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​Why you need a Motte and Bailey​


​Let's say you're tired of people
coming to your door. The paperboy wanting paid. Old Mrs. Smith who lost her damn cat again. Someone borrowing sugar. That kid raising money to go to band camp. Jeez. Will people never leave you alone? The answer is a Motte and Bailey.
Picture

Five easy steps to build a Motte and Bailey :

1.

Using an excavator, build two mounds next to your house. Now would be a good time to pull up those overgrown shrubs from your neighbor's yard that block your view of the morning sun. And you may as well topple that ugly shed next door made of leftover siding that sticks out like a sore thumb and needs demolishing anyway. 

Make one mound really high and really steep so kids selling stupid things will get out of breath trying to climb it. ​

2.

Construct a tower on the top and move your comfy chair in here. Now you will be able to see those nasty people before they can get to your sidewalk even. This is your Motte.

3.

Once you catch your breath, build a smaller mound. This one will serve as the foundation of your bailey. Now dig yourself a ditch around the base of the mound. You may later choose to fill this in with water and koi. Or piranha.   

4.

Set up your bailey—which is now safe and sound inside the ditch—in the design you choose. This is where your people (you do have people don't you?) will fight off the visitors so you can sit in your comfy chair up in the tower. 

Be sure to include barracks for your people to sleep, stables for their horses, livstock (you may not be able to leave your compound for months at a time when it is surrounded by angry neighbors) and buildings to store up wartime amounts of grain and beer and toilet paper.   

5.

Add a large wooden gate that has a secret password. Keep changing the password.  

Saturday 9/21

Land at Heathrow, train to paddington, train to Exeter, train to barnstaple, walk to The Old Vicarage—where we are staying until Thursday.
Have to remember how to read these boards.
Our room.
Love the bath!
First, tea in the garden.
After our tea we walk to the bus station to pick up bus schedules. Hop the 21 to Fremington, which is where we left off last time.
On the path.
Ha! Bob wants “he was a character” on his tombstone.
Fairly uninteresting walk, mostly along marshes.
Security idea for PP@L
We’re on an old railroad line, cute tunnels and all. This looks like a tunnel from the Thomas videos.
Our first pub. This is Instow.
My new favorite drink. It’s cucumber and elderberry and so good I have two. Which means we are finished for the day! We’ll complete this stretch of the walk tomorrow.
We order fish& chips takeaway rather than eating it in the pub because (a) it’s about half the price, and (b) fish & chips taste best outside! Check out the newspaper wrapping!
Not so healthy but it’s the first night and we’re on the coast where the fish is fresh, so.

Sunday, 9/22 Morning

Ate a marvelous breakfast, then walked straight out of Barnstaple to pick up the path heading northwest.
We fill out a little form the night before, choosing our breakfast time and meal items. Plus, there’s a sideboard of granolas, yogurt, fruit, etc.
View from our table.
Walking through Barnstable before hike.
The path. Heading first to Braunton.
The path is flat and fairly unremarkable. Sky is threatening.
We reach Braunton, almost pass right by this, then decide to stop for a short break.
Lovely inside, nicest people.

Sunday, 9/22 Afternoon

We walk Braunton to Saunton, intending to catch bus at Saunton, except I read Saturday’s bus schedule instead of Sunday’s because it’s so easy to do that and we soon find out there is no Sunday bus service in Saunton.
This Is looking back to Braunton. Path leads along this estuary. I think it’s an estuary.
Blackberry bushes are everywhere!
We’re right next to military training grounds.
Lunch break. Sandwiches. Forgot to pack dessert.
Ha! We see this sign as we close the gate after walking across the field.
It’s here that we realize that no bus will be coming. Luckily there’s a golf course right next to the path and we bum a ride to Braunton, which we know for sure has Sunday buses.

Saturday, 9/22 Evening

Our main goal on Sunday every time we come to England is it to make it to a Sunday Roast Dinner. Usually we miss it. Today though we are lucky: we find a good place in Braunton and end the walk on a full-belly note. Total miles today: 11.5.
Roast beef, potato, assorted fresh veggies, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding. Yum.
Waiting in the rain for the bus back to Barnstaple.
The Vicarage at last! We are both exhausted.
This waits for us every afternoon. That’s fresh cream on top.
Washed our clothes though not very thoroughly.
Choose breakfast and go to bed!
  • 2019 Trip Blog
  • Our Hikes
  • Town