Back to Black(well) - 15th Apr ‘23

The homage to Amy Winehouse’s classic album is a pathetic way of distracting you (and me!) from the boring fact that I’m back at Topley End Farm near Blackwell in the Derbyshire Dales. Four times last year and off again this year … I guess the correct assumption should be made that I quite like it here!

I was due to be here one day earlier but the pooey weather on Friday made me put it back a day. It was easy for me to cancel and spend the day at home yesterday because, as usual, I really wasn’t looking forward to the trip. As always, it’s  fine when I got here it’s just the act of getting here that turns me cold. Partly because it was always so exciting going on a Brunnehilda trip with Kim but also because it’s a bit lonely and stressful doing all the Brunnehilda travel processes in your own!

And it was a mixed journey. A great start to the day as I watched the Twinnies win their football match against Blisworth. 6 goals but only one MacArthur goal on the scoresheet! Lovely to watch them though - everyone played well. At the end of the game I rushed back home, picked up the dogs and headed for Welton Lodge Farm. To speed things up I had got the van ready and taken up the corner stays yesterday. This meant that, even accounting for using the motor mover to get her hitched, I was on the road at 11.20 - less than 30 mins from my arrival on site.

It was a good journey too. Ashbourne was quiet this time so we whistled through in just over 2 hours - arriving on site at 1.30pm. As always the site was quiet - just one other van. I tried in vain to back Brunnehilda onto the pitch. As usual, as I was struggling, I heard Kim in my ear saying “stop piddling about and get the motor mover on - why have a dog and bark yourself?”. So I did!

I got in the zone and rapidly went through the “set up” checklist. All was pretty much done within the hour - including a long chat with my neighbour. A young guy with his wife and 2 toddlers- from Holmfirth in Yorkshire. Nice lad. 

Then it all went wrong. I couldn’t get the water to come through! After 30 mins of checking and messing about I realised the water was running out from the centre (underneath) of the van. I eventually found a valve that had been opened - I shut it. I think John (the guy who serviced it) must have opened it during the service. Ah well, as my old mate Gazzer would say … “every day’s a school day!”

So at just gone 3pm I was making a cup of tea and having a snack. I listened to the Cobblers commentary at Carlisle for an hour or so before getting packed up and out for a late afternoon walk.

I decided to do the short 5 mile walk I did last time. Down the farm track, across the A6, dropping down to Chee Dale and picking up the Monsal Trail.

It wasn’t too busy considering it was a Saturday in the Easter holidays. I was obviously not yet in the holiday mood as I found myself muttering under my breath to all the rude cyclists who failed to thank me for restraining the dogs as they peddled by. This happened so many times I eventually muttered myself into a better mood. Plus, they did start to say thank you later on in the walk. The dogs were very well behaved.

After a couple of miles on the Trail we dropped down to Chee Dale and followed the very full (and muddy slippery path) River Wye. 

Then up the very steep hill and over the fields to Blackwell. Then it was a quick yomp back up to the A6 and Topley Head Farm.

We had a short stop half way up the steep hill - the dogs and I shared some Doritos and a couple of Twirl Bars. Along with caravan water valves, I learnt something else new today - my dogs don’t like sparkling water! They were clearly very thirsty but they completely refused to even try the bowl of fizzy water - who knew that?

The 5 mile walk took just over 2 hours and was a nice painless reintroduction to the Derbyshire Dales.

Fish pie, strawberry trifle and a Coen Brothers film - Blood Simple. A quick chat with Thom and Rach before hitting Brunnehilda’s big German bed and a bit of blogging while watching Match of the Day.

It’s going to rain tomorrow morning and I’ve got a leak from the kitchen tap - I guess that’s what I’ll be doing in the morning while I’m waiting for the rain to stop?!

Pennine Bridleway, Limestone Way & Monsal Trail - 23rd Sept ‘22

A gorgeous sunny Autumn day in the Dales. For all my moaning about Brunnehilda’s weather record, I’ve been really lucky this week. The only bad weather I had was the travel day!

