admin – Page 6 – The Sumpners Again

March 7, 2017February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Savernake Forest 3rd-5th March 2017

The weather forecast did not look great for our long-anticipated weekend but we had been looking forward to it – particularly after my recent health scare (all well thank goodness!) – so that was not going to stop us getting away. No sir.

The journey to this site, located just outside Marlborough (Wilts), is only just over an hour and fifteen minutes and so is ideal for a weekend away before the clocks spring forward at the end of the month. We made good time, despite the Friday traffic and arrived with enough daylight left to set up.

The site is just off the A346 in the beautiful Savernake Forest. We used to come to Savernake quite often when I was a kid. My family on my Dad’s side are from beautiful Herefordshire and we used to meet here to swap kids for the school holidays. Either I would be going to up to the Shire or my cousins would be coming to spend the holidays by the seaside. Happy times. I have very strong memories of what we always called “The Blasted Oak” – a huge-girthed tree which sits by the side of the road. On researching it over the weekend, I found that it is in fact known as “The Big Bellied Oak” and is reckoned to be over 1,000 years old. The Savernake Forest was once a royal hunting forest and it’s worth having a read of the supplied link, above, to find out more – including a connection with Henry VIII, no less. I also found out that “The Blasted Oak” was a George Formby song – I suspect my Dad or one of my Aunts and Uncles dubbed it that for fun!

Big Bellied Oak — The Blasted (or Big Bellied) Oak

We had a warm welcome and the wardens took great pains to explain that (unsurprisingly) the site was waterlogged, due to recent heavy rain, but that we could pitch up in a couple of locations and be OK. We used our motor mover so as not to chew up the very muddy ground. As we were on a sort of hard-standing, we were away from the nearest electric bollard and so the warden kindly lent us an extension cable. The showers very kindly let up whilst we were setting up and we were soon drinking our first cuppa in the warm and dry. And pretty much all we could hear was birdsong. Lovely.

We popped to Tescos which, handily, is just at the bottom of the hill, just before you get to Marlborough. Just a few odds and ends and a letter to post, but you can bet we spent more than we planned to! Then it was back to the van to settle down and relax for the evening. Lovely.

I awoke before Paul and was pleased to note that the sun was shining. He took Arch out for his morning constitutional whilst I prepared breakfast – some lovely cheesy bagels and fresh coffee made with my amazing Aeropress. Yum. A few photos of his walk follow.

Our plan for the day was to visit Marlborough – the town with the widest high street in England, bar one. I’ll leave you to find out which has the widest. No prizes! Marlborough is a pretty market town with some (increasingly few) independent shops and a lot of the slightly more up-market chains – such as Seasalt, Mint Velvet, Crew and Joules. It still has a small market on Saturday mornings, which looks to be well frequented. We finished our visit with a take-away coffee. Sadly not an independent – Caffe Nero.

We used our Explorer Map ( 157 – Marlborough and Savernake) to plan a route between Honey Street and Great Bedwyn, following the Kennet and Avon canal as closely as possible. Our route took us up across the North Wessex Downs – home to the famous White Horses of Wiltshire. The K&A is a favourite of ours and we have spent happy times cruising it with friends and family, so we were relishing the thought of seeing it again. We passed through an interesting area –Lockeridge Dene and Piggledene – where Sarsen stones (as used at Avebury Ring) were deposited in the last ice age.

It was a lovely drive and we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of snowdrops – I don’t think I have ever seen so many in any other year. So beautiful and so redolent of Spring.

Our lunch stop was at Pewsey Wharf – at the Waterfront Bar & Bistro, which is housed in the old canal wharf buildings. Archie was made very welcome and given a gravy bone, and we had a lovely table overlooking the canal. After lunch we walked up the towpath for a while. It seems that – everywhere you go on the canal these days – there are more and more long-term users. I’m never entirely sure whether that is a good or bad thing but I do have a few reservations about it.

The day was clouding over and getting a bit chilly so we moved on towards Great Bedwyn, calling at Crofton, where there is a pumping station which boasts an operational Boulton & Watt steam engine. It is not operating all the time and was, indeed, closed today. But we were lucky enough to have attended to a steaming day a few years back. It’s pretty impressive and just beautiful too. Its purpose was to keep this section of the canal in water, a vital job which is customarily done by electricity the days.

Our last visit of the day to the canal was to the commuter town of Great Bedwyn and then it was home to our van for a snooze, a cuppa and an evening of TV and cards. Paul won.

It rained on an off all night but we had our breakfast and packed up inside in the dry. There were a few spits and spots as the outside jobs were being done but we were soon on our way home. This was an odd site. We love forest sites and are regulars at Setthorns in the New Forest, so we know what to expect. This site seemed a bit sad, though, somehow. Possibly due to the weather? Or possibly due to the collection of seemingly neglected vans in one corner. But it’s a great site for exploring the area and, despite being on a main road, was very peaceful.

Our next weekend away in the van is at Easter and we are off to Rivendale in the Peak District. Can’t wait!

January 10, 2017February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Rutland for New Year 2016/17

Thursday – Having been away in Switzerland for Christmas and home for just a day, it was time to up steadies and dash off to Rutland to see the New Year in. We had selected Rutland for a number of reasons, the main one being that it was a part of the world that neither of us had ever visited before. But Paul’s dad had been evacuated there during the war, and, by coincidence Paul’s step dad was from Oakham, the County town of Rutland and so we had good reason to visit.

We left at around 9.20 and the roads were amazingly clear. As our route took us on the M25 and M1, this was unusual. We were scheduled to arrive in site no earlier than midday, and it looked like we would actually be there too early. A quick call to the site gained us early access and we were soon set up, kettle and heating on and finishing off our sandwiches. We had chosen Rutland Camping and Caravanning site, just outside Greetham.which has – in common with many villages in Rutland and the surrounding area – a Church with a beautiful spire, which can be seen from the site. It is a large site and has good facilities, is very quiet (no road roar) but could do with a little more landscaping for our tastes. We like our pitches to separated by a hedge (the French do it well) and this look a little less like car parks. But don’t be put off, this is very picky – it really is a nice site and a great base for exploring the area.

