Category: Summer 2017

Walls capped

Thats it, the cement mixer can go back. It was great of Clive to loan the mixer to us while he was on holiday. The walls are finished; the roof timbers are in place and there is a reinforced concrete ring around the top so (fingers crossed) it ‘aint going nowhere.  Next shopping trip we will pickup the rest of the timber for the roof and we can finish it at our leisure.  I think that we have all the rest of the kit we need to put a sedum roof on it.

We could have got it all done in less than a week however we decided that doing a couple of hours a day while the weather permitted was going to be a little easier on the bodies. Hauling the sand up from the other side of the bridge to make the mortar. Buckets of water for mixing , and 3 or 4 ton of rock all take quite a lot of effort. Breezy will be very happy if she never has to lift a rock again.

We have got a few “nice to do” things ticked off the list too.

Categories: Summer 2017, The Project

Chemin De La Libertee Walk

A much needed escape to the hills. Weather was not quite as good as we expected but we set off nonetheless.

Started from just below Col de La Core and headed off on the Chemin De la Libertee path towards Cabane de Suberou.  Initially through the woods where we found a few mushies, after a few drops of rain, the sun came out giving us great views. After the Cabane we climbed steeply up towards Col de Craberous at 2382m. It was a hot steep climb passing an old WW2 plane accident where there is still portions of plane lying about and a memorial to those that lost their lives.

We dipped a few metres down from the windy col for lunch in the sun before continuing on along the ridge rather than following the footpath back down the valley.  No path on the ridge but reasonable going for the first part anyhow.  Cloud then billowed in which made map reading interesting and the descent became steeper and harder on the knees thank goodness for poles.

We changed plans slightly and decided to head down to Cabane de Cazabede rather than follow the entire ridge back to Col de La Core.  Made for an easier last hour back to the van.

A long day getting back to Billy at 6pm somewhat thirsty.

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Upcycling

If you can call building walls out of random rock upcycling. You can certainly call making bookshelves out of a salvaged drinks bar upcycling. And then there is definitely upcycling when we made the final splashbeck to go behind the cooker.

All the splashbacks have been based on some old red painted plywood. The boards originally came out of the skip between Salau and Couflens. Heaven knows what they were used for originally but they had been painted white and then red. We picked them up years ago and since then they have been temporary flooring when we only had joists in the main barn. Another evolution was when they became a bridge for Walter (the wheelbarrow) when we laid the concrete floor in the barn. They became a slide for mortar to get it from the mixer down to the base of the wall when we built that. At one point they had wheels attached to make a trolley to keep the leisure batteries on. They have been used as a platform for mixing concrete for the second outbuilding. And finally they have been cut down, attached to the wall, pointed in, tiled, framed and grouted as splashbacks. That they shall remain, and rather good they look too!

On the nature side we have some resident black redstarts and grey wagtails. Oh and about 8 rooks which are digging up compost, eating the fruit and pecking the lettuce and blet. Generally they are a pain. We also have various adders which we need to be careful of, especially when picking up rocks from the pile. Breezy found a couple of adders and one definitely seemed to be eating the other. Is this normal behaviour? It went on for over an hour and was definitely more than a love bite.

We have made progress on outbuilding 2 with a view to putting a green roof on. Also some copicing, foraging and tending the garden. The home grown garlic is fab.

Categories: Summer 2017, The Project

Ordesa National Park hiking trip

We have been meaning to get to the Ordesa for years. Either thwarted by weather or huts being closed or booked out. Determination does reap rewards and this year we made it, just before the holidays when it is super busy.

Decided to make a number of day hikes in different vallies to get an overall feeling of the place rather than hiking up high all the time, so took the little tent and the van and went on a mini road trip.

