Month: April 1994

If you are down in the town with no bus fare, start walking and smile, in a while you’ll be back home…- 7th April 1994

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Here I am playing catch up again. Wakey, wakey – wrapped up in cotton sheets and Bronwyn, both naked for the first time since Wednesday night. Lovely kisses and hugs wake us slowly even before our morning call. Slow we rise with spectacular view outside, mountain snowy with last hailstorm, over the lake where we walked yesterday. We wash and wake up more (unfortunately we have to put clothes on) and go down to breakfast where we feast on toast, juice, coffee, cereal and scrambled egg. Bloated we packed up and paid, buying the owners poetry booklet which is very good and very funny.

Drive back around the lake and mountains to Keswick, parked up and checked up on the weather before setting off one our 25 pence walk. It was a quiet walk till we got to a beck with the bridge and walk across, and one upways off our map. We opted for upways – climbed steep slippery stone as the wind gathered strength, approaching top, beck still water tumbling to our right. And the view from the top gob-smackingly stunning.

Back down, marshy green, boggy brown, singing and playing, chanting and running burping and farting, ears a-chilled with the wind. Down to Ashness bridge and over to the surprise view – across the other end of Derwent lake.

In the shelter of rocks we cooked Pot Noodles and ate that with bread and water. Despite the basicness of our food we feel well fed and makes me realise what a pig I am at home, stuffing myself full-a-food. Back round by the lake, us favouring the rocky shore than the road, the water is beautiful and clear. We picked up an old sheep feedbag and Broni collected rubbish on the way back – us quite exhausted.

Still on a high though, back in tin-tub, over to the coast – where Broni can’t believe the houses in this different kind of suburbia.

Into Whitehaven, my home town for several young years, past my old infant school, whose name we had to put on my Visa application only a few weeks back and down my old street where I used to run and play, as do the kids there today. Backtracking to Cockermouth, we take the road that leads through Buttermere and Borrowdale, me in search of a road I remember my mum taking me down. This little route is probably the best in the whole district, past Buttermere you head up, up, up, round twisty single-track tarmac, stone lined walls, valley stream in centre rolling down, boulders as big as houses left where they have fell sometime in a different age maybe.

At the top of the rise we park so Bronwyn can relieve her desperation behind a rock or three. Big smile of relief we get 50 yards down the other side of this huge hill and car screams at us and across the valley. Oh my fuck! Please don’t break here!

I contemplate cruising down this hill 25% gradient and twisty turny as the road up. Two hikers come along and give advice – one pokes around under the hood and the car works again. I guess we were closer to heaven than we thought.

Slowly, slowly we glide down the hill and limp back to Keswick by the most beautiful river we’ve seen so far. We look around for a campsite and find a good one by the lake – unfortunately the people are a bit queer, it is expensive, the ground is sodden and it’s more of a family park – no river for us to camp by. We set up tent and hiking up into town (only a quarter of a mile away!) and get war, with delicious pub grub. A bit drunker we head back in crash out at the tent.It’s raining all night but we pack up the tent and leave in a break and I’m glad to leave this place – no character, charm or soul.

We figured on Windermere next stop, nearer home by some 30 miles! We stocked up on food and drive carefully down into Windermere and find a spot to park near our walk. The weather clears as we set off and catch a ferry across the water. Walk by lake, forest then up an old horse and carriage track made of stone’s roughly plumped on the ground – no way! Must have been in the dark ages! But we can visualise it. Up through a forest plantation and under the pines where the light hardly reaches, through bogs and broken walls, by small ponds and dinner ate by a peak sat with views of beauty two seventy degrees. Down past cows and calves, sheep and lambs, tractors and farmers and into Sawrey and by road, wrong turn taken, back to the ferry.

Back at Bowness we sit in the pub, resting weary bones and then find the campsite round the lake, a beautiful view across. Tent set, we open up wine and watch the darkness and rain coming in, as we sit by the still water, me skimming stones until the whitest white swan comes to check is out, and a pairs of ducks land by us on the water. Back to the tent and sleep, rain a-pouring all night, all night. Bronwyn up an out at 4.00am feeling queasy, into the wet, but us soon back asleep.

In the morning we drive back to Windermere and to the camping exhibition where we barter and buy a beautiful tent! I check out my bank balance and realise we can’t afford anything! I’m broke, we’re broke but we don’t really care – it’s been such good fun.So we’re sat here in the pub, overlooking the lake, grey outside but not all unpleasant. Just about to go play golf, like all the other lovers. I love Bronwyn, she loves me, we love each other and we love all we do and love life together.

Where does it go from here? Is it down to the lake I fear? – 4th April 1994

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Hold on a minute while I catch my breath! We packed up our tents in the gentle rain of the morning and walked a little up the river, relieving ourselves at the top of the field. Even though it was damp and grey our hearts were filled with joy and we ran back to the car laughing and playing. This whole trip has been one big laugh so far.

