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Tuesday, 2nd July 2019
Sunny and 20C, just slightly cooler than yesterday.
Kathleen has declared a day of "taking it easy", no cycling marathons today.
A walk to the village shop, to replenish essentials, followed by a very pleasant four mile ramble through the surrounding countryside.
A lazy afternoon of reading, followed by dinner at The Swan Inn.
Wednesday, 3rd July 2019
Sunny and warm 23C, with barely any breeze.
A gentle cycle ride to Upton-on-Severn, a mere 5 miles or so each way, nothing when compared to our recent exploits.
Kathleen again visits the Hospice Charity shop, they will be giving her a loyalty card if she goes much more often. All of the waistcoats appear to have been sold, it must have been those visiting the Jazz Festival, at the weekend.
Refreshments, at one of the pubs on the river bank, before returning to Hanley Swan.
We while away the afternoon cooking steaks and eating in the sunshine,
Thursday, 4th July 2019
Another beautiful morning, it is 21C at 09:00 as I pack away final outdoor "things".
An easy journey home, M5-M42-M1-M18-A1M, only one hold-up!
Home by 15:30.
Sunday, 30th June 2019
What is it with us Brits? We get one hot day, and, we are all begging for a bit of "cool" weather! Today obliges, it is only 22C, with a gentle breeze.
After yesterday's 30 miles of cycling, we have a more sedate walk through the fields, surrounding Hanley Swan, followed by a pint in the Swan Inn, by the village pond.
Monday, 1st July 2019
Sunny with cloud and 21C, a bit breezy.
We cycle to Worcester.
19 miles, there and back. Not as far as Tewkesbury, but, more "undulating"!
Worcester is an attractive place, magnificent Cathedral, and a City Centre which appears to be thriving.
One omission appears to be any shops selling actual food!, there are dozens of cafes and restaurants, plus of course shops selling clothes, shoes, phones etc etc, but, we could not find a simple Tesco Metro or similar. I was beginning to fear we would have no bread, for my planned bacon sandwiches!, but, the day was saved by a small convenience store on the way back to the site, in a village called "Callow End".
Friday, 28th June 2019
Weather looking good again, can this be true, two warm (24C), sunny days in a row?
We are torn between cycling to Great Malvern, or, Worcester. Great Malvern is nearer at just over four miles, while Worcester is about 9 miles away.
In the end, I choose Great Malvern.
Yesterday, I think I finally convinced Kathleen I can find my way, using an OS Map! But, perhaps, today, I should have paid more attention to the contour lines on the map. Great Malvern is nearer, than Worcester, but, it is also up a rather big hill (called appropriately enough, The Malvern Hills! ).
But, we manage the eleven mile round trip, without complaint.
Great Malvern is rather genteel, but, it has a Wetherspoons!
Having said that, it is the poshest Wetherspoons I have seen todate!
After a ringing endorsement, from a local resident, who began chatting to us, as we studied the offerings of "The Red Lion" (which did not appear to be open), we had a remarkably good and reasonably priced lunch in Wetherspoons. It included the largest glass of red wine I have ever been served in a UK pub!
After the uphill ride here, it was a case of freewheeling (almost) all of the way back to the site.
An evening stroll to Hanley Swan, and a relax by, what was once, presumably, the village pond, to round off the day.
Saturday, 29th June 2019
Bright and sunny, 30C is forecast!
Today, we decide to cycle to Tewkesbury. It is a little ambitious, the plan is to take the smaller country roads. The temperature is forecast at 30C, in the event, it reaches 31C.
According to Google, the distance (via the shortest route) is a little over ten miles, quite "doable".
Sure enough, we take the "scenic" and quieter route, but, that turns out to be almost 19 miles THERE.
Discussions during our lunch break, mean a change of plan, we will take a chance and return via the shortest route. According to the OS Map, it is part of National Cycle Route 45 (on-road), it is also the A38!
But, the fact I am typing this means, we lived to tell the tail. Thirty miles in 31C, not bad for two 72 year olds!
As a "reward" we call in at Upton-on-Severn, and, Kathleen buys (well, I actually pay, so, I suppose, technically, that should read "Ken buys yet another waistcoat for Kathleen"), yet another waistcoat
Wednesday, 26th June 2019
A reasonable journey of approximately 240 miles, to Malvern Hills CAMC Site (N52.09674, W2.27805), Guarlford, near Worcester.
The usual miles and miles of "roadworks", and contraflows, with 50, 40 and even 30mph speed limits on several sections of motorway, with no visible signs of any work being done, the joys of travelling in the UK!
Despite the promising weather forecast, a journey of grey skies and occasional rain, amazingly for June, only 12C as we travelled down the East side of the country, rising to a more promising 19C when we had crossed to the West side.
Thursday, 27th June 2019
Hurray! The sun is out! Warm, bright, dry, fantastic, or, in other words, as it should be in June.
A cycle ride to Upton-on-Severn, roughly 11 miles, on quiet lanes and shared cycle tracks. Upton-on-Severn, appears to be a sleepy little place, but, with a bit of "busyness" as preparations for a Jazz Festival at the weekend are in full swing.
Kathleen has a fun time trying on Waistcoats at a Hospice Charity Shop, and, ends up with a "bargain" at £5!, followed by a pleasant lunch.
We get back to the van, to find Kathleen has lost her "favourite" hat. It so happens, our (caravan) neighbours, who have also cycled to Upton-on-Severn and had spotted her hat, on the cycle track, but, not knowing it was Kathleen's, had left it there. So, they volunteered to give us a lift back to collect it. Nice people, from the North East of course (Tanfield)!.
So, Kathleen is happy, re-united with her favourite hat, and, a bargain waistcoat!
