Moved on for the first time :-( and left the cat behind :-O
Jul 13, 2014 22:53:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2014 22:53:37 GMT
For the first time ever in approx 300 nights wild camping I got moved on tonight :-(
I was nicely parked up in a far corner of Millshields picnic spot at Derwent Reservoir, near Consett, just about to start cooking tea, dogs had been for a swim and were crashed out, the cat was off exploring and I had the place to myself. I was looking forward to a pleasant quiet night when about 8pm I heard a vehicle and it was a Northumbrian Water ranger who said he had come to lock the gate. I said I was wanting to do some night photography ;-) but he wouldn't let me stay. He was very nice about it, and said that they were having to lock up because of poachers but also said to be careful as there were some funny people around. He said (unofficially) that I could drive round to the other side of the reservoir where there was another picnic spot called Pow Hill Country Park.
So I quickly got ship shape and into travel mode and set off driving around the res about 6 miles to this other spot (which is in Durham as the county border runs through the middle of the rest, which is presumably why the ranger suggested it, as it was outside of his area!). I found it but for some reason, can't explain why, just a sixth sense gut feeling, it didn't feel right and I was sitting in the van engine running, looking at Google earth for somewhere else when I suddenly realised I'd forgotten the cat and left her at the other car park because of rushing to pack up as the ranger was waiting for me to leave!!
So I had to drive back to the original picnic spot, park on the road and walk down to the car park as the gate was now locked. I called for the cat as I got to the car park and, bless her, she came running flat out across the car park from the far corner where I'd parked, and was full of purrs and cuddles when I picked her up. I was very relieved but feeling soooo guilty for forgetting her!
I then had to drive another 6 miles back around the res again to a different location I'd found close to the one I'd looked at but didn't like. This other spot is ok, don't want to say exactly where it is until after I've moved on but there's not many WCLs in this area so it's a useful one to know about.
By the time I'd got settled here, made a brew, fed the animals, sorted out everything which had been chucked on the bed when I was moved on, I was just too tired to cook my sausage stir fry so my tea has been cereal bars, crisps and chocolate. Sausage butties for breakfast tomorrow if they still smell ok.
There'll probably be reports of a suspicious white transit seen lurking in various picnic spots and driving back and forth around Derwent Res, I just hope plod doesn't decide to check me out during the night although the dogs are flat out and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open so I think we might all sleep through an earthquake tonight. And puss cat is in the van, fast asleep on the driver's seat.
I was nicely parked up in a far corner of Millshields picnic spot at Derwent Reservoir, near Consett, just about to start cooking tea, dogs had been for a swim and were crashed out, the cat was off exploring and I had the place to myself. I was looking forward to a pleasant quiet night when about 8pm I heard a vehicle and it was a Northumbrian Water ranger who said he had come to lock the gate. I said I was wanting to do some night photography ;-) but he wouldn't let me stay. He was very nice about it, and said that they were having to lock up because of poachers but also said to be careful as there were some funny people around. He said (unofficially) that I could drive round to the other side of the reservoir where there was another picnic spot called Pow Hill Country Park.
So I quickly got ship shape and into travel mode and set off driving around the res about 6 miles to this other spot (which is in Durham as the county border runs through the middle of the rest, which is presumably why the ranger suggested it, as it was outside of his area!). I found it but for some reason, can't explain why, just a sixth sense gut feeling, it didn't feel right and I was sitting in the van engine running, looking at Google earth for somewhere else when I suddenly realised I'd forgotten the cat and left her at the other car park because of rushing to pack up as the ranger was waiting for me to leave!!
So I had to drive back to the original picnic spot, park on the road and walk down to the car park as the gate was now locked. I called for the cat as I got to the car park and, bless her, she came running flat out across the car park from the far corner where I'd parked, and was full of purrs and cuddles when I picked her up. I was very relieved but feeling soooo guilty for forgetting her!
I then had to drive another 6 miles back around the res again to a different location I'd found close to the one I'd looked at but didn't like. This other spot is ok, don't want to say exactly where it is until after I've moved on but there's not many WCLs in this area so it's a useful one to know about.
By the time I'd got settled here, made a brew, fed the animals, sorted out everything which had been chucked on the bed when I was moved on, I was just too tired to cook my sausage stir fry so my tea has been cereal bars, crisps and chocolate. Sausage butties for breakfast tomorrow if they still smell ok.
There'll probably be reports of a suspicious white transit seen lurking in various picnic spots and driving back and forth around Derwent Res, I just hope plod doesn't decide to check me out during the night although the dogs are flat out and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open so I think we might all sleep through an earthquake tonight. And puss cat is in the van, fast asleep on the driver's seat.