Shropshire - Day 2

After breakfast we walked into Leebotwood and caught the bus to Church Stretton, which is about 10 miles further south. We had a little walk around, there are many decorations for the Platinum Jubilee coming up at the weekend.

We walked up 4 hills surrounding Church Stretton. First it was Ragleth Hill. This was up through the village streets at first, then woods and finally open grassland along the ridge to the top. The views back to the village were good.

We then walked down and up Hope Bowdler Hill, passing some interesting piggy topiary on the way.

The 3rd hill was Caer Caradoc, which has an Iron Age fort on the top.

The last one was The Lawley, but by this time the weather had closed in and there was some rain.

It got heavier as we walked the last couple of miles back to Leebotwood. We went into the Pound Inn to have a drink while we waited for the rain to stop, then walked back to the site.

Over the course of the day we saw red kites, buzzards, possibly a sparrow hawk and heard cuckoos.

We had tuna pasta for dinner.

Shropshire - Day 1

We left the house just before 10 and drove south in the campervan. For a break we stopped at Lancaster services where we took Oscar for a short walk and had some lunch.

We carried on down the road, it got slower as we came off the motorway and onto the A-roads in North Wales and Shropshire.

We arrived at our site around 4.30pm. It's a CCC Certified Site, Brook House Farm just outside the small village of Leebotwood. It has 5 pitches, fully occupied with 2 caravans and 3 campervans including us. We have electric hookup and there are nice toilets and showers.

We're staying 3 nights here.

After setting up we went for a walk into the village and around some of the local paths. We had a pint in the Pound Inn there.

Later back at the van we had beef chilli and rice.

Lancashire - Day 5

We came home today. After breakfast we packed up the van and left to drive north.

We stopped once, at a service station where we took Oscar for a short walk then had McDonalds for lunch.

We arrived home about 3.30pm.

Lancashire - Day 4

We did a circular walk from Todmorden in Yorkshire today. First we drove to centre of town and parked, then set off up on the Calderdale Way into the countryside.

We went past Mankinholes Youth Hostel, then up to the ridge where the Pennine Way passes Stoodley Pike tower.

After this we made our way to the Rochdale Canal, which took us back to the start.

After a pint in a pub called The Pub, we drove back to the house.

Later we went for fish and chips at The Plaice To Be.

Lancashire - Day 3

We walked some of the Pennine Way today. First we drove for about an hour to Glossop where we parked the car. We got a taxi to take us up to the top of Snake Pass, to give us a head start on the walk.

The Pennine Way heads north, and we took a detour to the trig point at Higher Shelf stones.

On the way we found the wreckage of a B29 "Superfortress" plane which crashed there in 1948, killing all 13 of its crew. Quite a poignant sight.

We carried on to the trig point/

We stopped for lunch at a stream on the way down.

We reached a reservoir on the other side, and then went into Hadfield, where we caught a bus back to Glossop.

We had a pint at the Star Inn near the station, then drove home.

That evening we went to Colne for a drink at the Admiral Lord Rodney, then got a takeaway curry from the Jaipur which we took back to the house. Scott had Achari Special Lamb, cooked with chef special pickles, and Shirley had Chicken Harabara, chargrilled chicken infused with spinach, mint leaves, green chillies & yoghurt. It was very good.

Lancashire - Day 2

It was raining this morning, so after breakfast we went out on a road trip in Barry's car.

We first stopped at the village of Whalley, parked and went for a stroll. We wanted to visit the the Whalley Warm & Dry boot shop, but it's closed on Mondays.

The rain got heavier so we didn't walk for long.

We drove on to Clitheroe, where we went for coffee and cake at Caffe Nero. The rain stopped so we decided to go for a walk. We first went up to Clitheroe Keep, a small castle which has a good view of the surroundings. We walked round its grounds, including the labyrinth.

We then headed to the Tourist Information office at the station, where we got a leaflet about the sculpture trail in Brungerley Park and Crosshill Quarry. We went round all the sculptures.

We went for lunch in Maxwells bistro near the station. We had nachos and Katsu Curry loaded fries. They were huge portions and very good.

After lunch we drove to the little village of Wycoller and went for a walk as it had stopped raining and the sun came out. It has some quirky stone bridges and ruined Wycollar Hall, thought to be the inspiration for Ferndean Manor in Charlotte Bronte’s novel, ‘Jane Eyre’.

We walked up to the "Atom", an panopticon sculpture on the side of the hill.

We went back to the house for a rest.

Later we went out for a meal at the Emmott Arms in Colne. Since we had such a big lunch, we didn't need much. Shirley had a sun blushed tomato salad, Scott had garlic mushrooms and some onion rings.

Lancashire - Day 1

We left the house in the early afternoon, and drove south, stopping at one service station on the way.

We arrived at Barry's rented house in Nelson in Lancashire at about 4.30pm, and parked the campervan on his driveway.

We had a cup of tea in the garden, then after sorting ourselves out we went for a walk up to the local park, Marsden Park.

Later Barry took us in his car to the Banker's Draft pub in nearby Barrowford. We had a nice couple of pints there then returned to the house.

Barry made us vegetarian Bolognese for dinner.