New arrival

Saturday was an expensive day! I went down to Stourbridge and collected my new van, seen below waiting in the wings. I felt a bit sentimental leaving my dear old van with them, but....

the new one drives like a dream! Sentiment rapidly disappeared - so much better to travel in.

All went well until the M1 - and then the back door flew open! So I pulled in and locked it. The weather really started to come down, but I got home before the worst. Then a knock on the door and a passer-by had come to tell me the door was open again! So I shut and locked it again - and now it won't open..... Grrrrr......

SMCF to the rescue again - sounds like a dodgy spring, loads of people have the same problem, and I shouldn't have pulled the key out without turning it back to the start position. Graphite spray recommended - after I can get it freed.

The weather was shocking all day so I haven't stood there fiddling with it, I decided a stuck locked door was better than a stuck open door in these conditions. It's back up at the farm now, but I haven't been able to load it up so that is a pain. I'll have to wait a week now to get it sorted.

Wet Wet Wet in Hawes

Arrived very late after a hair-raising journey in the dark across country, thanks to my insane sat-nav. Got a bit lost in Hawes which is not easy to do, but I went to their bonfire and fireworks display before checking in. Usual sterile Caravan Club set up, but you can walk in to town so that is a huge plus.









Spent the day locally, at the museum which had a short sculpture trail outside. My favourites were these lovely copper bats.

The weather was dreadful all night and most of the day, but I managed to dodge the downpours. The rain made the waterfall in the village centre pretty spectacular.

Walked through the village up to the Wensleydale Creamery, where you can watch the men in white wellies and blue hairnets supervising the cheese.

Back to the van for soup, soon accompanied by the drumming of rain on the roof.

On Sunday, more rain, so I headed home and emptied out the van completely, ready to hand over in exchange for my new one.

3 Cheers II

I've taken the plunge (again) and traded in my lovely old van for a lovely newer version. I went to AEG in Stourbridge and will soon be picking up a 2010 R20 Lo, with blue interior. Some small changes to the design but in the main it means I have a base vehicle that doesn't drip oil, have spongy brakes and should go up hills without me bouncing up and down on the seat to will it along.

It should be ready at the end of November, so my last trip in the Mark 1 will be to Hawes on 6th, and my first trip of 2016 will be in the new one. Which has a CD PLAYER!! Hurrah!

I stayed overnight at a CL called The Bumbles, but I arrived in the dark and left in the fog so it is the first site I stayed at where I didn't take a photo. Lots of distant fireworks overnight, otherwise quiet.

Musicport - the World comes to Whitby

Oct 16th - 18th

Lovely weekend at this music festival, recommended by DJ Fflyffilyfbbl (aka old friend Dewi).

I started the weekend standing on a cold and windy clifftop listening to a samba band and watching fire jugglers as it got dark. Brilliant fun. I joined the procession down to the pavilion, which had 3 venues and the Hub, where DJs (including Dewi) played. 

DJ FFlyf.... Dewi

I stayed on the carpark of the cricket club, eventually hemmed in by two massive vans, but at least they kept the wind off! Bit grim, not even a tap.

Highlights:
Fri - Varldens Band, Terry Hall's reggae selection

Sat - Ben Rogers (joint best of festival), Blanty, Blue Rose Code, Fanfara Tirana, parts of Dub Colossus.

Brilliant Ben Rogers

Sun - Demon Barbers XL, Emily Portman Trio (joint best), The Gentle Good, Eliza Carthy

Emily without the trio

Lowlights:
None. Yay! 

Kendal culture trip

With new brake discs attached, I set off on a spur-of-the-moment trip. The forecast was cloudy, so I decided not to try for the scenic lakes, but instead visit one of the towns I usually bypass.

I managed to get in at the Kendal Caravan Club site and was pleasantly surprised. It is build on the grounds of a gunpowder factory, and all the vans are hidden in the trees right next to the Kent river. I got there just as it turned dark, to see a chip van on site, so.... well it would be rude not to wouldn't it?

Waking up the next morning and opening my blinds to see trees and sky - my favourite bit of vanning. My heater had kept me toastie warm, and all was right with the world. (And surprisingly, it stayed that way all week-end! I know! You were expecting some disaster to strike, weren't you? I certainly was.)

Off to Abbot Hall Gallery and Museum. The gallery was showing a collection by four of the St Ives painters and it was quite busy. As it turned out, I wasn't so keen on the St Ives exhibition, even though it made the Times Hot 50. All a bit blobby and gloomy, apart from some nice orange stripy jobs.

Ruskin

Downstairs was a fantastic exhibition of watercolours - Cotman, Ruskin, Turner, Constable.

 But the best thing there was a huge triptych of  Lady Ann Clifford, who had to fight 40 years for her inheritance. I popped in to the excellent shop and did some more Christmas shopping.



The Museum of Lakeland Life was like a Tardis, packed full of artefacts from mining, agriculture, shops, the wool trade (real tenterhooks), childhood toys, clothing (including red flannel undies). A room was dedicated to Arthur Ransome who wrote the Swallows and Amazons books. He was quite a chap, ditching a wife to run off to Eastern Europe, and he eventually married Trotsky's secretary!







