As I sit here looking out of the window in between tapping the keys for this blog it’s raining. No surprise there as it is January.

But in the last two weeks we have had temps down to minus 5, we have had snow, not a lot but it was there on the ground settling, we have had warm sunny days where you could wear a T shirt and shorts. Well I could but then I would wear them in the minus temps also. And now we have had storms. Winds of 55/ 60 mph and rain and just as that storm blew through we have another storm forecast for today.

But none of this has stopped us doing things. On one of the nice days we went for a walk across the fields by the river. The river was in full flow because of the rain earlier but the sun was out and as we reached the gate by the pub, looking back the sun was lighting up the aqueduct and viaduct arches just as if someone had put lights under them. What a sight.

And of course we had to go in the pub for a couple of drinks. We always feel we have to support local businesses. And as we move around a lot it’s only fair to support pubs etc in other areas. Well that’s our excuse anyway and we’re sticking to it.

Nikki mentioned she had to go shopping for food which is something I don’t like and to be honest she doesn’t like me going with her because I mess about too much and I get bored. But it was a nice day so a walk first would mean we were both happy.

Tesco in Ellesmere is right by the canal so a nice flat walk and then into shop for shopping. Nikki made us a little picnic to take on the walk. Parked up and a great walk along the canal looking at the narrow boats as we went. Some with there wood burning stoves on which smelt great.

We spoke to a guy who had the job of checking the boat peaple had the correct licence and he said he walks up to ten miles a day and loves the job. A bit like a traffic warden but for boats and like he said but he is liked.

At our return point of the walk about three miles we decided to eat our lunch so stood on one of the small bridges over the canal talking about how years ago this little bridge would have been part of a track with horses and carts going over it. I don’t normally like doing walks where I come back the same way but with a canal walk you don’t have much choice unless you catch a bus back to your start point.

Now as I am getting older I am feeling the cold a bit more sometimes so decided to get my jeans out which I have had for a little while. I love the idea of wearing jeans and a T shirt etc but just feel overdressed.

I got my one pair of jeans out of the wardrobe wondering if they will fit me as at the moment I am a little overweight (or more cuddly) due to not doing a lot because of my injury etc.

And yes they fitted but Nikki said they were so outdated if I kept them much longer they would come back in fashion. So a plan was to go shopping to get some more jeans. But I hate waste so I suggested that if she cut these jeans off I would gain another pair of shorts. Sorted.

With the thought of going shopping and hunting down a pair of jeans I was thinking of ways to get out of it. I wanted some jeans and yes I could get some on line but then if they don’t fit you have the hassle of sending them back.

I started to look on line to see where we could go. A big shopping centre in Chester with a Levi shop filled with hundreds of pairs of jeans at about £100 a pair. Marks and Spencer in Shrewsbury with a good selection at £35 a pair.

So a train was booked for Shrewsbury and at the same time we could meet some friends for lunch, in a pub of course. So before we set off we were talking to our friends on site Simon and Becky and she said make sure you take six pairs of jeans in the changing room so you can try them all on rather than keep going in and out.

The train was half an hour late but we got to Shrewsbury in the end. Walked from the station straight up to Marks and Spencer into the men’s department. Picked up three pairs of jeans, tried the first pair on, liked them and showed Nikki and she liked them. Sorted, put the others back and went and payed for the pair I wanted. Easy this shopping lark.

Then went off to the pub to meet our friends for a beer and some food. Great to catch up with them after two years but the time went to quick. The train back was also late. When we came out of the station at Chirk again we took the wrong turning and ended up in the Hand hotel for a couple more drinks just to end the day off nicely.

My next walk was on my own, another canal walk. There is a pub called the Aqueduct inn which has a fantastic mural painted on the end of it. I have wanted to get a picture of it for a long time after driving past so many times.

So off I set one morning. Four miles later I am at the pub and have taken my photo. The pub was closed, bad timing by me but properly better really because I still had to walk four miles back home. So an eight mile walk just to get one photo. Hope you like it.

It seems I have done so many walks this last month, some with Nikki and mostly on my own. Two reasons for the walks on my own. Nikki says I walk too fast for her to keep up and I like to walk further. I do enjoy going for walks with her though. The other day we walked locally and I spotted a carving on an old tree trunk which she had walked passed before and not seen. The carving has things to do with the area like the aqueduct, a mine shaft, local church.

Nikki is away at the moment visiting her sister and boys for a week. Home alone and fending for myself. I might loose a bit of weight but will be glad to have a proper meal when she gets back.

Another frosty morning with a scatter of snow on the ground I decided to go for yet another walk up into the castle grounds. The sun was out and although the air was cold it was so nice to be outside with just me and the trees, birds, and I never saw another person on the Severn mile walk.

And the trees on site looked so nice the following morning with the sun making them look like they were red. Nature is just so nice. I expect most peaple on site would have not even noticed the trees.

