to imagine the scene below, crashing waves, seabirds swooping by, ships rounding  the treacherous headlands;but no, we couldn't see a thing but at least it was peaceful?.......no, not even that, foghorns were blaring out at all too regular intervals until, it suddenly lifted and they suddenly stopped !

A wonderful cliff-side cafe was waiting for us to take refreshments and take in the stunning vistas all around us.
We then moved on to the next National Trust bay at Kineance Cove, more free parking and a long walk down to the beach. Not content with this walk we took to the rugged coast path once again and a steep assent to get the best view back over the most southerly part of GB, fabulous!
Another cliff hugging cafe for coffee followed by a leisurely drive back to Falmouth.

Scrabble in the evening and Lesley almost won but for some reason the cousins dismissed her word "busty", not found in their 50 year old Oxford pocket dictionary. Day before departure "awnings down the day before" ready for the off back to Boddinick on the other-side of the Fowey esturary but still in Cornwall. Cousins parted 1st for Newquay and we followed to the superb site at Penharlen Farm. Nice facilities and a flat ground for pitching, just a few hundred yards from the small village centre, the Old Ferry Inn pub and a frequent ferry to Fowey. It was a really great location, steep hill back to the site excepted. A walk was needed on the first full day and took the Hall Path round to Pollruin. This fishing village looks a short distance away but by the time the path runs inland, due to an estuary, it was about 4 hilly miles. Another ferry over to the town of Fowey for a browse and a bite to eat before taking the Bodinick ferry back home.

Whitianga to Auckland

Tidied round after the morning 5km , drying sunshine and light breeze dried all the bedding.  Lunch at the Harbour cafe and watch the world go by , lots of world today, mainly getting boats off on on their trailers! Easter and everyone seems to making the most of the fine weather. Drove the coast road back to Auckland and arrived at 6pm
Great Auntie Lesley seemed a source of bewilderment for  cute Charlotte, here with Lucy and Anthony for a few days holiday.

 Good bye beach at Whitianga this morning

The Southdowns Way

Much has been done and much has been written about....Southdowns Way. Its been our ambition for many years to complete the whole distance, all at once. circa 105 miles in our allotted 9 days!
'Stan' has given us the opportunity to be based just under the downs and Footprints of Sussex have the ideal means of transporting us to and from each section of our walk. Every story told is of a personal reason perhaps like us, we have dabbled on the downs for more years than I can remember. As we become older we have time to consider that the body is not going to be fit enough for this, forever.
It is especially poignant now that we lost our best mate, Barry, to cancer just a few days ago and just a few months older than me, so this one is for him!

Scarlet Avenue

Wendover apartment for sale  and we are ready for our later-life move to nearer all the big children and grandchildren...........and back to our routes in the South! It is a lovely place and it will be missed, not only for it's cosy feeling but the outstanding nearness & beauty of our Wendover Woods with their all the year round charm. It's where we spend many a happy hour, walking and jogging, parkrunning and not-parkrunning. Here are a few of our pictures to remind us. We are on the market at a realistic price and looking for £170,000 towards our move. Yes we have done some considerable work inside but that was for us.....not to impress or add to the value as any improvements are subjective to those that take over. 

Its October 2020 and we know it could be difficult times to sell as it is strange times all round. Wendover is a lovely Village/ small town with traditional high street, ancient buildings that are full of character. Convenient for transport links with busses and frequent trains to London. Above all we love our Wendover Woods in the heart of the outstanding beauty of the Chilterns. If you are a walker, trail-runner, dog walker, Go-Aper or simply want to use the cafe.......you will find it hard to beat.All of these benefits are available right from the front door. So leave the car at home in its own marked parking slot, get out your trail shoes or take to the 6 mile bike trail from the convenience of the on-site secure bike store. 

It is now viewable virtually on Rightmove, Zoopla etc and being marketed by Brown & Merry in Wendover who would be delighted to show you round. We are lucky that we have an all year round static caravan near the coast so a quick move with 'vacant possession' is easily arranged.

