Ringing - Quarter Peals

Quarter Peals at Swanage

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Devon Holiday - Day 5

Devon Holiday

Day 5

Unfortunately today was home time.  We got ourselves packed up and decided what to do for the day.  The weather was cloudy and drizzly so we thought walking on Dartmoor wasn't a good idea.  We instead decided to drive to Princetown and have a look in their visitor centre.  They had a exhibition there that we could have a look round, I also managed to get a book about letterboxing on Dartmoor - I want to have a go!

We planned to go for lunch in Exeter before coming home so we made our way there calling at Moretonhampstead and then Dunsford woods for a walk by the river and then finally to the Toby Carvery in Exeter.  We felt we should end the holiday in the same place we started it! well that's our excuse anyway!!

It was nice to get home and we have had a good time.  Now we have a mountain of washing and sorting to do as we are going away again on Sunday to the Mendips!!

Devon Holiday - Day 4

Devon Holiday

Day 4

Today the weather didn't look that good so we decided to go to Kents Cavern Show Cave.  We headed to Torquay to find a pasty for lunch and have a walk round some of the harbour and then made our way to the cave.  While waiting for the tour we had a look round their exhibition.  The tour took us to most of the parts of the cave and the guide was really interesting.

After the tour we made our way back to the caravan, made dinner and started to sort some of our stuff out as we had to be out of the caravan by 9:30.  We were both quite shattered today and tim was feeling rather battered from the caving last night!

Devon Holiday - Day 3 Part 2!

Devon Holiday

Day 3 - Part 2!

The rest of today went better than the earlier part!  When we had got ourselves ready to go out we headed for Start Point.  There is a light house there and we were hoping to walk out to the end.  It was a lovely day so we stopped at Kingsbridge to find a pasty shop to get some lunch.  The tide was in so we sat by the estuary to eat.  We had a seagull we named Gregory who sat and watched us hopeful for some scraps!  He was disappointed!!

After lunch we went on to Start Point.  We walked down to the lighthouse but unfortunately there seemed to be no path beyond it to the very end.  It was a lovely walk down, Tim was hoping to see Portland but it was too foggy out to see.

We next made our way up to Dartmouth to go over the chain ferry.  We stopped and had a walk down the side of the river first.

We didn't have to queue long to get on the chain ferry and we made our way back to the caravan.  Tonight we had made arrangements with a local caving club to join them on their evening trip to the Chudleigh caves.  

We met them around 7pm, kitted up and made our way to the caves.  We went to Skull cap and Cliffords cave.  They were both extremely muddy and all the time was spent crawling in it!  Just like yesterdays cave I will tick them off my list but won't be going back in a hurry!!!

By this evening my jaw is still painful but the range of movement it better.

Devon Holiday - Day 3 Part 1!

Devon Holiday

Day 3 - Part 1

Well I usually wait till the evening to write up my blog but this morning it already feels like we have had part of the day!!

At 3.41 am Tim woke up followed by me, at which point I realised I couldn't open my jaw, it was extremely painful and stuck!!  I tried to free it but it wasn't moving, Tim said he thought we should get it looked at in A&E.  Tim looked at directions on line and we set off.  We arrived there at 4.20 - luckily it was fairly empty and I got seen fairly quickly (there was enough time however for Tim to spy the tea machine and get a cup!).  By then I still couldn't open my jaw more than 1cm!  A doctor came and looked at it and said he thought it might be dislocated or subluxed so sent me for an x-ray.  Some pain relief and an x-ray later the doctor came back to give me the good news.  It was in place but what ever I had done to it had made the muscles around the jaw spasm and become inflamed.  He advised I keep moving it around as much as I can and gradually through the day it should free up.  We left Torbay hospital at 5.30 and headed back to the caravan to go back to bed!

It is now 10:30 and we have just woken up and got up.  My jaw is now openable by 2-3cm and is starting to feel easier.  Tim said it was nice to have a cup of tea in the night but a 20mile round trip was a bit excessive and it wasn't even that nice!!

Hopefully throughout today it will sort it's self out.

Devon Holiday - Day 2

Devon Holiday

Day 2

We must have been tired as we finally woke around 10!  We had planned to go caving today, after getting ourselves sorted we left and went into Ashburton in search of a pasty for lunch - luckily we were successful.  The cave we were going to was Afton Red Rift, funnily enough it was in Afton!  We had our lunch and Tim had a look around for where the entrance was.  After a while he appeared back having found it.  We kitted up and made our way down the over grown stinging nettle and cow parsley path to the field at the end where there was a cow to greet us.  Me not being all that keen to venture into the field remembered we had been told to take the path down the side of an old lime kiln!  Bellow the entrance there was a rope to assist a greasy climb up to the gate.

