get a bit of rope, loop end and then put a noose around centre of tyre, tighten rope loop to force centre of tyre into centre of wheel rim, whilst encouraging bead out to wheel edges, lock rope off with it clamped down and then try inflating. (*it worked for my dad on car tyres)

“One of GLEAM’s members and supporters is Richard Benyon”

Richard Benyon is of the opinion that cycle paths should be shared by horse users. http://horseytalk.net/ROW/SaysRichardBenyon.html

The Englefield Estate actively discourages cycling (signage, gamekeeper will pursue and stop you and refers to section 59 regarding ‘antisocial cycling’ and that your bike can be confiscated, [*it’s actually for vehicles]) however horse riders can buy access permits and walking/dog walking is allowed.

The Englefield Estate is owned by the Benyon family.

Well I trained as a software engineer in 1977, using mainframes and assemly code (? do you know what that is, not meaning it as rude, but to show change), and as I went through the same career there were several major technological shifts, mainframe, PC, client/server, internet, cloud, I’ve still got a job. Companies and their people move with technology.

get an unknown mate wear a suit and then to stand outside with a clipboard and to stop and talk to all incoming cyclists and write something down, then spread the rumour that due to C2W scheme abuse that government checks are now being carried out so that c2w abusers are to be identified for taxation purposes.

sort of related. Experience (hard and unpleasant) taught me that only certain companies are worth working hard for IMHO(the ones that work hard for you), so I’d have a think about that.

Could you react by having an up to date plan (which will allow you to prioritise and keep people informed of progress/delays) and saying these are the implications and then try to get them to do a bit more than shouting.

What can you delegate/get done elsewhere ?

I got full avid kit from ebay for about a tenner (syringes, tubes, clamps, screwins, small bottle fluid) I can’t get to it from work but suspect by now there will be a clone kit avilable.

interesting, we’ve thought about caravan, camper, tent. Dismissed camper as our plans are to go to X, base and the day explore from somewhere we like. Caravan means more comfort but our destinations are most Scot H+I, remote Scot and general UK. After doing some caravan research and more thinking – (*we live in Berks)ferry costs, pita long slow drives, small roads at destination etc esp for islands and I suspect cheeky caravanning might not be that welcome I’m now back to ‘structured’ hoidays and tent.
Do the H+I etc over the next 2/3 years with tent,can (hopefully) balance cost by using B&B on bad days and tent when suitable. Then try caravan for more mainsream and general mainland holidays. (*also helped by fact that current car is only 1.6 and wrong towing limit for reqd caravan)

Now seeing if there is such a thing as a quickish pitch tent with a built in sleeping base(gf has plated shoulder so comfort essential), have seen roof rack tents – but they’re king expensive and limited access etc, and have come round to wondering about a ‘normal’ van (vito etc) with a 9″ false floor – bikes on top – decent pull out mattress underneath false floor and a popup/quickpitch tent

can you just loosely knot the strap where it goes into the buckle/adjuster

or get a nappy pin (safety pin with an extra sliding head cover that goes over the clip in end)

just had first mud and puncture free sun covered ride of the year, loved it, bridleways, Thames path, diversion over a floating bridge and finished at the local cafe – bacon sarnie and mug of tea, truly glorious.

cheers Craig – not all good news, might have to get married !!!!!!

need to do some maths – trouble is although I’ve owned house for ages it’s gained quite a lot – so by renting > 3 years I open that gain up to tax (admittedly on a %time scale)

live seperately from gf and planning to move in together to new house (as we live 40 miles apart) which suits both.

Not being in a chain appeals and longer term I think (*maybe) renting my house would be better

What I think is the case
– if I sell my ‘old main house’ within 3 years(Unrented) it is CG tax free
– if I rent it for those 3 years its is still CG Tax free
– if I rent it for > 3 years (with it declared as my main home) then
I will pay CG tax based on:
– entire length of ownership
– time as main home/time rented/ – 3 years/ empty time
HMRC
You bought your house in January 2000 and sold it in
December 2012, owning it for thirteen years. You lived
in the property as your only or main residence from
January 2000 to December 2005 (six years). It was then
let as residential accommodation
from January 2006 to December 2008 (three years) and
then empty until sold at a gain
of £150,000. You are entitled to Private Residence
Relief for nine years (six years of
residence plus final 36 months) out of thirteen
years this part of the gain is £103,846
(9/13 x £150,000). Your remaining gain is £46,154.
The lowest of the three limits set out above is the
gain by reason of the letting £34,615
(3/13 x £150,00) so you are entitled to further
letting Relief of £34,615. Your chargeable
gain will be £11,539.