We drove off through more windy mountain roads, past lakes and moors until we made major freeway and hop skipped out of Wales and back into England. Zoomed past more suburban sprawl and industrial wasteland till we made our exit. I was counting them down eagerly – Bronwyn reading the history of settlers in Britain – the surprise on her face when she looked up and I said it’s nearly time to leave the motorway!

Onwards and upwards we flew, weather still grey and wet but we gradually could make out figures of mountains in the distance. We came up to Lake Windermere and made the mistake of driving into the town. As it was Easter Sunday it was very busy. As we got down to the lake it was so grey there wasn’t really much to see so we, tired by now, thought about heading up towards Keswick.

We turned off up a road to a youth hostel to check it out but the guy in there was really miserable so we gave it a miss. We’d rather sleep in a wet tent than with someone begrudgingly putting us up. Well we drove on, balanced on roads with hundred foot drops to the side and stonewalls on the other, twisty, turny, up and over, round and across, until a long, long descent through a beautiful valley, still scenic despite the misty low-level cloud (it was probably high level – at one point we could see ourselves entering the clouds at one peak top).

Along more we drove into the picturesque village of Patterdale, shrouded by mountain ranges on every side. We stopped in the next village of Glenridding and looked for a B&B. Glenridding is right at one end of Ullswater (us not quite knowing how huge this lake was). Rain is pouring more steadily here and the wind was icy cold blowing down from snow topped Helvellyn and its icy brothers and sisters. No luck at the B&Bs so followed the sign up to a campsite. This site set on a farm with a river leading into Ullswater. We kind of grudgingly decided to stay here and we put the tent and left it to see if it would actually stop water coming in – we were quite prepared to sleep in the car this stage.

We set the tent up on a flat right next to the river – it was raging and roaring past, deafening and drowning out any other sound and it was only a small river no less than 6 foot wide in some places. We paid the chatty landowner – her thinking we were all brave and mad. We strolled upstream a way but soon returned hungry. Our tent still dry housed us as we cooked up soup and shared a beer. We packed up again and sat in the car as a hailstorm hit. The car was looking like our best option to sleep at this time.

Well, Broni went and tried to shower – stood naked waiting for hot water that didn’t arrive. Armpits clean she came back the a-shivering and we decided best course was the pub. The roaring fire warmed our cockles and revived our spirits and then to the hikers bar – a one room stonewall building that, would you believe, actually had Budweiser on draft! We played cards till tiredness took us and drove the 400 yards back to site.

Still raining I ran back and forth with drunken enthusiasm from our car to our still dry tent. Absolutely zonked we fell asleep worrying about flash floods, me with ears ringing with the deafening sound of water crashing by just precious feet away. Tucked up against my baby, rain still a-pouring, hail for all we knew. Sleepy sleep and mad dreams.

Wakey-wakey again and I spy snow outside our tent but we were so toasty warm and dry inside. We snuggled up bleary eyed and not wanting to face the weather. There was no wind and no sound of rain and I opened up the tent and looked out across a mountain whose top was not visible day before. Soon stirred, bright and bushy tailed, we packed up the tent in two minutes flat and packed it into the car – seconds before a ferocious downpour of hail, turning to snow and all melting away soon after landing.

We figured on doing the walk round Ullswater this morning but trembled at the prospects, looking up into sky, white with snow and hail. Took an age to get Broni out of the car and as she did, the hail stopped and we set off. Just yards further down the road sun spilled out over the mountaintops in the distance. We booked a B&B for that night and set off out of the village down by the road around the edge of Ullswater. As we did that, dark clouds disappeared and a beautiful azure sky made perfect silhouettes of the mountains and we stood in awe at this beautiful country.

We filled up our hearts and souls stood in the centre of this valley by a river, sunlight streaming forth and all the peaks visible with their snowy tops. The refreshing wind spurred us on in our walk and we trekked alongside the water. We decided to leave the trail in favour of a higher one and glad we did, as we saw some of the most beautiful sights ever, crossing spring waters trickling down across stone paths of old, up across marsh to a plateau of unparalleled beauty, two deer prancing across after careful study of our plastic covered bodies. This would have been a place to build a house – a sheltered plateau overlooking the mountains and lakes. Wow! And double wow!

We made our way back to the path down through more water and across slippery rocks– my new boots serving me well. On round the lake – not sure where we were. Up and over, walking, walking on and down past sheep a-wondering what we’re doing. Past waterfalls and streams and rivers, past people walking in other direction – not knowing what’s in store for them – kids in tow and all! Eventually reached Howtown and the pier for the steamer (diesel driven!) me skimming stones on the water – some 3 1/2 hours after we started. Like Bronwyn says about walking – you get time and space to think – not like the rush of humdrum life.

