Freedom Tour Day 3

 Clun has you now...

What happens in Clun, stays in Clun. It is for that reason we cannot talk about Paul M having his balls cupped by a male guest at the wedding.

It had taken a staggering 54 phone calls to different hotels and B&B's in Shropshire before we'd managed to find three rooms in three different pubs to rest for the night. We'd made the calls from Bishops Castle, a tiny picturesque village nestled in an area of outstanding natural beauty and ended up staying in Clun, a hamlet, approximately 5miles south. 

Our daily ride had covered 150miles picking our way through B road Britain and avoiding the bad weather. (From the cotswolds to the Shropshire Hills) There had been a 'weather warning' for storms in the south  so we used the  MetOffice satellite imaging to plot a path to better climates. We didn't get rained on once and the day was hot. 

In the Cotswolds we passed through 'Guiting Power', shown above, which looks like a set from 'last of the summer wine'.  If you removed the cars from the street you wouldn't be able to guess the year just by viewing the village.  The locals were friendly and chatted idly to us as we enjoyed home made cakes at the local tea room.

By the time we reached Bishops Castle in Shropshire it was late in the day and two weddings were underway. The little town was as busy as it was pretty, with tourists and weddings guests everywhere. 

I was losing hope of finding anywhere close by to stay when we found a room at the White Horse and a room at the Sun Inn, both in Clun, just one more to find.  As luck would have it my phone rang and a man explained he'd missed a call from my number. Upon detailing our predictament he said that he owned the Old Farm B&B in Clun and would ask his daughter to open it for us. (Above and below) He was a motorbiker and was riding away from home. magic!  Sorted. 

We ate and drank at the White Horse and drank more at the Sun Inn, many of the locals were out and Will had them all singing in the pub. At one point I heard a bugle or trumpet blasting in the bar, it turned out to be Paul B attempting to play a hunting horn he found on the hearth!  It was a riot, everyone, old and young alike were having a crack, the Landlord tapping on the bar in time with the singing. 

 One of the wedding parties returned to Clun from Bishops Castle where they had participated in a gay or LGBT  ceremony. They were merry and game for a laugh, which led to Paul's ball cupping (..shhh!) and culminated in the landlord from the Whitehorse 'comming out' and proclaiming he was gay despite being married. (and he said this in front of his son!)

Big Will eventually rescued Paul M from his new boyfriend and he crashed in Wills room rather than his own. We all retreated to our separate digs and marvelled at Clun. It's not at all like the poet's of the 1800's would have you believe! Beware of Clun.