Category: 2022 Trips

New Year adventures in The Peak District

Posted in 2022 Trips, Peak District, walking5 Comments

Gandalf the VW is settled on a very lovely campsite in the heart of the Peak District. We’re staying at Upper Hurst Farm, an independently run site with 5 star facilities and views. It’s really great to be out and about again in the van, we’re a big fan of winter camping, providing we’ve got decent facility blocks!

Excuse the colour of Gandalf. Bad weather has prevented washing!

Here at Upper Hurst Farm, we’re spoilt as the campsite has large heated shower and toilet blocks, plus a campers kitchen complete with microwave / kettle/ washing machine and tumble drier (not that we’ll need these!)

Our drive up here was good and we were pleased to arrive before it got dark, which made for an easy set up, but better still, enough daylight to explore the path to the local pub, The Manifold Inn. There is a half a mile off road footpath to the pub- which despite being muddy under foot was easy to navigate and before we knew it we were enjoying a beverage next to the log fire. The pub was charming and cosy, and had a great menu- of soon got earmarked for a meal or two over the coming days.

We got back to Gandalf just before dark, settled in and enjoyed some homemade pies and mash from the freezer cooked in the Remoska for dinner before settling down to a film on the iPad and an early night.

Friday dawned a bit wetter than hoped but we weren’t going to let that stop us. We had bacon and egg sarnies and got our wet gear on. By 10:30 we were heading out for a walk to Thor’s Cave and the Manifold trail. The first section was hard going- it was heavy rain and exceptionally muddy under foot, but after half an hour the rain dried up and left us with a dry day ahead.

The village of Wetton was small and pretty and had an exceptionally converted police station now into a house with original features.

We had hoped for a pint at Wetton but the pub had strange opening hours and was closed, so we continued down the valley (and back up a bit to the cave) and found Thor’s Cave. This large cathedral like cave is imposing and has great views across the Manifold valley.

From the cave we continued descending into the valley floor, and then followed the very easy path (The Manifold Way) through the valley all the way back to the Manifold Inn, just in time for a large plate of chilli topped chips which really hit the spot. [Note the Manifold Inn doesn’t serve food between 3pm – 6pm]

By the time we got back to Gandalf we’d enjoyed the sun going down, a sun downer and clocked up almost 10.5 miles – we’d thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our evening was spent having a big chill- another film and a campsite stew which we’d got out of the freezer and cooked in the remoska.

New Year’s Eve arrived and the weather forecast was awful. We awoke to rain as the forecast had predicted so we had a duvet morning. About 11:30 the rain began to ease and we decided to walk the short distance to the Manifold Inn for an early lunch- we’d both spied local sausage and mash on the menu and it had tempted us. It was very tasty!

Since the weather was dry, we felt guilty about doing nothing, and fancied a leg stretch so we walked the short distance to nearby Hartington (a regular bus services runs Mon- sat- but our timings didn’t work)

Angus grazing on the fields between Hartington and Hulme End

Hartington is a pretty market village, with a number of shops and delis and even a cheese shop. Naturally we brought some cheese, and would have had a pint in the Devonshire arms- a cosy central pub – however it was packed, so we had a pint at the historic YHA bar instead, situated in Hartington Manor. (Thanks to a tip off about this from a couple we met as we walked to Hartington.)

The YHA which has a bar open to public

After a quick refreshment stop we made our way the scenic route back to Gandalf, through Beresford Dale, which was beautiful, and by the time we’d got back, we’d clocked up 6.5 miles! We really enjoyed the walk!

The rest of New Year’s Eve was spent relaxing, we had cheese board and party food, whilst I read and Keith watched some bits on his iPad. Later on we watched a film and enjoyed cheese fondue, and the next thing it was midnight and a new year was here! We’d really enjoyed NYE.

New Year’s Day dawned wet and wild- but thankfully but the time we’d had our cooked brunch it had stopped. We went for a walk towards Alstonefield – a nearby pretty village in our guide book.

The route took us around Narrowdale Hill and down into Alstonefield. It was a little disappointing to not be able to have a refreshment stop at the village pub- it was a pretty pub but doesn’t accept drinkers only, and I image certainly not wet and muddy ones like us! It’s a fine dining restaurant which I’m sure is lovely but in an area full of walkers it felt a shame not to be able to have a pint and a packet of crisps.

Instead we went on an adventure in the 12th century church and graveyard, which hosts one of the oldest legible gravestones in the country apparently. After a good old fashioned hunt, we found it, the gravestone of Anne Green who died in 1517 making the gravestone over 500 years old. Remarkable.

From Alstonefield we dipped down into Wolfscote Dale. The descent from the village in the valley was absolutely spectacular- it really took our breaths away. We were very glad not to be doing the walk in reverse as the ascent would have been unpleasant for us, but the descent was just spectacular.

The walk through Wolfscote Dale really was charming, with the river dove thrashing through the centre of the valley, and steep limestone cliffs towering about us. It’s a real hidden gem if you ask me.

As we emerged from Wolfscote Dale and returned to the van, we felt quite tired – we were surprised to see we’d walked 8.7 miles by the time we got back, but nothing some Christmas cake and a dram or two didn’t fix.

We did however have an easy evening and had tuna pasta for dinner and a very early night.

We have absolutely adored our time here. Thanks Dad and Jenny for the suggestion of this site. It’s a perfect base for winter adventures and I can see us returning as there are miles of walks from the site. With way transport links- the bus route takes you to Ashbourne or Buxton, plus a nice pub relatively close. What’s not to like?!

If you’re interested in this area, we actually had a nice stay just a couple of miles down the road earlier this year. Read about it here.

We made use of two really great guide books on this trip – links below

Click here And Click here

We’ve got a few adventures lined up so it won’t be long until we’re back out again,

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year,

Until next time

Lx

b

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!

