Oldies On Tour

Tuesday 15th August

We woke up to the dogs shuffling around but later this morning, 0700hrs wow!!, and even better, no rain and blue skies.  The girls woke after another “interesting” night on the table bed, only one more to endure !!!!!    Today it’s “Marloes” day, but first a quick trip to Tesco in Haverfordwest for some “beach food” for lunch.  We have to be smart with our decisions on what to buy as the walk down to Marloes sands is about 1km; down a steep path, and once down there nothing, other than lots of sand, so everything has to be carried; returning for something forgotten is definitely a no-no!!

Jane and I did the Tesco run in record time whilst Christine and Mia sorted out the bed but in the process the mechanism fell apart in her hand as she raised the table and secured it.  Next Christine took the 3-dogs for their walk.  All back at base camp, we packed the car and headed off.   All the years I visited “Marloes Sands” whilst the children were growing up, cars were parked in the National Trust car park about 100-meters away from the start of the path to the beach but this morning I looked on Google Earth and noted that cars were being parked in a field adjacent to the path.  If this is true, we will all be chuffed, especially my knee!!!   

As we were leaving Marloes village we stopped at the farm house whose field we used to camp in 40-years ago, we were curious to know what has happened over this period.   To our surprise, the farm is still in the family, it is now owned by one of the grandsons.   Having caught up with all the news we headed to the path and to our delight, the field we had seen on Google earth was in fact open, and for £4 we could park all day; the extra good news was the gate at the bottom of the field, it led onto the path halfway down, result!!! 

Marloes Sands, the beach named after the local village, is a long curved remote beach surrounded by cliffs in Pembrokeshire and, depending where the measurements are taken and what state the tide is at; it is generally thought to be around a mile long, but when the tide is in, well there is no beach at all, just rocks!!!   The main feature is naturally the large amount of flat solid sand, but also there are large and deep rock pools that make ideal safe havens for the “little-ones”.  The backdrop to the beach are cliffs layered with red sandstone and grey shale.   One feature of the beach are the Three Chimneys; three vertical lines of hard sandstone, there used to be four chimneys, but the fourth crumbled in a severe storm in 1954.  Locally Marloes sands is broken down into sections with each section having a local name. An example of this is the section known as “Churchill”, the reason being a “Pillbox” was built above it during the war!!   Walking along the beach one gets great views of Skokholm and Gateholm Islands and as the sea produces excellent surf, many surfers waiting for “the right one” to come along!!

We had a great day on the beach, Mia and Jane spent much of their time in the sea with their body boards surfing, Christine and I took the dogs along the beach and later in the afternoon I actually went in, unlike my daughter in a wet suit, I took the pain, not for long though!!!   

As the tide came in, everybody slowly retreated and eventually everyone lost their “vast” personal space and we were all like sardines, crammed together on the rocks at the top of the beach.   Though the sun still shone brightly with a considerable number of people sporting “red” backs, it was time to go.  Packing everything up and scrambling across the rocks we headed for the climb up the path.  It was now we appreciated just how much value that £4 spend had given us!!!

Walking back to the car Jane said she would like to take the opportunity to drive to Martins Haven (the end of the road) and walk out onto the peninsula headland in Deer Park.  Deer park is a walled enclosure of 175 acres, specifically built to keep and breed deer back in the eighteenth century, but none were ever introduced but it does offer secure habitat to numerous species of birds as well as grazing cattle.  Though early evening the sun was still strong and with no wind this was going to be a pleasant walk but the start is up a steep hill with steps cut out into the side of the bank so I elected to look after the car as the three of them with the three dogs headed out.

An hour or so later they returned, Christine sporting a badly bruised thumb, a cut elbow and damaged pride; she had fallen over, never mind, next stop the “Lobster Pot” for dinner.

The Lobster Pot is the only pub in sleepy Marloes and hadn’t changed since my last visit 40-years ago, so in we went and though it was a different landlord, he had the same mannerisms, grumpy with everything being too much trouble.   The one big change was the food, it was excellent but far too big-a-portions, no room for a pudding👹.

It was late when we got back to base, but there was a sense of panic in our group, will we get the table to go down bearing in mind what happened this morning.  All sorts of things went through our minds, if plan A failed we had a plan B, we even had plans C & D if needed and of course being a warm night, perhaps sleep under the stars!!! Anyway we managed to get the table flat and place the cushions in place; again differently from the previous evenings!!!, after a quick dog walk, bed called out to all of us, we were all knackered after a really enjoyable day on Marloes Sands.

Monday 14th August.

We were woken at 0600hrs by the dogs needing to go out but returned rather briskly after doing their business as it was raining.   At this point we received the report on the made up bed!!!  The verdict; “sort of reasonable” but not for too many nights and sharing with Mia, a wriggle-bottom, didn’t help so morning was a relief!!!

