** JBC (Malvernian) JOURNEYS MADE (2001)**
This is the 11 October 2004 edition
of this page.
Having 'given up' my final car in February 2001, whilst the longer trips of
exploration still going ahead, replacements for local and National transport
were needed. Whilst local bus services (timetables provided by the County
Council) served my shopping and medical requirements, there was the need
for a local company's programme of excursions to replace those journeys which
would, otherwise, have been made by car!
Such a Company was the local "Jones Brothers Coaches" (abbreviated to JBC!)
which I had known since my earliest days in Malvern (but never used).
They have been producing a 6-monthly programme of tours, I found out in early
2001, and that could well satisfy my requirement. Expanding their older image of
'clapped out' school-buses (apparently not very reliable), they have since (under
their NEW name of MALVERNIAN ) with newer management and coaches - got a
quite attractive set of day-tours to replace my own car-tours.
Their web-site (see above link!) is 'up-and-running' after a fashion!
.
2001
Whilst the Year2002
Year2003 Part1
Year2003 Part2
Year2004 Part 1
Year2004 Part 2
Year2005 Part 1
are covered in those year's links,
a list of tours with JBC, made in 2001, is summarised as follows:-
(more details, impressions, links & photos will appear later editions!!)
PENARTH (South Wales)
-- May--
Penarth is on the coastline between CARDIFF and BARRY, so our coach made its way, relatively
quickly, via the M4 Motorway after we'd acquired that road near NEWPORT, having come down via
ROSS and MONMOUTH.
Our coach left us in town. I walked through Park towards the 'Front'.
The beach was 'not good' but some adjacent gardens were!
The return to Malvern was an indirect route via the WELSH VALLEYS, MERTHYR
and the Heads of the Valleys Road.
WEYMOUTH (South Coast - UK)
-- May--
We HIT Weymouth on quite an exciting day with its International
KITE FLYING events on the beach. (My only memorable
visit to this 'resort' was when my ex-wife and I were much younger and
accompanied a slightly younger couple there on a day-trip by train. The
husband of that couple spent the whole day lost in a PUB somewhere,
completely oblivious to the LOSS of his two young daughters - which
worried his wife, my wife and myself silly!! So that visit was memorable for
totally the wrong reasons.)
WYE VALLEY & FOREST OF DEAN(and Welsh Border!)
-- May--
This trip was made, not in the midweek lull, but during a bank-holiday, thereby
causing some hassles with traffic congestion, - including re-routings. The trip
down the Wye Valley was its normal beautiful journey, but the Forest of Dean
required some MAJOR rerouting to avoid the crowds!!
WESTON-SUPER-MARE (Somerset)
-- June--
A full-day was had wandering around this modern seaside place. Good food was
found in various restaurants/cafes - and my visit to Model Railway (indoor)
was frustrated by its being 'closed for the day' when I found the place (at a
weekend!!??) but the aquarium was great.
LYME REGIS (Dorset Coast)
-- July--
This trip was the FIRST that I had made, believe it or not, to this charming little
place, arriving totally free of all preconceptions. Walking along the PROMENADE
seemed a good way to start, keeping away from the town, exploring the coastal areas
and Parks.
PEAK DISTRICT (rural Derbyshire)
-- August--
This trip started in Malvern (for us true LOCALS) and went a quite interesting route via
Belper, Matlock and turning Westwards on the outskirts of SHEFFIELD to go into
some quite stunning scenery in the 'High Peaks' area. Viewing the LADYBOWER
RESERVOIR (famous for the Dam-busters practice and filming) and stopping in some
localities like GLOSSOP before returning via the SNAKE PASS, we spent a very interesting
Day-tour. By common consent, it may have been the best of the year.
GOWER PENINSULAR ( Mumbles Head & Rhossilli Bay - South Wales)
-- August--
Whilst, generally, a good unusual day - this trip didn't visit what I (with my ex-wife) had
known as the 'GOWER'! For instance, we bypassed our old 'camping venues' hear
Oxwich, Port Einon and Horton - spending much more time at the MUMBLES and the
RHOSSILI bay & beach than I had done in the past! I found a lovely restaurant/cafe
on my walk to MUMBLES HEAD (good food and good prices and quantities) and I
used the comparatively new (for me) desecration of the walk to the beach at Rhossili Bay
(Now concreted all the way! That surprised about ALL of us) - so I used it as practice for my
forthcoming walk along part of the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!
2001 NOTE
Some of these represent first-time-visits, but most are for revisits to see
how places have changed!! Others, due to 'insufficient numbers' were cancelled!!
EMail to:
Roy's Location.
Advance to My JBC 2002 page
Advance to My JBC 2003 page
Return to Roy's home page for full
list of books/travelogues either finished or under preparation.