Category Archives: 2018

2018, 2019, General Posts

Bristol – Baltic Wharf

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Why go to Bristol again I hear you say when we have been there four times already? Explanation is fairly simple. The first time we did a Park and Ride for a day, and it wasn’t until we realised on the way back to the van on the bus that we had missed the best parts of Bristol. No such excuses for the second, third or fourth time, but it’s just about as good as a winter vacation in a campervan gets location wise!

Seeing the New year in looking at Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Wharf.

The first week of 2018 we spent at York, Rowntree, Caravan Club site mainly because we had stayed at Baltic Wharf in 2017 and the year before in 2016  . However, after making an early booking at Edinburgh Caravan Club site, we decided that Bristol would be a much more local venue giving us the flexibility we needed if the weather took a turn for the worst.

Anyway, we were not disappointed. We chose to take in lots of free attractions right on our doorstep such as the M-Shed museum, and although the week long break started unseasonably mild (shorts and T-Shirt), the temperatures soon dropped to sub zero towards the end of our stay. That said, the Webasto night heater kept us warm so the stay was a great start to 2019!

  • Chilling in the van
  • Graffiti 3 stories high!
  • Floating Restaurant for a coffee
  • Floating Restaurant
  • Locks
  • Bristol wharf at its best
  • Mandy on the top of a double decker bus at the M Shed museum
  • The replica Matthew Of Bristol galleon sailing into dry dock . See BLOG links for info
  • Industrial meets modern living
  • Mandy at M-Shed
  • Proper icons in the landscape
  • Bristol wharf at its best
Historic Dock right next to Baltic Wharf Campsite.
http://www.underfallyard.co.uk/
a modern reconstruction of the original Matthew that John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland in 1497.

Baltic Wharf Link is below for anybody that wants to stay at this location. You must me a member of the Caravan and Motorhome Club site.

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/england/southern-england/bristol/baltic-wharf-caravan-club-site/

2018, General Posts, September 2018 Holiday

Sandringham – CCC Site

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Camping and Caravan Club – Sandringham

Nothing on this holiday had been arranged other than the first stop at Deepdale, which incidentally was done the the morning we left home. The second stop of our September holiday, sy. Sandringham Camping and Caravan Club, was booked on the fly also. We were comfortable with this as it’s late in the season, and the sites are not likey to be busy.

We arrived late morning, but couldn’t check in until 1pm. So parked in the car park and had a few hours cycling around to get out bearings. We knew that the Saturday was going to be by far the best day of the weekend, so we saw no reason to sit idle until we could access the campsite, and thought we would appreciate our accommodation more after a little exercise.

After approximately 3 hours we collected the van and were and entered the camp site. The grounds were really picturesque and we had lots of flexibility regarding pitch location. We didn’t realise until waking the site later that afternoon just how big it was, but ironically we feel for a location within a stone’s throw from the entrance with close access to toilets and shower block.

We awoke on Sunday to the forecasted rain which left us both feeling lethargic. We climbed out of bed well after 9am, and struggled to do anything but drink tea & coffee with the heater on for much off the morning. Breakfast became brunch and as we approached midday the rain turned to drizzle, and finally stopped. At this point we both knew it would be in our interest to take this opportunity to stretch our legs and get some fresh air before cabin fever kicks in. Initially we circled the perimeter of the campsite having a nosey at the variety of caravans, motor homes and tents. Not long after the sun appeared, so our walk extended to the forest behind the entrance, so all in all the day was a nice combination of chill and exercise ?

2018, General Posts

Burnham, Deepdale & Wells-Next-The-Sea

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Our September holiday has been a minimum two weeks for as long as we have been camping (6-7 years). Certainly since we have owned the van it’s been at least two weeks, and last year it was three. This year has been a little disjointed for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was always going to be later due to a wedding we had been invited to. This meant from the off we were going to be going later than usual. On top of that, I was in the process of trying to get a car ready for sale, which distracted me from finishing my solar upgrade. Suffice to say, this delayed our even further, so we were going to be limited to approximately 10 days.

We erred towards Norfolk as it’s not somewhere we have explored extensively, and it was a lot closer than the more familiar jaunts of Devon & Cornwall. I had my reservations, but we didn’t commit until the night before we left home.

Our first stop was booked on the Wednesday morning of departure after reading a online review of the best campsites in Norfolk.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/features/8-stunning-norfolk-campsites-to-visit-in-2017-1-4833776

We left home under extremely windy conditions, heading for Burnham, Deepdale. The wedge shaped, flat sided Wolfgang was a real handful to keep in a straight line during the strong gusts of wind. But I was relaxed knowing that if Google maps navigation was correct, in 3 hours we would arrive at the campsite.

Deepdale Backpackers Campsite

At reception they had already penciled in a pitch for us and were all ready to chaperone is to said location. As seasoned campers we questioned the flexibility of other pitches.After a few taps of the keyboard and numerous biro scrawlings on the campsite map we had choices. Ironically, we chose the pitch right next to the reception area because it had a cosy feel to it. The grass was green, and it was effectively walled on all sides with tents aplenty. The alternatives were on higher ground, and far more exposed to the elements.

