Western Motorhome Show Malvern 15 - 22 Aug 17

We quite enjoyed the Western Motorhome Show last year despite all the people dressing up as cowboys and Indians, so we set out for a few days in the wild west, stopping for a couple of nights on a Temporary Holiday Site in Chipping Norton. This was the first time we had used a THS and we were very impressed as it was cheap, well organised and in a lovely location. On Tuesday we scootered into Stow on the Wold (further than we thought) for a mooch around and to take a jacket back to Rohan. We stopped on the way back to look at Stow Rugby Club, which offers a field for camping at a very reasonable rate. What a stunning location! Certainly on our list for a future visit.

On Wednesday we walked into "Chippy" but, although nice, there ain't much to rush back for. 

Stow on the Wold

Stow on the Wold

Plenty of space on the THS

 On Thursday we packed up in the rain and headed off to Malvern, arriving in sunshine to pitch up with the Motorhome Fun crowd, and it was very nice to meet up with old friends. On Friday we walked around the show and bought some more microfibre towels from Giso (highly recommend these towels - they are brilliant). On Saturday we scootered into Malvern and bought lots of groceries in the incredibly slow and inefficiently manned Waitrose. In the evening it was Polly's 80th birthday bash, which was an excellent evening even if we did suffer the following morning, so Sunday was a very quiet day. 

Malvern, pitching up with the usual crowd

View of the show from the Malvern Hills

Malvern water, free on tap - Buxton Water on sale in W H Smith for £1.69 a bottle!

Enigmatic statue of Sir Edward Elgar

 Monday we headed the short distance to the excellent BriarFields campsite, just outside Cheltenham, where we pitched up and then scootered into Gloucester. We weren't impressed with Gloucester. The roads are atrocious, the parking awful with non-existent signing, the locals "odd" to say the least, but the docks and Cathedral are lovely.

Gloucester Docks

Gloucester Haute Couture

Cambridge Folk Festival 26-31 Jul 17

The last one in the Festival season and off to Cherry Hinton Caravan Club site for 5 nights of hideously overpriced camping. Luckily, our favourite warden is still there and it was nice to meet up with friends who are there year after year.  As usual the site was full - it is booked up for this event more or less as soon as the booking season opens.

As for the festival itself - not as good as previous years and the horrible weather certainly didn't help. Will we go next year? Who knows.

Nice to see this old model

Newark and Yorkshire 19-24 Jul 17

Another Festival, but this time taking in a couple of visits on the way up to Yorkshire. Firstly, to Newark to meet up with Martin with his narrow boat. We found a site just outside Newark (Smeaton's Lakes) and, as we arrived, we were hit with an awful overpowering pong. Whether it was the River or the adjacent Sugar Beet plant we don't know, but it was rank! We cycled along the excellent cycle path into Newark, found Martin, wandered into this pleasant old market town for a few beers, bought a new mug off the stall, had a nice dinner and then cycled back. It was an excellent evening, highlighted by that clumsy galoot falling off of his chair in the pub. As for the site - nice if you like fishing, but if you have a sensitive conk then maybe best avoided.

Martin and Mr Bunbury

Smeaton's Lakes

In the pouring rain we headed north again to the badlands of West Yorkshire, pitching up at the fantastic little Southedge Works Certified Location (with the adjacent pub), met up with our old friends for a lovely evening with fantastic people and then retired for a good night's kip in this most friendly of places. The beer is bloody good too!

The Cock of the North, Hipperholme

On again to Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley for Kate Rusby's Underneath the Stars Festival. What a super event this is. We abandoned our vehicle amongst all the others on a sloping field and enjoyed a few days of good music, good company and excellent food at this event. Cannon Hall Farm shop is pretty damn good too. The Rhubcello (Rhubarb liqueur) is to die for! The rain came down pretty heavily at one stage (it is the North after all) and we were worried that we may get bogged down, but luckily the ground held and we managed to get home muddy but safe.

Underneath the Stars Festival

Cannon Hall Museum, Park and Gardens

Commons Wood 14-17 Jul 17

Two days after arriving home from our mega trip to France we headed up to Norfolk so that the dealer could exchange our corroding alloy wheels for some nice sparkly new ones. Whilst waiting for the work to be done we took a boat trip on Rollesby Broad and had a rather good breakfast. Hopefully the new wheels are of better quality than the old ones. 

Rollesby Broad

Shiny new wheels

Two more days at home and then off again. We are currently spending more time in the van than we are in the house! This weekend it was our first visit to Commons Wood Caravan Club site in Welwyn Garden City as we were attending both the Battle Proms and the Folk by The Oak events at Hatfield House.

 
The site is accessed by a fairly narrow lane from the A1 and is a spacious, well laid out site next to a massive caravan storage compound. The very friendly and helpful wardens soon had us pitched up and we decided to suss out the lie of the land and walk into Welwyn GC. We were pretty unimpressed with the immediate environs although the centre was OK. We did find a very nice pub (The Beehive) on the way back though.

On Saturday we walked along the narrow lane with overgrown foliage overhanging the pavements to Hatfield house, lugging our seats and picnic for the proms. The proms were excellent, albeit it was disappointing that the spitfire couldn't fly because of the weather, but it didn't stop the Red Devils though - good old Army. We caught the last (and expensive) bus back from Hatfield, the journey back was exciting as Larry Leadfoot, the driver, managed to actually slow down to about 70mph a couple of times!

The Red Devils

On Sunday we took a  bus back to Hatfield to watch Folk by the Oak, another great event, and an expensive and even faster taxi back to the site. What is it with the drivers round here that they have to travel at breakneck speed!

Cruelty to Children - making them Morris Dance

Monday was sunny and warm, but we had to go home and pack for the next trip!