09/03/2010 by admin.

The Castle Lodge, LudlowJohn and I decided to have a trip to Histric Ludlow on Sunday. It was a sunny but brisk day and we looked forward to our lunch at “The Feathers” pub and an amble around this ancient town and castle.  Lunch was dissappointing. The meat was tough enough to sole shoes, the veg weren’t fresh and the gravy was like coloured water! To cap it all they even tried to overcharge us. The saving grace were the friendly staff and fabulous olde worlde ambience of Tudor architecture. We chatted to the couple sitting next to us who obvioudly were well known by the staff and landlord, so luckily we kept our council. Just as well because it turned out that he was the butcher that supplied their meat!!!!! He did ask us what we thought of the meat but we were saved by the bill!

We then had a wander around the stunning castle walls and took in the views. I would love to have been able to time travel and see life as it was all those years ago in the 13th Century .

The Sunday market was still in full swing so we tried and tested some of the best Marmalade I have ever tasted. The lemon and ginger really had some fire to set your taste buds tingling and the seville orange and whisky just sang on your tongue. Having purchased several jars and taken the ladys’ phone no. for future reference I noticed a sign on the street.

The sign said, Castle Lodge, Private house, Admission £3. Now, much as I love to visit our National Trust properties I would much prefer to nose around someones’ home, so I rang the bell. After about 5 minutes an elderly gentleman answered the door , took our sponduliks, gave us a sheet of A4 paper with a brief history printed on it and dissapeared into a side room after telling us to go where we liked.   What a fascinating experience. The rooms were very dark due to the Tudor oak wood panelling and intricate carvings. The cornicing was very ornate, even in the servants quarters although the giant fireplaces did recede in size as we climbed further up the stairs. The oak floorboards were the widest I have ever seen and appeared to be in very good condition if a little wonky. However at the top of the house where the servants quarters were, the lathe and plaster had seen better days and was work in progress. What amused me was that the owners had placed a modernish three piece leather suite in a lot of the rooms, on top of a contemporary Iranian rug! Noone else was in the house apart from us and the owners, and as I stood looking out of the mullioned windows onto the marketplace I spoke to John, who was standing just behind me, to one side. EXCEPT he wasn’t! When he didnt reply, I turned around and there was no-one there! Just a slight cool breeze on the back of my neck which made me shiver.      John, as it happens, was checking out the plumbing in the old Victorian bathroom, another floor down!

Putting the event down to my vivid imagination I joined him in admiring the size of the bathtub and ornate tiling. THEN I heard a soft singing floating up the stairs. The sound of a womans voice lilting by really gave me the creeps! However curiosity got the better of me and I decided to follow the source of the melody. We crept down the wide and sweeping staircase. I cant say we did this quietly as every plank creaked at our footfall. I went first and John, whoo poo poos the very idea of spirits and ghosts followed bravely behind, grabbing onto my jacket! The song got louder and louder, her voice tremulous in the ether……………………………………………….. and then I saw HER!

A tiny, glamorous old lady with a walker full of odds and ends was sitting on the chaise longue in the main hall singing her heart out. “Good grief”, I said, “I thought you were a ghost!”    “You’ll have to shout , ‘cos I’m as deaf as a bloody post,” this lovely creature replied.       Turns out she was the owner and we spent the best part of an hour listening to her fascinating life story as a ballerina at the Folies Berguerres, her adulthood, purchase of the lodge and fight to keep it as it drained away all their money . Apart from that there was the extraordinary tale of the ghost of Catherine Parr( one of HenryVIII wives) standing in the window of the upper room that faces onto the market…………………

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02/02/2010 by admin.

More snow today, but our hens are braving the elements. Not too keen to venture out into the cold but still laid 7 eggs today.

2 Maran eggs ( dark brown)

1 americauna egg( olive)

1 buff egg( buff orpington)

1 miniature egg ( pekin bantam) great for kids!

We ate the blue ones. YUMMY……

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29/01/2010 by admin.

January brought the snow and icy temperatures. Our log burner came into it’s own and guests were welcome to join us to toast their toes ! Many an evening it threw out so much heat that windows  and doors were opened  and guests had to be revived with refreshments. Alcoholic or otherwise!

The garden has been ravaged with the hard frosts and weight of the snow. Alas, our purple sprouting broccoli is no more, several hardy shrubs are looking distinctively forlorn and even a couple of evergreens are shedding their leaves. However, all is not lost. The brave little snowdrops and the winter hellebores are braving the elements are in bloom (just) . The crocus, miniature irises, early tulips  are all sprouting and the winter pansies are still in flower against all odds. I noticed today that a lot of stuff is budding. The clematises are begining to stir and also a lot of our perennials. Must be due to this last week of warmer weather and sunshine! They are in for a shock next week as the forecast is back to snow and freezing temperatures. It has been snowing this afternoon, but hasn’t laid.