So that’s me up to date as the rain is coming down and the forecast is for 60MPH gusts this afternoon I don’t think I will be going anywhere today. A day of chilling in a tin can. Nikki will be back in two days time so I can get some house work done today while I am stuck inside. Now where does she keep the hoover.

So here we go into 2024, another year which will mean another year older and for us another location. Scotland here we come, well not just yet but soon.

Before we talk about dry January and next year, I will tell you about the last bit of 2023. We visited our friends in Malvern on the way back from Devon. Kevin and Sheryl. It’s always good to see them for a catch up and a good time was had by all over a beer or two and some food.

We visited a couple of pubs and had an Indian takeaway which got delivered. It took an hour and half to get to us and they could not find us but when we eventually got it the wait was worth it.

Malvern is a stunning area with the hills as a backdrop but a very expensive area. We have visited the area so many times over the years to go to VW shows and motorhome shows at the Malvern show ground.

While out for a walk looking for photo opportunity’s I felt I was being watched. I looked around and all I could see was a squirrel, a jay, some pigeons, rooks all the usual suspects but they were all too busy to be watching me. I spotted some fungi near a tree which looked nice and as I crouched down to take the photo the feeling I was being watched got stronger.

And as I looked up I saw it. A face on the tree, a big old oak tree with a real old knarly face made from fungi watching my every move. I know most people won’t see the face and I promise at that stage I had not had a drink. Maybe it’s me that’s weird. Don’t answer that.

After a couple of days it was time to say good bye to our friends and head back to Chirk so I could continue getting my physio regularly at the same place. That way they can see my progress and adjust to suit. The arm is getting more movement and the pain although still there is getting less, but some days I do have a real bad day with it.

From where I sit in the camper I can see the sun come up because I get up early. To be honest the last few days/ weeks there hasn’t been much sun coming up to see. More like looking at the rain on the window.

But one morning I got a real surprise because as the sun was coming up the sky was turning a funny colour and the clouds were pearl effect in colour. This as it turns out is quite rare and they are called rainbow clouds. This happens with the highest clouds at 70,000 -100,000 feet and at a temperature of -80, now that’s cold. Then as the sun comes up it lights them up from below and the ice crystals that are on the clouds turn into these amazing colours.

I saw on the news that they had been spotted in different parts of the country and was so pleased to have seen them. Most people would have missed them by the time they got up.

Out for a walk on a non rainy day last week, well I think it was two weeks ago actually. The viaduct arches were lit up in the morning sun and as we walked along the canal towards a canal side pub one of the small bridges over the canal looked so nice, but that’s where the pub is so the walk stopped there and we headed into the pub to quench our thirst. It’s thirsty work this walking and we had forgot our water bottles. While in the pub we realised we were hungry as well so had a snack. To be honest we could have stayed in there all night but the light was fading and we like to walk back by the canal rather than the road.

The next day was also nice so never look a gift horse in the mouth. We were out for another walk and up in the tree was a squirrel collecting a bunch of berries for his winter stash. He just looked at us as if to say move on nothing to see here and you ain’t getting none of my stash.

So Xmas has come and gone which is great news for us as we don’t do Xmas. New year was a quiet affair but I was awake when Big Ben struck his chimes. I had actually gone to bed then had to get up and thought while I am up I will watch Jools Holland with his hootenanny show. So I watched that for two hours and went back to bed at 1.30am on New Year’s Day.

So that’s another year gone. Going back to the title of this thread, Dry January, you didn’t honestly think that I was going to do that did you. Well so far I have lasted one day January 1st Last year I managed 3 days.

At the beginning of March we leave here to go to the Lake District for a few days and then onwards and upwards into Scotland to start work in the middle of March. We are both looking forward to getting into Scotland.

Happy new year to all that follow our travels and adventures on here.

Update on my injury. The sling is in the bin and after six weeks of living with the sling I am so pleased we have parted company. The day I went to the hospital for my six week check after the operation I said to the physio I am so pleased to see the back of the sling. Her reply was, now the slings off the pain starts because all those muscles need to wake up and start to repair themselves. She was 100% right it’s still painful but the pain is nowhere as bad as it was. It’s going to be a long haul and the next three months are critical to my recovery with daily exercise and weekly physio sessions.

A nice day in Chirk and with Nikki now finished work we decided on a walk along the back roads and then come back via the canal. A walk of about five miles.

I love the canal walks and seeing the barges, some with their wood burners going and the slow pace of life as they chug along the canal. The owners are always pleasant and say hello.

The walk included going through a tunnel which I forgot to tell Nikki although she has been through it before but she doesn’t like it. She wanted to go in front so she could get through faster because I wanted to get some photos. The ghostly figure in the photo is Nikki getting to the light at the end of the tunnel.

As you know by now I like my photography and there are certain photos I want to get. One being a steam train going over a bridge or where we are now the viaduct. Nikki was looking on Facebook and found out that not one but two steam trains were going to be coming through Chirk on the same day. I had two weeks to plan and research the times and place to get the photo.