As can be seen, it was a beautiful day (although at least a coat colder than at home on the South coast) and so, after lunch, we decided to pop into Oakham for a few bits and pieces. Oakham is a pretty town. We had not expected that the buildings would be fashioned from honey coloured stone, like the Cotswolds. Very attractive.

We had long been intending to put together a tool kit for the caravan and a trip to Wilkinson’s finally started it off. We also need to buy socks as someone had forgotten to pack them. No joy in Oakham. But we picked up a DVD cheap in case there was not much on TV. It was a 2015 film called Everest, which told the story (possibly not very accurately!) of the 1996 Everest disaster. It kept us entertained when we watched it. I’d give it a shaky 3.5 – 4 stars. Good for a rainy day.

Anyway – shopping done, we returned to the site and settled down for the evening. On the way back. we noticed a sign for Hambleton Bakery – award winning apparently. We’ll have to give that a quick visit at some point.

The caravan was toasty by now and we spent a pleasant evening chatting and watching TV, before retring, still tired from our very full-on holiday in the Alps.

Friday – had a frosty start and we set off for Melton Mowbray, home of – well – many things it seems! The pork pie and – it turns out – Melton Hunt Cake. Also one of the 6 homes for Stilton cheese and Melton cloth ( a wool fabric used for – among other things – donkey jackets).

Whilst in MM, we spotted a beautiful Art Deco cinema – The Regal – that looked as if is still open. Upon further research, it is owned by a family who have rescued three old cinemas, starting with the Ritz in Belper, Derbyshire. Good work that family!

We liked Melton and bought a hunk of the Hunt cake for Uncle D but did not quite fancy a pork pie. We had a coffee in a dog-friendly cafe (a bit chilly for sitting outside today) and then set off for our next destination – Foxton Locks on the Grand Union Canal, site of the now now defunct Foxton Inclined Plane, which was built to alleviate the bottleneck caused by the 10 locks (2 staircases of 5 locks). It was not a resounding success, being in service for only 10 years, but a feat of engineering and the site is well worth a visit.

We went for a ride along the towpath but it started getting very muddy so we turned around and came back. We met a boat that was on its way to the locks so we cycled back to watch it through the locks. It had been, as mentioned, a chilly night and it was lovely to hear some “ice-breaker” swans making their way towards us through the thin ice. Sadly we had nothing for them.

The area has been turned into a Country Park and it seem a very popular and well-used destination. Very nicely done with some nice sculptures.

We sat and watched the boat progress through the locks, assisted by the mandatory (for saftey reasons, staircases being a bit mind boggling) lock-keeper. We felt very envious as we watched them and wished we had brought a windlass with us. We love winter boating.

We had a coffee from the Cafe in the Lock-keepers cottage and were joined by a robin. A recent bit of folklore tells us that the appearance of a robin is visit from a departed loved one . I like to think it was my dear old Dad, who loved his canals so dearly. It made me smile.

Our coffee finished, we set off on our bikes again, this time on the opposite direction and had a very pleasant ride along a well-kept towpath, with Archie running along by our sides. He ran for about 7 kms and then we popped him in the backpack for the return ride. By now, the light was starting to fade and we returned to the van – some 30 odd miles away.

On the way back, we realised we were near the award-winning baker, Hambleton Bakery. Well! It certainly looked the part. We bought some mince slices topped with almond sponge (which has given me an idea for next year) a sourdough loaf and some “Ploughman’s Parcels” a sort of bread roll affair with all the elements of a ploughman’s incorporated in the dough. Interesting! If it tastes as good as it all looks, we are in for a treat.

It being “Twixtmas” (yuk!) , we had brought our Xmas lights with us for a bit of cheer. Several people asked us where we had got them and how much. I think it may be the start of a new trend for vans?

Saturday (New Year’s Eve) – we had decided to visit Stamford. This was in the 3rd County (MM being in Leicestershire) that we had visited on this trip, Lincolnshire. Stamford can lay claim to being the home of John George Haigh – aka The Acid Bath Murderer. Nice!

It is another attractive town with some lovely buildings. Parking is simple (even with bikes on the roof) and we had a nice walk round. We had a lovely hot chocolate at the tables outside Cafe au Chocolat, bought a birthday present and a new lead for Archie as we could only find a heavy one. We then popped to Waitrose to buy some food for our visitors tomorrow.

St Mary & St Augustine Church, Broad Street, Stamford

All shopped out, we made our way to Rutland Water for another cycle ride. This is a fantastic resource – wish we had something similar locally. Rutland Water, which opened in 1976, is a huge reservoir that is also one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe. It has a 40 km cycle track running round it and is home to a variety of birds – both land and water. It is home to a massive selection of waterfowl – from Pochards to Mergansers, Egrets to Teal, depending on the time of year.

We planned to tackle the short section between Whitwell and Barnsdale. It was bitterly cold and we were glad of our gloves, in particular. We did the return trip and still had a bit more go in us and so we set off in the other direction, towards Empingham, but the short winter days were against and we did not get all the way. It is interesting cycling, with a mixture of surfaces and some good gradients to up your heart rate! I wish we lived nearer as I can see us having a lot of fun there. But it was time to go home to our snuggly little home from home. I simply WILL NOT call it a “wobbly box”, as some of the caravanning fraternity do. Whatever next?!

We were apprehensive about fireworks, as usual but it wasn’t too bad – worse in the early evening than at midnight, in fact. We saw the new year in and then retired.

Sunday – New Year’s Day – and rain. It rained and it rained and it rained. We were expecting luncheon guests in the form of our dear friends Linda and Anna. As mentioned, we had purchased an array of Waitrose products, so there was very little to do but have a leisurely morning, which was lovely. We seem to have dashed about fair bit this Christmas and it was nice to have a bit of a lie-in and read. They were schedule to arrive at 1 pm and were bang on time. We had a lovely lunch, full of stories and laughter and then they had to go on their way again, back to Portchester (from Sheffield where they had spent post Christmas at Anna’s parent’s).

