Saturday 28 September 2024

Borrowdale CAMC Site CA12 5UG (N54.557655 W3.15906) contd....

Thursday, 19th September 2024

Today is even warmer than yesterday, 22c today, and, another day of clear skies and no discernible wind.


After yesterday's lengthy walk, we do a much smaller walk today, with a picnic by the lake.

All very enjoyable.





Friday, 20th September 2024


Perhaps the sunny and warm weather is coming to an end, only 14c and cloudy this morning, as we pack to leave.

For a change, I take the approximately 94 mile scenic route home, via Hartside Fell, Alston etc.

This is not to Kathleen's liking, so, much grumbling. It is true that M6/A69, or A66/A1 routes are "major roads", but, this route is an "A" road, and is used by buses and large vehicles.

Despite the grumbling, we arrive home mid-afternoon.

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Borrowdale CAMC Site CA12 5UG (N54.557655 W3.15906) contd....

Tuesday, 17th September 2024.

What a beautiful day it has been, 20c, blue skies and calm.

A walk, through the nearby forest, and, to the lakeside (Derwentwater), then around of the lake to Borrowdale. Got our time wrong for lunch at the Borrowdale Hotel, so, on to Grange for a very pleasant light lunch of bacon and Cumberland sausage sandwiches, before walking back to Manesty. 


A very pleasant walk of about 3.5 miles.

The rest of the day was spent lazing in the sunshine.

New neighbours arrived, Guy and ?, from Howarth, Yorkshire.






One little bit of excitement, during our walk, a large helicopter (Chinook?) flew overhead, flying very low, presumably, some kind of training exercise.











Wednesday, 18th September 2024

Another beautiful day, clear blue sky and 21C.


A walk along the shore of Derwentwater to Keswick, 6.67 miles of walking.

Stunning views over the lake. 
Stopping off at Lingholm Gardens Kitchen, Portinscale, for lunch, It was recommended by our new neighbours. I quite enjoyed it, a change from the usual "pub fayre" in Keswick, Kathleen not so much, "too fancy" was her verdict on the food.

We continue on to Keswick, then, took the number 78 bus, getting off at Borrowdale Hotel, and then walking along the edge of the lake to Manesty and back to the site.


















Monday 16 September 2024

Borrowdale CAMC Site CA12 5UG (N54.557655 W3.15906)

Monday 16th September 2024

 


Borrowdale CAMC site was not our first choice, but, amazingly, both CCC Sites in Keswick are full, as is the CCC Site in Braithwaite Village. I think everyone has been looking at the same weather forecast as I have. Let us hope it is accurate, and, we have five days of 20c, dry, sunny weather!

Should be no need for anyone to maintain the garden, only a week away, and, it is moving into Autumn now, so grass not growing as quickly.

Usually, this would say 105 uneventful miles, but, unfortunately, today, that wasn't the case. 

We were running a bit early, roughly 85 miles in, and heading south on M6.

CAMC sites don't like you to arrive before 13:00, so, we decided to stop off at services (Southwaite) and have coffee and a sandwich.

All good, a little relax, a couple of M&S sandwiches and a coffee.

We returned to van, not so good. Completely electrically dead!

We have Breakdown Cover as a "perk"of Nationwaide Flexplus Account, but, have never actually had to use it, so far.

A frantic search of van for phone number to call.

From then on, everything went smoothly, Nationwide use AA to provide service. Patrol turn up about 1:30 later, keeping us informed all of the time.

Patrolman was pleasant and competent, quickly diagnosed problem (dead battery, since battery 7 years old, not really a surprise). He sourced battery (about 12 miles away), got our van started with jump leads and accompanied us to collect new battery, then, he installed is as we were parked in the Motor Factors car park. Back on our way, a bit later than planned but, all fixed.

Arrived at  Borrowdale CAMC Site CA12 5UG (N54.557655 W3.15906), all parked up, plugged in, all good.



Friday 28 June 2024

Chertsey Camping and Caravan Club Site N51.389339, W0.489691.