Got on the ferry sat up front windchill -1,000,000°! Bought hot chocolate – blown into my face but sat it out upfront with freezing fingers and looked across to where we’d walked this morning gone. Hail in the distance surprised us not but missed us we landed and ran up the road excited and laughing once again – our bodies alive with energy. We got the car and went to the B&B and warmed ourselves in our room – hanging out wet ten,t fly sheet and other wet clothes. Shower next and sweet hot water cleansing us of five days of sweat and dirt. Passion took over and quickly dispensed, dried and wrapped up in layers of cloth, loving each other deeply for our pleasures together, in body and spirit.

Drove to Keswick and checked out good shops. Bought a sleeping bag for anticipated sojourns into cold country in future (£90 pounds the less wealthy– but still happy) and an Indian restaurant and full meal for a change and we couldn’t stuff it all in but loved it, loved at all.

Back to Ullswater and B&B, our one-day home, to write this, ’til phone calls made and pub came beckoning and Budweiser on draft then back once again to sweet home rest, warmth and comfort overlooking lake and mountains, we eagerly await in the morning. Now though sleep beckons and we’ll dream good dreams that purge our old lost memories and welcome in these new.

By © The British Library Board, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19788305

Hello my friend, are you visible today? – 2nd April 1994

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

How much excitement can one boy take! Here’s the news.

Wednesday night I went to get out a video and saw someone get run over in the road. Crowd round, directing traffic in the hazy rain. No one seemed too panicky so I guess it wasn’t fatal. I got out the video ‘Dennis’ but we failed to watch it, favouring ‘Absolutely’ instead. Me, Broni and John sat in the kitchen sculling wine for a good half an hour chatting the time away about all sorts of stuff – it was really enjoyable. John is much more amenable than Simon and in some ways we’re glad Simon is leaving soon. We fell asleep later, happy and contented – Bronwyn looking forward to having the following day off.

Next day work called me at its usual unsociable hour. I left Broni happy in bed to watch the video from last night. My day was very dull and I couldn’t wait to get home and set off on our holiday. Bronwyn spent most of the day packing and buying food, fitting in a quick trip to the gym where she told me she laughed her head off as all the other people sweated away, she was taking it easy and chatting with Kerry. Got a lift back with an irate van driver notorious for his bad moods. He’s a funny (weird!) guy. Really down on himself and thinks everything is out to get him.

Anyway, on the radio in the van I heard of seven mile tailbacks at the Severn Bridge. Just the route we were taking, so I ambled in and said there’s no hurry and somehow this didn’t worry Broni – things not being totally ready despite her good efforts. We ate and ran around like chickens and hit the road at god knows what time.

Broni drove first and the weather was awful. At one stage a truck blasted us with water completely blocking our forward view on a bend. For a brief moment our hearts stopped before we made out the white lines of the road in the darkness. There were several places that were totally waterlogged and impossible to see on the road so we’d drive into them and shit ourselves.

We are running late but made the bridge tailback free where the wind was whipping the water off the road at high-speed. We eventually saw Newport. Eight lights, night sky shining and warmth and comfort with our old pal Simon. We drank tea and coffee till Anne came home from babysitting. Then we cracked open some Hungarian Wine Simon acquired last trip European record fair. 50 pence a bottle – £2.50 over here! We chatted incessantly and by the end of the third bottle it was decided bed was in order. It was nearly 3 o’clock! Simon had to be up at five thirty too! We spent another 15 minutes pumping up an air bed which was fun and ensure us a good few hours sleep. Broni said in the morning I spent the whole night wrapped around her. What other place would I ever wish to be? We got up at about nine and watched two year-old Elliott laughing and giggling at the Rosie and Jim video. He’s a real cutie. 10-year-old Ellen a pretty girl too.

After a couple of coffees and hot cross buns (it is Easter you know!) we got back in the tin can on wheels and made for the freeway. We drove through industrial nightmare cities making me realise how unindustrial Poole is compared with some places. I wondered if there was any nice places in Wales when we were here not knowing of what was to come. We drove on through wide country roads whizzing through 10 house villages heading for the end of land. When we found it we were in awe. We came up a rise and at the top, all of a sudden, was the grey sea crashing violently up to a huge pebble beach, the road running right next to it.

We drove down and stopped in a carpark protected from the sea by this huge wall of pebbles that was the beach. Some of the pebbles were is big as rocks. We got changed in the car and began a day that saw us laughing constantly. We ran up the beach (as best we could), me falling over and playing around. I rolled down the other side of the wall of pebbles and we went up to the waters edge. It was an amazing sight of huge crashing waves – some in the distance smashing against rocks reaching massive heights. The wind was really charged, furious off the ocean and into our faces.We set back off in the search of campsites and comfort!

