The initial focus of our annual two week September holiday was to coincide with a weekend at Blackpool Sands for the ‘Vans on the Sands’ campervan beach hookup. This meeting was in the best location, and always proved to be excellent, as it included ‘the best’ ingredients you would ever want in a camp over. It’s never disappointed!
However, with a potential five hour drive from Derby, we thought it would be prudent to split the journey in two by leaving on the Wednesday after Mandy finished work. We stopped at Gloucester Services and had a coffee, which, by this point Mandy had started to tire as she was in the driving seat. We agreed that we had made good progress and looked for a stop over referencing the Park For a Night app on our phone. We found one a few miles away at Stroud.
It had just started to get dark when we arrived at the location which we knew to be along the canal a couple of miles out of the town centre, so we secured the van and went to bed after a snack.
Stroud
Knowing that we were ahead of schedule as far as the travel south was concerned, and the fact we couldn’t really set up camp at Blackpool Sands for the meeting there until later on that evening, we had time to kill. Mandy suggested that we investigate Stroud, and having the bikes on the back of the van gave us the perfect way to get there.
We woke up and had a peek out of the window to see the early morning sun attempting to get through the trees that surrounded the parking bays. We could also hear the noise of the A road nearby, but it was just a gentle reminder how easy it was to get to this location the night before.
The cycle route mainly consisted of canal paths, so this was really nice, and to put context to the time of day, we locked the bikes up and had to wait for the Curio Lounge to open for a coffee at 9am 🙂 . We were both in a really good space knowing that we had a couple of weeks to sit back, chill and enjoy the time away in the van.
We found Stroud to be a great (unexpected) location to have had the pleasure of visiting. The shops seemed to have had a biased amount of shops selling indian style, boho retro hippi clothing. We thought that might have had something to do with Glastonbury, but realised it was maybe a stone’s throw too far. Suffice to say we both brought items of clothing.
Blackpool Sands
Well this was the whole reason to head ‘down south’ for the annual September vacation, and this year was not going to be a year to disappoint. The weather was excellent, and, for me I felt much more connected and engaged with the whole experience, than I had done since I had first attended the event back in 2016.
We arrived late afternoon on the Thursday, moved into position alongside the beach fencing, and this is pretty much where our home was for the next four days. We spent time chilling in the sea, on the beach, and at Dartmouth via a short bus ride. Many of the people that attend this event do it yearly, so it’s always nice to catch up. It may sound elitist , but it’s really a case of, if you haven’t been before you have to be recommended by an existing member to stand a chance of getting a place.
The whole extended weekend was a massive success, and we couldn’t have wished for a better start to our holiday.
Tiverton
We had consulted the overnight camping app for a location to stay on the way to Croyde Bay. Staying for a campsite wasn’t really something we usually do for financial reasons, as they always seem to be really expensive, and we have solar for electricity, and a boiler for hot water / a shower. However, we did manage to get a good deal mid week at Croyde, so that was our next location.
Tiverton is a busy market town situated in the middle of Devon and a convenient centre for both coasts, the moors and the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. The name was originally Twyfyrde, meaning town of two fords, and Tiverton stands on two rivers – the Lowman and the Exe. It was thought to have been a Saxon settlement founded in the 7th century.
We arrived at the parking location which was a Wetherspoons Pub called the “White Ball Inn”. The car park was pretty big, and few spaces were being used. We found the furthest spot from the pub anticipating noise.
We took a walk around the town later that evening and retired early. We didn’t have a great deal of mobile phone coverage at Blackpool Sands, so both Mandy and I caught up with Youtube and social media. In the morning we had a walk into town for a coffee at the local Costa, and planned the next stop on the way to Croyde..
Knightshayes
For the last 8 years or so, since owning a campervan, we have had National Trust Membership. We spotted Knightshayes during our research planning our route to Croyde Bay.
A great post-war garden,19th-century parkland and grand Gothic Revival architecture by Victorian visionary William Burges.
Knighthays was literally less than a couple of miles from where we stayed in Tiverton. We got there early doors, and soon realised that it would have been a real loss to the holiday if we had decided not to visit this amazing space.
Croyde
Croyde was a place we had explored before getting the campervan as it was close to Woolacombe. We found ourselves at Woolacombe camping in a tent on a few occasions, and it was one of those times back in 2014 that instigated the purchase of Wolfgang Jnr. Wolfgang Senior with the luxury of a shower and off grid gas and electricity is perfect for wild camping. However, in the narrow roads of north Devon meant that we would inevitably have to commute to the coast from a more inland parking spot, making for an inconvenience that would create a little unwanted stress, on a holiday that we really didn’t want to feel needed at the time. We looked at prices for the days we wanted at the campsite, and to be honest they were more than reasonable being mid week, late season. So we just decided to bite the bullet and enjoy a pre-booked spot on the coast.
The stop at Croyde was made all the more enjoyable due to a visit from my Uncle (Trev) who spent the day with us after a commute from Plymouth.
Barnstable
This stop over was courtesy of Park For the Night app which led us to a quiet parking spot next to the local park. It was blissful in as much as there was plenty to see in terms of people dog walking, exercising and generally enjoying what was available to them. But it was also only a short walk into the town, which held everything you could want.
Reasonable shopping outlets, coffee shops, Wetherspoons for budget dining, and the weather wasn’t too bad either. Even managed to take a cycle across the river to check out the fairground which was an attraction at the time we were there, and timed it nicely to have a ride along the cyclepath to catch the sun going down as the tide went out.
