Norfolk 18 - 23 Oct 22

 

We've been to Kelling Heath twice before in both of the old vans, so it was time for this van to experience the site. Accordingly, we packed up for a short stay and drove the short, but slow, route to Kelling Heath where we pitched up miles from anybody. After a walk around this massive park to reacquaint ourselves with it, we relaxed for the evening, admiring the stunning stars over this dark skies site.

Retracing the route we followed on our previous visit, we walked into Sheringham through the National Trust property at Sheringham Park and past the North Norfolk Steam Railway. The cows in Sheringham Park are fearless. As we walked along the road a big black one decided to stand across the road, forcing us to dodge the cow pats in the grass. Lo and behold if the bugger didn't decide to do exactly the same thing on the way back! Sheringham was packed. We stopped for a very average lunch in the Two Lifeboats (it used to be a good pub - won't be going back any time soon for what was, basically, an overpriced school dinner), bought some Cromer crab, some delicious fresh bread and headed back for crab sandwiches.

Awkward cow

On Thursday we had a bit of personal admin to do in the morning, and, as we had walked 11 miles the previous day, we had a bit of a relaxing day just wandering around and chilling.

The on-site cycle shop advertised a series of cycle routes around the area so on Friday we decided to follow one of these to Cromer, stopping for a lovely cup of tea at Weybourne Station. Whoever did the pathfinding on this route deserves a well-placed kick because it was semi-impossible, with narrow footpaths just wider than the handlebars that had barbed wire and brambles on each side. It was a ridiculous route, but eventually we reached Cromer and had a nice pint in the excellent Wellington pub, followed by very expensive fish and chips by the sea, dodging a sudden downpour. We certainly didn't follow the stupid route back!

On Saturday we walked the 3 miles or so into Holt, which is a lovely little Georgian town. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch in the Folly Tea Room and a rather nice ice cream before heading home after exploring Holt Railway station. Being the Saturday before half term the site had filled up considerably. What is very annoying was that some stupid turnip decided that we would all enjoy seeing his LED lit pole outside his motorhome. A lovely dark sky site and somebody has to ruin it by recreating Piccadilly Circus outside his van. Prat.

Liquorice and Blackcurrant - hmmm

Sun 23 - Rain forecast at 10 am, busy site, half term, time to go home. It heaved it down all the way back. 

In all we enjoyed our visit and will certainly go back - but not when it is busy.

Yorkshire 20 Sep to 7 Oct 22

Yet another trip that didn't go quite to plan. The idea was to whizz up to Yorkshire, get the van carpets replaced, visit our lovely friends in Brighouse and then shoot back, collect the Toad and bikes, and head for this year's grape harvest. Phase one worked beautifully, but nature had conspired against us. We set aside 6 weeks or so to cover harvest time. We thought we were safe booking the carpet fitting on Wed 21 Sep, but we had the call from the vineyard to say that the grapes were ready. We agreed to miss the first couple of days and be back on the vineyard on Monday 26th Sep, but apparently the yield was very low and they had managed to almost complete the picking in a week! It was therefore pointless heading back for 1 or 2 days picking so, with some regrets, we had to forego picking this year and make alternate plans.

On Tuesday 20 Sep we set off for the Motorhome and Cackyvan Site in Mytholmroyd (not Hebden Bridge, as the C&MC call it). We thought that this time we would have plenty of time to pack, but once again it was a bit of a panic as we were watching the Queen's funeral all day on the Monday.  We stopped off for a quick visit to the outlet mall at Pontefract before negotiating the steep hills around Sowerby Bridge and finally parking up and settling down for the night.

Wednesday was carpet fitting day. We didn't really need new carpets, but the ones provided by carpets for caravans (www.carpetsforcaravans.com) are of a significantly better fit (there are no gaps) and the quality is significantly better. As we use the van over winter, decent carpets are essential. The fitter arrived at about 1pm and, after a few hours work, our van looks lush! I do, however, now have to suffer the "mind the crumbs, use a plate, don't spill that, wipe your feet" constant nagging.

Thu 22 Sep and a well-deserved day off, so we wandered into Hebden Bridge for a mooch around and a spot of lunch. We sat for a pint and people-watched some of the weirdos that frequent this place.  The forecast suggested heavy rain was due later in the day, so we decided to walk the bulk of the journey and eat in Mytholmroyd. We got to the pub only to be told that there was no food until 4pm. A real fire, cosy leather armchairs and a couple of decent pints made the wait tolerable as we watched the rain pour down outside. Eventually we left and climbed the hill back to the van.

