Aug 17
We went to St Ives which was a pretty fishing village Sort of quay and parked courtesy of the St Ives Rugby Club
Toby got to look at the very impressive life boat and trailer.
The weather was a bit drizzly for most of the day though. It did clear up a bit for about an hour.
From here we went to Hayle, not sure what all the fuss was about, it was all a bit drab.
Aug 16
Next we drove to Sennen Cove which is just a bit before Lands End, it had lovely views of the sea and the Atlantic Ocean however this did make it rather windy especially as apparently we caught the tail end of a hurricane.
The camper van next to us also had a drive away awning it didn’t look like it was happy in the wind.
Our awning seemed to survive. Although Toby made us sleep with the door open because he was sleeping in a wind tunnel.
Aug 15
Assured that we had done a bang up job of the van conversion and had purchased an awning (as Toby had outgrown the side to side hammock we had made for him).
We stopped on our way in Riverdart Dart Country Park, a favourite from past years.
Toby swam with the pirate boat, 
swung on the rope swings over the water, kayaked and rode on the dirt track.
The van stood up well and we had a fab time. Although we used the awning we did not use the drive away component that was to come and the awning did seem to attract some attention
Aug 17
So, create a base that fits along your longest wall.
Then you make a set of interlocking slats, so that the lower set pulls out. These get screwed to the wall, on hinges.
Then add a leg to the slats that pull out and have your wonderful wife take two mattresses and cover them in curtain material to make two beautiful mattresses.
They can be arranged as a seat 
and when pulled out a bed!
Tada! Bed made now. We are booked to go away!!
Aug 08
So, here is how to make a Chuck Kitchen..
Purchase an old desk from St Wilfred’s Hospice Furniture store move the drawer unit to the other side, throw away the three lowest drawers and cut a hole in the top to accept the kitchen unit you have purchased. Then make a small box frame to replace the legs on the other side
line the side so it is flush with the top with something like 9mm ply, and cut a handle in it.
Then insert two sliding doors into the sink section and a hinged door underneath the drawer. Give it a base and a back (So that stuff doesn’t fall out when you’re moving it)
Place two bits of wood and a strap to stop the bottle moving around. if you like you can use a pair of drawer runners as a support for a shelf that encapsulates your gas bottle.
Grab two water bottles, one for clean, one for not so clean and place them under the sink and run a hose into that which you deem is the dirty one.
I have no images of this bit just yet.
I made two 150mm wide french cleats to attach the kitchen to the bulk head. I added a short uncut piece (1 inch wide) of the same wood to the inside edges of each cleat and these cleats were attached to the kitchen. then aligned the other halves of the cleats on the bulkhead. These two “uncut” pieces ensure there is no lateral movement of the kitchen.
After much sanding, we painted the kitchen “shed green” so that the paint will cope with the exterior.
Next is the wardrobe, which is going to the right of the kitchen.
Aug 01
It’s been nearly a year since I posted anything on here.. It really has been that long since we went away in the motor-home. So long in fact that in the interim, we decided it was too big for the three of us and decided to sell it.
Not only was it too big for the three of us, it was also too good to be sat there doing nothing. we’d placed a lot of ourselves into it, and we really hope Den enjoys it where ever he and his family decide to go.
So, we’re without anything to camp in at the moment, however there is plan.. Honest Guv..
And here is the plan
We purchased this, a Vauxhall Vivaro Long Wheel Base van from a local van dealer with the intention of turning it into a camper-van. It used to be a carpet fitters van which is evident from the bits of fluff we’re finding in all the nooks and crannies.
And we gutted it, insulated it..
Cut holes in the roof..
repainted sections of it
Lined it, made a bulkhead and covered the ceiling with plastic, installed a roof-light. Cut a hole in the sliding door and fitted a window.
Shiny Plastic Tongue and Groove Ceiling
Laid a new floor..