It was our time to move on, and the weather was taking a bit of a turn for the worst as we pondered our next destination. We planned to continue our holiday locations to move north towards home, but the general consensus was that we had already had the best of the weather, and we just needed to make the most of what we had on offer. Stable View farm was a place that had good reviews and met our needs regarding price and location. So we headed in that direction.
We found a Park for a Night at a community centre about half an hour from Weston-super-Mare. This gave us a free camp over, after a very wet and windy drive from Croyde. The location saw us trundling down some very dark, narrow lanes in woefull conditions. Suffice to say both of us were happy to retire that evening.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare. Not a nice place in the damp and dreary conditions.
Our next stop was planned after waking up early in the morning. Weston-super-Mare wasn’t necessarily on the list of places to visit even though we were in the vicinity. However, we thought that it was worth a look as we were so close, and we couldn’t check into the campsite so early.
As with so many seaside towns, the weather really has an impact on the visitors perception of a place. We made our way into the town to get away from the blustery conditions of our exposed location on the seafront.
Amazing Wall Art
Not wanting to judge a place, I tried to battle the elements, and the distinct lack of tourism after the school holidays. In general, the wet and gloomy weather, and the homeward bound situation for both Mandy and myself, got the better of me. I hope to return with the sun out and, and a skip in my step 🙂
Stable View
This picture was the second day. On arrival it was wet and gloomy.
Mid afternoon we arrived at our pitch at our next stop. It was a ‘Stable’ with horses. A little isolated as far as wanting to go for a walk, but it was very secure and the services were great. No shower, but EHU and ELSAN.
The second day I was surprised to hear Mandy wanting to use her new ebike on a local trail called the Strawberry Line.
The “Strawberry Line” was the nickname of the Cheddar Valley Line, a Great Western Railway branch line that ran from Witham Junction to Yatton via Shepton Mallet, Wells and Cheddar until the late 1960s.
Even though the weather wasn’t particularly brilliant, we made our way to the nearest access point to get on the trail. The day was pretty amazing to be honest. We rode in the wind, rain, and occasionally we had sun. Which was nice for me to see my better half enjoying the outdoors.
2020 and early 2021 has seen the world turned on its head. Finally we had the chance to get away for a decent break in the larger camper (Wolfgang Senior) as the restrictions were gradually lifted.
Last years stop over at Danby Beacon
Initially, we planned to stay at Danby Beacon on the Moors on for our first nights stop, as it was close enough to the North Yorkshire coast and other places of interest in that area. This would be a good enough starting point for the next couple of weeks. Also, it was a safe bet that we were not going to find ourselves in a situation where we may be asked to move on due to the fact we had stopped here the year before. The Danby Beacon used to be an old ‘Cold War’ radar installation, and it’s remote location meant its only obvious inhabitants were sheep. And a beautiful array of pink heather’s.
Great Ayton
Within a few miles of our intended destination we stopped at a quaint village called Great Ayton for a comfort break as the journey had taken a lot longer than anticipated due to delays on the roads which were unexpected. This extended the travel time from just over 3 hours to almost 5. We both agreed that we could afford ourselves that luxury of an hour to stretch our legs knowing we only had a few minutes travel to contend with.
However, this place seemed to have a reel vibe. It was late afternoon, the sun was shining as it had been for most of the day, and there was plenty of activity as we parked up next to a recreation area. Families and groups were taking advantage of the sunshine, chilling, playing ball games and having barbecues.
We decided to have explore the village to see what Great Ayton had to offer. There were some nice eateries and coffee shops, although these were closed due to the time of day, but we did sit outside The Royal Oak pub and have a drink.
When we got back to the van we had a look to see if there was any signage to say that overnight parking was forbidden. This turned out not to be the case and we both agreed that we were far enough away from the main road that traffic noise wasn’t an issue, so we decided to make this our first overnight stop.
The following morning we awoke to another blissfully sunny morning. We pretty much had the whole park to ourselves except for the odd jogger and handful of dog walkers.
By 10am we were ready to scout the village. We knew from the previous screenings walk that the area was famous as the boyhood home of Captain Cook, and his old school had been converted into a museum to celebrate this. We didn’t venture inside so see what was on display, as there the village itself had enough to provide us with entertainment outside such a nice sunny day. A coffee and cake at The Velveteen Rabbit Luncheon Club, and a shandy at the Royal Oak was much more appealing.
We made our way back to the park to find it even busier than the previous day, but we weren’t surprised as it was now the weekend and it appeared that everybody had the same idea. We weren’t complaining, it was nice to see everybody enjoying themselves. We contemplated a second night, but by late afternoon we had made the decision to move to the coast.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea was a place we had visited for the first time last year. It would only take 20 minutes to get there, and we knew it was a rally nice location with lots to offer. We knew that if we could park on the main parade, we would be fortunate enough to experience a fabulous sunset as the evening went over the beach and out towards the sea at Redcar. As it turned out, we were not disappointed. After a short wait for some vehicle to move on, we found ourselves in an even better parking spot than we had last year.
We spent a couple of hours wandering along the beach collecting pebbles for our garden, and also got chance to walk along the pier, which was nice as last year it was closed as a result of Covid restrictions. It was great to visit Salrtburn again, but we both decided that we would move on in the morning and head North to Northumbria. There seemed to be a lot of places we could stay for very little money, or nothing at all. There is a community of people who share their experiences of locations where they have parked with no issues, and knowing we had a very well equipped camper van, we wanted for nothing more than a parking spot. If the surroundings were pleasant then that’s a bonus.