Our chickens must have thought spring was in the air too, this week , as the cockerels resumed their amusing sidestrutting, feather fluffing and crowing competitions in order to impress the females. However, the hens appeared to be unimpressed by the antics of their menfolk and ran off!( Don’t blame ‘em!) .  It is a good job we are surrounded by fields and our guest rooms aren’t within hearing distance of the cacophony. I could foresee problems else.     Had our first beautiful blue eggs from the young buff legbars this week. I am very taken with this breed of chooks. They were purchased at Xmas, in Northumberland ,for me, by a friend.  Unfortunately, she got snowed in so they arrived a week later than expected. Pretty little birds with a cute little topnot hairdo, salmon coloured breast and  multi coloured hackles. The four of them settled in with the rest quite quickly, apart from one, whom I found myself chasing around the field in the dark to get her safely shut up for the night. After a couple of days of playground bullying , overseen by “Big Daddy”, who would step in and give the instigators a telling off. things settled down and happy hens reigned once more!  So nowadays, we are usually able to offer a choice of the very freshest, brown, buff, chalky, white, terracotta, speckled, olive, green and blue, free range eggs to our guests. What could be nicer on a cold and frosty winters’ morn than a plateful of creamy golden yellow scrambled eggs on hot buttered toast or a piping hot full English, replete with a newly laid fried egg or even better , two? Scrummy!!!!

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08/01/2010 by admin.

Had a fab New Years Eve at the “Fox Inn “in Oswestry with family and friends old and new!  Run Dog Run were playing live, handing out their collection of wierd and wonderful instruments to those of us that fancied adding to the cacophony!

Unusually reticent at attending pubs these days I do make an occasional exception for the Fox inn. Walk through the door and you step back 30 years! No juke box, pool tables, stainless steel or plastic to be seen. Small, but beautifully formed , the Fox is as close as you can get to authentic  , old fashioned British boozer. Quaint architecture aged thru the centuries, old oak beams, low ceilings and doors, benches , settles and a cosy open fire.  Great, home cooked unpretentious food and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I defy anyone to pop into the Fox and not strike up some kind of conversation albeit with the landlord, annoyingly young and stunningly gorgeous staff, or other punters. From 18 to 80, everyone fits together in this medley and you might even find yourself being invited to play scrabble with a group of total strangers as I was. 

 Four years ago, on my fathers’ 80th birthday, we took him for a celebratory whisky or two at the Fox and he ended up  with John, the landlord, giving him a bottle of Famous Grouse.  This concluded with the entire pub singing along with him to ” One meat Ball” , a song I hadn’t heard since my childhood, when I used to cry at the thought of an old tramp being sent away with no bread on his meat ball!

Anyway, I digress.  A New Year and going into our third season, a recap on past visitors to Hafod and what they might benefit from in 2010 is required.

Doing some research on the local area I discover that  Guinevere was supposedly born at the Iron age hill fort in Oswestry and  that King Arthur was king of Powys. Interestingly, there are a lot of sites nearby and facts/stories to back this up. Therefore I have decided to compile an”Arthurs’Trail” pamphlet for those guests who may like to visit these sites.  

 In the course of my research I also discovered many myths and legends which were absolutely fascinating! Apparently, if you hop over our garden fence and cross the field to Llynclys pool( which is little known, solitary and quite spooky) you might catch a glimpse of the drowned palace beneath the still waters. The depth of this pool is supposedly infinite, and, according to the farmer that owns it even Royal navy divers gave up because of its depth and murkiness!

 Alongside that, we have a ghostly cave within walking distance  

A thundering and majestic waterfall that is as high as Victoria falls inclusive of water nymphs and faeries apparently. (20 minute drive)

Walks from Hafod up onto the limestone escarpment, an area of special scientific interest with rare orchids , other flora, fauna and birdlife. Fantastic views over Shropshire plains and the Welsh border lands.

Local canal walks along the towpaths with the added attraction of old limeworkings and kilns.

A pub where you can order your drink in England and drink it in Wales!( I think that is the right way round!) 

Oswestry school , one of the first founded in England in 1407 makes an interesting visit. The Rev. W A Spooner( spoonerisms) being one of its’ pupils.

The birthplace of WW1 poet Wilfred Owen is a bus ride or 5 minute drive into Oswestry.

Offas Dyke is a mile away.

500 yards up the road from Hafod, guests can enjoy a steam train ride or even learn to drive  and stoke the train itself! This involves getting up at the crack of dawn! 