*Curently don’t understand letting relief.

try Travelodge I think there is on the bypass (take own brekkie or drive out)
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/search_and_book/saver_search.php?changeWeek=1&locpostText=newbury

£25 just now

having looked at map Premier Inn Grazeley Green also

http://www.comfortreading.co.uk/location.html
*not stayed at any but I use Traveodge as they’re fine

“I’d look around Dolgellau / Mawddach estuary.” + 1

We stayed in Barmouth last year (*town is bit ye olde seaside), but worked well as a centre, enough facilities, outstanding scenery, lovely beach, train to other places, nearby bimble(which you can addd to), nearby hard trail, easy drive to other stuff

as a cheapie tester is it possible to reverse the seatpost so it’s forward offset ?

keep an acccurate and honest log (date, time, event, witnesess are good) of all related items, would it be possible to suggest this to any other residents who have issues with him. ? can you find the previous tenant.

if he does ‘call round’ then I would try and discretely record the momement for posterity.

I’d also try citizens advice/council for advice/help – try gooogling environmental health and your area

http://www.noisyneighbours.net/involving-the-authorities/

you could try your local ROW Officer (probably on your local council website)

In the case of a RUPP?BOAT being overused/damaged by vehicles a TRO(Traffic Regulation Order – usually a temporary, dated ban to a specific user type) would be issued by ROW officer and that would make it a criminal offence to use the RUPP?BOAT. As I understand it the ‘surface’ of the ROW is down to the council and I’d say (if it’s like some tracks where I am) you had a case for arguing that the horses were being used inconsiderately and to the detriment of others. [See last para, 2nd last sentence)

“• If the highway is a bridleway it may be used for riding or leading a horse, as well as for
walking. Cycling is also permitted, providing the cyclists give way to riders and pedestrians.
Driving a horse-drawn vehicle is not permitted.”

“Duties of the highway authority
• Maintain the surface of highways, and control vegetation (other than crops) on the surface of
field-edge paths and those enclosed by hedges, fences or walls and on set-aside land.”

“Traffic Regulation Orders
It is common in towns and cities for the highway authority to restrict or prohibit the use of a
highway, for example at certain times of day or by certain types of vehicles. The same kind of
order – a Traffic Regulation Order – may occasionally be made in the interests of conserving
natural beauty and promoting recreation and nature study. They are mainly used to limit
vehicular traffic, but can also be applied to footpaths and bridleways to forbid walking, cycling, or
horse riding. Notices explaining the restriction or prohibition must be conspicuously displayed. It
is an offence punishable by a fine to disregard them.”

“The law specifies minimum widths for rights of way that are restored after disturbance or kept
clear of crops. For rights of way across a field the minimum widths are one metre for a footpath,
two metres for a bridleway and three metres for other rights of way. On the field edge, these
widths are increased to 1.5 metres, three metres and five metres respectively.”

“There is no set standard to which rights of way have to be maintained you will find some in
better condition than others. This might be because of the level of use (for example, a lot of use
may lead to erosion, and infrequent use to more vegetation). On byways open to all traffic, the
highway authority is not obliged to provide a hard, metalled surface or to maintain one. Country
footpaths and bridleways are unlikely to have a firm dry surface at all times. It is normal for
them to be a little overgrown in summer or muddy in winter – so be prepared and dress
appropriately. A path should never be so overgrown or muddy that it is impossible to use. All
rights of way should be appropriate for their expected use, with reasonable care taken by the
highway authority to ensure that they are safe.”

went from OS Map, to Memory Map PC software and firstly old Garmin Etrex (*no map, direction arrow, compass, speed etc etc – now for sale) now on Satmap OS50,000(*bargain bundle a while ago).