Bamburgh
The following morning we were up, showered and ready to roll by 9am. We had chosen Bamburgh as the most northerly place we were willing to drive to due to from a cost / time to get there point of view. The drive was actually quite pleasant, and we arrived at a campsite near Bamburgh just before midday. The information we had was that it was £10 per night with water and waste. The views were really nice but we didn’t commit as we wanted to visit the castle a few miles down the road, and there were other options available.
We drove to Bamborgh and parked just in front of the ‘Lord Crew’ Public house. There were no parking charges which we felt was a bit strange as we were so close to the castle. As it turns out Northumbria encourages tourism by not charging for parking. As we would find out later, they also allow for free stops using a disk system throughout the county.
Great parking at the Lord Crew in sight of the Castle.
We were both hungry so had a sandwich in the van before we left for a stroll around the castle. As is usually the case, we had no idea what to expect as research is never high on our agenda, but we found ourselves on the beach enjoying the sunshine after meandering by the castle through and some sand dunes. It was so nice to be surrounded by so many people enjoying themselves, and a real boost to the moral that things were finally getting back to normal after the pandemic.
We considered a couple of overnight parking spots in Bamburgh itself, but there seemed to be a fair few other places along the coast available within a short distance of our location. As nice as the castle and beaches were, there wasn’t a great deal else to do and we would have ended up moving on the following morning anyway.
Beadnell
After consulting the camping app we found ourselves in a parking spot literally right next to the sea. We couldn’t believe just how amazing it was. There was a wall and then the sea. Due to the height of our van, our living quarters were sufficiently elevated that the wall didn’t hinder our view at all. As the afternoon turned into evening, all of the other cars disappeared leaving just ours. The road was pretty much a no through road which meant it turned out to be a really nice quiet evening.
view through the van door
As Idyllic as the Beadnell was, we didn’t see it as a place we would spend a day at when there was so much else nearby to explore. So after breakfast we back tracked up the B1340 to Seahouses, a place we had driven through the day before. We had been told it was worth a visit, but I guess our expectations were high due to the recommendation. No photos to show so I guess that says it all.
Newton-by-the-Sea
With the lions share of the driving done the previous day to get to Northumbria, everywhere we traveled over the next few days was going to seem remarkably accessible with journeys of 30 minutes or less. After the brief stop at Seahouses we got back on the road and continued south. We stopped at a nice coffee bar for a mid morning caffeine fix before continuing our journey.
Most of the locations we visit are either recommendations from people we had spoken to previously, or nice spots to camp suggested by the Park4Night app. It was a fluid approach to exploring the area, but it seemed to be working quite well so far. Newton-by-the-Sea was on our radar due to a personal recommendation from a couple that lived in Northumbria, who were visiting Great Ayton. They were parked close to us at Ayton and we got talking about overnight camping. They were full of suggestions when they found out were were travelling to their home territory. Very useful.
We found a car park at Low Newton-by-the-Sea Beach. It was a really picturesque and I think an extract from the northumberland coast website describes it far better than I ever could..
“A delightful village which is popular for sailing and windsurfing with a lovely sandy beach and fine views across Embleton Bay to Dunstanburgh Castle. The area is renowned for bird watching and the National Trust owns most of the village and surrounding countryside.”
We spent a couple of hours walking along the beach paddling and collecting shells for the garden back home. Unfortunately there didn’t seem to be any place to park there overnight or we would have considered it an option. However, it had been another place enjoyed so now on to our next destination.
Howick
It was approaching mid afternoon as we trundled along the coastal road with Mandy consulting her phone to find the next possible camp over. It was parking for approximately three vehicles overlooking the sea at Howick. We disregarded it at first and drove past, as it didn’t look like a particularly spectacular spot at the outset. However, we were both hungry, and decided we should at least park up and make something to eat. So after getting a few hundred yards up the road we spun round and went back to have a better look.
As we positioned the van in between two other vehicles we realized that we had made the right choice to come back. We slid the side door open, climbed into the living space and sat down to admire the vista. This was amazing!
Between the van and the path to the beach was a well trodden part of the coastal path popular with walkers. There was a steady number of people passing, and they were all very friendly as the strode by. There was another smaller VW campervan at the rear of us, and our initial thoughts were that they had seen the location as a suggested overnight camping spot, as we had, and were. We engaged in conversation and found that they were in fact locals just out for a day break enjoying what was on their doorstep. Can’t fault that! This actually turned out to be quite fruitful as they had plenty of suggestions of places to visit.
Later that evening we were joined by another campervan, and the day ended reading and enjoying another sunset as we reflected back on another action packed day.
Alnwick
Alnwick was on the map, and our agenda for a number of reasons. It was where they had done some of the filming at the castle for Harry Potter, It had award winning gardens, the town looked to have plenty of independent shops and restaurants (something we prefer to the national chains), oh and it had been suggested by the local couple the day before! There were also a few places we could stay in the van according to the internet. One, a rugby club which was inexpensive, and another a free carpark.
Parking & overnight camping
We checked out the camping locations and decided that the free car park was best situated for walking into town. It was very central, where as the Rugby Club would have required a lengthy walk, and £10 for a pitch. We found that the Castle was closed for the filming of Dungeons & Dragons, and the Raiders of the lost Ark. Yes, Harrison Ford was in town. We could see the castle, so we were happy with that, but decided not to do the Gardens due to its expense. We felt that the town had a lot to offer, and took full advantage of the shopping, restaurants and coffee shops.