Posted in 2022 Trips3 Comments

After a bit of a break from camping due to other adventures and a very busy work schedule, it was very nice to be back out in Gandalf on camping business rather than work journeys! We were retreating to a favourite hang out of ours- Sandy Gulls, Mundesley, which in our opinion has some of the best coastal views from a pitch in the country. It’s also got lovely facilities and is adults only, so for two ‘almost burnt out after 2 weeks- omg there is still another 5 to go’ teachers, it was ideal.

We were looking forward to seeing my dad and step mum, who were joining us in their Hymer, and arrived just in time for a sun downer and then dinner in their van on Friday night.

Saturday morning and after a glorious sleep- why do I always sleep better in Gandalf- and a leisurely breakfast, we caught the bus from practically outside the site towards Cromer. Dad enjoyed flashing his new card 😉 and the rest of us young un’s paid a mere £5 each for a return ticket ( Jazz cost £1 too).

We alighted at Overstrand, which was a hive of activity as there was a Christmas bizarre event on which we all enjoyed, had a dram, and hit the coastal cliff path towards Cromer. It’s only a couple of miles but gives great views. You can walk from the campsite and we have done in the past, but we fancied a shorter hike today.

On reaching Cromer, we had a pint in the Wellington and then went on to No 1, again in our opinion the best of the best, for haddock and chips x 4. Delish.

We wandered along the beach to look at the Banksy piece that popped up last year and then made our way back to the bus stop – via the end of the pier bar for a scenic ‘“one for the road”.

The weather had been gorgeous and the sea air and views, and of course the fish and chips and company, were a well needed tonic after a pretty stressful week our end.

Saturday night we enjoyed a chill in the Hymer with Dad and Jenny and a very early night for Keith and I. Just what we needed!

It was a flying visit but just what the doctor ordered. Sandy Gulls- we’ll be back!

Until next time

Lx

Adventures on the Moray Firth, Scotland

Posted in 2022 Trips, beach holiday, Disused railways, Scotland1 Comment

Gandalf the VW is parked up with a terrific view of the Moray Firth, in the highlands of Scotland, near to Lossiemouth.

We made the 5 hour journey from Beadnall bay, with a couple of comfort stops en route/ it was a tiring drive but the end result- our pitch at West Bay Caravan Park was worth the drive.

Our drive through the Cairngorms on the A9 enabled us to stop for supplies at an old haunt of ours, the House Of Bruar- a fabulous collection of local food, drink and goodies and we raided their cheese and butchery section as well as their local drinks too. Well worth a stop if you’re passing but perhaps hide your credit card as it’s easy to get carried away in there! Haha

We arrived on site about 5:30 and despite our weariness managed a quick set up. Our pitch had lovely views of the ocean and was close to the facilities block- we both enjoyed long hot showers in a heated shower block having had 6 nights of camping showers in our awning.

Our dinner was sausage and mash- with venison Sausage from the House of Bruar. Absolutely gorgeous and easily done in the Remoska now we were back on electric after 4 nights off grid.

We sat outside until dark, admiring the cruise liner leaving Invergorden just down the coast and slept well – especially after I took down the awning at 2am- the wind off the sea was making a racket through the awning!

Sunday arrived and we were both feeling tired – it had been a full on week of travelling on top of a full on half term of work.

We decided to have a day of doing nothing. We took a gentle walk to the village shop to pick up a couple of supplies and then Keefy made a delicious haggis pizza for lunch.

He started it off on the cadac pizza stone but it was struggling against the wind, so we transferred it to the Remoska for the second half of cooking. It was delicious.

We then took a wander down to the campsite beach and had some time larking around on the paddle board. I enjoyed a swim too. We both enjoyed making use of the on site bar, the Salty Dog when we made our way to the site for a dram.

After a lazy afternoon back at the van we cooked up Cullen skink for dinner which was delicious.

A perfect day of just sitting and watching the sea – something that we had driven all this way for- it really hit the spot.

Monday arrived and despite a not so pleasant weather forecast we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. We unloaded the bikes and cycled along the Moray coastal trail to Lossiemouth (6 miles but sadly not off road like other parts of the trail- although the road wasn’t too busy)

We found the bar/restaurant Harbour Lights immediately and got won over by their position and menu.

Keith had grilled haddock and I enjoyed Cullen skink for the second time in less than 24 hours! I have to say theirs was absolutely exquisite. We then cycled around the harbour, pausing on the wall for a while enjoying the sunshine and also on the look out for dolphins. I’d seen some from the pitch at the campsite yesterday but Keith missed them. I was itching for us both to see them together.

Alas, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time and no dolphins made their appearance- it didn’t matter though, we loved siting there nice and relaxed.

After a quick stop at the Coop we made our way back to the site for a relax. We enjoyed a local cheeseboard and to our delight spotted a pod of dolphins swimming by.

We spent the reminder of the day relaxing watching the sea and another cruise ship- before enjoying dinner- homemade chicken balmoral. (Chicken stuffed with haggis wrapped in bacon) served with neeps and tatties and cooked in the Remoska.

Tuesday arrived and again the weather was better than the forecast! We unloaded the bikes again and made a short but beautiful journey to Burghead. This section of the coastal trail is only 2 miles but is fully off road on a disused railway track – part of the Moray coastal trail.

Burghead is small but very traditional. The harbour is used for fishermen although there is a company operating boat trips, which we would have loved to have done one- sadly they aren’t dog friendly without us chartering the entire boat at almost £500 for 2 hours. A shame really- we’ve always managed a boat trip with Jazz and considering the amount of campers with dogs on our site I’m surprised there isn’t a market for dog friendly boat trips along this stretch of the Moray which is heavily populated with dolphins so would make an exciting family activity. But there we go. We saved ourselves £70 (or £500 for the charter) but for the record we were willing to spend our £70 to a local company for a boat trip.

