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Thursday, and still, it is raining.
No chance of doing anything "outside" and we are both heartily sick of staying in the van.
We visit the SS Great Britain, just a few minutes walk along the waterfront.
Another Brunel marvel.
The story of how it was brought back from the Falkland Islands is amost as amazing as the story of how it was built. It was towed all of the way from the Falkland Islands, on a barge.
It is preserved in the drydock, in which it was built, over 100 years ago.
As you can see from the photograph, you can go down into the drydock, and walk around the hull of the ship.
The interior of the ship has been restored, to a large degree to its original state.
The restoration is perhaps too good in places, the kitchen area includes the smells of stored food (without refridgeration of course), mixred with the smell of cooking etc etc.
The cabins (particularly in "steerage, the cheapest section) are a stark reminder of how much bigger people are these days, than they were in the 1800's.
Monday 7th May 2012.
What a time we have finding this site!
The Caravan Club are normally very good with their signposting and instructions, but, I have to say, this was one of the worst Caravan Club sites to find we have visited (but see later). This is made worse by the fact that it is very near to Bristol City Centre, so traffic is heavy and taking a wrong turn and ending up in a narrow street lined with parked cars is not an appealing proposition.
Once we find it, the site is fine of course.
As we arrive, the sun comes out, but our joy is short lived, it is soon pouring with rain again. Not to be beaten, we set off to explore.
The site is in the former dockland area, which has been extensively redeveloped.
The rain gets even worse, and we are forced to shelter in a somewhat unsavoury pub.
Subsequently, I find another explanation for the difficulty in finding the place. The Caravan Club "how to find us" instructions, where being delivered via KatNav, not TomTom. The instructions I received were to look out for "Howell Road" (which never appeared). But, I discovered when sitting in (the above mentioned) pub just along from the site (to escape the rain, you understand), this area is called "Hotwells". Later, I read the Caravan Club instructions for myself, sure enough, it was Hotwells Road, I was supposed to be looking out for. The moral of the story is "remember, TomTom, does not forget to put its glasses on before reading and issuing directions".
Then onto the Cathederal, always a good bet if you need somewhere dry!
It is rather impressive.
We have now been on our travels for approximately two weeks, and we have had only two days without rain.
As result, we have had to spend much more time "indoors", ie in the van, than we would normally expect.
This evening, we were discussing, (or to be more precise Kathleen was pointing out), the pressures which can be placed on a relationship when two people are couped up in a small space, for a long time.
I may be wrong, but, I detect, I have caused annoyance.
I am easy going, the only thing which irks me, is a woman's apparent inability to adjust a thermostat. In my mind, "adjust" means turning it to a comfortable, sustainable temperature, not, turning it to maximum, then saying, "I am too hot" and turning it off. I keep this observation to myself. I am sure the men among you understand exactly.
I limit myself to expressing my view on the dealing with the rain problem, which is basically, if you just accept it is pouring with rain, and you just sit and read your book (or whatever), without fretting about it, then there is no real problem.
Kathleen's answer to this, is, I am much better than she is, at sitting on my backside "doing nothing" (for, "doing nothing", read, reading a book, playing on internet, etc etc). Whilst she cannot just sit "doing nothing" and has to be "up doing something" (ie playing with the VAX).
I am still trying to work out if this is a compliment to me or not?
I also note, Kathleen has sat and done half a book of "Killer Su Doku", but I have more sense than to mention that.
Tuesday, 8th May, and the forecast says it is going to be dry all day.
I am all for cycling the 16 miles to Bath (it is along an old railway line, so fairly flat), but Kathleen does not trust the weather forecast enough to risk getting her hair wet.
We catch the bus instead, this is a little adventure. We must get a bus into Bristol Centre (Temple Meads), then another bus to Bath.
Bath is very busy, lots of visitors milling about, and long queues for "attractions" such as the Roman Baths.