Harry Hotspur – Sir Henry Percy KG, nicknamed Hotspur, was an English knight who fought in several campaigns against the Scots in the northern border and against the French during the Hundred Years’ War. The nickname “Hotspur” was given to him by the Scots as a tribute to his speed in advance and readiness to attack.
I had visited Durham when I worked for the Fire Service, and my knowledge of the city was restricted to a boozy night out on a late winters day evening, before this visit, which exposed a very limited snapshot of this amazing location. Suffice to say, neither Mandy or myself were not disappointed during our summer vacation in June of 2021.
We managed to find a parking spot for Wolfgang Senior far enough away from the city centre that it was not prohibitably expensive on a meter, and near enough to be at a decent coffee shop within 5 minuites or so. We had a wander around the shops, listened to the buskers and had a meal, (although I must admit that very little was familiar to me from my previous visit a few years before). We also paid to look around Durham Cathedral, which was not something we usually do, but well worth it retrospectively.
We arrived at Blackpool Sands at midday Friday to find five or six campervans already parked along the beach for the annual “Vans @ the Sands” campervan meeting. The event officially Friday and Saturday night, but some flexibility has been reached with the owner of the beach which meant poeple could rock up an extra night early, or stay an extra night Sunday night leaving on the Monday. We tried to make it for the Thursday evening, but due a late departure from home, a miss judgment of fuel requirement, and a problem with the fuse blowing for the fridge circuit, we didn’t actually arrive till late morning on the Friday.
(I had established that the whole fuse blowing fiasco was due to the toilet flush, so we decided not to use it until I could get it looked at once home.)
The sun was shining and we saw some familiar faces from the get go. We parked the van in a temporary location at the end of the line of vans. Things would settle down over the rest of the day as the visiting public exited the car park, freeing up space for the campervans to take to the line up parallel to beach.
The rest of the day was spent chilling and socialising as more vans arrived adding to the buzz of excitment. We had the traditional drink around the fire pit as the evening progressed, but nobody in the group stayed up too late.
Friends Russel and Nigel
The following day I was up early and made my way to the waters edge along the gravely beach. I took in the views and it made me realise just how lucky I was to be in this idyllic location on such a beautiful morning. I find swimming is the most exhilarating way to start the day, and with the clarity of the water twinned with the sunrise it really got the senses firing.
Saturday started pretty much the same as the day before. Great weather, early morning dip, coffee and breakfast by the beach. We were hosting an over stop for John and Sarah, Mandy’s brother and partner Saturday night and Sunday, so it was really nice to share our experience with them and let them stay with us in the campervan. We had a great afternoon Saturday, leading into another night with drinks, marshmallows’ around the firepit and numerous conversations that made us all feel like we had a great connection together.
Sunday morning I swam with Sarah who was a keen open water swimmer, and was joined later whilst treading water and admiring the iews by friend and fellow T3 owner Russell. Still as invigorating a way to start the day, but really nice to experience it with others to take in the views. We had breakfast as the Venus Cafe just a few hundred meters from the campervan, and we all agreed that the perfect view, suntrap and great food really made us feel like we were in a different country.
The rest of the Sunday was spent on the beach, and after giving a very quick lesson on how to use my paddle board, brother-in-law John spent the best part of the afternoon trying to stay upright on the waves. I would have spent more time in the sea, but for a shoulder issue that was becoming increasingly annoying the more I used it. So, I made my way back to the van for a chill and a cider or two.
We stayed Sunday evening and departed early for our next location after saying our goodbys to the remaining vans.
Due to garden repairs it was seen prudent that we got Wolfgang Junior on the road as a means of transporting some timber for our garden / decking renovation project. The T3 pransporter is like a tardis for a short wheelbase vehicle, and anybody that has had any dealings with one will know exactly what i mean. Delivery waiting times at the local timber yard meant that we would have been delayed by a week after deciding that the job really needed sorting sooner rather than later, and the good weather was already here.
Once the decking was finished it was a case of one project leading into an ever increasing list of financially escalating, and physically demanding reasons not to be at home.
So an evening away in the campervan was just the ticket we needed to give us respite after the garden work and lock down.
We found ourselves in a really privileged situation with a field to ourselves due to a great contact and friend we had from a previous campsite in Matlock. Due to the massive increase of people wanting to camp so soon after lock down there wasn’t space at the CL site, but we were just happy to be surrounded by peace and tranquility.
We found a really nice woodland walk with plenty of rocks and streams. Just what we needed.
We both stirred at around 7am after a really good night’s sleep in the £2 a day / night car park at Lyme Regis. We couldn’t have asked for a better location, and other than a little wind noise we really couldn’t fault the car park. It had plenty of parking spaces, and after hours there were very few taken up so it was a really nice open space.
The night before we were eating out, and weren’t late to bed, so we were up for 7am. After a short discussion we decided to make our way to Weymouth. Mandy had suggested West Bay and as it was only 5 miles away we thought it would be worth a look. We hadn’t had any breakfast so we were hoping to get something there, but at 8.30am there wasn’t anything open so we moved on after half an hour or so.
West Bay Marina
We moved along the coast road which didn’t initially seem like a coast road due to the lack of view. That was until we started to move parallel with Chesil Beach. Wow, what an amazing road!
Overlooking Chesil Beach
As we got nearer to Weymouth, we reflected on a conversation we had with the skipper of our boat trip a couple of days previous. He recommended The Island of Portland, and more specifically its most southerly point, The Portland Bill lighthouse. So we decided that if a local suggests doing something it must be worth a punt.