We had planned to cycle another section of Rutland Water but the weather made that out of the question. But I wanted to see Normanton Church – which is the view always used when there is mention of Rutland Water. It was saved when the area was flooded and is now popular as a civil wedding venue, apparently, although it is rather beautiful. So – off in the car we went. By now it was SO cold – although the rain had eased almost to a stop. I was surprised it wasn’t snowing!

I amused myself by feeding some seagulls with left-over bread while Paul took a few pics and then we jumped back in the warm car.

We drove down the Hambleton peninsula and back and by then had pretty much completed a circumnavigation so back to the site, supper and early bed as we had an early start the next day.

Monday – this seems to have been the coldest night so far – although we were up at 7.30 to prep for the c.180 mile journey home. But bonus! All the puddles from the previous day’s rain were frozen and I returned to my childhood as I crunched through them all on the way to the recycling bins. Do grown-ups do this? It also meant that the country lanes were rather treacherous, as can be seen in the shot below.

I am pleased to report that all the Hambleton Bakery produce was excellent (again, wish we were nearer) and that we very much liked the area. I imagine Rutland Water is heaving in the summer and it was good to see it without the throng. Looking forward to our next trip – to the Savernake Forest and Marlborough in February.

December 6, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Brands Hatch for a driving experience 25-27 November

We left at 10 am on Friday morning as Paul had a meeting in Rochester and we needed to get on site and set up and out to his meeting before 2 pm.

Our destination was Thriftwood Holiday Park, near Wrotham (pronounced “rootam”) in Kent. It was a smooth drive and we stopped for a coffee on the way. The M25 was in pretty good fettle and we were soon checked in, set up and on our way to Rochester for Paul’s meeting. The venue was on a trading estate overlooking the Chatham and the River Medway. It was a pleasant but chilly day and Archie and I went for a walk along the river whilst Paul was in his meeting. Brr!

On the journey up I had realised that we still had our summer quilt on board and it was predicted to be chilly overnight. On arrival, I looked for the winter quilt but sadly , “someone” had removed the bag containing the winter quilt from the caravan and not put it back. I’ll leave you to guess which of us it was. So we set off in search of a throw. The search was fruitless. Nothing took my fancy, so we agreed to abandon it. We could always use coats if it got really chilly. We had a quick look round the old docks at Chatham, but it was starting to get dark, so home we went.

Back to the van for a relaxing evening and dinner. Considering how close the site is to major roads, it was a very quiet night. People were on the move pretty early and we get the impression that some of the vans are permanently sited here (Clue – check the size of the gas bottles – most were huge. Too big for the gas locker) so we suspect that the early birds were off to work. Our plan for today was to visit Rochester, where there was a Christmas market at Rochester Castle.

It was a busy day and we were lucky to find a parking space nearby – just by chance some one was leaving as we passed, so we nipped in sharpish! We passed a festive couple of hours walking round the many stalls, our nostrils assailed by the smell of gluhwein, candy floss, hot dogs and so on. We settled for coffee.

Rochester Castle

Christmas Cheer

Rochester Cathedral

We had a quick stroll around the town and decided that we liked it.Interesting shops and cafes. Not too generic and with some really quirky buildings.

As the campsite was a mere half an hour from my brother’s new house in Beckenham, we popped back to the van to get some lunch and then drove through the very pretty countryside to go and help with various odd jobs, including building a new trampoline. It was odd to be so apparently rural and yet still within the Greater London area. And following a tractor down a leafy lane with signs for the Low Emissions Zone.

We spent a lovely afternoon with the kids and had dinner and then came back to the caravan for an early night. Paul had to be at Brands by 0730 for his briefing. Bruce and Evie were scheduled to meet us there, too, as the present had been from them. We showered and went to bed, so that we could just get up the next day, get dressed and go. The plan was to get brekker after Paul’s drive.

The site is just 10 minutes from Brands Hatch and we arrived in good time and Bruce and Evie turned up shortly after. There were minibuses to transport both drivers and spectators to the pits, from where Paul would be starting his drive. One of the first vehicles we saw was a massive UniMog. I WILL own one of these one day!

We waited while Paul was briefed and they had found a crash helmet for him and then he was off. It was pretty crowded on that track. 14 novice drivers hurtling round the hairpin at Druids. It’s a wonder there aren’t more accidents – especially as it was a damp Autumn morning. As the cars – BMW M4s (0-60 in 4.1 seconds and over 400BHP) – are all identical, it was pretty hard to keep track of who was who.

We are pretty sure that these are Paul in action!

All too soon it was over and he was debriefed, given his certificate and then it was time for a well-earned breakfast at the Kentagon (see what they did there?). Lovely fry-up. Yum. Bruce spotted a picture there, that he was pretty sure showed him and Dad in it, back in 1976. Happy days.

Then it was time to say farewell to Bruce and Evie and go our separate ways. Evie had a Go Ape session to go to and we had to pack up the van and go home. I had done most of the packing the previous evening and so we were soon off and back home by 2 pm. Great weekend.

Next time you hear from us it will be after Christmas. We are off to Rutland for the New Year. Whoop!!

December 6, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Oxford Canal with the Smiths 7-9 October

Another day on the Oxford Canal, another stay at Bladon Chains, near Woodstock. This must make it one of our most visited sites, I think?

We had the usual Friday evening crawl up the A34, with plenty of traffic at the usual pinch-points. We had expected our friends Martin & Rachel Smith, who live in North London, to be there before us but we arrived first. We managed to nab a couple of adjacent pitches at this always busy site, got set up and waited for them to arrive. They came over to us for dinner and we had a pleasant evening catching up on what’s been going on in each other’s busy lives. We went to bed at a reasonable hour, though, as we had an early start the next day.

