It had been two years since I had last
been to Scotland to see my sister. At the time it had been one of
Lady Sage's and my first big road trips. This year however she and I
were old friends.
With plenty of time to spare (I had ten
days until my final bar shift for the winter in CAT) we decided to
take a scenic route via Stoke on Trent, to briefly visit my Godmother
and cousins, then up into the Lakes for a night before we meandered
our way through the Borders to Edinburgh.
As Lady Sage and myself had allowed
ourselves a whole week for our adventure, we were in no rush as we
plodded up the motorway at a steady 50 miles per hour (anything over
55 makes the dragons in the back shake themselves into a total frenzy
that takes hours to untangle!)
We stopped in Stoke on Trent for a good
few hours, pleased with ourselves that we had found my Aunts house
without any major hitches or serious reversing and it was just
beginning to get dark as we drove our way back onto the motorway.
Within an hour it was fully dark and as
although I knew roughly where we were heading, my geography has never
been wonderful so we stopped one or twice to check the map.
Eventually I reached the turning I had marked on my map and confident
we were heading the right way we turned off the motorway with its
bright lights and vehicles into the darkness of the Lake District.
Lady Sage and I have wild camped a few
times, always arriving late in the evening and making sure we are
gone in the morning without leaving a shred of evidence to say we
were there.
As I drove into the nearest garage to
fill up ready for our trip through the lakes I enquired from the
smiling attendant if there were any camp sites near by. He pointed to
a huge fire blazing on the hillside beyond the forecourt.
“They do camping!” he beamed,
“First left once you hit the road.”
I thanked him for his time and headed
up the road taking the first left as instructed.
We meandered along a road bordered by a high but neatly clipped hedge for perhaps half a mile
before we entered the grounds of a large country house, complete with
beautifully painted reserved parking spaces for CEO, Director and all
the rest.
I sat with lady Sage for a moment as the security light
illuminated the large forecourt and together we realised that some
where along the single track road I had made a mistake!
Carefully manoeuvring our way out past
the CEOs parking space, Lady Sage and myself back tracked to the main
road again wondering where we had gone wrong. I looked more carefully
at the left hand turn noticing this time a narrow dirt track through
a tiny gate of no particular notice.
We took the dirt track, narrow as it
was, following it to a large gate that stood open into a field. In
for a penny in for a pound I told myself hoping the field was dryer
than the track we had just travelled.
Once inside the field I was pleased to
note a few cars parked along the hedgerow. The few cars grew in
number as I headed to the source of the fire now visible at the top
of the hill.
I parked in the middle of the field
surrounded by the many cars, various 4x4s, and a collection of pick ups and vans before making my way towards the fire to find someone to
talk to about staying the night.
The fire, now I was this close was
indeed huge covering an area about 30 foot square. Fireworks
periodically shot up into the sky from a truck parked beyond. People
wandered to and fro with hot dogs, burgers and drinks in their hands, while children raced around whooping with joy every time a rocket
exploded in the air above.
I eventually made my way to the front
of the farm house where an army of helpers served food and drinks to
everyone present. I asked a smiling lady about camping and she
pointed towards a red faced farmer in the mist of a throng of people.
I stood quietly to one side until I
could get his attention.
Yes of course I could camp, did I need
an electric hook up? Water? Hard surface or level ground? Did I need
something to eat? To drink?
I thanked him for his generous
hospitality saying Lady Sage and I had everything we needed.
“In that case just enjoy the
fireworks, we'll sort everything else in the morning”
I returned to Lady Sage and set our
home in order for the night. The fire still raged through the front
window but the last rocket had exploded and a few people with younger
children were leaving.
I made myself some supper, hung the
curtains and decided to have an earlyish night.
Outside muffled
voices could be heard but by then I was so tired I paid them no
attention and soon drifted off into a wonderful nights sleep.
I do
sleep so well in Lady Sage!
I awoke the next morning refreshed and
eager to explore my surroundings. Opening the door I was surprised to
find myself all alone in a field that the night before had been full
of cars. I walked up to the farm house but no one was about.
I explored a bit, used the on site
facilities to wash and freshen up before running through my morning
Tai Chi ritual quietly in the deserted field as in the distance
people raced to work along the main road.
Eventually I saw movement at the Farm
house and walked up to pay for my nights stay and to thank everyone
for such an entertaining evening.
The red faced Farmer smiled,
reduced his usual fee to half as I had been no bother and wished me a
good trip!
Sometimes it is good to find somewhere
official to stop for the night!
Despite the fact that I have been
around the world twice I had never actually visited the Lakes even
though they are near enough on my door step. I had heard wonderful
stories about their vastness, their wildness, their beauty
and so as the sun crept over the crests
of the hills to pour delicately into the valleys below, Lady Sage and
I began our explorations.
The road was amazingly quiet, for over
two hours I saw no other vehicle as we climbed higher into the hills.
We reached the edge of Lake Windermere in time for
breakfast and then took the road noted as the highest pass of the
Lakes.
If Lady Sage and I were going to
explore we might as well go as high as we could!
We parked for a rest at the top of the
pass as clouds swirled around the top of the hill beside us.
Far below Lake Windermere vastness was
hidden by the various rolling hills making her seem no bigger than a
small Welsh pool.
As beautiful and dramatic as this place
was I found myself thinking, we have hills and crags as big as this
around the Corris Pass.
Tal-y llyn lake, 6 miles from my home,
is just, if not more, beautiful than Lake Windermere in the distance.
Even the wind that rushed through the
pass whipping at the windows and doors of the Highest Inn was similar
to the gales that batter my garden flattening plants and ripping
leaves off trees.