On Friday we travelled the short distance to Hipperholme, via Morrisons in Halifax to fill up with gas and diesel, and parked up in the small campsite outside the Halifax Steam Brewery. Once settled, we had a call to join Sarah, George Jane and Emily for Tea and Cake in their garden and a very pleasant afternoon was spent nattering and keeping Emily entertained. This little site is so handy as it is very close to our friends and has a splendid pub right next door. Shame it is now right in the middle of a housing estate construction site.

On Sat 24 Jane and Tavis very kindly picked us up and took us into Halifax to visit the Halifax Industrial Museum. This is well worth a visit, with very interesting displays and exhibits and excellent volunteers telling you all about it. I'd like to go back - it were reet grand! After a splendid pint in the very quirky pub, the Grayston Unity, we all met up at Jane's House for delicious fish and chips - with mushy peas! How very Northern.

The following day Jane and Tavis took us out once again on another excursion, this time to the Masham Sheep Fair. It was a really good day out, topped off by a pint in the Black Sheep Brewery, a curry in the Thaal Indian Restaurant in Brighouse (boy was it hot - only 1 chilli he said. He lied!) and then a few pints to finish off a great day in the Cock o' the North - and a 20' stagger home to bed.

On Monday 26th we sadly said goodbye to our dear friends and headed across to the Leeds DA Temporary Holiday Site in Bishopthorpe, just outside York. We parked up and it started to rain, so we had a relaxing afternoon and evening in the van.

Tue 27 - Walked a long, long way into York where we recovered with a Tea and Fat Rascal in Betty's. We then explored the wonderful street market before heading into the Jorvik centre, a place we haven't been for many, many years. Back out into York and a nice pint in the Shambles pub before hiking back to bus, arriving absolutely exhausted.

Knew it was a long walk!

York Racecourse

The old Terry's chocolate works, now housing

Wed 28 - Up early for another long hike into York by a different route to visit the National Railway Museum. After lunch in a pub, we completed a circuit of the City Walls before deciding that we had walked so far that we had earned a bus ride back to the site.

The next day we packed up and moved the short distance to the South Yorkshire DA Temporary Holiday site in Whitby, stopping off at the excellent York designer outlet en-route. We wandered into Whitby and had dinner in the Quayside restaurant before returning up the hill to home.

 

On Fri 30 the weather was appalling. Gale force 9 winds buffeted us all and the rain lashed it down. It was a day for sitting inside and trying not to get seasick.

Sat 1 Oct was a much better day, with bright warm sunshine (well, warm for Yorkshire anyway). Martin and Dave paid us a visit and we enjoyed a delicious lunch in the famous Magpie Cafe, a wander around Whitby and a pint in the grottiest pub we could find.

The Chuckle Brothers

Remarkably, Sun 2 Oct was also a bright, sunny day and so it was that we climbed the 199 steps, wandered around the Abbey and enjoyed a great couple of pints in the excellent Whitby Brewery

On Mon 3 Sep we had a last wander around Whitby and a very relaxing lunch in the Magpie.

On Tuesday we packed up and travelled the short distance to the Leeds DA Temporary Holiday Site which was just outside Bridlington. After the steep hills of Whitby, it was nice to walk on the flat for a while and we enjoyed our stroll in, noting that the houses on the Fraisthorpe side are jolly nice whereas the other end of town, with the ghastly amusement arcades, is a bit run down. 

On Wed 5 we decided to walk along the beach in the other direction to see where Leeds DA hold their summer THS in Fraisthorpe, stopping for a delicious lunch in the Cow Shed Cafe.

We were meant to head off on Thursday, but we were relaxing so much we decided to stop for another night and do the 153-mile journey home in 1 hit on the Friday. We wandered around the Harbour and Bridlington Museum, before heading off to Bridlington Old Town, where we had a scrummy lunch in the New Georgian Rooms Antiques centre and tea rooms. On the way back we picked up a fresh crab and an artisan loaf for "us tea". The crab was delicious - not quite as good as Cromer Crab, but pretty darn good all the same.

Boxes and boxes of fish heads to bait the lobster and crab pots

On Friday 7 we set for home with just a very short stop in an awful Morrisons in Doncaster to fill up with LPG and diesel.