We picked up a scotch pie and a macaroni pie for a picnic lunch to enjoy on the long journey back to Gandalf – haha! – from the Coop- nowhere else open in Burghead. We also enjoyed a look at the Pictish fort, which had great views along the coast too.

Once back at the van we went back down to the beach for more paddle board fun before enjoying more cheese, dolphin watching and an afternoon snooze.

When we were awake we couldn’t take our eyes off the sea!

Dinner was a slow cooker special of Beef stroganoff. As I went to wash up, We saw more dolphins – a majestic site. I just love them.

After dinner we started packing up as tomorrow was our big drive home. We enjoyed the most spectacular sunset we’ve ever seen I think in Scotland that evening. We could have been in Greece.

We’d very much enjoyed our time at West Beach Caravan Park. Although it was pricier at £37 pn we were pleased with the sea view- despite not being right on the front row (we only booked 10 days prior to arrival- the front row book up months in advance and I can see why!) we had a great view. Some of the pitches on the site in our opinion are better than others. The front row (S then number) are phenomenal location just a stone throw to the water. The ones behind that were ok, but a little hemmed in as were the E pitches in our opinion . We liked the VW pitches which we were on but felt ours #7 was the best of those as it had no van on one whole side so you got a wide view of the sea.

We did feel the rules on site were hit and Miss. No ball games for example but no one monitoring when people were playing ball games and therefore hitting our van. Parking with doors facing a particular way made some A class motorhomes that were LH have their main window away from the view. That must have been annoying.

The showers were well cleaned and nice but the push button was the shortest we’ve ever encountered and could have been a degree or two warmer.

Usually we’re not too fussy on these things but I suppose when you’re paying premium you take more notice of smaller details. Having said all of this- we really enjoyed our stay, it was perfect for our needs and we will likely return at some point.

As we left on Wednesday, we decided to make a morning of it seeing as the weather was so good and we were craving the mountains. We filled with fuel at Elgin which was so cheap (£1.78 haha!) and then made our way to Braemar. The route was splendid passing through Tomintoul – we were in heaven. At Braemar we then headed towards Pitlochry – another extremely scenic route, before joining the A9 which led us on our journey south and back home.

If you’ve never been to the Cairngorms- you need to go! There’s a past blog from our previous stays here. We’ve also got a previous blog from further down the Moray Firth / Moray Coastal trail last year here

We left Pitlochry at 12:30 and we’re back home at 9pm having stopped for some shopping in nearby Thetford. So a very good run indeed!

We’d had a brilliant time on our travels- Scotland once more ticked our boxes- and by staying East… no midges!!!!

Until next time

Lx

Adventures in the North East of England- using THS

Posted in 2022 Trips, Camping and Caravan Club, cycling, Historical places, Northumbria, Yorkshire2 Comments

Tuesday

Gandalf the VW is parked up on a rugby pitch- literally next to the goal post- on the outskirts of York. We’re on a rally field essentially, a Temporary Holiday Site (THS) ran by C&CC like a pop up campsite. There are no loos/ ehu or fancy ness- it’s a field with a tap, non and loo emptying facilities, but at £10 pn it’s a bargain and heaps cheaper than the other options for camping in York.

Our journey here from Burnley was smooth and picturesque as we crossed country via the scenic Yorkshire Dales. We pulled into site at lunchtime- in the middle of a county cricket match and had the surreal experience of driving through the cricket match to get to the rally field (the rugby field!)

Set up was quick and easy, and before we knew it we were taking the river path from the site for 20 mins on foot into the centre of York.

We’ve been to York many times, it’s a city we return regularly too and if you’ve not been it’s well worth a visit. It’s rich in history and has the unique Roman city wall walk which can be enjoyed. The shambles – a medieval street with heaps of character is like something off a pantomime set and the majestic minster is also worth a visit.

Our visit today was organised by Keefy- he was keen to visit the Yorkshire life museum as on display currently is an impressive Roman Horde called the Rydale horde. As we had Jazz with us who couldn’t go into the museum, I dog sat in a nearby bar overlooking the river.

As well as the Rydale horde, Keith enjoyed a collection of Prehistoric, Viking, Anglo Saxon and medieval artefacts, all found in York and surrounding areas. He was particularly impressed with the Anglo Saxon helmet dating from 750, considered to be the best preserved in the world and some Viking shoes. He was really impressed with the whole museum and would definitely recommend it.

Follwing this, and reunited once more, we had a quick wander through the city, doing a couple of errands as we passed through, before meeting our friend Gary for a few drinks in the evening.

Our afternoon and evening in York was brief this time, but enjoyable non the less.

Wednesday

After a quiet night on site, we packed up and hit the road at a reasonable hour. We had a 3hr journey north ahead of us- we were heading to Northumberland. We made a stop at National Trust Cragside on route. Somewhere I’d wanted to visit for some time now and thankfully it was cool enough to leave Jazz in the van whilst we went inside together.

Cragside is considered to be Britain’s first “smart home”. Living in a smart home ourselves- Keith loves his technology- I knew we’d enjoy this visit. Built by Lord Armstrong in the Victorian era, this home was carved into rock in a crag- and boasts wonderful views from every corner. But its the pioneering technology inside that makes it’s particularly interesting. Lord Armstrong developed all sorts of gadgets running inside such as hydraulic “dumb editors” – rotating hydraulic spits over the fire, underfloor and over head heating, hot water taps and the first hydroelectric light bulbs in the world.

The thing that blew me away the most was the 10 ton marble fireplace, installed in the “drawing” room – an additional wing built for a royal visit. Lord Armstrong’s pioneering technology gained interest from the Royal family and as such they paid Cragside a visit in the late 1800s. What was fascinating was the idea that their bedroom here would be more advanced than at their own royal home.