Tuesday 25th June 2024

 Visiting family, Windsor

Wednesday, 26th June 2024

Walking a section of the Thames path, Kathleen trips, falls, and breaks wrist. Five hours in St Peters Hospital A&E, Chertsey, to have wrist set, plaster etc. We are advised to return home and continue treatment at Sunderland Royal.

Thursday, 27th June 2024

Leave Chertsey 07:00, and, drive home. Not the planned end.

Monday 24 June 2024

Priors Field Farm CL. Bluntisham, PE28 3RJ, N52 20' 45" W0 0" 8" and Chetsey CCC Site

 Sunday 23rd June 2024

 Another nice day, weatherise.

After yesterday's cycling exploits, just over 17 miles, Kathleen is not up for more exercise today, especially not on a bicycle. 

A relaxing day, reading and sitting in the sun.

Towards late afternoon, we are joined by another couple, in a Motorhome.

Monday 24th June 2024

A really hot day, 25C!


We have 85 miles of  tedious driving in heavy traffic, on the A1, and, even worse on the M25. 

How do people put up with this day after day, year after year?

We eventually arrive at Chertsey Camping and Caravan Club Site N51.389339, W0.489691.

The Chertsey Site is reasonably full, but, is a surprising area of calm. 

It is within 1.5 miles of the M25, the entrance is on a busy. road to/from Chertsey Towncentre, and, we are within the M25 ring, and, within Greater London, but, other than a little aircraft noise, from nearby Heathrow, all is peace and quiet.













Saturday 22 June 2024

Priors Field Farm CL. Bluntisham, PE28 3RJ, N52 20' 45" W0 0" 8" contd

Friday, 21st June 2024.

A beautiful day, actually, a bit hot, at 22C. Isn't it wonderful, raining, we complain, too cold, we complain, too warm, we complain.


Kathleen is still very unsure about cycling on roads, particularly on unfamiliar territory, so, we decide to walk the cycle route to the Regatta venue.

According to Google Maps, and the Cycle Travel Website, it is approximately 4 miles.

Sure enough, the route is almost all shared path cycle route, or, very quiet roads, and, we find the Regatta venue reasonably easily, and, they are already beginning to set up for tomorrow.

Mission accomplished, we walk into St Ives town, and, enjoy a pleasant lunch at Nelsons Head pub.

By now, we have walked about 6 miles, and, it is rather hot, so, we head for the bus station to see if there are any buses heading in the direction we wish to go. Not a successful trip. No information point, no routes displayed.

So, Uber to the rescue, within five minutes we are picked up by Renato, a very friendly Romanian, who, for £12.96 drops us at the entrance to Priors Field Farm. Aren't there any British people doing jobs in the UK?


The rest of the afternoon is spent unloading the bicycles, ready for tomorrow, and, then, drinking beer (me), J2O (Kathleen) and lazing about.

After our evening meal, a phone call from Gary, with some unfortunate news, Gabriel is unwell, and, will not be able to compete tomorrow (or Sunday, he is/was in another Regatta at Reading on Sunday).

A revision of plans is called for, I will have to put my thinking cap on. There is another Regatta at Egham, Sunday 30th, perhaps, we could make that, from Chertsey CCC site?, thinking time.

Just to add a little more spice to my life, a hiccup with the Insurance for the Motorhome, which we are currently travelling in. I received renewal documents just before we left home, after literally hours of attempting to call Saga Customer Services to remove Kathleen from the policy (she no longer drives, and, no longer has a valid driving licence), I gave up. 

What actually happened was, whilst waiting on hold for Saga (30 minutes and counting), I thought I would spend my time productively, and, search for alternative quotes. Interestingly, the Caravan Club came up as almost £200 cheaper. Still waiting for Saga I was able to complete the application with CAMC, and Saga still had not answered.