The scenery here became more stunning as we passed through a village set in a valley carved out by some small river making its way to the sea. The houses perched up the sides of the valley and fishing boats set in the mud at the low tide. Onwards til we came round the bay we had seen from the pebble Beach (Newgale) and were able to look back on it. We found the camp at a place called St Davids and happily set up our tent, laughing our heads off all the while. We walked into the small town – which actually is Britain’s smallest city – it has an old beautiful ruined cathedral and a later one which looked as if it would be ruined soon!

We went into a camping shop to buy some fuel for our oven and came out not only with that but boots for me and a hat too! Then we bought some rations and looked around the city (I’ve seen bigger villages!). I got a coffee and bought a kite. We laughed our way back to the tent, dumped some stuff and took our kite in search of the beach. We trekked the long walkway and down a steep slope onto a paradisical beach.

The cliffs were multishaped and multicoloured and the wind disappeared in this gully (well, a bit anyway). I went and touched the pink rocks to charge myself with earth energy. I made an attempt to put the kite together but very black clouds over the horizon swept quickly over the blue sky – we thought it best to run. We could see rain in the distance and it looked very ominous.

By the time we got back to the tent it seemed to have passed and more sun was on its way so we cracked open beers and sat on the back of the car admiring a beautiful view of the bay. We munched on crisps and drink more wine in the car until it got dark, watching the few lights there were come on gradually. We were feeling very drunk by this time but decided to go into the bar. It was tiny, with two beers on draft and four bottles of spirits! They had a pool table though which we messed around on falling over drunk occasionally. We got really steamed in here and had to go to sleep so we made it the few yards back to our tent, stumbling and being blown by a ferocious wind.

We got to the tent, Bronwyn went inside but I was outside and I noticed a peculiar deep in the tent and saw at my feet several polls on the ground! On closer inspection it looked as if the pins had blown off and we were fucked! They did however bang back into the poles and we drunkenly reconstructed our tent in that midnight darkness!

Sleep came easy – except I had to piss sometime during the night. The sky was a vivid black-and-white with the moon trapped behind a cloud – it looked like a black sun and the end of the world. The lighthouse flashed in the distance. I felt wide-awake but then fell back to sleep instantly.

We get up and packed up and went in search of more fun and beautiful sites. We head up the coast road stopping to eat at a place called Newquay where are we boiled up some water for a Pot Noodle as we looked out across its bay and down on the lobster pots and dogs running along the beach.

Further and further up the coast until into our sight came huge mountains that took our breath away. We drove through the valleys, stunned by the scenery. We passed by lakes and flatlands and on into Porthmadog, across the toll road which also carried the Ffestiniog Railway.

The sun was shining down brighter across the ranges and ranges of mountains, some snowcapped in the distance. We took the shortest, cheapest journey on the train and as we sat waiting a sudden gathering of black clouds turned into a tremendous hailstorm. The views had also disappeared. The train took us about 1 1/2 miles miles away and we missed the return train by seconds and rather than wait 50 minutes we opted to walk back. As we did the sun came out again cheering us up immensely. We saw a little lamb looking lost in a field bleating for its mother’s breast and security. We got down to the toll on the road and the only way to walk over was next to the train tracks. The views were unreal, so beautiful – we felt so in love with each other and with what we were doing. I could see cars on the one mountaintop so I said we should go up there and look back on ourselves.

So we found some old single track roads and headed up steep 1 in 6 slopes. The road was just tarmac laid on the marshy field – no walls no hedges fences and I’m not joking when they say it was a single track road! To top it off another tremendous hailstorm bucketed down around us. We seemed to just go up and up and up and I was wondering if we were lost! After about 20 minutes we started to descend again – down tiny twisty bends in first gear and brakes. Then we came to a gate and thought ‘oh my god we’re going to have to go back! Relief struck us when the sign just said ‘please shut the gate’! Then down, down to relief of the sight of the main road.

We wanted to get near Snowdon and found a campsite close by but I didn’t really have a good feeling about it so we drove on and found another on the beautiful flat land surrounded by mountains in all directions

We got a beautiful spot by the river just before it got dark and thrilled at the sound of the water tumbling past we fell asleep very early, after ravioli, catching up on lost hours awake! The wind had died down and the stillness saw us to sleep and awake again in the morning. At the moment we’re looking out of our tent across the flats and it’s just started raining on us for the first time so far – despite everyone thinking we were mad for camping. The river is on our left, tumbling down. Mountains bleak against the grey sky. Still warm and homely in our tent. Soon time to pack and be on our way. We’ll miss this place like we missed the site at St Davids. It’s very beautiful and we’re having the time of our lives. How much excitement can we take?