After our visit inside we took Jazz for a wander around the grounds before retrieving Gandalf and enjoying the carriage route around the grounds- a 6 mile scenic loop in the car through the grounds.

From here we made a quick stop at Alnwick, filling the fridge with supplies before arriving at our next home, Beadnell Bay THS.

This large rally field, ran by Teesside DA was another corker. Two large fields this time, right opposite a beautiful beach situated walking distance from both Beadnell village and Seahouses. Again, just £10 pn. We paid our dues for 3 nights, and went to set up.

Dinner that night was a homemade curry from home that had been packed in our freezer. We enjoyed a chill before an early night.

Thursday arrived and the weather was drizzly to begin with. We had a fairly lazy morning waiting for the weather to blow over, which it did- before making our way on foot via the gorgeous and empty beach to Seahouses.

Seahouses is a small little village with a couple of pubs, a couple of fish and chip shops, and some touristy gift shops. It’s got a pretty harbour and is know as being the gateway to the Farne islands. There are plenty of boats trips available (although we’d been organised and pre booked ours with Golden Gate).

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of crab soup- Devine! in the Olde Ship- in their beer garden overlooking the Farne Islands. The sun was shining- life was good!

At 3pm we boarded our (dog friendly) boat trip to the Farne Islands. Our boat is the only one which stops at the Indians of Longstone- with its pretty red and white lighthouse, once home to Grace Darling, which we could visit. (Keith went in- I enjoyed the view outside with Jazz).

The boat then continued around the inner and outer Farne islands where we saw lots of birds and seals. Even a couple of puffins- it’s not puffin season anymore so this was a treat!

We really enjoyed the boat trip. A lovely way to enjoy an afternoon.

Once back on dry land, we enjoyed a beer in the Bamburgh Castle pub before enjoying a fish and chip supper at the harbour (from Neptunes- they were delicious!)

We’d had a cracking day, and once back at Gandalf, we enjoyed the last rays of the day with a drink.

Friday

Today we took the bikes out for a pootle along the coastal route. We nipped down into nearby Beadnall to see the 17th century kilns on the harbour wall, before making our back past the THS to Bamburgh.

Bamburgh is home to the phenomenal Bamburgh Castle, which dominates the coastline for as far as you can see. It’s also linked to Lord Armstrong (from Cragside) as he purchased it and restored it in the late 1800s. So tied nicely in with our visit to Cragside a couple of days ago.

The views of the Farne Islands from the grounds (which are dog friendly by the way) are great and the expanse of white Sandy beach below are just stunning.

We took it in turns to go inside – I finished my book whilst Keith went in, and he had a coffee and cake whislt I went in, and both found the interior really interesting.

It was a great visit and one which we’d not planned as we didn’t think it was dog friendly even in the grounds.

We enjoyed cycling a bit beyond the village, admiring the views constantly. What a marvellous section of coast.

Back at the site and we enjoyed a prawn and avacado cocktail and spag bol for tea.

We’d really enjoyed our time here. The THS site runs from July to mid august each year and I think there is another in September. To find out about the THS’s use this link. (You need to be members of C&CC to attend)

If you’d prefer the luxury of a more formal campsite and perhaps ehu, there is a club site next door.

Gandalf had coped admirably with 4 nights off grid, we’d had a mix of weather so the solar panel didn’t get sun ALL the time. The thing with VW’s is the fridge running of the leisure battery rather than gas which is a shame and makes off grid a bit more of a challenge. Having said that, ours managed – we just ran the fridge and water pump off the solar panel and van leisure battery. We then used this – a new gadget for this trip- to charge phones and run the 12v shower, plus give us light for the evening. It worked a treat.

This area is an ideal base for a few days as there are bus stops outside the site for routes along the coast, to Alnwick or even Newcastle. So plenty to do without moving your van.

What a great time we’d had. But it was time to move on! Where next?!

Adventures in Lancashire; Following in the footsteps of the Pendle Witches

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Sunday

Gandalf the Campervan is nestled on a lovely pitch at a C&MC CL on the outskirts of Burnley, Lancs. He’s done us proud today. We left home bright and early- with alarms set at 4:30am and us on the road just after 5am. Our first destination was just under 5 hours away- Lancaster Castle – and we wanted to get there in time for the first tour of the day so it wasn’t too hot to leave Jazz in the van (no dogs allowed in the grounds of the castle). We needn’t have worried it rained continuously from home to Lancaster, but happily on arrival we were greeted with sunny skies and a cool breeze. Perfect conditions to leave Jazz in the van at Dallas road car park (no height restrictions) for an hour or so.

Lancaster Castle blew us both away- the grounds and the keep are in great condition and it almost felt like a mini Windsor. The Lancashire sandstone against the blue sky was really dramatic.

The castle is steeped in history. It holds one of the oldest court rooms in the UK and many historic dungeons too. (Sadly these were out of bounds). The most famous trials which took place here were those of the Pendle Witches; 10 witches from the Pendle hill area of Lancashire were famously tried and found guilty of witchcraft in 1612. They went on to be hanged at the nearby park. No pics allowed inside whilst on the tour but we really enjoyed the hour or so.

Following our castle visit we retrieved Jazz and went for a walk to the Roman bath site, and then down Church street and Moorgate. We walked through Lancaster’s city centre and past the pub in which it was said the witches had their last drink before they were lead to their execution. (There is some debate on the truth of this though as historians say the pub building wouldn’t have been there in 1600s)

We enjoyed a delicious burrito lunch before getting Gandalf and following the “Pendle Witch trail” from Lancaster to near Burnley. This self guided driving tour takes you directly across the Trough of Bowland, which is absolutely stunning with views over to the sea. The lush green grass and rolling hills were a welcome sight after so much drought in Norfolk recently and our grass turning yellow across East Anglia- a sad sight indeed.

