Weds. 20 November 2024
The threatened snow luckily didn’t appear overnight but nevertheless it was slightly chilly as we prepared to leave Dunwich for Hunter Towers.
We arrived back shortly after 11 am and have spent the day clearing away and making the motorhome “winter proof”; the water systems have been drained against potential frost damage and it only remains to give Dethlef a final “bath” of the season, most probably in the coming week. It can then get as cold as it likes!
Apologies for the lack of the blog or photos from Dunwich but the data connection there was *&^*….. and what you see in the latest photos has been put together here at home base!
Tues. 19 November 2024
We ventured out just before midday suitably clothed and equipped for a few hours at the RSPB site at Minsmere. The walk took just over thirty minutes and we didn‘t get wet!
We spent some time in the East Hide before lunch. The Scrape was full of Lapwings and Cormorants and we discovered from others that the Hoopoe Bird had been spotted nearby. The hours thereafter turned into a „find the Hoopoe“ day.
The afternoon was spent in the Bitten Hide and from there we managed to spot two Marsh Harriers on the search for food. The spectacle went on for a good twenty minutes before we headed back to the East Hide on our way to the site.
We decided to walk on the beach and it was then we came across a number of guys with cameras all aimed at the Hoopoe Bird. We were lucky to get a glimpse before it flew off but a photo was impossible! The photo below is one yours truly acquired!
We‘re now back on site. One or two chores have been completed before our return to Hunter Towers tomorrow. There are a few yellow snow warnings floating around this evening for tomorrow. It could be interesting!
Mon. 18 November 2024
The Drone App was a lot happier today and indicated a good day for flying which came as something of a surprise as rain had been previously forecast.
A quick change of plan was made and we headed back to the Friary for a half an hour flight over the ruins and out over the crumbling cliffs to the sea. It was then back to the site for lunch and a sneak preview of the footage!
We headed to the National Trust Coastguard Cottages in the afternoon spending time following the Dunwich Heath war time trail tracing the features of the Radar Station that was here during WW2.
The rain started just after our evening meal at the site Restaurant and continued for most of the night. There wasn‘t much sleep had by the Crew!
Sun. 17 November 2024
The beauty of a destination close to home! Off to Dunwich today for potentially the last trip of the year.
We arrived here at 11.45 am and quickly set up to enable an early lunch before setting off to our afternoon walk. We headed north along the Minsmere Road to the site of the old Friary. The aim was to fly the Drone but the wind was too strong for a comfortable flight.
It‘s amazing what you learn if you to take the time to interact with people you meet and so it was today. We had a good chat with two random cyclists who were eating their lunch in the Friary grounds and discovered a cycling route app which looks worth another look!
The beach cafe in Dunwich was deserted but there were people walking and fishing. We headed back to the site along the beach for a well-earned glass of wine!
Tues. 29 October 2024
An early start this morning as we prepared for the trip back to Hunter Towers. On paper, the trip should have taken three and a half hours but in fact it took five hours including fuel stop and diversion!
The annoying thing was that the diversion was a result of a road blockage some five miles from Hunter Towers. An early warning enabled us to navigate around the county and although delayed we were able to keep moving and not be stuck in a queue!
Detlef looks as if it‘s been through ten feet of mud and floods and needs a good clean. Let‘s see what next week brings in terms of good weather to make a start.
Now off to chill a bit. Needless to say there are no photos today!
Mon. 28 October 2024
Our last full day in Devizes today and a perfect day to trace the footsteps of Neolithic Man in Wiltshire.
Once again we relied on our favourite chauffeur to teleport us over to Avebury and what a gem to visit! The village, centred on the Stone Circles, was very busy as you might expect for a half term holiday day.
A 1.6 km walk around the perimeter took a good thirty minutes with great views. It is hard to imagine how the deep ditch surrounding the stones was dug all those years ago.
After a National Trust lunch we headed off to Silbury Hill and then onto West Kennet Long Barrow. Marlborough town followed and then back to base.
We‘re off back to Hunter Towers tomorrow.
Sun. 27 October 2024
The clocks went back last night but that didn‘t stop an early morning drone flight over our site here. Take a look at the photos.
Afterwards a great day was had by all as we were kindly chauffeured to Bath by M and family. The whole day was bathed in sunshine!
First port of call was the Royal Crescent then off to the city centre with its own „sandstone“ architecture, shops and people. A lot of them!!
After a quick take a way lunch we were lucky to gain access to the Parade Gardens and the Colonnades which were very interesting. Today‘s photos do it more justice than a thousand words!
The girls finally got their wish to go shopping before they headed off to visit friends in Bristol whilst we headed over the River Avon to have a close look at the Bath Rugby ground.
A coffee and cake later we headed to the bus station to take the 273 service back to our site here in Devizes. We eventually made it back after an hour of touring every housing estate in Wiltshire!
It‘s getting chilly here after such a sunny day. Looks like we‘re off to Avebury tomorrow.
Sat. 26 October 2024
The predicted mist and fog failed to materialise this morning as we headed south along the A12 and then west along the M25 and M4 into Wiltshire.
The M25 was busy in places which was expected and we duly reached our site near Devizes at 1.15 pm, some four hours after leaving Hunter Towers.
The site here hasn‘t changed a lot since we were last in Wiltshire but at least we have really great neighbours!
This afternoon we went on a 6km walk to the Caen Locks followed by a beverage in the Three Magpies. It looks like we will be off to Bath tomorrow with our friendly neighbours!
Sat. 21 September 2024
Thankfully it wasn’t necessary to drive through Henley this morning as there were processions planned resulting in closed roads.
It was something of a trip down memory lane as we headed through Marlow and Bisham (a throw back to younger rugby playing days) to the M40 and on to the M25.
