Devizes Caravan Club Site, Seend, nr Devizes

29/05/2012

We did not expect to be staying here, but, since we are we take advantage of the excellent cycling along the canal.

I am in desperate need of a haircut, so we cycle the five miles or so along the canal to Devizes.

After an initial false start, ie heading in the wrong direction!, we are soon peddling toward Devizes.

Now, I usually manage to convince Kathleen to take part in these cycling outings, using the argument, than canals do not go up hills.

I will not be able to use that line again, we soon encounter a flight of some 20 or so locks, and the canal rises steadily over a distance of about a mile. We arrive panting at the top of the hill.

Devizes is a quaint place, I soon find a Barber Shop, for a quick haircut, and then we have a little wander, stopping for coffee and cake.

Seeing these signs outside of a Butchers Shop, could not resist a photograph, clearly, a butcher with a sense of humour.

Edengate, Lymington, Hampshire (continued)

Today (Monday 28th), the plan is to spend some of the day with Susana and Gabriel, in Lymington.

We decide, instead of getting the bus, to cycle there.

Kathleen has worked out a route which will (hopefully) avoid any busy roads. this is not entirely successful, her route is fine, but we fail to find one of the turn offs, and end up doing about two miles along a busy "A" road. Nevermind, we are here to tell the tale.

Susana takes advantage of the baby sitting opportunity to go to the Sauna, while we amuse Gabriel (and ourselves) at the childrens play area in the hotel grounds.

Not sure what Kathleen is teaching him here, but, since it involves showing his belly, he clearly finds it amusing, as children do. Not sure what Kathleen's excuse is.

After a picnic lunch, we leave Gabriel to his afternoon nap, before cycling back to the van. This time we avoid the road completely, by cycling along the coastal path (Solent Way), to Keyhaven, then along quiet roads to the van.

The only disadvantage with this route, is the brisk breeze, and there are few sets of steps to lift your bike over. But, so what, Kathleen has to have something to complain about. The steps problem was solved when she enlisted the assistance of a passing (young) man who was also cycling that way. He actually waited for her at each set of steps and lifted her bike over for her.

A refreshing shandy at the pub at Keyhaven, and all is well.

In the evening a meal with Gary, Susana and Gabriel at the Angel Hotel, Lymington, and then the enxt morning we are on our way.

We are heading for a CL, at the Duke Inn, Calne, but, we have to take a detour because of a road closure. By chance, we pass the Camping and Caravan Club site at Devizes. Kathleen has been told all kinds of good things about this site, by some lady she chatted to at Bristol.

We pull in, they have spaces, soon, we are a member of the Caravan and Camping Club, and are our van is parked alongside the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Edengate, Lymington, Hampshire (continued)

Gary, Susana and Gabriel, visit. Gary has to attend a course in Southampton, tomorrow (Monday), so they have come to stay at a hotel in Lymington for a couple of days.

We visit the Isle of Wight, on Sunday.

Edengate, Lymington, Hampshire (continued)

Wednesday, (23/05/12) superb weather, we catch the bus to Christchurch, a few miles along the coast towards Bournemouth, very upmarket.

There is the inevitable ruined Priory, courtesy of Henry VIII.

Kathleen never tires of railing against him, and I never tire of correcting her biased (Catholic) view of history and pointing out, that, perhaps it was the Pope who was the baddy, by playing Politics with Philip of Spain.

I have to admit, there is one plaque dating from that time, in the church, which is particularly gruesome. It concerns the Countess of Salisbury (Lady Pole). Her youngest son, Reginald,  (an Archbishop at 17, bit of favouristm perhaps?), wrote a critical article about Henry. Henry was not happy about this, and with Reginald safely out of reach in Padua, not to be outdone, Henry ordered his relations in England to be executed. Lady Pole (over 70 years old at this time) was executed at the Tower of London. It is said, she refused to put her neck on the block, so, the executioner hacked off her head where she stood.

Enough of that gruesome stuff, isn't this a picture of Englishness, a couple of teams of Pensioners having a game of Bowls?

Takes you right back to Francis Drake, doesn't it?




Thursday, and I have to eat my words, Kathleen is raring to go on a bike ride. Naturally, she does not want to follow the route I scouted out a couple of days ago, so off we go via another route, which is (hopefully) small and quiet roads.

We actually cross "my" route after about three miles, and then follow it to the coast and along to Milford-by-the-Sea. A very pleasant 16 mile round trip, along quiet country lanes.

Edengate, Lymington, Hampshire

Monday 21st May 2012

Edengate is a CL, ie a small 5 van site.

The photographs of the site, on the website, flatter it in real life I think, but I am sure we will be fine here.

When we arrive, there are three other caravans here, it is certainly peaceful, but I am not sure how near we actually are to Lymington.

The facilities do not impress from the outside, but, inside they are well kept.








We do a little exploring on the bikes, initial impressions are not very satisfactory, the road is not very wide, and reasonably busy.

Instead we take the bus into Lymington, which is a pleasant place, with a particularly quaint area around the habour.

In the evening, I explore a bridle path, near the site, it takes me all the way to the coast, more or less without going on any busy roads.

Nine miles there and back, not sure I will be able to tempt Kathleen with this. 

Wood Farm, Charmouth, Dorset, continued

A bus trip to Weymouth, we caught the "express" bus, there, but it still took almost an hour and a half to get there. Not worth the wait. Weymouth was clearly once a very attractive place, but it has definately seen better days.  We came back on the "normal" bus, via the "scenic" route. This passed through a place called Poundbury, one of Prince Charles developments and very nice too.

Saturday, we catch the bus a few miles along the coast to Chideock, and then walk back to Charmouth, along the coastal path.

It is far from flat!

and, in some places, disturbingly high.

Where, there are cliffs, there are hang gliders.



Wood Farm, Charmouth, Dorset

Wednesday 16th May 2012

The sun is still shining!

The site appears to be excellent, we are at the top of a hill, with excellent views.

I suspect this is not going to be cycling country, too hilly, so we will have to get our walking shoes on.

During our exploring of Charmouth, we come across a speciality Chocolate Shop. They are advertising "healthy chocolate, fat free and sugar free" We buy some. I am wary of this, based on my experience of low fat biscuits (which are like eating beer mats). The "healthy chocolate" does not disapoint, take my advice, don't bother, it is just like eating candle grease.

Thursday, we decide to walk it to Lyme Regis.

Looking at the map, it is about 1 mile west along the coast. But, the footpath is closed due to a landslide, so we have to take the inland route, through the woods.

A very pleasant 2.5 mile walk, a bit hilly, well, to be honest VERY hilly.

We will have to repeat this walk, probably, on Sunday, since the Catholic Church is in Lyme Regis. There is a bus service, which we discover will stop for you just outside of the campsite, even although it is not an official bus stop.