Life in retirement ( for both of us)

Its going well, with allotment and caravan and despite the naff weather we are making the most of it.
A few days away, in our other home with wheels, in Watlington Oxon, proved a challenge. Weather was great but this was "wild caravaning" no hook-ups to civilisation and a flat battery after 2 nights meant the fridge wouldn't stay alight on the gas! So eat up things in the fridge.....but then the gas ran out. My fault, I knew it was a little low, still off to get refills for both bottles, buy another battery ( 110vA is big) . That's best part of £150.00. Still everything fine now, New awning is a success, once I repaired the the pole springs as 2 had no join springy bits ( not before Lesley gouged a lump out of her hand in the erection stage on said pole)

Very friendly group, the Aylesbury DA, coffee and bacon roll in the marquee we helped to put up on day 1 to helping us in our clear up. All fine until a snapping sound came from Lesley in the loo! Still nothing that a new Thetford cassette, ordered on line and fitted later this week, didn't fix. That's £85.00 gone, still it was only £8.00 per night and we catered for our self so no expensive pub meal! We tell ourselves! Next trip out is Devon and Cornwall sharing with cousins

Our apartment for sale

Wendy Woods at Wendover Woods?

Our local parkrun turns up some strange stats and strange participants. Yes Wendy Woods turned up at this week's event. She had travelled some distance with what must have been, an awful drive in appalling weather, just to run her 50th milestone at a place that sounded like her name! On a good day Wendover Woods are delightful, even 'The Hill' can be ok, but in the rain, mist and dim light, it can be quite daunting to say the least. It still amazes me how many turn up despite all of this and say they really enjoyed it. Oh I almost forgot to mention the 9am TV slot for the Rugby World Cup semi-final in Japan where England were bidding to get through to the final, only if they overhaul the favourites, New Zealand. Ten million watched the game and just think what the viewing figures would have been if they had played the game 2 hours later and look what they missed in the woods

Will it ever stop raining?

It's not every day but just seems like it. Rivers and streams are swollen and Autumn is definitely here. As if by magic,  on the day when no rain and just gentle breezes were required, that is just what we got!

Portsmouth, home to the Victory, the Spinacre Tower and the annual 10 mile Great South Run, was looking resplendent in the early morning sunshine. Some 20,000 + were gathered for the phased starts and the 'green wave' today were doing their usual pre-run photos, joining the loo-queues and general rounds of words of encouragement before the official warm-up.  Lesley was looking forward, and has been for several months, to this fith time run, of this event. 

Leaving the harbour for a mile walk to the meet up area where the early (and quicker) runners were to take their places in the the orange and white waves to do the loud disco-like warm-up. Being bag-man again I chose to offer  my encouragement at 3 spots around the 10 miles circuit so this involved a fair bit of in between walking from 1mile, 5 mile and 9 mile!

The app for GSR showed me exactly when Lesley was  approaching.  At 1 mile it was handing out a banana,  at 5 miles a picture 

and at 9 miles,  just encouragement!

All her team at OTR Aylesbury finished and team photos and beer were taken on Southsea Pier. An excellent result with a PB of 1hour 47 minutes put Lesley into good spirits and reward for all of her training. 

Rhossili , Gower Peninsular, South West Wales

Away in the caravan again and the opportunity crops up to drive a couple of hours and take a B&B in the Gower Peninsular, Rhossili to be precise. Its school holiday time and we leave with the van with our siblings, parked at the Forest of Dean and take the scenic drive, via the A40, Brecon and out eventually to the peninsular, skirting just north of Swansea. This cunningly avoids the city’s considerable congestion but follows the sat-nav on an exciting route where the hedgerows brush both wing mirrors and a lack of passing bays causes mayhem with several tests of my and others reversing skills until we are released onto the open moors! Driving across the moorland we notice a small gathering of cars in one of the several designated car parks. So being inquisitive we join the cars and look to see people either walking towards or away from a clump of rocks. Ten minutes later we are circling the rocky ‘dolmen’ and admiring the sea views of the Gower coast.

Our B&B is pre-booked and we meet the owner who shows us to the “Lundy” room where as promised we have a view of Lundy, in the far distance. Weather, like most of this summer, is set very fair indeed and it's not long before we take our first short walk to the spectacular 3-mile surfer's beach and back via the Worms Head pub before a sound night’s sleep.