Lunch at the Brewery, scene of many a boozy night when I was a student, along with Tim, Parse and Ack. Warming soup, followed by another exhibition - this time Shojo (girl) manga prints. Impressive, but a bit odd.

by KEIKO TAKEMIYA

I went on a drive up to Shap, but the weather really wasn't good, so back to the site via a farm shop. I was supposed to be having a healthy tea but ditched that plan when I saw the cheese and bread! Oh dear, another bad day for a WeightWatcher.



Sunday morning, off to Levens Hall. The garden was fantastic, Roger Dean topiary and beautiful bedding - yellow and purple, my favourites.

The house itself I found a bit dispiriting, lots of dark oak and they seem very hung up on the genealogy of the owners. Some extra artefacts related to Waterloo were more interesting, and the leather wallpaper was impressive.

Home in time for tea.

Another visit to the garage

Driving back from King's Lynn there was a horrible squealing coming from the front of the van, plus more screeching when I braked. So it is booked in to the garage tomorrow for more work. I wonder if they can fix the oil drip too?

I've decided to stick with a Romahome Hylo, but will start looking for a newer model, maybe with heating. I like the fact I can go down any lane or into any car park, and not have to worry about getting stuck! I don't really need more space, there is only so much room you need to lounge around doing crosswords.

King's Lynn - the Autumn rally

An interesting long weekend down at King's Lynn. It was arranged by SMCF again, and around 45 people came along in 30 vans. And about 70 dogs.

Wells-next-the-Sea

It was lovely weather so I went to the beach on Friday. Wells-next-the-Sea was packed, so moved on to Old Hunstanton, where I lounged around on a blanket for a couple of hours and felt the sand between my toes; I can't remember the last time I did that.

Old Hunstanton

Met some great new women - Clare, MaryJ, Angela and others, and feasted on burgers kindly supplied by Brian R.

Saturday BBQ

Sunday was Heritage Day in King's Lynn with many buildings open to the public that would normally be closed e.g. solicitors, offices, homes and gardens. Spent almost the whole day walking round exploring and could have done with an extra day really.

Pictures: True's Yard smokehouse museum, Tuesday Market Square, Custom House, Town Hall and Gaol, Greenland Fisheries (1605), St Nicholas' angel roof, monument to King's Lynn maritime explorers.

The honeymoon is over....

On my way home last night a horrible deep rasp-berrying started bellowing from under the van. Looking underneath, the end of the exhaust looks all frayed and as if a bit might have dropped off. Although I don't know what it looked like before if truth be told.

Booked in for an exhaust check on Tuesday. It has done 82,000 miles, and I have started eyeing up Nu Venture vans. Is there an Ashley Madison for campervan drivers?

North York Moors

Bank Holiday weekend, what to do? The thought of the usual hotspots and packed camp sites was a bit off-putting so I decided to BritStop quite near home, so nothing lost if I decided to abandon the trip. I plumped for the The Green Tree just outside Northallerton. A proper locals pub, with mostly men in attendance, fruity language and a real pub singer! (Mac the Knife, Lying Eyes). Uneventful night after a big chicken and chips dinner.

On the way called in at Northallerton and found the Joe Cornish gallery, fabulous photos and sculptures, but prices to match. This is his photo of Roseberry Topping, not mine!

The next morning off early and parked up at Cod Beck Reservoir, a 40 min walk round and breakfast of croissants and juice by the dam wall.

Got a bit lost then, but finally made it to Hawnby, and visited the poetry church - and saw a real church mouse! It was scurrying under the pews. The church was full of the Tancred family, plus WWI memorabilia, including one window commemorating the rector's 3 sons killed in the war.

Final trip of the day was to Wharrem Percy, an abandoned medieval village I'd seen marked on the map 20 years ago and always wondered about. From the car park it was a long, hot walk (well 500m) down the hill and back up. Was it worth it? Well good job I took a picnic that's all I can say. Just a load of lumpy fields! And an outdoor hymn-singing group who started with All Things Bright and Beautiful then went on to Jerusalem - two of my least favourite hymns.  

From the air, it looks like this:

So I'd wait for the helicopter trip if I were you.

By now I was shattered, and the forecast was for rain on Monday, so headed home..

Moira Furnace Folk Festival - Aug 14-16th

First trip after my appendix op, a bit nervous but checked out the site and all sounded manageable, plus there were lots of SMCF chums there. Terrible drive down, in bad weather, but beautiful sun on the Sat/Sun. Very sore on Saturday so just sat around eating ice-cream and drinking ginger beer - this is the life!

Moira Furnace is an old coal-fired iron works, now a museum. Right on the canal and lovely grounds which were full of beardy-types, musicians and morris dancers. Plus lots of families and normal people such as me.

 The music was enjoyable in the main, (although avoid a band called Pennyless if you ever come across them). Not as strong or varied as Bedale but much nicer surroundings.





The usual suspects, Ian/Sue, Brian/Liz, Brian and two ladies whose names I have forgotten but were lovely.

Bought lots of tombola tickets, necklaces and books, plus a Christmas present for Dad (shhhh!).

Outer Hebrides - June 20th to 30th

My first big trip, 10 days on the road, island hopping up the Outer Hebrides. A fantastic, lovely journey, but rather than create a huge post here, I have created a separate blog with loads of detail and links to the campsites I visited.

Click here to jump to the blog for Outer Hebrides