Well. I’ve got all the time in the world now. Doesn’t make that much difference though. I like to keep the boat at a fairly steady speed even if I don’t have a whole lot to do when I get there.
Last time I made this journey, I was a boating noob. Now I’ve got a few years under my belt, one of the first things I notice was as above.
It’s like a mooring desert….
…Storm force winds and wind and rain for the next seven days have put paid to the 0.2 version of this journey.
It’s not going to happen. Certainly not in a round-a-bout the UK waterways way.
After hearing the longer term radio forecast in the evening, I started to get the idea that the weather might not be that good… I re-checked the Metoffice whilst taking my evening walk. 7-day forecast. It was indeed rain and dark clouds. ‘Storm’ conditions according to the radio.
Not what I signed up for.
Maybe another time….
Now, I’m heading back toward the Oxford canal, and back up the Grand Union, as per my original plan.
I’m just going to go to a new section of canal, so, more about the journey there.
No holiday.
It was my home for 3 or so years. The time has come to move-on.
Here’s some visual highlights from my time on the Grand Union from Milton Keynes upward.
Seeing as now I am work-less. I’ve decided it’s time to explore some more of the UK waterways.
…
Where my journey finished.
I would’ve liked to have done more, but the MOT ran out on my car two days ago. That took priority over visiting the other places like Swansea and Cardiff I would have liked to dropped in.
Still there we are…
Photo’s from the trip https://photos.app.goo.gl/mSjTezCFFyNjw2tw6
I dug up the Google review which set me off on this place.
Charming and unique B&B, hosts were lovely and un-intrusive. Pretty sure the room we stayed in was haunted, as during the night kept getting disturbed by a figure standing near to the window and strange wet patch that appeared on the chair despite me and my partner not moving it through the duration of our stay, nor did we use the tea or coffee facilities (which were amply stocked with high quality goods), nor did we place any cups of water or drink near the dresser in question. Overall enthralling visit!! Would stay again:)
https://goo.gl/maps/YS3NaRR5JZDj5BFaA
As promised. Here’s a video of the haunted house. Check the blue ‘orbs’ at around 2:14. I make a couple of errors whilst describing this video. I’d had a bit of a long day.
It’s fairly interesting anyway. See what you think.
Last stop in Wales to pick up the car and back home.
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And the Montgomery canal. Which I travelled along for a period.
No boats on it…
This empty lock is the upper reaches of the canal about 2 miles outside of Newtown.
As you travel further down, it gradually starts filling with water until you reach the first working lock outside of Aberbechan.
It’s maintained by the Canal and River Trust pretty much as soon as it starts filling up with water.
Was much warmer today. Some places in the UK hit 30 +.
The day started very cloudy in Builth Wells, cold and overcast. Which is fine. Slowly, the sun burnt the cloud down, just leaving some resting in the valleys.
This was taken about 10am.
Things got hotter from then on in…
It was one long ascent to a peak of around 1,100ft just outside Newtown, then a drop with 6 miles into Newtown and the Severn Valley.
Newtown had this nice church, perhaps the best church I’ve seen since being in Wales.
They’re not big on their churches these Welsh. Most tend to be small, understated affairs. This one has done quite well.
Had some lunch in Newtown. Tesco meal deal and ate it in the park.
From here on in cycled down a combination of the Severn Valley Way, and the Montgomery Canal towpath until I reached Montgomery.
Managed to stay in the shade for most of the journey, which was a nice touch.
Their Feng Shui consultant appears to have been Aleister Crowley.
Everything arranged in a way so as to give an ‘off center’ or skewed feel. It’s like you look at things, they don’t feel right, then you think it’s your fault and they look nice really.
They don’t. They look weird and out of place.
One of the reviews on Booking.com said the place was haunted.
It’s an extreme rarity that I’m ever woken by my dreams, but at this place I woke at 2.33am in a dream I was performing with some Black Lives Matter people on stage, and a jay flew squawking into my face. Like crashed into me. Sat bolt upright.
Got cold chills down my spine for hours after. Strange thoughts interrupted my sleep. The channels on the TV stopped working at around 3.30am, and the screen went blue.
Luckily my phone radio streamed through the internet which provided enough distraction to give me a nights sleep.
I’m someone who needs a little noise, or I don’t find it possible to sleep.
I’ve made a video of the house. Hopefully I’ll put it on here, but at the moment, it’s not uploading, so for now it will have to wait.
Went for an overpriced meal in Montgomery.
It’s more like an English town in design, with that familiar mercantile, tobacco trader layout and feel to it, but on a much smaller scale.
High in the Brecon Hills…
What a day…
The pictures speak for themselves. But the roads I chose, not those that Google suggested had virtually NO traffic on them. Just hills, nature and wildlife.
Camarthen proved to be a fun place. No doubt I’ll go there again.
Breakfast was at a local pub, as the establishment I was staying in didn’t have the facilities. It was kind of above a venue set of 10-12 private rooms.
We got access to the rooms using an app. When I wanted to get in the door, either the front door or my room door, I’d fire the app up, and press my phone against the pad.
Worked kind of well.
The accommodation was alright. Could have had better toiletries, I don’t carry any of that around with me, but otherwise alright.
Had a croissant and honey and jam and a bacon and egg sandwich and coffee.
Fairly light, but lots of energy. Set me up until lunch.
…”and the sun upon your face. And may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars.” – George Jung
Open roads, undulating hills. Brecon Beacons. 0 Traffic for hours on end. Bright with sights, smells and wildlife.
Another easy day. Being the weekend, I wanted to have a look around Camarthen rather than just shoot through for a much harder, longer journey.
That’s not really a holiday.
So here I am in Camarthen. Only took one picture on the way down.
It’s this one.
Speed was up. Did more miles today in 1 1/2 hours less, time-wise. Just shows what a waste of time yesterday was.
Here’s a picture of my bike. Maybe you can see what’s slowing it down.
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