As we left the mainland and drove across the link road, Chisel Beach was on our right and a very choppy stretch of sea was on out left. The sun was out which gave the sea a divine turquoise blue, but the wind was gusting which was the main contributing factor to the white crests on the tip of each wave. Large cruise liners could be seen in the distance, and the vivid coulours of the sails and wings of the kite and windsurfers danced the foreground. We had a good feeling about this!
Kite Surfers on Portland Beach Road
We collected a few supplies at the well situated Lidl, it being the first building as we crossed the causeway. We then proceeded to cross the island some five miles to the lighthouse. The road had a few steep switchbacks as we climbed through villages, but as we got closer to the lighthouse it became more open and remote. We arrived at the carpark next to the lighthouse and immediately made the decision to stay for a night. At £8 for 24hours we felt it suited our budget as long as we didn’t get ticketed.
The wind was still blowing, but the temperature was still quite pleasant. We didn’t rush to look around. We had a nice parking spot on the edge of the car park overlooking a large grassy area, after which was the sea. We were content to people watch, but it was only a matter of time before I got my kite out. As the kite got higher and higher I moved my position towards the lighthouse in the hope I could get a nice photograph of the kite dancing above the tower. I moved closer to the edge of the field I could see the amazing rock formations that made the transition between land and sea.
The geology of the island was such that it made the sea a treacherous place as two bodies of water met at the peninsula, roughly 45 degrees opposing.
We took a few photos as the sun went down then retiired for what we both agreed was a challenging nights sleep. The wind buffeted the van, and we could hear it almost none stop whistling against the skylights and roof bars. The following morning was still gusty, but the forcast was for stronger winds, so I got up to see the sunrise, and we moved back to the mainland. A wonderful place to visit, and we really enjoyed our stay…but check the weather forcast before you go!
As with many things of late, none of our planning had been done in advance largely due to the uncertainty with Covid. So the general area of interest around Whitby only started to be investigated the Sunday before we were set to leave on the Tuesday.
We used an app called ‘Park for a Night’ to flesh out a few campsites and wild camping areas in and around the Yorkshire moors, and it’s coastline. We had paid for the professional version of the app and at £8 yearly, it seemed to be worth it.
After working a full day on Tuesday, we left for the first location at 5 PM. At approximately 7.30pm and with no real traffic to contend with we approached our first camping spot . It was a steep climb and we had to drop to first gear for best part of half a mile .The moorland was green, but peppered with an abundance of purple flowers from the heather. Well worth the stress of thinking he wouldn’t make it up the hill.
Very steep for such a large van. Still, he did well 🙂
We arrived at Danby Beacon. an old radar station, high in the moors with 360 views across amazing countryside as far as the coast. The first leg of the journey was complete.
We both had an early night, but were awoken by what we both thought was somebody trying to get into the van. I jumped from the top bunk and slid the side door open, convinced I would be confronted by youths or hooded criminals. How far could I have been from the reality.
Two black faced horned sheep were semi startled when I slid open the door. Not too much I would hasten to add. Just a couple of quick steps away, then a glance round to see what had rudely interrupted their grassy feast. They were obviously used to humans, but as a human I wasn’t used to the horns of sheep scraping against the side of my van early morning.
Over the period of an hour or so Mandy and I had a coffee, shower and decided to have breakfast at the next location, which would be another Park for a Night freebie….Staiths.
The app has an “itinerary”, which basically uses Google Maps to take you directly to the location others have suggested as a place to stay. We arrived without issue in a small car park with very unremarkable views.
However, after breakfast we began to explore we realised that the real gem was hidden in a beautiful harbor cove which sat at sea level a steep walk from our parking spot. Wow.
After a few hours we had a look round, and coffee and an ice cream. We made our way back to the van and both agreed we would move on further north to a place called Saltburn-by-the-Sea. It only took half an hour, and we managed to park on a road called Marine Parade with amazing views of the beach.
Even better we were next to a small well tended garden, so our was a double whammy.
Again, this was found using the camping app, and it seemed too good to be true. Free parking overnight. We were obviously apprehensive at first, but there were no meters or signs regarding limited parking, and there were a fair few campervans dotted around. This was mid afternoon, and it was a little overcast, so we just had a wander around the town. The walk down to the beach was a steep one, so we decided to leave that for the following day. The sunset that evening was epic.
We both slept pretty well. The road wasn’t busy in the evening, the lights along the street didn’t cause any problems during the dark, and what’s more surprising is we weren’t woken up by the din of seagulls, which were really expected being so close to the Sea.
The following day we started the day with coffee, and cereal follows by a warm shower once the boiler had gotten up to temperature. We then set off for the beach down the long path. From there we walked to the pier, chilled for half an hour, then headed round to the Ship Inn.
Mandy and I always joked about the amount of pubs called the Ship Inn on the coast. Almost like the land lords couldn’t be bothered to think of something more creative. I’m sure there is a perfectly good explanation.
At just before midday, we had to wait outside the car park in a small que to be offered into the outdoor seating area. This was our first served meal since before ‘lockdown’, so our first real experience of being hosted with the stringent restrictions that the Covid virus had forced upon the hospitality industry.
To be fair, it was a bit odd being handed a disposable menu from a waitress wearing latex gloves and a visor, but the meal of fish, chips and mushy peas was exceptional. Washed down by Old Mout cider, in the warm sunshine next to the sea, it was one of those moments that we just thought life doesn’t get better! Then we took a meander along the beach before heading up to our campervan.
