Poole, Dorset

We had a look around South Lytchett Manor campsite and decided to stay three nights. Well cared for with very clean amenities, it proved to be an ideal place for visits to Poole in Dorset - and cycling visits that is! Only three miles away with good cycling tracks.

The highlight was Poole harbour with very good views of the Sunseeker luxury motoryachts operation and the never ending coming and going of other pleasure craft. There are varied eateries along the qauyside to suit all tastes, from take out chippy's to 'Italian gossip'.

We also had the bicycles serviced at The Bicycle Company with the owner Martyn Hoyle http://www.thebicycleco.com/ really giving both some well earned attention after eight years of moderate useage, brakes, chain and gears, wheels and some adjustments to riding position - all at £40.00 per bike and ready after two hours.

Did I mention Poole harbour?

The huge Sunseeker luxury motoryachts operation in the harbour 

A new yacht being towed out and pushed to an anchorage

RNLI lifeboat

The Condor Vitesse, cross channel ferry Poole to St Malo

Cobbs Marina with its 'dry stack' method of boat storage

With the prevalent sunny weather the cycling was most enjoyable and the two days spent around the boating activities of Poole was an unknown bonus. 

St David's, Wales (continued)

Part 2
This is a 'cathedral city' of many parts. Our enjoyment of this area and location was such that we stayed 5 nights. We changed campsite on day three and moved some 200 yards further up the road to a very laid back and rustic site, mainly because it was so quiet there. Owner / manager Nick comes round twice a day to see all is allright and to collect payment from new arrivals, no office no paperwork no fuss. We stayed three nights.

Subsequent visits to the village revealed good outlets for deli related goodies, a green grocer, fish 'n chips with take out's wrapped in paper (just like it used to be), a Fat Face boutique shoppe, various pubs with lovely outside seating areas. Nothing big or glitzy, just neat and nice.

Some activities:-

Take out fish 'n chips in paper

There was also the opportunity for a braai (BBQ) British style on one of those mini tin foiled affair's. The green box acted as wind break.

Beautiful paths along the Pembrokeshire coast

A morning spent cycling to nearby Porthclais and Whitesands

A view of Solva harbour near St David's on our way back to England

We are settling into a pattern whereby if a place and destination takes our fancy we will stay a few days. On Friday 25 May we departed back to England using the M4 through Wales, and no tolls when entering England from Wales, but a hefty toll of £6.00 when entering Wales across the Severn!

St David's, Wales

Part 1
What a find this St David's in Wales was! Remember we very seldom book ahead when touring, same applied when we had the Harley's, so it can be hit and miss, which is half the fun. We tend to look for some suitable stopover from 3pm or when we've had enough driving for the day, whichever comes first.
Leaving the pub carpark near Hereford early Sunday morning, we travelled to the outskirts of Cardiff through beautiful Welsh countryside and then joined the M4 motorway going west towards the Welsh coast in Pembrokeshire. We aimed for Tenby which looked drab and then entered the postcode of Caerfai Bay campsite near St David's, an extra hour's drive.

A lovely level grassed area has Joan all smiles ....

.... with a view of the sea ....

.... reading the paper.

The following morning saw us walking to St David's which is a mile away for a look around. A touristy village with many cafe's, pubs, arts and crafts shops, deli's and small supermarket. All neat and well presented - hmm!

Village centre

I've always wanted one of these - Citroen CV2

A cathedral in St David's?!

Oh yes, and officially St David's is recognised as the smallest city in the UK, so ordained by the Queen in 1995, because any place with a cathedral is historically recognised as a city in the UK. For further reading:-

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_David's_Cathedral

Near Hereford

Travelling need not always be to grand destinations. Off the beaten track and at the 'back of beyond' can also be rewarding. You sometimes find real people leading very normal lives in these places. Such was our experience in Tarrington, near Hereford.

We spent a night 'wild camping' in the car park of this pub near Hereford on the England / Wales border, with permission from the Landlord. The beer was well kept, the ambience yesteryear and the service very friendly.

A walk around the village revealed this ancient Yew tree in the church yard.

The trunk almost 18 foot in diameter.

The old forge with a proper letterbox of the kind not seen anymore.

From Yorks to Lincs

We left the campsite outside Settle having spent four nights there and doing some walks in and around the town. The best was the walk onto the fells (the tops) with views across the town. We programmed Snoopy to take us south to Lincolnshire avoiding the A1 and all motorways.

Lunchtime found us in the Sherwood forest (from Robin Hood fame) south of Doncaster. Beautifully green with large open areas on National Trust property, meant the ideal location. We had just sat down to soup and fresh rolls when a warden appeared saying that the fee is £5.50 for parking. I put on my best Afrikaans accent and said that is rather high for just a lunch stop of one hour. He took the point and said if I bought two raffle tickets at a Pound each it would be fine; deal done!