The Saturday traffic behaved itself with no major hold ups and we arrived at Hunter Towers just before lunch. The clear away has now been completed ready for the trip to the Main Dealer on Monday for running repairs.
Fri. 20 September 2024
A short blog today after a five hour drive from Damage Barton plus a fuel stop.
The highlight has to be the cloudburst on the M4 near Newbury with its accompanying hail stones but we arrived in one piece here in Henley on Thames.
A late lunch, courtesy of Mr Shell, was followed by a well-deserved snooze before heading into town on foot for a few photos and a pint by the River Thames.
We’re now back on site and just chilling before hitting the sack! Let’s hope this evening is quieter than the wind-swept site in Devon but we are next to a main road so who knows?
It’s back to Hunter Towers tomorrow.
Thurs. 19 September 2024
Thoughts go back a few years to the East Somerset site near Weston-Super-Mare for a more windy and buffeted night that we experienced last night. All in all a night to forget with limited sleep but nothing blew away!
The morning was spent doing a few pre travel chores before we set off on our cross country walk to Mortehoe and the Bull Point Lighthouse.
The route took us across sheep fields and adjacent holiday sites into Mortehoe village. The views to Woolacombe from the cliff tops were worth the trek as was the cream tea at the village Tea House.
The route to Bull Point Lighthouse proved to be a bit of a trek but once again the views were worth it. The adjacent cliffs didn’t look too stable to the untrained eye but the lighthouse itself was set well back.
We duly returned to the site at around 5pm and right on cue the wind has once more got up. Let’s keep fingers crossed for a better night.
It’s “Auf Wiedersehen” to the West Country tomorrow as we travel to Henley on Thames for an overnight stop before returning to Hunter Towers. Travel time is an estimated four to five hours with a relatively early leaving time expected. You’ll be pleased to note that the “escape route” has been double checked after the arrival debacle!! Don’t panic, Mr Mainwaring!!
Wed. 18 September 2024
Service 31 to Ilfracombe duly arrived outside the site here at 10.38 am and half an hour later we were strutting to the harbour fighting against a stiff breeze!
The statue at the harbour entrance is very imposing and after taking photos from all angles we climbed to visit St. Nicholas’ Chapel and hear about its history from the volunteers.
We then headed to the “Tunnels”, hand cut in the 1800’s through the rock face, to allow access to the West Beach area. The photos tell a better tale than I could ever do. The rocks with their strange shapes and textures proved ample entertainment before a well-earned fish and chips lunch.
The afternoon bus to Woolacombe took half an hour allowing about ninety minutes to look around and grab a coffee.
We’re now back on site here at Damage Barton putting our feet up.
Looks like a coastal path walk tomorrow!
Tues. 17 September 2024
The prospect of a relatively short drive today was certainly appealing at breakfast time as we were once again greeted with dew on the grass.
The trip to Mortehoe was scheduled at just under three hours and with a potential entry time of noon we managed to leave Merrose Farm at 9.15 and headed east on the A30. It was then A39 all the way to Barnstaple and then the fun started!
The A361 is currently closed which we knew about but the diversion took us west to the coast and not east! What a mistakea to makea!! It was certainly the scenic route as we squeezed through Braunton, Saunton, Croyde and Georgeham. Yours truly lost count of the number of “squeezes” we had to make with the voice of Corporal Jones never far away! Don’t panic.
With sweat running in torrents we arrived at the site here some forty five minutes over schedule. All we need now is to find the Dash Cam footage to replay how close we actually came! The beep machine will need to be working overtime!
Our setup has been finely tuned and we were quickly eating lunch before the obligatory photo tour ready for today’s blog. I am pleased to report that the Valium was not required after what had been an interesting approach.
Needless to say, the departure route has already been identified for the end of the week as we head east.
The weather here is fantastic. It’s sunny and the next few days should be the same. It looks like the coastal path could receive a visit together with more bus rides to Woolacombe and Ilfracombe.
Mon. 16 September 2024
The last full day here at Merrose Farm and what a damp start! The overnight rain here was barely noticeable noise wise but the overcast, dampness said that Autumn was just round the corner.
The plan today was to take the bus from Merrose Farm to Truro, explore and return at about tea time.
The buses run quite infrequently here and we eventually departed just before midday as opposed to a much earlier opportunity that was declined by my party leader!
We hit Truro after about half an hour and stayed for just under four hours which was enough for the casual visitor. The Cathedral was a highlight in amongst a very average city/town centre.
All in all, a flat 5 to 5 and a half for Truro and that on the strength of the cathedral. The surrounding waterways and quaint villages surpass it hands down and we don’t envisage returning any time soon.
We were back on site here by 17.30 and it’s now time to pack ready for our final hop to North Devon for a couple of nights.
Sun. 15 September 2024
It was something different this morning with no bus to catch and therefore no time pressure.
We duly set off to walk the Coastal Path to Portscatho around 11 am which as you might expect was undulating to say the least! Luckily we took the walking poles on this occasion!
The Coast Watch Lookout Station above Portscatho proved an interesting stopping point as we were invited in for an impromptu look around. The volunteers do an amazing job.
The “Hidden Hut” at Porthcurnick Beach provided an ideal lunch stop and boy was it busy. We continued into the village for a well earned rest overlooking the harbour before returning to the site here late this afternoon.
The internet connection is a problem here for uploading photos. It takes so long and then totally fails. We’ll keep trying but it might be that we have to wait until we arrive at the next site later in the week.
Sat. 14 September 2024
It was sunshine pure today as we headed to St. Mawes by double decker bus. We lost count of the times we “ducked” sitting in front upstairs as the branches hit the bus roof!
As expected, St Mawes was very busy with a mixture of day trippers and water sport enthusiasts. Strange to think that the last time we visited was some eighteen years ago, and yet nothing appeared to have changed.
