Friday, 30 December 2016
Cambridgeshire 21-28 Dec 16
Friday, 25 November 2016
Peak District 15-21 Nov 16
This trip was meant to be a few days relaxing in the Peak District to recover from a stressful family trip to Ireland before heading up into West Yorkshire for a long overdue visit to some dear friends. The weather, however, conspired against us and we ended up spending more time in the Peaks than we originally intended.
As ever, the journey was painful, as once again the major arteries in this country were clogged. Via a long detour through Leicester we eventually rocked up at the very popular Caravan Club site in Castleton, pitched up and wandered the short distance into the village for a refreshing pint of foaming ale in front of a toasty log fire.
On Wednesday we set out for a very long walk (about 9 miles) across Mam Tor, Lose Hill and down through Hope village. We packed for a day out - waterproofs, flask, sandwiches, decent boots etc. As we left the site it rained. It rained more. The wind got behind the rain and drove it horizontally. The rain got colder - and wetter, the wind driving it into stinging needles of cold misery. We climbed up past Treak Cliff Cavern and onto the shoulder of Mam to be hit by a blast of gale driven sleet with a narrow, muddy, slushy footpath with no grip underfoot. I sounded the retreat and we ran away bravely back into town to dry out, eating our sarnies in the lee of a wall by the stream. The rain eased but by then we didn't have enough daylight hours left to complete the walk so we trundled up the very impressive Cave Dale, past Peverill Castle and onto the top for a different perspective on the view.
On Thursday it rained again, but we had decided to visit one of the Blue John Caves, Treak Cliff Cavern, where we enjoyed a very informative and interesting personal tour by one of the guides. This place is well worth a visit. As we exited the cave we met a large school party of youngsters who had walked up from the youth hostel in town. They were soaked to the skin and freezing cold, one poor little girl shivering in sodden leggings and trainers. Yuk! Apparently whilst we were burrowing like demented hobbits we missed a blizzard. Bargain! We went back into town and had an excellent lunch in Tilly's - again highly recommended.
We were due to leave on Friday to move up to West Yorkshire but the weather had been so bad we thought that we had better check to see if we could still get onto our intended pitch. The site owner suggested that it was a non starter as the site was very muddy. Disappointed we searched for alternatives, but they all seemed to be suffering from the weather conditions. Accordingly we asked the site wardens if we could stay another couple of nights, albeit the site was full on Saturday night. Luckily the very kind and helpful wardens managed to find us a pitch. They didn't need to go to all that effort but they did and it was much appreciated.
On Friday we caught the rather expensive bus into Hathersage for a look around. It didn't take long....
Saturday was bright, clear and cold. We climbed Lose Hill and were back in time to watch the England v Fiji game before wandering into town to watch the much hyped Christmas Lights switch on. The parking was mad. It is infuriating that some inconsiderate a***holes think it fine to park on the pavements forcing kids and prams to walk in the road. The switch on was, erm, underwhelming to say the least.
On Sunday we took advantage of our CSSC English Heritage membership and explored Peverill Castle before watching the Leicester v Harlequins game. The castle was good, the match was the opposite.
On Monday it rained, and rained more. The whole way home it rained. Even stopping at my least favourite place, Boundary Mills in Grantham, we got soaked running from the car park. It was lucky we left when we did as the whole area suffered from the rain.
In all Castleton Caravan Club site is a great place to visit and the wardens are absolutely brilliant. It's a shame we didn't complete the trip to Yorkshire but I think that the Peaks is a place to go back to, even if it does rain a lot.
As ever, the journey was painful, as once again the major arteries in this country were clogged. Via a long detour through Leicester we eventually rocked up at the very popular Caravan Club site in Castleton, pitched up and wandered the short distance into the village for a refreshing pint of foaming ale in front of a toasty log fire.
On Wednesday we set out for a very long walk (about 9 miles) across Mam Tor, Lose Hill and down through Hope village. We packed for a day out - waterproofs, flask, sandwiches, decent boots etc. As we left the site it rained. It rained more. The wind got behind the rain and drove it horizontally. The rain got colder - and wetter, the wind driving it into stinging needles of cold misery. We climbed up past Treak Cliff Cavern and onto the shoulder of Mam to be hit by a blast of gale driven sleet with a narrow, muddy, slushy footpath with no grip underfoot. I sounded the retreat and we ran away bravely back into town to dry out, eating our sarnies in the lee of a wall by the stream. The rain eased but by then we didn't have enough daylight hours left to complete the walk so we trundled up the very impressive Cave Dale, past Peverill Castle and onto the top for a different perspective on the view.