It was good to see, good to have made
the trip but as I made my way down the far side I found myself
comparing the hills to similar shaped ones back home, the lakes to
the estuaries and waterways around Machynlleth.
Never have I appreciated more the
beauty that is on my doorstep as I did during that trip through the
lakes.
I resolved to explore my own county better upon my return!
I drove through the Scottish Borders in
a dream, admiring the scenery and stopping only for a quick bite to
eat.
We spend so much of our time wishing for things we do not have
yet if we only opened our eyes a little wider we would realise most
of what we search for is on our doorstep!
I entered Edinburgh just before the
evening rush hour and manoeuvred my way through the streets rather
proud of the fact that I remembered the way to my favourite parking
space near to my sisters house.
The last time I had visited I had
insisted on sleeping in Lady Sage, with a weather warning of minus 4
and snow on the way, I was happy to accept Fleur's invite to stay in the house.
This would also give me more time to play with my excited niece!!
This adorable little beauty was only a
month old the last time I had visited, now she was two with the
energy of her age and the nonsense that goes with it!
We sang songs, we drew pictures,
we played, we talked.
We even went down to Lady Sage for a
story!
For for three nights and days I enjoyed
the beauty of this amazing city.
Fleur's boutique looked amazing,
her new shop colour scheme brilliant
and her cooking each night was fabulous.
My nieces attention was mesmerising and
it was with genuine sadness that I eventually left the city to head back into the
hills for my journey home.
I drove out of the city into the rays
of the setting sun and totally missed the turning I needed.
45 miles
later I realised my mistake.
It was another 30 miles to the next left
or 45 miles back to the one I had missed.
75 miles in the wrong
direction!
Well at least I wasn't in a rush!
As darkness fell I pulled into a closed
up forestry entrance.
This would be a perfect wild camp I decided.
I stepped into the back of Lady Sage
and went sprawling onto the floor, my right foot caught awkwardly in
the seatbelt holder.
Aware that a face plant would not be a
good look for the morning I had managed to turn sideways half way
down but I had still landed hard.
Knocking oneself out or breaking a
leg this far from anywhere with no phone signal was NOT a good idea!!
I carefully examined the damage, my leg
was changing colour even as I looked and the swelling that bloomed
forward was impressive!
I put up the curtains, cooked some cheese on
toast to warm myself up and got into bed.
An hour later I took two pain killers
and tried again to go to sleep!
I awoke the next morning rather early,
mainly because I had been in bed by 8.30 the night before.
I felt a
lot better, the leg was still tender but nothing like the pain of
last night.
I raised the curtain to examine the weather and was
amazed to find the window frozen solid …. on the inside!!!
I replaced the curtain and threw off
the covers.
The inside of Lady Sage was toasty as I had left the
pilot light of my little fire burn all night.
I checked again, yes
the windows were definitely frozen where the thermal curtains had
been tucked behind my bedding.
At the front of the bus, where the
curtains hung free, condensation covered the windows.
I had knows my
curtains were good but good enough to keep me warm while my bus froze
was impressive!
I dressed carefully and removed the
curtains wiping the windows clear as they defrosted. Outside snow lay
on the ground. I cooked more cheese on toast!
As the world inside Lady Sage was put
back into order I looked up the valley to brilliant sunlight
illuminating the mists of the valley.
As the sun wouldn't reach us
for a few hours yet, I fired up the engine and headed for the sun.
Thick mist filled the valley.
I tried
driving into it but it froze my mirrors and clung to the windows
plunging me into a semi darkness.
We returned to the hill and its
warming sun. I was in no rush, this was as good a place as any to
watch the day begin.
I cooked more toast, I doodled on the
mirrors until the sun eventually reduced the mist to thin lines of
vapour that hid in the shadows.
Once again I started the engine and began the journey home.
The last time I had driven this road,
thick forestry had hidden many of the views as I drove.
Clear felling
had taken place on a massive scale since that journey and now huge
vistas of barren hills and lone trees filled my eyes as I climbed the
hills.
There were still trees but now they
stood in clumps surrounded by replanting or abandoned brash.
A large
bird sat in the middle of the desolation, a lone bird on a lone tree.
We reached the moorlands with their
miles of tundra covered with a thin layer of snow.
In corners where the sun hadn't reached
the snow still lay in clumps and chunks.
Inside Lady Sage I was warm and happy
to gaze upon the views and very much aware that in just over 2 weeks
I would be sitting in the sun for 4 months.
Time to appreciate the
cold I told myself as we left the hills and headed back into Wales.
My final week working the bar at C.A.T
was truly amazing and I would like to thank all my students who tried
their level best to drink my bar dry!
We played games, swapped addresses,
made up strange and wonderful cocktails
and then, on the most amazing Graduation Party for the class of 2015,
we said our goodbyes.
This years students would be finishing
in January and I wouldn't be there to see them leave.
I consoled
myself with the fact that like my previous students we would have one
more night of serious partying at their official Graduation in
November 2017.
My final party of the year was our
'Staff Christmas Party' with everyone who keeps our Mini Bus Company
on the road.
Drivers, mechanics, supporting wives and friends were
all taken out for supper and after the hectic week of student
drinking I was happy to assume the roll of designated driver of our
largest minibus to get everyone home!
With only a few days left before my
winter trip I reviewed my year.
I had worked my butt off, partied like
there was no tomorrow,
build myself a new career,
fixed my ankles with an amazing healer
and climbed mountains.
I had built compost toilets with Peter,
rebuild caravans with Rob,
planted gardens with Lou.
I had been to Scotland and back the
long way and was now about to depart for a 4 month trip to the far
reaches of Asia!
As far as lives went, I decided, mine was truly
blessed!!!