The day, as usual, was spent exploring the village. The castle was the first port of call with its views over towards Falmouth followed by a series of climbs into the side streets to look at the tightly packed cottages and houses.
The largest Cornish Pasty in the world was served for lunch before we headed back to our site via Portscatho. Funny how we managed to catch the start of the Brighton vs Ipswich match too!
Our German friends came round this evening for a quick drink and chat. They’ve just left and there’s time to complete the blog before retiring.
It looks like a Coastal Path walk tomorrow as the weather is forecast to be good.
Fri. 13 September 2024
The “escape” from Travalgan along the narrow lanes went well this morning with the bus going in the other direction well and truly avoided. So much for Friday, 13th.
The trip to the site here in Portscatho on south coast of Cornwall should have only taken seventy five minutes but with a no entry until after 1pm rule we had to find some off road parking.
Thank goodness for the new A30 road improvements! The frequent parking lay-bys proved to be just what the doctor ordered and we duly arrived just after the allotted hour. The single-track entry lane to the site also had traffic lights which saved a possible embarrassing situation!
We’re on a grass pitch here with the site looking full for the weekend. We’ve been checking things out this afternoon with beach/coastal path walking looking the favourite for tomorrow. There’s also a bus stop at the end of the lane with a service into St. Mawes and Truro in the opposite direction.
The not so good news is that the internet is patchy here making photo loading slooooooow, so your patience is required.
Needless to say we’ve met our usual random Germans on site and the lady of the house has invited them over this evening for a drink! We’ll see if they appear!
Thurs. 12 September 2024
A tiring but nevertheless interesting day as we headed from the site here at Trevalgan directly to Penzance and then on to Mousehole (Mou zel) by smaller bus.
Once again we were treated to the driving skills of the pros without ever seeing tempers being lost. How they cope with the stupidity of other road users still defeats me. Respect.
“Mouzel” was a treat with its typical small harbour and tightly packed and stacked buildings but you have to wonder how many locals still live in the village? Would you really want thousands of tourists looking into your front room every day?
We spent nearly two hours exploring before heading back into Penzance and even had enough time to view the pre-war Lido build in 1935 by the harbour.
The trip back to St.Ives took us via Marazion and St. Michael’s Mount. Luckily the bus dropped us near our site and we walked the short distance to put our feet up for the evening.
It’s travel day tomorrow as we hop across the county to a farm site near St. Mawes.
Weds. 11 September 2024
It was another “exposed” night here on the extremity of Britain as the wind concert had no regard for those wishing to sleep.
We were therefore up in good time for the now obligatory croissant breakfast and made the bus stop at the end of the lane with time to spare. The Coast Hopper as we had been warned was full but we managed to find a couple of seats at the rear of the bus.
We arrived at Lands End just after noon after an interesting trip along the narrow lanes. It never ceases to amaze how the drivers can do this every day. Nerves of steel.
Take a look at the photos of our Lands End visit.
Some ninety minutes later we found ourselves heading to Penzance, this time on the top deck of the open top Hopper. The expected connecting bus to St. Ives failed to appear but on reflection yours truly had not taken the timetable change from high to low season into account!! Silly Billy!!
When in doubt, take bus number 17 to St.Ives. Problem solved.
We’re back on site now and contemplating retracing our tracks to Penzance tomorrow but continuing on to Mousehole which will entail a change of bus. Watch this space.
Tues. 10 September 2024
The biological clock was well and truly set this morning to wake up ten minutes before picking up breakfast from the bakery! Just the job!
There was one problem, however. Breakfast was over too soon! Four bites and a croissant disappears quickly followed by a Pan aux Raisins in about six! I suppose the saving grace was the gooey bit at the end of the latter but nevertheless!!
You will be pleased to know that the same will happen tomorrow morning but with an extra croissant ordered breakfast might be extended by a minute!
At the risk of mixing metaphors, it has been a day (weather wise) of two halves.
It is well and truly raining and blowing a gale as this blog is being written but we were greeted with a friendly enough start to the day.
The site here is well served by an hourly bus service into St. Ives and along with other guests we made our way into town on the 11.10 service. We do seem to make a habit of latching on to random Germans and today was no exception! It turned out they came from the same village as E’ s cousin! Small world!
As you might expect, St Ives was packed. Most noticeable were the dog walking old people, many of whom seemed to have no control over their charges’ lead length with resulting trip wires extending across the pavements!
It is easy to see why it isn’t a good idea to take a motorhome into the town but we did witness one poor soul who by accident or design tried it today. His fate is unclear as I write.
A Cornish Pastie lunch (kept well buried in the brown paper bag to deter Gulls) was the reward for pounding the many up-hill streets and it was just after finishing that the weather started to change.
The early afternoon was spent in the art galleries or the tightly packed streets but we decided to cut our losses and head back to the site. Looking outside, it was a good decision!
The Cornwall Coast Hopper bus service looks interesting and could well be on the “to do” list for tomorrow. Watch this space.
Mon. 9 September 2024.
Firstly, a very „Happy Birthday“ to M on this his special day!
It was interesting weather last night as we were subjected to both wind and rain which didn‘t make for good sleeping but we survived.
The journey to St. Ives via the A30 today took just over three hours with a fuel stop included. The only issues we encountered were as a result of the two lanes into one which inevitably caused delays.
The road into the site here is single track and luckily we didn‘t meet anything going in the other direction. Our pitch is huge and we were quickly set up on what can be described as a half empty site.
This afternoon we‘ve helped fellow caravaners with an awning problem before heading along the local footpaths towards the sea and back.
We‘ve been lucky to secure our breakfast at the on-site bakery and can look forward to some warm offerings when we pick them up at 08.30 in the morning. It also looks like the site offers transport into St. Ives and weather permitting we‘ll give it a whirl tomorrow.
