A weekend near Cleobury Mortimer with David & Penny

After a gap of a few years we returned to The Cider House at Neen Sollars for our fourth visit, our third with David & Penny. After loads of rainfall, it was always going to be wet underfoot, but we nevertheless managed to get some walking in.

The first day (Saturday) saw us head for Ludlow, one of my favourite places by way of Titterstone Cleehill where we got out, had a blow and a short walk to exercise the dogs and our lungs. The air is so wonderful in The Marches, and from the Clee Hills you can see so far into England and Wales – a fact not lost on the National Air Traffic System who have located a number of radar installations on the top of the hill, around an abandoned quarry.

A wander around Titterstone Cleehill on our way to Ludlow at EveryTrail

The rest of the day went to form – a walk around the market, the purchase of some tripe sticks, a drink in The Bull, a visit to the butchers to buy sausages – the things we always do when we visit Ludlow.

The next day we drove to Bewdley and walked beside the River Severn up the west bank to Arley, had a drink and a sandwich at The Harbour Inn and then walked back on the eastern side of the river.

Beside the Severn from Bewdley to Arley at EveryTrail

Of course we were walking beside the Severn Valley Railway and so photo opportunities were readily available – see the link to the pictures at the bottom; but I was also able to take a short video of a train going over the Victoria Bridge, just south of Arley.

Then on Monday, as David & Penny were leaving us that day, we drove to Kinver Edge, where in the wonderful autumn sunshine we did a circular walk along the edge, through the woods, past the cave houses, up the MBX course and back through the autumn colours of the woods before driving down to Kinver to have lunch and say farewell.

Kinver Edge at EveryTrail

We returned via Kidderminster – strange place; that’s all I’ll say!

On Tuesday, Jenny and I went into Ludlow again, had a pie and a pint in The Church Inn – highly recommended; before dropping across to the butchers to discuss hams for Christmas.

There’s a link to a few pictures of the weekend below.

CiderHouse2012

Downpour in The Dales (or Grrr, Grassington)

The second week of our holiday was to be spent in The Yorkshire Dales, more specifically Swaledale which we didn’t know at all.

We tried to get a pitch in the Leyburn or Hawes club sites, but were unsuccessful (although we could have had a pitch at a site in Masham); but we were fortunate to get a pitch at the Caravan Club site at Grassington in Wharfdale – a place we knew quite well.

The drive across from Whitby was also interesting, taking us on a northerly route towards Middlesborough skirting the North Yorkshire Moors (Heartbeat country) and through Ripon which I can’t remember ever visiting before.

Upon reflection, we should have tried to get a pitch at the CC site there, but we have made a note to return when next visiting Leeds and spending “extra” nights in Swaledale, Nidderdale and Wensleydale.

The pictures of our stop in Grassington can be viewed on Picasaweb by clicking on this link.

Through The Dales to Leeds at EveryTrail

So we ended up at Long Ashes near to Threshfield. As we arrived in Grassington, we could see that things were not as they ought to be – and that was not a comment upon the lovely sunny day! No, the village had been taken over by a 1940’s Re-enactment Event. Apparently these occur almost every weekend through the summer, and we’d landed in the middle of one without realising it was taking place. So … a quick setting-up of #duettovan, and a walk into Grassington to investigate, was called for!

The place was really buzzing and happy. We rang the Grooms and suggested they came up for a walk and to enjoy the event on the Sunday. We retired to the Long Ashes restaurant on the static campsite for a pleasant meal.

The weekend is recorded in the slideshow below …

Grassington 1940’s Weekend 2012 from David Harrison on Vimeo.

If you want a more leisurely scan through the photographs, you can find that here.

The videos are embedded below:

The weather and the fun was not too last. Although it had rained quite a bit on the Saturday, that was nothing to what fell on the Sunday night; and with the promise of more to come we scurried off back to Leeds early on Monday morning. A wet end to a lovely tour in #duettovan.