On Black Hill

Well we saved the best to last. The trip up Black Hill (of Bruce Chatwin fame) and on to the moors around the Cat’s Back was superb. Beautiful day and stupendous views over Herefordshire. And I even saw a merlin which was a first for me (…rare hawk which preys on small birds blah blah blah).

I reckon Mort and myself covered about 80 miles in the week. Will joined us for two stretches in Hereford, managing to come up with a killer one-liner about golfers getting zapped by lightning which I’m still laughing at every time I recall it.

Estate agents keep sending me details of farms costing £2 million…so if anyone wants to invest in my little scheme, apply within.

During one damp episode last week, Mort reminded me that it doesn’t require much to make you happy when you strip away all the trappings of modern life – dry shelter, food and a comfortable place to lie down. I shall stop worrying about the paint peeling off the kitchen ceiling which I redecorated last year.

Back in the shire to view more houses soon. Hope to see you then.

Strategic retreat

We completed about 40 miles of the Wessex Ridgeway but a combination of blisters and wet obliged a rethink.

Had a mini-epic trying to get the tents up in pouring rain on Salisbury Plain. We were forced into er, borrowing, a strip of land off the MoD.

Now doing some routes in Gloucestershire with Oxford as a base.

Managed to take a few pix so will post some up when I get a chance.

Rural retreats

Apologies for the paucity of updates but I’ve been tramping the wonderful countryside of Herefordshire looking for a new dwelling.

You know the feeling – everything seems just out of reach. Lovely cottages in the wrong location, fantastic parcels of land where you can’t build a house or unmanageable mansions on small plots next to the road.

But the tourist office confirmed what we already know – Herefordshire has amazing potential but no organisation and few places to stay. Watch this space.

Had a grand night out with the lads. Can recommend the River Bed restaurant – great tucker as Matt would say.

And then Mort arrives this wknd for the Wessex Ridgeway expedition. As always, you are welcome to join us if you fancy a stroll.

Oh yeah – saw a male redstart and a pair of wheatears. Now you don’t get many of them to the pound.

Anorak anoraks

All this season I’ve been going to watery places in search of yellow wagtails. I haven’t seen one since I was a kid, mainly because over the years I haven’t been looking that hard, but also due to their numbers sliding away.

Yetserday I went to a reservoir and my morning’s work was rewarded with a sighting. A female and a juvenile. And then I realised the anorak label had finally stuck.

It got me thinking though – do you think there are any anorak collectors out there? They must be as elusive as yellow wagtails because I can’t find them on the web. Quiet, shy creatures with wardrobes full of parkas, duffles and cagoules.

Do you remember the classic model – the one trainspotters used to wear? They were either dark blue or olive green, often with a hood, and those stitched diamond patterns. Never had one myself (honest) but I’d love to get hold of one just to buck the trend – and it would be just the job for birdwatching.

…I did have a snake belt though – anyone still got one? (go well with the anorak).