Sun. 8 September 2024.
It was a case of “late planning” last week for our trip to the West Country with a three site strategy in mind plus the obligatory over-nighter both going and on the return. Luckily, the pieces fell into place and here we are in Devon having driven the five and a half hours from Hunter Towers this morning.
Our “over nighter” is in Sidbury, just to the south of Honiton and it’s raining as the laptop keys are being pressed!
The decision to go A12, M25, M3 and A303 was taken this morning as the more direct route as opposed to venturing into the Midlands on the A14, M6, A46, M5 route which would have taken longer but arguably less risky regarding any hold ups.
Luckily, there were no traffic problems apart from torrential rain on the A303 near Andover and we made it here by around 13.15.
It’s a more comfortable drive tomorrow as we head to St. Ives with an estimated drive time of three hours. Watch this space!!
Fri 16 August 2024
We discovered last night that the roads chaos on the approach to Hunter Towers was to potentially get worse – on our travel day. The one usable road for heavier vehicles was to be shut temporarily throughout the day with fifteen minute wait periods!
The upshot was that we delayed our departure from Ferry Meadows to arrive around lunch time. The hope was that workers would also be on their lunch break and the road would be open!
As it turned out, we managed to squeeze through the numerous builders’ lorries and vans and arrived after a two and a half hour journey.
The unpacking is done. We’ll look at the calendar in the next few days to see where we go to next.
Thurs 15 August 2024
It was another early rise this morning and unlike yesterday we were met by rain!
Our departure at 08.15am wasn‘t too disastrous considering the rain did hamper our last-minute chores and we duly arrived here at our over-night stop in Peterborough at 3.15pm. Exactly seven hours, with both a fuel and brief lunch stop.
The drive south went smoothly with the raining staying with us until we were south of Newcastle. The Sat Nav generally behaved itself although choice of routes from North Berwick to the A1 were once again questionable but we got there with some human intervention!
It‘s an on-site Indian this evening. Tasty.
Weds 14 August 2024
The Hunters have been in Edinburgh all day today and have just got back to the site here at Yellowcraig.
It‘s travel day tomorrow and the blog will be updated when we land at our over night spot tomorrow. We‘re kn******d!
UPDATE
The booked taxi was waiting outside the site in North Berwick and such was the efficiency that we made the 08.46 am train to Edinburgh. Needless to say it was packed as we rolled into Waverley Station a half an hour later.
Without boring you too much, the day was spent exploring both on foot and on the City Tour buses. For day trips the latter is ideal with a constant commentary and upper deck views.
You‘ll see from the photos that the „Fringe“ was in full swing in the sunshine with every type of street entertainment on offer. The Castle and the Palace of Holyrood were highlights and we even managed to find the Hunter tartan on display in the specialist clothiers! We managed to avoid the temptation to buy a clan kilt despite E‘s insistence that it would suit my figure (lol) 😂😂!!
Afternoon tea at the Palace Cafe was followed by an attempt to get into the Scottish Parliament building but this was aborted due to the strict security on show.
A combination of train, bus and foot saw us get back to Yellowcraig at 7pm only to meet a lovely German family which had just arrived. They too were going to Edinburgh and wanted the ‚low down‘ on what to do! We duly entertained them for the rest of the evening before collapsing into bed.
The photos of the day will give a taste of the day.
Tues 13 August 2024
I‘m reminded of our trip to watch the 2012 Ryder Cup Golf in Wales and how we braved the elements that day to sit in the Grandstand on the par 3, 4th hole only for play to be suspended for most of the day. We sat there, not daring to lose our seats, until almost 4pm when the weather improved and play began again. All wasn‘t lost that day and we managed to watch around three hours of golf, despite the poor start to the day.
Today was similar, with heavy intermittent showers proving very frustrating and just when you thought they were over another wave hit! So there has been a lot of sitting about just waiting.
The good news is that the taxi to North Berwick railway station has been booked and the tickets purchased for our trip to Edinburgh tomorrow. There is a chance that the ‚report‘ on the events of the day won‘t appear until Thursday. Apologies.
The walk this afternoon was a relatively short one as we ventured west along the beach before returning on the coastal path to the site. That didn‘t stop us getting drenched, however as we just failed to make it back here before the heavens opened. Oh well, put the newspaper back in the shoes once again!!
So it‘s a few chores to do before retiring with a relatively early start planned for the morning. We‘re leaving the site here on Thursday for the trip south and between you and me yours truly could have miscalculated how far the driving distance should have been! Have I bitten off too much?
Mon 12 August 2024
The warnings about Thunderstorms along the A1 yesterday duly hit us during the first part of this morning and lasted until around noon.
The plan for today was to walk to Dirleton on the Jim Muir Way and visit the castle. We hadn‘t reckoned with an unexpected closure, however! We did manage a quick look around the village kirk before heading into Berwick on the bus.
First stop was the railway station to buy tickets for an Edinburgh visit on Wednesday and then it was off into town for a bite to eat and to explore! It didn‘t take long to find the tight roads we had been taken down the previous day. How we managed to get away with it is anybody‘s guess!
The town was busy for a Monday with the harbour area bustling with visitors as we clambered over the rocks for another photo and then it was onto the beach for the walk back to the site here. There was time to watch a few golfers teeing off on the West Links but we quickly lost sight of the fairways as we walked further along the beach towards Yellowcraig.
So, with Wednesday sorted it looks like tomorrow will be a further explore day with possibly some packing chores before travel day on Thursday. It‘s not the thing you want to be doing after you‘ve spent the day in Edinburgh on Wednesday!
Sun 11 August 2024
Travel Day and guess what? A beautiful sunny day at Dunstan and we have to leave!