  • Valle de Pineta – started with a walk up the valley with the aim of doing a loop. One of the bridges was out unfortunately to get over a cascade and so ended up doubling back. Beautiful introduction and found some wild irises. Had a beer at the shack in the carpark and headed down the valley to Bielsa for the evening.
  • Valle de Anisclo – In the morning we drove over to Nerin. A Beautiful narrow twisty mountain road with some passing places. A great start to the day through old hamlets and farming communities. From Nerin we trekked through Sercue on the GR11 and down into the Anisclo Canyon. It’s a narrow steep sided canyon with fierce waterfalls and incredible scenery. You really feel like you are hiking up the side of the river as it tumbles down the steep terrain. At Riperata, where we had lunch we headed left up the Pardina Gorge and out of the top over a col into a meadow full of iris flowers. From there we trekked through arid scrub back down to the village of Nerin and off to find a campsite at Torla.
  • Ordesa Canyon – So much more commercial and touristy than Anisclo, but still mega impressive, just in a very different way. A smaller and more green version of the Grand Canyon. Once off the bus from Torla to the park entrance our route took us up a steep climb to Mirador y Refugio Calcilerrugo where you get an elevated 180 degree view up and down the canyon. A balcon walk halfway up the canyon called Faja Felay took us up to Puenta de Soaso. From there we followed the tourist trail in the heat of the day where you get stuck behind bimbly bumblies. The tourist route is easy to follow as it is covered in tourists as it meanders down the wide valley joining the river occasionally where there are some stunning waterfalls.ck to the same campsite and a meal out in Torla.
  • Valle de Bujaruelo – We had had 3 long days and fancied an easier one before heading back towards the border to for our last night camping in Spain. Up stream from Torla there is another valley as well as Ordesa which is nowhere near as dramatic but, again, beautiful. Our short loop got extended as we wanted to explore more and more. A completely different character again with pastures and a river which seemed in much less of a hurry to get anywhere though still had some drops with blue water pools at the bottom. Also swimming up this valley appears to be permitted. We took the GR 11 up the Valle del Ara to the Refugio del Vado d’Ordiso and then came back on the other side of the river for the last half.
Categories: Summer 2017, The Project, Travels Tags: Tags:

Cirque D’Anglade

We seem to have been at the barn for too long without getting away.  Sometimes just a wander down the road is good for the soul. We have plans to get over to Ordessa but unfortunately Billy (the VW) has developed a calliper issue on the driver’s rear wheel. Apparently the part is original and has ceased to do whatever it is meant to do and instead is gripping the brake disc. Not drastically but enough to make it smell if we go very far.  This means that a Spain trip is on hold.

We did however manage to get out and go for a wander up to Cirque D’Anglade above the old mine at Salau. The forcast was for rain to come in after lunch so we took a thermos of tea nad headed up the half hour walk from the mine. No wildlife to be seen but there was still a large patch of snow in the Cirque and some beautiful orchids.

Categories: Summer 2017, The Project Tags: Tags:

Borneo with a backpack

Sunset Borneo

After the winter season in Chamonix we are both in need of a recharge of the old batteries. This year we headed East to Borneo.

Outline Itinerary

  • Flew in to Kutchin and stayed a couple of nights to get orientation – brilliant free museums which give a flavour of the country and history
  • Bako National Park – a bus ride and then a small boat to reach the HQ where there are proboscis monkeys and bearded pigs – simple food and basic accommodation – night walks guided to see nocturnal animals in the jungle
  • Kutchin for a night before heading to Sibu by boat
  • Sibu – nice town on a river – street art and market (which most of the towns have) – bus to Miri
  • Miri for a couple of nights to stay with a friend and arrange travel plans heading on
  • Flew Miri to Mulu National Park – twin otter, 19 seater plane – brilliant accommodation and food with night walks, self guided walks and we took a guided trip to the pinnacles – caves to visit including Deer Cave where you can watch the bat exodus (3 million bats exit the cave in the evening) – pinnacles is a boat up river, hike 9km to camp 5, climb the next day and back to camp 5, hike and boat out
  • Miri for a night to wash clothes
  • Flew Miri to Bario via Marudi – twin otter – there are direct flights but if booked look for a Marudi flight and connection
  • Bario – famous for salt, pineapples and rice – stayed in an amazing longhouse with a super interesting Kelabit family – walking and exploring – great food and fascinating culture and history
  • Kota Kinabalu via Miri – KK for a couple of nights to get sorted with a slot to climb Mount Kinabalu – managed to get a 2 day 1 night slot with a private guide – left excess kit at Park HQ and hiked to the Pendant Hut, stayed there and then up to summit of Low’s Peak for sunrise, back to the hut for breakfast and hiked out the same day
  • Ranau – not a nice place and not recommended as somewhere to stay but we didn’t feel like travelling further – caught a bus next morning to Sandakan
  • Sandakan for a couple of nights – used as a base to visit the war memorial and POW camp plus visit the Orang Utans at Sepilok – brilliant
  • Flew Sandakan to Kudat – another twin otter adventure with amazing views – stayed in a longhouse and was lucky enough to see turtles hatching on the beach and swim away, a green turtle and deserted beaches – great end to the trip!!!
  • Flew back to the UK via KK.

