Farewell Didcot A camping weekend: Watlington, 26/27July

[Kim]

P1220577 by ao, on Flickr

For those who aren't avid followers of the Didcot thread (see https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=34316.msg1704707#msg1704707), the cooling towers of Didcot A^[1] are due to be demolished early on the morning of the 27th of July.  Wittenham Clumps seems to be the place to watch from.  If that's not exciting enough already, the towers are within a few hundred metres of where the Daily Mail is printed, so there's always the possibility that someone might accidentally-on-purpose over-egg the explosives a bit.

Various forumites have expressed enthusiasm, mostly backed up with "...but I have to be somewhere else".  Is anyone actually around who feels like putting a night ride or camping trip together?

ETA: Some of us are camping at Watlington on Friday and Saturday nights.  They have room for a few more.  If you're coming, contact the site directly and say you're with the YACF group.

Definitely coming:
Kim
Barkata
Nikki
Julian
Charlotte
Phil
Cycleman


Plan for the kaboomy bit is still up in the air, but I imagine we'll be sneaking out on our bikes under cover of darkness to head to a convenient viewing place.

For those who aren't coming, the demolition is due to be live streamed at: http://www.coleman-co.com/news/details.aspx?positionId=485

_{[1] The official coal-fired power station of YACF}

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'd love to. But I'm not sure, right now, whether I can. Probably more chance of me making a night ride or an early morning Clumpenation than a camping wickened.

[Charlotte]

I would appear to be free that weekend.  This sounds like a jolly good excuse for something silly.

Can we camp there?

[Kim]

I would appear to be free that weekend.  This sounds like a jolly good excuse for something silly.

 

Can we camp there?

Not a clue, but as I expect that half the population of Didcot will be up there with us, that might not be a good idea anyway.  It is however about 10 miles from that excellent campsite at Watlington...

(I don't know the area; feel free to chip in with local knowledge based ideas.)

[Canardly]

Watlington is nearby which as we know is a very nice location.

[Wobbly John]

Hmmmmmm.

Cambridge to Oxford plus a little bit overnight ride...

It sounded a good idea until I tried looking for a train back. 

The railways don't really do left to right round these parts. 

[Canardly]

My ongoing whinge re lack of lateral railways why the national blindness. Of interest praps,

http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/bike/routeCamOx/

If you are up for this can give you a lift?

[Wobbly John]

What - A night ride or camping?

I get back from a week away on the 25th. 

[Canardly]

The X5 does take bikes.

[nikki]

I'm available for silliness that weekend!

My various leg bits probably won't be rated for cycling much, but I'd give the ride over from Watlington a go.

[Jurek]

P1220577 by ao, on Flickr

For those who aren't avid followers of the Didcot thread (see https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=34316.msg1704707#msg1704707), the cooling towers of Didcot A^[1] are due to be demolished early on the morning of the 27th of July.  Wittenham Clumps seems to be the place to watch from.  If that's not exciting enough already, the towers are within a few hundred metres of where the Daily Mail is printed, so there's always the possibility that someone might accidentally-on-purpose over-egg the explosives a bit.

Various forumites have expressed enthusiasm, mostly backed up with "...but I have to be somewhere else".  Is anyone actually around who feels like putting a night ride or camping trip together?


_{[1] The official coal-fired power station of YACF}

Ohhhh!!!
Demolition?
Dynamite? (Or Cordite) I hear you say.
It appears I have form on rides like these.
Interest expressed....
S*d any notion of camping though
Do we know who is doing it? The demolition, that is.
And at what time?
And where the vantage points are?
Has anyone researched this?

Like so
And so

[cycleman]

Just in range for me .camping wild with the bivvi bag is a possibility 

[Wowbagger]

Those towers look very pretty in the early morning sun. Has anyone started a campaign to save them?

[Wascally Weasel]

Arrgh.  I have plans to beast myself on Box Hill on the Saturday, would otherwise have love to come.

[mattc]

I would appear to be free that weekend.  This sounds like a jolly good excuse for something silly.

 

Can we camp there?

Not a clue, but as I expect that half the population of Didcot will be up there with us, that might not be a good idea anyway.  It is however about 10 miles from that excellent campsite at Watlington...

(I don't know the area; feel free to chip in with local knowledge based ideas.)

I'm not a camper, but I can't say I've seen any campsites West of Watling ton and East of White Horse Hill. That doesn't mean there are no farmers who would happily have you.
It might be fruitful to contact the "Earth Trust" who manage the clumps and have a visitor centre, hidden in the foreground of that piccie just behind the hedge.

I'm away up to the Sat night (and will be Audaxly knackered),but do let me know if I can help.

[mattc]

EDIT: here's a piccie with a bike!
http://www.redbubble.com/people/slod/works/10152297-power-station-and-bike
(The photographer has a long a running website of Didcot piccies. I've met him, and he's no weirder than most people on this thread ... )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t3460bUJht4/Urggoq-0apI/AAAAAAAAAMk/OAbTZnrXhEQ/w391-h439-no/Ladygrove+Stone.jpg
... Is where we shall probably view from. Its at least twice as close as The Clumps, and 4mins walk from here.
More:http://hpanwoforum.freeforums.org/didcot-s-holy-hill-stone-circle-t4271.html

You may find the clumps to be fairly quiet - especially overnight - as Didcot has lots of smaller rises to spectate from. But they may be riddled with wannabes from Abingdon

[mattc]

The Earth Trust are on the ball! http://www.earthtrust.org.uk/DidcotPowerStation/information.aspx

2 campsites listed at bottom of page.

And hot food laid on by the local lambing farm

[Julian]

I don't think I'll be able to cycle all the way there with camping kit, but I am up for driving to the campsite and then possibly cycling over from the campsite to the demolition in morning.  Or driving again if there are enough people without cycling legs!

[Moultonaught]

Bother, this would have been fab (and local) but I'm away on family holli-hocks.

[Clare]

Vernon is currently holed up in a hotel about 3 miles from Didcot and may be able to join a night ride. As it is the weekend I may even be there.

[Wobbly John]

Have you noticed the demolition is scheduled for, between 3 and 5 am !!! 

[mattc]

Indeed. Already discussed in the Didcot thread. (You do read the Didcot thread, I hope  )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-28078785

There is a petition to delay it, join in!  https://www.change.org/petitions/rwe-npower-delay-the-demolition-of-didcot-power-station-until-6am

(I'm still optimistic that they'll cave in - probably by leaking the time. Which will be as late as possible, cos I expect they like a lie-in too, and it's a lot easier to do dangerous stuff in daylight. But we'll see ... )

[Cudzoziemiec]

This is presenting quandaries. Do I take a late train up on Saturday night, party till dawn and then ride home after a sleepless night? Or ride up on Saturday, party on the Clumps (or at mattc's Ladygrove Stone - ooh er!) and take a train home after a sleepless night? Or go up early on Saturday, camp, get up early and then get a train home? I suppose I could camp and get a train home but might be a bit much with camping gear and a demolition brain.

Or I could just stay home and do something else!

[mattc]

Ride over.
Setup webcam.
Ride home.
Post link on here.

Forget to set alarm for next morning setup some clever http script to wake you up when it all kicks off.

None of this uncivilised camping malarkey required.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Dunno about camping, I was rather thinking uncivilised malarkey with forumites might be fun.