Yours truly is having serious doubts about the integrity of the Camper Sat Nav that is supposed to be directing us around this part of the Kingdom. To travel north today it took us south to Alnwick and then north which was curious and then for some unknown reason took us into North Berwick instead of keeping us on the A1 to Haddington and north to Dirleton!
The upshot was great scenery on the Dash Cam with „ squeeky b**“ alert as we made it through North Berwick town centre with the detail of every house brick etched in the brain! Oh, the fun of driving a motorhome!
On the positive side, we have chanced on a lovely „fieldside“ pitch with a very (at the moment) quiet outlook.
We ventured onto the nearby beach this afternoon for a walk and once again came across a links golf course. It seems strange to think that yours truly played here in 2000 albeit on the Eastern Links.
We‘re back on site now planning the next few days before our trip back down the A1 into England. Where will we end up?
Sat 10 August 2024
Another windy but sunny day here in the North East with a round cycle tour on the menu.
First for a visit was the small fishing village of Crastor with its ban on cars in parts but we managed to squeeze through on the bikes for a good look.
We managed to keep the sea in view as we headed south visiting Howick before doubling back to Dunstan. The cycle path to Embleton gave us great views of Dunstanburgh Castle before heading to the Embleton Golf Club for a light lunch.
The ride along the B1339 was not the most comfortable with a lot of beach visiting traffic but we made it to Low Newton by the Sea for the quickest of photo opportunities before making the return trip to our starting point here at Dunstan.
It‘s travel day again tomorrow as we head north of the border into Scotland to a site just to the east of Edinburgh.
Fri 9 August 2024
It‘s been a beautiful day here on the Northumberland coast. We headed to Dunstanburgh Castle via Embleton Golf Links and the beach mid morning and arrived back on site this afternoon. The wind, however, has been quite fresh today and certain crew members have noticeable red cheeks as a result.
The beach was easy to find from our site with a footpath off road through a copse and fields. The Northumberland Coastal Path runs parallel with Embleton Golf Links and the course was very busy with what looked like a Society doing their thing but the walkers didn‘t seem to affect the golfers in the slightest.
Dunstanburgh Castle is an English Heritage site but we were lucky to gain entry with our NT cards. Needless to say, the views were worth the effort as we explored the site.
All in all, a very worthwhile 10 mile round walk. It was great to see the sun out for most of the time and the scenery was top notch.
As yesterday, the internet here is temperamental and it remains to be seen if the uploading of pictures will be successful! Hopefully the weather will hold tomorrow for the bikes to make an appearance.
Thurs 8 August 2024
Travel Day. We duly made the trip north to Dunstan in about three hours with a fuel stop at Washington.
Detlef once again took a hefty blow from an overhanging branch on the narrow North Yorkshire roads but we seem to have got away with it with only a few marks from the deflected assault high on the nearside front!
On reflection, the Sat Nav also appears to have thrown a wobbly on our approach to the site here having taken us along a route not recommended in the site literature. The route was tight in places, but we survived!
A pleasant evening was spent at the Greys Inn in Embleton, a mile down the road from us here in Dunstan with the not so great trek back overland in the rain. The clothes are still drying out!
Both the phone and wifi reception are causing problems today with the uploading of photos being a particular pain. We will keep trying.
It‘s walkies time to Embleton Bay tomorrow.
Weds 7 August 2024
A washout here in North Yorkshire today but not enough to stop us visiting the Wensleydale Creamery and the neighbouring village of Gayle.
The traditional fruit cake and Wensleydale cheese went down a treat at the Creamery as we sheltered from the rain. It was then off up the road into Gayle to see the falls.
The rest of the day can be best described as „lazy“. The bikes are back on Detlef and the chores ready for travel day tomorrow will wait for a break in the weather.
It‘s just about time to get the photos on the blog. It‘s still raining. What fun!!
Tues 6 August 2024
It proved to be a disrupted nights sleep as the rain crashed down but we survived to be greeted by a sunny morning here in the Yorkshire Dales.
Yours truly got a second shower as the bike cover was gently removed ready for the cycle tour to Semer Water and Bainbridge. Take a look at the latest addition in the Video Section of the site for a glimpse of where we were headed today.
We duly left the site here just after 11am and made our way along the main A684 before making a turn to Burtersett. This was the busiest part of the round trip with all sorts of vehicles trying their hardest to knock us off!!
The name of the road to Countersett (High Lane) should have told us all we needed to know with the initial steep climb followed by the inevitable sweeping descent down to Semer Water. What a great ride and well worth the huff and puff on the ascent!
Despite a very ambient temperature, the cycling jackets came into their own on the upper stretches with a noticeable breeze making life interesting!
Semer Water proved to be busy with numerous water boarding enthusiasts but we didn‘t disturb their fun for long. There was just time for a few photos before our final climb to join the road to Bainbridge.
The Tea Room in Bainbridge offered a very pleasant lunch stop before we made our way back to Hawes using the high road. The main road would have been too busy at that time of day and we returned to the site having cycled just short of fourteen miles.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on site chilling. It‘s off into the village tomorrow for a piece of fruit cake and cheese.
Mon 5 August 2024
Given the longer drive yesterday, it was no real surprise that we didn‘t stir this morning much before 9am. We woke to a „grey day“ and it hasn‘t really improved that much all day long. The rain held off until early evening and looks to be set in for a while.
We set off on the circular walk from Hawes to Hardraw just after 11am, deciding to take the lower route along the River Ure flood plain. There were numerous other walkers out and about to exchange words with and it wasn‘t long before we met the inevitable field of young bulls!!
E had fortunately decided to wear a pink top today which didn‘t arouse any blood lust from our four legged field dwellers and we just about made it to the stile, albeit with a quickened pace!!
We spent a couple of hours in Hardraw visiting first the church and then the beautiful waterfall. The latter is in private ownership and is well worth a visit. Lunch was taken in their pleasant cafe.