Piccys

Categories: Summer 2017, Travels

Torrorised by mice

Not that they carry bombs or even wave flick knives but they just get everywhere. It’s not just us. The village seems to have a plague as well. They even managed to get into the Qwikle box and chewed the bag (its a great game by the way). They have eaten holes in some curtains and just make the place feel dirty. We think that we are down to the last one or two now but we have been plugging small holes and gaps to try and keep them out. Poison sachets and mouse traps loaded with ginger nut biscuit seems to be doing the trick.

We had some pointing to do around the ceilings we put up in the hall way (not just because of the mice but it did need doing) so at the same time we made some back boards as splash backs for the sink in the pantry and the kitchen sink and pointed them into the walls at the same time. They are both tiled and framed and make the place look a little more finished. We have enough tiles left over to put another board behind the cooker worktop too.

The garden is getting more productive and we have had the first courgettes. Lettuce and French beans are coming on well though it seems not a great year for the fruit bushes. We have used some of the rhubarb to make jam for the winter and some is now masserating to make Rhubarb and Berry Gin.

The planters on the front terrace have now got flowers in and we are in the process of cladding the larger one with wood.

Thanks to Nick for the idea and also Paul for his assistance we have now got running water in the tap in the kitchen. Nick gave us his research into pumps and have acquired an appropriate Gardena model, Paul helped set it up. Initially we didn’t have enough power to run it with the inverter off the batteries but last year we installed a larger inverter and the pump sits in the back of the workshop and quite happily supplies water from the rain water capture butts behind the outbuilding. Next is to get a wash basin in the bathroom (oh, and an indoor shower).

Once again we have a bracken problem but each year it is getting weaker. This year it only took both of us an hour to cut it all back. Another couple of cuts this summer and next year it should be weaker still. Breezy managed to disturb a deer fawn in the undergrowth which leapt up giving them both a fright. Fortunately the fawn was not harmed as the hook came pretty close.

Breezy’s Father gave us a couple of climbing roses last year for the front wall which are very happy and have just come into flower. Thanks Iain!

Another set of curtains have gone up on the window in the hall courtesy of Scotty in Scotland. Thanks Scotty!

We have been enjoying 35 degrees of heat recently which has made strimming a little sweaty and meant watering the veg daily, but a downpour last night filled all the water butts.

Now on a mission to find new recipes for the winter though avoiding rice and noodles after eating them 3 times a day for 5 weeks in Borneo.

 

Categories: Summer 2017, The Project

Rhubarb and berry flavoured Gin

Last year we found about 8 litres of Gin in the barn. Some we gave away and some we drank but we still hd 2 litres this summer. So we have masserated a litre with rhubarb and berries.

  • 300g of berries – strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
  • 200g rhubarb, roughly chopped
  • 150g sugar
  • 750ml or 1litre Gin

Chop up the berries and the rhubarb and add to sterilised preserving jars with the sugar. Pour over the Gin and seal. Give a shake and store in a dark cool place. Give them a little shake daily and repeat for at least 5 days and up to 3 weeks for a stronger flavour. Once masserated strain through a large sieve lined with muslin or coffee filters and bottle. Either in sterilised bottles or back in the Gin bottle.

Drink either neat or with soda water and ice for a long summer drink.

Categories: Recipes, Summer 2017

Fleeting visit

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Barn and outbuildings

We had a short time to plant up the garden and get stuff sorted at the barn before heading away on holiday.

First thing we noticed was the porch door had blown open in the wind. This would not really matter too much if intruders wanted to steal anything as the outside door is still secure in terms of someone carrying anything away. However it will enable other intruders to enter, namely mice!

Some effort was made to rid the barn of our unwanted guests. Traps were set and poison laid but these things take time. We did awaken one night to distinct mouse sounds in the bedroom. I was sent under the stairs to investigate. I managed to trap the offender in a cardboard box against the wall in the same way you might trap a wasp in a tumbler against a window. With a little flick I got the box upright with the mouse inside and proceeded to rattle the mouse around inside to prevent him / her getting any purchase in order to escape while Breezy let me outside. The intruder was dispatched over the retaining wall at the front of the barn but a naked bloke carrying a box.

Other visitors include a family of birds who are living in the bird box above the back terrace which is fantastic. Clive also popped over when he heard we were back with some hollyhocks for the garden.

With the garden weeded and planted up with veg, and the grass all trimmed the place is looking ready for the summer.

Barn and outbuildings

Just before heading down the valley to catch a lift into St Girons with Rene we made some rhubarb and ginger jam for the chalet in the winter.

Next destination is Borneo with a visit to my Folks for a couple of nights en route.

Categories: Summer 2017, The Project