31st May Hermione Hymer gets herself ready

Ready for action

On Monday Hermione Hymer went to Alan Bennie's in Falkland for a service and a quick check over.

 She was deemed to be in good nick but her tyres "are the original tyres" which means they have survived for 15 years and 54 000 miles. They were still good enough to pass an MOT inspection but Alan Bennie strongly advised me to have them replaced.

So a quick visit to Ladybank Tyres and Hermione Hymer is feeling very well shod with her four nice new Continental radials fitted.

Monday afternoon was spent trying to create a "secret compartment" to stash our valuables while we are on the road. Having done some research this seemed preferable to fitting a safe which however well fitted would still be vulnerable to a crowbar and create a lot of collateral damage potentially.

The problem is that it is hard to find such a space in Hermione's 5.85m length.

June 4th Newcastle to IJmuiden

Anything to avoid the length of England

Pauline has finally got me on a cruise. Well something like that. We get on the "cruise ferry" at 5 pm and arrive in Holland at 09.30. It is a long enough cruise for me.

DFDS says, "The vessels operating on this overnight route between Newcastle and Amsterdam are called cruise ferries because of their impressive entertainment and leisure facilities.
Sail to Europe on this route and your holiday or break will begin the moment you step onboard ...."

 We shall see what we shall see. It has to be better than the A1M. We are looking forward to two nights in Amsterdam - a city we have never visited.

Who? What? Why? Where? When?

Boulogne to Thiepval in 12 consecutive days

 Bert Hannagh (69)  and Brian Forrester (63) 

Bert (right) and Brian (left)

are walking pals.

As a result of a huge research effort by Bert about Robert Dunsire VC who is buried in Mazingarbe, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,   Bert has planned a Commemoration walk from Boulogne to Thiepval. 

outline plan of the walk

Starting on the 9th of June for 12 consecutive days Bert and Brian will be following  in the footsteps of their grandfathers who fought in the First World War and followed this route to the Western Front.

Bert and Brian plan to walk on average around 30 kms per day supported by their wives Susan Hannagh and Pauline Forrester who will provide logistical support.