It's been 7 hours and 96 days, since you took my van away.....

Saturday. Finally, on 16th March, the van passed its MOT at the second attempt. After weeks of welding and a new wheel bearing (and thousands of pounds) I went straight from the garage to Lower Wenselydale CMC site just outside Leyburn. 

The van steering was much better after the wheel bearing change, and she was all shiny clean with new leisure batteries so all seemed well.

Sadly, the 240v sockets and electric heating wouldn't work. As I had no gas left, that meant no hot food/drinks or heating. I went up to the village (approx 20 min walk) and had a pint of Theakston's in the Kings Head/Arms to commiserate. 

No hot food on offer in the village, so a quick trip to the Co-op for provisions and I got in to bed at 6.30 to keep warm. Outside the birdsong was incredible. The site is based in an old quarry and the limekilns are still there. I was on the top level so could see the across the dale. 

Sunday 17th

After a quick phone call with fellow van-owner Paul, I had a few more ideas to try - however I idly turned the hotplate on again in forlorn hope - AND IT WORKED! After some searching in the Vantage owners FB page I also managed to get the electric heating to come on (and stop the flashing gas warning light in the bargain). No idea why the 240v sockets weren't working the day before, I must have just jiggled the right switch/fuse.

Life seemed so much better, and later that day I had a pint of Timothy Taylor's in the Black Swan to celebrate.

First however I walked up to the Leyburn heritage railway station (Wensleydale Line) and had a trip up to Leeming Bar and back. On the way I chatted to some lovely people who were very inspiring - they had spent 2 years driving around the coast of the UK, and also been site wardens, something I had considered.

At Leeming Bar we had a short tour around the Station Master's house which was set as it had been in the 1920s.

This time I was able to get a hot meal in Leyburn - a mahoosive home made corned beef hash, which came with baked beans and 2 fried eggs on top. Most unexpected.

The sun came out in the evening so I sat in the doorway of the van, did a bit of birdspotting (jackdaws, rooks, great tits) and felt all the despondency of the previous months melt away. 

This is the life.

(Van) Rust never sleeps

Oh woe is me, another slough of despond, those rust spots led to a visit to a body shop, where James spotted a much WORSE problem on the sills. Just to get through the MOT and cure the rust requires thousands of pounds of work. Yes, you read right THOUSANDS.

I had a weekend of soul-searching (and replacement van searching) but in the end decided to go ahead. I can't imagine being without a van, and the overheated market means I could only afford another elderly vehicle which could be just as bad as, or worse than, mine. Plus I love my van's layout, it's perfect for me. Everyone has some weak spot and my money-pit of a van is mine. 

So, it's in the workshop again, this time for a month or so, so no December trip this year.

Caernarfon

I took advantage of a break in my work shifts to head over for a long-overdue visit to Dewi and Wendi. They had recommended a site attached to the Tafarn Snowdonia Parc pub and microbrewery. I got completely lost on the way, and the fuel gauge was firmly on 0 by the time I arrived in the dark. We met in the pub that night and the time just flew.

The site has a bus stop outside and on their suggestion I headed for Llanberis on the Sherpa service using a day rover ticket. I walked along the lakeside (via a naff sword sculpture) to the castle. Long views down the valley from this vantage point. 

I caught the bus up to Pen-y-pass, a wonderful route, especially if you're not driving it! I was lucky with the weather on the way up, but just as I was about to start exploring, the rain came down again so I jumped on the next bus back down to Llanberis (I am so feeble). Nice lunch in Pantri then I found an interesting photo exhibition in St Padern's church - a local photographer had captured a range of people from slate miners to policemen. Stupidly I didn't note his name and now can't find any trace online.

The next day I headed in to Caernarfon on the bus, and visited the castle, which is extensive and has exhibitions in the towers, plus large sculptures representing the castle builders and inhabitants.

Lunch downstairs in a cosy room:

then a wander to the Galleri on the quay and the Market Place to see where Dewi hosts the world-famous GlobalHeads gigs. 

I met Wendi and Gweni in the square, and we bought some cakes to take back to their house for home-cooked curry and football on the telly (Wales drew and Wrexham lost, oh dear).

Wendi had kindly taken me to a petrol station so I could buy a canister of diesel, so I wasn't stranded the next day. This time I ignored the satnav and found the new bypass - I MUST GET A NEW SATNAV.