Scrumpy Cider Without Rosie.

 Do you like my blog post title?☺

The nice and amiable man at the campsite told us an easier way into town.  There were far less steep hills and it was wonderful not to be carrying rucksacks, sleeping bags and tents.

Next morning we walked into town.  We passed a old overloaded  jeep type of vehicle with a large caravan on its side.  The driver had obviously lost control driving down a very steep hill to Stroud.  There was nobody in the the jeep that had crashed into some bushes.  But there were two fire engines and a police car at the scene.

" Hope they are ok?"

I said to my friend.

"Yes" he said and we both sighed.

We walked into town and looked on Google maps to see if it would take us to Slad.  My walking speed was deteriorating by the minute and soon my friend was several hundred feet in front of me.  We even saw a sign for Slad, the village and home of Laurie Lee.

My friend kept stopping and waiting for me and we even saw a bus stop.  He said he would walk to the village and I would hopefully catch the bus.  Three miles later and no bus passed by.  No one offered me a lift and I limped into Slad.  The number of times we have picked up hitchhikers and let people camp for free on our land here in West Cork

I noticed the church and immediately looked for Laurie's grave.  A jovial old man told me where it was situated.

My friend text me at the graveyard and said he was having a pint of Scrumpy Cider in the Woolpack across the road.

Scrumpy Cider.

I ended up drinking four pints of the stuff!  It was excellent.

A copy of his classic novel.  It's the story of a Gloucestershire young lad growing up around the first world War.  They also made a film of it.  I have read most of his books.  But Cider With Rosie is his classic.  If you have never read it please do.  It's excellent.

A portrait of the Author in the Woolpack pub where he drank.

Laurie Lees wife's epitaph wrote on the back of his gravestone. 

The grave of the great man's final resting place.

I tried to order a taxi but none arrived.  A young barman who told me he wants to be an actor very kindly gave me a lift to meet my friend in Wetherspoons.  I offered the lad payment asked me for a fiver so I gave him ten Pounds.  

I met my friend and had a meal and a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale and we went to see John Cale in Concert.  The theatre staff of the Sub Rooms were so kind and even noticed me struggling  and asked if I required help walking up and down the stairs?

John Cale is the last remaining member of Velvet Underground.  It was like being at a Prog Rock concert with 15 minute long songs and incredibly loud.  He's remarkable for 81 years of age.

I found this video of him playing Manchester the night after we saw him and his band in Stroud. 

It was a very productive day and tiring and we caught a taxi back to the campsite. I had finally visited the home place of one of my favourite writers.