A standard start to the day - a lie in, a quick breakfast of bacon and egg bagels and out for a walk in the sunshine before 11am.

I was tempted to redo a walk i’d done before but I thought if I did a walk I didn’t know it might give my idle brain something else to focus on rather than dwell on stuff that doesn’t need dwelling on. So I did.

I started off in familiar territory and ended up that way as well. However, the 2 hours in the middle was all spent covering new ground.

I climbed down via the Pennine Bridleway to the River Wye in Chee Dale. This is my usual access to the nice walks just over the A6 at the end of the farm drive. Then the new stuff started, following the Bridleway out of Wye Dale up onto the top. 

I followed a few footpaths that cut some corners as the Pennine Bridleway doesn’t seem to go in a straight line. Another shout out to cousin Di for recommending the OS App - I would have never have picked my way through these little footpaths without it.

I went through the pretty village of Wormhill and then on to the head of Monks Dale. I considered walking down this Dale but decided to climb up onto the ridge and pick up another Bridleway - The Limestone Way. The good thing about these bigger Bridleways is that they have stone walls either side thereby keeping the sheep from the sheep dogs so the 2 hounds were off the lead for most of the time.

I crashed out in the sunshine and shared a snack and drink with the dogs before pressing on down The Limestone Way and onto Millers Dale. I was now on familiar territory again and picked up the Monsal Trail.

I’d seen just a couple of walkers until then (over 2.5 hours in) but the Trail was a lot busier - although not too bad. This was probably the most boring part of the walk so I was quite happy to get to the foot of the hill again and slowly make my way up the Dale side to the A6 and on back to Brunnehilda. 

The walk was just over 8 miles long and took me about 3 1/2 hours. So during my 4 walking days this week I’ve done 11, 10, 11 and then 8 miles. Henry Vths army averaged 10 miles a day marching through Northern France during the Agincourt campaign so I was quite pleased with this. Although I didn’t have fully body armour on and wasn’t being fired on by the French. Mind you they didn’t have 2 crazy collies to look after!? As you can see my mind was on other things today other than dwelling on my mental state - good job too!

Relaxed for 30 mins and then a quick wash and brush up before heading out to Roston - the other side of Ashbourne. Met up with Helen for a cuppa at the farm and then we headed out with her and Pip to their local for a bite to eat. It was really nice - the food and the company. Missed Karl this time, he was still travelling back from a work trip, but it was smashing to catch up with 2 of the 3 Davis’. Although towards the end of our meal, the pub got very busy and my lousy ears weren’t coping too well!

Back to Brunnehilda for the usual Cadburys, Better Call Saul and blogging. Up early in the morning - I want to be on the road by 9.30am.

It’s been a mixed week but, as always with these Brunnehilda trips, I have nothing but nice memories to think back on. I’ve been on some fantastic walks and been blessed by the weather. It’s a shame my brain wasn’t in the right place at the start of the week but i still think processing this crappy stuff in my head and then trying to write it down does help!

Not sure when I’ll get out in Brunnehilda again but I’ve made my mind up I will be planning another Northumberland trip next September. And who knows, there may be someone other than a crazy fungi lady and 2 potty sheep dogs to share it with!? But if there’s not, that’s also fine.

Topley Head Farm:

Pros:

1) Great position

2) Good value

3) Quiet

4) Good 4G

5) Loads of room to spread out 

6) Great walks from the site- 10 mins from Chee Dale

7) Just off the A6 so easy to access / find

8) Great views / sunsets

Cons:

1) Long(ish) grass

2) Patchy hard standing

3) Annnoying and unnecessary (at the moment) gate

Onwards to Derbyshire - 22nd Sept ‘22

Not much to report on today but in the spirit of “the travel blog”, I’ll do a quick one. Excitement is usually hard to find in these blogs but today’s post is the very definition of “slim pickings”!

The weather broke this morning. 4 lovely dry (and sunny) days so no complaints about the drizzle I woke up to this morning. It’s always nice to arrive in the sunshine and leave in the drizzle!