Satmap is a luxury really but it does save hauling the map out on most occasions. ie if you’ve got a 5 way crossing then an arrow to the L doesn’t always help so you might have to go a little bit to get confirmation, with the rolling OS map you get extra ‘pictorial context’
You can help the no map GPS by planning the route/waypointing on the GPS accurately and I tended to put routes/waypoints slightly ‘before the turn’ so the arrow was pointing before you got to the turn so you were looking for a left in the near future sort of thing.

For routes/distances etc both GPS were fine(*Satmap is easier as you always have map confirmation ability on screen) but I always take map anyway as the ‘screen size’ allows diversion/emergency etc planning more easily.

In terms of planning I use highlighted paper OS 50 maps (quickly see loops/routes etc of the right size for me in an area I want to visit) and PC software as it ‘contours’ the ride with no effort atall.

not many criteria specified

gf+I enjoyed Alnmouth (+visit Lindisfarne but walk round island/miss main tourist drag – Red(?White) Lion pub B&B)

Plockton – Scottish lovelieness and the awesome western beauty nearby (visit Applecross – pub/beach etc)

stay in a lighthouse – http://www.ruareidh.co.uk/ (*suitable if you want the middle of NOWHERE)

mellow out along the North coast(*beware facility shortage) – awesome beaches, freezing water – steps at Whaligoe[cliff bottom picnic spot), Noss, stacks at Duncansby, Tongue, Dunnet Head/beach (*John o’Groats is tat), Strathy, Torrisdale ………..

stay at the ‘most’ remote hotel – http://www.garvaulthotel.co.uk/
(*bike bimble nearby on estate tracks, and can turn to linear route to remote pub – I can vouch for 1st part to loch)

*edit – Arran, forest walks, Glenashdale falls, NW coast pebbel beaches, sand at Whiting Bay, tuck away sandy bay at Kings Cross Point(*walking reqd)

Another one for next year, for any area really, (I’m either near Reading or Wantage)

meehaja, that sounds like a win/double win position

Cheers

sounds like stans, I’ll do some internetting but seems like it’s worth a try

a generic taking it apart tip I got was get the camera out and photo it as you take it apart that way you can ‘remember’ what went where

specs since 10, so only for 45 years, pita when it rains, my technique (and I can see without) is to have them jammed halfway down nose – so I can look through or over to avoid fractal land (*I’d do a two for one deal – smart pair and spares), also a very small nose bridge might look cool and trendy, it also might dig in unpleasantly on a hot sweaty day, the good news is you can now get a titanium frame (*much lighter and easier on nose) with fully sprung legs

my quote from solicitor below (*Oxfordshire)

legal fee £600+vat (£720)

Stamp duty ** 3% over 250k, 2.5 below I think – check

Land Registry fee £270

Local search £120

Drainage and Water search £53.28

Bank Transfer fee (to send the purchase monies to the seller’s solicitors on completion £30+vat (£36)

Land Registry search £3

Bankruptcy searches £4

re mortgages – be aware of the offset concept – it works if you have saving/will pay off early etc

You will need a survey – in order of rising cost
mortgage valuation – well paid professional views it from helicopter to verify value for mortgage
housebuyer – well paid professional stands on pavement near house
structural – recommened if house > 100 years old, well paid professional enters house and pokes it with stick
(* for any professionals out there I had a housebuyer on my first flat – they said it was fine, my dad was a lighthouse keeper/manual labourer with no professional qualification other than lifes hard knocks – he spotted damp and faulty fittings within 5 minutes, so ime professional means ‘liability denied at all costs’) [*rant apology to op]

sw Scotland, 20 years ago dad got all the wood he wanted from the beach, nobody else wanted it, mainly in the last maybe 5ish or so years there are now blokes with tractors high watering stuff early in the morning, it’s a new crop and there is a lot more demand now

in theory only, obviously, well only a landowner or an appointed factor thereof can ask you to leave privately owned land (*you can passs/repass a prow) – so you could always ask a challenger for legal title information – take a paper notepad and pen and make sure you lick the pen a lot and get them to repeat stuff and spell obvious words

(*edit – as a suggestion, I tend to be cheeky when cheeky is (imho) appropriate – ie not ploughing a massive furrow through a nice, but tad soft lovely green lawn section etc etc or on an obvioulsy maintained bit of ground etc)

take a smoker, coz me and dad made mum sit at tent door on bad days ..

