Housesits in England 2019

Housesits in England 2019

At time of writing I’m on my 10th, and final, housesit in the UK before travelling to New Zealand on 2 July. The time has gone so fast, I can’t believe it. Having posted from all these sits on Facebook I’ll just précis them here.  Thus far I’ve received 5 star reports from the owners who would have me back and who I’d be very pleased to return to, pending future availability in the UK. This housesitting lifestyle is a fabulous way of making new friends as well as enjoying the company of other people’s pets and living in a variety of different homes for free!

Housesit #1 was in Kemsing, near Sevenoaks, from 12 January- 1 February. Unfortunately there were no animals as the owners’ (Nic and Steve) dog had died the year before and their cat had to be put down before I sat. I was so pleased they still wanted me to sit and Steve, a retired Met Police Officer, had selected me pretty quickly. I’ll be for ever grateful that he set the ball rolling! While there I was able to see Shaun, catch up with Jill and Robert in Sevenoaks (joining Jill at her personal training sessions), go to see ‘Notre Dame de Paris’ (musical based on ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’) at the Coliseum with Jill and do some great walks as the house backed on to the Pilgrim’s Way and North Downs. One walk I did was: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/kemsing.pdf
There was Netflix in the house so I gorged on both seasons of ‘The Crown’ and some of ‘Peaky Blinders’. The sit was during really cold weather, but that didn’t stop me going out for walks. While there I also visited Hev and her dog Ajay in advance of sit #6 in Bognor Regis, met up with Sue in London and popped to Hastings to see Felicity for a day.

Before the next housesit I had 3 nights adrift so stayed for 2 in an Airbnb near Margate, visiting the Tate Gallery there (not overly impressed) and Broadstairs, where we spent many family holidays and remains a special place for me. The third night I spent at my cousin, Allister’s, and wife Bernice in Luton who I hadn’t seen for many years. 

Housesit #2 was, to date, the longest sit. This was near Evesham from 4 February – 8 March. The owners, Rose and Bob, were quite delightful (as were Nic and Steve) and I instantly felt I’d known them for years. Having met them in advance of sitting, I arrived the afternoon before they left for New Zealand. I took Dougal (their 3 year old Tibetan Terrier) out for a trial walk while Rose and Bob watched from the window. He didn’t want to go with me at first, but was eventually persuaded. Dougal has a fixation with tennis balls and as long as you kicked it (which he seemed to prefer) or threw it he was happy. Only thing was, he wouldn’t bring it back although I did manage to get him to bring back sticks by the end of my stay. I was encouraged to invite friends to stay, to keep me company, which is quite unusual and I was glad of weekends with Annie, Nicki, Trish and Helen, also day visits from Monica and Mel, Karen and Ann and a meet up with Heather and her dog Ruby who sadly didn’t get on with Dougal. 
There were also 2 shy kittens called Topsy and Tim. Eventually, after 3 weeks, Topsy sat on my knee for a few seconds but that was all. They were very cute and it was fun watching them chase each other around and up along the pelmet and curtains.
Again, I did some fabulous walks including Croome Park (NT) several times, the ‘Round Evesham walk’ a few times, Clent Hills (NT) – a first for Dougal and Evesham Country park.
It was very muddy for the initial weeks and Dougal got covered in it. I had to lift him into a sink after each walk (2 long ones per day) and rinse off the mud. He also had to be combed each evening as his hair would easily matt, which unfortunately I struggled with and had to take him to the groomers to get it cut out. Despite all that, I had a fantastic time and wouldn’t hesitate to return, just need to perfect my grooming skills!

In between sits 2 & 3 I was able to visit my lovely friend Maggie in Kirkbymoorside for a few days, one highlight being a visit and walk around the Yorkshire Arboretum.

