Brighton and Wirksworth

3^rd and 4^th September – Brighton and Sussex University/Shoreham and Lancing

There is no way of avoiding the M25 for us to get to Brighton. It is a good thing that motorist are not charged for parking on the M25. In fact, motorists should be compensated for hair loss.

Pease Pottage was a good stop on the M23.


Joe and Julia greeted us on our arrival.

Julia and Joe

Joe’s room was efficiently transferred to the car. We scraped in to get a coffee at Sussex University.

University of Sussex Coffee Cup

Sussex University Chaplaincy

Thank goodness for the toilets on Falmer station.

Falmer Station

Irene Discovering the Height of a Rugby Goal Cross Bar

 Thanks to Julia we found free parking not too far from Brighton centre. A bus ride took us in to the town where we were directed to an excellent vegan/vegetarian pub. These establishments were easier to find in Brighton than Nottingham. Back to the car and on to our Travelodge, Gatwick hotel room. We have no complaints about the room. The one that we were in had very sophisticated electrics, an elegant bathroom and well designed fittings. We would query not being told that the car park charge was £7.50.

In the morning we made our MacDonalds stop for a cheap, filling breakfast. (More promotions.) We had a morning to spend and so we headed for Shoreham from where we walked along the pebble beach to Lancing.

Beach Huts at Shoreham

Beach Panorama

Kite Fliers

Kite Surfing

 Unfortunately it stayed grey, but we were fascinated by the large number of kite surfers filling the sky and the sea. More unfortunately, the rain began to fall as we reached Lancing and our futile search for a fish and chip shop resulted in a soak through to the skin. However, we had a good baked potato meal in town centre pub. We were about dry by the time that we arrived back in the car before driving back to Brighton, collect Joe and make the homeward journey.

5^th September – The Visit of Tim and the Girls

We arrived home to find that Tim had a free day. Following a phone call, it was arranged that he and the girls visited us on Monday. It was a good day. Iona and Izzy enjoyed picking sweet corn and using the inner leaves to make corn thingies.

Izzie and Iona at Work

Corn Thingies

Joe and a Thingy

We also had a good time on the railway layout. One of my houses has a tree monster being removed by Dr. Who. I also have ET flying over the viaduct on a bicycle. I particularly like the scene of a trolley and contents falling off the platform while two men have a punch up. I am glad that Joe was able to spend to time with his brother and his nieces.


14^th September – Wirksworth

Wirksworth is not too far, as our journeys go. To our loss we ignored the short cut, avoiding, Cromford. We also missed the direction into the car park. Car parking would have been expensive had it not been for the out of order sign stuck on the meter. (I still wonder if the meter was really out of order.) An additional blessing was the adjoining tea shoppe. It boasted homemade, organic etc., but at my insistence we went in to find a ‘quaint’ tea shop with a sole owner who served us with a large porcelain tea pot for two and two enormous slabs of homemade cake. Irene doggy-bagged half of hers for later. What would these delight cost? We could not believe the mind-boggling bill of £3.00.

The path from here was easily found.

Ecclesborne Railway

After crossing the railway (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway - http://www.e-v-r.com/) the path was very steep and lengthy, but the views were awe inspiring.

The Path Started Smoothly

Half Way Up

The Mast at the Top

There was a down hill scramble to the ‘Black Rocks’.

Black Rocks

We had previously visited this area on a snowy winter’s day, but the rocks were too dangerous then. Soon we recognised the path from that previous visit. Here there was a car park, mock wooden benches for a picnic and toilets for the usual.

Cemetery

Foolishly I predicted better time as we were to follow the old track bed, over the road and the beautifully laid out cemetery.

Starting up the Incline

Bridge on the Incline

 I had not anticipated the incline. We came across a piece of ancient technology designed to assist locomotives make the ascent to Middleton Top. We watched a small diesel tractor race its way up a slope which for the massive powerful engines of an earlier age was too much. It was almost too much for us as we trod boldly on and up in the belief that we would get there.

Marking the Top of the Incline

At Middleton Top was the winding engine for the continuous loop of chain to which engines would be attached for the upwards haul.

The Winding Engine

At this point the map and directions failed causing a detour and I am sure that after the amazing walk across a desolate feeling quarry we went the wrong way through the pedestrian tunnel causing us to use our own sense of direction to return to the car.

The Quarry

Tunnel out of the Quarry

 The journey was worth the effort. Wirksworth is itself worth a visit as it is a charming old town with quaint sloped alleys and its coaching inn on the road to London.