I must say I am no photographer but just enjoy it. I don’t have a huge big bag of lenses and zoom lenses a foot long. All I have is my phone. It does have a good camera though and I also believe you can make phone calls from it.

So I spent a couple of hours working out where I was going to get my photos on the day, after working out roughly when the train would be coming through. One would be early morning and it would be dark so I opted to get one at the station as it’s light and the other one had to be going over the viaduct.

My day was planned, up at 6am, a ten minute walk to the station and get my spot. Expecting the train at 7am ish. From Chester direction. I expected there to be a lot of people down at the station as it’s not everyday a steam train comes through.

I got there early and got my spot and no one else was there, had I got the wrong day, the wrong time etc. All these thought were going through my head. And then a lady came down the stairs to the station with her son, and then another guy who looked like a proper train spotter. We all had different spots which I was so glad for because it’s a one chance moment to get the photo. The train doesn’t stand still and pose for a photo.

So camera ready and watching the bend in the track and listening for any signs of the train. And here it comes, click, click, click three photos taken very quickly and the train was gone. I could not believe how fast it was going. But I got a photo I wanted.

That made my morning, the sound, the smell, the fact I got a photo I like. I then went back to base and had my breakfast and got ready for my next adventure. So the next steam train was going to be coming from Bristol which is the other direction and would actually be stopping at Chirk station to fill up with water.

So I could get a picture at the station but I wanted a photo of the train going over the viaduct and had already found a good spot with only space for one person and that was going to be me hopefully. The time again was an estimate. So off I went to get my spot before anyone hijacked it. I expected there to be more people about this time.

Now this photo was going to be even harder to get because of the distance and the layout as the train would just appear and cross the viaduct, so again only one opportunity to get the shot. One good thing was that it would not be going as fast as the one that went through the station because it would be stopping at the station to fill with water and the distance from the viaduct to the station is not very far.

As I stood there waiting a guy with a big bag of camera gear came down and chatted saying the train was running late and would be an hour later than expected. Now was he just saying that so I moved off and he could get my spot or was he being helpfull . I thanked him as he wandered off but decided to stay in my spot. And the waiting continued until another guy wandered down to me with all his gear and told me the same. I asked him how he knew and he told me about an app that has all the times etc on.

Again I thanked him and stood my ground and he stopped about a metre from me. Then he said did I just hear the train. So camera again ready and eyes focused on the spot the train would emerge to go over the viaduct. Here it is I shouted as it came into veiw. Click, click, click another three photos taken quickly. I looked at the photos and I could have cried. Tears of joy that is because I got a photo I had always wanted and I was so happy. It won’t mean a lot to other peaple but I can not explain how happy that photo made me.

As i started walking back up the road there were people everywhere who had been at different locations to get their photos and they were all running up the road towards the station where the train would be stopped filling up with water. Now I didn’t plan to go to the station but I was caught up in the excitement so I also started running towards the station which was only five minute walk away.

As I got to the station the train was still there filling up with water, steam everywhere and the smell of steam and burning coal. There was a lot of people about so I found a spot quickly and started taking photos knowing at any time it would be leaving on its journey to Chester.

With a blow of the whistle and a hissing of steam and clouds of steam it started to leave the station. I watched it leave until it was out of sight and as all the people dispersed I wandered home to check out my photos with a big grin on my face.

What a morning it had been and so much planning and research etc but it all panned out well. I had got my photos plus some bonus ones like train in full steam below leaving the station. Happy days.

Now we are back in Devon for our annual trip to get the vehicles all serviced and mot etc and to see Nikki’s mum who is in a care home up the road. The drive down was good with me driving mostly with one hand because of my injury but it was mostly motorway so really all I had to do was aim it towards Devon and go. We got here in good time and set up.

It’s been an expensive trip to Devon this time with the dentist and car and camper. The camper needed a new clutch which was a all day job but they run into complications so we had to book into a travel lodge for a night and then a second night because the problem part didn’t arrive until the next afternoon. But it’s all done now and hopefully all ok as we have a lot of miles to cover.

We leave here on Monday to go to Malvern to visit friends and then back to Chirk so I can get my physio every week at the same place. That way they can see the progress and then adjust physio to suit. But I know one thing it’s going to hurt whatever they do, but as they say no gain no pain.

So that’s us up to date. The last photo is the river mole which runs through the site we are on. I love the glow and warmth of the sun kissed leaves and the sparkling cold water. Take care.

I had my operation on my shoulder six weeks ago after getting a call from the hospital saying they had a cancellation and could I make it that day. Yes I can was my very fast reply but I had eaten breakfast. Normally they insist you don’t eat anything after midnight. No problem you will be last on the list for the day.

That’s good I thought at least the surgeon would have warmed up by then, either that or he will be knackered from working all day. It was worth the risk. I needed to get this operation done.

