Steady away

First day steady away, the shortest leg of our journey and just covered 7.5 miles to our first camp site just beside Newby Hall near Ripon on a piece of old common land with grass up to my chin me been 6,3ft. I met up with Pat here in her wagon, she was meant to be driving with us with her Bowtop is joining us along the way in her horse box instead, we've had steak on the BBQ and the chitty is out with the kettle on for pot washing and tea before bed, the gin and tonic was also out.

Peggy is happily tethered up nearby and is content with all the grass. 

As I lay in my bed typing this blog I can hear Peggy munching and the roaring traffic on the a1 less than half a mile away.

Gill is to meet us in the morning for an early breakfast and a steady plod through Ripon then onto  Masham for lunch.

Blog will continue tomorrow, good night all!!

The day has arrived

Finally the day has arrived for our setting off day and it's red hot, very muggy and I believe we have thunder storms forecast tomorrow, the Bowtop is all packed, the bed made with my new Burgundy silk satin bedding and the two mule canaries singing their heads off at the front of the Bowtop under the porch.

Our over night stopping places are:

Thursday - Hagpot, Newby Hall

Friday - Wensley, Layburn

Saturday - Bainbridge

Sunday & Monday - Moorcock pub

Tuesday - Soulby

Wednesday - Appleby

If anyone would like to call and see us your more than welcome, the kettle will always be on or the bottle will be open. 

3 days to go

With only 3 days to I set off on Thursday 31st, more paintwork has been done on the Bowtop by Gill and has done a brilliant job.

Day of set off on Thursday will be setting off around 6pm to make an hours journey to a very nice roadside camp near Newby Hall near Ripon, Friday will continue our journey starting to enter the Yorkshire dales heading to Masham for our next stop then on to Layburn.

Blog will be updated as of when I can get wifi on my phone, I'll try and keep you all up to date of our 15 day journey.

If anyone would like to come out and meet us on evenings your more than welcome, just message us or ring.

Painter at work

Gill came today to start the painting on the Bowtop, what a cracking job she's done so far, she's that professional she's even brought her own scaffolding to reach the top once she starts with the front and back.

Photographs of Gill starting and half finished.

New paintwork, scrolls and more

Paintwork, scrolls, the Bowtop is currently having a paint job done and my friend Gill Welton who drove with me last year for the first 4 days, this year she is traveling all the way to Appleby and is going to paint the Bowtop on our journey by the road side, I'm hopeless with a brush so Gill offered to do the job and I'll update this BLOG as much as I can but all depends on Internet connection which is poor in the dales. 

What glorious weather we are having, I'm hoping it will be cooler for our journey to be comfortable for all horses traveling to Appleby Horse Fair. 

Today I've made a new set of steps for the Bowtop as the ones I had got broken, it makes for an easy entry into the Bowtop instead of putting strain on the turntable.

The countdown is getting closer, I'm getting itchy feet

New photographs

Photographs taken today for you all

Getting fitter by the day

Just getting ready to go out with Peggy in the Bowtop, my collar and saddles came back today from been re flocked to give that extra padding for comfort.

I must say Peggy looks really enthusiastic about going out today.

Peggy is going extremely well pulling the Bowtop everyday to build up her fitness for the Appleby Journey, you don't realise how steep those hills are through the Dales until you are walking/running up them like we did last year with Buster to take weight off the Bowtop. 

I really think Peggy looks well in the Bowtop, she fits it well. 

This photo is from last year, Buster a gent of a cob who I've had since a foal and is now 15 years old. 

This is the route we take 

Bank Holiday Monday and we've been out in the Bowtop with Peggy for the first time, scorching hot weather, is this our summer.