We stayed a second night at Saltburn, the sunset was equally as epic, and the evening was quite, so we both slept well. We agreed that this place was pretty close to perfect as far as camping on a budget is concerned! Stunning seaside views, handy shops, nice pub serving great food. And no parking fees….. !
After, a coffee and a shower we decided to depart for Whitby just before 9am. We only had half an hours drive, but we weren’t sure how busy it got, so didn’t want to find ourselves having to park too far away from the main attractions as we only planned for a couple of hours browsing.
We parked in the quayside and there turned out to be plenty of spaces so there was no real need to rush. We had breakfast in the van and started our own tour of the popular areas. We had a coffee in Sherlock’s Coffee Shop which was amazing and far from the usual cafe, and cheaper restaurant options.
From this point I would say that mind’s eye perception of Whitby as a place to visit was one of commercialization, and not particularly the thing that ticked a box for me as a seasoned traveler. That said, I must confess, it was quite nice. I wouldn’t rush to go back there again (the last time we went was the week before the the Tour de France started in Yorkshire)! So based on that, once every six years seems to be the acceptable duration.
Our next camp over was at a campsite called Chester Villas in Thornton Dale, Pickering . We struggled to find the site at first but used the what3words app to get there in the end by putting in january.treaty.travels . The campsite was basic, but offered a separate price for EHU (£15) or just a pitch (£12). This suited us perfectly as all we needed was to empty the toilet and fill up the water tank.
The electric pitches were near the farm building just off the road. The none electric pitches at the far end of the field near a stream. Suffice to say it was really idyllic and peaceful. The couple looking after the campsite were really friendly and lived in their campervan. Usually they travelled to the continent to look after campsites abroad during the summer season. However, due to COVID they couldn’t do that this year, so were helping a friend out in the UK at Chester Villas. So the following morning we sorted the van out and waved goodby to our hosts.
We had a brief stop at Thornton by Dale village, but due to the inclement weather we just had a coffee and headed off to Filey which was only a 40 minute drive away. During which time the weather took a turn for the better and the rain cleared.
We parked at a council car park on the top of the hill with great views of the coastline and had a walk down to the seafront after a bite to eat. On the Park 4 a Night app it gave us the impression we could camp there overnight if we paid the £9 for 24 hour parking.
However, later on that afternoon we were approached by a security guard who said we would be ticketed if we stayed. Another couple that were camping close to us in a VW T25 came over to see what the issue was. They were steadfast in their resolve to camp overnight with the same argument we had that you shouldn’t be able to pay for 24 hour parking if you can’t stay for that duration. also the signage wasn’t as obvious stating no camping. The security guard said that the people camping on the campsite close to the carpark had complained that they were paying a lot more and it was unfair that we were paying less. We both got up in the morning with a parking ticket, which we decided to appeal with Scarborough Borough Council. Watch this space.
Once we had gotten over the excitement of getting a ticket we decided to have a wander into the town centre. The weather was glorious and we were both in high spirits. We walked down to the beach and found a nice restaurant called Downcliff House. Cafe Del Mar was playing in the background and it really felt like we were abroad. Even though it was just before midday i decided to have a pint of beer.
We got back to the van early afternoon and headed for our next destination after consulting the oracle, the Park 4 a Night app. This was a at South Moor Farm in Dalby Forest. We were beset by similar issues to the campsite at Chester Villa inasmuch as the postcode took us initially to the neighbours farm a mile or so up the road, but we eventually made it to the correct location. This was only £10 per night and we were staying really just to get rid of our waste and top op the water tank. But the location was pleasant and there and we were just happy to chill and enjoy the views.
The following morning we left for what would be the final location of the holiday. This was at Pocklington lock, owned by the Canal and River Trust. The drive there was amazing as it took us from the campsite straight into the Dalby Forest with some of the best roads I’ve driven on in the UK.
The last night was another free camp over. Really nice location at the end of a section of canal that were in the process of raising funds to get the locks restored. We had no issues with staying there as we were members of the Canal and River Trust and there are places you can stay if your a member of the Trust. This pretty much concluded what was a really nice week away.
So plans to tour Europe or Scotland in June were scuttled as the Covid pandemic swept the world. We are all in the same boat and I’m sure there have been many that had similar ideas that have been equally disappointed as they couldn’t be realised as the lock down persisted. I guess we have been blessed (and spoiled) that we have had the opportunity in 2018 & 2019 to visit so many beautiful places in Europe.
We had arranged to take two weeks unpaid leave with our employers and Mandy had booked annual leave to bulk it up to the month we intended to take for our 2020 trip. Understandably, everybody will be wanting to start taking holidays after lock down, so Mandy was told she needed to take some of the leave. So we didn’t want to waste what was looking to be a nice week weather wise, by spending yet more time at home, even though we were quite probably breaking some rules by wild camping.
But the decision was made and we focused on the east coast of Norfolk using the ‘Park for a Night’ app. With the majority of the distance covered, we pulled into a layby in Sandringham forest. It was a nice spot on a quiet country road, and a potential first nights camp.
After consulting the app during lunch, we agreed that it would be nice to hit the coast.
It took us a approximately half an hour to arrive at Heacham South Beach with a short stop on the way to admire the fields of poppies against the blue skies. Although the beach front car park was limited to space, we managed to park in front of a sand dune overlooking the beach. Perfect!
