16th June 2019

Dear All,

This week seems to have cured the drought! The rain has bucked up the garden but the pond is flooded and the flat roof has sprung a couple of small leaks.

We drove down to Hove on Tuesday afternoon after attending Ray Asplin’s funeral. Ray had lived in Over all his life so there was a healthy turn out for the occasion. Kate and I were entrusted with reading a poem. The journeys to and back from Hove were fairly easy despite the gloomy weather. The kittens are still high in the popularity stakes – especially with Amélie – Albert is still a little wary!

Rascal

On Thursday it was a question of “when the going gets tough the tough get going” only there were only 13 tough enough for the walk which began at Stretham in drizzle, and continued via the Old Pumping Station along the banks of the Great Ouse. A survey of waterproof clothing afterwards concluded that none were really 100% effective – and even those which kept out most of the rain built up sweat inside.

The Great Ouse

Stretham Old Pumping Station

I had another Over Show committee meeting in the evening which fortunately did not last as long as usual. The Garden Club have a trip to Beth Chatto’s next week but we are not planning to join.

We stocked up on tropical fish on Friday adding 8 Glowlight Tetras and a couple of Panda Cory Catfish.

Glowlight Tetras

Panda Cory Catfish

Cricket was on yesterday despite the wet week thanks to the heroic efforts of the grounds men! It was an exciting game with Wisbech which the opponents won with 2 balls to spare.

Ben took part in a swim down the River Arun yesterday 3.8 km starting at Littlehampton which he finished in 1 hour 10 minutes – good to see children emulating their parents!

2018 Race

Made it!

We have the annual gathering of the U3A Just Vegetating group next Tuesday for lunch and garden walk so that has involved a certain amount of preparation and tidying up this week.

We are off to Little Paxton this morning for a Moldova presentation.

Love

Mike & Kate

9th June 2019

Dear All,

The Fund Raising tea hosted by Kate and Gordon at Haddenham yesterday was well supported and raised £742 for the Moldova “Meal Deal” projects. Meanwhile news has come in from Leova that one wall of their church has collapsed and they have been experiencing torrential rain with the prospect of the River Prut overflowing. The walls are made of mud bricks and have been developing cracks for a year or two so it is not altogether surprising, but serious nevertheless as the repair estimate is 8000 euros – which they do not have.

I spent a day strimming the overgrown graves in the cemetery on Wednesday, usually Mervyn helps but he has had an operation on his arm and is not strimmer fit!

The car needed a new set of four tyres this week so we are safer but poorer!

Thursdays walk started at Toppesfield near Haverill and took in Great Yeldham and the Colne Valley. The crops in this area were as good as they had been poor the previous week, Wheat, Barley and Rape crops were all even and weed free. The pub in Toppesfield was community run and the chef has another job, so it was sandwiches all round, which was fine especially as it was very quick service.

Toppesfield

Great Yeldham

Kate in the Rape

Parkland Cattle

Dereck Medlock and Joyce have been around for most of the week tidying their bungalow and garden which has been empty for 3 or 4 years. He cannot bring himself to sell it as he would like to move back, which is unlikely. Also the valuation keeps going up so it is a good excuse to hang on. He was working on his old rabbit sheds – which my family will know well and surprise, surprise when Adrian called for a cup of tea he spotted a rat strolling across our garden! We had them round for tea on Friday, he is still heavily into rabbits keeping “too many” and judging in this country and abroad.

Friday night we attended Over Players latest offering: “Dame Agatha’s Greatest Case” a murder mystery spoof. It was well done and very funny.
Ray Asplin only lasted a week in the hospice and died at the weekend.

Love

Mike & Kate

2^nd June 2019

Dear All,

We met for the annual Day Cousin’s reunion on Tuesday. We arranged to hold it at Brentwood and Upminster as this is easiest for the oldest to attend. As it happened John was not up to the meal but did join us for a tour of sites where family had lived in previous times as well as a walk in Belhus Woods Country Park. After we gathered at John and Muriel’s for chat, sowing their veg patch and tea.

Cousin’s cast 2019

Belhus Park residents

Belhus Park

Muriel & Annemarie

We walked from Monk Street near Thaxted on Thursday taking in Duton Hill and Tilty. It was a bit dull compared to Dartmoor and Romania but warm and solid underfoot. It was mainly through cereal fields and some of them were not very well grown, and some with big patches of virus.

Near Monk Street

Duton Hill

Tilty Rectory

Tilty Church

We were on Street Pastor duty on Friday night. It was relatively quiet for a payday but we had a couple of awkward drunks who did not want help, one of whom was rather aggressive. Otherwise most folk were happy including a street dweller collecting signatures for more public toilets in Cambridge on a large cardboard box! and he had missed out the “L” in public!

Kate has had a busy week with her “Pastoral Care” hat on. Ray Asplin our senior Deacon has been taken to the Arthur Rank hospice for his final days – his wife, with dementia has not really grasped the situation. A lady who has been upsetting others is having “Anger Management” sessions, she has sat with Jim Burr to give Janet a break and one of our walking friends has lost a 21 year old grandson with a brain tumour. In addition to SPs she is on the door today, taking crèche and the children’s talk!

We have a fund raising Tea Party for Moldova hosted by Kate & Gordon next Saturday so anyone is free (or wishes to donate!) you would be most welcome.

Love

Mike & Kate

26^th May 2019

Dear All,

We must have seen Dartmoor at its best: wall to wall sunshine, scenery, flora, especially bluebells, good hotel and good company.

