What have you done with your California today?

Borris · Jun 26, 2020

4x4 joker said:
There’s a nice pub with a small campsite near cats back, showers electric hook up if you need it. Amazing food.
The bridge inn Michaelchurch ecsley, don’t know if they will be open.
Pitches are just in car park by a little stream nothing fancy, nice for one or two nights.

Fantastic, thanks for the info. :thumb

soulstyledevon · Jun 26, 2020

Wiggly Woo said:
Anyone on here using theirs as a fight support vehicle at Ogmore yesterday? Seriously I hope your Cali wasn’t damaged by the appalling behaviour (under any circumstances) and you were ok?View attachment 61586
Ogmore-by-Sea: Two detained after mass brawl on beach https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53186920

That’s insane.
I’ve spent the last 20 plus years surfing that area and never seen it that busy...

Total shambles, why would you pull up and stay around with all those other people? How is that an enjoyable day out?

Only way this silliness is going to end is to stop Furlough...!!!
Whilst people are being payed not to work, they think it’s one big holiday.
#endfurlough

BeagleMum · Jun 26, 2020

Borris said:
I know you are Elly. I failed to acknowledge that in my previous post. Sorry.

If we do go anywhere for any length of time it will probably be back to the Herefordshire/Welsh border area. It's not a tourist hotspot in fact it's quite the reverse. We have had very many holidays in that area over the years and it never fails to delight. Walking along the Hergest Ridge above Kington is quite superb. A picnic above Kington Golf course on the National Trust land is highly recommended. The views are breathtaking.

View attachment 61592
Hergest Ridge - I nicked this image from the interweb but maintain that no photo could ever do it justice.

Hay on Wye, the Gospel Pass, The Cat's Back, the Black Mountains, Wenlock Edge, the Long Mynd, NT's Carding Mill Valley, glorious Wales and much more are all just an easy drive away. However I can see places like Carding Mill Valley being rammed if the weather is anywhere near half decent.

View attachment 61593

The Cat's Back is a ridge that you can walk along with views that are stunning. There is a very nice circuitous route from the car park

P.s Don't tell anyone else.

Agree absolutely Boris it’s a lovely underrated area. We love CMV & the L M, an easy hour & a half drive for us so makes a great day trip. We avoid it from June through to when schools go back, we prefer it in solitude :thumb

soulstyledevon · Jun 26, 2020

Hats off to the National Trust today.
Limited numbers, pre-book only. Everyone had plenty of space to enjoy the great weather.

Charlecote for a stroll.

T6 CFO · Jun 26, 2020

Home in North Devon to Porlock.
Lovely walk but the return journey was spectacular.

Shown is the route from Porlock to the A361. 22 miles of single track and not for the nervous. Most of the route had passing points but not all of it.

Some lovely spots for a picnic and I shall be returning for a stop over as there are plenty of good spots.

Route was google maps.

Mike

Elly Swanson · Jun 26, 2020

willwander said:
Swindon?

Would be interested to find what Swindon has to offer in other ways, apart from being in Wiltshire.

Elly Swanson · Jun 26, 2020

Karlos said:
Yes I agree Elly, I would love to go to Cornwall for the week we are off in July before the kids break up officially but I think it will be too busy so we are thinking of going further north.

We’re close to the Peak District which is being decimated at the moment. I’ve always been a bit of an eco-warrior and never thought I’d ever hear myself saying, “oh please, just put more flights on!”

Elly Swanson · Jun 26, 2020

Borris said:
I know you are Elly. I failed to acknowledge that in my previous post. Sorry.

If we do go anywhere for any length of time it will probably be back to the Herefordshire/Welsh border area. It's not a tourist hotspot in fact it's quite the reverse. We have had very many holidays in that area over the years and it never fails to delight. Walking along the Hergest Ridge above Kington is quite superb. A picnic above Kington Golf course on the National Trust land is highly recommended. The views are breathtaking.

View attachment 61592
Hergest Ridge - I nicked this image from the interweb but maintain that no photo could ever do it justice.

Hay on Wye, the Gospel Pass, The Cat's Back, the Black Mountains, Wenlock Edge, the Long Mynd, NT's Carding Mill Valley, glorious Wales and much more are all just an easy drive away. However I can see places like Carding Mill Valley being rammed if the weather is anywhere near half decent.