Once inside the cave we followed the rift for a short while before getting to a bit that looked rather tricky.  It's not often Tim asks for a rope!!  I sat at the top while Tim traversed and descended  the rift to check for the way on.  Soon he appeared back below me at the foot of the rift, he climbed up and showed me the route to get down.  While I was going down I was looking at it thinking that it was not going to be a pleasant climb back out!  At the bottom we continued along the rift and it wasn't long before we found another obstacle!  This time it was a slippery slope with not many hand/foot holds which led to Watkins squeeze - a narrow slide downwards!  Eventually we found our way into the mud hall and tried to continue to cascade chamber, however we were getting short of time and the route on was unclear.  Also by now I was rather fed up of the irritatingness of the place!!  We decided to turn back and head for the exit.  This was fine till it came to the point we had to go back up Watkins squeeze.  Tim went first and then it was my turn.  The first bit seemed ok, then I ran out of foot holds, had my shoulders wedged and had nothing to pull against!  My sense of humour was rapidly fading!  eventually I fought my way through only to be faced with the climb back up the rift I had been dreading from the moment I descended it!!  Tim went first and offered to belay me up, which gave me a bit more confidence.  The climb was just as I had thought it would be - bloody horrible.  Finally and with much relief we were out of the cave.  All I can say is that I am glad I can say I have been in there and I can tick it off my list but I am in no rush to go back!!  We since saw on a website a very brief description of this cave. It was 'Firstly it is in Afton, secondly it is red and thirdly it is a rift', I will now add that fourthly it is a fecking shit hole!! :o)

Back at the caravan we cleaned up and made our way to Plymouth to find some dinner and to go to the ringing practice at St Andrew church.

Devon Holiday - Day 1

Devon Holiday

Day 1

We set of around 08:15 and made our way to the Toby Carvery at Exeter for breakfast.  This was Tim's first Toby breakfast and very quickly said we should have another next week!!  It certainly was an excellent way to start out holiday.

From Exeter we made our way to Chudleigh Rock.  We were going to collect a key for some caves from the Devon Caving Club Secretary.  While we waited for him we had a wander round the gardens.  The paths started off fairly sensible then Tim decided to follow some rather over grown routes.  We did manage to find some cave entrances and eventually found out way back out!!  Both of us with wet feet and a few nettle stings!!  Back at the entrance to the gardens I discovered I had managed to pick up a tick!  Luckily not too well embedded so I was able to pull it out!

Next we made our way to Canonteign Falls.  Much to my delight there were proper footpaths and I managed to persuade Tim to follow them!!  Canonteign Falls claims to bet he highest waterfall in England - however it is man made and not really that impressive.  There is only a small quantity of water going over it, and the natural path of the stream creates a lovely water fall its self.

We then made our way for the caravan site.  The caravan we have been given is really spacious and warm.  we unpacked, rested and then sorted out some dinner before going out ringing.

Tim had found out that there was a Devon guild practice and Wolborough.  The whole night was spent ringing mostly Plain Bob Triples!! (very poorly just added by Tim!).

Ringing - Quarter Peal Day

Quarter Peal Day

Charminster  

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Bradford Peverell

 Unfortunately we didn't get the quarter here.

Cattistock

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Stratton

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Wimborne Folk Festival 2013

Wimborne Folk Festival 2013

A lovely sunny weekend for this years Folk Festival.  I went down there today to see what was going on.

Ringing - Quarter Peal

Quarter Peal at Long Crichel

Caving - Weekend in Mendips

Weekend in Mendips

Saturday 1st June

Tim and I got a few jobs done around the house in the morning and then headed up to the Mendips for the weekend - we decided we were going to stay over at the Wessex Cave Club.  We went via Poole to get a pasty for lunch from the Cornish Pasty Co.  We then drove up to Melbury hill where we had our lunch before walking up the hill.  It was a lovely walk with great views.

When we got to the caving club we sat outside in the sun chatting with the others up the club.  Neither of us could be bothered to go and do anything!!  We eventually plucked up energy and made our way to Star Shaft.  

to my dismay the entrance was in a field full of really curious cows :o(

Tim rigged the 28m pitch while I kept an eye on where the cows were!

There wasn't much at the bottom of the first pitch - just the top of the second!

Tim headed out first so he could make sure the cows were not waiting for us!!

Back at the caving club we had some dinner and lazed around!

Sunday 2nd June

Well today we were expecting 2 other cavers to join us - however both of them have decided they were not coming.  One had the runs and the other had a flat car battery.  We decided to stick to the original plan and go to Swildon's hole just the two of us.  We did a steady trip taking lots of photos.  Tim climbed up some of the bits towards the sump looking for other possible routes but didn't find any.  Sump 1 was the lowest I have ever seen it.  There was a good amount of air space and the water was lovely and clear.

Formations in Barnes' Loop

Sump 1

Sump 1

Sump 1

Back at the club we showered and had some lunch and made our way home to clean the kit.  We had a lovely weekend and it was great to get away.