The car park was £6.30 for 24 hours, and although it stipulated no overnight parking, we decided to take our chances. So the afternoon was pretty much chilling on the beach, listening to music and reading a book. Very lazy but we were there to do as little as possible, and just take in the warm rays and peaceful atmosphere.
The evening was spent with a brisk walk to a local convenience store for a bottle of wine, and when we got back to the van we had something to eat and listened to Cafe Del Mar. It couldn’t have been better. We really felt like we were abroad, and the location was fantastic.
I’ll just add at this point that there was absolutely nothing planned about this holiday. In fact we only decided that Norfolk would be the destination of choice the day before we set off. So this was a real ‘wing it’ kind of situation. Having the larger van opened the door to us being able to comfortably wild camp with the advantage of us being able to have a shower in the morning and at night. Don’t get me wrong, we have loved owning the smaller T3 affectionately known as Wolfgang Jnr, but if we were to spend any number of nights in it, we really needed to rely on additional facilities to keep ourselves clean. Not really an option during a pandemic.
After breakfast mandy went on the beach, while I tried to stay in the shade and read my book. We hadn’t really discuss any plans for the following evening. It was nice where we were and the uncertainty of moving on to a spot that didn’t quite have this feel was something that i guess we both thought would only make us disappointed. But after a bite to eat we decided to have a drive. We weren’t committing to anything at this point, but we just decided that we would go for a drive….
Both Mandy and I are pretty restless when it comes to being static for any length of time. Me more so than her, but we both have a similar mindset so it works really well. So a drive was a great opportunity to see more of the Norfolk coastline and beautiful villages. Before we knew it we were really at the point of no return as far as Heacham was concerned, but we stumbled upon a National Trust car park at Morston Quay .
This was another perfect place to stay and free as we are members of the Trust (£4 per car otherwise) . We had fallen really lucky here. In fact we almost missed it. As i was driving Mandy spotted a National Trust sign and we turned back to investigate. The car park was a through fare for the tidal Quay so all of the activity happened at high tide. It was low tide when we arrives and had a walk over towards Blakeney. The footpath was only a mile or so long, but it was a warm afternoon. So we enjoyed what we saw but turned back about half way along the path.
Although we were parked in the very corner of the car park on a grass verge there was a constant stream of cars to and from the Quay. The parking area consisted of large stones with made a considerable noise as the vehicles went to and fro.
Not a massive issue of course, but 8am was high tide so there was a flurry of activity in the morning as people took advantage of the hot weather and untethered their moorings or backed trailers into the water to offload boats for time on the water.
This really was a very special place, and one that we vowed to return to once lockdown had lifted. I love to be on the water, and any opportunity to get on my paddle board, have a swim or go on a boat trip was excuse enough for me to return. We spoke to a couple of guys that were tending their seal spotting tourist boats about when they may be offering a service, but they said they were keeping an eye on the government guide lines hoping to start operating in a couple of weeks. This would hopefully mean they get to work again from July 4th. Very strange times we live in.
The photo above was just one of those pictures i took in the marina. I thought how abandoned it looked. A relic of the past being swallowed by nature. This was taken just before breakfast and after my first strong coffee of the day (i’m a creature of habit). However, as i started to eat my cereal, i heard a noise coming from the approximate location of the tractor just over the flood defences. I looked at Mandy as i had just finished showing her the photo of the dilapidated vehicle and ran onto the mound that separated us from the tractor just to see it drive off to assist in lowering a vessel into the tidal waters. Ironically, i saw the chap park the tractor in exactly the same spot later on that morning, maybe unwittingly luring other curious onlookers to think that its days of work were long over. I felt quite gullible!
So today was Wednesday and as if we hadn’t done enough already we decided to take a drive to Blakeney. (This was at the end of the path we had half walked the afternoon before). Little did we know that the perfect camping spot we had just left would not be visited again. on this trip.
Next stop was another ‘Park for a Night’ tip. A Place near Sheringham we visited before.
This was a nice car park called Pretty Woods right on the very edge of Sheringham Forest.The forest was the only thing separating us from the coast and boy was it nice.
We really couldn’t believe that we were able to park in these amazing places for free. There is always an element of apprehension when your staying somewhere new, but seriously, this was the trio of amazing wild camp overs. We chilled that evening sharing the car park with other like minded campers, all looking to abide by the social distancing rules, keep themselves to themselves, and make the most of what had been a pretty bad time.
Overnight the car park was blissfully quiet. We awoke to another sunny morning and just chilled. Our plan was to stay another night at this hidden gem. We both agreed that it was every bit as good (if not better due to the level ground) of the campsite we had stayed at a couple of years before just up the road for best part of £17 a night). We repositioned the van for better shade and our own outside bench…
After some lunch we decided to do one of the suggested walks around the forest. It really made us realise that there is so much to be thankful for.
Once we got back to the van we decided to go for a drive. We pootled towards Cromer and eventually ended up parking for half an hour in the town centre. Time was limited, but we felt we needed a bit of urban contact after so much time in the wild.
As far as days go, this was amazing. Waking up in a quiet woodland, enjoying the woods, and visiting the amazing Norfolk coast would be a groundhog day that would never tire. We headed back to Pretty Woods for a second night. Still the sun shone, and we enjoyed another night of birds tweeting as the sun went down.
The following morning i got up extra early and watched the news. It seemed like ages before Mandy started to stir, but i had already started to create an agenda for the day that i thought she would approve of. By 8 she was up, and by 8.30 we had driven to a free parking spot on the coast of Cromer.