The walk:  My new OS software has me plotting a circular…full day walk. Plenty of sea views were the plan and lots of those little light brown, close together, contour lines.  Plan A; Take the high ground first and the level Wales Coast Path back. In the morning we skipped the additional charge ‘continental’ breakfast on offer, we were reminded there was cereal but “no meat” the night before and felt we were in need of a walk inspiring bacon sandwich! The Bay Bistro, with the splendid sea view, was open and coffees and bacon sandwich were just the starter we needed. Leaving the bistro it was just a few hundred yards back through the churchyard and we were soon into a good 20 minutes of steep path ascending. It was worth it as the 360-degree views on Rhossili Downs were marvellous. Surfers were already catching the early surf, as they were last night in near darkness making us wonder if they ever go to bed? It must be so addictive as the wilder the weather the more they seem to be up for it. Today was far from wild; in fact, it was near perfect…for walking. It was soon clear that these hills were used for both ancient man and more modern man, with signs of burial mounds, cairns and the more recent, lookouts and workings of the 2^ndworld war. In the distance, towards Lundy, a solitary black cloud appeared from nowhere and sped towards us, and the rest of the ill-prepared walkers! At the last moment, we took refuge in a clump of rocks with our umbrellas raised and watched a heavy downpour come and go in a flash. That was that for the day…rather bizarre.  Wild horses, cattle and sheep graze the hills with their heads occasionally poking up from the ferns and gorse. The descent towards a large holiday caravan site is pretty steep and a large family group were on a mission to the top, some younger ones were almost running while mums and dads were gasping for air wishing they had taken up the new-year offer and joined a gym. We did our familiar (to us) zigzags down before making good use of the Hillend holiday site’s toilet and café for a cup of tea. Back to the walk and over the dunes to follow the coast path around the headland at Spaniards Rocks and another half- mile to Bluepool Corner where we diverted onto a marked footpath that takes us through a much more residential holiday site at Broughton Farm. Some statics were quite new and some obviously old but all were adorned with the paraphernalia of permanence. Gardens and lawns, neat and tidy, decking with table chairs and umbrellas, LED lights waiting for darkness and ornaments of every shape and size serving no purpose but to make the occupants and tack sellers smile!  We had just one thing on our mind…. well two; lunch and a pint. OS digital said it was up a small lane and in the middle of Llangennith village, just a mile or so away. The lane had Cornish like high banks with a Cornish like width. No traffic save for delivery trucks, caravan owners, couriers from every delivery company in Wales, Tractors, bikes and more couriers and of course Tesco click and go. All this seems to be the norm now with Internet shopping. It never ceases to amaze me how it pays to deliver a lightbulb with free delivery, all the way from China to a mobile home near Rhossili!  The Kings Head pub was where my new OS map software said it would be. It was next to the still-red telephone box, adjacent to the village hall and opposite the village shop…now a surfer’s loft that is catering for wet-suits and boards rather than milk and bread. It was early afternoon and a surprising number of customers were eating outside in the front garden. We soon joined them with our pint and awaited the food…perfect pub fodder, nothing fancy, was just right to revitalise ourselves for the walk back to Rhossili. 

We encountered another small lane to take us back to the caravan park at Hillend before the path skirted above the statics joining with the Welsh Coast path again. I couldn't resist chatting with one of the static occupiers that had a particularly nice location, elevated and towards the outskirts of the site. She said it was her dad’s and she was just going back after a lovely holiday. Us static dwellers have certain empathy! Walking on with the hills on your left and the bay, beach and sea on your right the flat sands looked tempting for a nice gentle jog but that had to wait until tomorrow! Almost exactly midway along the beach lays the Old Rectory. A group of several buildings from an old stone house to an obviously even older stable and courtyard area. We later learnt this was the rector's house that looked after 2 parishes, a common practice now but probably unusual then and was due to the low numbers of the population of both Rhossili and neighbouring, Llangennith. Obviously it would be ‘undiplomatic’ for the rector to live in either one of the parishes without upsetting his flock, so the house was erected midway between the 2 churches, that way, nobody was upset except the rector that never had a lie-in on a Sunday as he always had a good walk to his office, not pleasant on a gusty wet winter’s day. Incidentally, you could now rent this cottage for a holiday from its owners, the National Trust. Priced today around £2500.00 for a week in peak season for you and 6 guests. The pleasant flat coast path soon does what all good coast paths do and rises steeply back up into the village of Rhossili but not before it passes by an old stone industrial building that we learnt the next day from our National Trust guide, was a gunpowder store, not to be used in anger but to launch ropes from a harpoon type gun from the cliff in an attempt to rescue ships that had been blown into the bay during frequent storms. The walk ended with a pint at the Worms Head Hotel where we watched an amazing sunset from the cliff-edge beer garden taking the usual phone photos that proved once again to be not photo competition winners.

