Waking up at 04.30 is getting a bit tedious. But I occupied myself reading Moulsford’s Draft Neighbourhood Priorities Statement which all seemed entirely reasonable. Villagers were asked to comment on a variety of ideas a few months ago and this is the result.
Apparently, because Moulsford is such a small village of around 500 souls, we will not be subjected to any major housing development, just infill etc. Some of the other items arising included congestion thanks to the two schools and implicit criticism of allowing school building projects to go ahead before they have managed to limit the congestion they both cause. Parent parking is causing problems at Cranford House, which now takes 6th formers, and the more they take, the more will be drivers. They have no facility for 6th form parking. This begs the question of where young drivers will be able to park.
I must admit I thought it was someone on the local council who was responsible for Moulsford Prep getting away with whatever it wanted whilst Cranford House was turned down. But I am thinking it is SODC who is subjected to these influencers and influences. The local council seems unhappy with the power these schools have to disrupt our community.
There is also criticism of the Beetle and Wedge and insufficient parking and also of their appropriation of public towpath and launching area for its own hospitality purposes. And agreeing solutions, that are not solutions, with SODC but without consulting the parish council.
One of the first things I asked about when we moved here, was a circular footpath route round the village. There isn’t one, currently, but access to a short path across a corner of a field is all that is needed, and could be done if the landowner were willing. The other summer permissive path is principally for people glamping in the yurts. But villagers and others can use it during summer months. Dangers of Cow Lane and the dragon’s teeth were also highlighted.
There were various other items of interest eg state school places and the possibility of a local coffee/ farm shop. And criticism of the state of the footpath to the filling station.
As for our day… once up, I improved the state of the roses in the front garden by putting support in their pots and I even tied them to the supports. I added compost to all the potted plants and gave them some food. I finally removed the Somerset rocks from the car and they are on top of the compost to prevent it from drying out.
As for the big weeds, and all the little ones, they are a bit of a thorny (literally) problem that I should have addressed weeks ago. My top suspect might be horseradish. But whatever it is, this huge green weed is now insolently facing down the weed killer I applied. We will see who wins. At the moment the weed is winning.
We have some really nice weeds this year and the pink one in the back garden is still going strong.
A host of golden buttercups in the pic below.
I persuaded T out of bed and we walked H at Castle Meadows before heading for The Chequers at Burcot for the most excellent meal. Best sea bass I’ve eaten in a while. There is a lovely Italian waitress there with whom we had quite a chat. She is from near Venice and got stuck over here in 2020 whilst Northern Italy was ravaged by Covid.
T did his share of the meal more than justice.
Hope it’s not got snot
And some of the best ratatouille and sea bass I’ve eaten.
Oxfordshire have kindly sent me a letter proving my status as a carer. It’s stupid to think there is no single national identification card, and that proving this is down to the different authorities. But it does bring with it free access to certain venues. Eg Marwell Zoo. T pays and I go in free is how it works. I think we could also visit many National Trust places on that basis so I may revise our membership in the Autumn.
A little light, prone relaxation may have followed. And then more work in organising photos.
Thought for the Day
This must seem like a stroll in the park to the Illingworths. But how often did we do this walk! It could be quite a challenge depending on the when what the wind and tide were up to. ( and rain) I loved it and used to do it barefoot when I could. It wended its way past Aberdyfi Golf Club where the cows munched on the greens. It also revealed historic peat excavation when winter had swept away surface sand and when the tide was low enough.
Somewhere I have a picture of Pen digging for that pot of gold that is supposed to be at the end of a rainbow.
Walking back to Tywyn along the sands, it never seemed to draw closer. It’s ironic this has popped up, because a couple of days ago I posted pics of Tywyn and Glany Mor.
Many fabulous holidays spent there, including the summer of 76 where every morning the sky was blue and cloudless, and we watched dolphins in the bay.
But there was also the converse- walking the mountains in cloud and rain and all children climbing up Cader Idris before they were 3. Bribed by earning their first rucksacks! Canvas brown things with leather straps. Castell y Bere. And not forgetting the time that T got the Renault 16 stuck across a country lane at right angles to it from banked hedgerow to banked hedgerow. I can’t remember how we got out of that non 3 point turn.But I do remember scrabbling at the banks with my fingers.
Time for a visit to Wales me thinks and the glories of Aberdyfi and the Outward Bound Schools that were once there.
Still there!
Leave a Reply