The villages we passed through were so traditional and unspoilt. The river that we followed throughout the Forest of Bowland AONB was charming and every twist and turn on the road kept us on the edge of our seats as the view changed constantly.

The route follows the journey (in reverse) in which the witches took from Pendle Hill to Lancaster castle to learn of their fate and is largely followed by following the brown witch signs.

Dunlop Bridge was a highlight as was Barley. The minor road skirts around the base of Pendle Hill… a large imposing hill, which falls short of a mountain by just 140ft, and then drops down into Barley. Barley is a good place to base yourself for some time as there are two walks that leave from here- up Pendle Hill and to Pendle Sculpture trail. We fancied doing both but didn’t do either – both took 2-2.5 hours and time was ticking on for us, plus my ankle/ heel injury has flared up again so I need to take it a bit easy.

We did however enjoy a pint in the Pendle Inn, a pretty pub in the centre of the village.

From here, as it was get close to 4pm and we had been up almost 12 hours, we decided to make our way to our campsite, just on the outskirts of Burnley, about 5 miles from Barley.

The small C&MC CL is called Lower Cockden farm. The pitches are hard standing and fully serviced, and there is a small toilet with washbasin. It’s really quiet and just what we were looking forward to.

We enjoyed a chill, soaking up the last rays of the day, plotting our cycling route for tomorrow and getting attacked by pesky wasps. Dinner was steak (a yellow label bargain!) and chips. Yum!

Really looking forward to a good nights sleeps and another day exploring this area tomorrow.

Monday

After a great night’s sleep, we enjoyed a lay in and then a cooked breakfast. I washed up whilst Keefy prepared the bikes and by 10:30 we were off on an adventure.

Within two miles we reached the Liverpool to Leeds canal, and joined the towpath.

We then followed this with lovely views to the hills to our left and pretty houses and old mills to our right.

Whilst we could hear the hum of the motorway it wasn’t intrusive and we really enjoyed the 5 miles of following it until we reached the turn off for the Pendle Heritage Centre.

We were surprised but pleased to learn that it was entirely dog friendly so we all went for a look inside. The heritage centre is in a historic timber house that has been through a number of structural transformations and extensions over the years. It has a pretty walled garden too which was fully in bloom. We enjoyed the exhibition upstairs about the witches and watched a short film which helped to bring the story to life.

After our visit, we had lunch across the road at the White Boar, before returning to the Canal and carrying on as far as Barrowford Locks.

We really enjoyed the scenery along the canal, and enjoyed the flat path. Sadly all good things must come to an end though, and the gradient was one of them! Our country road loop back to the site was less flat/ in fact the majority of it was up hill! We gave our E bikes a work out and were very thankful for them let me say!

Our Go Pro video Timelapse of our bike ride

Once we were on the home stretch, the last 0.5 of a mile, we stopped for a refreshment break at the pub before gliding downhill again to the campsite.

We had a great day, and are so pleased we picked this as our base for a couple of days.

Dinner tonight is pulled pork done in the slow cooker, with parmienter potatoes and veg.

Tomorrow it’s time to move on!

Until then

Lx

An escape to the coast- Sea Palling, Norfolk

Posted in 2022 Trips, Camping and Caravan Club, Norfolk, temporary holiday site, THS5 Comments

Gandalf the Campervan is back out on the road again after an extended break of non camping, due to increased work load, rising fuel costs, a trip of a lifetime to Peru and family commitments; but an opportunity came up this weekend for us to nip away for the night for a change of scenery. Providing Gandalf passed his MOT on Friday, which he did, with flying colours once again. Well done Gandalf!

Due to the dreaded scheduled mot, we left it very late to book somewhere, but we were also mindful of not wanting to travel too far or to somewhere too expensive. We’re currently chugging through around £130-£150 a week in diesel for work, so our down time miles are being very carefully planned out! And we’re using our electric bikes much more for non work leisure time.

I’d been thinking for a while about how we should perhaps give a Temporary Holiday Site (THS) a go this summer, so when I saw one happening this weekend near the sea in Norfolk, and the weather looked good, I gave the steward managing bookings a call. I couldn’t believe our luck when she said they had room for us- and even better- just £10 for the night.

THS’s are a cross between a pop up campsite and a rally field. They are part of the Camping and Caravanning club and tend to be large fields, with a water tap and an Elsan emptying point and not much else. Those who attend need to have their own facilities member of C&CC. They tend to last just a couple of weeks to a month and are all over the UK, especially in the summer. You can find a list here

We were a little apprehensive about our first try; we are burnt out from a hectic and stressful half term, and although we are normally fairly sociable people- this weekend we needed to sit and read and have some quiet time. We worried that by attending we would need to join in activities etc, and we just weren’t in the mood for that. Still, we decided to give it a whirl, a decision helped by the fact this particular THS was on the coast at picturesque Sea Palling, Norfolk.

We arrived just before lunch, and were greeted by a really friendly steward who checked us in, took our money and told us we were free to pitch up wherever we liked (as long as we were 10 paces from the next unit). No faffing about lining up to pitch markers. And no signs of groups of people sat round campfires.

We found a suitable corner of the field with a terrific view over the corn fields. The high sand dunes were just to our right and in the distance we could see the iconic red and white stripes of Happisburgh lighthouse, just 1 mile or so down the road or beach.

Set up was quick and we were soon saying cheers with a nice cold beer, feeling the stress if he previous weeks beginning to seep away.

We made our way the short distance to the beach and couldn’t get over our luck as we crossed the sand dune. The glorious Sandy beach was practically empty. The stony breakwaters in the sea ahead reminded us of being in Greece.

We settled on the beach for a couple of hours enjoying the lapping of the waves and a couple of cold drinks and our books.