Kathleen is in a generous mood, and treats me to lunch and a musical recital. Well, it was actually a sausage sandwich, on a park bench, while listening to a busker (he was very good).
Bath is a very attractive place, even the Travelodge looks upmarket, and has a very pleasant setting alongside a wide part of the canal.
Attractive, it may be, but I think, charging 80p each to walk in a park (Parade Gardens, 80p each for OAP, more for the rest of you!), is a bit much. Particularly since it is smaller than, and no better presented, than South Marine Park in South Shields (which of course is free).
In addition to the "therapeutic baths and hot springs", not to mention, expensive parks, Bath is probably best known for its, well preserved, grand terraces of Georgian style houses.
I thought, whilst taking these shots, the view is spoiled by all of the parked cars.
But, to be truthful, when these houses were built, the view was probably just as congested with horse drawn vehicles, and a lot more smelly!
Part of the reasoning in planning our route for this jaunt, was to indulge our pleasure in cycling along canals, the Leeds Liverpool Canal near Chorley, and here in the Bristol area, the Kennet and Avon Canal. The weather has so far put paid to those plans.
But, here at Bath, the Kennet and Avon Canal joins the River Avon, so we at least get to saunter along the tow path.
There is a whole series of locks (about 14, but I did not count exactly), which bring the canal to the same level as the river.
There are lots of canal narrow boats moored up at various points along the canal, but, not much activity on the actual canal, maybe they too are subdued by the appalling weather we have had.
Back to Bristol on the bus, and a meal in "The Cottage" pub, next to the site. This is because Kathleen is "too tired to cook" after, I, "made" her walk from Temple Meads to the site. What actually happened was that, we had ten minutes to wait for the bus, (guess who's) patience exhausted after three minutes, "it was decided" we would walk to the next bus stop, and so on and so on, until we found ourselves back at the site.
Saturday 5th May, 2012, we actually get some sunshine! Not all day, and it is only through the occasional breaks in the cloud, but sunshine never-the-less.
We take the bus to Tewkesbury.
This is where we should have been staying, earlier in the week, but the Caravan Club Site there is flooded.
This is the approach road to the site, it certainly is flooded, as you can see, with an intrepid 4x4 driver chickening out, and reversing out the flood.
The Cricket ground is next door, and is under a couple of feet of water, goodness knows when the next cricket match will be played there, but not in the next week or so, that is for sure!
All, that can be seen of the Caravan site, is the sign marking the entrance.
Tewkesbury itself appears quite a pleasant place, plenty of places to eat and drink, and the caravan site is within a short walk of the town centre, perhaps we will try this one again, at some future date, when it dries out!
The Cathederal, (or is it an Abbey, not sure, but I think it is) is still quite high above the flood level.
We have an explore and are treated to a very pleasant musical interlude by the choir, who are doing a practice session in there.
Sunday, we have a fine sunny day!, this is the first day it has not rained since we left home two and a half weeks ago.
But of course, Sunday is church day for Kathleen, so we walk into Cheltenham and Kathleen attends Mass, whilst she does this, I buy myself a Sunday paper, and find myself a park bench to sit reading it.
After church, it is bacon sandwiches and a coffee, then we take advantage of the dry and sunny weather to have a walk through the countryside around the Racecourse.
We manage a circular walk of almost three miles, without getting wet, amazing.
We even see the steam train, which runs past the racecourse.
I have not mentioned this, but, I bought a cordless handheld VAX vacuum cleaner, for Kathleen. She had the made the occasional complaint (ie moaned continually) about having to clean the van with a sweeping brush.
So being a generous sort of chap, I bought this little device to placate her.
She absolutely loves it, and cannot resist constant vacuuming of every crumb dropped, or bit of dust, whatever. Kathleen and that VAX are inseperable.
Bank Holiday Monday, and the weather is back to normal, freezing and pouring with rain, as we leave Cheltenham and head for our next stop, which is Bristol.