Housesit #3 Gotherington, north of Cheltenham 13-22 March
The owners are Jude and Pete, who I’d also met in advance. They had been living in France for a few years but decided to return in advance of Brexit. Their animals are Fleure, a wire-haired Jack Russell, and a cat called Daisy. Fleure wasn’t keen on going for a walk initially, so I went off for a long walk by myself. Of course, as soon as I got back she wanted a walk and then got used to me quite quickly. It was lovely exploring the area, which I was embarrassed not to know at all despite it being quite close to Cheltenham. It meant I was able to meet up with friends again and one highlight was discovering Dumbleton Hall on a lovely walk from Andoversford with Karen. Fleure was impeccably behaved while we had lunch around the grand fireplace in the entrance. 

Housesit #4 Broughton, Cambridgeshire 22 – 27 March. This was just a short sit while owners Andria and Mark went on a skiing break. My charges were Toffee, a female Norfolk Terrier, Biffy a large farm cat and two chickens in this small village. I didn’t dare let Toffee off her lead as it was obvious she’d run amok. There were lovely walks straight out of the door, and further afield we explored the riverside walk and Houghton Mill (NT) and paid my first visit to Cambridge, parking at the Park and Ride and catching a bus on the strange but brilliant ‘guided busway’.  

This sit was followed by 3 nights at Margaret and Paul’s, mainly to see ‘Calendar Girls the Musical’ which we’d booked some months previously.

Housesit #5 Longwell Green (between Bristol & Bath) 31 March – 12 April. Again I got on straight away with owners Michelle and Daniel who were travelling to Japan to celebrate Daniel’s 50th. It was the first time they’d used Trusted Housesitters. My charge: another Jack Russell called Teddy. Walks with Teddy included Siston Common, the lovely Leigh Woods (NT) in Bristol, Westonbirt Arboretum and Willsbridge Mill. I was able to meet up with Annie and her dog Koura (who took no interest in Teddy) at Stourhead (NT) in the rain and a day meeting owner of housesit #10, Annie and her dog Pickle, which didn’t go well as Pickle bit Teddy on the nose on sight! We did however have a lovely day which included a walk around Prior Park, Bath (NT). My National Trust membership has certainly paid for itself several times over! I introduced Teddy to Helen and Richard, did a walk near their home in Hawkesbury Upton and then had Sunday lunch in their local pub. Helen also joined me for a trip to the cinema on my last night to see ‘All About Eve’ starring Gillian Anderson and streamed live from the National Theatre.

Another night adrift between sits meant I was able to visit Julia, Andrew and children in Winchester which was a bonus.

Housesit #6 Bognor Regis, 13 – 27 April. Lovely Hev left me in charge of her gorgeous Coton de Tulear (I’d never heard of the breed before) Ajay who really captured my heart mainly because his head would rotate about 180 degrees when anyone spoke to him! Hev’s home is a lovely, and extremely well organised and tidy, bungalow within walking distance of the beach. I had never been to Bognor so it was another first for me. I discovered that Ajay had never been on the beach so I introduced him to it and he was in his element. Walking along the prom became a regular route, and I met up with Annie, Graham and Koura who brought their camper van nearby for 2 days. We did some lovely walking around Slindon Woods (NT) and I went with Ajay to Houghton Forest, Eartham Woods and a circular walk at West Wittering where he got chased into the sea by another dog. I think that was his first experience of the sea too! Felicity visited one  cold day as did Margaret, popping with her to Pagham Harbour and Selsey Bill after some lovely fish and chips. 

I had 3 nights adrift and Monica very kindly put me up. Always good to spend time with her.

Housesit #7 Shamley Green near Guildford 30 April – 8 May.

Houseowners Joelle and Trevor left me in charge of their little Bichon Maltese dogs Lily and Benny. Lily, in particular, stole my heart as every time I sat down she would sit on my lap which made Benny jealous and he would sidle up close to me. Their home was a lovely, compact, modern 2 bed house in the beautiful Surrey Hills which backed right on to the Downs Link cycleway. We walked around Blackheath Common, Cucknells Wood, the North Downs Way, Headley Heath (NT) and along the Wey and Arun Canal stopping for a half of lager and packet of crisps at a canalside pub. I was able to meet up with Margaret in Guildford for shopping and lunch, which was fun.

I had a day adrift so booked into an Airbnb in Westergate, near Chichester, in a house owned by a really nice couple. After checking in I went out for a pre-theatre meal at ‘Bill’s’ and saw ‘Shadowlands’ at the Chichester Festival Theatre starring High Bonneville. 