Soon though our bellies started rumbling so we walked about half a mile along the beach towards the main resort of Sea Palling. A small but active seaside village with a bar, fish and chip shop, beach shop, one small amusement arcade and a donut shop. It was a bit fresh on the beach but glorious sunshine.

We enjoyed eating our fish and chip lunch on the beach, before a spot more people watching and reading before making our way back to Gandalf. Where I promptly fell into a deep nap! Perfect. The site was so quiet. All I could hear was the ripple of the corn in front of us in the breeze. Honestly it was just what we needed.

We grabbed showers using our 12v shower and gas kettle combo (no electric here- the so;at pane; was doing well as it was actually quite hot off the beach). Before cooking up delicious steaks and noddles whilst watching the sunset over the field.

Once the sun had set we went inside to continue reading before falling into a heavy slumber after lots of fresh air. The site still was oh so quiet.

Sunday dawned and we were allowed to ‘not rush off’. So we had a lie in, then a full cooked breakfast on the Cadac, before another hour or so on the now much busier beach.

I think we could have stayed all day but we had things to do at home, plus it was verging on a bit warm for Jazz, even with the slight sea breeze. So around midday we made our sad retreat back to Gandalf to pack away and make the short journey home. My goodness what s difference 24 hours can make. We really needed that escape.

We absolutely loved our THS experience. This particular one is located on a rally field of a certified campsite also part of the C&CC network. It’s called ‘Keith Farm’ and looked lovely. The campsite has electric hook ups too and a couple of hard standings too. But for our needs this weekend the THS was just what we needed.

This TMH can house 70 units over two large fields, but only 40 were on site this weekend.

You can find the list of this years THS’s here– but you do need to be a member to see it in full.

We’ve got two more weeks to work, including two days in school during the heatwave… , a family funeral to attend and then 5 weeks of summer fun ahead of us. Some of which will be spent in Gandalf of course. So we look forward to sharing our adventures with you soon.

Until next time

Lx

Puffin peeking in Yorkshire

Posted in 2022 Trips1 Comment

Gandalf the VW is parked up on a fabulous C&MC CL (a small 5 van that members of the Camping and Motorhome Club can stay at) called Carr House, on Lighthouse road, just outside of Flamborough Head. As the street address implies- we’re just under a mile from the beautiful Flamborough Head lighthouse. Our site is the most basic in the network- with literally just a water tap, toilet disposal and a bin.

At just £8 pn, we’ve made the decision to do more of these sites when possible to offset the increasing fuel prices and on reality- at the time of year- it’s a doddle. Our solar panel works a treat, even if it’s just cloudy rather than sunny and our tailgate awning with 12v shower and gas kettle combo is an ideal en suite.

The reason we were making this trip was to ✅ off a long standing bucket list item for me- to see a puffin (or puffins if we’re lucky) – in the wild.

Research online suggesting Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs were a fairly reliable place to aim for during the months of May, June and early July. So here we were!

Our journey up was smooth and we very much enjoyed a rest stop at my dad and step mum’s who house is conveniently just off the A1 nest Newark- an ideal half way point- and we were lucky enough to receive a fabulous breakfast which would rival any posh hotel! Thanks Jenny!

Suitably fuelled we continued North, and then east and arrived on site just after 3.30.

Somehow our set up was the swiftest we’ve ever done- and in less than 10 mins we were enjoying a beer outside.

We had a chill during the afternoon and early evening, retreating inside when the rain fell, and when it had passed we walked down to the the village of Flamborough Head to try a pint in the local.

Friday night’s dinner was a delicious Carbonara homemade back at Gandalf before a glorious silent night on site.

Saturday dawned with bright blue skies and sunshine. We had intended to have a lay in but it seemed rude not to get up and enjoy the weather.

Morning ablutions completed including lovely hot showers in our awning, and another full English cooked lovingly by Keefy on the Cadac- don’t judge us – two in a row- but we’re off to Peru on Weds where we don’t intend on eating full English’s!

Breakfast enjoyed, we donned our walking boots , loaded the cameras and binoculars and put our best foot forward towards Flamborough Head. There is a footpath all the way from the site to the lighthouse.

I think it’s fair to say the atmosphere was tense. I really wanted to see a puffin but of course they are wild and therefore you can’t guarantee that you’ll see one. We were doing a 500 mile round trip to essentially hopefully see a puffin!

Early signs were not looking hopeful- we asked everyone with a big lens- and no one had sighted one for a while here. We decided to follow a lead and take the cliff path toward North Landing. My hopes were plummeting- in my head they would be here in abundance! Turns out we were possibly a week late and the majority were back out at sea!

The coastline here is stunning and we had lovely weather so I tried to console myself. But then- we saw one! Nestled in a tiny crack half way down the cliff below us- we spotted a flash of orange. It really does stand out actually!

I had some tears, Keith took some pics on his super zoom, we watched it for some time through the binoculars. It was fab. We continued further along the path and we saw a couple with a big lense. “Have you seen a puffin” I asked. And they excited showed us one just a few feet from us (below us and opposite) what a cheeky chappy this one was. He posed for us and we enjoyed about half an hour watching him. It was incredible.

We continued on and by now the excitement of the looking for the puffins had taken hold of us! It was addictive! We found a few more towards North Landing and spent hours just on a small section of the cliff path with our eyes scanning the cliffs using binoculars looking for orange flashes. It was relaxing yet exciting and we really enjoyed ourselves! Puffins are nicknamed the “clowns of the sea” and we can see why. They oozed character- even through our binoculars! Be advised though- binoculars are a must! They were virtually impossible to see with our naked eye.

After a few hours we retraced our steps back to the campsite, happy as pigs in mud and me doing a huge tick on my bucket list.