May 1st 2012, maybe the weather will improve, we are well into spring now!
Cheltenham Racecourse, Caravan Club Site, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
This place did not get very good reviews on the website, but it seems perfectly good so far. Not really suitable for dogs or children, but since I dislike dogs and do not have any children with me, that is not a problem.
The site is actually inside the racecourse, we are right next to the track.
Tomorrow, there is a Race Meeting, in the evening, (firsts race at 17:00) so we should have a grandstand view.
It goes on until 20:30 which surprises me, I would have thought it would be too dark to be racing by then, perhaps horses have good eyesight because of all the carrots they eat? Well, my mother always told me, that eating your carrots was good for your eyesight, on the basis you never see a rabbit wearing glasses, do you?
I have never been to the races before, so it may be interesting.
Kathleen's cough has returned, so our first afternoon is taken up with a visit to a local doctors to obtain more antibiotics.
Wednesday, it is dull, but dry, around mid afternoon we even have a short lived burst of sunshine!
We walk into Cheltenham, town centre, via Pittville park.
Cheltenham looks like quite an affluent place. It has lots of shops in the centre (Marks and Spencer, Next etc) what joy. What is it with women and shopping?
The racing is a bit of a spectacle, cannot understand the attraction of spending a few hours watching it however. For most of the time, there is either nothing happening, or the horses are so far away you cannot see anything! Clearly I am in the minority with this view, since there is quite a crowd in attendance.
Overnight, yet more torrential rain, with thunder thrown in, beginning to feel like we should be in a boat, not a campervan.
Thursday, a trip to Gloucester, the rain continues.
We manage to avoid the shopping centre (praise be to heaven!), instead we have a look around the cathederal, to escape the rain.
The cloisters, used in the filming of the "Harry Potter" films, I am told. In my limited experience of cloisters, they are unusual, they have glass in the "outside" wall, so they are not open to the elements.
I can only assume, the weather, in 1300 or whenever this place was built, was no better than it is today, ie cold and wet.
we follow the cathederal visit by a walk to the historic dockyard, the rain has diminished to just "very heavy" now.
It is hard to imagine, Gloucester, was once a thriving port, even although we are a significant distance from the sea.
Now of course it is a tourist attraction, rather than a working dockyard area.
Thursday 26th April 2012, we leave Chorley, still in the rain!
We head for Tredegar House Country Park, Caravan Club Site, Newport.
By missing out the rest of Wales, we are now back on track, to our original plan.
The site is within the grounds of Tredegar House, a very impressive Mansion, dating back to the 1600's.
It is nice to be on a site with good facilities, we are definitely not "roughing it" campervaners!, the Caravan Club never fails to please in this respect.
The weather has improved (very) slightly, we even manage a walk to explore the grounds, without getting wet.
According to the BBC weather forecast, on Wednesday, Tredegar was the wettest place in the UK, well, on Friday (27th), it looks as if it is trying to equal that distinction. We wake to pouring rain.
There are few things more dismal than an overcaste wet day on a campsite!
The rain stops for 11:00, and we do the "looking for a Catholic Church" walk, Kathleen encounters a group of Pensioners at a bus stop, and of course gets all of the necessary information, where the church is, bus times etc etc.
What she does not find out is that English bus passes are not accepted in Wales!, so later in the afternoon, when we go into Newport on the bus, it costs £6 return! If you are thinking of doing it, save yourself £6, it is faded grandeur, some smart buildings, but otherwise about on a par with Gateshead, but (if this is possible) with more chavs.
Saturday (28th April 2012), we are told is to be the "best" day of the weekend, if that is true, it is a big disappointment, grey overcaste sky, cold wind from the North, no rain (the only redeeming feature).
We catch the bus into Cardiff (about 10 miles away). Given the weather we spend most of our time in an a couple of "joined up" shopping malls, Queens Arcade and St Davids Arcade. Absolutely riveting.