So Nikki dropped me off at the hospital and said see you later. Normally the operation for a rotator cuff injury is keyhole surgery which takes about 30-45 minutes and you go home the same day. Theres normal, and then there’s me. I’m not one for doing things in halves.

This was the first time I have actually been in hospital for something serious. I was wheeled down to the theatre and surrounded by a jolly team, one lady even threatened to plait my beard while I was asleep.

Two and half hours later I was wheeled back onto a ward where I would spend the night drifting in and out of sleep because of the anaesthetic and being checked up on every hour by the nurse. Why do they do that, they wake you up to see if you are ok. Yes I am ok, well I was until you woke me.

A morning of being sick every time they gave me some pain killers followed and ended up with just paracetamol which would not touch the pain. The pain was, well I can not tell you how painful my shoulder was. Later that day they rang Nikki and said come and get him.

The first week back home was the worst week ever for the pain and I could have easily given up on life. To show how bad the pain was I was not interested in food or beer, now that’s bad. I have since made up for it though. Now it’s still painful but getting less every day. I do exercises every day to keep the arm moving and go to physio. The sling comes off in a couple of days and then limited movement for three months. It’s never going to be the same but I am still alive and will be out on my bike again sometime for sure.

That’s you up to date on my fall and op. I won’t show you the scar in case you feel ill but it’s a good scar.

So with no bike riding and no driving and having to do everything with my left hand life has been interesting. Nikki has carried on working but the season has now finished so we are now in chill mode until next March when our season starts in Scotland.

I have been out walking locally around the village looking for photo opportunity’s and got some nice shots of the local church.

I love old churches and graveyards. The old headstones and the old church doors where so many people have walked through over the years.

We also went to Shrewsbury on the train for a day out. And of course that ended up with a pub lunch, well it was more of a feast really so we didn’t have any tea when we got back home. The river in Shrewsbury was very high and a lot of the fields we passed on the train were flooded due to all the rain we had in the last few days.

I love this time of year with all the autumn colours in the trees and with a new camera ( phone) to try out it was a great opportunity. luckily I got some photos before the big storm winds yesterday which blew so many leaves down the trees are looking quite bare now.

Walking through all the dry leaves, the sound of crunching and the sun shining through the half naked trees onto the ground lighting up the leaves on the ground. Nature is wonderful.

So it’s the end of the season as I said and in two weeks we will be heading down to Devon to get the camper and car all serviced and the mot done. And our annual checks at the dentist and doctors. After Devon we will go to Cirencester for nearly three weeks. While there we will travel out to visit friends and family.

At the start of the new year we will stay around that area before coming back to North wales for a five day training course and then start our journey north to Scotland to work from March. Hopefully by then my arm will be a lot more functional than it is now and I can lift a pint of beer with my right arm as I am sure it tastes better using the arm you have used for many years. Cheers for now.

Five weeks ago today was when I had my fall on my bike down the bike park. Since then I have had X-rays, ultrasound scan and then an appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon which resulted in me getting a date for an operation on my shoulder.

Talking to the surgeon he said it was a torn in two places badly and they might not be able to repair it fully because the tendons might not knit back together. They may have to put a piece of skin in to repair. This would be animal or human skin. With my luck at the moment I would end up with a piece of skin from someone having a boob job and end up with a nipple on my shoulder.

The recovery time is very long and for the first six weeks my arm would be in a sling and no driving. After that I would have to be limited on my movement with my arm. So not lifting too many pints or if I do use my left arm. The appointment is on the 17th October, it was on the 5th but that one got cancelled. Good old NHS.

So on a more positive note we have found out where we will be next year. As we are now managers we are going to have our own site and it’s going to be in Scotland.

I have never been to Scotland but have always wanted to go up there with the job and now we will be. The site is on the edge of a town called Killin about one and a half hours drive north of Glasgow.

To say we are excited is an understatement. Having our own small site in a fantastic location. There are a couple of not so good things about it, like reduced hours and a short season so money wise we will be worse off but money is not everything. Life is more important.

The scenery is just awesome up there with plenty of mountain biking and hiking to be done. The loch ( loch Tay) is right next to us so swimming and kayaking. A old railway line that runs to Callander is a really nice cycle route that Nikki could do with me, or at least some of it.

It will be colder up there with snow still on the mountains when we get there which will look fantastic. Hopefully the roads will be clear. But will I still be wearing my shorts or will I have to get some trousers on. Or will I get a kilt. Watch this space.

You may remember me saying we were going to the Lake District for a weekend, in a B&B to make a change. We still went but Nikki had to drive because of my injury. She did well with me being a bad passenger.

Our friends from Leeds were going to meet us there just for one night and at about midday we got a call from them saying they were in the pub having lunch. We were still on the M6 because Nikki had to work in the morning. We still had two hours of driving to go and a stop for lunch, book in B&B and then walk up to pub.