With a grey sky and intermittent rain, the beach wasn’t really an option so after sorting out the bed, clearing up and breakfast etc., headed into St. David’s, the U.K’s smallest city.

Around mid morning we, along with what seemed every holiday maker in Wales descended on St. David’s, the tiny “City” was heaving and parking was a nightmare.  We drove around but to no avail and settled in the big car park outside St. David’s by thevisitor centre, all other car parks were full. We came in Jane’s car; 3-adults, an 8-year old and 3-dogs with all the paraphernalia one needs on holiday “just in case” including my scooter, we needed the space!!!    After finding a space, unloaded and assembled  the scooter, I realised I had forgotten to also transfer the all important “key”, so that was that, I had no choice, I had to walk!!!!

When we started out this morning our plan was to arrive at coffee time but what with traffic, parking, people etc., etc., by the time we walked down the hill and into the main part of St. David’s it was lunch time!!!   The advance party, ie Jane and Mia went ahead to reconnoiter, their aim was somewhere that sold cakes etc., we on the other hand just went with the flow and a few minutes later we get a message saying they’ve found somewhere that sells cakes, so off we head.   Standing at the bottom of some steps waiting, and when we arrived we all trooped in only to find it was a pub that actually sold a few cakes!!!  After finding a suitable table that could accommodate 3-dogs underneath we decided to have lunch and maybe a cake to follow.   This pub was called, unsurprisingly “The Bishops” but strangely not after the cathedral or bishops palace but after the outcrop of rocks known as the “Bishops” a couple of miles off Ramsey Island.

After lunch the three of them headed further down the hill to look into the cathedral, I on the other hand couldn’t face the walk back up the hill, my knee was giving me real ‘jip’ today, so I waited on someone’s gate watching the comings and goings of all the visitors, like us, unable to get to the beach.   Once they returned we headed back up the hill towards the car park arriving as our “paid time” expired, perfect timing.    By now the weather had improved, the rain had stopped, the sun was doing its best to come out so the decision was to head to Nolton Haven to give the dogs a good run round.  

Again Nolton Haven was virtually empty except for like minded people exercising their dogs.  Mia on the other hand decided to have a paddle but by the time we left it had turned into a full blown “dunk” in the sea.    

Back at base and the pooches were knackered, didn’t hear anything from them ‘till their last walk later after dinner and some more Marjon.   Tonight the bed went down easier but we couldn’t remember the cushion layout!!!   

Tomorrow the weather forecast looks better so hoping for a day on “Marloes Sands”, one of the main reasons for coming to Pembrokeshire.

Sunday 13th August

To avoid paying the parking dues for two vehicles we elected to get away before 0800hrs and find a nice lay-by for breakfast, but nothing would happen until sand though it wasn’t raining, the sky looked full of it; a great start to our short holiday!!!

Leaving  Brecon along the A40 was rather pleasant; minimal traffic as we meandered through the Brecon’s with intermittent rain falling.   Fortunately during one of the short interludes of sunshine we found a reasonable lay-by off the road so stopped for breakfast and it also had a reasonably grassy area to walk the dogs.

We weren’t due at the camp site officially until 1409hrs so didn’t rush but stopped at Tesco in Haverfordwest as we received confirmation Jane and Mia were coming down this evening for a few days so had to “up” our provisions!!!

Arriving at our camp site at the appointed hour and drove into the field overlooking St. Brides Bay with only one other caravan, we were spoilt for choice and once settled headed to Newgale Beach to give the dogs a good run-around. Unfortunately after paying to park and climbing over a mountain of stone flood defences, we saw the signs, “No dogs off the leads”, and worse, the tide was right in so no sand either!!!!   Having paid to find this out we were quite “peeved” as we headed off towards Nolton Haven.   Newgale is a vast beech whereas Nolton a small inlet with a beech and therefore much quieter so parked the car using the same ticket we had from Newgale 👍 and walked to the sandy beach; no dog signs, a result.   We had a paddle whilst Tom-Tom and Rosie charged around, in and out of the sea like a couple of hooligans and were completely “pooped” by the time we put them in the car.

Back at base camp in time for Jane and Mia’s arrival who turned up in good time for dinner. After dinner we played Marjon before the fun and games began, ie, making up the bed.   This was the first time we had converted the table area into a rather limited double bed but with much laughter, and a fair amount of cursing, we achieved a bed; how comfortable it would be, we would no doubt find out in the morning!!!