The route back saw us climb as we left Hardraw, through numerous fields of sheep and then cutting through a forested area before descending into Hawes once more.
The village was very busy in the afternoon and by that time the drizzle was beginning to fall. A visit to the old train station was interrupted as we decided to beat the rain.
Sun 4 August 2024
It was an early start today with the alarm going off at 5am at Hunter Towers giving the crew a couple of hours preparation before departing.
Travel time today was six hours, slightly longer than expected with some delay on the A1 south of the Leeds exit. The site here in Hawes is quite busy as you would expect for the first week in August.
We are off for a quick stroll into the village to get the legs moving again. I‘ll let you know how we get on later.
Well, we‘re back after our Hawes outing. It‘s been drizzling here off and on but not enough to dampen our fish and chip supper which was up there with the best!
When in Yorkshire, Theakstons is a must and a couple of pints later we find ourselves back on site and ready for an early night. The weather tomorrow doesn‘t look brilliant but we‘ll try and get a circular walk done!
Fri 26 July 2024
It always happens, doesn‘t it? The morning you leave and the sun shines! So it was today. After an early breakfast we headed the short distance from the site in Greetham to the A1 for the trip back to Suffolk.
We made it back to Hunter Towers some three hours later stopping for fuel on the way. Surprisingly we managed to find some LPG too to restock our gas tanks which was an added bonus! LPG gas supplies are very hard to come by in this part of the world unlike continental European countries.
Another bit of good news. E‘s puncture that she picked up yesterday was due to a thorn as we suspected and has already been sorted thanks to our local spoke expert Phil. What excellent service and cheap. Thanks Phil.
Thurs 25 July 2024
The final full day here in Greetham and a grey one at that!
We had to wait until almost midday before the fine rain stopped and it was all systems go to get the bikes ready as we headed for Cottesmore, home to the Royal Anglian Regiment at Kendrick Barracks.
There was a poignant pause as we came across a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery near the barracks which was at one time given over to the RAF. Many young men who fell in WW2 are buried here.
We were late arriving at the Hambleton Bakery for lunch but were able to get a table. The „fun“ began as we were about to leave. E realised she had a rear wheel puncture! Luckily we were only a few miles away from our site and managed to pump the tyre up to get back!
It looks like there is a thorn in the tyre and we‘ll wait now until we get back to Hunter Towers before repairing it. Lucky that it happened on our last day!
We return tomorrow.
Weds 24 July 2024
An interesting day was had by all!!
In writing today‘s blog, yours truly is well aware of a certain „saddle soreness“, the direct result of our 28 mile bike ride to Rutland Water and the anti clockwise trip around it and back to the site here at Greetham.
We left the site here at about 11.30am, making our way to the lake on the minor roads and cycle paths via Exton and Whitwell. From there it was west to Egleton with a lunch stop at Manton.
Normanton Church must be one of the highlights of the area and looked magnificent in the bright afternoon sky.
We arrived back on site at around 4.00pm, just in time to get gear stored before light showers interrupted proceedings. The bikes have yet to be stored but that should only take 10 minutes.
We’ve decided to eat at the site restaurant this evening and what about tomorrow? Watch this space.
Tues 23 July 2024
It was travel day today as we headed east towards Greetham and Rutland Water.
The Sat Nav had been programmed umpteen times in an attempt to avoid the M6 through Birmingham which has a terrible reputation for congestion. Off we went firmly believing that this had been achieved….wrong!
Heaven knows why the Sat Nav „forgot“ the route but the upshot was a trip through Birmingham on the M6 which has to be said was OK. It was slow in places but moving all the time.
Our route left the A14 taking us to the A1 via Corby using the A43 and it was around Corby that the inevitable happened. A lengthy delay.
Having experienced some of the most inept attempts in our home county at road repairs and the subsequent road closures/delays, we thought we had seen it all. Until today.
Picture a roundabout with a 4 way traffic light flow control. Only one of the four roads into the roundabout allowed at any one time. One drive possibility whilst the other three roads have to wait, and wait, and wait.
So what‘s the problem, I hear you ask?
So you wait for 45 minutes and Bob‘s your uncle, NOBODY is actually working. They are all sitting in a van doing nothing!
Anyway, rant over. We obviously arrived later than planned here in Greetham which is about five miles north of the lake. The site here is less than a quarter full and the afternoon has been spent with a walk around the village and taking some pictures. There are a couple of village pubs which will have to be investigated before we leave.
The weather forecast for the next couple of days doesn‘t look the best but the bikes will make their first appearance tomorrow as we head for the water.
Mon 22 July 2024
Note to Self – Before undertaking a visit please do some basic research!
Our neighbours on site were forceful in their admiration of Telford and thoroughly recommended a visit. A quick look at the bus timetable gave the green light with a route that went past the site entrance here on the edge of Shrewsbury.
Finding the bus stop proved interesting as we just about made the 11.03 having had to negotiate a really busy roundabout section which involved crossing at four different points. We managed it to be told by the driver he would have stopped opposite the site entrance!
We duly arrived some thirty minutes later in Telford, expecting a typical Shropshire town to greet us but were met with one of the largest shopping complexes that Britain has to offer! No one had told us that Telford is a „new town“ with the bulk of it given over to the shopping complex!
For those of you that are familiar with the Hunters, shopping is not a favourite hobby at the best of times and it wasn‘t long before we took the return bus, this time stopping over for two hours in Ironbridge to see the 1779 built bridge over the Severn Gorge.
We returned to the site here around tea time and were pleased we had abandoned our Telford shopping misadventure for a brilliant alternative.
It‘s travel day tomorrow as we head over land to Rutland, Britain‘s smallest county. Let‘s hope the weather plays ball so the bikes can make an appearance.