Other than a few tweaks to set the van up, a trip to the local Nisa store to get some supplies, and a stretch our legs (a whole 1 minute walk !) , the day pretty much ended there. We could both relax knowing we would be able to get up and explore in the morning.

So breakfast and a cup of tea saw us leaving the van at 10am. There are numerous, small independent arts, crafts and coffee shops within a few hundred yards of our campsite. It’s nice, and offered a couple of hours perusal, but not enough to hold our attention any longer.

With the bikes on the back of the van we decided to explore the local surroundings a little further. We spent best part of a couple of hours cycling out of the village, onto the Brancaster Straith Quay. It was really great to see Mandy enjoy the ride as much as I did. It rained 50% of the ride, but she still was in high spirits when we got back to the van.

After the ride, the weather took a turn for the worse. We were largely confined to the van, but with Netflix Series 2 of Ozarks downloaded on tablet, what better excuse to chill with the curtains closed ?.

After a broken nights sleep due to exceptionally windy conditions, we decided to catch the early bus into Wells Next The Sea. I’m constantly amazed at just how beautiful our country is, and just when we think we’ve seen the best it has to offer, we find this!

For this evening we are chilling….

Tomorrow we head to Sandringham, so forests, villages and Staley homes will be the order of the day ?

2018, General Posts

Netherwood Touring Site

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Our tenth wedding anniversary fell mid week just after the Tatton Park VW show so we took a few days off to make for a relaxing get away. Due to tight budget constraints after our month long euro trip, we chose to try and keep the affair simple and inexpensive. Last year we visited Chester on our 9th anniversary, but this was in the form of a hotel room very central to the city and its walls. This was all very nice, but we didn’t have the campervan on the road in 2017 due to gearbox issues, so that ruled out any chance of camping.

This year we found a nice campsite only a few miles away from the city, with immediate access to a canal path for walking, cycling and paddle boarding. You never can never really tell from a website what a campsite is going to be like, and to be honest i was so focused on the VW event that i didn’t give a great deal of thought to the second part of our vacation until we left Knutsford. The weather had been warm and  sunny for most of this summer, and it wasn’t showing any signs of changing to the point it may spoil our three night camp over. It literally took 30 minutes to get to Netherwood Touring Site, and after a short conversation with the campsite owner, we pulled up the driveway onto a well maintained field. 

Our location did not have electric hookup as this wasn’t a requirement for us, but there were numerous hard standing pitches available with electric. The grounds were well established with plenty of mature trees which gave it a nice feel.

Over the course of our three day stay we did plenty of exploring locally on our push bikes, which included a day in the city. We also visited the local Cheshire Cat pub only 5 minutes walk along the canal path which served good food and drink.

http://www.netherwoodtouringsite.co.uk

 

2018, General Posts

Tatton Park VW Show 2018

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Tatton Park location has a great feel to it, and its one of my favorite VW shows in the calenda. Beautiful surroundings make it a great location for an Atlantic / California VW line making us contributors to the whole spectacle. It’s always great to hook up with like minded campervan owners, especially when the weather is as good as it was for us this year. Roll on Tatton 2019!

Early Sunday morning just before the show came to life

Gregor was the guest in our line up in his Canadian Vanagon. Three years on the road and still plans another year+ on the road

Six of the ten..

2018, 2018 Euro Trip, General Posts, Travels & Camping

11 – Strasbourg

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Part 11 – Strasbourg

Twinned with Liecester
Website: https://www.camping-strasbourg.com/en/

On Tuesday, after a four hour drive from Bern, Switzerland we arrived at the campsite in Strasbourg to a deluge of rain. We were allocated a pitch which seemed to be fine, except for the large tree which I could see may become an issue for my solar / leisure batteries. We weren’t 100% sure what the weather forecast was and saw the combination of tree blocking the light, and potentially dull conditions could provide less power over our three day stop than the fridge would draw. So we donned our raincoats and umbrellas and had a wander to see if we could find a more open pitch. It soon became apparent that although we had a tree close to our van, it was in far better condition as a whole than some which had more mud than grass.

(Technical paragraph for those that are interested) As we had had some issues with the batteries dropping below a safe voltage for the fridge a couple of times during our Euro trip, we felt we would be better keeping our allocated pitch, but paying for electric. So we popped to reception and paid the extra just to be on the safe side. That said on the few times I have paid for electric when the hook up cable is connected , I tend not to have the BBB unit fed with power by making sure the trip isolator inside the van (below the power socket) is in the off position. I can’t see any benefit in having the batteries provided with a 30 year old ‘none intelligent’ feed to the batteries, along with a solar charge. If the batteries drop below 11volts, it’s flick the switch to bring em back up.

which lasted well into the early hours of Wednesday morning. This definitely cleared the air and gave a great day for sight seeing on the Wednesday. Not too hot, with a thin layer of cloud and the odd spell off sunshineio. Our smart watches read close to 20k steps when we got back to the campsite late afternoon…so that’s got to be good. Today we are chilling at the campsite till lunch, then going back into this amazing city for the afternoon into the evening, as I’m sure it will be different again as the lights come on at night. ??