No such thing as a free lunch!

See the face in the window.

For some days now Joan and I had been saying we must try our hand at 'wild camping'. This simply means that you overnight not being parked on or in a designated campsite. It gives you more of a yesteryear feel to camping when the world was a less regulated place. It entails finding a suitable quiet spot outside a town to stop for the night, i.e. a layby, a pub carpark in town or some such place where you cause no disturbance or irritation. Pub carparks entails gaining the permission of the Landlord or Manager. The photo above is of such a place near the RAF Cranwell base. We had views across fields of flowering yellow rape seed with the loud bangs of devices chasing off crows and rooks from the seeds every now and then.

No visit to Lincolnshire is complete without a visit to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) based at RAF Coningsby. The hangar is full of airworthy Hurricanes, Spitfires and one of only two flying Lancaster heavy bombers.

"Phantom of the Ruhr".

The Female view (Part 1)

So exciting, now that the dream has become a reality. The last few weeks in London was quite stressful in getting all sorted and making the move.

It was difficult to decide what clothing to take in Fifi and what to put in storage, the great thing about being in England for the first few weeks was that you could keep changing your mind.

So you think this is a holiday - adventure, is hard work, but hey it can take me all day it doesn't matter.

 From sweeping the motorhome's floor, to using different washing machines at the campsites, washing dishes at the washing up station on site as the m'home has no drainer and using theirs means using what you paid fees for ....! Even found one sink clogged up with greasy fat from someone's BBQ. But the laughs we have people watching, and laughing at each other as well.

The lifestyle is easygoing and relaxed and so far highly recommended.

Part 2 to follow.

The (wet) Yorkshire Dales

The following two photos were taken at the Langcliffe Caravan Park outside Settle. We may well stay for four nights so as to make full use of the many long walks in the area - weather permitting. 

 A grey rainy day in the Dales, locally spoken of as 'the clag is down' meaning the greyness obscures even the outlines of the surrounding hills.

 The joy of staying on campsites during the week outside of school holidays, largely empty with peace and quiet complimenting the experience. The caravans further down are parked and left by their owners and only used during long weekends or holidays.

Snoopy

Meet Snoopy, yes, our SatNav (GPS).

Mounted on an easy on-and-off suction cup bracket directly onto the windscreen. This was a major find in our quest for a user friendly, motorhome dedicated, no fuss no nonsense device, to aid route finding and navigation. It takes less than a minute to affix to windscreen, has a big 7" screen and recalculates immediately if you deviate due to road closures et al. What a joy!

It navigates via post codes, destination or grid reference, has optional voice guiding, avoids narrow lanes and low obstacles because it knows your motorhome's width and height. Naturally the disc is pre-programmed with UK and EU mapping. And - nice big touch screen icons and buttons!

See the rain on the windscreen? Now you know what campervanners do on rainy days, we tell others about our onboard gadgets. And that's before we have opened a bottle of wine!

The Yorkshire Dales

Before leaving Harrogate we did a big shop at the local Morrison's supermarket, stocking the 'van with groceries and all the rest. Fridge/freezer and cupboards are all brimming with goodies as we give Fifi Le Van her 'shake down' for the European adventure ahead.

Crossing Buttertubs Pass from Swaledale to Hawes on a lovely sunny afternoon.

Picture says it all!

On our way crossing the Dales the road takes you past the Ribblehead Viaduct, 400m long with 24 arches and completed in 1874, it was almost closed by British Rail in the 1980's. It is now a Grade 2 listed structure.

Rudding Holiday Park, near Harrogate, Yorks.

Parked and overlooking most of the rest of the park, we enjoyed this tranquility with the last of the Cherry blossoms. A well equipped campsite set in acres of parkland bordered by the Hawtree Golf Course.
The 'van is plugged into mains electricity via the heavy duty cable at the back. The yellow things under the front wheels are levellers which ensures perfect balance for the vertical and horizontal axis, if needed at all. Island doublebed at the back with windows both sides, middle window is the kitchen window and lounge/dinette has windows both sides. In front the driver and passenger cab.

The hire van we used to transport the essentials into storage. Never ceases to amaze one how much you hoard, until your next move.

 

The bouquet of flowers from the dealership found on the dinette of Fifi Le Van, soon after completing the demonstration relating to the systems, accessories and fitments, of our new motorhome. Joan promptly had the Sony DAB radio playing tunes from BBC Radio Smooth. The card was sent by Caroline to congratulate us on the 'New Adventure'.

Blogging will start in earnest soon, now that we are settling into a routine. The first week was hectic familiarising ourselves with the motorhome, stocking up on groceries, getting internet (dongle and/or wi-fi) connection, sourcing our prefered GPS/Satnav and deciding where to find the better weather ....

The first long weekend in May will be spent in Yorkshire near Harrogate.