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A few Pics from the start of our South West trip

7K views 253 replies 10 participants last post by  barryd 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
The first week is in no particular order. Cotswolds, Bath, Glastonbury. Already managed to clock up nearly 300 miles on the new bike and it's going in for its first 600-mile service in Yeovil this morning. Exclusively stayed on CL sites and the best one so far was four nights on a secluded basic CL about five miles east of Bath which I almost felt guilty about paying just a fiver a night. Met some Witches in Glastonbury yesterday, Michelle climbed up the Tor then we had a ride up and down the Cheddar Gorge. Jubilee stuff going on everywhere was good and a free music festival at Midomer Norton. Off to the Dorset coast later after the bike gets serviced.

The weather has been ok but not exactly scorchio but the main gripe is the amount of traffic down here. I think two years of Covid and biking around the North York Dales and Cumbria as well as last years-long trip to the Yorkshire coast, Arran, and the Lake District I forgot just how busy it is down here.












td bank hours today

 
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#3 ·
Excuse me, more importantly how is Hank doing ?:giggle:

Terry
 
#5 ·
I was going to say Hanks doing alright but a couple of times today he played up. Started alright this morning but I've noticed sometimes once warm it turns over a bit too long and sounds different to it used to and I thought today when leaving the the bike shop it wasn't going to start as I could feel the battery slowing down turning it over. It did though so maybe it's just a knackered battery. Hopefully. Anyway I just kept it running even when we were getting water at the next cl, parked up and disconnected the battery. I'll worry about it when we move on.

Now on the remotest and quietest cl ever. Between Bridport and Lyme Regis. Just like wild camping really and finally after a week we are at the coast. Still too busy for my liking though.



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#6 ·
I was going to say Hanks doing alright but a couple of times today he played up. Started alright this morning but I've noticed sometimes once warm it turns over a bit too long and sounds different to it used to and I thought today when leaving the the bike shop it wasn't going to start as I could feel the battery slowing down turning it over. It did though so maybe it's just a knackered battery. Hopefully. Anyway I just kept it running even when we were getting water at the next cl, parked up and disconnected the battery. I'll worry about it when we move on.

Now on the remotest and quietest cl ever. Between Bridport and Lyme Regis. Just like wild camping really and finally after a week we are at the coast. Still too busy for my liking though.


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Are you looking for fossils ?

I suspect that sentence may invite some comments, but I actually mean of the Trilobite type.

There is a new museum in Lyme Regis about Mary Anning - the woman who first realised the importance of fossils in the Lyme Regis - Charmouth area.
 
#8 ·
Is that Arlington Row in Bibury in your OP Barry? The 6th one down?

We got married in The Swan Hotel in Bibury. We lived in Cirencester for a number of years and in north Wilts before that. The Cotswolds is a lovely part of the world.
 
#14 ·
Don't think I'll be venturing on the beach or cliffs Dave. Knees are bad and a touch of gout. I'll warn michelle about the cliffs though

Bloody weather. It's now chucking it down.
Have you encountered “Double Devon Drizzle” yet in your travels ?

Really fine rain that is difficult to see, but that has the ability to penetrate any andALL supposedly waterproof clothing. Once encountered, never forgotten.

It was the bane of many walks with school children on Dartmoor and Exmoor - they inevitably ended up wet to the skin even without falling into the Dartmoor streams which can be raging torrents…..
 
#12 ·
Before Liz I went out with a lass from down there, Street, but she had a place in the centre of Glastonbury, she was a Pagan Goddess, a really nice woman, but it was doomed because she couldn't leave and I didn't want to move, shame, still in touch.
 
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#13 ·
You are giving me itchy feet Barry haven't seriously been out in the van for over 4 years now. Previous to that it was touring Europe and Maroc for 5 months every winter for 7 years. Thanks for the jolt.

I know what you mean though about it being busy. If you want to get away from the crowds visit Mid Wales on your way back up north. Powys one of the largest counties in England and Wales has a population density of 26 people/per sq kilometer, (Cumbria 76/ sq kilometer, Yorkshire 376/sq kilometer.)