I live in Alsace (near Strasbourg) where the souvenir shops are bulging with storks in many shapes and kinds. The reasons for the storks prominence in Alsace are manifold.
1. The geography of Alsace (in the plain of the Rhine with abundant marshland (at least before the canalisation of the Rhine after the second world war) made it a good feeding ground for storks.  The area was also within reach of their winter migration areas in North Africa.
2. Laying on the border of France & Germany, Alsace has a very turbulent history and has been fought over many a time. The annexation of Alsace to imperial Germany at the end of the Franco-Prussian war in 1871 t was a very traumatic event for France. The drive to “take back” Alsace was one of the underlying factors contributing to World War 1 . The Alsatian author “Hansi” drew irreverent cartoons about the Germans is Alsace and lay the foundations of an idealistic view of an oppressed Alsace longing to return to the bosom of France. Part of this view was the lore that “in the same way the Stork returns to its home patch after its winter migration, Alsace will one day return to France.

3. The Stork as a symbol thereafter took off in a big way. In featured on posters, postcards, art, tableware, textiles etc… This was perpetuated in the 1960’s by famous Alsation cartoonist Tomi Ungerer  (See image – Copyright Delcqmpe – Tomi Ungerer)

4. After 1918 Alsace went back to France only to be reclaimed by Nazi Germany in 1940. At the end of WW II there were alleged to be only 10 stork left in Alsace. A breeding in captivity programme was started during which the migratory instinct was suppressed. The stork population took off again, both in the wild and in two Stork based  theme parks in Alsace. Due to climate change the necessity to migrate seems to have reduced substantially anyway.

The stork is a feature of the decor in many Alsatian villages and towns with horizontal wagon wheel on the top of poles and chimneys being provided as base for storks nests. They even nest on powerlines (see picture I shop on a motorway just across the border).

….and of course, in Alsace, like elsewhere in the world the storks main job is delivering babies 😉

2018, 2018 Euro Trip, General Posts, Travels & Camping

Lauterbrunnen – Via Simplon Pass

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Lake Maggiore > Simplon Pass > Lauterbrunnen

Website: http://www.campingjungfrau.swiss/en/camping/sommercamping/default.asp

We both arose after a good night’s sleep at Socio on Lake Maggiore knowing that we were setting of for a different country after spending almost two weeks in Italy. The drive to Switzerland was going to be via the Simplon Pass. This was the one section of the whole road trip that should stand out due to its elevation through the Alps as most of the previous mountainous stretches have been via lengthy tunnels with heafty tolls attached. We we were advised that this road was worth the effort if we had the time to take it in. Options for a reduced journey time were via the Lotschberg Tunnel (14.6km) but we committed to the more scenic route right from the off.

The weather predictions were for rain and thunder so we were expecting a challenging drive. My concerns were that it would be raining with fog & cloud that would potentially spoil the journey for the duration. This proved not to be that case. We had heavy rain during a paticularly bad stretch of road as we moved towards the Italian / Swiss boarder,  but after that we found ourselves climbing above the clouds.

The new engine in my van has been performing impeccably since it was installed last year. The reconditioned gearbox was really smooth also. However, I did find myself trying to shift up from third to fourth, only to have to drop it back down again. It liked third at 3x1000rpm and seemed to want to pull into fourth, but time and again after the shift I had to drop down. All seemed a little odd, but this made sense when we got out for a photo session. The steepness of the incline wasn’t immediately obvious when in the drivers / passenger seat. It was ridiculously steep!

I had been advised that opening the windows and putting the fan on full blast whilst having the heater on hot would also help to keep the engine temperature down. I kept an eye on the temp gauge and saw it raise well above the norm as we climbed,  but how much this heater action helped is not 100% clear as I’m sure the electric fan would have helped to maintain a safe working temperature.

We approached another vantage point at the very top of the Simplon Pass, and a good photo opportunity. The Simplon Pass Hotel and Restaurant was most likely the point at which you stop elevating, and start to defend. I stepped out of the van to be hit with a massive drop in temperature. Not surprising as there was snow all around, but the shock of the heat from the heater, and the cold air was a stark reminder of the difference in altitude from sea level to the upper alpine regions. This was made worse by the fact I was still only wearing my flip flops,  vest and short. We had a small coffee at the Simplon Pass Hotel and Restaurant (€10 eek!). We knew prices would rise in Switzerland but this was a reality Check! Fortunately we stocked up with food at Lidl as we left italy, so we should reduce the cost if we manage to resist the temptation to go to coffee shops and restaurants in the land that has “prices as high as the mountains”. This is a quite apt quote from a friend that lives in Switzerland who we met in Wales a couple of years ago. Suffice to say we still stay in touch!

Our destination at Camping Jungfrau was mid to late morning on 7th June 2018. This was another destination that we were really looking forward to based on social media posts from friends that had been before.