Here we go again, just as you think you have a plan the goal posts move. Our plan was to stay at Dulverton then move on to Minehead, then cheddar and then into Wales before finally ending up at site ready to start work in March.

Just as we were getting comfortable at Dulverton and loving every minute of the peace and quiet, the sound of the river, the walks, the biking. We even planned on going to the pub for a substantial meal and a beer or two next week. I think it’s the first time we have been to the Dulverton site and not been to the pub.

The wardens told us all the club sites are closing on the 26th and we have to leave. Gutted. The club does have some sites open for waifs and strays like us but the nearest was up near Birmingham and we don’t really like the site. So we decided to come back to south molton so we are still able to see Nikki’s mum. We will spend two weeks here and see what Boris is going to do with the country then but we’re not holding our breath.

A couple of days ago We went to church, not to pray or nick the lead off the roof just to take some photos at night I wanted to do some in black and white. Then on the way back we popped in the fish and chip shop to get some tea to take home.

The village really does a great job with all their Xmas lights etc. All the trees on the shops have the same coloured lights, the shop windows are all decorated, it’s a real village community. It’s a shame the pubs are not able to be open as normal. Walking past the pubs windows and not seeing anyone in them was a first. Normally there is always someone in there from midday onwards.

I went for one last walk up the woods above the campsite. A three mile walk and didn’t see a soul which was nice. The walk follows the river although you are a lot higher than it most of the time then you take a higher path and I even caught a glimpse of our camper through the trees. You can just see it in the middle of the picture.

Leaving Dulverton today was interesting on the roads. Yesterday we had so much rain and the river leval was very high I knew there would be a lot of water on the country roads. In some places I had to drive on the other side of the road because of the amount of water but nothing too deep luckily. Tomorrow is Xmas day and we will go and spend it with Nikki’s mum. Stay safe everybody.

Now we are at Dulverton again another site we have been to many times. It’s right in the village of Dulverton beside the river Barle. No Traffic noise day or night just the sound of the river rushing along. Made greater by the rain we have had in the last couple of days. There are not many on site due to the current situation in the country, a lot have cancelled.

The above picture of the sun lighting up the arches of the bridge into the village sets the scene for the village. You often see canoeists paddling by and in the summer kids will play in the river. The narrow roads add charm to the village although can be a bit tricky getting to the site in a 30ft camper, but slow and steady is the way to go. Some streets you just can’t go down or up though only on a bike.

Being on Exmoor means there is lots of biking trails for me, narrow lanes and bridle ways, big hills up and big hills down. Last year when we were here I biked out to Tarr steps and wanted to go there again only this time do a bit of a loop so I came to it one way crossed it and came back another way.

Many years ago I used to go up on Exmoor every weekend mountain biking and have biked across the bridge at Tarr steps and gone through the river in the summer. Now it was winter, the stones will be slippery, they’re not very even, they have gaps in them that could catch you out, the rivers cold and running fast, no one is about to fish me out if I fall in, my bike could disappear. Should I get there and walk across. What do you think. Of course I got there took some photos and rode across with a big grin on my face when I got to the other side.

Tarr steps is what they call a clapper bridge although I never heard anyone clapping when I got to the other side. It’s 55 metres long and been there a very long time. It’s right in a valley so a big down hill to get to it and a big up hill to bike back up.

Another thing I wanted to do while we were down in Devon was to get Ellis some real Devon cider. Ellis is the welsh guy that has a small holding opposite the campsite we were working on in Snowdonia. He supplied us with the very nice trout we had all through the summer. Chatting to him he said he liked a cider with his tea in the evening. So I told him I would bring him some back next year. I knew just the place to get some from.

Indicknowle cider and farm shop is on the edge of Exmoor but still in Devon. They rear all their own animals and make cider. The cider is made from apples from their own orchard. The apples are blended, milled, and pressed using Victorian equipment using the same methods the family has used since the 1870’s and then stored in oak barrels. So when I say it’s proper cider, it’s proper farm cider. Not the manufactured stuff you get in the super market which has never seen an apple in its production.

