Thrashing the Grass

Whilst having fly fishing tuition in Derbyshire LB learnt the phrase "thrashing the water" to describe casting with a fly rod and fishing. Now we're home he's thrashing the grass. Not suprisingly he hasn't caught anything but he's strengthening his casting arm and improving his casting. He can get the line to go out straighter now as you can see by the photo. Hopefully I'll have a nice fresh trout to eat by the end of the summer! Mind you, it took us about two years to catch a mackerel when we first had the boat in Pembs and they're the easiest of fish to catch! Anyway I suppose my supper isn't the point of all this. It's great to see him so enthusiastic about his new hobby and enjoying himself so much.

Elvie

Llanelli Wildfowl & Wetlands Centre

Viv & I went here on Saturday for a bird photography workshop run by Tim Collier. I learn't a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the day. I was also very impressed with the Wetlands Centre itself. I had often driven past but never visited it till now.



It's run by the WWT and is similar to Slimbridge but smaller. There are a number of ponds and pens of captive birds with a large lagoon and abutting salt marsh where you'll see a variety of wild birds including ducks, geese, gulls and waders. There are numeous hides which proved very useful in the showers. The cafe was clean & pleasant with plenty of choice and a good view of the birdfeeders outside. It's certainly well worth a visit and I will definitely be going back there to explore some more. Anyway here's a few of the photos I took there. (From top to bottom an eider duck, smew and whooper swan )

Elvie

Photoshop Training

As well as learning to use my camera properly I decided I needed to learn to use the copy of Photoshop Elements that I have. Although Elements is a cut down version of Photoshop it's still quite complex and I've only been able to use the very basic functions. As I'm impatient I looked around for intensive courses and thanks to google found Mike Bone and FarrowHouse Training. I've just had two days training with him. He teaches a maximum of three students at a time and does specific courses for each version of Photoshop. It was brilliant. We covered a heck of a lot in two days and although I know I'll forget bits I now know the basics and can look it up as I need it without feeling totally confused by the manual. I'll certainly never trust a photo again. It's amazing what changes can be made very simply!

Anyway I'm a bit knackered now, it was hard work & held near Torquay so I've had a long drive tonight. I do recommend it if you're keen on learning a lot quickly. Time for a cuppa and early night for me but you can check on the link to his website!

Elvie

New Levers

Smart aren't they? I treated myself to new clutch & brake levers for the GS, not just for the bling but because they have a greater span adjustment . I tend to get an aching left wrist with most standard clutch levers, in particular, as they are too much of a stretch. These "Vario" levers from Wunderlich can not only be adjusted to be closer to the bars but you can do it on the move and can also slide the silver end in to make them shorter for two finger use. I used them for the first time on our Sunday ride out, at full length and they are great! Finding the clutch point is so much easier! I might shorten them a bit but they're ok as they are. I thought the black & silver combination was rather snazzier than plain black or plain silver. I'm really pleased with them.

We were blessed with more wonderful weather yesterday so eight of us had a ride around Malvern, Worcester, Leominster , Brecon & home. Apart from a bit of a hiccup around Worcester when the group split up and lost each other it was a good day out. There is some beautiful scenery around there and it was a change from Mid Wales. So far this year is turning out well for riding, lets hope it continues.

Elvie.

Back Home!

It was quite sad leaving our little cottage "The Nook" yesterday. We'd enjoyed our Derbyshire break hugely. In fact while there we had booked an extra night as we were enjoying ourselves so much. The place we stayed was Mill Farm Cottages at Barlow. The farm has devoloped a fly and coarse fishing centre with eight lakes in an idyllic valley just across the farm yard from the cottages. LB had fishing tuition on the first day and then got up early every morning to "thrash the water" as well as later in the day if we weren't out and about. Unfortunately he never did manage to catch anything but his casting is improving!

Our little one bedroom cottage was cosy and well equipped if a little old fashioned. The only downside was the fact that mobile phone reception started about 30 yards away across the farm yard and 3G a mile down the road. At least the yard was clean as the only animals were chickens, a horse, the fish and campers! So no sh*t! All my posts were therefore done on my phone while we were out and about hence being brief and to the point for once. Anyway I have now added text to the Bosworth Field photos, just in case you were wondering what that was all about!

To finish I have added a photo of the farm's horse as this is one of my first panning shots & I'm quite pleased with it

Elvie

Lathkill Dale

We're now heading back to our little cottage, pleasantly tired and with aching feet. Having done some more shopping in Bakewell we then set off on a circular 5 mile walk around the Rivers Bradford and Lathkill. It was brilliant and we feel we've earned our takeaway tonight! (Guess how the fishing's going!)

Stanage Edge

Had a wonderful day today, helped by the lovely sunny weather. It was a real bonus at this time of year. We first did some shopping in Bakewell, including the eponymous pudding (not tart ). We then had a walk along Stanage Edge. Here's LB at Robin Hood's Cave. We're nicely tired now and ready for our burgers. (yes No fish yet!) Elvie

Oops!