When we walked into the pub we had a surprise. Another friend of ours from Leeds also was there with her friend. We had not seen Natalie for about ten years and just by shear coincidence she was staying just down the road and Anita had found out on Facebook. So Anita got them to come over. A very long afternoon and early evening we all had in one pub then another and I think another with food in between.

The next day Tony and Anita were going to meet us down by lake Windermere for lunch before going home but Tony’s back had gone really bad so they decided to get home. Hope your on the mend Tony.

Me and Nikki walked down to Bowness which is on the edge of Lake Windermere. In fact Windermere the town is up from the lake which is where we met our friends and where we stayed. The scenery is great with the lake as the main feature. Very touristy and I would not have liked to be there in the main summer season.

There were plenty of choice for getting out on the lake including hiring your own small rowing boat, or small engined boat or just hop on one of the many bigger boats while it drifts around the lake. The weather was not great but at least it was not raining.

After a walk along the lake edge we wondered back up through the town to the B&B just to have a chill out as we were both so knackered. We then planed to walk back down in the evening to have something to eat and maybe a beer or two.

We always go out early as that suits us. When most peaple are going out we are on our way home to bed. While we were down at the lake I spotted a bar called Lake view and thought how nice it would be to sit up there overlooking the lake with a beer so that’s exactly where we aimed for. As we were out early we got a good seat with a great view of the lake.

As you can see the view is pretty good while having a beer and some food. It was a shame to have to leave but with full tummy’s and eyelids that were struggling to stay open we walked back up the hill to crawl into bed.

The next morning after breakfast it was time to head home. The weather was not so good and it was raining so we never hung around and got on the road. Nikki had work the next day and needed to sort some stuff out. We really enjoyed the lakes but wish we had more time so a good excuse to go back another time.

As I am off work at the moment I try and get out for walks, I can’t just sit and vegetate. A couple of days ago the sun was out, the sky was blue so I took myself off down to the canal for a walk. Only about a five mile walk but like I said it gets me out. And I can talk to the trees and birds and bees and any random strangers who will talk.

So that’s us up to date again. Our winter plans have all changed because we are having to stay here longer with my operation and recovery before driving away. But I am sure it will all work out well. In the meantime I have plenty of time to research the area where we will be next year.

This will only be a short blog today, but more about that later. We had another weekend away up at the Wirral in the camper. Just a chill out time away for a couple of days. The weather was not great but we were away chilling.

We went for a beach walk which ended up in a nice cafe for slice of cake and drink. Not a lot of peaple about considering the day before it rained all day I would have thought everyone would have been glad to get out and about.

The day after the beach walk I decided to go out on my bike along the coast trail. All flat and fantastic views. I said to Nikki I would be out for an hour but the time just flew away and I kept saying to myself, I wonder what’s around that next corner. So the miles were flying by. I ended up doing 26 miles and got as far as New Brighton.

In the distance I could see the industrial area of the Mersey across the water and as they got closer and closer my ride got longer and longer. At a place called Melos I saw a lighthouse which looked great against the moody sky.

As I got up to New Brighton there was another lighthouse which looked even better, I think because of the location and a great photo opportunity.

Bank holiday was fast approaching and we had some friends coming to visit. We had a bit of a plan which involved me Shaun and Jack going down the bike park while Nikki, Katie and Tilly would go for a walk up to the castle.

Jack is only 13 years old but likes to be out on his bike, Shaun is a mountain biker but not to the level I am so it was never going to be a full on thrash down Llandegla bike park. On the way there I chatted with Jack and told him I would not take him anywhere that was risky and he must not do anything he did not want to do.

And to be fair he did really well only coming off about five times but nothing serious. Shaun has a bad back so was never going to go mad. And so the reason for a short blog today. I am typing with one finger because I fell off my bike that day and have ripped my rotator cuff which holds my right shoulder together. Man down and a big ouch and a few swear words, some X-rays, and signed off work for six weeks and arm in a sling and they are talking about doing keyhole Surgery. The thing that annoys me more than anything is when it happened I was going uphill at walking pace. The bike just slipped away to the side on wet tree roots. All the times I have been down there riding fast and dropping of ledges, jumps etc and just lapped it all up.

And it doesn’t end there. We needed to get some pain killers after leaving the hospital the next day. ( The Guinness medicine never dulled the pain.) And coming out of the super market and stopped at traffic lights a car ran into the back of us. The girl driving was not concentrating and put her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake and BANG. Luckily she hit the tow bar so no damage was done to our car but she had a nice dent in the front of hers.

With strict instructions to take it easy I decided to go for walk a couple of days later, what harm would that do. I can’t just sit on the sofa all day. So on with my walking boots and after a struggle with getting them and done up I strode of in pursuit of the castle passing the big white pearly gates as I call them.

As I am strolling along talking to the sheep and the trees and only about fifteen minutes into my walk my lace snagged on the other boot and I went down hard. Luckily falling on my left side. So with a grazed arm, hand, knee and a sprained wrist and bruised leg I hobbled back to base wondering how I was going to explain this one to Nikki.

