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Post by Moose on Apr 11, 2017 23:31:21 GMT
Would you be interested in going on the Ratty whilst you're in Cumbria? My chances of accompanying you would be slight but Col might
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Post by tangent on Apr 11, 2017 23:59:19 GMT
... so it will most likely make my itinerary only if a local kidnaps me and takes me there. It might be possible to arrange that since EF member erekose lives only five miles away.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 12, 2017 1:32:22 GMT
Would you be interested in going on the Ratty whilst you're in Cumbria? My chances of accompanying you would be slight but Col might Say what? You'll have to clarify "on the Ratty" before I can give you any kind of coherent answer.
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Post by Moose on Apr 12, 2017 23:02:14 GMT
It's a miniature train that goes between Ravenglass and Eskdale
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 13, 2017 18:01:16 GMT
It's a miniature train that goes between Ravenglass and Eskdale Oh, most definitely, then. "The Ratty"...well loved, then? I suspect I shall be riding bunches of them. North Wales seems to be infested with them. And, evidently Man has a small guage railroad that runs the length of the island. Like double-decker tour buses, they can be great means of orienting oneself. And, as tourist traps, they are disproportionately available where idiot confused tourists like myself can actually reach them on public transit.
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Post by Moose on Apr 13, 2017 19:44:36 GMT
The run through on the Ratty is fantastic.. lovely scenery. It's pretty much the only way of getting to Eskdale if you don't have your own transport, as well.
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Post by tangent on Apr 13, 2017 21:54:29 GMT
Google doesn't know it exists... or at least keeps it hidden.
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Post by Moose on Apr 13, 2017 22:47:12 GMT
look up lal ratty. There might be an apostrophe in there somewhere
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 14, 2017 3:50:54 GMT
I tried looking it up when you first mentioned it. What I got from the Cumbria region led me to believe it might be some kind of folk music event.
And, though I finally found the info (I'm not sure how), it shows it as "La'al Ratty".
Do you know the story behind the name?
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Post by Moose on Apr 14, 2017 19:55:49 GMT
well La'al is just the local word for Little, which is self explanatory. I do not know where Ratty comes from though.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 14, 2017 20:47:39 GMT
Ah...Then it's predecessor was the 'Oud Ratty'...presumably the 'Old Ratty'.
Ima gonna guess that the 'Ratty' comes from 'R and T', or the like, with the 'R' being for Ravenglass (which is a cool name, in itself, intimating obsidian). Did the other end of the line used to be anything else?
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Post by Moose on Apr 14, 2017 21:26:39 GMT
Ravenglass not ravens I am not sure where the other end used to be .. I'd presume always Eskdale
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 14, 2017 21:37:13 GMT
Ravenglass not ravens I am not sure where the other end used to be .. I'd presume always Eskdale Well, maybe. But is Eskdale at a minehead? Because I'm guessing that is what the origin of the rails being put down in the first place....an ore train. ETA: Wiki confirms its start as an iron ore train. Here's the opening: So...the 'Oud Ratty' was the train from Ravenglass to Dalegarth, in the 'valley of Eskdale', not to the town of Eskdale....R & D....R to D....Run it together and it sounds like 'Ratty'. Maybe? It also sounds like 'Oud Ratty' was smaller gauge than 'La'al Ratty'. I'm surprised it's not the 'Bug Ratty' (Big R&D).
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Post by Moose on Apr 14, 2017 22:31:56 GMT
See I did not know this I had just put it down as a tourist thing
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 14, 2017 22:48:40 GMT
Oh, no...The cost of purchasing right-of-way, laying track, obtaining engines and rolling stock...all that needs have a revenue earner to more than pay for it before it will ever come in to being. For small guage trains, it's usually high weight and volume material for its value and it's got to get somewhere else to transform in to a more useful and valuable resource. Ore for various metallurgies. Britain, Cornwall in particular, was, in the Bronze Age was a center of wealth in a particular ore...tin. Tin was the critical admixture to copper to make bronze....it hardened, strengthened, and allowed sharpened edges on metal to last much longer. Iron, the constituent element in iron and steel, would displace bronze as even more durable (but for the 'rust' thing). Trains, however, were a fad of the 19th century.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 16, 2017 5:20:12 GMT
Hey....I was just looking out at my garden thinking that I was going to miss the iris bloom this year...and the peak of the first rose bloom.
Then, I remembered my past trips, and having seen videos of the intracity garden competitions, and heard about the intercity garden competitions throughout the UK, and how ferocious they could become....I could even have imagined them spawning trash-talking 'garden match hooligans' that got out-of-hand, trampled border plantings, and scattered soil amendments in a mad rush of chaotic disapprobation if their city lost.
Does that still happen? Is it in the spring? If so, are there front row seats to the kicking, biting, and gouging? Who are the big contenders this year?
ETA: The only thing I can find on garden competitions in the UK is some Daily Fail Garden Contest; individual gardens pitted against each other nationwide. I thought there was some kind of city versus city competition. Public garden space competition. Did I hallucinate that?