I forgot to add the photo!

No fish supper yet!

My hunter gatherer is trying hard to feed me. Fortunately there's a Tesco down the road. This is a lovely place but no 3G. Will post more details when I can get online with the computer. Elvie

Tickled Trout

Here we are at the Tickled Trout in Derbyshire. We're staying nearby. LB is having some fly fishing lessons while I do some photography. Sadly there were no trout for tea today. I hope his skills improve before we come home!

Bosworth Field

We're on our way to Derbyshire for the weekend but stopped off en route to visit the Bosworth Battle Heritage Centre. We thought it was actually at the real Bosworth Field but surprisingly no-one knows where that is. It's in the vicinity but there are three candidates for the site and there is no archaeological evidence for any of them! Anyway the information centre was very good. It's a time in history that I have always found confusing but it was very clearly explained with lots of fun, interactive exhibits. LB spotted the helmets. He quite fancied the full face lid but visibility through the visor was a bit limited. I don't think Arai or Shoei need fear the competition!

Elvie

Christening

We had a lovely day yesterday as we went to the Christening of a friends baby. S had celebrated her first birthday 4 days previously and has been walking for a couple of months so we all wondered how she would react. She was delightful. She spent most of the service talking to herself or waving to her sister and grandparents and was puzzled rather than upset by having three ladles of water poured over her head. The only near miss was when she made a grab for the large, lit candle on a tall, wooden, floor standing candlestick. It teetered for a couple of seconds before settling, meanwhile the whole congregation held its breath! Afterwards S happily showed us her beautiful Christening dress before we went back to her home for nibbles and a natter. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

I have no religious faith myself and have not had my children Christened. In retrospect it would have been nice to have had some sort of non religious ceremony to welcome them into the world. Marriages have moved into the secular world perhaps we should consider naming ceremonies more often as well.

Elvie.

Bike Project

Work is progressing slowly but steadily on our bike project. After weeks of no work because of the cold V&P had the bright idea of swapping around the dining table and the bike. Wrap up well if they invite you over for a dinner party because here's the bike, warm & snug in the dining room!


Since the photo was taken the room has filled with tools and we've taken off the front wheel and the forks. The white curtains are looking vulnerable as the clutter gets closer to them, I hope they don't end up covered with grease. Anyway it's much more comfortable working there and it's next door to the kitchen for frequent cups of tea! We stripped and refurbished the master brake cylinder this week and have stripped and cleaned the front brakes. I'm fascinated by the simplicity and ingenious engineering contained within the various bits we've removed from the bike. What were to me mysterious unfathomable boxes are now understandable components. It's great fun and I'm lucky to have the opportunity of doing this and with such good company!

Elvie

Llangattock Escarpment

We took advantage of a sunny morning to squeeze in a walk before the rain arrived in the afternoon. Once more we referred to our "Jarrold Short Walks" book and picked a three and a half mile walk around the Llangattock escarpment near Abergavenny. The escarpment was a site of extensive limestone quarrying in the 19th and early 20th centuries and so the walk was dotted with intriguing small ruins and spoil heaps. It must have been an incredibly tough working environment, exposed to the elements while undertaking hard physical labour. Although yesterday was very sunny and mild for early March there was a biting cold wind on the exposed upper paths. One can only imagine the rigours of quarrying there mid winter.

Our walk started off easily enough along one of the old tramways, now the wide grassy path in the photo. Worryingly it soon veered off down a steep narrow path to the woods below. Worrying, as I was thinking about the climb back up that we would have to do! Fortunately the route up was more gentle though bracken covered hillside and woodland. Back on the upper levels we stopped to chat to two women who had walked up from Crickhowell. One had lost a glove and we agreed to drop it off at the Crickhowell Tourist Information Centre if we came across it.

Further on was the sobering site of about twenty freshly placed bouquets together with a photo and tributes to a young man who had died. I assume he had lost his life either climbing the cliffs or possibly caving in the area. It made me realise how much one life can affect so many other people. It was very moving.

Anyway laid beside one bunch of flowers was the woman's glove. So once back to the car we headed to Crickhowell which was a couple of miles off our route home. It was suprisingly satisfying to be able to hand the glove in at the information centre. Hopefully it's now back with its owner. We also benefitted as, instead of calling into a supermarket on our way home, we were able to buy some nice interesting local cheeses and home made sausages from the family butcher shop and fresh bread at the bakers. We arrived home, just as the rain started, feeling very pleased with a morning's exercise, successful shopping and having done our good deed for the day!

Elvie

Another rideout

Another Sunday, another fine day so another rideout. This time there were eight of us on sports bikes enjoying a progessive ride around Breconshire and into Carmarthenshire. The roads were empty, the riding exhilarating and the views superb. We had a couple of tea stops, the last being at the West End Cafe in Llandovery. this is very popular with bikers as you can see from the bikes parked outside, there were at least as many again in the carpark across the road. The forecast is for it to turn colder with rain and sleet so the bikes are now washed and put safely away in the garage until it brightens up again.

Elvie