There I am sat in pain and Nikki comes home and asked if I had a nice walk. I did for fifteen minutes. So I was told I had to stay on the sofa the next day to be safe. I managed that without falling off the sofa.

I have since had ultra scan on my shoulder and when I have my follow up appointment in five weeks I will know what they are going to do. I am hoping it will be a lot better by then.

Me and Nikki had a day out yesterday just to get of site and for me to get off the sofa. We went to Ellesmere which is only about half an hours drive away. We parked up, I got my boots on and this time Nikki did them up before we went for a walk down the canal and up through the woods and then to a cafe called the boathouse where we had lunch.

In a couple of weeks we go to the Lake District for a couple of days, stopping in a B&B which will make a nice change.

It’s nice being off work but to be honest I would prefer to be at work and still going out on my bike etc. And at the beginning of November we leave here so I need to drive out of here. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

How can one day be so different I ask myself. You may remember me saying that we were going for promotion.

My phone rang in the morning at 9.30, it was the area manager to say we had got our promotion and to congratulate us. This means we could have our own site possibly next year. A scary thought.

Later that day we had to go out to a tyre shop to get a slow puncture mended. As the guys were working on the car my phone blipped with a message from a friend. A friend of mine had died suddenly at the age of 65. I have known this guy for nearly forty years and you could not wish to have met a nicer guy. So sad. RIP Dave.

A day off so we decided to go for a walk. I wanted to take some photos under the aqueduct. I have walked across it many times and even rode my bike across it but never been under it. It’s a nice walk across some fields and through the woods all beside the river.

Building work started on the aqueduct in 1796 and it opened in 1801.It’s 21 metres high and 220 metres long and the architect was Thomas Telford. And is still used daily by the narrow boats and the viaduct next to it is used by trains daily. I took some pictures in black and white to compare because back then all photos would have been in black and white.

A trip out to another national trust property the following day. Powis castle is only a short drive from us. The weather was looking a bit dodgy but we decided to go anyway thinking if the rain did come we would be in the house anyway.

The grounds to Powis castle are very impressive and the castle stands up above them so you get a good view from above and below.

As we arrived to park up a deer wandered across the carpark which was a good start. A short walk to the castle and through a grand entrance and the sound of a peacock could be heard. All in all we saw about five peacocks around the property.

As we walked around the gardens you can’t imagine what it would have been like to live in such splendour, all the space and so many staff to keep it all up together. We sit here in our camper van and think we are lucky. Some of the plants must have taken years to cultivate and get them to the way they are now.

A favourite part of the garden for me was a small wild flower section next to a lovely old house. If I ever had a garden this is what I would like it to look like. Plenty of bees and butterflies around enjoying it.

We ended up back at the tea room for a slice of cake and drink. Sitting outside with one of the peacocks roaming around nearby. The inside of the house / castle was very impressive like all national trust property’s. Just the fact everything is so old and has been looked after for hundreds of years. The national trust do a great job looking after all the these properties.

Nikki found some grape vines and I saw her holding the grapes hoping they would turn into a bottle of wine. It never happened but she got some wine later.

So a great morning spent at the castle and just as we were leaving the rain started, so good timing on our behalf. We left there and went to a big garden centre that also does bbq’s camping stuff, food etc just down the road which we had been to before. It has so much nice stuff and if we had a house and some money we could have spent a small fortune in there. As we have neither a house or lots of money we came out of there without buying anything.

Last week we altered our rota at work with our managers to enable us to go to Dave’s funeral back in Barnstaple. A five hour drive for us with a couple of comfort breaks. We went on the Wednesday and Nikki had booked an air B&B for a couple of nights.

The room was great and the couple who owned the house were really nice. We went o a local pub early evening to have a beer and some food. Living in the area for a good few years we knew of the pub and it used to be really nice. How times have changed. The beer and wine were good but the food was mediocre and the toilets etc were disgusting.

The service for Dave was very good ( if that’s the right words) and attended by so many people. He was such a popular guy and there was not a dry eye at the service. After the service there was a wake in Barnstaple at one of the hotels. We drove back to our room, parked up and walked down through the woods and into Barnstaple and had a drink to celebrate his life. I saw so many old friends there who I have not seen for years and we all said the same. He was too young to go at 65.

The next day we left Barnstaple at 9am because we had a long 5 hour drive. We had an appointment at South Molton on the way at a care home for Nikki’s mum and we needed to stop nearer home to get some shopping.

Five hours after leaving Barnstaple when we should have been home we were stuck in traffic in Bridgwater about an hour and half away from Barnstaple on a normal day. There was a bad accident on the M5 motorway. It’s the first time I have actually been in a traffic jam that big where everyone is out of their cars just hoping for some movement. Apparently the traffic was tail backed for eleven miles.

We didn’t bother getting any shopping and instead went to the takeaway and got back to our base at half past six, nine and a half hours after leaving Barnstaple. Work the next day for half past eight.