St. Oswalds well , where the poor man had various body parts strung up for all to see on a tree and where the name Oswestry is derived from “Oswalds Tree” is a five minute drive. ( A bit disappointing though, I must admit. Slimy and a bit smelly)

I could go on, but hopefully have given you an insight into the diversity of this area. If guests don’t fancy exploring but just want to enjoy some serious R&R, then Hafod is the place to stretch out on a sunlounger in one of the private seating areas and enjoy our lovely gardens, wildlife and birdsong. Watch the rabbits nibble our cabbages, butterflies decimate our broccoli, birds pull out the onion seedlings and me tear my hair out. All VERY entertaining!                                                                                                           

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16/12/2009 by admin.

What is going on?

In the past couple of weeks we have had a plethora of male guests booking in with man flu! No, not Man Friday, but Man Flu!

Our guest room is fast resembling a sanatorium. Underneath the Christmas tree on the bedside table are an assortment of vapour rubs, Olbas oil products, tissues and throat lozenges. These are besides the offer of a hot toddy or a lemsip!

These poor men shuffle in looking very sorry for themselves and the Florence Nightingale in me takes over. A bit of sympathy never goes amiss, or the offer of a hot drink and mince pie. A quiet ,warm room, uninterrupted TV session or a DIY manual from our bookshelves seems to do the trick!

Generally , by the morning they are in the recovery position and go on their way happily after a hearty breakfast.

NOPE  I’m NOT giving out the recipe for my hot toddy!

Just remembered that the last time I had woman flu, about 4 years ago and could hardly drag myself out of bed.  The other half decided to spend the day down his shed. NOT ONCE did he take a peek in the bedroom or think to ask if I would like a drink/meal. He  moved out of the bedroom, in case he caught it and even offered to work overtime as an excuse to avoid my germs……. At least I “caught it and binned it” as the ads say. Unlike his nibs, who leaves a paper trail of sodden hankies whenever he has the sniffles, which, luckily , like me , i s not often.

Who said women were the weaker sex?! 

Have a flu free Xmas folks! ( Try and say that quickly!)

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07/12/2009 by admin.

Well it’s that time of year again when us women are rushing around shopping, writing Christmas cards, wrapping pressies,attending a variety of functions from work parties to school plays as well as being a “Delia” in the kitchen.With almost 40 years  adulthood experience of Yuletide I realise that I am overly tardy in coming to the conclusion that our menfolk get away with EVERYTHING. Oh well, maybe not quite everything. There may be the odd bloke out there who treks off to hack down some poor unsuspecting Xmas tree or hauls home a low loader full of six packs but who is it that ends up decorating the spiky needled nightmare or rearranges and cleans the fridge/ cupboards out to accommodate the groaning weight of alcohol?  Indeed,  who has to drink the remains of last year’s hoard whilst watching the latest Christmas Cookery Made Easy programme?  Answers on a postcard please to cheesedoff@Krisgrumble.com! (well drinking the remains wasn’t THAT bad!)

To cap it all I can put 7lbs on per week in the run up due to all the drinking and eating of “remains” . Testing the mince pies, trifles, puddings etc also takes it’s toll.  By Christmas Day there is not much difference between me and a goose. Skinny, pimpled legs , ample breast and a muffin top that would feed the five thousand.

Anyhow, depressing as it seems I decided that yesterday I just had to get into the mood. So for those of you who have never stayed at Hafod, I will explain…..

Shortly after we opened for business as a B&B in June 2008, I had the opportunity to purchase a mannequin.  Yes, you read it right. What would I do with a mannequin and how would it enhance the business? According to our accountant I would be unable to put it down as a tax loss but on a whim, I purchased it anyway!

After naming her “Mavis”, she took pride of place in the front gardens, dressed in various attire according to the events of the year. Over the coming weeks she became a huge talking point for passers by, motorists and cyclists. Even the helicopters from RAF Cosford seemed to circle around more than usual. Perhaps Prince Harry was using her for target practice?

She became so popular that one of the local counsellors called to see us to voice his concern that she might cause a traffic accident. My reply was that she worked better than any speed camera as traffic tends to drive past us rather slowly to take a peek!

However, someone must have thought she was a lonely little soul, stood out there day and night with noone to talk to.So one morning on returning from the market , I found her sister, lying on the back doorstep, naked!

After seeing to her modesty “Agnes” and “Mavis” were reunited and nowadays they get up to all sorts of stuff. They had a beach party with some biking  and disabled guests in the summer. They also went to Wimbledon, Twickers and John O Groats. However they have also had to earn their keep.  They have  been chimney sweeps, gardeners, childminders, butchers boys on our neighbours old raleigh complete with front delivery basket and since yesterday they are in the Christmas spirit! Maybe I am too, so to all of you who have read my very first blog and are nodding off to sleep with boredom, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

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