We give this village at least a 3-day visit without having to move your car or lodgings. One day could be spent on the beach and another walking out to Worms Head. Both of these would need the weather and Worms Head needs the low water tide during daylight, 3 hours either side otherwise the prospect of a night on the Worms Head is a real possibility!

Leave the car at home and take the train to Swansea from all over the UK and a 15-minute walk to the bus station where an approximately hourly bus takes you along the peninsular to Rhossili. Where we B&B ’d it even had a bus stop outside the gate!

Allow I hour + for the journey and always check the timetable first but they do run all day and well into the evening so shopping in Swansea, if that floats your boat, or perhaps a bus to Port –Eynon and 7 miles walk back via the coast path…now that’s more like it.

A 'cash-only' pub, The Chilterns and 24 Ramblers looking forward to a hill!

The day started early with the sun shining through Wendyhouse bedroom window. It was our walk-lead again and a longish drive to The Carriers Arms in Watlington. Look at BBC weather and take out the wet-proofs as just 2% chance of precipitations. Unexpectedly light traffic and we were in the car-park wondering if and who would turn up for our published "hilly" and "8 miles", a sure-fire statement these days to reduce the number of Ramblers!

But no, by 9.55 we were ready to go, menus browsed and choices made, toilet used and me well into a small speech about a Mayoral initiative to space-hop 32 miles around the 'Aylesbury Ring' when Lesley reappeared with an urgent request from the chef for those that had selected the meat-pie to make a further choice as to mashed or chipped potatoes? Sorry Mayor but it was either a lack of interest from our group or the interruption for pie-takers but we commenced the walk in an orderly manner straight up the road and into The Ridgeway. The walk today took in many of the elements we love about our area, Tracks, fields, Chilterns beech woods and special hilltop views.

The pub didn't disappoint, save for only one chef led to slow service for some but the prices were very reasonable food was 'typical' pub-grub and the novelty of a handing over cash slightly quaint!

Bring on the next walk!

Summer drought!

July 2018 and I haven't kept my blog going which is a real shame!

What a summer so far.....weeks of warm sunshine and no rain. The allotment is looking grim and when we are there we take gallons of water from home to give our thirsty veg a drink!

Eastbourne to Alfriston

Weather 1st thing was bright as we woke around 6am! Sunshine peeped through our new dark bedroom curtains. We drove into M&S car park by 8.15am and off to the hole in the wall to top up with cash for our expected stop offs. Coach just about on time and a good 20 or so walkers ready for the day walk.
Arrived at The Kiosk, Eastbourne having digested the Department of Health  'tick sheet' and realising we had everything with us....but no tweezers. No standing  on ceremony the coaches dropped the 170 or so walkers and off uphill to our first dilemma.  "Just follow the acorns" and we can't  get lost! The sign with an acorn clearly showed to go right but ours and others instinct  said no...go left.  So most went left but quite a few, right. This turned out to be the shorter 'Jevington ' route. Perhaps they turned around. We headed towards Beachy Head and Belle Toute, straight into the anoying head wind that has been blowing for too long now. Spots of rain but not enough to search our rucksack for wet-gear. Looking along the sparkling white cliffs, now basking in sunshine, it looked as if any morning showers were going inland. Wind was becoming very blustery at every peak on the Seven Sisters, making it difficult to stay upright so no cliff edge views today! First stop for us was a wee at Birling gap and lunch further on in a more sheltered spot. On the way we were treated to a stunning flypast by a Spitfire , just about flying at the same height as the cliffs! End of cliff walk was greeted by a classic view down to the river mouth at Cuckmere Haven. The beach and concrete road leading from the visitor centre was full of school children probably doing a similar school trip as we did some 50+ years ago. We met a few Chinese tourists en-route one young lady asking which  way to cliff? In excellent English. The SDW took a route over the fields before  leading back down to Exeat,  an excellent diversion from when we last walked the route. Coffee and cake in the small cafe before another uphill with only 3 miles to go. Lovely woodland walk now with shade from the warm sunshine. Stunning Sussex houses on the way to a tea stop at Litlington village hall where the ladies had prepared tea and homemade cakes for all of us that cared to stop.....all for the church roof fund or something! Just a mile along the river bank and into the Smugglers pub at Alfriston. Super pint of Harvey's and then onto the 4.15pm coach for the short ride back to our car. Day over...great time, great weather, great views!

