We decided last week to go to Herefordshire for a few days even though the weather forecast didn't look very good! I am suddenly conscious of the fact that the site closes at the end of November and I am not sure how often I would want to go that month if the weather was wet and cold so October may be our last chance to visit until next March. The shutting it down for the winter procedure looks quite complicated to put it mildly and I think we may have to buy vacuum bags to store clothes, bed linen, quilts and pillows so once we have closed it down we won't be popping back for a few days!
The weather was fine on Tuesday and the motorways blissfully quiet. Although sometimes there are problems at the roadworks by Worcester, we have started to leave the M5 South of Worcester and cut across country on the Worcester Road passing through Bromyard. It seems the quickest route and we managed to do the journey in one hour 27 minutes.
The Malverns - hope to visit next year on the way down. There is a priory at Malvern I would like to visit too if life ever gets back to "normal".
Once I'd unpacked food etc. I sat outside and watched the birds on feeders - sorry record shots only but we are really thrilled with the nuthatch that visits and also the Marsh/Willow Tit (second photo and yes I know it is an awful photo but it is proof we see one!).
Next year I may consider taking the olympus dslr with 70-300 telephoto lens because the birds are very tame there and it would be worth seeing if I could get some better photos.
Timothy enjoying the sunshine
The tree I am "watching". I think I can just make out a slight suggestion that the leaves are about to acquire their autumn colours.
In the evening we went a walk down to the pool.
Fly Agaric - they were large and some looked as though they had been nibbled!
Record shot of a Mallard - another new species for the bird list there.
It is good to be able to see sheep and cattle grazing in nearby fields from the caravan window.
On Wednesday it rained most of the day so I just sat around reading and watching Spooks episodes on i-player.
Thankfully, Thursday was a lovely day - warm and sunny. So in the afternoon we visited Tenbury Wells which turned out to be a lovely little market town. I also explored the churchyard and then onto Burford nearby to see the church there. I'll write more in the next few posts.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
15 comments:
Super to see a Nuthatch and get some record shots of that and the Mallard. I hope you get to go on enough visits to see the tree turn colour. It must be good to know you've got somewhere safe to go during the pandemic that isn't a massive journey away, and once you're there it seems to have plenty of safe things to do. Good to see Timothy again, he's been missed.
Well done on the nuthatch... Priory definitely worth a visit.. and Timothy Twitter 😉
Rustic Pumpkin - Thank you. I hope I see the tree change colour too! :) Timothy says "hello" :) Distance wise caravan is ideal and although you do get holiday makers in Herefordshire its not like the Cotswolds i.e. a major tourist destination. Although I wouldn't want to go to Ludlow or Hereford atm as would be busier.
The Quacks of Life - Thank you. The Priory has been on my radar for years. Still thinking of Timothy and Twitter! :)
We have had two pairs of Nuthatches nesting somewhere about the place (one pair definitely in the front garden, probably inside the Paul's Himalayan Musk.) They are delightful birds to watch.
Glad you are enjoying exploring the locale. Bromyard is a place we've not been to yet - it's always a name on a signpost when we are turning off the roundabout to go into Ledbury!
Bovey Belle - Thank you. Nuthatches are delightful birds as you say. We have at least two coming to the feeders.
We've been to Bromyard in past years a couple of times and it is nice. The church is very interesting and there is a science fiction museum there with lots of Dr Who items. FlowerDews next door is a lovely tearoom and gift shop. I will go back there when this awful pandemic disappears. There is also a good farm shop and not far away the charming Ralph Court Gardens. Also little art gallery and info centre by car park near church has some interesting maps and books.
Brilliant to get the Nuthatch and Tit, hopefully you'll be able to figure out which one it is! Once it closes for the winter does that mean you aren't able to visit at all?
Pam - Thanks - can't remember now but either Marsh or Willow is commoner so I suspect it is that one. They are hard to tell apart. They normally shut the site December, January, February so you can't go at all. They did mention this year they may stay open December as we couldn't go for 3 months (sadly in my view the best 3 months of a normal year i.e. April, May and June!!) but I haven't heard any more on that. The problem is leaving it and then if you get below zero temps pipes can freeze and later burst which is why you have to drain everything down and turn stuff off and put anti freeze in loos etc :( sounds horribly complicated! Also OH read recently insurance does not cover you for water damage from end of Oct until beg March if you haven't drained everything. So I am not sure now if we could go in November. For a charge people who own site will drain it all down and then reverse procedure for you which is the option I would take but OH doesn't like paying! I think he is going to have a word with his ex work colleague who by coincidence has a caravan there to see what he does each year.
Yes, how lovely to see the Nuthatch, RR. Like so many other wild things (starting with bluebells), I have not seen one all year thanks to Covid restrictions and shielding. Timothy looks in his element: he seems to love his jaunts! Our Virginia Creeper has been red for some days, and for some reason is spreading all over the ground as well as the fence this year for the first time.
Caroline Gill - Thank you. My various year lists have suffered this year. So many species of birds, wild flowers, butterflies etc. not seen due to lock down and the fact that even now I am not visiting many of my local places. I love Virginia Creeper - such a beautiful autumnal colour.
It does sound a bit complicated, I had no idea that you'd have to think about things like draining water but I can understand why, (though the way things are going our winters won't be getting below zero!). Lots to think about then with it but I suspect you'll get in the swing of it and it'll be worth it to have the caravan :)
Pam - Thanks - yes I did have a vague idea what you had to do its only when you read the details you realise its more than you think! OH's ex work colleague did have a burst pipe there during the Beast from the East March. He'd been left water on and then problems! I think you have to decompress pipes too whatever that means. I've told OH to ring his ex work colleague for a chat to find out what they do about tins and packets of food and bed quilts and pillows etc. Don't want to bring everything home as no storage space here! But fridge and freezer will need emptying as you have to turn electric and gas off. The caravan has central heating but apparently it has antifreeze in the radiators so you don't drain. Need to make sure we don't drain the wrong thing!!! Honestly I would prefer to pay the £50 they charge to shut it all down for us and then reconnect next March. Would save a lot of hassle and worry as they will know exactly what they are doing.
My husband would be the same, thinking he can do it all himself whereas I don't think £50 is too much for the peace of mind!! Decompressing pipes?! I should think the food would be ok regardless wouldn't it? Good idea to speak to his colleague though.
Pam - I think you blow air in or out of them re; decompression???Not sure tbh! I will leave most food there I think unless its a packet that has been opened. Caravan is double glazed so I don't see damp being too much of a problem? After all our caravan, although it hadn't been owned by anyone else, was two years old when we bought it and I couldn't see any problems caused by 2 years emptiness!
The closing down process is a learning curve.
Next year you won't worry about it :-)
CherryPie - Thank you. My husband is determined to do it himself! As you say it will be easier after the first time.
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