Saturday 12th August

Pembrokeshire here we come, but instead of doing in one stint we decided to leave a day earlier and stop the night in Brecon; I say a day earlier but I mean leaving in the afternoon.  We had arranged for haircuts and a “tree stump-grinder” to come and give us a quote.  We eventually hit the road around 1500hrs, a little over 2-hours drive. Our destination was a “municipal” car park over looking the river Usk that allows motorhomes free overnight accommodation between 1800hrs and 0800hrs

Out of our village and straight into very slow moving traffic on the A303 and when we turned to the link road heading to Taunton, the same.  Being a Saturday afternoon we thought the majority of the holiday traffic would have gone; wrong!!!   Never mind we’re on the M5 soon, that should be clear; wrong again, it was worse, stop – start, stop – start all the way until junction 18a, the turn-off to South Wales, at this point the road was clear; obviously no one wanted to holiday in Wales!!!

Arriving in Brecon 10-mins before the free time starts, we took a chance and parked.  It was raining pretty hard so with no visible cameras and we figured no one from the “enforcement” company would be about, we took a calculated risk. 

After dinner we decided to head into Brecon as on the way through we “clocked” lots of people wandering about, far more than one would expect normally, also we noticed a  number of “pop-up” bars.   

The walk into town turned out to be farther than we thought, but the “lure” of a decent pint of local ale kept me going.   The rain couldn’t decide what to do, it rained one minute and then stopped as we wandered along a very picturesque footpath alongside the river bank.   It turned out this weekend is the Brecon “Jazz Festival”; no doubt this accounts for the number of folk about.   

We wandered, though I struggled around looking for somewhere to get my pint (or two!) but to no avail, all the pubs were heaving, but worse, the music was blaring so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think, not our cup-of-tea.   So failing to get a drink we welded back to Rosie though by now the rain had decided, it was pouring!!!

Back and secure, albeit wet, in Rosie we got the gin bottle out, no pint but gin and cribbage before bed.

Monday 31st July

Though it’s not actually raining this morning, the sky looks full of it plus the forecast isn’t very good so we took the opportunity to start packing up.   But first, shock, horror, there were so many empty bottles outside from last night, we must have really enjoyed ourselves and partied hard!!!

With a fair amount of wind and everything being wet, packing up was a little problematic especially for Mark, he also had his tent to stow away!!!  We had paid for tonight so we could stop all day but looking up and knowing the forecast, this would be pointless so cleared everything after breakfast.

Mark’s convey of cars left about mid morning but we headed back to the beach for one last walk with the dogs and again we were lucky, there was a window of no rain.

Back to Incledon farm to collect Rosie and then we were “homeward bound” and looking forward to our next outing; Pembrokeshire in a couple of weeks, 😃😃😃 but first we need to get the boiler sorted!!

Sunday 30th July

What a night, wind and heavy rain virtually all night, traditional holiday weather but no regrets returning from Spain.  I don’t think “global warming” has reached this country yet!!!!  Fortunately there was a rain break at 0700hrs when I took the dogs out, and another just when we went for showers, otherwise wall-to-wall rain and very heavy at times.   The good news though, with Mark’s tent being in the corner of two hedges, it was reasonably protected and he got a good night’s sleep.

After breakfast we got together and had a “pow-wow” to decide what to do today.  Naturally sitting at the top of Putsborough beach wasn’t going to happen but Mark and Ashleigh do want to get another surfing session in today, hmmm.   We eventually decided to go our separate ways and get together later for dinner in the local pub but after ringing to book, too late, all booked up.   We rang several others, same story, no room at the Inn; probably a combination of “Sunday Roasts” and “The Weather”, so Fish and Chips it is!!!

Today is the Belgian Grand Prix and with such appalling weather, an afternoon in Rosie watching it seemed attractive but must walk the dogs sometime.   We settled down with a cuppa and snacks just before the start and as the cars went on their “out-lap”, the heavens opened and just as the start lights went out, so did our tele 👹👹👹. When the picture did return, our WiFi  signal was so affected by the conditions that everything was buffeting so badly that we had to switch it off 🥵🥵🥵.  Had the weather been better we would have been on the beach and not seen it anyway!!!!   So now it is plan “B”, highlights on Channel 4 at 1830hrs.    Change of plan; as there was a “lull” in the rain we headed back to Saunton Sands to give Tom-Tom and Rosie a good run around and as always, they made the most of it.    They are much better at re-call these days so we can relax a bit more, though Rosie in particular thinks everybody and every dog is her friend!!!

Walk completed before it started to rain again; we were very lucky 😃😃, so headed back to camp; when all else fails, get the crib board out, which we did.

Around 1730hrs we got a message from Ashliegh, “we’re on our way, get the drinks ready and we have the fish ‘n chips” this was followed by their actual drinks order!!!

With the outside being rather wet but very cold, the 7 of us squeezed around Rosie’s table to eat our supper accompanied by several g&t’s; very cosy but great fun especially as we also had the three dogs trying to get in on the act!!!

Soon after dinner Derick and Cath headed back to their abode, they wanted to get on with the “packing” as tomorrow we all head back.   Once Mark had returned, still in Rosie we continued to party having a good laugh.   

Around midnight we broke up, walked the dogs and went to bed for our last night in Devon.