Today, I get an Email from CAMC telling me that the proof of no claims discount was not suitable, and asking for the complete renewal pack. This is rather inconveniently at home. For some reason, the Saga Website will not download the documents to my MacBook, fortunately, I was able to download them to my iPad, so, hopefully, this has worked, and, CAMC will be happy.

Saturday, 22nd June 2024

A disappointing start to the day, after the recent fine weather, all of two days of it. Cloudy, with light drizzle, still warm at 22C. By 10:00 it has brightened up, but, not full sunshine.

We are still the only people here, but I understand that another van will be arriving today at some point. I say "understand" because, it would appear that the owners have gone away for the weekend, and, it was a chap who stores his mobile food vending trailer here, who told me that snippet.

We actually had a couple of small deer running around, this morning. Didn't get a photograph, by the time I get the camera, it has gone.


I have the bicycles out, in readiness to cycle to the Regatta, but, we will not be doing that now, since Gabriel is not. competing, and, family will not be there.

A quest to find the nearest Catholic Church, is the plan.

I should know, from past experience, but, google maps is not good for cycle routes, it takes no account of rough terrain, or, busy roads. A product like Cycle Travel is much preferable, however, with Cycle Travel, it is necessary to plot the route on the laptop, then, download it to the Garmin, which requires a degree of forward planning which I didn't have on this occasion. 

We find the church (Sacred Heart, St Ives), but, only after a 1.5 mile section (called Conger Lane) only really suitable for mountain bikes, which Kathleen will not cycle on, so, we are reduced to walking that section.


The good news is that once we find the church, we recognise where we are, we walked past here yesterday, so, we know our way back, via a much more suitable, and shorter, route.

We pass this rather ornate village name sign, I cannot resist a photograph.

Kathleen's plan is to cycle to church, this evening, via the shorter route, for mass at 17:00. We will see how her resolve lasts ;) .

The church has an interesting history. It was designed by Pugin, and, originally constructed in Cambridge,  In 1902, it was dismantled, and, transported by barge, to St Ives.


Well, the resolve stayed. Kathleen cycled to church, as planned.

We took the "short route", there and back, so, no  unpaved tracks through long grass and nettles, but, still 7.46 miles.

17.29 miles today, if my maths is correct.

  

Thursday 20 June 2024

To St Ives, Huntingdonshire, for the St Ives Regatta

Thursday, 20th June 2024.

The prime purpose of this trip, at least initially, is to see grandson, Gabriel, competing in the St ives Regatta, as a team member for his school (Windsor Boys School).

We leave before breakfast, at about 07;40, the plan is to stop for breakfast after a couple of hours.

Immediately, there is a problem, we would normally take the A19 south and join the A1M at Thirsk, but, after filling with diesel, as I approach the A19 interchange with the A184, I can see that the southbound A19 traffic is at a standstill. Quick change of plan, keep on A184 and join A194M, then, A1M near Washington Services. There is little different in distance, this is about 3 miles further, not worth worrying about in a journey of 220 miles.

 We stop at Wetherby Services for breakfast. A pleasant surprise, not only are there dedicated caravan / motorhome parking spaces, but, there is an attendant on duty to organise the parking. Wonderful.

Traffic is only medium busy, and, other than the ongoing bridge repair work at Darrington, there are no hold-ups.

The lady who runs the CL advised not using the Post Code in the Sat-Nav, and suggested using "What 3 Words". I haven't used "What 3 Words", always seemed to me to be a solution, searching for a problem, what is wrong with good old Co-Ordinates?


The Emailed instructions said the site was "on the left", but, did not indicate the direction of travel!, so, not very helpful. I now know, if travelling from St Ives, on the A1123, Priors Field Farm CL. Bluntisham, PE28 3RJ, N52 20' 45" W0 0" 8" is on the left.

So, after our detour to the "travellers" area, we over shot,, not helped by the "red gate", not in fact being red, it is rusty, and, the CL sign is very small.  We had to continue until we could turn around, then, we got the approach from the opposite direction!

The good news is, the weather was favourable, blue sky, and 22C, and, dare I say, no rain.