Our first trip of the year and the build up has been as therapeutic as the break promises to be. It’s been a lot of fun getting the van ready after its Winter break, cleaning and stocking up, planning meals and deciding on the local trips and walks.
It started with a bit of a hiccough as we had planned to explore the Wye Valley but realised at the last minute that the site we booked had no toilet or shower facilities – we’re not quite that into getting back to nature. So we swiftly rebooked to the Pandy site next to the Brecon Becons in South Wales.
The journey was surprizingly easy and only took a couple of hours. First impressions were that the site was pleasant enough, but we made a slight pitch error and started setting up in a blue post pitch rather than a white post, and apparently everyone knows that blue posts mean that you can’t put up an awning! So we had to saddle up and move to an approved awning area. Not so bad, but the weather was bitingly cold and we were keen to get settled.
After a warming cup of tea and our picnic lunch we bundled into warm coats and set off to explore the dog walk. It was set in a delightful area at the end of the site alongside the bubbling river Monnow, peppered with daffodils and Spring flowers, and dipping grey wagtails.
We then strolled to the The Old Pandy Inn 50 yards from the site and which very graciously allowed dogs in the public bar. It was welcomingly warm and a pint of Batty Bach and a large Pinot helped us get started into our weekend break.
Saturday 19th March
We had a lovely day today. Even though it was bitterly cold we stayed snug and warm in our cosy van and I slept well (with the aid of an eye mask and ear plugs). I didn’t even mind when a small furry friend joined me on my bed in the middle of the night. The day dawned cold and overcast but stayed dry, and after a fortifying breakfast we set off to explore Abergavenny, a market town in Monmouthshire.
At first glance the town seemed to be a bit neglected and washed up, but as you walked further into the centre it rallied into a bustling hive of bespoke shops and UK highstreet regulars. We explored the indoor market and bought some warm clothes ideal for our walking adventures. We took a coffee break, but Jim behaved rather badly and was shown up by a rather beautiful Rottweiler puppy called Gwenny. She was very well behaved and we eventually slunk out of the coffee shop red faced, dragging a yapping, straining Jim behind us!
From here it was a short drive to the base of Skirrid Fawr for the start of a 3 mile walk around and along this 480 metre high ridge.
It was a challenging walk and took us nearly 3 hours, but it was worth it for the amazing views of Herefordshire, the Mendips, Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains.
The descent was almost as hard as the climb and out joints and muscles will no doubt object over the next few hours, but it was very satisfying achievement for two old crocs!
Back to our warm van for a welcoming cup of tea and a plate of Welsh cakes. The evening caravan ritual is a period of relaxation whatever that may be: the daily papers, blogging, local research and planning the next day’s adventures. This is often oiled with plenty of wine and lager and then enjoying an evening meal that we’ve often planned well in advance. Tonight was our usual Saturday night curry.
After dinner the lack of TV reception means we rely on DVDs, which is quite nice in a way, and we have got into the habit of watching box sets. Last year we mastered the whole of the enthralling ‘Breaking Bad’ saga. This year we have the choice of ‘24’ and ‘Homeland’, but we still need to keep on with ‘The Sopranos’ which we dip into from time to time. This is often accompanied by large quantities of chocolate! The Dog gets an evening walk and then we bed down for the night – usually obscenely early – I blame all the fresh air!
Sunday 20th March
Another day dawned with no hint of rain and the bitterness seems to have gone out of the cold, so it’s now just ‘cold’. We chickened out of tackling Pen y Fan today. We were still a bit stiff after tackling the 480 metres of Skirrid so thought that the 840 metres of Pen Y Fan might be a step too far. Instead, we decided to explore Hay-on Wye.
Hay is a border town famous for its books and there were certainly a lot of book shops (more than 30 shops selling 1 million books), but it was disappointingly missing a sense of bustle and community. Many of the shops were closed but those that were open catered for the elite and well heeled. Bobble hat for £40? I resisted…
We did explore the Hay Cinema Book shop and bought 6 books for £1 each. They were a wide range from old classics to a couple of modern hard backs, one of them is a paticularly beautiful bird book, so we felt that we had got quite a bargain
After that we did a 2 mile round trip walk courtesy of the iFootPath app (highly recommended) along the river Wye and down the former mid-Wales railway line (closed in 1961). The sun came out and it was lovely and peaceful: bobbing swans, a bubbling river and a short break with a Gregg’s sausage roll – heaven! The walk also took in Hay castle, a Norman castle destroyed by Owain Glyndwr in 1402.
From Hay-on-Rye we drove down through the Ewyas valley with the Offa’s Dyke Pass high on the ridge to our East. It was wonderfully Welsh with grazing sheep and the wonderfully shaggy Highland cattle gazing benignly at us like stoned beatniks!.
The mountains were impressive (the 2 dots on the left are people) and the afternoon sun cast an array of earthy colours on the landscape. The road was narrow and winding and followed the river through tiny hamlets and past remote cottages.
We ended up in Cwmyoy to have a look at the 12th century St Martin’s church, dubbed the most crooked church in Britain. It was built on an unstable hillside of old red sandstone and marl to cause the tower and chancel to move in opposite directions and twisting the entire structure. The setting was idyllic and peaceful, a profusion of yellow daffodils and afternoon sunshine.
This was a fitting end to our visit and we drove back in Spring sunshine to our cosy van a couple of miles away. We’ll be coming back and you never know, we may yet tackle the challenge of Pen y Fan!
Me, the man, our dog, and a van 