Southern Motorhome Show Newbury 18 -22 May 17

Off with the Motorhome Funsters again to the Southern Motorhome Show at Newbury, which featured a 60s theme.  A fairly painless journey down, albeit we were a bit worried about the  amount of rain and whether or not we would sink once we arrived.  Our fears were unfounded and we were duly marshalled onto our space and we parked up and opened the beer. It rained. We wandered across to the entertainment and watched Cupid's inspiration, but the sound was a bit suspect being in a huge, cold, damp marquee, so we didn't stay to watch Edison Lighthouse, but went back to our nice warm van instead. 

On Friday we bimbled around the show, relaxed, went to the entertainment then went back to the funsters tent, where we were fed a mixture of dodgy Spanish spirits that somebody had rescued from that special cupboard at home where you store all those drinks that you thought tasted great when you were abroad. On Saturday, a bit the worse for wear, we headed into Newbury for lunch and then back to see the swinging blue jeans and Marmalade, both of whom were, basically, crap, but that may be due to the awful sound system.

Sunday was a better day weatherwise and we, once again, wandered around the show before watching the Ivy League (very good). At least the beer at Newbury was cheaper than the rip-off prices at Peterboring! Monday was an easy run home in the bright sunshine.

Not a bad show, but the toilets are a bit basic and it is a bloody long walk to the "blue lagoon" to empty the cassette.

Watching the park homes being taken apart. Not much to them!

Milton Keynes 13-15 May 17

Just a quick trundle across to Milton Keynes to test the new solar panel and to visit our old chum Martin, who was passing through the area on his narrowboat. 

As ever, the check in at the Camping and Caravan Club site was painless, we pitched up on a lump of grass under an old oak tree, got the chairs and wine out and relaxed before heading off for dinner in the local pub.

On Sunday we walked up the hill into central MK, had breakfast, did a bit of shopping and then headed back for more relaxing, chasing the sunshine around the oak tree.

On Monday the weather turned so it was off and back home in no time at all.

As for the campsite, the wardens were their usual jolly, helpful selves, the campsite itself was immaculately maintained, but the toilets and showers could seriously do with updating.

Telford and Ironbrige 3-5 May 17

The Iron Bridge

We are fed up of paying £3-£4 a night for electric hook up on some campsites, so a solar panel seems to be the way ahead. Accordingly, we booked in to see Dave Newell and have a panel fitted, along with the Schaudt MPPT regulator to match the Schaudt electrickery wotsits in the van. About 400 metres from Dave's workshop in Telford is the Severn Gorge Campsite, so we booked into this delightful site for 3 nights so that we could explore the area whilst the work was being done.

We took to the bikes and have to say that the immediate surroundings have a lot to offer, with many museums on the history of this world heritage site. Of course, the weather helped and we enjoyed 3 days of decent sunshine for our long rides. Additionally, Dave let us use a pass for the museums whilst the van was in his workshop, so we managed to squeeze in a trip to the Coalport China Museum (very interesting - we now need bone china mugs for our tea) and Blists Hill Victorian Village, an equally fascinating experience.

On Friday, my sister and her husband drove up to meet us for a lovely lunch in Ironbridge. On Saturday we managed to get home in time to watch Harlequins lose to Northampton in the last game of the season, but managing to secure a place in next season's European champions cup. 

The Hay Inclined plane - used for hauling barges from one canal to another

The Ironbridge table of tolls - no exception, even for the Royal Family!

Blists Hill

Local poseurs ;-)

Ironbridge

National Motorhome Show Peterborough 20-24 April 17

£5 a pint - yes £5 A PINT! That's what the robbing barstewards at Peterborough were charging. It's some dodgy aircraft hangar in the middle of a Fen, not the Savoy Grill, for goodness sake.

St George's Day

Anyway, enough of the ranting about greedy bar owners, more about the show. We arrived on Thursday via Rockingham Cars, the main Fiat Dealer in Corby, who very kindly and efficiently fixed the irritating squeaking rear suspension. We glided into Peterboring like a Rolls Royce, eventually finding the Motorhome Fun section and marshalled into our spot for the weekend.

  

Sold - at £145k!

The weather was fine, there was no mud as per previous years, we were welcomed by our dealers, Becks, who had a stand at the show and we had a great few days just wandering around, chatting to friends old and new (even a very nice chap we met at the Fiat dealers and a couple of season ticket holders at Quins), boozing, partying and generally relaxing. We weren't tempted by too much apart from some new microfibre towels and an electric grill.

As for the Warners provided entertainment, The Blues Brothers were fantastic, the Sixties band equally great, Jethro was mildly amusing 20 years ago but the 20 year old jokes are now just sad and the so called famous X Factor (or whatever crap talent show it is)  singer was absolutely appalling. We are definitely taking our own booze next year though.

Hmmm - I wouldn't want those monkeys on my roof