Feb 18
Nice stay at Abbey Wood, using the Elizabeth line to pop into town. Off to see the Tom Hanks Moon experience and the Monet show. We had a great weekend, Jez getting to see the moon landing and me some nice art. We also managed to visit the London library to see some very important texts as well as have a wander along the Thames with a cheeky pint.
Dec 02
Having an issue with the fact the Christmas is around the corner and I have not done any autumn stuff yet, we decided to pop off to the New Forest for the weekend. Jez had just bought an electric bike so we thought we would have a go with that as well.
The journey to the campsite was bloody freezing as the van heater matrix was stuck on cold, also we had decided to go on the coldest day ever!
The campsite was nice and we set off for a ride, hoping to find a nice pub for lunch. The ride was lovely but when we got to the pub, it was full so had tea and flapjacks in a field instead. After the ride Jez decided that we needed to go for a walk (why?) to see the red woods. A knackering but nice weekend, Autumn ticked off!
Nov 08
Quick London break to see the David Attenborough Earth Experience for Jez’s birthday. I had thought I had booked a lovely hotel, but this turned out to be a well decorated hole in the ground. We were in the basement, with work going on in the rooms around us, the bathroom was apparently an arctic experience we were not expecting, and the staff smoking area was outside the window. (Yay for staff that start at 6.30!) 1 out of 10 would not recommend.
However the real reason we went, the Earth Experience was fabulous. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
Oct 20
Short break to visit Gloucester, we were just going to visit the city, we had a treasure trail that took us through the town and along the canal, (which I was not expecting). It was all very lovely, we even ended up being able to visit the light show in the cathedral which was a nice surprise.
After Gloucester we spent a few days in the Cotswolds, exploring the cute villages and walking along the streams. It was all a bit wet as usual on our holidays but still very relaxing.
Oct 13
So on the way to our narrow boat break in northern Wales, we stopped for a few nights in the Malvern Hills. Unfortunately the weather was rather wet, so the view was so misty we were unable to see the hills or the valleys.
We did pop into Great Malvern which was very pretty and we will definitely pop back when the weather is brighter.
Sep 26
Now all the pesky kids have gone back to school we can take Hildegard for her first proper adventure!
We decided to head West! So Friday night we stopped off in Ocknell, New Forest to break up the journey and spent a lovely night with the horses and cows. We started the day in Lyndhurst for breakfast and after a small disaster where we discovered the toliet in the van was leaking (Yuck!), we took a meander through Bolderwood. We then continued to mooch on down to Plymouth. The next few night were supposed to be camping at Plymouth Sound campsite, but as it is quite exposed and rather windy we decided to just stay one night. Sunday was spent doing a trail around Plymouth Waterfront which is a nice way to break up a long walk, followed by lunch in the pub.
Sunday night we moved to Hen Den Orchard Campsite, just up the coast from Torquay. The site is lovely, sheltered in an orchard with lovely facilities.
Monday morning we set off to Paignton to do another treasure trail. After we had a good mosey around and stopping for some lunch we managed to get the answer to the mostly childrens trail completely wrong! However Paignton is very lovely.
After a few days in the van we decided to treat ourselves to a hotel for the night. We managed to find the Bridport Arms. It is positioned right on the beach with a sea view and was just what we needed. So after another walk along another beach, we had dinner in the hotel, a warm shower and a comfy bed.
After a restful night in the hotel we set off towards our final destination of Lulworth Cove. Along the way we stopped off in Weymouth because we hadn’t seen enough variation of beaches! Although we did get to eat chips with the donkeys so all was good with the world.
Finally on to Lulworth Cove, always a favourite, we climbed the view points, sat and had cake on the cove and then slept over at Durdle door. What a lovely end to a great few days.
Oct 07
We know how to holiday! Where else would you go than Milton Keynes! Not much happened but Toby went to Adrenalin Alley for a good scoot!
Jul 15
As our lovely neighbours especialy Colin put in so much hard work to polish and spray Hildergard to help her look fabulous, we treated them to a night away in Yeovil. I know what you are thinking, ‘Yeovil, that is not much of a treat’, but you are forgetting it is near the Fleet Air Arm Museum, which is a good day out.
So off we went to a nice set of appartments, popped into to town for some food, narrowly missing the worst band/karaoke know to man! Then off to the museum for a great day with some wonderful people. Good times had by all!
Apr 24
It’s all new! Well, to us…
Having thorougly enjoyed both the creation of and excursions in our Vauxhall Vivaro, a need grew within us and it all revolved around the phrase: “A Lady of a certain age”.
They are to have toilets in campervans, was the cry. It’s alright for you men who can just hop a bush. Ladies require toilets.. Gentlemen, on the other hand, have much simpler requirements we wanted to be able to stand up. No stooping please.
So with those in mind and luck and a fair wind we purchased Hildegard. She is of Germanic descent but mostly speaks with a Swedish lilt.
We have spent the better part of two years with her and she has been transformed.
We started with the outside.. Knocking back any large areas of rust round the door seals, had to take the rear and side doors off in order to create new sections of them as the rust had gotten to them.
April maticulously went round the body, clearing off and treating any rust she could see.
We started by having a look inside and roughly planning where everything should go, and what we would like out of the new van.
we then proceeded to take all of the sides and floor out, which resulted in exposing all her dirty secrets. She previously helped a block paving company carry a number of pallets of bricks and in some cases a digger! Her floor and ceiling left a lot to be done.
Sorry, that was a lot of photos..
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