On Thursday it rained again, but we had decided to visit one of the Blue John Caves, Treak Cliff Cavern, where we enjoyed a very informative and interesting personal tour by one of the guides. This place is well worth a visit. As we exited the cave we met a large school party of youngsters who had walked up from the youth hostel in town. They were soaked to the skin and freezing cold, one poor little girl shivering in sodden leggings and trainers. Yuk! Apparently whilst we were burrowing like demented hobbits we missed a blizzard. Bargain! We went back into town and had an excellent lunch in Tilly's - again highly recommended.
We were due to leave on Friday to move up to West Yorkshire but the weather had been so bad we thought that we had better check to see if we could still get onto our intended pitch. The site owner suggested that it was a non starter as the site was very muddy. Disappointed we searched for alternatives, but they all seemed to be suffering from the weather conditions. Accordingly we asked the site wardens if we could stay another couple of nights, albeit the site was full on Saturday night. Luckily the very kind and helpful wardens managed to find us a pitch. They didn't need to go to all that effort but they did and it was much appreciated.
On Friday we caught the rather expensive bus into Hathersage for a look around. It didn't take long....
Saturday was bright, clear and cold. We climbed Lose Hill and were back in time to watch the England v Fiji game before wandering into town to watch the much hyped Christmas Lights switch on. The parking was mad. It is infuriating that some inconsiderate a***holes think it fine to park on the pavements forcing kids and prams to walk in the road. The switch on was, erm, underwhelming to say the least.
On Sunday we took advantage of our CSSC English Heritage membership and explored Peverill Castle before watching the Leicester v Harlequins game. The castle was good, the match was the opposite.
On Monday it rained, and rained more. The whole way home it rained. Even stopping at my least favourite place, Boundary Mills in Grantham, we got soaked running from the car park. It was lucky we left when we did as the whole area suffered from the rain.
In all Castleton Caravan Club site is a great place to visit and the wardens are absolutely brilliant. It's a shame we didn't complete the trip to Yorkshire but I think that the Peaks is a place to go back to, even if it does rain a lot.
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| Cave Dale |
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| Mam Tor |
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| Treak Cliff Cavern |
Thursday, 24 November 2016
Ebury Hill 16-17 Oct 16
A stopover on the way home at the Camping and Caravanning club site. After going through the wrong gate and getting lost on the upper reaches of the site, we eventually found our pitch and settled in for the night. Shrewsbury is not far away but, basically, after a long drive that day we settled down for an evening meal, read for a bit and then went to bed.
Shell Island 13-15 Oct 16
Shell Island in North Wales - a place we've wanted to visit for a long time. Set on an Island just past the old RAE Llanbedr airfield, this is a massive site in a stunning location. Access and egress is dependent upon the tide covering the causeway linking the island, so timing is important. We found a spot (not difficult on what is reputed to be Europe's biggest campsite) overlooking the sea and admired the beautiful views, albeit there was some noise from the major military exercise taking place in the area.
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| C130 flying over the airfield - we missed the Para drop the day before. |
On Friday we mounted up and rode out to see Harlech then on to Portmeirion, again another place we have wanted to visit. A bit expensive, but it was worth it. We won't be going on the little train ride around the woods again though. At one stage it must have been going flat out at possibly as much as 3mph! We enjoyed a very nice lunch of Welsh lamb casserole served in a massive Yorkshire pudding, watched a wedding taking place, and then scooted back onto Shell Island before we missed the tide.
On Friday night it was Oktoberfest - a great evening in the tent erected for the evening, albeit the oompah band missed the tide and were stuck on the other side of the causeway! On Saturday we had a walk along the endless beaches and dunes before heading back into Oktoberfest part 2. Luckily the oompah band made it across this time.
On Sunday we joined the long queues waiting for the tide to go out to leave the island and head across to Shropshire once again. Shell Island is a fantastic place and we would really like to go back.
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| Harlech Castle |
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| "I am not a number - I am a free man". Remember that? |
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| Oktoberfest |
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| The causeway |
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| Lonely... |
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
Chirk 11-13 Oct 16
Next stop was the Lady Margaret Caravan Club site in Chirk, Wrexham, just over the frontier into Wales. This is a lovely little site close to both the town and the delightful Chirk Castle National Trust property. We arrived in the afternoon of the 11th, had a quick trundle around the town and castle on the scooter, walked around the gardens, and then decided that we would revisit the castle in the morning. Accordingly, the next day we were there for the first tour around the house, scootered back to the van for lunch then set out to look at both the Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aquaducts, both marvels of Thomas Telford's engineering on the Llangollen canal. In fairly decent weather we walked a 10k route along the towpath, across the Pontcysyllte and then into the local town to catch a very expensive local bus back into Chirk, where we had a very nice dinner in the Hand Hotel.
On Thursday 13th it was up and off towards the coast.
On Thursday 13th it was up and off towards the coast.
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