I was chatting to the owner about the way it’s made and working on the farm. He was saying it’s a hard life but very enjoyable. He offered me some cider to try before I buy, but I declined the offer telling him it was for a friend and me and cider don’t really get on. I have had a couple of dodgy nights on the cider, well the nights were ok it was the next day that was dodgy so me and cider are no longer friends.

So that’s us up to date on our travels, we are missing France, Spain and Portugal in the winter but other things have taken priority this last two years, and with Covid and brexit happening now who knows what will happen next winter for us. Watch this space. We don’t do Xmas as you will know if you follow this blog so I will wish you all a happy holiday. Stay safe out there.

We left Cirencester on 22nd of November to head for Devon. We needed to get down there to see Nikki’s mum and sort so much stuff out for her. We had doctor and dentist appointments and the car and camper were both booked in for mot and services.

Because we were both going to be driving different vehicles we had a plan to go a certain way and stop at Taunton Deane services for a pit stop and snack which we had made. I left as Nikki was still putting in the sat nav directions in the car and somehow I went off in a different direction to her. So I carried on and she carried on. I thought she will catch me up soon especially when we get on the motorway.

I got to the motorway and still no sign of her so I just carried on cruising along at about 60 mph knowing she will catch me up. Meanwhile Nikki is just cruising along thinking I will catch her up. I approached the service area and thought no sign of her she must have gone on by so I stayed on the motorway. Just after leaving the motorway I pulled over for a pit stop then carried on to the campsite.

I was just checking in when Nikki messaged me to say she had just got to the service area, I was about half an hour in front of her somehow. We did laugh.

The campsite we were now on was only open for key workers and peaple who were in between buying houses etc, so was not very busy. We have stayed here before and it’s not to far away from Nikki’s mums.

We went to see Nikki’s mum the next day and was good to see her and I am sure she was pleased to see us. The long list of things to do is getting shorter by the day although I am sure there are a few add ons.

Our trip to the doctors was ok and the dentist apart from the cost but you can’t put a price on a nice smile can you. The car had its mot service and cam belt and water pump done so that was a big bill. But again you can’t put a price on that smile you get from driving it. Perhaps the dentist and garage should get together and come up with a deal. Smiles per miles. Nikki’s mums car also had a mot. Her car had been sat in her garage for a year and sadly she is never going to drive again so it’s got to go. I got it started and took it for an mot. It needed a new battery but apart from that was all ok. It’s now up for sale but it’s the wrong time of year so near to Xmas to be selling it. And we leave the area this weekend so that causes more problems.

The camper also had its mot and service and I asked for the levelling jacks to be refurbed. It’s all been done but I have not had the bill yet. To be honest I don’t want the bill because that one is not going to make me smile. Still it’s got to be done. If the wheels don’t turn we can not travel.

Before we left wales I cut my hair. On the first of November and decided I was not going to cut it again until I get back to wales on the first of March. But I did have another hair cut. My beard had been bugging me for ages, not growing like I wanted it to etc so I cut three inches off it. After another few days while Nikki was out I decided it had to go so out with the kitchen scissors and it’s all gone. After having it hanging on my chin for Severn years it felt odd. Nikki is still staring at me strangely but she has always done that anyway. Nikki also changed her hair colour which looks very nice.

It’s nice being next to the sea again although the surf has been rubbish so I have not been surfing. We have been down the beach and yesterday I went down the beach on my own to chill by the sea. I also wanted to check out a new bike facility on the way. In Braunton they have built a pump track. A pump track is a serious of humps and bends to practice certain things on your bike. It’s an all weather one also and should be quiet at this time of year, not to many kids so I plan on going down to have a go around it while they are all at school.

Our travel plans have all changed for the winter because of Covid. We had planned on seeing family and friends etc but due to the tier system we decided it’s best not to visit but keep ourself to ourself as much as we can. So I do apologise to those of you who were looking forward to buying us a beer and catching up. There’s always next year.

We are moving from this site on Sunday and going to Dulverton, another site we have been on before. We will be there for three weeks. Its a bit further away from Nikki’s mum but we we will still go and see her. After that we will be going to Minehead and then onto cheddar before heading back to wales to start work again and get some money in the bank. Getting fed up with beans on toast now. Stay safe every body.