Gloucs & Worcs (June ‘19) - Day 6

One of the great things I’ve noticed about being retired is that I don’t spend half my holiday thinking how far through my holiday I am! I’m more than half way through / I’m 3/4s the way through / This time next week it’ll be over. I didn’t realise I did this until I didn’t!

Any way .. onto the travel blog.
A dry, windy(ish) and cold day - considering the time of year!

Another lazy morning. By the time we had got up, got ready and had breakfast it was gone midday. Breakfast in Isabella - yesterday was so miserable we stayed in Brunnehilda to eat,  I suspect if we had just a little sun this morning it would have got us out altogether?!

We went to the over side of the Malverns today - the Welsh side. That was via B&Q for the regular purchase of bigger and longer screws for the badly designed dinette. It is such a shame, Brunnehilda is wonderful apart from this one silly little issue!

Bobby, Tilly and I had a great couple of hours up the hills. We climbed a couple of the peaks and enjoyed the Malvern spring water we had filled up with down below in the car park. The views were hampered by the low cloud but it didn’t spoil our enjoyment. I managed to fall over - I reached out to Bobby for a steadying hand but that didn’t stop my graceless full. Bobby says it was his slippery coat that made me lose my grip ... I think he moved himself out of the way?!

A stop at Waitrose on the way hone to stock up with the essentials - bread and beer!

Kim and the boys came over for the evening - it was great to see them all. They arrived at about 5.30. Another nice meal at the Robin Hood - the boys loved the play area in the garden. Needless to say, the weather meant we had the large garden and play area to ourselves! I would highly recommend the food and the value of this place. The staff are just a little on the glum side - certainly didn’t see many smiles - but hey, you can’t have everything.

We wrapped up as warm as we could for a walk on the Common. The boys and the dogs enjoyed the leg stretch. Back to Brunnehilda for drink, cake, ice cream and chocolate before they set off for home - about 9 pm. It was lovely to see them- Brunnehilda does seem small though with 3 adults, 3 children and 2 dogs going about their business!

Bobby has a bit of a cold coming on so we didn’t want too late a night. Although by the time we played a game of backgammon (he beat me again!) and watched another offering from the Coen Brothers collection, it was nearly midnight.

Big day tomorrow- another moving experience!

Gloucs & Worcs (June ‘19) - Day 5

I think that’s one of my new favourite sounds ... the sound of rain on the caravan / awning roof when you’re lying in bed and have no where particular to go!

OMG, did it rain ... from about 4 in the morning until midday it threw it down. Good news ... Isabella didn’t leak. First job this morning - after breakfast - was to peg her down internally. Then we wasted time until the rain stopped.

Bobby had a call to make at 2.30 so we headed out to find a coffee shop in Tewksbury. This particular venue was chosen as I wanted to browse the wonderful second hand map shop on the High Street. Cornell Maps https://www.cornellmaps.co.uk/ didn’t disappoint - if you ever need an old OS this is like Aladdin’s cave.

When Bob was taking care of business, Tilly and I had a stroll along the river / canal. She has been confined to the lead for 3 months and is relishing the chance to stretch her legs again. This included chasing after all the bird life - until I read the sign about that particular field bring some sort of world heritage site for rare bird breeds! Thankfully she is too slow / dumb to catch anything!

After walks / work we met up at Miss Muffet’s Deli https://missmuffetsdelicatessen.co.uk/ coffee shop. Lovely friendly staff and a vegetarian Scotch Egg that I couldn’t recommend highly enough. Who would have thought it ... a veggie option (based around a cheese and potato mix) that was far better than the original meat based version?!

Then onto Ledbury for an early evening stroll round the town. We went in a beautiful old church - to be fair it was the only thing open. St Michael’s http://www.ledburyparishchurch.org.uk/guide.html was so peaceful and tranquil - reminded me what I have always known, old church’s are wasted on the religious.

Before we tucked into our soup, beer and sourdough bread back in Brunnehilda , we did a 45 minute circular walk around the Castlemorton Common - just 2 mins drive from the campsite. It was as interesting and beautiful as it was damp and wild! Apparently there was a very famous rave there 35 year ago - it was hard to imagine 30,000 New Age travellers raving away at such a desolate place? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlemorton_Common_Festival

I taught Bobby backgammon and then he beat me on the first game - God, I’m a good teacher ... of course it might be that I’m rubbish at Backgammon!!? Another evening with the brothers Coen - this one was the Hudsucker Proxy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hudsucker_Proxy .Not as gripping as Blood Simple but certainly a funny / light view.

Just settling down in bed when .... crash! The dinette bed collapsed again- it really is a poor design. Even longer and thicker screws will he needed tomorrow.

The lousy weather and England being thrashed at cricket couldn’t spoil another nice day. Tilly’s day was going great as well, until right up to bed time ... she was sleeping under Bobby’s bed when it collapsed!!