We celebrated with a bbq, before having a game of jenga which was fun and an early night before our journey back to Norfolk the next morning. It was a short and sweet visit but we’d achieved what we set out to do which made us very happy campers indeed!

For information on the puffins in the area click here. We were astounded to learn that they can fly up to 55mph!

Bank Holiday Adventures in Sussex

Posted in 2022 Trips, SussexLeave a comment

Gandalf the VW is officially down South, in Sunny Sussex.

We drove down on Friday morning and met up with Keith’s dad and stepmother for lunch and a wander at the National Trust’s ‘Sheffield Park and Gardens’ just off the A22. After a nice lunch we continued our catch up whilst doing a circuit of the spectacular gardens- in full spring bloom right now. The colours were just breathtaking- it really was beautiful. The grounds are vast and I can see us returning in Autumn to enjoy the autumnal displays. Highly recommend a visit.

From here we nipped a mile down the road to the 360 degree brewery, to pick up some carry outs for later, we always like to try the local tipple where we can. Keefy went for the pilsner whilst I had the sour, both were delicious.

Supplies loaded into the fridge, we made the short journey to the campsite- Lone Oak Farm CL- a basic (no electric / facilities etc) field site on the outskirts of Ditching. We decided to pick a no frills or facilities site with the assumption it would be nice and quiet. We got it wrong. The site itself was nice enough, as were the owners. At £12 a night it was perhaps a little pricey considering there was a water tap and a loo disposal and a bin. The field was not the biggest we’ve stayed at but probably in normal circumstances we would have been happy here. The location is very convenient for the Bluebell railway.

However. Unfortunately this weekend, 3 out of the 5 vans on this site were all together. And therefore took over the field, resulting in noise noise and more noise and a not very tranquil experience for the two remaining vans, us being one of those. We tried to grin and bare it, but when Gandalf starting getting hit by rogue footballs, kids (and adults) totally invading our privacy by circling us on bikes, scooters, etc as they played noisily way too close to our van and thus upsetting our dog and my ears- the screaming, screaming and more screaming and shouting and total disregard for the others on the site. The final straw was the 7am wake up call we so happily (not!) received as they played tag around our van! By 8am we decided enough was enough, we were leaving. We spoke to the owner who said they’d have a word, but their words were ‘it is a peak weekend’.

So we left Lone oaks farm around 9am, a little unsure of what to do next. Our plan had been to walk from the site to the Jack and Jill windmills on the outskirts of Hassocks. So we decided to drive there instead, have some breakfast and reevaluate what to do.

The view from the car park of Jack and Jill windmills is tremendous. It does have a height barrier (2.1M) so we managed to squeeze under but anything taller would struggle. I’d have been quite happy to just sit there all day and admire the wonderful scenery of the South Downs, but we hit the phones and managed to find another campsite to head to once we’d finished here. We also enjoyed breakfast here before donning our walking boots and taking a 3m stroll along the South Downs way.

The scenery was breathtaking. We were lucky with the weather and could see for miles.

This is the second time we’ve walked here – the first being possibly 12 years ago, but I remember the effects of that walk were the same. Sheer joy.

The windmills here are over 200 years old. Jack is in private ownership and doesn’t sails on, but Jill is run by a group of volunteers who carefully look after and maintain this beautiful mill.

We were lucky as although not technically open to the public as it was a work day, we were allowed up for a peek inside. The stairs are step, but the views make up for it. It was a real treat to go inside.

We decided to have an early lunch of a pizza cooked on our ridge monkey, enjoying the views for one last time before it was time to hop back across to East Sussex from West.

Our new home for the next two nights was Oakside Farm, Ringmer on the outskirts of Lewis. This was another C&CC certified site with no facilities other than water and emptying point for loo. This site was about 3 times bigger than the previous night, and from the moment we pulled on we relaxed.

Although the site was full, the 3 acre field, and no set pitches as there were no hookup points, meant we could take lots of space away from others. It was glorious. We had an afternoon sunbathing outside whilst reading, and a nice chat with the very friendly owners – who had just flown into the grass airstrip in the next field. This site was only £10pn and felt like great value for money.

The whole time we’re were there we heard not a peep out of anyone. It was the quietest site we’ve ever been on- so going back to the previous site owner saying about it being a peak weekend. Sorry, we don’t buy that.

We enjoyed a nice chilli con carne for dinner, our first al fresco camping dinner of the year. Before settling in for a chilled evening.

Gandalf was coping brilliantly with no electric, the solar panel is working a treat.

Sunday dawned – it was glorious to be woken up by the natures alarm clock, the birds cheeping rather than screams and shouting from outside our van. We took our time in waking up, but eventually cracked on with a cooked breakfast on the cadac. Seeing as we didn’t have to drive we indulged with a glass of fizz to wash down the breakfast too.

After doing some chores – filling and emptying mainly- we walked a mile down the road to the bus stop, and caught a bus to nearby Lewes- pronounced Lewis. The bus also comities to Brighton so this would be a good base of exploration and is dog friendly.

We enjoyed a mooch around some of the historical areas of Lewes, including the castle- although it’s not dog friendly we managed a walk around its perimeter. There are some fabulous nooks and crannies around Lewes, its an interesting place to spend some time wandering.

We admired Virginia Wolfe’s octagonal house, along with Thomas Paine’s home, and a delightful 15th century bookshop.

Keith managed to incorporate a battlefield into the day too. The battle of Lewes was an important one although so important there are barely any signs on their battlefield tour. Something that really hacked me off. We also got tremendously … not lost, but incorrectly diverted 😉 because of the horrendous town map, trying to find the blasted battlefield, so my mood when we did find the field and the housing estate wasn’t the best let me say!

I did however enjoy the ridge walk taking in the main battlefield area once we were on the right but and I’m sure on a clear day the views would be terrific. Of course we found the muck shorter route back to the town so that was better and my mood improved for the rest of the day!

