Not far from us is Chirk castle a national trust property. We often walk up to it because the gardens change every week and it’s a nice walk up through the woods. We noticed they were having a bat watch evening so booked ourselves on to it.

Luckily it was our day off the next day because the bat watch started about 8.30pm and would go on until about 10.30 pm. We walked up to the castle on the evening and met the ranger who was in charge of the watch. He asked us all if any of us knew anything about bats etc. I told him I had watched Batman on tv which made everyone laugh.

We walked in the castle grounds and through the meadow and then into the old laundry room in the castle which is where a colony of horseshoe bats live. We saw one or two come out but it was still early for them with the light nights at this time of year, but we were told we would see more later. So another walk around the gardens beside the wood where we were all given bat detectors and tuned them in to pick up the sounds of the bats. Not much success there either.

But then we got back to a small courtyard where we all stood still and waited for the bats to emerge. Within five minutes they started to come out over the wall and fly around us and then off to their hunting ground for the night. The sound on the detectors picking up the clicking noise from them what a great end to the evening.

A few days later and another day off we decided to go to Erddig, another national trust property just a short drive away but this time it was a more sensible time of day. We got there first thing and were asked if we wanted a private tour to parts of the house before it opened to the public. So a group of ten of us had a small tour, with the house to ourselves by a guide who to be honest was nearly as old as the house.

After walking around the house we walked around the grounds which were stunning with so many different plants and some lovely trees and bushes. Being there early also meant it was not busy with people.

There were also some old cars and bikes in sheds covered in dust, never to be restored just left to rust in peace with swallows nesting in the barns above them. Lots of horse reins, saddles etc where the horses would have been kept. The musty smell of old leather in the air.

Again a short walk from us is the railway station of Chirk. Many years ago there used to be an old tram line which ran alongside the railway line which is there now. This would have had horse drawn carriages in the early days.

A group of volunteers are bringing this old line back to life. It’s a long project and rely on donations to fund it. But the Glyn valley railway will one day be up and running along a small line again. To help fund this project they had an open day.

There was going to be a horse pulling some small railway containers on a small length of track just like it use to be done years ago. Some classic cars, and a old bus which was going to travel up the Ceiriog valley to Glyn Ceiriog where the old trains used to go. Some food stores and a model railway layout with grown men playing trains.

It was a low key event but we went to support them anyway and I wanted to go on the old bus. The bus was a 1950 Bristol and was in fantastic condition. The driver who owned it was dressed in period clothes as was the conductor. It was free to ride on the bus up the valley a trip of about 20 minutes to the railway museum at Glyn Ceiriog. At the museum there was a talk about the old line and station. Only a small museum but some very interesting stuff in there. We opted to not catch the bus back but had a walk around the village and then caught the next one back.

The turnout of classic cars was very poor, only two but this was down to the weather forecast which was for heavy rain and thunder and lighting which never happened while we were there but within five minutes of us getting back to base the heavens opened. I feel so sorry for the volunteers putting on an event to fund their mission and then the weather goes against them. We left a donation in the bucket with the nice thought that when it’s all up and running we helped them achieve their goal.

We have just got back from the Peak District. Our weekend off and it was time to give the camper a run. Castleton was our destination with some great walks in the area and a lovely small town with some nice pubs for refreshments after the walks.

The route to Castleton takes us along the motorway and the A6 and then the last bit is through Winnats pass into Castleton but this last bit of the route is not advised in a 30ft motorhome due to the steepness and narrow roads so we chose a different way which was about 15 minutes longer but knowing it would be ok for us. it was still narrow in places and a bit of up and down but much better for us.

Again the weather on this trip was against us with rain forecast for the whole time we’re were here with sunny spells in between the showers. As soon as we were pitched up we headed in to the town to have a look around and yes of course we ended up in a pub garden to sample the local brews. Only a couple then walk back to the campsite for Nikki to cook some tea.

A walk was planned for the next day, no need to rush because the weather in the morning was going to be heavy rain. So a relaxing morning and a walking route planed and a pub sorted for afterwards. We had an early lunch and then said let’s go for it as the forecast looked ok ish.

The route we decided to take was the Cave Dale walk which goes up through a valley and then you return through the fields and back into Castleton. Not a long walk, about 4 miles but it’s tough at the beginning. Nikki is not a hiker, she loves walking but not on uneven ground and steep hills so she soon decided after scrambling up over rocks and slippery surfaces to turn back.

I carried on alone and said I would meet up with her in the town. It was a tough walk and at one point I got caught in a downpour and got soaked. Typically in the most open part of the walk on top the hill. The scenery was fantastic after the rain had stopped and with only sheep to talk to I marched on to the town.

After getting to the town I rang Nikki and she was in a coffee shop so with the promise of a nice hot chocolate I found her. Another walk around the small town and then a decision to make. Do we walk back to the campsite, shower and then walk back to the town to the pub for beer and food, or do we just cut out the middle man and head straight for the pub. Decision made. We started to walk back. Only joking you know us better than that. Into the pub we went. A lovely old fashion proper pub with real ales, beams, old chairs etc a typical British pub. We had a good meal washed down with one or two drinks and we were then ready to walk back to the campsite and it was only half past five.

The road called Winnats pass goes up from Castleton and from that road is lots of ways to go for hikes. And one way is is an old road called the Broken road which is the old road which closed in 1979 due to subsidence. After being repaired so many time it was decided to close it. You can still walk along it or bike and you can see how thick the tarmac was after being repaired so many times.

I wanted to go up there on my bike before we left so got up early and did a quick five mile loop biking up Winnats pass then turning off onto the Broken road and back down Old Mam tour road into Castleton. Again the early morning mist and scenery was mind blowing.

The Broken road must have been a full time job repairing it after each landslide but now it’s just walkers and mad bikers that use it.

So that’s us up to date. Despite the weather we had a great time but would love to have been there for longer. The last photo is my favourite from the weekend. I stood there in complete silence with the view and the low cloud rolling across the hills and down the valley with no one about.