Safe Return Doubtful

I spent five days at my friends house just outside Poole. I had thought of taking off to the small hills of Dorset just off the coast but other than lay-bys adjacent to busy roads there are few overnighting options, besides, the hospitality of Joey and Ann was excellent.

They helped me find a mechanic to try and repair my ongoing oil pressure problem. I had booked an appointment ahead of time, so took the van there on the Wednesday morning. I was up walking on the Heath when they called me with ‘good and bad news’. The good was that they thought they had solved the oil pressure issue, the bad, that the drive shaft packed in on the test drive, the van needed towing back to the garage. Unlucky.. perhaps, but very lucky that as this was about to happen anyway, it hadn’t happened when I was a long way from anywhere. I expected a few days wait, but they were able to get the part and replace it in a couple of hours. On that test drive, they found the oil pressure problem recurred. I knew already that it could be one of three issues, and that having had one repair in Spain, now this, we were down to the last option. To confirm that, the boss of the garage called his mate at VW who confirmed that. They got the part, and replaced it at 7:30 am the next morning, the only time they could fit me in. So the van’s back to 100%, but not cheap to get it so.. 

On Friday our other friends arrived for the weekend. Matt, who writes, and has been in sports publishing in London for many years, and Danny, who hasn’t moved from the Wirral, where we all know each other from our cricket days. We had a tremendous weekend. 

On Sunday we all departed. I headed for the Mendips, and parked overnight at the main car park in Cheddar, just out of the Gorge. There’s a charge for this, £4 per night, but it is reasonable compared to many others around, who are either much more expensive, have 2 metre barriers, or simply don’t allow overnighting. 

This morning I walked the Gorge circuit which was much shorter than I had expected, about 6 miles, though there was almost no view. All weekend there has been a fairly high mist, or, and, low cloud; no rain, no wind, and reasonably warm, but low visibility. 

I have moved a couple of hours on this afternoon into the Brecon Beacons. I have found a couple of places that offer basic facilities for around £10 a night. I am currently at Llangorse Activity Centre. Fortunately, a friend of mine used to be head instructor here, just after it opened 25 years ago. I am in touch with him still, and he arranged that the fee to stay here should be waived, a big bonus.

There are a few people around during the day, as it offers a climbing wall, horse riding, and a cafe, and staff who are busy preparing for their schools season to open in a couple of weeks. It’s perfect for me, and I’m very grateful to Martin, my old friend.