stevereeve
Stephen John Reeve Joined: May 1st 2006
Logged in: November 5th 2010
Logged in: November 5th 2010
Year two of my three(ish) year journey around the British Isles. First start is a camp site just south of Cambridgeshire. Intend to work my way up through the county visiting Heather & Robb and then returning back south through Huntingdonshire. Then I hope in no particular order to wander through Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire before briefly visiting Southend for mother's birthday.
Expecting to make much greater use of the bike. Not just to save money and further the life of the car but so as to get closer to nature ! Seriously keeping away from the main roads the bike should be more relaxing than trying to hurtle around the countryside trying to find safe place to leap out with assorted cameras.
Armed with 1:50 000 OS maps I hope to have covered all of England from the Scottish borders south to the Thames by late autumn.
Wish me luck !
Steve Reeve
Travel Blog Posts
Water Meadows Flatford Mill
26 October 2010 I awoke to a frosty morning - although that was a little difficult to discern as it was still dark. I was a little tired having been woken on a number of occasions by noisy owls - obviously they were discussing important matters but at three in the morning ? - please !!! Showered and breakfasted by shortly after 7 I walked down to the mill and then followed the river a little way in both directions - quite enchanting in the first glow of the morning. I had been warned that the cows in a particular field were bad tempered but fortunately they ignored me and decided to launch a full frontal assault on a family of swans. The latter seemed to want to stand on the river bank but every time ... read more
Constable Family Cottage
25 October 2010 On the road yet again …. Easy run from SOS to Danbury (van storage) and discovered that some of the fruit I had abandoned a couple of weeks ago was still edible which was a very definite plus. Easy drive to Flatford Mill until the last mile or so when the sat-nav and I had a disagreement as to the best route. Frustrated I angrily switched off the sat-nav only to discover that it was correct !!! £2.70 for the car park but that carries me through to 9am the following morning so that’s my stop for the night sorted. I am sure you do not need me to tell you that F Mill is famous as the setting for Constable's 'The Haywain' and of course you can walk down to the very ... read more
Thornham at Night
Friday 8th October Following a hiatus of some ten days my travels have resumed. Past few days have been wet and cloudy-really not much use for travel writing. On the plus side it allowed me to spend time with Heather and Rob which is always enjoyable. The local TV forecast for today - sunny- proved rather inaccurate - unlike the Met Office website which predicted the low cloud and lack of sun. Now where do you think the local forecast came from? Well done! The Met Office! Abandoned the planned cycle ride in favour of following said route in the van - fortunately the minor roads were not too narrow and I had an enjoyable day exploring the area between the Kings Lynn-Fakenham road and the coast. Roydon Common would obviously be a delight on a ... read more
Hi Folks On the road again ………Will hopefully keep up a regular barrage of these travel blogs so if you do not want to receive just unsubscribe. Headed for Suffolk (in part because it is the nearest piece of land to Essex ! First stop is Bawdsey Quay on the estuary of the river Deben to the south east of Ipswich. This is a small quay used by folks accessing their boats moored in the river and the ferry that goes across to the other side (of the Deben that is - think of rowing boat rather than cross-Channel ferry !!!). It is really a quite delightful spot although rather spoilt by the howling gale, dark clouds and incessant drizzle ! I am camped (if you can camp in a van) in a small parking area ... read more
Hi Folks Writing this looking out over the forecasters idea of a light shower - it is cold, wet and windy. Planned bike ride has been ditched and will drive to Leominster (about ten miles) as that has yet to be signed off ! (I am typing this in their library !!!!!). Aplogees for spells / grammmar 'cos no way to check stufff. Finally moved from Herefordshire last Wed - a miserable day. Cold, wet and windy - perhaps Wednesday is always like that in these parts .... Setting up camp in such conditions is not fun but eventually I was settled into my new home. This is a half acre field on a farm just south of Ludlow (Shropshire). What is known as a 'certificated site' - ie it is not a CACC club site ... read more
Marcle Ridge
Hi Folks The rain promised for later today has just arrived … good timing as I have had a day ‘on site’ airing my duvet and two sleeping bags, generally airing the tent and washing all my clothes. Needless to say this all takes a little longer than it would in a ‘normal’ residence. Perhaps not quite such a relaxing day as planned following a long cycle ride yesterday along the Wye Valley to the west of Hereford. A few days ago I had a lovely walk - only about seven miles - along the Marcle Ridge a few miles to the south of the campsite. Those of you used to proper hills would not recognise this as a true ridge but we shall let that pass - suffice to say that unlike Striding Edge and ... read more
Steve's Camp
Hi Folks ! Following two or three days of inactivity through a rather dull period of weather I have been active once more as the sun has been shinning for the past week or so. Thought you might like to see my home from home …. Two tents …. one very small in which I keep my ‘stuff’ - cookers (I have three), gas bottles, loo, generator, dirty clothes ….. To erect this tent you simply open the bag, take the tent out and throw it in the air - it lands fully erect. All you then have to do is peg the sides and guy lines - easy. However I would not want to sleep in it as it does not seem to be weather proof. I think this is what young people call a ... read more
Hi Folks Forecast not promising today so decided to catch up on some paperwork. Day started quite fine so then in two or three minds as to what to do ... settled for an easy day and hoped that it would rain ! By mid-morning it was satisfactorily gloomy ... Steve... read more
Confluence Lugg / Wye
4 June 2008 Hi Folks ! Combined cycle and walking day. Blue skies ! Away from camp site by 7am (gates are locked until that time - just in case any of you feel that I am slacking by setting off at such a late hour !!!!). With the bike in the back of the car I made off for an area a few miles from the camp and generally to the south of Hereford. I parked as intended in a rough parking area near a footpath and set off to walk to the confluence of the Lugg and Frome and then the Lugg and Wye. I will not bore you with the detail … well since you insist …. perhaps not although anyone who studied geography to an advanced level will know that these rivers ... read more
Abbey Dore
01 June 2008 (must be my birthday !!) Hi Folks ! The bright weather of yesterday has been replaced by the grey gloom that has dominated much of this trip. Aim of today is to sweep through the rest of southern Herefordshire and arrive at the CACC Hereford site by mid-afternoon. Note that the site is not actually in H but some seven miles to the east near the village of Tarrington. First visit was to Abbey Dore which is a curious feature ….. Many of the parishes in this area have absurdly large churches for the size of the community but Abbey Dore is by far the largest in this category. Founded as a Cistercian Abbey in the twelfth century the exterior certainly has a monastic feel although there is a confusion of architectural styles. ... read more
