Great to see Martin and his boat again, but a bit sad to be starting the goodbyes to a van that has given us so much pleasure over the last 3.5 years.
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
Ferry Meadows 24-26 Apr 15
The aim of this weekend was to have our last two nights away in the van before it was traded-in, and to meet up with Martin in his narrowboat in Ferry Meadows. Basically we arrived, bought greasy fish and chips from the van on site and had a very pleasant evening on board the boat catching up. On Saturday we watched the park run, wandered around the meadows, had dinner in the local Beefeater, then enjoyed a good last night's sleep in this van, packed up and went home to start the big clean up before handover.
Great to see Martin and his boat again, but a bit sad to be starting the goodbyes to a van that has given us so much pleasure over the last 3.5 years.
Great to see Martin and his boat again, but a bit sad to be starting the goodbyes to a van that has given us so much pleasure over the last 3.5 years.
National Motorhome Show Peterborough 23-27 Apr 15
A long stint up at the East of England showground and the forecast looked fairly good, so little risk of the quagmire and being towed off of 3 years ago. We parked up with the Motorhome Fun crowd and took the opportunity to wander around the displays before the event got really crowded. Once again, nothing really caught our eye apart from one van which we had been keeping an eye on for a while as it ticked quite a few boxes on our wish list (a van that ticks all the boxes doesn't exist - unless you have over £100k to spend!). Anyway, chats were had, haggling was done and it looks like a new van is on the horizon.
The rest of the weekend was spent socialising and watching dodgy tribute acts in the arena (we certainly were not paying anybody to go and watch Jim Davidson).
As for the show, its getting smaller by the year and making it less viable to attend purely to visit motorhome related retailers. Chatting to some it appears that the costs involved just do not make it worthwhile. The other irritation is the amount of bloody dogs that are there. Dogs in bags, dogs in pushchairs, dogs on 10' leads tripping everybody up, dogs constantly yapping. I like dogs but that was ridiculous.
In all, I'd go again for the social, but it is a shame that the show itself appears to be going downhill.
Crystal Palace 9-12 Apr 15
Here we are again, but nice to see some decent weather and it gave me a chance to check the bus over thoroughly, air the awning, clean out all the lockers and check and refit all the heating ducts as the front one was starting to come out of its housing.
Being the last home game of the season on a Saturday, this will probably be the last visit to Crystal Palace for a while. Will we miss it? Nah!
Being the last home game of the season on a Saturday, this will probably be the last visit to Crystal Palace for a while. Will we miss it? Nah!
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Bristol 19-22 Mar 15
Yay - not Crystal Palace and nowhere near "Sarf Larndarn"! The Baltic Wharf Caravan Club site in Bristol is under threat of closure and, in any case, is almost impossible to book. The stay of execution on closure has been extended and we were lucky enough to get a weekend booked, primarily to visit my niece, Katie.
The long drive down on Thursday brought back memories of doing this awful trip on a regular basis and highlighted the wise decision of banging out of work rather than relocating to the West Country. We arrived at the excellently located site in good time, quickly pitched up and walked into Brizzle for a mooch around, a beer on the grain barge and then climbing the hill to Clifton to meet up with Katie for dinner at Grillstock, an American type grill with one long wooden table and a great atmosphere.
On Friday we climbed the hill again (big hills in Brizzle!) to wander around Clifton and the suspension bridge and then headed back to the van for lunch and the intention of going around the SS Great Britain, which is berthed about 300m from the site. However - the sun was warm, the chairs comfortable, the lunch filling and it had been a tiring morning...... Later we managed to rouse ourselves, had a cider in the Apple (very nice),climbed the hill (again) to meet Katie and back again to Aqua Italia for a fantastic Italian meal. Katie certainly knows where to go in Bristol!
Saturday was the last day of the 6 nations so, funnily enough, we climbed the hill and set ourselves up in the Brass Pig for an afternoon of Rugby. A very exciting end to the tournament - shame that our brave boys in white didn't win it, but I think that we are saving ourselves for the world cup.
