THE GROCKLE SHELL IS BACK (14/02/11)

Today the camper has been for a full service, an exhaust system, a tyre, the wipers wanted seeing to and the on board generator has been acting up. I’ve been hunting high and low for someone that can lift the thing and do the job at a reasonable price. It is basically just a big Fiat van. Now I know that Ferraris are basically Fiat but the prices I’ve been quoted for this work have been more Ferrari than Fiat. On local recommendation I took it to Skip Bridge Garage just outside Darlington. Okay they lack the finer points of the main dealers…..no espresso coffee, no magazines, no waiting room, no free courtesy car.  They do however know their job and are very down to earth. The bill was a pleasant surprise……….pleasant by about one hundred percent on previous estimates and I got everything done and more. She drives like a dream…………..A Grockle Shell is a derogatory term used by folk in the far South West of England for camper vans and caravans………Poor blighters are to be pitied not castigated….last new blood stock they saw were Spanish sailors wrecked during the Armada.

I was lent a car for the day so went out in search of pictures………….The day was sunny but the results weren’t. Trees, sun, locked doors all conspired against me. I did on Trevor’s advice, also purchase a camouflaged poncho, he will also know what a Grockle is! He’s at……..he has so many blogs I’m unsure which to link to, A&T BIRDING I’ll go for this one. Thanks Trevor, what I saved on the truck I’ve spent on a Poncho.

The Church of St John the Baptist at Low Dinsdale…………..I’ll get back to this place and do a job that would warrant removing trees and power lines.

 The lane outside which leads to this bridge over the Tees………………………….

   I thought at the time the light on this rather peculiar structure was good. it could be pushed and shoved a bit but it will never make an image.

After a slip slimy wander up the river we came back to Hurworth. this is the church of All Saints. again I’ll have to come back.

 This is a bit of Hurworth village hall gorgeous brick work ruined by the philistine that replaced the door. Again a return is warranted.

That’s it for today……………..not a bad one. We didn’t get wet……………it was a close run thing though.

The forecast is vile but I am half thinking of paying a visit to Tan Hill. We will be back here at the weekend and then the lakes the week after.

I apologise for the pictures………should have raided the archives. No! They should not lock churches. Humping a tripod around is no fun specially when churches doors is locked.