Saturday was fine but overcast and as were were waiting to go we had fun watching a squirrel busily stocking up with acorns for the winter. He was totally oblivious to us and – even though we tried to point him out to Archie – he was totally oblivious to the squirrel. Soon it was time for the off and we all bundled into the car with our picnic, ready for the short trip to Thrupp.

As we were frequent hirers, the handover at the boatyard was swift and we soon had the kettle on for the first of many cuppas. It’s almost uncanny how, on the canal, the drinks are always freshly made just as you come round the corner to see a lock or a swing bridge, so that when you get back your cuppa is cold. Now that’s fine with me as I can come back to a cuppa, quite happily, after several hours have elapsed but does not please others.

We went safely through the first lock and then it was Martin’s turn to have a go at steering and then Rachel’s. Both took to it like – ahem – a duck to water. I attribute that to excellent tuition.

We pottered on until lunch time, with Archie keeping on eye out and making sure we were doing everything properly.

Lunch stop was – as usual – the old quarry just outside Kirtlington. We had already winded (turned) the boat and so after lunch we began the return leg. By this time Martin and Rachel were well into the swing of things. Shaping up to be a good crew!

We saw several kingfishers but never managed to get a good shot. And then it was all too soon, time to hand the boat back. Another lovely day on the canal. The route we took seems very short, but it’s probably a total of 6 hours cruising, at a leisurely pace.

After we had handed over the boat, it was back to the site for a quick snooze and a wash and brush-up before dinner. We were booked at the Boat Inn at Thrupp, where we had a very pleasant meal, with plenty of lively conversation. The fresh air had taken its toll, though, and we soon went back for a quiet night, drifting off to the sound of owls hooting. Lovely.

As luck would have it, Sunday dawned bright and beautiful. Typical! We had a coffee together while Martin and Paul struggled with stowing Martin’s satellite dish, which eventually complied. And then it was time for us to go. The Smiths were staying on for another couple of nights, a luxury denied us “not fully retired” types. But we got home in good time to unpack and relax before the start of another busy week.

I’ll leave you with this picture. Can you see what it is yet?

September 27, 2016Uncategorized

Camp Site Summary Map

Just thought it might be interesting to have a link to a map that I have created (yeah – I know. Too much time on my hands!) that shows every campsite we have visited since we took up caravanning, back in 2008. The different colours and symbols relate to different years. Here is the key:

KEY

2008 Blue pushpin

2009 Turquoise pushpin

2010 Green pushpin

2011 Pink pushpin

2012 Purple pushpin

2013 Yellow pushpin

204 Purple picnic table

2015 Turquoise tree

2016 Yellow moon

And here is the link to the Map

September 20, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Hill Farm – a new site for us – Sept 16-18

We are always looking for good sites within an hour of home and goodness knows why we have never spotted this site before, but it looked like a nice site in a good location (the beautiful Test Valley) so we booked. No particular reason for this weekend – just fancied a get away before the rigours of that annual curse – the Southampton Boat Show – hit home.

We set off around 2.30 and had a pleasant drive to Sherfield English – on the A27 just north-west of Romsey. The site is secure and check-in was swift and friendly. The shop is well-stocked and there is also – among other facilities – an on site cafe, which we may use for Sunday brekker. Good 3G too and also optional wifi (paid but reasonable).

We had booked a premium (or full-serviced pitch) and were soon set up, with the kettle on. And then – disaster struck. NO COFFEE! Miffed. But no problem as we are quite near the Romsey branch of Waitrose and so off we went in search of coffee (and a few other bits and pieces). Traffic was heavy into Romsey, it being rush hour, but we soon reached our destination. My favourite coffee was on offer and we saw (and bought) various other must-have delicacies – including some fresh, green Kentish cobnuts for Paul. Result.

We returned home with our purchases and cooked dinner and then settled down to watch a bit of television (good signal) before having an early night.

It was a quiet night until the early hours of the morning, when the bullocks in the field adjacent to the site started hollering. I wear earplugs and only noticed because I got up to go to the loo. But they were pretty loud! Thank goodness for earplugs.

We got up about 9-ish and started our breakfast. Paul received a text from his boss (at the Boat Show) asking him to call. This struck a chill in my heart! The upshot was that Paul had to go all the way back to Portchester, pick up a bit of kit and take it to the Boat Show, before returning to Hill Farm. That pretty much wrote off the morning, which Archie and I passed reading (me) and snoozing (Arch). I also prepared lunch (Chicken Caesar Wraps) to take with us and we eventually set off on our planned trip to Andover at around 12.30.

We chose a scenic route rather than bashing down an A road, which took us through Stockbridge – a favourite of mine. I thus had to have a very quick stop to look round a cookware shop. Lovely lady, so I felt obliged to buy something. A lemon saver. Perfect!

Eventually, we arrived in Andover and I needed a quick pop to Boots (for some cosmetic essentials) – one shop led to another and I ended up with a new pair of sandals at a bargain sale price. They will do for next year – if not for our forthcoming trip to Sicily (28 days and counting). Very nice chartreuse suede flats. Pleased.

Finally, we made our way to the car park for our intended bike ride around Andover Lakes cycle path. This a lovely and well-used resource, with a great surface for an off-road cycle ride. Perfect for our boy Archie who, at 14, likes nothing better than a good run alongside a bike. He learnt to run by the bike on towpaths as a puppy and it is obvious that he really enjoys it, and it keeps him – and us – fit. We got lost a few times (signposting could be better – it assumes some local knowledge) and, as we were later than planned, we did not do the full 11k ride, but we will be back. We had a great time and so did Arch.