On Sunday we headed back home via a big garden centre (Webbs of Wychbold), where we loaded the van with olive trees and various other plants and eventually arrived home.
In all, a great weekend in a perfectly located campsite. Shame it is closing.
The long drive down on Thursday brought back memories of doing this awful trip on a regular basis and highlighted the wise decision of banging out of work rather than relocating to the West Country. We arrived at the excellently located site in good time, quickly pitched up and walked into Brizzle for a mooch around, a beer on the grain barge and then climbing the hill to Clifton to meet up with Katie for dinner at Grillstock, an American type grill with one long wooden table and a great atmosphere.
On Friday we climbed the hill again (big hills in Brizzle!) to wander around Clifton and the suspension bridge and then headed back to the van for lunch and the intention of going around the SS Great Britain, which is berthed about 300m from the site. However - the sun was warm, the chairs comfortable, the lunch filling and it had been a tiring morning...... Later we managed to rouse ourselves, had a cider in the Apple (very nice),climbed the hill (again) to meet Katie and back again to Aqua Italia for a fantastic Italian meal. Katie certainly knows where to go in Bristol!
Saturday was the last day of the 6 nations so, funnily enough, we climbed the hill and set ourselves up in the Brass Pig for an afternoon of Rugby. A very exciting end to the tournament - shame that our brave boys in white didn't win it, but I think that we are saving ourselves for the world cup.
On Sunday we headed back home via a big garden centre (Webbs of Wychbold), where we loaded the van with olive trees and various other plants and eventually arrived home.
In all, a great weekend in a perfectly located campsite. Shame it is closing.
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| The Grain Barge |
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| Watching rugby in style |
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| The Apple (Cider Barge). They wont serve a pint of Old Bristolian |
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| Katie's delicious Simnel Cake - yum! |
Monday, 6 April 2015
Crystal Palace 5-9 Mar 15
Oh - look where we are. Crystal Palace again. It must be the Mother's Day weekend, so off to Bromley, Chiswick, Rugby, Bromley again and then, for a change, we left on Monday morning dropping her ladyship off at work in Canary Wharf on the way. Big mistake - the traffic through the Blackwall Tunnel was horrendous. So pleased I don't live in London any more.
Crystal Palace 19-24 Feb 15
The water pump in the bus started playing up and, looking at it, it seemed a straightforward repair job so en-route to Crystal Palace (well, a bit of a detour really) it was a quick stop at Kent Motorhome Centre on Bluebell Hill (about 3 miles from where we used to live) and a new pump purchased and fitted on the Thursday afternoon. On checking the water inlet filter I found it pretty badly clogged. I suspect that these are not checked on the annual Habitation check - not impressed!
On Friday it was off to Bromley to visit the poorly mother in law, Saturday watching Quins lose to Exeter, and on Sunday back to Bromley again. We were so knackered after all the visiting that we decided to stay another night and on Monday I had a day of admin, a walk through Crystal Palace Park, a bit of shopping in Penge (nice - not!), met Debs and then a relaxing meal and "we" time in the van on Monday evening.
Getting a bit bored with Crystal Palace now, but it is an ideal spot for pitching up, going to Rugby and visiting relations.
On Friday it was off to Bromley to visit the poorly mother in law, Saturday watching Quins lose to Exeter, and on Sunday back to Bromley again. We were so knackered after all the visiting that we decided to stay another night and on Monday I had a day of admin, a walk through Crystal Palace Park, a bit of shopping in Penge (nice - not!), met Debs and then a relaxing meal and "we" time in the van on Monday evening.
Getting a bit bored with Crystal Palace now, but it is an ideal spot for pitching up, going to Rugby and visiting relations.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
Crystal Palace 8-11 Jan 15
Back yet again to Crystal Palace to visit both mothers and watch Harlequins play Leicester Tigers.