View attachment 61593

The Cat's Back is a ridge that you can walk along with views that are stunning. There is a very nice circuitous route from the car park

P.s Don't tell anyone else.

I think you’re amongst friends, Boris.

We’ll all see you up there. Bring your own ale and in the words of the scouse comedian, Tom O’Connor When the fight starts I’ll “mind the ale lads”.

Benh76 · Jun 26, 2020

T6 CFO said:
Home in North Devon to Porlock.
Lovely walk but the return journey was spectacular.

Shown is the route from Porlock to the A361. 22 miles of single track and not for the nervous. Most of the route had passing points but not all of it.

Some lovely spots for a picnic and I shall be returning for a stop over as there are plenty of good spots.

Route was google maps.

Mike

Love Porlock, the hill is nerve racking on the way down and love the run off areas at every switchback lol

The view are great once at the top and normally lots of ponies/horses.

T6 CFO · Jun 26, 2020

Benh76 said:
Love Porlock, the hill is nerve racking on the way down and love the run off areas at every switchback lol

The view are great once at the top and normally lots of ponies/horses.

Sadly I didn’t have Timeline switched on in Google. Looking at this again I didn’t take the normal route as shown on the A39 but went off piste leaving Porlock.
I was going to turn round as it looked like it might become impossible,, foolishly but luckily it wasn’t.
I’ll retrace the route another time with the Timeline on. Didn’t take as much attention to place names as my eyes were on the lookout for approaching vehicles. There were only two in 22 miles and they gave me a 2nd look.

There were some long horned Aberdeen Angus running wild.

Mike

soulstyledevon · Jun 26, 2020

@T6 CFO
Do they still have the toll on Porlock...?

T6 CFO · Jun 26, 2020

soulstyledevon said:
@T6 CFO
Do they still have the toll on Porlock...?

I saw a toll signposted on the way there, a different route. Didn’t take it as I was on a time schedule to meet my son for a walk. Took the off piste route back.
The signs says it’s still there, I’ll be checking that out as well sometime.

Mike

BeagleMum · Jun 26, 2020

soulstyledevon said:
Hats off to the National Trust today.
Limited numbers, pre-book only. Everyone had plenty of space to enjoy the great weather.

Charlecote for a stroll.
View attachment 61612

View attachment 61613

Agreed.
We’ve been to 5 N T properties in the last 3 weeks, another 2 booked for next week. All have been brilliantly managed.

Vagophile · Jun 27, 2020

T6 CFO said:
Sadly I didn’t have Timeline switched on in Google. Looking at this again I didn’t take the normal route as shown on the A39 but went off piste leaving Porlock.
I was going to turn round as it looked like it might become impossible,, foolishly but luckily it wasn’t.
I’ll retrace the route another time with the Timeline on. Didn’t take as much attention to place names as my eyes were on the lookout for approaching vehicles. There were only two in 22 miles and they gave me a 2nd look.

There were some long horned Aberdeen Angus running wild.

Mike

That's a good route you have shown, I've been in that area in the past (car and caravan) and think I've travelled your route by car.
If the cattle you saw had horns, they weren't Aberdeen Angus. That breed is naturally polled, i.e. don't have horns.

WelshGas · Jun 27, 2020

What have I done?
Gazed at my California, but I'll get to drive it later when I go to the Farm Shop to pick up our Fruit & veg order.

T6 CFO · Jun 27, 2020

Vagophile said:
That's a good route you have shown, I've been in that area in the past (car and caravan) and think I've travelled your route by car.
If the cattle you saw had horns, they weren't Aberdeen Angus. That breed is naturally polled, i.e. don't have horns.

Thanks and your quite right Evidently Exmoor Highland cattle.

Described as placid and they were.

Mike

Jontymo · Jun 27, 2020

Trip to Bridlington for lunch followed by a beach walk, now chilling out listening to Glastonbury on the radio waiting for the Chinese to open. First time away since losing our doggie last week, much easier but really missing our old girl.

Jodalo · Jun 27, 2020

Jontymo said:
Trip to Bridlington for lunch followed by a beach walk, now chilling out listening to Glastonbury on the radio waiting for the Chinese to open. First time away since losing our doggie last week, much easier but really missing our old girl.
View attachment 61680

Feel for you. We become so attached to them.