We are now away in Bertie the camper for a couple of days up at the Wirral and plan to do nothing. In fact last night I slept for twelve hours. Today it will be nice to do nothing and then have a rest afterwards.

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.

Many moons ago when I was a small child I used to live in Didcot which was then in the county of Berkshire. Didcot has a main line railway station and is also famous for its steam locomotives that are there. They often have open days and are well attended.

My dad used to take me down to the engine sheds to see the steam trains because he used to work on the railways in his younger days and had friends who worked down there so we could go and see things that others could not.

I always remember them days, the smells, the steam, the sounds of the trains like it was yesterday. Now when I see a steam train it brings back all those memory’s. I love the old diesel trains which were about then. They all looked so different not like the modern ones now which all look the same.

I think when I was about 12 I started going down the station carpark and watching for the diesel trains and yes I admit I started train spotting. I had my little note book to jot down the numbers because all the trains had individual numbers and some had names.

You could buy a book then with all the numbers in etc and you then ticked them off. My train spotting days never lasted long because I was always out on my bike and across the fields playing and of course I found out that girls did not want to be sat in a train carpark looking for numbers on trains.

I still have my interest in the old trains but no longer jot the numbers down. Nikki also likes them so if we have the chance to see some we both go.

We decided to go on the train to Shrewsbury from Chirk on the modern train just because it’s easier than driving there and cheaper. The station is unmanned so you get your ticket on line, Nikki did that bit and the train journey only took about 25 minutes.

We had a wonder around the old part of Shrewsbury with all the old Tudor buildings and then a walk along the river around the outside of Shrewsbury which was really nice. Some loverly old iron bridges cross the river at certain points.

Just by Shrewsbury station is a castle so that was on the cards to visit on the way back. Surprisingly there were not a lot of peaple about which was nice. We never went in the castle which is a museum now because we were running short on time. So we just sat in the grounds chilling and I walked up to another part call Laura’s tower and had that part all to myself. We then caught the train back to Chirk.

About a twenty minute drive from where we are working this season is Llangollen where they have a steam train line. And when the steam train is not running they have old diesel trains doing the run. We booked up one of our days off to go on the steam train.

It runs for about ten miles and then comes back. The day approached, the weather was looking good in this hot spell we were having. Up early to get parked up in Llangollen and get to the station for some photos also.

The ticket collector who was just turning up for work got chatting to us and told us the steam train was not running because of the fire risk to the ground beside the tracks. They had already had two fires that week. So instead it would be the old diesel train. My heart sunk.

I was so looking forward to it but we were there and it was going to be an old diesel train anyway so I wiped my tears away and stood there on the platform waiting for the train. The ticket man also gave us a good tip about getting on the train to get a seat right behind the driver so we could see where we were going. We got that seat.

The journey was great including sheep on the track, seeing another old diesel train coming the other way and a tunnel. The old carriages took me back to my younger days. The station is all old also with lots of old suit cases etc about. And another bonus on the day was that recently they opened up another piece of track to extend the line which we were able to do and not have to pay the extra.

We have been having a hot spell, the grass has stopped growing and the windows on the camper have all been open in the daytime and nighttime. Work has been busy and peaple complaining it’s too hot. But if it rained they would be moaning. No pleasing some folk.

Simon and Becky had arranged a BBQ with us, for one evening. As the day got nearer so the weather forecast started to say thundery showers. None of us were bothered about the weather as we know it can change.

On the day the thundery showers forecast was as good as gone, well maybe a small chance. The BBQ was sparked up and the beers and wine flowing. Simon does a great BBQ. We had a big table to sit around with a huge umbrella to shade us from the sun or rain, whatever happened we were going to have our BBQ.

Half way through the feast the thunder started to rumble and then it got closer and closer and the lightening was visible. And of course then the rain started so we all moved forward a bit to get under the umbrella. Laughing as we carried on regardless.

As the rain came down I felt a stream of water running down the back of my shorts which had come off the umbrella onto the back of my seat so now I was sitting on a wet chair. What to do. Carry on eating and drinking of course, it will soon dry out. And it did.

Another weekend off and time to take the camper for a run also. Burrs country park is in Bury just north of Manchester. So we booked up the campsite and headed of up the motorway.

And guess what, right on the edge of the campsite is a railway line which the old steam trains and diesels go along. We got a great pitch on the site with a good view of the trains coming and going past.

The Sunday afternoon we got there was fine and we sat outside having a beer watching the trains go by. We were going to be here for another two days so things were looking good. But then we heard the rumble of thunder and the heavens opened and we thought we might have to get a boat. And to top it all the trains don’t run on a Monday and Tuesday.

Just after we got to Burrs on the Friday Nikki got a message from Anita and Tony some friends we first met about twenty two years ago while travelling in Thailand. They lived in Leeds at the time and had a narrow boat. We always stayed in touch with them and met up with them a few times including spending a weekend on their narrowboat.