Sun 21 July 2024
With only two full days in Shrewsbury it was something of a shock to suddenly realise that Sunday bus services were non existent in this part of the country.
Today‘s plan was to explore the town and instead of buses it was taxis that did the honours, first an Uber and a local company for the return.
It has to be said that we were very pleasantly surprised and delighted with the town. Having been dropped by the English Bridge one is immediately aware of the River Severn which almost completely encircles the town. You cannot go far without coming across it again!
We had heard a lot about the architecture before our visit and weren‘t disappointed with the buildings around Fish Street and Butchers Row as typical examples. Take a look at the recent photos taken today for a taste.
After lunch we made our way to the River Severn promenade and managed to gatecrash the locals and the boat races taking place there. Needless to say there were a lot of folk watching and enjoying the racing.
We‘re now on site and contemplating taking the bus to Telford tomorrow. Watch this space.
Sat 20 July 2024
We woke to an overcast Harlech and by departure time the rain was well and truly falling.
The A496 into Harlech presented a few problems when we arrived last Monday and the fear today was for more of the same! We need not have worried as there appeared to be fewer larger vehicles on the road and we made it to the A487 without problem.
The route to Shrewsbury took us through the Snowdonia National Park once again but using a more northerly route than earlier in the week.
The site here in Shrewsbury is close to the A5 and owned by the same company as the site in Harlech. It’s a big complex with cafes, shops and family recreational areas. As you would expect at this time of year, it‘s quite full.
We‘ve spent the afternoon exploring the site and it‘s now decided to rain. One piece of bad news, however. There are no buses to Shrewsbury town on Sundays! Looks like a taxi then.
Fri 19 July 2024
Our last full day in North Wales turned into something of a „chill day“ with a relaxing morning on site in the sunshine followed by a circular afternoon walk through the golf course, dunes and along the wide, sandy beach before returning to the site.
We were fortunate to meet a few of the locals on route who readily answered our questions about the earlier purpose of now derelict buildings we saw on our way and, very interestingly, the history of the site here in Harlech.
The site, as we suspected, had been a farm. The then owner had diversified into welcoming caravans on to his land and it had developed from there. The land was eventually sold after he passed away and has been developed as a holiday site since then. The farm as such has long disappeared.
It‘s travel day tomorrow as we head back across Wales and into England once more. Next on the list is Shrewsbury, some two to three hours from here.
Thurs 18 July 2024
The bus took the strain again today as we headed south to Barmouth.
It was a lot fresher than yesterday as we headed off with the bus trip taking around half an hour. The road south of Harlech is classified as an „A“ road but the bus had to stop on several occasions, particularly in villages, to pass other large vehicles. It is easy to see why there were hardly any motorhomes on this stretch of coastal road.
Barmouth seemed a lot bigger than Porthmadog with more visitors, perhaps from the numerous static caravan sites along this section of coast. The town has seen better days from what was on show today but still retains many independent retailers and the obligatory coastal amusements. The large sandy beach is a gem.
It‘s overcast again this evening with the same forecast for our last full day tomorrow. We‘ll see what it‘s like before deciding on the „plan“!
Weds 17 July 2024
A wonderful sunny day here in North Wales as we headed north up the coast to Porthmadog.
The approach to the town was interesting particularly going over the Britannia Terrace with its views of the Afon Glaslyn. The town itself was lively with a lot of activity in the harbour area and after sampling the atmosphere headed along the river to Garth and the Bay below Parc y Borth.
The afternoon was spent at the Harbour Station, home to the Ffestiniog Railway.
We‘re now back on site making plans for tomorrow. Highly likely is a trip to Barmouth.
Tues 16 July 2024
It certainly rained for much of the night here in North Wales but conveniently stopped before breakfast giving way to a sunny morning. The cloud returned in the early afternoon but it has now brightened up once again to make for a pleasant evening.
Today was for exploration. Rucksacks were packed and off we went to Harlech Castle and the small town around it.
The approach roads were very steep but we made it to the castle in one piece with no heavy breathing! We avoided the road with the „steepest road in the world“ tag although we did venture down it on our return.
Harlech Castle is a gem and well worth the entry fee with spectacular views all round. Take a look at the photos and judge for yourselves. The lamb and mint pasty for lunch can also be recommended!
This afternoon we ventured to the beach through parts of Royal St David‘s Golf Club. Something tells me we‘ll be spending more time walking here this week.
Mon 15 July 2024
We duly arrived in Harlech, North Wales just after 1pm after some three to four hours at the wheel. Our set-up went smoothly, only interupted at the end with a few spits of rain but it’s now lashing down with yellow rain warnings being published. At least we’re in the dry!
The trip from Birmingham saw us take the old M6 westbound and what a bumpy ride we had – terrible! The roads did get better as we headed past Wolverhampton and with Shrewsbury disappearing we took the Mid-Wales route across country, then north across the Snowdonia National Park. It was a pity it was dull but still worth it for the views.
The approach to Harlech along the narrow roads was interesting and you may be interested in a few of the “views from the cab” recorded from our Dash Cam as we inched past a lorry at very close quarters. Definitely not for the faint hearted. I’m happy to report no contact was made with the enemy!
The plan for the rest of the day is to listen to the rain beat down on the roof. I can hear faint cries from the fridge as a bottle of Rose wants to be let out so I’ll do my best to oblige. Let’s see what the weather brings manana.
Sun 14 July 2024
There was a slight detour at the start of our journey to the Midlands today as we snaked through Ipswich to avoid the heavy transporter on the A14.
The journey went without incident and It must be said that the new stretch of the A14 around Stowmarket is a great improvement on what it was this time last year.
We found our overnight stop here at Kingsbury Water Park with ease having stayed here before. On the downside yet another issue with Detlef as the fly screen on the main door has decided to break! How long it will take to fix the Almighty only knows. Welcome mozzies!!