We came home the fast way – with a quick detour to look at the picturesque village of Wherwell, which I remember from my childhood. Time for a quick cuppa and a beepy – although some of our fellow campers (in tents) seemed to think that everybody was going to enjoy their rather loud music. We didn’t! Luckily, they turned off around 6, so we had a rather more quiet evening. We cooked dinner (salmon) and watched a bit of telly and then played cards until bedtime (Cribbage). I must mention that there were quite a few kids here, which is fine as long as they are properly supervised. My beef was 3 lads playing football very near our van. Their ball hit our car once and had to be retrieved from under the van another time. Van are made of aluminium and it doesn’t take much to dent them. I’m surprised their parents weren’t worried about their own van, let alone everyone elses! A bit of an irritant, especially as there is a large field on site, where they could have played to their heart’s’ content and with no risk of damage or irritation.

There was a fair bit of noise from our camper friends, still, at bedtime. Just chatting and laughing, but noise carries so at night. It didn’t really bother me with my ear-plugs in, though, so all good. And I don’t begrudge them a bit of fun. Much……

I’m sounding a bit curmudgeonly, but I really didn’t want to come home on Sunday morning. We had such a nice time and will definitely return – if only to have that breakfast at the cafe! But leave we had to and we were soon packed up and on our way. And we were even back home in time to do a few jobs round the house – lawn-mowing, kitchen-floor-washing and so on. And there was time to cook a roast for all the fam (George & Uncle D) too. A weekend utilised to the max, I feel? Not long until the next one, either, when we are meeting friends for a spot of boating. Hurrah!

September 15, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Setthorns again – with Lenny and Evie Aug 26th to 29th

We chose Setthorns again for the annual caravan weekend with our favourite niece and nephew, Lenny and Evie. There are so many places to visit nearby and it makes a great base, so it was a pretty obvious choice.

Thursday 25th/Friday 26th

We met my brother, Bruce, in Guildford for the handover on Thursday evening. 2 excited kids, a couple of bikes and clothes and entertainment for 4 days and we were away. We arrived back home quite late and there was time for a quick pre-bedtime snack before they bundled into bed. Lenny (6) went out like a light and Evie (10) joined him about half an hour later. They awoke quite late for them – about 7.30 – and we all got up. We planned to get away about lunch-time and take a picnic lunch with us in the car. Unusually – it all went according to plan and we were on our way by 1pm. Predictably, the kids fell upon their sandwiches before we were at the bottom of the road. The “grown-ups” made it as far as the M27 – something of a record!

We had an easy drive through the Forest (it not being rush-hour), singing all the way, as we always do when they are in the car with us. We have made it our mission to teach them Old Time Music Hall songs. They seem to like them? As were were earlier than usual, there was a nice choice of pitches and we chose one in a ring of trees, with plenty of room for bikes and quite a lot of privacy. The kids love helping set up and are very willing helpers. They can always be persuaded to pop to the bin with bags of rubbish, as required, too. Very handy.

It was very hot indeed and after we had set up, we went out in search of a paddling pool and the obligatory (when on holiday) daily ice-cream. We ended up in Lymington and had fun at the quay, watching people crabbing and boats coming and going. That finished off the rest of the afternoon, so we made our way back to the caravan. We had decided to keep a count of the number of New Forest ponies we saw, and the journey passed quickly as we spotted ponies.

I had made a Cottage Pie for dinner and while it was cooking, Paul had a go at coaxing Lenny to ride his bike – without much success, sadly. It is slightly too big for him and I think he has a bit of a phobia about it, which is a such a shame. Better luck next time. The weather was so nice, we decided to eat in our “garden”. Although all you can see in the picture is the aftermath!

Before bed, we played a few games of cards and Evie and I went for a bike ride round the large site. We got lost – but only temporarily. Great fun. Soon it was bedtime again and we decided that we would go to bed at the same time, so they slept on the front beds and we had our lovely fixed bed, as usual. It worked well and we were soon all in the land of Nod.

Saturday 27th

The next morning dawned and we were delighted to see that they had both slept in late again. We had all had a restorative night’s sleep and we were all raring to go. Paul took the kids out with Archie while I restored some semblance of order and prepared breakfast and a packed lunch. Evie went on her bike again but Lenny was very firmly on foot.

We set off to our first destination of the day – Keyhaven, where we planned to catch the ferry to Hurst Castle. We passed the amazing Sway Tower (aka Peterson’s Folly) on the way and stopped to take a photo. It’s currently on the market for £2 million. Sadly not quite enough bedrooms for us…. We arrived at the ferry embarkation point, parked and took our place in the queue. There was only a small queue , though, and we were soon on board for the short but enjoyable trip.

The Castle is a great place to explore and we were soon climbing up and down and around the walls. There was an underground section, which Evie didn’t fancy (nor me actually!) and so I stayed with her while the intrepid boys went off. It was stinky apparently. And dark. Who knew? There are a lot of interesting things to see and – especially “what is believed to be the only surviving World War 2 ENSA theatre created by the troops themselves during wartime” on the site, which has recently been restored. Exhausted (OK – bit of an exaggeration!) by our exertions. we stopped at the cafe to refuel. Then more exploring.

By now, it was lunch time and we caught the ferry back to Keyhaven and then made the short trip to the spit/nature reserve where we were lucky enough to find a space as someone drove away. We went onto the beach and had our picnic there. We played on the beach for a while and then made our way to Beaulieu to see the donkeys and perhaps find an ice cream.

We were not disappointed on either front! We had some very close encounters and spent a quite a while there (at the Hatchet Pond). I’m not sure who was more excited! Me, the kids or Archie – who loves a donkey. There was a foal too and they were all pretty tame and it was a lovely experience for us all. Then we went off the to the village itself for a look round the shops and an ice-cream.

We went back to Setthorns for a cuppa and a relax before dinner. Evie and I went on a bike ride. Got lost again. Found ourselves again. All good. While we were sitting at the bench drinking tea and playing, something magical happened. We were visited by some deer. We were all enthralled to see them so close. We were worried about one who seemed to have a poorly leg, but he looked in reasonable condition. Paul planned to mention him to the warden later.