Red letter day today though - I had a Brunnehilda shower. The first since I arrived. I know some of you will find that disgusting but in my defence you can get yourself and all your orifices as clean as a whistle without showering. Plus the dogs don’t seem to mind - in fact, between you and me, I think they prefer my smell the dirtier I get! But, because I’m meeting “company” over the next couple of days, I thought it only right to make the effort! I haven’t got within 5 yards of a living person in 4 days so really there was no motivation. The shower worked well though and didn’t use up too much water - although the electric boiler heater is playing up again so I had to use gas! 

No breakfast today. After a chat with my neighbours, who were packing up at the same time as me, I got started on the regular routine. Like Kim and I had, this couple had clear jobs to do individually to get ready for the off and they worked away very efficiently. I was doing everything on my Todd but i still managed to be ready to go at the same time as them which I was pleased about. I was also pleased with more excellent backing up and hitching skills. After 3 years I’m finally getting good at this sh*t! They were heading home to Manchester and I was heading for Derbyshire. We both pulled out the camp, like a couple of travellers being moved on, at about 10.15.

The traffic on the A1 was not great with several Road works either side of Newcastle slowing me down. I wanted to break the back of the journey before stopping so I went 3 hours before arriving at Wetherby soon after 1pm. There were lots of spare caravan parking spaces so I parked with ease. 

Hoisin Duck with rice and then a brisk walk around the dog walk was all that was needed to recharge all 3 of our batteries!

Arrived at Topley Bank Farm at about 4. Sat Nav took me all through the suburbs of South Sheffield just as the schools we’re kicking out - yuck! So all in all, not the best of journeys. 

Good news though - we’re on our own! So the dogs have the field to themselves and i got to practice reversing without any critical alpha male judgemental eyes on me. Ironically, I backed her onto the pitch beautifully with no bugger to witness it - bloody typical!

Time for a quick 45 minute walk in the rain to the other (fully booked!) caravan site at Blackwell and back. Dogs fed and me scrubbed and changed before getting out to meet Mandy for a meal at The Fishpond pub in Matlock Bath. 

As always, it was lovely to catch up and have a good old giggle. Particularly nice for me given the only chats I’ve had over the last 4 days have been with a NT volunteer, a Mancunian caravan couple, a slightly bonkers fungi collector and a couple of schizophrenic collies! Mandy’s dog Ethel was perfectly behaved in the pub - I left Bigbee and her mate in the car to reflect on their antisocial behaviour yesterday!

Back to Brunnehilda soon after 10. Just enough time for a Costa coffee (bought on the way home), Cadburys Mint chocolate (a new one!) and an episode of Better Call Saul.

Jeez, it’s quite here! No complaints from me though.

Embleton Bay:

Pros:

1) Great position

2) Good value

3) Very tidy and well kept 

4) Reasonable 4G

5) Water tap next to pitch

6) Lovely walk to Coastal Footpath

7) Great village pub - 20 mins walk away.

Cons:

1) I really can’t think of one!

Holy Island - 21st Sept ‘22

A slightly shorter one tonight! But another great day in glorious Northumberland. More of the same I’m afraid - long walks, beaches and antisocial dogs. No psycho-analysis tonight though - I’m all self analysed out and just a bit pooped!

3rd day and still no rain. In fact it was warm sunshine until about 1pm. It clouded over then but came back later in the evening.

Out by 10 this morning as I wanted to get to Holy Island before high tide and the causeway shutting (at 11.15). Still had time for a bacon and egg bagel though! In fact I was parking up in a very pot holed car park just over the causeway - quite a long way from the town / action - at about 10.45.

This was planned as I wanted to try and walk around the island and end up at the castle / village. A bloody good plan as it turned out. Even though the village, castle and monastery were all heaving it was so very quiet in the far flung corners of the island.

Here again this is something I would have never have done with Kim - we would have parked up at the main car park and headed for the action. I’ve got to say though, today I was glad I wasn’t doing it that way.

