Friday 25 November 2022

Not the best day to go to Hay . . .

 


I decided to go to market in Hay yesterday.  There were several things I needed and haven't been to Hay for months, so I had rather set my heart on going.  I don't often watch the local news, so when I got into town and found the A470 shut to traffic, I was surprised.  It turns out that a mini-Tornado (v. localised) the previous day had bought lots of trees down across the road, blocking it nearly as far as Erwood.  


I turned round and headed out on the Brecon road, taking the first turning left for Erwood, which takes you across the last stretch of the Eppynt.  Not a very direct route, but better than going to Brecon and turning Left!  The scenery was lovely, even on a wet day and I noticed two signposts for driving carriages!  Never seen those before.  Bridleways and footpaths too of course.  The Wye Valley Walk also crosses this lane.  Lots to explore next year.  



I have to say, it was a single track lane, and in some stretches turned into a stream or was covered in mud.  There was a steep zig-zag towards the end, but then I could see scenery across the valley which I recognized and finally got spat out just before Erwood and another road-closed sign blocking the road back to Builth.  I wish I'd been able to take more photos - there weren't many good places to stop.  Some of the Birches along the slopes had held onto their leaves and were guinea-gold still.  Beautiful.  A statuesque Ash tree in a gully begged to have its photo taken, but of course, I couldn't stop there.



On to Hay, and the rain began in earnest, so I had a quick gallop through the town, stopping at the Health Food stall just long enough to buy two packs of their excellent dependable curry powder (having bought a Tesco Medium curry powder and had two curries ruined when I discovered it was Vindaloo hot, and forgot it and used it again to ruin another curry this week.  It's now in the bin.)  I needed a bag of the lovely big chunks of preserved ginger too (to cover in chocolate for Keith) and also some glace cherries for the Christmas cake.




Down to see Rob, but he was shut (perhaps for the season, as Hay gets very quiet over the winter months), so I took a photo of his shop window instead.

The lovely shop opposite has now moved on/shut down, and been taken over partly by the chap who used to have a market stall selling pattiserie goods (I of course came home with an apple strudel for Keith and a Tart au Citron for me).

As I came out of the car park it began to really hurl the rain down and it meant slow driving as you could barely see the road ahead.  I had a vague memory of a yellow weather warning for wind and rain - oh yes, NOT the best day to come out, and I had to go home via Brecon too, and over the Eppynts!

"Uncle" Ghengis is supervising play time on the stairs.  He was playing with them too - pat-a-paws! Alfie is finally starting to accept them but L. Whale still inclined to yowl and run away, or else stand his ground and hiss menacingly.  Hopefully we will get there for Christmas.


The little darlings have just been helping me attach the backing to a small quilt top. You can imagine the sort of "help" this has been!  Including running underneath it, and trying to pull my curved safety pins out, and then grabbing the edge of the quilt and pulling it back!  They are so funny :)

22 comments:

  1. Glad to see the troublesome twosome have recovered from the trauma of the veterinary visits. Yesterday was absolutely awful, wasn't it? No mini tornadoes here, but plenty of thunder and lightning. Plenty of torrential rain, and enough hail for to last me the winter. A month from today, it's Christmas Day, and we'll already be returning to the light after the solstice four days earlier.

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    1. No hailstones near Hay, but gosh, the wipers were really struggling to get the water off the screen, even at top speed. The "month to Christmas Day" caused slight panic. The thought of the Solstice and slowly-lengthening days again put a smile on my face.

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  2. I'm glad you got home safe and sound despite rain and road closures.

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    1. I was glad I chose the longer Brecon route (main road) as the absolute torrent of rain wouldn't have improve the possible x-country detours.

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  3. The weather here was so bad that we had electric storms, power cuts and internet down - aghh!! And this morning, the road at Newgale closed - long diversion as you'll know!

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    1. Strewth! We just had a bit of a gusty gale and 10 minutes of torrential rain. The diversion to avoid Newgale doesn't bear thinking about! Glad that Oscar is on the mend again. Sight hounds! Except when their eyes are all but shut from the joy of hurtling!!!

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  4. It is wonderful to hear that the kittens are back to their playfulness after the vet visit. I am sorry you had such a nasty day for your trip.

    God bless.

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    1. I was late down this morning and gave the girls their breakfast - I have never seen cats eat so fast - my goodness, it didn't touch the sides! Now they are hurtling up and down the settle, killing cushions and each other an falling off in a scrapping ball at regular intervals!