After our deer encounter, we ventured back to Lymington for a fish and chip supper, which we ate by the river and then went to the kids playground, before rushing back to Setthorns for the guided ramble, which started at 8pm. I dropped Paul and the kids off, with their coats and torch and went back to the van for a shower and a bit of “me” time. I had a whole hour to kill. I went back to pick them up at 9 and they had had a great time although not seen any wildlife.They were full of tales of owl pellets and mouse bones as we put them to bed, good as gold. Also very sleepy. As were we. An action packed and full on day! Roll on tomorrow. We read for a while, and I was returning from the loo, there was a car returning to its pitch and – caught in the headlights on our pitch – was another stag. Stunning. I love it here.

Sunday 28th

A repeat of yesterday morning – except that the weather had taken a turn for the worse. It was a bit grey and pretty blowy. We had planned a trip to the beach today and decided to go ahead regardless. We are British! We piled into the car – with coats today – and drove to Hengistbury Head, where we parked and scuttled aboard the land-train. This takes you on a short trip to the end (pretty much) of Mudeford Spit. There is a lovely beach here and the most adorable set of very covetable beach huts. Caveat emptor however, or you might find yourself with a massive hole in your pocket. They have been know to fetch prices in excess of £200,000, as this article from the Daily Mail notes. I have found one for £250,000 today! They are adorable and owners can stay overnight between March and October. They have no proper toilets, mains water, or electricity by the way. I’d still buy one if I had the money, though, because of their amazing location.

We pottered about on the beach for a bit but the wind was both strong and chilly, so we repaired to the Beach House Cafe for hot chocolates and – in some cases – brownies. 2nd breakfast in true Hobbit style.

We decided that we would drive round to Mudeford Quay on the other side of the spit (at the mouth of Christchurch harbour) and go crabbing. This is a favourite spot of ours anytime – we like to watch the tide racing through the narrow gap. We managed – sheer luck again – to grab a parking space overlooking the beach and sat in the car to eat our lunch, it being a tad too breezy to sit out. And as we ate – a drama unfolded before our very eyes. We saw the RNLI rib go out and eventually return with a sadly disabled yacht. It looked like the boom had broken – possibly as a result of the high wind.

We decided it would not be pleasant to be out crabbing in the inclement weather and instead the kids had a play in the play area. And then we went off in search of the mandatory ice-cream. We ended up at the Old Station Tea Rooms in Holmsley and drove back to van slurping on our ice-creams. We have learnt two new songs on this trip, by the way. My Old Man (which had me regaling them with the concept of doing a moonlight flit) and K-k-k-katy – a song about stammering. Hmmm. The pony count is getting higher – although I am pretty sure that there has been some double-counting!

We stopped on the way back for a run around with Wilson (the football). They enjoyed the Castaway story and happily christened the ball Wilson (although Lenny also like to call it Baby). We had talked about the importance of refraining from feeding wild animals because of the potentially negative effect on them. We told them the story of the bear that had been shot on our campsite in Canada, because it had become a nuisance because people – despite being told not to – persisted in feeding it. They were scathing in their comments about the people we saw who were feeding the wild ponies – they had clearly taken that point on board. Bless them.

We went back to the campsite and Evie and I went on the longest bike ride yet. And yes we got lost. And yes we found our way back – eventually. It’s becoming a habit! We had booked a table at the Rising Sun in Bashley – which had an amazing kids play area and so off we went, spotting ponies as we went. The pub was heaving but we had a very nice meal, a couple of games of cards and then it was home to bed. I think we had worn them out. And ourselves!

Monday 29th

Going home day. The usual morning walks/cycles (no further luck with Lenny who refuses point blank to get on his bike, poor lad) and then it was time to gather together all the myriad bits and pieces that 2 children can position around the caravan. Lenny then amused himself by sweeping the leaves off the picnic table so that it would be nice for the next people. Cute! We had plenty of willing helpers and were all too soon packed up and on our way home.

My brother (Bruce) and his wife Mel had been staying at our house while we were away as they had been visiting the Victorious Music Festival in Portsmouth. They were preparing a lovely lunch for our arrival home – which was a shade later than anticipated, due to the sheer volume of traffic through the Forest. After lunch, it was time to transport the kids’ accoutrements into their parents’ car and wave them off. We had such a lovely time and I’m pretty sure they did too. We will miss them. Until the next time.

September 14, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Setthorns – for a 50th Birthday party 22 – 24 July

The party of the year! Hopefully. And it’s in Brockenhurst/Sway, so what better place to stay? We love Setthorns. We decided to pitch up on Friday evening and get ready in a leisurely manner on Saturday morning. Our friends Linda and Anna are staying the night with us tomorrow night and we will share a taxi to and from the venue. But back to tonight. We had the usual drag though to the Forest and got set up. We had selected a select pitch for the first time – complete with picnic bench. I say! It was actually quite difficult to find one but we eventually did. Very busy here this weekend!

We decided that we wanted to buy a couple of china mugs as we are a bit tired of melamine. I know it’s practical and safer, but after 8 years of caravanning, I find I prefer to drink out of china. SO – off we went to Waitrose in Lymington and bought a pair. Mine has birds on and Paul’s has dogs and they are quite large. Very pleased. We had dinner on our return and then spent a pleasant evening reading and chatting, before retiring early, as we were both snooze-ridden.

Such a lovely quiet night. And Paul got up early to go to the barbers in Lymington and left me snoozing. Lucky me. 🙂 When he got back, he walked tired (lazy?) puppy and then we broke our fast. I pottered around getting ready, while we waited for Linda and Anna to arrive. As luck would have it, they got really snarled up in traffic. We had booked a taxi and had to put them back by half an hour. But they soon arrived and deposited their overnight stuff and off we went.

It was a stunningly gorgeous day. How lucky. The company was great, the food was great, the steel band was great and so was the singer. All in all – it was (you’ve guessed!) GREAT!! Thanks to Kate and Paul for a lovely day at their Joint 50th Birthday. It had started at 1 pm (although we were a bit late) and we did not realise it was scheduled to last all evening as well. But it had been a long day and we left mid-evening as we were all tired. The taxi took us back to the entrance and we picked up the car (which we had left at the entrance) and drove back to the pitch. We had coffees and got settled down for the night.

