Our new project House (and rock cave houses)
Discussion
They’ve been there for a few hundred years 
A bit of casual climbing won’t hurt anyone
I did try to blag my way into the ones at Kinver Edge, the ones that the NT charge for…..
I said.. “you’ve got some cave houses, I’ve got some cave houses, basically makes us cave buddies, which surely has to mean free entry?”
The woman in the tabard gave me a hard stare and said “no” quite firmly.. in a manner reminiscent of the time I asked to be chief caller when working at Gala Bingo Cardiff….
Quite fierce the NT custodians. Not to be trifled with
A bit of casual climbing won’t hurt anyone
I did try to blag my way into the ones at Kinver Edge, the ones that the NT charge for…..
I said.. “you’ve got some cave houses, I’ve got some cave houses, basically makes us cave buddies, which surely has to mean free entry?”
The woman in the tabard gave me a hard stare and said “no” quite firmly.. in a manner reminiscent of the time I asked to be chief caller when working at Gala Bingo Cardiff….
Quite fierce the NT custodians. Not to be trifled with
MaxFromage said:
Same here. I was talking to one of the NT volunteers about them and casually mentioned how we used to climb up onto the top of them. She looked a bit shocked 
A friend of mine’s father tells stories of going up to the Kinver caves and staying the night, partying with lots of music and drinking. I remember climbing over them myself at the beginning of the 90s before they were restored by the NT and imagining what a party venue they must have been. Probably not much more than a 20yr window between being lived in and being restored. B'stard Child said:
CTO said:
Hey BC!
Sorry I missed your post
I missed yours - till now................ Thank you for that I shall read it again and digest the contents however my attention was drawn to the latest post and my only comment is WOW and good luck with the hobit village you appear to have purchased.......Sorry I missed your post
I know I have a very understanding Mrs BC who puts up with my car habit but I think you have a keeper in Mrs CTO as she seems to be amenable to serial currently uninhabitable hobit house purchases
Tbh, we bought them as part of a longer term plan..
That ^^^ implies we have a longer term plan… we don’t
We just know that there will be a plan, when we think of it, which we haven’t.
I’ve got as far as hmmm, build access, hmmmm, hire a flail mower, hmmm have a bonfire, hmmm errrr
That’s about as far as it’s got in terms of next steps
Jobbo said:
MaxFromage said:
Same here. I was talking to one of the NT volunteers about them and casually mentioned how we used to climb up onto the top of them. She looked a bit shocked
A friend of mine’s father tells stories of going up to the Kinver caves and staying the night, partying with lots of music and drinking. I remember climbing over them myself at the beginning of the 90s before they were restored by the NT and imagining what a party venue they must have been. Probably not much more than a 20yr window between being lived in and being restored.
CTO said:
B'stard Child said:
CTO said:
Hey BC!
Sorry I missed your post
I missed yours - till now................ Thank you for that I shall read it again and digest the contents however my attention was drawn to the latest post and my only comment is WOW and good luck with the hobit village you appear to have purchased.......Sorry I missed your post
I know I have a very understanding Mrs BC who puts up with my car habit but I think you have a keeper in Mrs CTO as she seems to be amenable to serial currently uninhabitable hobit house purchases
Tbh, we bought them as part of a longer term plan..
That ^^^ implies we have a longer term plan… we don’t
We just know that there will be a plan, when we think of it, which we haven’t.
I’ve got as far as hmmm, build access, hmmmm, hire a flail mower, hmmm have a bonfire, hmmm errrr
That’s about as far as it’s got in terms of next steps
congrats (i think) on the new purchase!
sherman said:
Excellent.
Air B&Bs to help fund the rest of the build?
If the pond is open and not too full of weed I would consider throwing a solar fountain in to get water moving and to stop mosquitos before they infest you this summer.
Leave the windows open & make it OpenAirBnB Air B&Bs to help fund the rest of the build?
If the pond is open and not too full of weed I would consider throwing a solar fountain in to get water moving and to stop mosquitos before they infest you this summer.
What a spectacular space!
CTO said:
Mrs CTO positively encourages it.. like some crazed ancient dwelling realtor
Tbh, we bought them as part of a longer term plan..
That ^^^ implies we have a longer term plan… we don’t
We just know that there will be a plan, when we think of it, which we haven’t.
I’ve got as far as hmmm, build access, hmmmm, hire a flail mower, hmmm have a bonfire, hmmm errrr
That’s about as far as it’s got in terms of next steps
Great news on the purchase! Tbh, we bought them as part of a longer term plan..