I really can’t find the words to do the walk justice - and all in the perfect autumn sunshine as well. So, as my words have let me down, I’ll stick to the geographical facts:

Parked up at Jack Mathisons Bank car park and headed across the dunes. There was a warning about something called Peri peri grass (yeh, who knew eh?) that would stick to anything - especially dogs. And by jingo they were right - the 2 collies have more bits of undergrowth stuck on them than you could possibly imagine - the scissors will be out when I get home!

A short stumble over the dunes then onto the biggest expanse of empty beach I’ve seen outside of Birkdale on a cold day. Then, at the end of this beach I picked up the footpath that went all the way around the island. It passed through some beautiful secluded bays, warm and sheltered dunes, exposed cliff (although not very high) edges and a nature reserve. Snipe Point and Emmanuel Head we’re the main highlights before getting to Lindisfarne Castle. 

Here we suddenly hit the crowds and the dogs had to be on a lead. And as if by magic, the wonderfully behaved Tilly turned into a monster. Bigbee from Trainspotting had returned. If she could speak she would have been saying to every dog (and crikey, there were an amazing amount of dogs) - “what you Fcukin’ lookin’ at”. Followed by a mean sounding growl, a bit of a lunge and all this while wagging her friggin tail!

She calmed down eventually and we had a fairly uneventful walk through the village. Before we headed out to the village, I did ask the National Trust folks if they had somewhere I could keep the dogs safe while I had a quick look around the castle. She said no, and that most people take turns. I pointed out it was hard to take turns with myself. She seemed quite surprised I was on my own - I took that as a compliment!! She did offer a place to tie them up round the back but given little miss “whatyoulookinat”, I didn’t think that was a wise move.

I did manage to find a nice quiet bench and read my book for a bit - with a gorgeous view to compensate for the miserable / snappy hound tied up at my feet!

We walked around the town and monastery but it was soo busy. I wanted to get a coffee but the queues were lined with well behaved dogs on leads. I then fancied a pint but the beer garden was peppered with dogs lazing around minding their own business. If I took Bigbee in there it would be like trying to tiptoe through a minefield. So nothing for it but to head to the main car park and find an ice cream van - without a queue involving a dog!

I bought a bloody huge tub of vanilla which I shared with the dogs - God, they both really love ice cream! The empty tub served as a water holder for the dogs as I had once again forgotten their bowl. Earlier on in the walk I / they had made do with a rock with a little hollow in the middle.

Once more across the dunes - even bigger and longer this time. And then onto that aforementioned huge beach again. It wasn’t quite so nice now as the sun was gone and there was a bit of a wind in our face. We got back to the car at about 3.15. 

I had a WhatsApp call scheduled with the kids at 5.30 so I decided the best bet would be to head home and pick up some food on the way. I drove through Bamburgh as I considered stopping there but the call of fish and chips from Neptunes in Seahouses was too much to ignore! I went here last year and I remember them being particularly good. 

Parked up, bought them (with a curry sauce) and headed back to Brunnehilda. And yes, I remembered correctly - it was good!

I thought I’d kill 2 birds with one stone and go to the beach, for the dogs final walk of the Northumberland stay, while WhatsApping the kids. We sat on the beach and had the call. Dodgy reception meant I had to head up onto the golf course (get a bit higher up) half way through. It was lovely to see and speak to them all - although I’m not sure how much they heard of me over the sea, the wind, me shouting at the dogs (especially Benny who seemed to want to go off with all the passing walkers and their dogs) and the lousy reception. It did me a world of good though.

Back home to Brunnehilda and more of the usual. Sat out reading my book with a beer, then an episode of the Waltons and a couple of episodes of Better Call Saul and a pot of tea - rock and roll 🤟. I even found time for a sneaky supper as well. 

Oh well, back down to Derbyshire tomorrow and hopefully some non-canine, non-fungi related conversations mixed in with the solo walking.

It’s been a strange trip. I don’t think my head was quite in the right place to fully appreciate it but each day has got better and … this bloody place is amazing - so, just like Arnie, “I’ll be back!”.

Oh finally, say hello to Clive … I rescued him on the huge Holy Island beach. He was a long way from safety but had the good grace not to nip me as I took him down to the waters edge. You’re welcome Clive!