Another peaceful one and a hearty brekker to follow. The girls had to be off early, but we had a quiet morning before we set off for home. Another really lovely weekend. Here are a few pics from the party. Did I mention it was great?

August 30, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Days 14 – 16 – the last leg and home

Day 14 – travelling and exploring

Moving on again today – back to Buysscheure. Another longish drive, passing through the Champagne region and near more WW1 related places, like Arras, Lens and Bethune, but when we arrived at the Camping la Chaumiere it was a lovely feeling. Very familiar and welcoming. We set up quickly and had a quick beepy. So lovely and quiet here. Today is Bastille Day. We wondered whether it might be another night of trials (fireworks) for poor Arch. We decided to go out for an evening bike ride along the canal at nearby St Momelin, where we had earlier clocked a handy car park. We arrived and then Paul realised he had left the key for getting the bikes off the roof back at the van. Oops! So we retraced our steps and then back to St Momelin. It was a lovely ride and Archie enjoyed himself very much. As did we.

Rear view - L'Aa canal — Rear view – L’Aa canal

Late evening - L'Aa — Late evening – L’Aa

Teasel detail (ou "cardere "en Francais) — Teasel detail (ou “cardere “en Francais)

We took the scenic route home and visited the old fort and windmill at Watten. Where there were donkeys!! Including a particularly spiteful one that kept biting the neck of its field-mate. Bully! The fort is on a big hill (the Mont de Watten) which looks out over Flanders and which has been the site of fortifications since Roman times. The windmill there (Moulin de la Montagne) was originally built in 1731 and was used until the mid 1930s. In WW2, the Germans removed the roof and machinery and used it as a look-out. Thankfully, it was bought by the community and fully restored in the early 1990s and it can now grind flour again. It is a lovely spot and well worth a visit and we lingered there as the daylight ebbed away.

Day 15 – a visit to the Vet and exploring

It had been a quiet night, thankfully, so poor Arch was not troubled. Although later today, he may be. Today is the day that he has to visit the vet to certify that he is fit to travel home tomorrow and take a tapeworm tablet, administered by the vet. But first – we had awoken to shocking news that there had been a terrorist act yesterday evening in Nice, with loss of 84 lives. On Bastille Day! Poor France. Feel very sorry for the French today.

We set off for St Omer to buy provisions for lunch and to visit the Vet. The practice is known as “Clinique Veternaire du Haut Pont” and they are well-versed in the procedure and speak very good English. Passport stamped, tablet ingested and good to go. And of course, Archie behaved impeccably for Monsieur Dandrifosse (great name!!) the vet. The price was approx 38 Euros.

We first visited the Marshy area (Le Marais Audomarois) and exclaimed at its loveliness. There is a museum dedicated to the Marsh in St Omer, from whence you can take a ride on the traditional flat-bottomed boat, known as a “Bacôve”. Maybe next time?

Clairmarais is a pretty little town in the marais and we noticed the flags flying at half mast out of respect for the dead in Nice. They had been flying so jauntily in celebration of Bastille Day yesterday. It was very sad to see.

Clairmarias - flags half-mast — Clairmarias – flags half-mast

I have grabbed a screenshot from Google maps so that you can see the extent of the Marais (or part of it anyway). It’s fascinating – see below.

The Marais - Clairmarais — The Marais – Clairmarais

There are some interesting ruins of an old Abbey in Clairmarais and we found the war memorial particularly poignant on this sad day.

War memorial - Clairmarais — There is also a Grotte in the forest near Clairmarais, where pilgrims visit. It is suposed to be a replica of the the one at Lourdes and its special day is 15th August, when it gets 2-3,000 visitors and there is a torchlight procession. We spotted it by chance and had to stop and look. Opposite there is a sadly dilapidated ruined church dedicated to St Bernard.

After our picnic lunch, we decided to visit a nearby WW1 cemetery just outside St Omer and had a hell of a game finding it. It is called Longuenesse and we were just about to give up when we finally found it. We were so glad that we persevered and we spent a while wandering round and reflecting again on the senselessness of the conflict.

It was beautifully kept and seemed a fitting tribute the many men whose final resting place it is.

It was now late afternoon and we had had to go back to do our final bits of packing before our journey back home tomorrow. We had booked to dine at the estaminet on site. We thought it would be interesting to see whether the food was as good as when Bernadette was the chef. Fortunately, it was and we retired full of delicious food and ready for the off in the morning.

Day 16 – Homeward bound 🙁

We had a late morning crossing but left pretty early, as we had to get Archie checked in. It is a great set-up there at the tunnel and the animal check-in was functioning well with little or no queuing. We hit a snag at the car check-in point as a couple on a motor-bike were having a blazing row. It was obvious that someone (him) had forgotten/mislaid something vital and she was pretty annoyed with him. The air was positively crackling around them! We sat there for maybe a quarter of an hour – perhaps longer – until one of their friends – who was waiting patiently on the other side – offered to help us reverse out and into another queue. We accepted his help and were soon through and on the train. Homeward bound. Homecoming was made slightly more bearable by the prospect of a party that very evening. Hogfest! We were tired but were glad we went as we had a great time. Thanks Nick and Sarah. It was the perfect end to a perfect holiday.

You may be interested to know that the cost of the repairs to the van from the 1st day of holiday, we now know to be £6,000!

August 12, 2016February 17, 2020Uncategorized

Days 10 to 13 – moving on and exploring near Annecy and then Troyes

Day 10 – travelling 9th July

Very sad to leave this amazing site and our beautiful pitch but let’s see what our next site brings. Our route took us through Bern, Neuchatel, Lausanne and Geneva and we arrived back in France at around midday. We are in the Haut Savoie region, the capital of which is Annecy, which is just where we are bound. It is a lovely sunny day and people are making for the lake – as are we. The traffic through Annecy is the worst we have encountered so far, but we finally arrived at our pitch at the amazing Camping du LacBleu at about 2 pm. And what a pitch! I can hardly believe our luck! I chose this pitch, from a plan of the site, back in January and it could not have been more perfect – right on the lake shore again, with beautiful views, again. SO happy!