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Post by juju on Apr 19, 2017 9:28:20 GMT
I will fly out of PDX, via Vancouver and land at Heathrow late morning on April 21. It is my intent to proceed directly to Carmarthen, by rail. I'm booked for five nights at the Boar's Head Inn (birds of a feather, I guess) on Lammas street in central Carmarthen. From there, I'd planned on day tripping to the likes of St. David's, Mike's Donkey Farm, a local raptor attraction, maybe a shuttle in to Swansea to rubberneck on the double-deckers and select something there. What I'd really appreciate is some pointers from locals as to worthy sites that a foot/rail/bus bound tourist might reach from Carmarthen. A photo-op visit to the cromlech where you'd photographed Further Kye is distinctly in my itinerary. I don't know how mobile you are, but if you have a motor vehicle, what I'd appreciate would be a shuttle to Aberystwyth after my stay in Carmarthen. I'd like to spend a couple days there and then on to Barmouth/Dolgellau, thence to Porthmadog/Portmerion, thence to Caernafon, Conwy/Colwyn Bay. I assume I'll be busing most of that, so any diversions from public transit would be supreme. Nothing set but my stay in Carmarthen; it is the only location I've booked in to, other than my final stay at Duxford and the tour to the Orkneys/Shetlands. After Wales, it's on to Man via the Liverpool Airport, with a return which should put me in Whitehaven on or near May 18. I have to be in Aberdeen to meet the ferry out on May 27. So...You'll be seeing me shortly after my arrival in the UK. I will be confused and disoriented. I will probably also be tired and cranky. I will also probably sound rillyrilly funny trying to pronounce English place names, much less the stuff I see printed on the maps of Wales.....erm, Cymri. You'll need to give me some quick face-saving pronunciation lessons. Lessons, not lesions. I've never been in the Boar's Head, although I'm sure it's fine. Carmarthen itself is nothing to write home about, although there is a castle there worth a visit. While you are in the vicinity, you must visit Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas. You can visit his Boathouse and the shed where he did his writing, and have a pint (or a coffee) in Brown's Hotel, his local, and there's also a castle there and stunning views over the bay. You can get a bus there from Carmarthen - takes about half an hour: www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/media/1857495/222.pdfWe are available over the weekend but we are back to work on Monday, although if you need to travel to Aberystwyth when we can't take you there's a direct bus from Carmarthen every hour. We can take you to Pentre Ifan where the cromlech is, and other local attactions in that area - it's in Pembrokeshire which is south west of us, but there's lots of lovely and ancient stuff there. You are also very welcome chez Juju, although we are about 13 miles north of Carmarthen so that might not be so convenient for your plans. I'll PM you on Facebook with my number so we can make plans.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 19, 2017 12:49:33 GMT
I suspected as much with regards bus service northwards, but it is most welcome as a confirmation. I've an open invitation from Mike's Donkeys to drop by their farm in nearby Kidwelly. Mayhaps you'd like to meet some real asses? It sounds as if Saturday is the best match. Does Wales close up on Sundays, or just redirect activities? I suspect I'll set off for Swansea on Monday and Wednesday, I'll be northbound on the bus to Aberystwyth.
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Post by juju on Apr 19, 2017 16:07:34 GMT
Do you have any specific plans for Swansea? There's some OK stuff around the waterfront, but other than that I'm not sure what's there. There's a museum and Oystermouth Castle, but I'm not sure what else. My husband could advise you more, as he works down there.
There's a lot of other places, too - I'm sure there's a wartime museum near Tenby (a seaside town well worth a visit) - I'll find out where it is. Do check out Laugharne if you can.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 19, 2017 17:31:33 GMT
I've no plans for much specific at all in south Wales. I figure I'll be a bit disoriented early and gradually lose my muzziness as I acclimate.
I set down for five nights at the Boar's Head. An Saturday moot with you and yours would give you time to think through some recommendations.
Remember, outside of your presence, I'm limited to foot/bus/train. I ditched trying to get to the FAA museum in Yeovilton because it entailed an estimated 35 pound taxi ride, one way, just to get there. I nixed the hire car idea for me. Swansea is an easy jump down the rail line and I suspect they are large enough to have a local tour bus that hits all the 'local sites'. I'm more interested to where you might be able to get me, off the beaten path, from Carmarthen, which I chose largely because of its 'centrality'.
Archeological sites are an interest. The cromlech really appeals. The Merlin associations of Carmarthen and the castles are all of mild interest. I understand there is a raptor training site somewhere near St. Davids. Nature vistas are nice, but when one is basically 'on foot' it can be a long arduous struggle for an ever so brief moment of, "Yeah, that's purdy." Sometimes it is worth it, but often it is not.
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Post by juju on Apr 19, 2017 22:09:46 GMT
We'll take you to Pentre Ifan and Nevern, where there's a really old church, a Celtic cross, the bleeding yew and other things. My husband knows more as his first degree was in archaeology. We are at your disposal all day Saturday although we're out that evening in Lampeter. I'll get some info on places and buses so you have options - buses run fairly frequently in most directions.
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Post by whollygoats on Apr 20, 2017 20:28:20 GMT
Out the door and on the way to the airport.
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Post by JoeP on Apr 20, 2017 22:04:27 GMT
Travel time!
Will you be online until take-off time? And have you made arrangements for mobile data in the UK?
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Post by Moose on Apr 21, 2017 19:12:34 GMT
Kelly should be in the UK now but I've not heard anything yet - I was promised a text on arrival
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Post by juju on Apr 21, 2017 19:32:20 GMT
Kelly should be in the UK now but I've not heard anything yet - I was promised a text on arrival I haven't heard anything yet either - I facebook messaged him my number as we need to make arrangements for tomorrow, but I'm worried he didn't get the message before he set off
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Post by JoeP on Apr 21, 2017 19:41:47 GMT
Well this is just unacceptable.
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Post by Moose on Apr 21, 2017 19:45:23 GMT
He's in a queue at Heathrow
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Post by Moose on Apr 21, 2017 19:48:09 GMT
ah wait no he's in Carmathen or however you spell that
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Post by Moose on Apr 21, 2017 19:51:53 GMT
I am getting messages all in a rush that were obviously sent earlier
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Post by JoeP on Apr 21, 2017 20:11:35 GMT
3 minutes from Heathrow to Carmarthen is very impressive
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