They were less than hour away and were willing to drive over to us so we said of course come on over. We had not seen each other for about ten years, maybe longer. Time just marches on so fast and with work and travelling we just never got to see each other.

They came over and we had a great day with them. Just like the good ol days when we used to meet up. And of course we had to go to the pub for lunch. Unfortunately for Tony he was driving back so could not have a beer. Next time mate.

The next day me and Nikki wandered around the sculptures and walked into the town of Bury. Not our cup of tea but I wanted to go and look in a bike shop as they had a bike I wanted to look at. I looked at the bike but the salesman was about as much use as a chocolate teapot so I just walked out.

We had a walk down the canal a couple of days ago to a pub for a beer and a bite to eat. Passing the narrow boats. It’s about half an hours walk and was really warm. Good job the beer and wine were cool when we got there.

The pub was busy but we luckily got a table next to the canal. The beer was good but the food was terrible. But we were both hungry so ate it and washed it down with more beer and wine and then strolled back to base.

So that’s us up to date with our adventures. It’s a shame work gets in the way of our lives but maybe one day we may be able to retire. Our next trip out in the camper is to the Peak District and in September we are going up to the Lake District in the car and stopping in a B&B for a change. But there will be lots to do before then.

Sat here on a day off and the sun is shining and has been for about a whole week now. Nothing unusual you might say. But it’s a bank holiday and we are in Wales so getting all these combinations to come together is a rare thing.

More days off since the last blog post so beside working this is what we have been up to. We went back to the Ironworks centre because we are members it now costs us nothing each time we go. I say costs us nothing but we have lunch which we get a members discount and we are always tempted to buy something but have to remind ourselves we live in a tin can and not a big house. Maybe one day.

The main thing we wanted to see this time was the new Dragon which stands proud at the entrance and is made up of a lot of different bits of metal including a lot of old car parts. Very impressive.

The next day we also had off so went to Whittington a small village with a castle, duck pond, a couple of pubs which we managed to stay out of. While we were walking around the castle or what’s left of it there was a photographer and a model doing a photo shoot.

So we were walking around a castle with a real princess. A very nice princess I will add and as I walked past I said to her, I am a frog and if you kiss me I will turn into a handsome prince. Then I woke up.

After walking around the castle we headed off to Henlle Hall which is a small holiday village with some wooden lodges for rent, also cottage rooms. All in lovely grounds with a herd of deer in a paddock and a duck pond. They have a restaurant and bar area which we did visit but only for a slice of cake and a coffee. It’s the sort of place I would love to work on the grounds.

Another day off and another place to visit and tick off the list was a small town called Ellesmere which is not far from Whittington . There is a sculpture trail there and a really nice place for lunch. The Boathouse restaurant sits on the edge of the lake and after our walk around the park and town we headed for it.

Walking along we heard a clap of thunder and looked behind us to see some really nasty looking black clouds. Our walk all of a sudden got quicker and we got to the boathouse and got a seat under the shelter overlooking the lake and ordered our lunch. Then it started to rain but we were under the shelter. But then the rain got heavier and the sky got darker and everyone was running for the inside seats. We sat there looked at each other and thought let’s get inside. A good decision because as soon as we got inside the heavens opened and heavy rain and hail lashed down.

We had to get some shopping while out also and right beside the Tesco at Ellesmere is a canal and some old buildings from the days gone by. So while Nikki was shopping I wandered off down the canal looking for photo opportunities. Then I met her back at the car.

Last week was our long weekend off and time to take the camper out for a run. We opted for a small five pitch site in a small village called pontesford. The site was great and we were blessed with this lovely weather we are having so a BBQ was a must and of course a visit to the local village pub. You have to support the area your staying in.

A very narrow lane takes you to the site off the main road and as I indicated to turn into the lane I could imagine the cars behind looking at this 30ft camper and thinking where the hell is he going. He will never get down there. How wrong they could be. Yes it was narrow but slow and steady and the campsite was reached.

The owners of the campsite greeted us and showed us our pitch. We think it was the best one on site with sunshine from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. The BBQ was fired up, the beer and wine were poured and a great evening was had. Followed the next morning by a nice cooked breakfast outside.

A walk down into the village to stretch the legs and get an ice cream before returning to the camper to shower before walking back down the lane and to the pub. Took us all of ten minutes. The Nags head has a small garden which, as it was so nice outside, we chose to sit in. Trying the local beer and wine and then ordering food. And I must say it was one of the best pub meals we have ever had. I even had to try a pudding . The walk back to the campsite took a bit longer than it did to get there.

The next day was going to be a chill out day but I knew of some mountain bike trails in some woods about three miles away so it would have been rude to miss an opportunity to go and try them out. And yes they were very good. I went early so we had plenty of time to chill out in the sun beside the camper with the birds singing, the farm cockerel crowing, bee’s buzzing and the smell of cow poop being spread over the fields. Life in the country.