On the way home we slightly held up. We turned off the A6 to see before us a huge Poundland articulated lorry across the road. The driver was determined to make a turn in the road despite the long tail backs he was creating. The problem was magnified by road work just passed him. Cars coming towards us were stacked up in the single lane making it impossible to clear the road in either direction. It is a good thing that I am the epitome of a patient motorist. (Comments not welcome)

If Joe Has No Idea - Neither Do I

Yesterday mum and I set off for Wales in an empty hired van. It was a mainly sunny day. The van was pretty much packed by tea time. One of Joe's friends had invited us to a meal and we joined a number of other students for excellent food and good conversation. After the meal I was Joe's friend's provisional licence driving supervisor. We collected some stuff for another of Joe's friend, delivered it and had a cup of tea and more conversation with another student friend. By then mum had cleaned the kitchen and was aiming to clean the house from the basement to the cellar by the time we left.

We got up to complete cleaning and packing tasks, mostly in the usual sort of Welsh weather. (Perhaps it is unfair to blame the Welsh; it is probably more to do with the geography of Wales.)

Before we left there it was inevitable that I should take photos. Here they are:

Joe across from his house with the uni in the background.

Joe outside his house.

Joe with four years worth of belongings on the van about to leave Lampeter

Easter Traditions

Easter Sunday would not be the same without the tradition of sharing the chocolate eggs on Easter morning and breaking the boiled eggs at tea time. Despite our church commitments we were able to achieve both.


After sharing in the tradition we had a good Easter meeting and lunch; courtesy of the Dales. It was good to be able to meet with all of our little church and also to meet. Bob (Robert) Dale's mum.

Easter Monday was a different day. We headed for South Wales, to a village west of Swansea called Cross Hands. Here was the location of our Travel Lodge motel, costing £9.00 a night. We were given a choice of rooms and elected to stay in the disabled room on the ground floor. These room are a little larger than the standard room. The area of the motel had the usual 'Little Chef' restuarant. But there was also an Aldi supermarket.

With the afternoon to spare we headed for the National Botanic Gardens of Wales. The central feature is the 'Great Glass House' holding displays of Mediteranean climate plants.

We were fortunate in being able to see a 'dog and ducks' display.

This mum's favourite flower.

We had noticed how heavy the bank holiday traffic was returning from Pembrookshire and we found a back road to Cross Hands. This revealed that the size of the village. It had a cinema and numerous shops. At one time it even had a Kwik Save.

On Tuesday morning we made our way to Lampeter. Joe had the house clear and was busy preparing food for his evening 23rd birthday banquet.

We decided to take him out to Aberystwyth for his birthday lunch. The town was incredibly busy, but we found out of town parking and walked back in. We came across a 'shop' serving Tai meals. It was pretentiously very unpretentious. My Tai meal consisted of four skewers of bits of burnt meat, a pot of pale brown paste and salted peanuts and a dozen chips. The trouble with being world travellers is that we know what a Tai meal is. Having had this repast we walked down to the peir, along the shore to the castle and back to the car.

Back in Lampeter candles were put on cake, lit, the song sung. Joe made time to serve up a great stir fry, then back to motel.

Having waited for Aldi to open for milk, had breakfast, packed we were on the road again. Empty dual carriageways through Welsh hills; shades of NZ.

We stopped to explore Raglan castle.

This is a classic Welsh castle. Onwards to a motorway break where '7 out of 10 people prefer Costa Coffee'. Don't ask what to - use your imagination.

Then home.

Birthday and Ruby Wedding

On Saturday we celebrated Irene's birthday. We had a lazy start to the day. First we had to pop and order a vacuum cleaner part and purchase a pizza and crispy duck rolls. Next we had to buy cheese cake at the cheese cake shop. Then off we went to start our adventure. First there was the thrill of going north to the Shipley garden centre to buy lime and two other exciting things then we set off to have lunch and walk in Shipley Park. At which point the inevitable rain began. It was a good lunch. The scones with Cornish clotted cream and jam where particularly good. There was an attempt at 'coffee art' on my capuccino. We watched the anti-open cast mine protesters getting wet and two policemen 'chasing' after them, a little too late. (The Keystone Cops came to mind)

The walk was abandoned. We drove off to our prime destination-Dale Abbey, on route to look at the abondoned windmill. The windmill proved inaccesible. It was too wet at Dale. Home went. We consumed our pizza, duck and cheese cake; washed down with sangria. Played a game, watched a strange film where evil neither triumphed or was overcome. (I can't remember the title.)

Joni rang on Saturday, Tim rang in the morning, Joe rang, Sally rang.

A good day enjoyed by all.

Sunday followed with church. As we returned from the allotment Jenny and Francis greeted us. We invited them in and with, cups of tea and carrot cake, celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary.

We gave them a set of six ruby coloured, Italian glass tumblers.

Jenny, sporting a ruby ring, inspecting our gift.