Mind you a hell of a lot of sheep. Give you EHU for a night or 2 if you want to chance our lane in Hank. Best do a reccy on the scooter.
 
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#15 ·
Thanks for the offer but I suspect we will find enough to occupy us in the southwest for a while yet. As for the narrow lanes I don't think it would be possible to get the van down anything narrower than the lane to this place we are at now. There was foliage stuck in both wing mirrors when we parked up. See last pic. No wonder we have it to ourselves. It's such a lovely spot we have decided to stay on until Monday now and just branch out further afield from here on the bike. Michelle managed to walk from Seatown to West Bay yesterday over two huge cliffs. She's not done any walking for a while but it was no problem for her. Went to Lyme Regis which was a vast improvement on Bridport. Nice place. Weather not so great today but not too bad a forecast for the next few days.

No Drizzle yet Dave but plenty of showers. Bright sunshine one minute, raining the next.

Posting on my phone but I'll see if I can post some more pics in a mo.
 
#18 ·
Mrs GMJ is a big fan of Lyme Regis. We are off to Charmouth in a few weeks time so will have at least 1 day trip there. We go by bus though as Mrs GMJ wouldn't be comfortable driving nor being a passenger on a scooter unfortunately.:(
 
#19 ·
Probably wise down here. Driving and more importantly parking a motorhome won't be that easy. A lot of the back roads are almost as bad as that one pictured above. Sadly the main roads are horribly busy. Off to Axminster this afternoon down the goat tracks then back to Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Donkey sanctuary, Sidmouth, Beer and Branscombe tomorrow but on the bike from here. Better forecast after today. Bit dull now.
 
#21 ·
Try this for models

 
#23 ·
Quite a lot of flashing lights airside Dave, you must have flashed through it too fast, as you didn't have time to watch it all.
 
#25 ·
Every vehicle airside should have flashing orange lights, aircraft should have white flashing on tail and red and green lights on wingtips AFAIK.

No I did not watch it all, but was VERY impressed with what I saw (about 5 minutes).
 
#24 ·
I have a snorkel and mask somewhere Dave but I'm not sure they are in the van. It's about 10c too cold for even contemplating going in the sea though.

We have been to the donkey sanctuary before of course. Motorhome Fruitcakes raised a fair bit of cash for them and we adopted one. I think it's dead now. :(

We have been this way before but it's a while now. I came for a week on my own in 2016 I think and stayed with dear old Tuggers.

At Axminster now outside Tesco's. Back roads to here just literally went up into the clouds. Couldn't see anything. Clear now but a bit grim. Axminster sounds nicer than it actually is. :D
 
#26 ·
Agree totally, don’t waste your time and money visiting Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, I had a lousy meal there with atrocious service and not even an apology. His shop is VERY over-priced, I preferred going to Rick Stein in Padstow, great meals there and excellent service !
 
#27 ·
We used to watch Hugh Whitting-Fearnleystall on TV years ago in his Cottage thing then he started getting too far up his own arse and we dumped him.
 
#29 ·
If you go past the Branscombe turning and continue on the A3052 in the direction of Exeter, there is a village called Newton Poppleford (I could explain the meaning of the name - it’s based on the Devon name for pebbles or poppies) at the end (going towards Exeter) of the village on the right hand side, painted white called “Southern Cross Guest House”. It has been there for more than 50 years that I KNOW of….. I first went there as an 18 year old student at Exeter Uni., my71 was back in March.

Their cream tea is probably the best in the West Country, with fresh made, often hot, scones the size of saucers, a mountain of clotted cream and about half a pot of home made strawberry jam. My mouth is drooling just thinking how many of those I have slavered over……

Then starts the typical debate about Devon or Cornwall, which goes on first, the jam or the cream ?

My son (now 6’ 7” + 1 extra that he refuses to admit to ! ) always tried hard to finish the cream by piling it very high.

He failed and not just because if they saw you getting low, they bring more !

