I'll Do Anything To Get Out of The House - Further Small Adventures in Little Peugeots

[Bucketeer]

The wheel bearing is grumbling a bit louder than when I picked it up off you, I think Giles. Not much though. The only problem to report was a little brief drip from the sunroof one morning but that landed on Beccy's seat anyway, so wasn't really a problem.

[Bucketeer]

The next morning, both me and the girlfriend were suffering from some poorly tummy bug so stocked up on potions in Carlisle.

 

 

Carlisle has a castle. It wasn't the best. To be fair, our hearts weren't in it really, it was raining, and we needed to be close to a toilet.

At least we could see Peter from the top.

 

 

Up and over the border into Scotland, we decided that a bit less driving and a lot more being near bed and toilet was in order. We briefly parked up in Gretna to pose for a fake post-wedding photo (complete with Haribo ring) outside a wedding venue, to shit up her family and friends on Facebook.

 

 

We found a farmhouse North of Dumfries to stay, took lots of tablets, and went to sleep, then the toilet, then sleep, then . . etc for the next sixteen hours.

 

[Bucketeer]

I was up early Thursday morning, checking on Peter, and I made a new friend. Don't tell the missus though. She's allergic to cats and ended up fighting a 'mystery' itchy nose all day.

 

 

We were both still feeling pretty rough so decided to stay at the farm another night instead of heading further North. We had a pleasant day pottering around the area, the three of us.

We took Peter to see Sweetheart Abbey. Which was alright.

 

 

We also took him to Caerlaverock Castle. Which was stunning.

 

 

 

 

The weather was changeable all day. These two photos were taken no more than 10 mins apart.

 

 

 

We accidentally found another nice church. Which was nice.

 

 

And after some time in Dumfries because Wetherspoons we retired back to the farm for our last night, and left Peter to chat with his new mates.

 

 

 

[Inspector Morose]

Ooh, I do like a good ruin.

[Bucketeer]

Friday was Going Home Day, which wasn't entirely sad because it was also Tebay Day.

 

 

We said hello to the Tebay ducks through the Tebay window.

 

 

And we snaffled some Tebay goodies to take home with us.

 

 

It was a battle through the increasing bank holiday traffic, but we staggered home Friday evening.

 

 

Seeing Peter parked up next to the girlfriend's sister's catastrophically unreliable, turbo explodey, limp modey car made me think. I genuinely would not have swapped the 106 for the Insignia for the past week. Neither of us ached after all the traveling, we could go as fast as legally allowed (and more) whenever we wanted (except for up The Struggle), it was completely reliable, and in total we did 958 miles at just over 72 MPG.

This whole series of posts may seem in parts like a love letter to a little car, and in other parts a blatant attempt to get Peter into next year's calendar. It is a bit of both.

 

Last night I took the dog out in Peter to her favourite running about like an idiot spot.

 

 

Even she likes him. We'll both be actual sad and pulling faces like this when Peter goes to his new owner in three-ish weeks time.

 

[Bucketeer]

Ooh, I do like a good ruin.

Caerlaverock Castle is highly recommended. We both loved it. It's compact so go early doors and on a week day to have it pretty much to yourself.

Unfortunately we didn't have time to go to nearby Threave Castle which is on an island in the river. You walk to the bank, ring a bell, and someone rows over to pick you up.

 

BTW, I wanted to show the girlfriend the cock and balls forest you showed me on the way home but must have missed it. Is it North or South of Tebay?

[RobT]

BTW, I wanted to show the girlfriend the cock and balls forest you showed me on the way home but must have missed it. Is it North or South of Tebay?

North IIRC. I managed to miss it too when following you home from Shitefest, even though Andy was quite clearly pointing to it out of the 205's window.

 

Lovely travelogue, and belated Happy Birthday old bean.

[Richard]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cock-and-Balls-Forest/164371697045896

[RobT]

A LOT further north than Tebay then.

[castros_bro]

106 diesels also go South.

 

There's a map or several  here if you need to find "South".