We’re officially ‘away’ on hols! We booked this cottage a long time ago & have been looking forward to revisiting this part of the world ever since. It’s one of our favourite areas!
Jane’s been visiting Pembrokeshire since the 70’s and I started coming down with her and her family in the early 1980’s. They ended up always staying with the same family who run a large farm or three and up until not too long ago, a B&B. The D’s are a wonderful family & over time they became friends as much as hosts. So much so that even though lots of things have changed and lots of people are no longer with us, we will still be meeting up with them tomorrow evening, over in Cas-mael (Puncheston).
For better or worse, Lurchio is at home and supposed to be house-minding. I have no idea of what we will return to! For now though, we are away and he’s supposed to be an adult. Let’s find out!
It’s a bloody long drive and it’s not an easy one, so we set off at around 10:30 this morning, having packed the Cali (-fornia, a VW Campervan) with a tiny case for me, a big case for Jane and many, many bags for Tobys dog paraphernalia!
The downside to a 6 1/2h drive is that as wonderful as Toby is, he’s a horrendous traveller. He just stresses out and dribbles everywhere (from his mouth), and never, ever settles. Today’s journey was no different and the beach towels we put down are presently drying on the clothes line at the cottage.
It’s a dull first part of the drive, down the A555 to the airport, then the M56 to the Chester turn off to the M53. Boring! Only spiced up by the number of “Bobby Nobheads” that seemed to be out on the roads today!
Once you get off the motorway, it’s A roads for the rest of the trip. Oh, boy are they fun when you are forever shifting from National Speed Limit (60ish) to the mind-numbing 20mph leading in to, through and then out of towns and villages.
We headed the ‘country way’ avoiding Mold & Ruthin down the A5104, and to our first planned stop at the “Rhug Estate Farm Shop, Brasserie, Take Away, Drive Thru & Organic Skin Care” place. Basically, Lord and Lady Newborough have a Bison farm & the Bison burgers are belting!
Toby was delighted to get away from the van for a while and enjoyed sitting with us and a load of doggos, whilst I had a burger with double espresso & Jane had her egg butty and a gingerbread sheep. As you do.
Sadly for Tobes, we had another 2 hour shift in the van before his 3rd & final break at a petrol station so unremarkable I can’t even remember where it was (somewhere around Llanarth, I think) where the “Customer Toilet” was an outhouse and had definite “Ewan McGregor Trainspotting” vibes to it.
Bala (busy as always & the cafe still there bless it), Dolgellau, then past the Centre For Alternative Technology before Machynlleth. It’s the A487 all the way, down through Aberystwyth (passing the Halls of Residence where we once visited my Uncle when he was at Uni there), then on the coast road down through Sarnau (we may stop here on the way back – there’s a Brewery & Tap just off the road), and clip the outskirts of Cardigan.
Final push, Toby! Eglwyswrw, past the Iron Age village, through Newport and Old Fishguard before Mathry and Square and Compass! Then it was to the instructions! Down some tiny Pembrokeshire lanes towards Porthgain before a little jink right and up to our cottage, Bichney Bach.
It’s lovely & Toby is now very happy to be in a house and not in a vehicle!
Quiet day planned for tomorrow daytime and will prob just wander down to Porthgain & give Toby some fresh air and walks before heading over to see the D’s in the late afternoon!
Let see what tomorrow brings, eh!