Like many of the people we have met on this journey, Aled Owen is busy doing a lot of things but, when asked, he would say that first and foremost he is a farmer. However, he is most well known for being a master in the art of sheepdog handling and training and that’s how… Continue reading One Man and Lots of Dogs
Tag: country dating
Twiglets
We’ve picked up some great foliage on our travels, but this twig was particularly stubborn when it came to removal!
Pub Quiz and ‘Taste of Game’ Night at the Picton Inn
When we approached Gordon Miller, the landlord of the Picton Inn in Clarbeston Road, Pembrokeshire, about doing a Muddy Pub Quiz night, he suggested that we tied it in with the BASC ‘Taste of Game Week’ (10th – 17th November) and offered to put on a number of game dishes to try for free. We… Continue reading Pub Quiz and ‘Taste of Game’ Night at the Picton Inn
The Royal Oak, Winsford
We ventured to Exmoor to put on one of our Pub Grub Nights and decided to try the Royal Oak in Winsford as we had heard the food was really good. After a blustery journey over some of the darkest, narrowest lanes we have encountered so far, we were greeted by Ed and Kirsty, the… Continue reading The Royal Oak, Winsford
Farm and Countryside Watch
If anyone was wondering why there was a police car in the woods with us in our last entry, let us introduce you to PC Pete, a Wildlife Crime Officer for the Sussex Police. Pete came down to see the coppicing and to tell us about a scheme he set up in the region called… Continue reading Farm and Countryside Watch
Winemaking at Plumpton College
Having spent the morning at the Sedlescombe Vineyard, we thought we’d make the whole day about wine and go west a bit to Plumpton College to find out what courses are on offer for anyone wishing to learn about winemaking. Nestled alongside the South Downs near Lewes, Plumpton specialises in land-based courses and is the… Continue reading Winemaking at Plumpton College
The Bell at Smarden
The location for our second Pub Social Night, The Bell at Smarden in Kent is one of those rare finds: a pub that’s worth moving counties for to make it your local! With a number of different rooms, there’s something to suit everyone, but we spent most the night in the Cellar Bar, where you… Continue reading The Bell at Smarden
Hi-Vis Beating
Whilst in Essex, we were lucky enough to be invited to go beating on a small family shoot near Rochford. Now, between the two of us we’ve done quite a lot of beating over the years but have never been kitted out with all the paraphernalia that we got on this day; hi-vis jackets, gardening… Continue reading Hi-Vis Beating
Down on Jimmy’s Farm
With a bit of time on our hands before the evening’s ‘Deer & Beer’ night, we decided to go and have a snoop round Jimmy’s Farm. There was no sign of Jimmy, but his girlfriend Michaela came out to say hello when she saw the van and was really nice. It was much smaller then… Continue reading Down on Jimmy’s Farm
Radio Masts at Dawn
A man from BBC Essex Radio came to interview us at about 7am in the farmyard we had parked in the night before. He had trouble finding us and was slightly disgruntled to find there were so many overhead wires. We couldn’t understand what the problem was until we finally found a wire-free area and… Continue reading Radio Masts at Dawn