Shepton Mallet/Wells 9 - 11 Sep

Camperex 2016 at the Bath and West showground in Shepton Mallet was our next target as a cheap stopover on the way to the West Country, plus we had always wanted to visit Wells. We also had  air suspension fitted on 7 Sep at UK Towbars in March as part of our uprate to 3.85 tonnes. More capacity for more wine!

The journey to the showground was a pig with huge delays on the M4 and A303 past Stonehenge. Eventually we arrived and went in search of a beer. The only bar open as part of the show was totally uninspiring - more like an overbright village hall serving fizzy lager and gassy beer - Yuk! We went back to the van and drank our own decent stuff.

The following day we caught the free bus into Wells, which is a charming little city. We had a large breakfast in Wetherspoons whilst waiting for the rain to ease, then wandered around the palace, cathedral and town hall.  On return to the showground we watched Dad's Army on a large inflatable screen, which was a much better option than going to play bingo in the terrible bar.  On Sunday we dossed around before heading off to the Clarks outlet village in Street on the Monday morning.

The Camperex show was pretty boring and not worth the visit, but the location was a good, cheap stopover and we did like Wells. 

Wells Town Hall

Bishop's Palace

Milton Keynes 1-3 Sep 16

A sail on a narrowboat - or trying to dry a duvet cover?

A quick whizz over to Milton Keynes again to say hello to our friend Martin, who was moored up there in his narrowboat. High season meant that there were loads of tents on site, each, seemingly, in a competition to see who can claim the most space by spreading nylon, cookers, gazebos, windbreaks, toys, bikes and other detritus as far as possible. 

A light snack

The tide goes out a long way in MK

Hever 21 -22 Aug 16

After collecting a very old and dear friend on Saturday it was off to see other old and dear friends who were staying at Hever Castle in Kent. We booked on to a small certified site about a mile from the castle, found the charming farmer's wife and gave her £5 to stay in her field, parked up and walked into Hever Castle to meet up with the friends, stopping en route to look at the Kent Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum (as a former member of this unit it was great to finally get to see this museum. It was also great to see a Saladin armoured car parked outside, the type of vehicle that I passed my Armoured Fighting Vehicle test in).

Denis was evacuated to Hever Castle during the war and his family had arranged this visit as a birthday treat. The house that they were staying in is stunning and we had a lovely afternoon with the family, a great dinner in the local pub, a good night's sleep in the bus and breakfast back at the house before heading back to London to drop off the visitor then finally home after quite a time away.

Walton 17 - 20 Aug 16

Next stop the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Walton for a few nights so that we could visit parents and go to the Harlequins v Glasgow game on the Saturday. As usual, the M25 welcomed us to London with a huge tailback, but eventually we parked up in the shade, upwind of the sewage farm, but forgot about those poxy parakeets! The noise of 'em. Grrr

By the end of the trip we were sick and tired of the walk to Hersham station and the rip-off rail fares to get anywhere.

Cheltenham 15 - 16 Aug 16

Just a quick couple of nights here on a very sloping pitch to recharge before heading off towards London. As we booked in we were told that a group of "Travellers" had taken up residence at the top of the site and they were keeping that area clear until the so-and-so's could be ejected legally (I am sure that if I turned up, refused to pay and started stealing electricity I would be moved on fairly rapidly). Anyway, despite the zooming around the site they caused us no problems and we enjoyed a bit of a break, wandering around this delightful town. One point we have noted though. When a town has two Wetherspoons, one of them is usually very rough and dirty. Cheltenham is no exception.

Malvern Great West Motorhome Show 11- 15 Aug 16

Another event rallying with the Motorhome Fun group and it was great to catch up with some of the characters we met in Benidorm last Christmas. The weather was excellent and the show very good, but I do have my doubts about grownups wandering around dressed as cowboys and Indians, especially proudly sporting weapons and knives, but each to their own I suppose.

With thousands of motorhomes parked up for the event it was only to be expected that the arranged coach shuttle into Malvern would be packed and the small but very pleasant town swamped by motorhomers out for the day. It was great to meet up with the family for lunch, albeit the service was somewhat slow, and then a bimble up the hill to St Anne's well. Typically, elfin safety had stuck a note on the well suggesting that the water should be boiled before use. Isn't this the much vaunted pure Malvern spring water served to the Queen et al? Madness!

On the Mon, after 4 nights without electricity (no problem at all) we travelled the short but attractive route to Cheltenham to recharge our batteries.

Watching Mr Wavy Hands, the editor of Practical Motorhome Magazine, doing another cringeworthy and crawly review of a British motorhome

Saddos

Yee ha!

Probably an accountant from Solihull

One of the last to leave

Cambridge Folk Festival 27 Jul - 1 Aug 16

Another 5 nights away at the Cackyvan Club site at Cherry Hinton in Cambridge, in peak season, and in a crammed site. We don't usually like giving the so-called  "clubs" so much money to park in high season, but it is so handy for the Folk Festival.

This year the festival was operated by a different set-up and there can be no doubt that it wasn't as polished as previous years, with a number of our favourite acts not appearing. Indeed, the lineup was pretty poor, but we enjoyed the event anyway and it was nice to see the familiar faces on site that turn up year after year. We even invested in some tiny but very comfortable little festival chairs that fold up to a size not much bigger than a folding umbrella - brilliant!

Tents packed into the festival site. Pray that there's never a fire