After chatting to our German neighbours who are on their way to the Open Golf in Scotland we did a quick tour of the site. It was then a matter of settling in to watch the footy……..less said the better!
It‘s off to Harlech tomorrow, a drive of around three to four hours.
Sun 23 to Weds 26 June 2024
Once again this is a post-event write up concerning our recent fishing trip to Fields End in Doddington, Cambridgeshire. You are very welcome to have a look at the recent photos section to get a feel for our location.
In truth there was nothing much to report other than a complete two full day fishing disaster with only four fish caught. It was simply too hot and whilst the carp were visible, they were too lethargic to feed!
E continued her theme of discovering the Fens by walking whilst trying to navigate around the numerous waterways that traverse this flat landscape. I am pleased to report that she didn‘t get lost!
We duly returned to Hunter Towers on the Wednesday.
Sun 16 June 2024
Just a quick note on an excellent weekend in Aldeburgh on the Suffolk Coast despite the weather!
The trip from Hunter Towers took around an hour and we managed a walk into town before the troops arrived around tea time. It was then off into town again for a traditional fish and chip supper before retiring for the Ludo championships.
As it turned out, Saturday was our only full day and turned into a „miss the heavy shower day“ as walked into town once again with the ice cream parlour the main destination. The younger members of the group certainly appreciated our efforts!
Sunday was also a day of shower dodging and we eventually headed for Thorpeness in the late morning. Inevitably we were all soaked before getting to the Meare Cafe for lunch!
The return walk took us inland as we skirted the golf course but on reflection the muddy paths should have been avoided. Father‘s Day gifts were shared in the afternoon before heading home in the early evening.
Thurs 25 April 2024
It was an early rise today for the trip back to Hunter Towers via our Main Dealer for Detlef’s annual habitation check.
We said goodbye to the site at Cherry Hinton at 7.45 am just in time to hit the Cambridge rush hour. The Sat Nav decided on a slightly further journey than “as the crow flies” which on reflection was a good choice as we managed to avoid the winding country lanes for the more expansive M11 and A120.
The business end of the day was duly completed at 11.30 am and we are now safely chilling at Hunter Towers. All in all everything appears to be OK with the motorhome. The Sat TV system needed a software update and we can once again find one of the satellites which has mysteriously disappeared! You’ve simply got to stay on top of things!
Thanks to the guys at the Main Dealership for taking care of us.
The next trip? With a bit of luck this could be next month. There’s a bit of water to flow under the bridge before then, however.
Weds 24 April 2024
Travel day to Cambridge and a somewhat lazy start as we planned to leave Wells around 11 am for the 85 mile trip.
The road closures in North Norfolk were thankfully paused for a day and the nightmare that would have ensued didn’t materialise. We decided to give the unique Newmarket a quick visit en route thanks to yours truly taking a wrong turn!
The site here in Cherry Hinton is relatively small and situated in an old quarry. The bus routes into the city are close by and we duly set off for an afternoon of exploration culminating in a coffee stop on top of the giant John Lewis store in the city centre.
How many languages did we hear in the afternoon? Too many to count. Then there was the inevitable question of “Do you want to go Punting?” A polite reply, something on the lines of, “What, in these temperatures?”, quickly ended the conversation and we were once again battling against the constant stream of people on their mobile phones and not looking where they were going.
We witnessed our first head-on bicycle crash this afternoon as a very unsure wobling young lady took out what appeared to be a young student. We had previously made comment about an accident waiting to happen as the former, helmet not fastened and coat tails perilously close to her back wheel, tacked from one side of the path/road to the other. To cap it all, she just jumped on the bike and was gone. There didn’t appear to be any injuries to either party!
We are now back on site and just about to tuck into a well-earned portion of “Kaiserschmarrn” and “Apfelbrei” for tea.
We are off to Essex tomorrow for the annual “habitation check” and then on to Hunter Towers.
Tues 23 April 2024
Go west, or so the song says.
The Coastliner 36 took the strain as we headed to RSPB Titchwell today. The skies opened on the way but we managed to keep dry and remained so for the duration of our visit but it was both windy and cold.
The reserve is smaller than our local Minsmere but facilities are good nevertheless. In all we walked around 12km and managed to see a variety of species. The families of ducks were prominent with anywhere from one to ten offspring!
We were back on site here in Wells just before 5pm and now look forward to our trip to Cambridge tomorrow. There are various road closures around here in North Norfolk and it remains to be see if we can make a swift exit!
Mon 22 April 2024
A good night’s sleep yesterday only interupted by the rain hitting the roof in the early hours and it was all systems go today.
The plan was to tackle the coastal path walk from Wells to Stiffkey with the bus taking the strain for the return journey.
We set off just after 10am, taking the field path to Wells and onto the coastal path skirting the salt marshes. The tide was out which brought the wader birds out in force but the highlight for the camera was the deer resting by the natural fresh water pond that took the prize!
We reached Stiffkey just after 1pm and headed to the local stores for lunch. The timing was great as we had enough time before catching the 14.15 bus back to Wells.
The rain duly started as we were on the bus and it just remained to plod back to our site here for a well earned rest.
Sun 21 April 2024
The last few days saw the team getting Detlef ready for the first trip of the year and it was all systems go as we set off for North Norfolk at 10.30 am this morning.
A major junction closure near Ipswich saw us take an unexpected diversion but it didn’t really delay us unduly!
The site here at Wells is a new one for us but first impressions are good. The site is quite full and our pitch is fully self contained. It didn’t take long to get organised and we were able to explore for most of the afternoon getting onto the beach and then venturing into Wells for a couple of beers.
It is quite cold here still but we are hoping to walk to Stiffkey tomorrow.