Housesit #8 Funtington near Chichester 9 – 11 May.

A fairly last minute house sit for Sara and Keith in a large rambling bungalow (rented) for their very obedient dogs Lyla, aged 10, and Bridget, aged 3 and two chickens. Despite the short stay I packed in a lot, going straight from the house on long walks with Lyla at my heels and Bridget running off into the woods but always returning. So lovely to be able to let dogs off their leads. We did a super walk around Bosham Harbour which turned out to be longer than it was meant to be as I got a bit lost, and Kingsley Vale National Nature Reserve which was on the doorstep. I had agreed to get to my next sit near Ringwood by 4pm, before Sara and Keith were due back. They told me, no worries, and to leave Lyla and Bridget with back door open as they would be fine. I was rather reluctant but had no other recourse. It turned out they were fine when they returned two hours later!

Housesit #9 Ashley Heath near Ringwood (New Forest) 11 – 23 May.

I was the first Trusted Housesitter for Christine and John who live in a beautiful detached house with a long drive and lovely gardens. They have two adorable Burmese cats, Milo and Willow, and 10 rare breed chickens – Christine’s pride and joy, and some goldfish in a pond. I was lucky to have some very good weather here and enjoyed a couple of afternoons sitting in a deckchair reading. The cats were fortunately lap cats and the chickens were fun. They had a large enclosure with an outside electric fence. I enjoyed lots of fresh eggs with various coloured shells. 
The house was quite near the Castleman Trailway and one of the first things I did was to walk along it and check out the nearby Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, as had planned to meet Julia and Isabel there one day. The planned day turned out to be rainy so I went to their house instead. I enjoyed a trip to Ringwood and a long walk in the New Forest. I also went to Cheltenham in a day, had a nice lunch with Monica, Pat and Mary then saw the Cotswold Savoyards’ production of ‘Oliver’ at the Everyman Theatre that, no doubt, I would have auditioned for had I not left Cheltenham 4 months previously.

The night of 23 May was spent at Helen and Richard’s and I cooked them my famous fish pie as they were both at work when I arrived. This is the fish pie that I’ve been cooking for a lot of the owners upon their return in the hope that it might guarantee me a 5 star report! Helen and Richard had been storing my tent and camping equipment which I collected and travelled to the Hay Festival the next morning.

Annual pilgrimage to the Hay Festival 24 May – 3 June. As always, a fabulous time was had and a great opportunity to catch up with Glenys and other fellow volunteers.

Night of 3 June was spent again at Helen and Richard’s and tent etc were deposited in their garage. From 4 – 7 June I stayed with Annie and Graham, night of 7 June at Caroline and Simon’s in Cheltenham and the next day got a National Express coach to London staying for 2 nights with Alison in Wapping and catching up with her, Carolyn and Jean at a lovely Italian restaurant finishing off with wine at a Hilton hotel. On Sunday 9 June I walked from Wapping to Greenwich and back to see Carolyn again, with Pimms overlooking Greenwich Park and a late lunch at Cafe Rouge. That evening, Alison and I saw ‘Rocketman’ and it was back to Caroline and Simon’s for night of 10 June. Annie and Graham very kindly put me up again from 11 – 13 June.

Housesit #10 Bath 13 – 26 June.

Houseowner, Annie, who I’d met with Teddy took me out for fish and chips and left me in charge of Pickle and Gem leaving the next morning on a bus to Bristol Airport. I wasn’t sure what my relationship would be like with Pickle after she’d lunged at Teddy on sight but it soon became evident she was impeccably behaved. Annie’s Victorian house is in a brilliant location, over the road from the riverside path and around the corner from Victoria Park, both nice ways to walk into the centre. It’s been fantastic getting to know Bath, including a free 2 hour guided walk, trips to the Museum of Bath Architecture and Fashion Museum, walking the Skyline with Monica and a boat trip and canal/riverside walk with Helen. Gem stays upstairs in the house and spends most of his time sleeping, Pickle stays downstairs as they don’t get on.