take lots of water and cookers – boiling pans of water in front of tent door does appear to stop them

if nice weather I would camp in the open on top of a hill as wind can keep them down – avoid damp areas/long grass etc

for biking(*edit – walking and existing) take total cover gear – longs/long socks 3/4s, full tops, long gloves and a midge net that fits over helmet – looking like a tw*t is a lot better than being eaten alive on a slow uphill grind

Management of public rights of way
The main responsibility for rights of way falls on the highway authority. The highway authority
is the county or unitary authority for the area. It has a wide range of statutory duties – that is
action it must take – to protect and maintain rights of way; and it has discretionary powers – that
is action it may take if it wants to.
Duties of the highway authority
• Maintain the surface of highways, and control vegetation (other than crops) on the surface of
field-edge paths and those enclosed by hedges, fences or walls and on set-aside land.
• Maintain bridges over natural watercourses including farm ditches (if the ditch was there when
the path was first recorded).
• Provide signposts where rights of way leave metalled roads (highway authorities may also
waymark rights of way, after consulting the landowner).
• Assert and protect the public right to use public rights of way.
• Secure the removal of obstructions including those due to damage to the surface.
• Ensure there are no intimidating notices that deter the public from using the paths shown on the
definitive map, and prosecute anyone who displays such notices.
• Take action, in default where necessary, to ensure that the duties of others are carried out.
• Provide a minimum 25% contribution towards any costs incurred by a landowner in
maintaining stiles or gates on public rights of way.
• Prepare rights of way improvement plans.

Land managers’ responsibilities
The land manager must respect the public’s rights of passage and not do anything that would
inconvenience or endanger the public in any way. The land manager has responsibility for the
following:
• Keeping rights of way clear of any obstructions, such as padlocked gates, rubbish, barbed
wire, slurry, manure, electric fences, hedgerows and chained or loose dogs, and warn users of
potential dangers (e.g. slurry lagoons, cliffs) near rights of way.
• Cutting back vegetation encroaching from the sides (but not the surface) and above, so that it
does not inconvenience the public or prevent the right of way being apparent on the ground. On
bridleways, horse riders should be allowed 3 metres (10 feet) or headroom.
• Keeping paths clear of crops (other than hay and silage) to ensure that they do not
inconvenience users.
• Ensuring that stiles and gates on rights of way are maintained in good order.
• Providing adequate bridges where, with the permission of the highway authority, new ditches
are made or existing ones widened.
• Ensuring that cross-field footpaths are ploughed or disturbed only when it it not convenient to
avoid them.
• Ensuring that field-edge footpaths and bridleways and all byways open to all traffic, roads
used as public paths, restricted byways and unsurfaced public roads are never cultivated.
• Where the cultivation of a cross field footpath or bridleway cannot be conveniently avoided,
ensuring its surface is made good to at least the minimum width within 14 days of first being
cultivated for that crop, or within 24 hours of any subsequent cultivation, unless otherwise
agreed with the highway authority.
• Ensuring that paths over cultivated and remain apparent on the ground at all times and are
not obstructed by crops.
• Ensuring that bulls are not kept in a field crossed by a path unless they do not exceed 10
months or are both not of a recognised dairy breed and are accompanied by cows or heifers.
• Ensuring that any warning notices are displayed only when a bull is present in a field.
• Never keeping an animal known to be aggressive (including a bull of whatever breed) in a
field to which the public never has any access.
• Waymarking public rights of way (where the occupier consider it necessary and desirable).
• Ensuring that not misleading signs are placed near rights of way that might discourage
access; highway authorities have powers under section 57 of the National Parks and Access to
the Countryside Act to remove such signs.

? does that help

and if you get really desperate – A highway authority can be taken to court to force it to carry out its maintenance duties, or to
secure the removal of an obstruction.

doing an inventory in May, will get back

properbikeco can you mail me (can’t see your mail)

Cheers

Good Luck

Give us a progress report, as it’s something I’m thinking about.

