16/06-10/07/25
There have been no additions or deletions to our family for 23 years, since my niece Zoe was born. Until 30/05, when my grandson arrived. Meet Ben Grahame Hallgalley.
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Category Archives: 2025
An Unsubmerged Village and a Monumental Plane Tree
Aposelemis Reservoir
3rd March 2025
We left our gorge overnight location and walked the 1km to the village – through and headed for the barragem. About 3km on the road – we heard a sheep’s cry ! A newly born lamb appeared with its umbilical cord. It stuck to us and was obviously hungry – would not take water. We decided to take it back to the village and look for someone to help. A shepherd we spoke to said he might know the lambs flock and took it from us. With a “efharisto,” we turned back on the road to the reservoir and deserted village… The reservoir was almost empty, and the village was high and dry. We took a shorter road back to the village. It was “clean Monday” – the precursor to Lent in Greece – the taverna beckoned – wine appeared as if by magic! We managed to consume a half kilo with crisps… a further vino jug was brought with lunch – the road back to the van took no time.
Krasi and Gouves
4th March
After a restful night we headed in Jez to Kera a town with a famous tree! Parking at a basketball pitch – up in the plateia – the oldest plane tree in the world (?) – 2,400 years old! It suffered storm damage recently, as the photos show.
We directed our van to Gouves on the seafront via some sharp twists and turns – to a beach wild camping place – it’s lovely to camp and hear the waves. Eggy lunch – I napped and K walked C. Then we sought a cafe for coffee and biscuits – not vino! Back via the beach to chill for the evening….
Meeting Zorba the Greek
5th March
Meeting Zorba the Greek, well his author. Well, to be really truthful, not the author himself as he’s long since deceased. The museum is dedicated to him. Nikos Kazantzakis was recommended to us after James recently gave a talk on James Joyce. Both reacted to the restrictions and controls dictated by the Church, lived for years with their lovers before marrying and travelled. But actually, I thought Kazantzakis is Joyce on steroids. He travelled and lived in many countries worldwide, studied religions, held government offices, had books placed on the Vatican banned list … and had 2 long term lovers whom he finally married (not concurrently!). I’ve just started Zorba the Greek audio book. Stunning descriptions and use of language.
A steady drive home to collect the car and give Jez a quick clean, parked up by the beach.
Also collected some parcels from Hassan’s bar … the local police are on a money making exercise … massive fines for any one without an in-date fire extinguisher, enough hi vis for all passengers, triangle and first aid kit. All local shops out of stock, hence the delivery.
Jez back in his secure parking, until 18th March when Jez will get new break pads and disks.
Mini trip East Crete
Going to Gonies
Saturday 1st March 2025
I’d not been sleeping well, worrying about getting Jez out of his parking. Angles in tight lanes. Overhanging trees. But it was fine … what are a few more scratches!
We parked up at Kalives for me to shop and J to unload the car and fill with water. We hadn’t left the car in the parking, as we realised we’d left the spare van keys at home. J looked when he dropped the car home, but no show. We are being anal about where my set are!
We also had missing phone charging cables. I was sure I’d packed them. But we didn’t find them till the next morning when I went to pack the day walking backpack! I now have a list of everything to bring!!!
On arrival, J nanny napped and I walked.
I visited 2 of the 3 frescoed churches. Only one was open. Lovely 1455 frescoes. The next church was closed, but the bone box storage area was open. The Greeks rent a burial plot for minimum 3 years, then the bones are exhumed.
The Internet shows pictures of the reservoir full of water. Despite only being 1st March, and a lot of rain in February, it is virtually dry.
Roza Gorge
Sunday 2nd March
Thank goodness we took poles. Not a long walk but the ascent was ‘technical’. The second half was climbing. Corrie had to be helped / pushed three times. We did hear one whimper. A lot of it is a very narrow track and a sheer 300m drop on one side. Fortunately, strong barriers or it would have been lethal. But we did it. Slowly! We watched two ladies attempt to descend, all we could hear was nervous cries!
Signs top and bottom of the gorge do state that you enter at your own risk. 😆 The walk book authors, where I’d found the walk, declined to descend the same route, so we planned to follow suit.
The easy walking route was further but so much quicker, passing Keras Monastery.
Road Trip to Crete
17-22.01.25
As we had delayed our departure for James’ blood test and a vaccination and a second trip to the Devon house, we decided to travel fast back. We flew from Crete on 15th August. Over 5 months is TOO long.
Day 1. This time when we set off, I didn’t chair dance to Abba, so refrained from driving off the road and breaking Jez! We drove to Le Shuttle via Fanham to drop our aging Merc. Maddy and Jordan have one car and having a second vehicle will save Maddy having to get up early to run Jordan to the station when she is on maternity leave and when the baby arrives.
I was nearly run over by a horn tooting maniac. I had just come out of the Pet Check In at Folkestone and was walking back to James and Jez. It was Tim behind the wheel. We’d had a great boozy night with him and Meg in Kelso summer ’23. Blame the alcohol, but I called him a rude word. The cause was justified, but not my rudeness! He forgave me enough, to very kindly offer us a roof when I broke Jez. He was headed to Spain and Portugal, loosely I the company of some other motorhomers that we know.
We kept off payage, driving past Mons, Namur, Arlon and Luxembourg. Motorway diesel €1.55. Our first night was super quiet near a cemetary just north of Metz.