We had breakfast and enjoyed another sunny day at the beach with fish and chips, perusing what few shops were open.
Mid afternoon we were ready to plan the last night. Where shall we go? It would be crazy to move further afield knowing we would be heading home tomorrow. So Mandy suggested the Beach at Heacham. That way we would be moving in the right direction, but there was a safety in returning because we didn’t get hassled last time. We both agreed and took the scenic route along the coastline.
So our last night was in familiar territory and closer to home. We decided to park in a different spot and this lead us to spend the evening with a very talented guitarist called Zeph. During lock down he couldn’t travel and entertain. So he and his partner had been stuck in a car park in their campervan for the last three months. They never complained, but you could tell he just wanted to play to an audience.
After a pretty shocking xmas for me having had the flu, i was really looking forward to the New Year excursion in the LT. However, Mandy came down with my infection so just as I was on the mend, she became ill. Suffice to say the holiday was marred in some way, but we mage the most of it.
We stayed for four nights at Bath Caravan Park at Bath Marina . This proved to have excellent access to the City with regular busses running on the nearby road a couple of minutes walk away.
We had a really relaxing stay at Bath making a point of not trying to do too much due to the fact we were both a not feeling our best. We generally chilled out in the morning and headed into the city for lunch and a stroll. We could have extended our stay, but chose not to as we felt we had seen as much as we wanted to and were getting a little restless.
With no previous booking arranged, and with some deliberation, we decided to head over to a Caravan Club CL campsite near Devizes about 20 miles away. However, upon arrival, as it was New Year’s Day we struggled to find or contact the owner. So as a last minute option we headed to a Canal and Waterways trust car park at the historic Caen Hill Locks . Information on the internet said that camping was allowed overnight for a small fee. Fortunately this proved correct, and we stayed three nights for the princely sum of £10 and just a short walk along the canal path into the town centre.
We had been to Devizes a couple of times in the past and stayed in the Bear Hotel which was really nice. But this time the stay was just as nice and at a much reduced budget.
Devizes is a historic market town with a colourful Medieval past, wealth of history and architectural heritage with more than 500 listed buildings and a large Market Place in the heart of the town. This can all be enjoyed as you discover the wide range of traditional independent shops or peruse the Thursday market, therefore whatever your reason for visiting Devizes, there is lots of to explore.
For as long as we both can remember we have made a special effort to do something special on our birthdays. We were both born in the colder months of 1968, Mandy February, and Myself in November. In the early days we appreciated a city break in a car, with a budget bed and breakfast, or a hotel for a couple of nights.
As time moved on we both found that we really love the flexibility of our little T3 campervan. But I guess this birthday getaway with the inclusion of the LT Florida was really the first move towards a luxury life on the road, with large bed, central heating and a hot shower without having to rely on campsite facilities.
We set off from Derby mid morning in dubious weather conditions. Large areas of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire were hit by unprecedented rainfall causing all sorts of disruption. However, we were directed towards our campsite with no real issues. Although it started raining again as we go to our campsite early, so we chose to have a coffee in a farm shop just a stone’s throw away.
This turned out to be a hive of interest. The restaurant was amazing, with a nice open fire, but the local produce on sale, and the delicatessen was out of this world. We spent best part of 2 hours chilling and perusing the goods. Well worth a visit.
We eventually drove round to the campsite and set the van up for the what turned out to be an amazing autumn afternoon. This was a little bazaar. All I had to do was reverse the van onto some levelling chocks and that was it! Wolfgang Junior (the smaller van) needed lots more tweaks, but Senior was a breeze. Chocks leveled, heater on, job done!
Van levelled, heater on, enjoy the views
The rest of the afternoon was chilled beyond belief. We had little mobile phone signal so we couldn’t really keep tabs on anything in the outside world.
Time seemed to expand and after an early evening meal, we both retired to the sound of rain on the roof as we climbed into the king sized bed upstairs. I think at this point we both realised that this campervan was genius in its design, on the footprint it had!
On Remembrance Sunday, as the sun came up, I looked out of the window and saw the rays breaking through the trees and lighting up the orchard in vivid red, amber and yellows. I dropped down from the top bunk into the living quarters, sparked up the central heating and shower heater, and put the kettle on for a brew. In a few seconds I was back in bed, and the warmth rose up as the 30 year old German Eberspacher heater did what it was supposed to do! We were still finding our feet with our new roaming accommodation, and would have to alter our routine from what had become the norm in the smaller Westfalia T3. But, we were confident that the LT would offer much more comfort during the winter months.
We chose to head the three miles from our campsite into Stratford Upon Avon for a look round. We had visited a few times in the past, but this time had a nice xmas feel to it. The rivers were high and this had started to cause some issues in the town centre. This was apparent as we entered a car park where entrance was under water causing the exit to become two way.
We headed back to the campsite late afternoon and chilled. We were really enjoying the vans extra space and retired early. That night we both slept really well and the Monday morning I repeated the routine again… heater on, kettle on, back to bed for a few mins before climbing down for coffee feeling truly revitalised.
Leamington Spa was only 8 miles away from our campsite. Again this was somewhere we were familiar with, but we always enjoyed a visit. The day followed a similar format to the previous day in Stratford, coffee, a meal, and shopping. Then back to the campsite to enjoy the warms, watch some downloaded Netflix content and chill.
We returned home on theTuesday morning and we both felt like our batteries had been recharged. We were buzzing that we had been at a campsite with limited amenities, but felt we had not been left short as a result of the van being so well equipped.