Doorbundle · Jun 27, 2020

One of those jobs we'll 'get round to'.....
Fitted the worktop protectors, at last!

Elly Swanson · Jun 27, 2020

Jontymo said:
Trip to Bridlington for lunch followed by a beach walk, now chilling out listening to Glastonbury on the radio waiting for the Chinese to open. First time away since losing our doggie last week, much easier but really missing our old girl.
View attachment 61680 View attachment 61681

I’m sure you’ll miss her desperately. You’ll have lots of wonderful memories though.

BeagleMum · Jun 27, 2020

Jontymo said:
Trip to Bridlington for lunch followed by a beach walk, now chilling out listening to Glastonbury on the radio waiting for the Chinese to open. First time away since losing our doggie last week, much easier but really missing our old girl.
View attachment 61680 View attachment 61681S

Very sorry to hear about you losing your lovely girl, it’s heartbreaking when you lose them, they’re part of the family.

Elly Swanson · Jun 27, 2020

BeagleMum said:
Very sorry to hear about you losing your lovely girl, it’s heartbreaking when you lose them, they’re part of the family.

We got our dog Barney as a pup when our Jack Russell, Jack was 11 and started to age (we got him as a rescue when he was 10 and had lived with another dog but had led a vile and horrid life up until then). Although Barney was a total annoyance to Jack it was so interesting to see their “friendship“ develop and fascinating later on to see the position of top dog change as Jack got older.

Our plan to introduce Barn to give Jack a new lease of life worked because he lived to a ripe old age of 19. He wasn’t ill , just wore out. It hit Barnie hard and when we first went campervanning afterwards Barney refused to leave the van and we’d have to drag round for a walk. It was like he thought we‘d left Jack behind.

It’s 3 years on now and Barney’s still reluctant at the start of a walk from the van. So it’s not just us humans who miss them.

Jontymo · Jun 28, 2020

Elly Swanson said:
We got our dog Barney as a pup when our Jack Russell, Jack was 11 and started to age (we got him as a rescue when he was 10 and had lived with another dog but had led a vile and horrid life up until then). Although Barney was a total annoyance to Jack it was so interesting to see their “friendship“ develop and fascinating later on to see the position of top dog change as Jack got older.

Our plan to introduce Barn to give Jack a new lease of life worked because he lived to a ripe old age of 19. He wasn’t ill , just wore out. It hit Barnie hard and when we first went campervanning afterwards Barney refused to leave the van and we’d have to drag round for a walk. It was like he thought we‘d left Jack behind.

It’s 3 years on now and Barney’s still reluctant at the start of a walk from the van. So it’s not just us humans who miss them.

Yep its incredibly hard, we got Bella from a farm in Wales aged 4 during the harsh winter of 2009 when she had been kept in a kennel outside, she was to be a friend to our other rescue Jack Russel - Max, who we got from Manchester dogs home in 2008. We lost Max aged 12 last year in April which hit us massively but hit Bella really hard even though they never seemed to get on.
Its the first time we have been without kids and dogs ever!

We are now trying to get on by using the Cali following the slight release of lockdown and having a lot more freedom and have just booked the Chunnel to France for August, still feels wrong but heyho it will get easier I'm sure.

Elly Swanson · Jun 28, 2020

Jontymo said:
Yep its incredibly hard, we got Bella from a farm in Wales aged 4 during the harsh winter of 2009 when she had been kept in a kennel outside, she was to be a friend to our other rescue Jack Russel - Max, who we got from Manchester dogs home in 2008. We lost Max aged 12 last year in April which hit us massively but hit Bella really hard even though they never seemed to get on.
Its the first time we have been without kids and dogs ever!

We are now trying to get on by using the Cali following the slight release of lockdown and having a lot more freedom and have just booked the Chunnel to France for August, still feels wrong but heyho it will get easier I'm sure.

I’m sure it’ll feel really weird, but the happy and funny memories will always be with you. They’ll bring a tear to your eye at the same time as you have a smile on your face. I’m sat here with my eyes leaking like someone’s turned a tap on in my head!

Volkywagen · Jun 28, 2020

Took a trip to Cannock chase today. Well what a hidden gem that place is. I really didn’t know it accommodated so well for mountain bikes. I’ll be washing the cobwebs off the cruz next weekend and hitting it hard