Day 2 was partly off free motorway, past Nancy and Colmar. Some lovely scenery of snow on the road margins and vast vineyards. At Basle, we used a QR code to pay £23 for the over 3.5 ton Swiss vehicle pass for 7 days, even though we we through Switzerland in hours. I’ve driven Switzerland a number of times in recent years in the middle of the night and said to J that I was looking forward to seeing the scenery. Not to be, a light grey mist blanket. The Gotthard Tunnel on Saturday was free flowing. And traffic was light all the way down.
Night 2 was a rendezvous just S of Como. Sue and Mick and Josie 🐕 had been not far away and had suggested a meet up. Very kindly, they had recce’d parkings and Sue cooked. There may have been a few 🍷 and lots of 🧀 too!
On day 3, we actually had a relative lie in. Didn’t leave until 9.30. Only 5.5 hrs driving time. A pit stop at an Ancona hypermarket: Marsala, parmesan and food for the ferry. Ferry departed only 30 mins late. Trip time to Igouminitsa is 22+ hours, so we pay for a pet friendly cabin. Picnic super in our cabin and bed. Single trip €680.
Day 4. Ferry was fine. If long. 23hrs. And yes, Corrie refused to even pee! No poop on the poopdeck. We passed the time with a hair dye, eyebrow dye, pedicure, manicure and beard trimming (J obviously!).
Driving today was a mere 5 mins to a patch of ground only 5 mins from the port. Priority one was to allow Corrie to relieve herself. She delivered!
Day 5 started a lot later than planned. I’d slept badly and switched off the alarm only to go into a deep sleep. No breakfast and late departure after 10.30 meant that we did not have time for the much looked forward to Greek meal in Corinth.
We need to remember that Anek’s Kissamos ferry is one of the best we’ve sailed on. Big comfy and clean cabin.
We forced down a glass of 🍷 before braving the ferry restaurant. Box wine decanted into a flask 😆
The posh restaurant was actually very good. A decent bottle of Cretan red and excellent service.
Ferry left soon after 9.00 p.m. Arrives Heraklion 6.00 a.m. €721 return. Although Chania closer to home, it would have been €799. Tolls €74.
Day 6 started with Japanese torture. Alarm for 5.00 for disembarkation at 6.00. They evict you from cabins before arrival. So the torture was standing before being allowed onto the car decks. All I could think about was coffee.
First stop to walk Corrie. She was very obliging. She’d only had to cross her legs and tail for 10 hours this time.
Second stop for coffee! The alarm had woken us at 0500!
I dropped J at the end of our road to fetch the car. Very lovely friends had taken the battery back up to theirs to fully charge it … despite the trickle solar charger, which is obviously useless.
J met me at Almyrida beach. We spent all day ferrying all the stuff up to our house. Nikki and Rob assisted with their big car. We met them later for supper at our fave taverna.
June and Karl popped by for coffee.
Jez was cleaned and deposited at the secure airport parking.
So check out what we brought back. We left by air with 2 suitcases! And guess what we will be doing for the next few days … trying to find places to put it all!
Obituary to Tythe Barn House
27.12.24-14.01.25
We had decided to sell our holiday let house. Lots of good reasons to sell:
- Last tax year, it made less than £5,000 profit.
- We had paid for an expensive repair of over £5,000 for a leaking roof. But being part of a C17 Devon long house with daub and wattle walls ( insulation in parts was hair, as we discovered on the last roof repair!), there was an almost certain expectation of further costly repairs.
- We had also had trouble with our housekeeper, who seemed to believe I worked for him. Not easy to manage when one is abroad or travelling.
- Holiday rental prices have plummeted with oversupply of holiday properties, and competition from overseas holidays where sunshine is guaranteed.
- Guests are now demanding and damaging. Definitely a lack of respect. So repairs and extra cleaning costs are higher. And much more likely to give poor reviews, often completely unjustified.
- When we bought Tythe Barn House, we had thought we would retire to it when we were done with travelling. Devon is too wet with too many grey sky months (I suffer with SAD). We’ve made a home in Crete, certainly sunnier! 🌞
Yes, the right time to sell. For us, but not for the market. Every 6th house in Combe Martin seemed to sport a for sale board. We priced to competitivly. And hooked a buyer. Unfortunately, the sale did not go through before Christmas as everyone expected. Our buyers’ solicitor was rubbish, not returning calls or dealing with difficult enquiries. The up side of the delay, was that a) I did not have to fly home from our Morocco trip to clear the house, leaving James with Corrie alone and b) that we got to use it twice once we returned to the UK.
We do absolutely love the house, and it enveloped us like a blanket. We stayed over New Year, and Lin, Craig and Evie came to supper. Then Maddy and Jordan came for a few days and New Year.
With guests, we did not get much time to sort out what we might take to Crete in our motorhome, with an international removal company, or to dispose of items. So we returned on 10th January with the Aged Ps for 4 days. Robyn also popped over for a night. We managed to Facebook Marketplace a couple of items, a couple of charity shop and dump runs, and returned with a fully laden car … quite a lot of bulky but light stuff is now in Jez the motorhome for our return trip to Crete.
Whilst we were out and about, we reflected what a fabulous area North Devon is … when the sun shines! I took pix as I can’t see that we will return to the area. So this post, I guess, is an obituary to Tythe Barn House. No apologies for the number of pix; they are just for us.
COMBE MARTIN
ILFRACOMBE
HUNTERS VALLEY
WOOLACOMBE TWICE
TYTHE BARN HOUSE
Clune Gap Years 