The monotony is broken by a visit to this rather magnificent church (that will tell you how riveting the shopping mall was, when a church is a highlight!).
I have to say, Cardiff is rather magnificent, and is thronged with people shopping, eating and generally spending money, no sign of recession here, that is for sure.
Sunday and the weather is absolutely dreadful, we are woken at 6:30 in the morning by the site warden, warning us that a tree has been blown down.
At present, it is resting on the fence, the branches are resting on the roof of our van. True to form, I have slept through all of this.
I quickly get some clothes on and move the van to another pitch, before the tree, comes down completely.
All over the site, people are being moved from pitches where trees either have fallen, or look as if they are about to.
But, to give you a true perspective of how bad the weather is, Kathleen misses church, because she cannot face the two mile walk there, in the pouring rain and howling wind. Now that IS serious weather.
It gets better, a phone call from the Site Warden at Tewkesbury Abbey (our next stop), to tell us the site is flooded, and to advise we cannot go there on Tuesday as planned, the bookings are quickly rejigged to go to Cheltenham instead.
Drought!, what drought?
Monday, we have a strange light in the sky for most of the day, a sort of yellow ball, and the sky is a strange colour, mostly blue.
It does not last, by 8:30 in the evening the clouds roll in, and we have a thunder storm.
Kathleen is given the all clear by the Doctor, so tomorrow, we will be off on our long delayed trip.
Allanson Hall Farm, Adlington, Chorley
This is a Caravan Club Certified location, ie a small 5 van site.
The site is pleasant and right alongside the Leeds - Liverpool Canal, which means plenty of walking and cycling possibilities.
We spend the afternoon, walking along the canal.
The towpath, is on the opposite side of the canal to the CL, but there is a quaint stone bridge, just a few yards along the road. On the left is the view from the bridge.
Soon, we come upon this mother duck, with her brood of ducklings, out for their afternoon excursion.
I think there are 13 ducklings, but the whizzed about so quickly, they were difficult to count, so I could be wrong!
The down sides are:
- apart from Electric Hook up, the facilities are minimal.
- the village is somewhat limited.
The White Bear advertises food, lunch time and evening, the menu looks promising, honest "pub food", but the interior has seen better days.
The Spinners Arms looks more upmarket, but does not do food in the evening.
We end up with a take away from the "Village Chippy", not an experience I intend to repeat.
Canals (in the UK anyway), seldom conjure up a pleasant image, but as you can see on the left, this is certainly a very pleasant spot to have a house, with the garden comming right down to the canal.
I manage to get the TV working, using the Digital Aerial, so no need to tangle with the Satellite dish. This allows Kathleen to get her fix of the Soaps.
It is a beautiful evening, sunny, blue sky with a few "cotton wool" clouds, but the weather forecast (one advantage of the TV, you can see the News and Weather), for tomorrow looks dreadful, a big low pressure area sweeping in from the Atlantic, bringing with it torrential rain. It is hard to believe, sitting here in the sun, but we will see in the morning, let us just hope they are wrong.
Well, they were not wrong!, Wednesday, we have a day of wind driven downpours. Definately not a day for cycling or walking along the canal. We take the bus into Chorley, apart from a reasonable coffee shop, which served good soup with crusty bread (for lunch), not really a memorable trip, got soaked walking back from the bus stop to the van.
The initial effect of the antibiotics is positive, we even went out for Sunday Lunch.
By Monday, back to square one. Kathleen's cough is so bad you can hear her coughing two rooms away. Our next door neighbour even asked me how she was, because he could hear her coughing when he was in his garden!
A joint effort from me and Dana, and she is convinced she needs to return to the doctors.
A different antibiotic is prescribed, fingers crossed this will do the trick, by Wednesday, she is well enough to be criticising the way I fold the washing, so, clearly she is on the mend.
Never the less, we are not going to be leaving here before Tuesday next (ie 24th April).