First a photo from Romania sent by a fellow traveller which captures the ambience of the high alpine meadows!

On the way to Dartmoor we were pleased to call in on Ali and Robin. They have a fantastic situation among hills and narrow lanes and have successfully cleared most of the jungle and made the house and workshops useable but still have plenty of work to do.

On Dartmoor we were staying at Ilsington not far from Bovey Tracey, as usual, Philip had chosen a hotel at the opposite end of cheap and nasty on the status spectrum! but he had negotiated a discount. After leaving Ali and Robin we travelled to Princetown to recce a walk that we were due to lead on Tuesday. It was as well that we did as there were a couple of tricky sections and the pub Philip had booked for lunch claimed not to have heard of us! Recceing by car involved some extremely narrow lanes and at one stage I had to reverse100 yards (not very well) with both wing mirrors touching the sides!

Ilsington Country House Hotel

Our first days walk started locally at Haytor visitor centre and took in Hound Tor, Honey Bag Tor, Crinkwell Tor, Bell Tor and a conducted tour of Widecombe. One of the main features was the amazing spread of bluebells in open hillsides and on top of walls – we are only used to seeing bluebells in woods.

Bluebells on Bonehill Downs

Widecombe from Chinkwell Tor

On Tuesday we led from Princetown via Ingra Tor, Eggworthy, Withill, Merryvale and back across rough moor with stone circles and stone rows. The pub at Merryvale had reluctantly agreed to serve us as long as we all ordered pasties as the landlord had a hospital appointment. He had called in a faithful helper who resembled Mrs Overall from Victoria Wood programmes and proceeded to act in character!

Dartmoor Merryvale Pub

Wednesday saw us at Dartmeet beginning with a scramble up a steep hill and taking in stepping stones – which were a little daunting for the elderly (most of our group!), clapper bridges and forest. Our leader on this day heavily relied on a hand held electronic device which never seemed to match the real topography so we spent a deal of time wondering where we were and eventually endured an unscheduled 2 mile walk down a narrow busy road.

Apprehension at  Stepping Stones

Mike on Clapper bridge

Finally on Thursday we headed for Chagford and walked along the River Teign to Castle Drogo and Fingle Bridge. The castle is undergoing extensive renovations to make it waterproof and replacing over 900 windows.

River Teign

Fingles Bridge Inn

The drive back on Friday was fairly uneventful but we managed over 700 miles in the week – which is plenty.

Ben was on a Sushi course yesterday and appears to have mastered presentation quite well.

Sushi for several!

We look forward to meeting up with the (elderly) cousins at Brentwood on Tuesday.

Love

Mike & Kate

12^th May 2019

Dear All,

Transylvania exceeded our expectations. The scenery was alpine – like Switzerland without the expense or regimentation, the weather varied with sunshine, rain and 6” snow one day, the hotel was family run and comfortable and the leader excellent – and we saw bears in the wild.

We flew to Bucharest and transferred to Magura near Brasov in a small coach arriving close to midnight on Saturday. On Sunday we did a local walk round nearby villages in clear weather taking in a bat cave.

Magura

Our Hotel & Carpathian Mountains

On Monday we walked downhill to pick up horse drawn carts for a 45 minute journey up the Barza valley, then a steep climb up to a small hermitage with only 3 monks and a spectacular view. In the evening we visited a hide in the forest to watch wild bears. It was raining and cold but at least 6 female bears showed up some together with cubs. The numbers are vague because it was difficult to be sure whether some were repeats. In addition we saw a lesser spotted eagle and on the return journey we several deer and a wild boar.

Wild Bears

Tuesday was our longest walk 20 km up to Alpine grazing meadows. However it began to snow heavily and eventually there was a 6” covering and it was rather chilly! For lunch we sheltered in an empty shepherds hut but it was the coldest meal I have enjoyed for some time! It did make the scenery very attractive.

Lunch Hut

Magura

Next day we were driven to Pestavaral Mountain intending to take the cable car up to the top and walk down to Brasov, however the cable car was not running due to high winds at the top so we walked some of the way up the mountain then down to Brasov as planned. Again half the walk was in snow. Brasov is a very attractive town with a heavy German Saxon influence. We spent some time exploring the town then were driven to a fishing lake to view birds. We saw some that we do not have here including Pigmy Cormorants, Whiskered Terns and Night Herons but it was too cold to enjoy the experience.

Brasov Town Hall

Brasov Black Church

Brasov Fortifications

On Thursday we started at Bran castle famous for Vlad the Impaler and the Dracula story. It was an interesting structure with a commanding position. We then went back to Brasov for a conducted tour of the Black Church, lunch then free time in which we explored the vegetable market, synagogue and Rope Street, the narrowest street in the country. We finished at another castle at Rastov which is mainly ruined but with spectacular views of the Carpathian Mountains.

Bran Castle

Carpathian Mountains

Friday started at the Bear Sanctuary for animals that had been mis-treated as pets or performers. They currently have 99 inmate bears as well as a few wolves and deer. We then walked to Vulcan, an old Saxon village where the fortified Lutheran church caters for hikers with coffee and cake.

Bear Sactuary

Our Group

It was an early start yesterday 6.30 breakfast (4.30 our time), 3 hour drive to Bucharest, 3hour flight, underground Heathrow to Kings Cross, Train to Cambridge, Guided bus to Swavesey and a walk up the hill to Over.

Love

Mike & Kate