You can see the electric lead on the bulkhead, which leads to a consumer unit, battery charger and, in turn, a leisure battery.
So, now we start the process of filling it with goodies like a chuck kitchen, wardrobe, hammock for Toby and pull out double bed.
Aug 11
It was difficult to get started this morning, however when you’re staying in a pub car park, with three other motorhomes there as well, it’s difficult not to get woken up. Last night was quite an eye opener into life on ‘t moors. Sunny one second, heaving with rain the next.
We left the pub reasonably early and headed for York, April had the bright idea of parking in their park and ride (which had a separate area for motorhomes), and we got off the bus where the driver told us where the city centre was.
York is a gorgeous place, another one in the “I wouldn’t mind living here” pile that April seems to be collecting.
It was very busy, but the small winding shopping streets and markets caught April’s attention, looking like the basis for a Wizards shopping street. The sun was out and the warmth was very welcome.
We walked through their park, along the river and wandered back to the bus, to the motorhome and decided to see how far we got.
We made it all the way home, concluding our most northerly, lengthy, wonderful excursion to date. We chalked up 1538 miles in our trip and it was wonderful.
Thanks to all that read my inane drivel on here, I’m really looking forward to the next one, trouble is we don’t yet know when it will be or where we’re going. So until next time..
Aug 05
Up slowly this morning, couldn’t leave early as we had a key to drop off after the Falkirk Wheel opened again. We watched it turn a couple more times had a quick game of tennis in the car park and we headed off..
A long drive ahead of us, which involved some M’s quite a few A’s amongst other letters and numbers we went back around Edinburgh and down the east coast of Scotland until we arrived here..
The border again, you just can’t tell.. The stone on the left apparently says England.. There were flags in the layby.
So, from here we were heading for the North Yorkshire Moors. We drove down through Newcastle, through the Tyne Tunnel (which needs better “there’s a toll” signage) and decided to stop in Hartlepool as the end of the driving tether had been reached.
We stopped by a Marina and had a wander and a short game of windy tennis, a quick cuppa and headed back off. It took us a while, April thinks we drove for about 6 hours today and luckily there is a pub at the end of it so a swift half calmed us all down.
you find us here..
No clue where we will end up tonight as yet, ahh the freedom!
Aug 03
Last night it was difficult to sleep. The A9 was noisy, then the rain came and without earplugs was impossible for me. Both April and Toby were already asleep but I lay awake for a good while.
The morning was slow and we took a while to get going, we visited a shop where we spent the night and bought a few things. We set off at about 11 and headed down the M90 heading for Edinburgh. We could have driven down the A9 to our destination but thought we’d try the Forth Road bridge. My turn to drive.
When we arrived in Falkirk, the first thing to do was to visit the Kelpies and a play area for Toby,
Gorgeously crafted from steel each weighing at a mere 300 tonnes. If you were coming to Falkirk on a boat, they would be the first things you’d see!!
Then a short drive from them, we find ourselves here for the night.
No road noise that I can hear yet, fingers crossed it will be nice and quiet..
Aug 03
After a lazy morning we had a last wander down to the Loch which was lovely in the sunshine.
We then went on to Aviemore for a full Scottish breakfast with both Links and Lorne sausages which fuelled us for our long drive to Perth.
We stopped at BritStop 817 where we met Mandy (my sister) who took us on a brief tour of Perth, along the river Tay and even put up with Toby and Rob playing Pokemon Go along the river side. She took us to a soft play area so Toby could have a run around. However next door to the play area was a go-kart track and we just “had” to have a go. Toby showed both Rob and I how it is done by beating us hands down. He did take me out properly on one corner, which led to the man coming over and “turning up” my car. From then on I was on fire!!
We were treated to a very nice meal with Mandy, Scott, Helen and Rachael in the evening and driven back to our stop for the night.
We’re quite near the A9 and a truck driving past sounds a bit like a thunderstorm compressed into a 15 second window. Hopefully we’ll sleep..
