‘Twas Brillig*

Soon, we are due to go camping. Friday night I thought I’d make sure the awning of our folding camping was properly packed and found a few holes in the roof (worrying, but repairable), Ruth then suggested that if something had been in the garage eating the awning that we should have a look at the main tent and we found holes in that too.

Fortunately my youngest brother has offered us the use of his tent, so we’re still going on holiday, but we’re equipped for a folding camper (which is possibly the closest a tent can come to a caravan) and are having to get lots of equipment (including a roof box).

This afternoon, we had a fun half hour salvaging equipment from inside the trailer - avoiding mouse droppings and dead baby mice (confirming the guilty party). We also found, once we’d got the tent opened up, so many holes that I’m now convinced (even if I could satisfactorily clean up all the mouse urine and droppings) the tent cannot be repaired.

Final day in Weymouth - we had a great morning on the beach complete with a Punch and Judy show. We then had a little drive round Portland (with great views of chesil beach) - fed up with Dorset’s ridiculous pay and display charges (we only wanted a quick look), we drove into the car park by portland bill took a photo and scarpered. We then went for a little walk on chesil beach which is quite frankly enormous - although I suspect I was the only impressed member of the family.

In the afternoon we went to Lulworth Cove with the idea of then going to Durdle Door and someone (possibly with the initials SB ) suggested walking along the coastal path instead of driving. By the time we got to the top of the hill we were all unanimous that giving up was a very good idea.

First part of today’s trip was to Corfe Castle (a National Trust property - so effectively a free day). Corfe castle is a large set of ruins and practically ticks every box in my mental list of what a castle should be like - majestic ruins built on top of a hill.

The kids were also really happy to see the steam train running outside, although we didn’t go on it - maybe another time.

Today we went to possibly my favourite place in england. This was the first time the kids had been to stonehenge. #1 and #2 listened to the commentary - #1 being completely obsessed with listenening to all the extra information as well.

We also had a wander near the barrows - another ‘free’ day thanks to our NT membership :-).

I meant to drive back to the tent via the Cerne giant, but unfortunately whilst driving back I forgot :-(, oh well another year.

Just back from four nights near Porthmadog.

Monday: Odd sort of a holiday the car’s clutch burnt out on the way near Dinas Mawddy (google/local.live.com). There was no reception on either Orange or Virgin (although to be honest I never seem to get a good signal for Virgin in Wales) so I had to walk to the bottom of the hill in the rain to find a phone and get the AA - fortunately a van driver took pity on me and I got there in a couple of minutes. I then walked up the hill again and within half an hour a truck from a garage in Barmouth had come to collect me. I was given the choice of having the car fixed in Barmouth and getting a taxi to Porthmadog or being taken to Porthmadog and finding a garage myself; being a Bank holiday monday I decided the car would be fixed a lot faster in Barmouth. So we ended up spending twenty quid for a taxi to Porthmadog and our holiday without a car began.

Tuesday: Went to the beach and then the swimming pool.

Wednesday: We decided to go to Criccieth, so caught the bus into Porthmadog (buying return tickets), arrived at the train station to see the train pulling out and caught another bus to Criccieth (buying more return tickets). We had a wander round the castle which is a really nice set of ruins, then down the hill for pasties and chips overlooking the beach. I phoned the garage and was told the car was fixed, so we caught a train to Barmouth and collected the car. Oddly the bus tickets cost almost the same as the rail tickets for a far shorter distance.

Thursday: With the car back we went for a bit of a drive round the Lleyn peninsula, followed by a swim.
Friday: We took the long way home right down the coast to Tywyn and then East back via Welshpool to Walsall