The Orchard Country House, Rousdon, is to be our home for the week together with 16 of our friends.   Sorting the bedrooms out was the next task, all very amicable as there were three not being used that provided flexibility.    With hindsight we choose to be on the right side of the house and were not woken by the cockerel next door!    The house is in Rousdon, just north of Lyme Regis in the beautiful county of Devon.

These tours have been going for over thirty years, Pat and I having been some of the original members.    Everyone knows everyone else very well, no jobs are allocated but everything gets done and everyone does something in the course of the day.   The evening meal is cooked by the ladies, a bar person ensures that we are never short of a drink, commencing with gin and tonics before dinner.

The days are meticulously planned by our tour leader Brian, three quarter peals each day in different towers.    The pub for lunch is organised and our orders already placed so there is no hassle when we get to the pub.  At Seaton we went for a walk down to the beach.    A feature here are the little beach huts, like the ones I remember from my childhood, apparently they are like ‘gold dust’ and are passed down from generation to generation .   If they come on the market they are snapped up for large sums of money.   They have also moved on a bit from my recollections, having all mod cons in most cases.   As you can see the beaches in this area consist of pebbles.

       

The weather in the UK has been very hot but today we have had some rain, not a lot but enough to get the locals excited!

We have had a lovely week with our Suffolk and Essex ringing friends, we have a rung a  few quarters including two really nice ones of Grandsire Caters at Axminster and Beominster and Little bob Royal on the light 10 at Lyme Regis.   

The narrow lanes have been a source of excitement and we have had to reverse on many occasions to let oncoming traffic through.   One day we met a huge piece of farm machinery which took several minutes to negotiate.   We then headed off towards the next tower, took a wrong turning, got back on the right road and met the same vehicle again!!!   Needless to say we were a little late getting to the tower, fortunately some of the others had also taken different routes and were also a little late.

All to soon the last night arrived, with a presentation to Brian the tour organiser, who always does a superb job with nothing left to chance, as witness every going to plan always.   We had to say our goodbyes as we and the The Sparkies were leaving early to try and avoid the traffic leaving the West country.   This time it wasn’t quite as sad as usual because we are all planning to meet up again in Suffolk before we return to Australia.

We woke up with the alarm at 0530 and, as planned, were on the road just after six.    We had no traffic problems getting to Taunton and the M5 and so were at Aust Services just before the Severn Bridge and having a welcome coffee by 0730.   It had started raining and was quite heavy by the time we got there. 

Since we had made such good time we decided to avoid the motorways and go up through the Welsh Borders, Chepstow, Hereford, Leominster, stopping in Whitchurch for lunch.    The rain has stayed with us all the way somewhat spoiling the scenery but it disappeared around Whitchurch and we were able to have a wander round without the umbrella.  The photo sums up the trip today, narrow roads, rain and roadworks!    Fortunately we have travelled this way before and have seen it in the sunshine.

Our friend had booked us an hotel just off the motorway at Warrington and we decided that it might be easier to hop on the M6 at jnc 19 and off at jnc 21.    Unfortunately, there were bridge works between these two and were only just moving for about three quarters of an hour!!!

Six lanes on the M6 at a standstill!    Still think the Kwinana is a problem?    On the southbound carriageway, three trucks and a car have had a bingle and there’s only one lane open!

I know most of you prefer pictures rather than words to I apologise for this bit and will try to do better as we travel.