York 21-26 Aug 26

Dare to be different!

After a rather tortuous journey across the Lincolnshire Wolds, we arrived at the Yorkshire DA Temporary Holiday Site (THS) at Osbaldwick, near York. This is a small field next to the Derwent Arms  pub and we were soon settled in, quite tightly, with quite a few other campervans, motorhomes, caravans and tents. We wandered into the pub to book a Sunday dinner, then followed the greenway path into York for a mooch about and a lovely Italian meal in Pranzo Italian in Church Street. The weather "oop north" was certainly much cooler and we needed another layer of clothing.  Another thing to note was that the grass up here was green rather than the light tan desert we were used to in Cambridgeshire this summer. 

The Shambles

Oop North = foamy beer

On Saturday we woke up after a rather chilly night. The windows of the van were steamed up and we needed an extra blanket, which was a shock as we have been sleeping with just a sheet as cover for what seems like months now. After breakfast we walked along the greenway to York, had a wander around, laughing at the people dressed up for the races (apparently it was Gypsy Day), went to Bettys to buy some overpriced fat rascals then on to the Royal Oak at Goodramgate for a lovely meal in a great pub. Highly recommend this one! From there, in bright sunshine, we walked a bit of the city walls, had a look at the tat in shambles market, reprovisioned in M&S and caught the No6 bus back. However....the road was closed due to water main work so the bus was diverted. The driver told us we would go to the university then he would take us back to Osbaldwick Village. He actually diverted the bus again and took us back all the way to the pub. What a lovely driver.

Pub next to the site

River Ouse - not flooded for once

City Walls

York Minster

Guy Fawkes Birthplace

Sunday morning was bright and sunny, albeit the previous night was bloody cold again (8 degrees). We did a bit of admin then headed to the Derwent Arms for a delicious Sunday Roast. All the Campervans on this Temporary Holiday Site were carefully lined up in the centre of the field. Of course, being different (and having the door on the opposite side) we faced the opposite way to everybody else. Similarly, all campervans used to be white with grey ones a rarity. Most of the vans here were grey. Lastly, the van next to us carried a lovely couple who were parked up at the THS at Woodhall Spa. Another grey van pulled up next to us carrying a couple who actually live half a mile from us in Cambridgeshire. Who'd have thought eh? Anyway, somebody had the bright idea of catching the bus from York to Whitby the following day so we thought we would recce the mile walk to the bus stop. This we did, and walked off the massive roast dinner with a brisk, timed, walk through the pleasant housing estate.

Sunday Roast - Yorkshire Puddings in Yorkshire!

Next door here and near enough next door at home!

Monday we were up very early to catch the 840 Coastliner bus. They run these buses 4 times a day from Leeds to Whitby throughout the summer and it advertises itself at the most scenic bus ride in the UK. We got to the bus stop in good time and the bus was packed. The journey to Pickering was fairly mundane, but from there to Whitby the bus crosses the picturesque North York Moors, stopping in Goathland en route. After a 2.5 hour trip covering 50 miles we eventually arrived in Whitby, where she leapt off the bus and straight into a shoe shop to buy another pair of Birkenstocks. From there we crossed the River to TOG24 where she could buy a fleece, then climbed the 199 steps to the brewery, one of our favourite pubs. We sat outside in the warm sunshine enjoying a  couple of pints of their delicious beer before heading back to the Magpie Café for fish and chips and then joining the long queue for the bus back. Whitby was very busy with both humans and thousands of poxy dogs. It made traversing the town quite frustrating. Back on the bus for the long journey home, made longer by heavy traffic as we got near York. We were pleased to get off and stretch our legs. An adventure, but we don't think we would do it again.

North York Moors

Goathland  (Aidensfield in Heartbeat)

Goathland station (also Hogsmeade station in Harry Potter)

Whitby

Up the 199 steps to the brewery

Whitby Abbey

Magpie Fish and Chips - yum!

Tuesday was meant to be a relaxing day. we had a bit of a lie in then walked into York to reprovision, Again, it was very busy. I bought a new hat in the wonderful hat shop, we had an ice cream, bought a few bits in the shop that sells everything, got some groceries and walked back. We couldn't be bothered to cook so we went to the excellent Derwent Arms for dinner and an early night.

Yorkshire Museum

St Mary's Abbey

Wednesday was up and home, completing the journey from York to home in the same time as it took to go on the bus from Whitby to York.

In all a great trip out making the most of Temporary Holiday Sites.

Woodhall Spa 18-20 Aug 26

Millie no mates - again

The loo securing pin is still not locking properly into place, despite being "fixed" a few weeks after we got the van.  A very minor issue but we thought we may as well get it looked at so we combined a pop into Camper UK with a bit of a trip. We set out early on Tuesday and made the journey in very quick time, finding there was little traffic around the Lincoln ring road, which is usually rammed.  Camper UK is on a bit of a holiday, so that too was quiet, so we dropped the van off, wandered into Tesco's for a breakfast (and a couple of bargain mega Toblerones), had time for a quick wander and the van was fixed. From there it was a short hop to the East Yorkshire DA temporary holiday site at Woodhall Spa Football club, where we quickly set up and had a wander into town, including a pint in the glorious Petworth Hotel, which was the officers' mess of the 617 (Dambusters) Sqn of the RAF during WW2. 

Squadron Bar in the Petworth Hotel

Petworth Hotel

Original prototype bouncing bomb

Kinema in the Woods

Dambusters Memorial

The foyer of the Kinema in the Woods

On Wednesday we caught the bus into Tattershall for a wander around the delightful National Trust Tattershall castle. We were going to pop into the BBMF, but as the Lancaster was away for a major service there seemed little point. Back to Woodhall Spa with a maniac bus driver, necessitating a calming pint in the Inn at Woodhall Spa. This brought back memories as this was he pub we sat in for our first meal after being released from covid on St George's day in 2021. 

The flightline at RAF Coningsby, taken from the top of Tattershall Castle

Mural in Woodhall Spa

On Thursday it rained on and off all the day, The heatwave was officially over and normal summer service resumed. We sat in the van all day and chilled.

On Friday it was up, topped up with water, and then set out for the two hour journey north across the Lincolnshire Wolds and the Humber Bridge to the Temporary Holiday site at the Derwent Arms Pub in Osbaldwick near York. 

Humber Bridge