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

28th April 2019

Dear All,

Kate and I have been down to Hove this week and inspected the alterations to the house. The attic area has been enlarged and the children now have bunk beds up there. The kitchen and living room have also expanded and it makes a considerable difference. We had rain while we were down there – a very rare occurrence in our recent experience and it brought out a whole raft of large snails – much to Amélie’s delight! Albert on the other hand was rather nervous of them.

Top Floor

Kitchen & Living Room

Chasing Bubbles

Ludo Meister

Chocolate Ice Cream

On Monday I distributed tomato plants to five worthy (ish?) recipients prior to going away and sowed a tray of cucurbits. Later I tried cutting the wicket again and the mower seized up so we have grasped the nettle of ordering a replacement - £3,000 for a reconditioned model!

We walked locally on Thursday starting at Haddenham and taking in the Great Ouse at Aldreth near where Hereward the Wake was reputed to have crossed.

Great Ouse Pumphouse

Haddenham Orchard

Glynis Fenwick’s car failed the MOT this week so we took her to Tesco’s on Friday followed by Oakington Garden Centre for Sweet Potatoes and hanging baskets. We spent another 3 hours on the pitch in the afternoon: rolling, cutting and marking out – they have planned 35 home games on the Green this year which is a considerable increase.

I have had two long chats with cousin John Bell this week – he is frustrated that he cannot drive at present so shopping involves taxis and buses.

Over won their last game at Soham yesterday 5 v 0 and so became champions by goal difference. The wind on Soham Fen was no joke gusting up to 40 mph which did not improve the spectacle for either players or spectators!

In the evening we helped Bob Kitson celebrate his birthday with 10 of us attending a meal at their house.

We should be off to Romania next Saturday so do not wait for news with bated breath!

Love

Mike & Kate

21st April 2019

Dear All,

We began Monday with a trip to Cambridge to return the SP keys then proceeded to the dump as Kate has been clearing the loft, then off to Waterbeach to fill 6 bags with recycled green waste. In the afternoon I sorted Ken Elsom’s garden as he is recovering from a stroke: earthing up spuds, rotovating the remainder of the garden and planting lettuce and sowing carrots and parsnips. Back home I sowed leeks, Runner and French beans. The blossom in the garden is fantastic – but we could surely do with a good rain.

I gave a report on the recent Moldova visit at the Tuesday home group and several extra folk appeared.

Wednesday was a full day beginning with one of Philip’s famous briefings for the U3A Dartmoor walking holiday in May, followed by a NIAB Wrinklies meeting covering 100 years of soil science. In the evening we had a chapel visit to Bakers farm in Swavesey where David Baker has started from scratch and built up a business with 130 ewes, 30 beef cattle 200 hens and 20 pigs. He has them slaughtered then does the butchery and retail himself. We then just had time to get to Over Garden Club for a talk by Richard Ayers the ex-head gardener of Anglesey Abbey.

Baker’s sheep

Wessex x Duroc pig with golden sheen

On Thursday our walk started at Arrington and took in Croydon and Wimpole Hall with yellow flowers everywhere: cowslips, celandines, dandelions and of course oilseed rape – with an odd bluebell thrown in.

Wimpole Folly

Break in the Woods

Friday morning was another session on the cricket square followed by sowing sweet corn sprouting broccoli and lettuce.

I had a long chat with John Bell yesterday while trying to arrange the next cousin’s reunion. He has lost his driving licence at present due to a series of blackouts.

This morning we had a 6am sunrise Easter Service in the orchard – and for only the second time in 10 year the sun actually made an appearance!

Love

Mike & Kate

14^th April 2019

Dear All,

I have sent you all a copy of the CEEM report and the link to Dropbox for the photos so I won’t repeat any of that just to say it is amazing how much you can pack into a week if it all works out. Since returning it has been all about writing up the reports, sorting the photos and catching up in the garden. The garden has survived the run of frosts this week although some of the tomatoes in the greenhouse have been singed.

We walked locally on Thursday started at Stow cum Quy and taking in Quy Fen and the old coprolite beds. There was a large turn out as it was close to Cambridge.

Quy Coprolite Pit

Quy Mill

Quy Mill Pond

John Lane returned from two months in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam this week so we started preparation of the cricket square. This is now a bigger job as we have added two extra strips this time.

Over beat Milton 5 v 0 yesterday and need to only draw their last game to go up and if they win they will be champions.

We were on Street Pastor duty last night and it was reasonably busy with a few hen and stag parties out and featuring an early casualty frog marched to the café to recover, another prostrate on the pavement with a bloody wound from probably a bottle blow and ending, as usual, with a difficult case of an 18 year old celebrating? his 18^th birthday by getting paralytic and not responding very quickly to efforts to sober him up so we were not able to get away until 4.15 am and to bed until 5.00 am.

Ben did well in the Vienna marathon last Sunday with a time of 3 hours 37 minutes.

Love

Mike & Kate