Hopefully this will cheer you up – however posted at work where stuff is screened so untested

*below is hazy memory as I did this about 4 years ago. *old 1.6HDI 07 square front. Beware, as I recall it recline is limited (*if you fold rear seats down they go in rear footwell so you can’t then recline the front into it, if you remove the rear seats I think it’s still same issue as the seat then hits the rear base/or doesn’t wind that far back – anyway my (possibly incorrect) memory is that the front passenger well was unusable……

the board goes on the passengers head – well it is balanced on the headrest – which as she is short is fine – it runs from top of passenger side windscreen diagonally to rear door (I have two plastic cretes that fit nicely between rear door and rear seat back and it balances on them) 8ft6 is a ‘just’ fit

I bough a soft rack (rack made out of straps – loops through doors windows – never used it though)

the seats come out easily via Torx (*well the single did), I have the rear passenger side single perma out, 2 bikes (minus fronts only, bars side on turned, Ora5 16″, 13″ Myka – get the side door edge bike outer pedal at top of stroke so it uses max door well and makes loading easier-as inner pedal down, then put a strap from rear bottom loop round headstocks and back to brace)

*Check your length carefully as the front seat movement is limited (ie I could get a 9ft surfboard in my 306 5dr hatch Pug (*as front pass seat fully reclines)but I only get an 8ft 6 board in the Berlingo AND that is ONLY because both me and gf are short so the board goes diagonally across car – sits on passenger headrest from windscreen to rear door so straightline will be shorted

if you’re near Readingish/Swindonish is you can try stuff in mine (*old squarer model)

Fair Isle, Dunnet Head, Arran, Corsewall, Girvan, Glasgow, London, Barton on Sea, Maidenhead, Burghfield Common

Sorry to hear that, I was a bit luckier as dad is still ok and he was with me when I went through mums stuff, he didn’t want anything atall (which upset me – but then he spent about 60 years with her and I supect he’s lonely as hell), becuase my mum was a ‘giving person’, nurse and 15 years at Sue Ryder and RNLI work so a lot went to her peferred charities, I got a couple of small things I wanted and some stuff went to mums closest friends. Is it possible to get guidance from your nan ?

Maybe not the case in your circumstances (and my parents were in a small town and dad is still around) but if giving stuff to charity shops you might want to make it clear that you don’t want the stuff given out locally as your/nans friends/etc might see it.

Make sure your nan has all the bits she wants (and ask around all family members as they might remember things she doesn’t)

If relevant check the house insurance policy – it will likely have non occupancy clauses (not insured if empty for > 30 days etc) so you may have to deal with that.

Sorry to raise this but do you need to consider getting power of attorney, (*Scotland based info) the famiy solicitor told me it was easier(and cheaper) to do when the person is able to consent (otherwise it goes via courts) so in my case this is all in place – you don’t need to use it. This will let somebody manage affairs/money etc and bear in mind that even a simple will can lock up stuff for X months (7 in my case).

And yes it is pretty much mtfu I’m afraid, I’m lucky in that I can store stuff but when push comes to shove it’s keep/ebay/free ad yellow papers,preloved,gumtree, charity and skip/tip.

Mountain – worth listening to the whole tune

sound quality crepe, ability high

Fastest guitar in the west (*apparently)

done, cheers

weirdly I quite fancy bee keeping in retirement

as chaos, see spareroom.co.uk (there are others)
*you need to tell your house insurer (*and I suspect mortgage holder) but in my case there was no charge BUT if lodger nicks stuff not covered.
*you could also try and get a Mon-Fri let only for week away commuters and that means house is your own at weekends
if you get a family bathroom and ensuite or two ensuites that helps etc.
works if you get the right person (and you are happy to have a ‘stranger’ in the house and can work as a live in landlord)

be more proactive
start looking for jobs you like the look of/locaton etc (jobserve, cwjobs,reed,monster,itjobboard etc etc)
find interesting job,phone up agent and get more details
attune cv (I would suggest not lying but positive marketing and yes I’ve seen plenty of porkies) to the required job, mail in
hope for best
oh – and if it’s not in writing and signed don’t believe it – proud owner of a very large unused suitcase and an unused Belgium air ticket

all mine are highligted up, so you can quickly see potential loops etc and bang it onto MM/etc to see best way round (*and yes I did use to use contours)

we play hockey at 9pm at night, find that a hot soak and cider helps, though weirdly whilst I normally sleep to about 5.30ish am (joys of a very rural childhood) I often wake up at about 4.30am after hockey.