That ^^^ implies we have a longer term plan… we don’t
We just know that there will be a plan, when we think of it, which we haven’t.
I’ve got as far as hmmm, build access, hmmmm, hire a flail mower, hmmm have a bonfire, hmmm errrr
That’s about as far as it’s got in terms of next steps
Must be time for another purchase, mini digger ? Tractor? Or something like that….
Oh, and if my memory serves me correctly, some decent safety glasses for when using the flail mower!!
MaxFromage said:
Alex Z said:
Nice bit of additional madness.
Seeing them in that state reminds me of climbing all over the ones that the National Trust own, long before they were restored.
Same here. I was talking to one of the NT volunteers about them and casually mentioned how we used to climb up onto the top of them. She looked a bit shocked Seeing them in that state reminds me of climbing all over the ones that the National Trust own, long before they were restored.
Somewhere nearby is another rock formation I remember - more of a v shaped valley with exposed sandstone, but I can’t find it on google maps.
Alex Z said:
Yep, it took some effort to get to the top, but the views were worthwhile. I would have been up there around 89 or 90 I think.
Somewhere nearby is another rock formation I remember - more of a v shaped valley with exposed sandstone, but I can’t find it on google maps.
Impressive age to still be rock climbing at. Somewhere nearby is another rock formation I remember - more of a v shaped valley with exposed sandstone, but I can’t find it on google maps.
Evening all,
Only a minor update, but thought I’d share it, in the interests of maintaining a chronology..
Had my first go at clearing the new patch of land at the weekend.. Well, Friday evening and most of Saturday. By Saturday evening the flail mower was broken, and so was I.
I have recovered. The flail mower is still dead and showing no signs of wanting to get back in the game
Anyhow,
As it looked when we bought it.
And then a bit of this…
Click for Timelapse
And a bit more timelapse here....
And now, it looks a bit like this..
Me manky old pond
The bottom rock house
And a bit of before and after
Not done by a long shot, but we can at least now see the wood for the trees, or thorns… there are a lot of thorns in there
I have said to my wife, next time, it’s gonna go down a bit like this…
In the next few weeks, and in the anticipation of Mr Dig coming back on line, and the weather hopefully cheering the F**k up, the landscaping is going to be starting.
All of the back needs to be sorted and patio/pathing laid around the house, then we are planning to level the area where the Chorus once was…
And chucking it over the end of the drive… here (old pic)
Then it is all going back to grass, with a gentle gradient from the top section to the bottom (new part).
Hopefully that makes sense, and apols if it is a slightly pedestrian update.. well done for making it this far
Cheers all,
Only a minor update, but thought I’d share it, in the interests of maintaining a chronology..
Had my first go at clearing the new patch of land at the weekend.. Well, Friday evening and most of Saturday. By Saturday evening the flail mower was broken, and so was I.
I have recovered. The flail mower is still dead and showing no signs of wanting to get back in the game
Anyhow,
As it looked when we bought it.
And then a bit of this…
Click for Timelapse
And a bit more timelapse here....
And now, it looks a bit like this..
Me manky old pond
The bottom rock house
And a bit of before and after
Not done by a long shot, but we can at least now see the wood for the trees, or thorns… there are a lot of thorns in there
I have said to my wife, next time, it’s gonna go down a bit like this…
In the next few weeks, and in the anticipation of Mr Dig coming back on line, and the weather hopefully cheering the F**k up, the landscaping is going to be starting.
All of the back needs to be sorted and patio/pathing laid around the house, then we are planning to level the area where the Chorus once was…
And chucking it over the end of the drive… here (old pic)
Then it is all going back to grass, with a gentle gradient from the top section to the bottom (new part).
Hopefully that makes sense, and apols if it is a slightly pedestrian update.. well done for making it this far
Cheers all,
sherman said:
Looking good.
Did you park the car that far back to do practice starts on the soft surface?
That pic was back in the day, when we had disposable income and a relatively attractive whip...Did you park the car that far back to do practice starts on the soft surface?
Now, we have a burnt orange 2008. Think of an upside down rusty Thwaites dumper and it's about as aesthetically pleasing
Neither are any good at standing starts ...
brilliantCTO said:
sherman said:
Looking good.
Did you park the car that far back to do practice starts on the soft surface?
That pic was back in the day, when we had disposable income and a relatively attractive whip...Did you park the car that far back to do practice starts on the soft surface?
Now, we have a burnt orange 2008. Think of an upside down rusty Thwaites dumper and it's about as aesthetically pleasing
Neither are any good at standing starts ...
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