Friday's nearly here

Travelled down to 'Stan' Wednesday night in light M25 traffic.
Thursday is the day to stock the cupboards and fridge for sandwich's and evening meals. The weather is still unsettled with overnight rain and strong winds in the day. Friday is now forecast  to be wet at first so macs at the ready. Even though it's election day we will try not to stay up for the results as we need to be underway fairly early (for us) to catch the coach to Eastbourne from our daily pick up spot at the Holmbush shopping centre.
Prepared for everything from wet, dry, hot, chilly, sometimes we know, all possible in one day, so we have a huge choice of socks, tops and bottoms, cover-ups and suncream, umbrellas and hats. The choice is mind-boggling and will needless to say, be our daily  breakfast discussion topic.

'Stan' our nightly retreat near Shoreham by Sea

A place in the country called Stan

A moment of madness or a very wise move, time will tell but.... its happened!
During a trip south in our faithful caravan we volunteered to look after several of the grandchildren. Not all at once but a dribble of one-at-a-time followed by swift changeovers of child and their baggage. It proved to be the undoing as we enjoyed it so much we felt a need to base ourselves occasionally,further south. So, park the caravan in a field for an extended stay? That would have been cheaper, but no, we fell for a static white box parked in a tranquil park under a particularly pretty part of the South-downs.

New Car or repair...........

It had been anticipated after minor thingy went on the front drive widget and a less than chearful Landy specialist's estimate of the replacement of the Freelander's weakness, somewhere whining, at the rear-end!
Booked it in after picking up our rental Fiat 500 that turned out to be a Renault Clio (why do you never get the car you booked)? On the way to pick-up eldest grandchild for a few days sabbatical following exams, the phoned estimate came through at £1500.00, this included a new expensive auto-wing mirror, so not bad and of course included VAT? Reminiscing, I could have bought all the cars I owned from the age of 17 to 25, that include a nearly new Ford Anglia 105e (£250), a yellow Morris 1100 (£350), a classic Morris Oxford (£50), a leaky windows Morris Mini Countryman (£300) and a nice metallic Ford Escort (£550). I suppose I was earning about £12.10s at 17 and about £20.00 after my apprenticeship and VAT had yet to be invented by Lord Barber in the Ted Heath government! Still, keeping the car was on our retirement list of "things we are not going to do" Changing cars, new caravan, new kitchen, new bathroom....the list goes on! Looking forward now to getting on with not doing things.

Back from the West

Penmarlan farm was also close to Polperro and the coast path that wends it way up and down to it. Parking at yet another Nation Trust carpark we discovered a peaceful campsite well worth remembering. Only drawback is the approach lane with a width approximately the same as our caravan. Path down to Lansallos beach was lined with activity logs, swing and see-saw, tempting the fool hardy (Lesley) to take part. This time we turned right and followed the coast path for several miles before taking a circular route back to our car. The next day we turned right to take the coast path all the way to Polperro where a few grockles were milling in the now, heavy rain. Sheltered in an excellent cafe for dinner before walking around the harbour and back to the coast path before retracing our steps.

Despite a little mizzel on the way back the path was beautiful with wild flowers in abundance. Well earned stop and a cold paddle at the secluded Lansallos beach before finding the car and back to Penmarlen Farm.
Next day was an awning down before a drive back half way to Somerset, avoiding the mass exodus from Glastonbury. Strange little site in the middle of nowhere but just 6 miles from the A303. This was our route back home in the morning, ensuring we get back in time for football.............!