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  5. Your cats make me smile! Daughter has recently moved from a flat to a house and her young cat spends all his time playing on the stairs. She has just invested in a backpack cat carrier for future trips to the vet - how sensible as she is reliant on public transport and her own steam to get around. Thursday was torrential here and I stayed put but yesterday was golden and we had a good walk first thing marvelling at how our sandy ridge seems to absorb the rainfall. Was your route into Hay the same road that takes you past Llanthony, Capel y fin and Hay Bluff? A beautiful drive for a September day but not one I would fancy in heavy rain. I remember at one point this road was closed due to subsidence so we checked it out on foot and decided to risk it and it was fine. It’s a shame that Hay quietens down in the winter. Petworth, thankfully, remains busy and bustling and now the lights are on it is all looking very festive and I enjoyed my two and a half hours in the bookshop yesterday afternoon. I suppose I should start thinking about Christmas. I have been crocheting daughter a tank top from leftovers and also crocheting for her a funky round cushion with popcorn bobbles with my handspun wool. Now to make a round calico inner and stuff it with sheep’s wool. How is K on drinking plenty of water. S went to medical centre for a blood test this week and the nurse couldn’t get any blood as she said he was dehydrated despite his usual two pints of tea in the morning. My yoga teacher reckons 2 litres of water a day and now after three days of drinking water from the tap S is feeling a lot better. Finally and excitingly we have Hereford Poll cows and calves in the big sheep field that runs alongside the old Drove road that is next to our meadow. We went to say moo after our walk yesterday and they bellowed back. Have a great weekend BB and drink more water everyone! Sarah x

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  6. Glad you finally made it to Hay. There have been quite a few occasions in the last few years when A roads have been completely shut in Herefordshire and they don't seem to have heard of diversion signs. I've taken now to carrying an os map with me as often sat nav just tries to send you back to the closed road! The kittens always make me smile So cute.

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  7. They have bought so much joy into our house Sarah - at a time when such a thing was in short supply. They are complete and utter HOOLIGANS! My goodness, no holds barred and regular squeaks from each of them as her sister bites too hard - cheek, ear, tail, paw, jugular or bottom!

    Ah, Gospel Pass, I know it well. NOT good on a day like Thursday. No, we are the other side of Hay, just outside of Builth heading up to the very fringe of the Eppynt range. 20 miles from Hay. In our old home it was 60 miles to Hay.

    Hay is an enigma. Anything you want to buy there is expensive "the Hay effect") and we were offered a Unit in an Antiques shop there for £200 a week AND we had to man the shop one day a week too. Forget it!

    I haven't crocheted for several years now, or spun. I gave away nearly all my wool when we downsized - just kept a few balls of good yarn, including some home-spun and dyed balls I bought in Hay from a lady who used to be in the Cheese Market. Now I am an instant step-gran perhaps I shall be knitting and crocheting again :) The things you're making for your daughter sound lovely and blimey, you are even making the eco-friendly cushion pad - I'm impressed!!

    Keith is dreadful about drinking enough water. I have to nag him and even then he says he has "had plenty". Judging by his energy levels, he has NOT and like S, nurses nearly always have trouble drawing blood.

    Enjoy those Herefords. 90% sheepses round here.

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    1. Meant to add to the expensive Hay bit - yet even in Festival week, the town can be dead as everything visitors need is catered for on site, and they don't even bother to go up the town - it can be dead! Once the tourists slow up, it's a struggle for everyone, and they have the most expensive charity shops I've ever been in.

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  8. It has always been raining very hard when I have been in Hay.

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  9. Oh what a shame Tom. It's much nicer in the sunshine, obviously. I hope you can have a sunny day out sometime - the Castle has been all done up now and there's a nice cafe in there now, and a display about the castle's history.

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  10. The road less traveled! What a beautiful trip. I'd never heard of a tornado in the UK! I had to wander off and read up on them.

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    1. I put a link up for you in today's (Weds) post. Better than a tornado, it was a waterspout!

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  11. Oh, I thought I left a comment this morning. It may have been the long way around, but what a lovely trip it was! Those kittens are hilarious. I cannot wait until mine dares to leave the basement. I went down to get sheets from the dryer, and he lay curled up in his cozy little bed, watching me. That is an improvement. He runs and hides as soon as he hears a step on the stairs.

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    1. You did Debby, I am remiss in putting comments up. It would be a nice drive in the summer, when the lanes are a mass of beautiful wildflowers. Will try a walk up around there too as I have found a route up there from town.

      Oh, your poor little chap will take a while to realize his life isn't so scary any more. He looks beautiful though. Food will soon bring him round!

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  12. Gosh, that sounds like a proper adventure sort of a day. Nice the see the little furries playing with, or at least being tolerated by, one of the bigger ones.

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    1. Quite adventurous but as I grow older, a possible break down in the middle of nowhere has little appeal! Only L. Whale is still cursing them if they come near, but at least he will come into the house now!

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  13. Checking in. Hope all is well.

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    1. Hi Debby, yes, all is well, but Keith had a blip with his health and we've had to focus on sorting him out.

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