On Friday I went up to South Kensington to sign the book of condolence for the Charlie Hebdo victims at the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni, then had a bimble around the Natural History Museum before returning to Bromley to visit the mother in law. Saturday featured, somewhat unusually, booze and rugby.
On Friday I went up to South Kensington to sign the book of condolence for the Charlie Hebdo victims at the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni, then had a bimble around the Natural History Museum before returning to Bromley to visit the mother in law. Saturday featured, somewhat unusually, booze and rugby.
Natural History Museum
Crystal Palace 18-22 Dec 14
Crystal Palace once again for the shortest day of the year.
Friday was a bright, clear day so I had a long walk through London and met up with Debs at Trafalgar Square as we had tickets for the Rembrandt exhibition. We then wandered around the National, decided that the sunflowers would look very nice in our downstairs loo and had an excellent Christmas Dinner in the café of St Martin's in the Fields. This must be one of the best kept secrets of central London and I would certainly recommend it!
Saturday we travelled to Twickenham to watch Harlequins beat Newcastle and on Sunday visited the Mother/Mother in Law in Bromley. Monday I drove back via Chiswick.
Friday was a bright, clear day so I had a long walk through London and met up with Debs at Trafalgar Square as we had tickets for the Rembrandt exhibition. We then wandered around the National, decided that the sunflowers would look very nice in our downstairs loo and had an excellent Christmas Dinner in the café of St Martin's in the Fields. This must be one of the best kept secrets of central London and I would certainly recommend it!
Saturday we travelled to Twickenham to watch Harlequins beat Newcastle and on Sunday visited the Mother/Mother in Law in Bromley. Monday I drove back via Chiswick.
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| St Martins in the Fields |
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| The bus parked up in Chiswick |
Thursday, 2 April 2015
Moreton-in-Marsh 27-30 Nov 14
More Cotswold exploring but this time we would meet up in Moreton-in-Marsh on the Thursday evening. Accordingly I set out, flying solo, across country to the caravan club site just outside the town. The route took me down some narrow, wet and very muddy roads, arriving at the site looking like the bus had driven across fields rather than roads!
After the usual quick check in and set up, I wandered around the town a bit and then met Debs at the station, wandering back in the pitch black to the bus for dinner.
On Friday we took the local bus into Stow on the Wold and spent a great day wandering around this lovely old town, having a terrific lunch in the Queen's Head Inn (the homemade mince tart was to die for!). Eventually we got the bus back to Moreton and had a couple of drinks in a really cosy bar in the White Hart.
Saturday was the market in Moreton and then we repaired to the Bear Inn for delicious fish and chips , then the incredibly friendly and hospitable landlord found us seats in the crowded main bar to watch England beat Australia in the autumn international at Twickenham. It was a great atmosphere in the pub but we needed fresh air so we had a walk - and ended up in another incredibly friendly pub, the Inn on the Marsh.
Sunday it was up and out, stopping at Costco in Milton Keynes for shopping.
In all, a great location ideal for getting buses to all over the Cotswolds. Moreton itself doesn't offer much on a winters day but it is ideally placed for exploring the Cotswolds.
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| Mucky bus |
On Friday we took the local bus into Stow on the Wold and spent a great day wandering around this lovely old town, having a terrific lunch in the Queen's Head Inn (the homemade mince tart was to die for!). Eventually we got the bus back to Moreton and had a couple of drinks in a really cosy bar in the White Hart.
Saturday was the market in Moreton and then we repaired to the Bear Inn for delicious fish and chips , then the incredibly friendly and hospitable landlord found us seats in the crowded main bar to watch England beat Australia in the autumn international at Twickenham. It was a great atmosphere in the pub but we needed fresh air so we had a walk - and ended up in another incredibly friendly pub, the Inn on the Marsh.
Sunday it was up and out, stopping at Costco in Milton Keynes for shopping.
In all, a great location ideal for getting buses to all over the Cotswolds. Moreton itself doesn't offer much on a winters day but it is ideally placed for exploring the Cotswolds.
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