We set up and put up the sun shade, thus marking out our territory. Not that it made a lot of difference! Clearly our pitch is a shortcut to the boat hire place next door and we had a steady stream of people through the pitch! One family even came and lay down and sunbathed at the front of our pitch for a couple of hours! People eventually got the message, though and no harm done really – it’s just the principle!

We had a little rest and then popped out about 4 pm to get some provisions. . It was hot and I MAY have bought rather too much. It was fun doing that “I’ll get this in to the fridge or bust” thing. I am an expert at it from our narrow-boating days.What I can’t fit in will have to be eaten!

So – we are fully provisioned but nonetheless we decided to eat at the onsite restaurant! Glad we did. It was delicious and no washing up! Dog friendly too. The food was good so we will definitely be back.

It was a beautiful evening and it was so pretty to see the lights of the restaurant further along the shore reflected in the water before we retired.

Day 11 – resting 10th July

It was a lovely sunny day and we always like to relax after a day of travelling and so we blew the boat up and went for a little pootle on the lake. Followed by a swim. This lake is warmer than the one in Switzerland and it was a delightful experience. This place, much like the last, is very popular with parascenders and the skies are often full of what looks like an array of coloured eyebrows. Paul quite fancies having a go – they do tandem jumps locally. We shall make enquiries! I am probably not built for it, although if I were I might give it ago. It doesn’t frighten me.

There is a lot of watersport activity at the base next door. Stand up paddle boarding seems to be very popular and it’s quite entertaining watching newbies getting to grips with it. Some take to it like a duck to water – others not so much!

The day passed with more swimming and boating. An English couple arrived on the pitch behind us. They were very nice but were obviously a little bit miffed. They were quick to tell us that we were in their usual pitch. Oops! Never mind. Better luck next year. Thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow. Probably because it has been so hot. The wind had got up and the management came round to everyone to suggest that we might want to batten down the hatches. We therefore put the sun canopy away. This might be interesting!

Day 12 – stormy weather 12th July

Well! Interesting? That’s one adjective, I guess! It was pretty intense. we both love a good storm but poor Archie is not so keen. In fact he was terrified. We lost him at one point in the night and found him cowering in the shower cubicle. A little later, after one particularly LOUD crack. He launched himself onto the bed and ended up between our heads, panting and quivering, poor boy. He does not have the sweetest of breath and it was a very disturbed night, all in all.

We had planned to drive to Annecy itself and explore on our bikes, but that was not to be. It rained – quite a lot. One area was a bit flooded (only mildly) and they were soon at work, digging a temporary channel into the lake. It worked well. The rain meant that our plans were a bit scuppered, so we took the opportunity to read and catch up on some missed sleep! Towards the late afternoon, it cleared up and we set off for a drive into the mountains between Doussard (which is where the campsite is) and Albertville – base for the 1992 Winter Olympics. This is the area known as the Parc Naturel Régional du Massif des Bauges. The sun had come out in force by then and we had a lovely afternoon and saw many birds of prey.

We got home and deflated the boat prior to our departure tomorrow for Troyes, spruced ourselves up and then went out for dinner. We had noticed a restaurant nearby called the Spinnaker. Well – it had to be done! And what a lovely meal . I had snails followed by steak frites. Perfect.

We returned home, full, to do some packing ready for an early start tomorrow. This is a lovely area, and as we still have plenty to explore I would not mind a return visit. Unusual for me.

Day 13 – moving on again

This will be a particularity painful departure as it is, really, the the start of our journey back to Calais and home. We set off on the dot of 9 – not early, but early enough. We have a roughly 300 mile journey to our overnight stop near Troyes. We have become accustomed to breakfasting on the move and today was no exception. We had ordered some pain au chocolate and a baguette for lunch and we enjoyed the pain au chocolate with a travel mug of coffee.

Our journey took us through some beautiful countryside and one of the most interesting place we saw was at the Lac de Sylans, near Nantua. We saw a ruined building and wondered what on earth it was. Research told us that it was the remains of a huge Victorian (French equivalent) ice-harvesting factory. I’d never heard of such a thing. The story is that a local cafe-owner had been harvesting the ice each winter as it was very pure and could be served safely in his cafe. He built a couple of ice houses and eventually sold it all off to the Société des Glacières de Paris! Soon, rail arrived in the area and 20 to 30 wagons loaded with 10 tonnes each departed every day of the summer for Paris and other large towns. These loads were covered with a jute mat, straw and a tarpaulin for insulation. Losses were reasonable, as for 10 tonnes shipped, about 8 arrived in Paris. Fascinating! Sadly it didn’t last too long as machines that could produce ice were invented early in the 20th century.

We took our time, stopping regularly for pit-stops/comfort breaks, but eventually arrived at the campsite – Camping Les Terres Rouges on the outskirts of Troyes. I regret to say that our photographer seems to have taken some time out and I have the only picture of this site! It’s located in an old gravel-pit and is also a water-park. It was very quiet (until the evening – see below) and also quite basic but as it was only overnight we didn’t mind and we’d certainly not hesitate to use it again.

Les Terres Rouges - the waterpark — Les Terres Rouges – the waterpark

Once set up, we decided to pop out for a quick scoot round Troyes, as it was reputed to be an attractive town. Interestingly Troyes is twinned with Chesterfield and is the place where troy wieghts (for weighing gold) were invented. We are in the Champagne region now, by the way. Well, Troyes certainly lived up to it’s reputation. The town centre has many fine 16th century half-timbered houses. Much of the town was destroyed by fire in 1524 and had to be rebuilt. We thought it was beautiful. One snag though – as it was the eve of Bastille Day, there was a big military display and access to the town centre was severely hampered by this. We managed to get a good flavour of it, though. Worth another look we feel.