Just before our return bus we went down the brewery end of the town, well we couldn’t come to Lewes and not have a pint of Harvey’s, could we?! We went in the brewery owned pub and enjoyed a Harvey’s pilsner as we’d got a bit hot for an ale.

We re caught the bus from near Aldi before making our way back to Gandalf along Green lane.

The rest of the day was spent chilling – and I made a delicious dinner of Spanish meatball and butter bean stew. Recipe here– it’s a one pot wonder so great for cooler days when not on electric and did a great job in warming us up.

The rest of the evening was spent chilling- I finished my book and Keith finished ozark and before we knew it, Monday morning had arrived and it was time to go home. We’d turned the annoyingness and disappointment of the opening night around and were coming home really rested.

Gandalf went a treat with no electric. We got by by charging our power packs

before leaving home and these allowed us to charge our phones and Keith’s iPad each day.

before leaving home and these allowed us to charge our phones and Keith’s iPad each day.

We showered in our tailgate awning, by filling one kettle up and topping with cool water.

It was a lovey break and we look forward to being out again in a couple of weeks.

Until next time

Lx

Tracks of the Deep South 🇺🇸

Posted in 2022 Trips, AmericaLeave a comment

Hope you all had a great Easter! We’ve been quiet on this site , and for that I apologise. We didn’t go away in Gandalf over Easter- instead we hopped across the Atlantic and did a road trip around the Southern states of USA. We weren’t in an RV, so I haven’t blogged about it on this page, but we were on wheels, some of which were beautiful wheels…

and therefore if you’d like to have a read about what we’ve been up to for the past fortnight you can check out my blogs on our sister site, http://www.WanderLeefy.com

I’ve linked to the blog posts below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Fear not, Gandalf hasn’t been relegated for too long- we’re away in him for May bank holiday weekend and I look forward to sharing our adventure with you then!

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!

Posted in 2022 Trips, beach holiday, Norfolk, Seafood, Waterside Pitches2 Comments

Gandalf the VW is having a case of Deja- Vu. Regular followers may recognise our pitch for this weekend- this is our 4th stay here in 18 months.

It is of course, Sandy Gulls at Mundesley, North Norfolk. We are lucky, it’s only an hour away from our house, so ideal for a quick escape without having to remortgage to afford fuel to get there. We RARELY revisit campsites unless they are extra special or in a convenient location (Edinburgh/ London). I think we can all agree the location of this site is more than extra special.

We arrived at lunch time Friday and settled immediately into our chill zone- the sunshine was glorious and despite a chilly wind, we had a couple of hours sat outside enjoying the sea view and breeze! Keith set the cadac going and we enjoyed our first bbq of the year, a delicious fish bbq. Ooph it was GORGEOUS, good job Keefy!

He cooked raw king prawns in chilli and garlic as a starter, then we had cod, sea bass and salmon alongside jacket potatoes cooked in the Remoska and coleslaw. Mouth watering!

Unbelievably (for England haha!!!) we got to the end of the meal and the weather spectacularly turned. The pure blue skies had vanished and instead we got hit with rain, wind.. rain and wind. But we couldn’t have been happier, we’d managed a sea view bbq and we actually secretly wanted to just chill with our books. So we retreated inside, listened to the rain and the sea and spent the afternoon reading and snoozing. Perfect.

Saturday dawned and we were happy to see the return of the blue skies. We had a lazy morning enjoying the view from bed- and after a great shower, the facility block here is incredible- huge wet rooms and bags of hot water- we cooked up a fry up, again outside!

After this we had a leg stretch down the dog friendly beach (which is accessible from the site either by foot (10 mins) or car (1 min).

We walked right along the beach and followed it to Mundesley and a little beyond. We got tempted into one of the most scenic beer gardens in the country, enjoyed a pint each and made our way to Gandalf via the road.

At this point, we’d walked 4 miles, so put two mini pizzas in the Remoska for lunch, and settled into our books for the afternoon.

The next thing it was time for dinner- a Keralan Cod curry.

It was yummy even if I do say so myself. We followed this with chocolate fondue- oh yes we did!! (The first outing of my Christmas present from Keefy- a small porcelain bowl with a tea light below) we enjoyed dipping fresh fruit into the melted chocolate whilst watching a Rom com.. Husband points right there..

Before falling fast asleep with the wonderful sound of waves crashing below our feet.

Sunday came far too quickly and our weekend of rest was almost over. But not before another beach walk and oodles of tea watching the ever changing view.

We didn’t utilise the site for its tremendous location (other than to sit admiring the view!) this time as we were close to burn out and needed a reset. However if you are feeling more energetic than we were this is the most perfect location to base yourself as you have the coast hopper bus (dog friendly) right outside the campsite entrance, which links you with Cromer all the way through to Kings Lynn. You can also get to Norwich and North Walsham from here via bus. If you like cycling there are lots of country lanes. For walkers, you’re Literally ON the Norfolk Coast path and there are a couple of nice circular walks here too (here)

Sandy Gulls have really invested in this site since we first visited in Oct 2020. The website that you use to book onto the site is excellent- you use a map and pick your pitch at the point of booking. Pay a £10 deposit which is fair. They’ve built a road and hard standing pitches right at the front of the site last winter and invested in free decent WiFi this winter too. The facilities are EXCELLENT and although some of the pitches do require you to have levelling chocks, it’s a small price to pay for arguably one of the best sea view sites in the country. One important note- it’s adults only.

If you want to read what we got up to on our previous stays click:

Here

it seems that I’ve only ever blogged about this place once before! Bad blogger alert- to be fair, it’s because we use it as a place to sit and do absolutely toning but admire the sea view!

We’ll be back at some point for stay number 5!

Until next time

Lx