Worth the detour, booking is always best, otherwise you may have to queue, but it’s well worth it……

 
#31 ·
Surely the jam has to go on first or it'd not stay on top of the cream if you did that first..
 
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#33 ·
Just makes sense to me, jam last would end up all over my shirt I think.
 
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#34 ·
Few more pics. Sorry if some are reposts. Lovely day yesterday after Thursday was a bit grim. Did about 60 miles out on the bike with a first proper foray into Devon. Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Branscombe and Beer and back to Lyme Regis. Got into bother with two irate jobsworths at Branscombe for parking on the grass (never saw the sign at foot level). Bloody hell! you would think I had streaked naked in front of the WI's annual day out or something. Welcome to Devon! Staying on here until Monday now as its so Idyllic, Still only us on the CL. The two down in the village near the busy road are full. Nobody wants to come up here to paradise it seems.

Michelle is off to walk from Charmouth to Seatown or West Bay shortly over the highest point on the entire south coast. The Golden Cap.








 
#36 ·
Looks like some Fugly scrote is going to nick your bike too.
 
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#37 ·
Michelle should enjoy the walk from Charmouth to Seatown as the view from the top is to die for, if the weather is good. On a clear day you can see an awful lot of sea as well as great views inland.

Branscombe jobsworths does not surprise me at all, bear in mind they elected Stuart Hughes as a Councillor - he was a member of the Monster Raving Loony Party but actually, became an extremely efficient councillor ever since although sadly, he later defected to the Conservatives and has represented them ever since.

But that sums up the intelligence level of many East Devon residents. The people of Branscombe also benefitted considerably, although unofficially from the shipwreck….. A lot of houses acquired new furniture, curtains and the like from some of the containers….. The pub also did a roaring trade supplying sustenance to the “visitors” at the time.
 
#38 ·
It was bizarre but quite funny Dave. I don't know who they were. Maybe to do with the cafe or something. They weren't in any official uniform or anything. They literally came running across to the grass shouting at me. :D one was really rude but I quite enjoyed that as I just wound him up even more by being polite and suggesting that he should maybe see someone about his attitude problem and this wasn't a very nice way to treat new tourists to Devon. :D

I think in 14 years I've only had bother parking the bike twice. There and once up the coast from Bordeaux where I parked on some yellow lines out of the way near a beach and some woman came over and told me off for parking there. Guess what? She was English.

Anyway Michelle had a good walk and got to the top no problem. I'll post the pics later.
 
#39 ·
Few pics from earlier and this afternoon. Pretty good day. I even managed to get the chairs and the guitar out at our secret wild (CL) spot when Michelle was out walking. There was some kind of vintage Steam show on in West Bay when we trundled in this afternoon. Top tip of the day. Do not buy Fish n Chips in West Bay. Disgusting frozen over priced rubbish. :D

Treated Jan to a video call tour of the van and our CL earlier also.















 
#40 ·
It’s not Dorset Steam Fair time yet - that’s August 25 - 29 and will be packed, but those give a real idea of the attraction of these, almost living, engines. Great little models, which probably take as much, if not more, engineering skill to make - they start of as chunks of metal, no kits for these - thousands of hours of work for each.

Sorry, should have warned you about Tourist Tat - the food served at the coast, IMO, is not worth buying with one exception; the Cornish Pasty shop in Tintagel, Cornwall - they serve great pasties.

So, are you planning on staying in the Charmouth area for a few more days then ?
 
#41 ·
Rest day tomorrow Dave then a 77 mile hop across to another hidden away CL near Salcombe in Devon on Monday. Our plan is just to find little hidden gems like this as and stay as long as we like until we feel like moving. The more remote and isolated the better as the bike will take us 30 to 40 miles in any direction. Hoping to get the kayak out down near Salcombe. Way too rough and windy here. I don't have an issue with a bit of a swell but breakers are a pia as I inevitably fall in getting off the beach plus with my knees I need to be within a very short distance to the water. Slipway at Salcombe.
 
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