AvailablePitch.com Camping Blog

Camping & Caravan Club signs up it's 1,500th Certificated Site - Dyfed Shire Horse Farm, Pembrokeshire

2012-01-23T14:12:00.001Z

Now this looks like one Certificated Site that AvailablePitch.com is going to HAVE to check out .........

The following is courtesy of the Camping and Caravan Club:

"Dyfed Shire Horse Farm in Pembrokeshire has become the 1,500th Certificated Site (CS) affiliated to the Club. The CS is in a secluded and picturesque area of the farm, which campers have free access to during their stay. It's also a member of Farms for Schools, which means its facilities meet required standards for health and safety and educational resources.

Site owner Huw Murphy said "We were looking to diversify from our core business and noticed that a lot of our visitors were camping in the area. As campers with two young children ourselves, we wanted to provide the sort of smaller, less commercialised site that we often look for when booking our own holidays".

Facilities include toilets and showers, a farm trail and an on-site shop where campers can pre-order breakfasts and lunches.

To book, call the site on 01239 891107 or visit www.siteseeker.co.uk"

AvailablePitch footnote: To stay on this CS, you need to be a member of the Club, however, you can probably join on arrival at the site - check with the owner first.

Above image courtsey of the Camping and Caravanning Club

2012 Boat and Caravan Show cancelled

2011-11-16T08:15:00.000Z

Sad News! Spotted recently in Practical Caravan magazine:

AFTER MONTHS OF speculation, Ocean Media has announced that the 2012 Boat and Caravan show at Birmingham's NEC has been cancelled. The show, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011, was set to take place from 12 February 2011.

2012 Boat and Caravan has been subject to a lot of speculation since NCC Events, the caravan industry-backed exhibition company announced that it would run a show at London Excel in February. NCC Events is part of the National Caravan Council (NCC) and members did not want the expense of supporting two shows in February. With all the major caravan and motorhome brands sold in the UK being members, it was clear the show would struggle to find support.

Ocean Media sought the support of caravan dealers in the absence of manufacturer support, and despite expressions of interest, little real support materialised.

Trevor Barratt, CEO of Ocean Media said that “loyal exhibitors, including a number of caravan dealers, and the shows many visitors will feel sorry that due to a lack of support from one element of the industry, the 2012 show has cancelled after more than 50 years”.

New, Improved, Better than Ever Hayfield Camping & Caravanning Club Site

2011-07-29T19:36:00.000+01:00

We REALLY liked Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club site as it was before it was "upgraded" over the winter of 2010/11: basic but functional and unspoilt. So it was with some trepidation that we drove down the approach road in mid July. Joan, one of the delightful and friendly wardens had pre-warned us over the phone that it "looks very different", however, we had absolutely no need to worry - phew!

What the C&CC have done is some essential upgrades, without spoiling the character of the place.

So in has gone a tarmac road, approximately 25 hard standing pitches around the edge of the field, all with electric hook-up and hook-ups added to some of the grass pitches in the left hand field. A shiny new log cabin situated at the entrance now houses Reception and the Shop (called Joan's Emporium) which sells those essential items you need to survive at Hayfield like mosquito coils, incence, Skin So Soft, itch cream and ice cream. She also does a wicked line in tinned foods of all shapes and varieties and fresh milk, bread, eggs and bacon are usually available. Newspapers can be ordered in advance, with just a 5p delivery charge.

As it turned out, we were profoundly grateful for hook-up that particular week, because the weather turned extremely cold and we had a month's worth of rain fall on the campsite in just 3 days. So the oil heater was on most of the time, as was the kettle, in order to keep warm.

Now on the top of each of the hook-up pillars there is a bright light which comes on at dusk. This means there is more light pollution on site, which may affect people sleeping in pop-up tents next to motorhomes, if it is adjacent to one of these pillars. We discovered this when friends joined us in a pop-up tent because we had to book a tent pitch opposite so they could get to sleep.

The right hand field, which is for tents and Duke of Edinburgh peeps, remains unchanged, but with the addition last year of a campers cabin for eating, and drying clothes in the mainly inclement weather Hayfield enjoys 364 days of the year.

For those people who were hoping for an upgraded toilet block, sorry, that's not happened yet, so in the ladies you still have the weirdly low toilets which are as a result of a new floor going in whilst leaving the toilets in situ - as you do. However, the toilet and shower block is clean, warm and spacious and perfectly adequate. Nor is there a laundry yet, which is a pity as it's the type of campsite where you get thoroughly muddy from hiking up Kinder Scout for the day(particularly if you are a Duke of Edinburgh person) or mountain biking in the area. We understand, however, there may be plans to put a laundry in to the old Reception area, which would be a welcome addition to the facilities.

So the Hayfield site we love so much, is even better than it was before. And other people must think so too, because the weekend that the schools broke up, it was almost full to capacity. Mind you, the sun had FINALLY come out by then - hooray! So if you are thinking of going to Hayfield this summer, it may be advisable to book in advance.

The tent that thinks it's a campervan

2011-06-17T07:28:00.003+01:00

Spotted in the Daily Mail recently:

Roll out the sleeping bags - the camping season is upon us. But whether you are planning a budget family holiday or braving the muddy fields of Glastonbury, you'll need a roof over your head. And this one seems perfect - the 1965 Volkswagon Camper Van beloved of hippies, classic car enthusiasts and cool campers. But appearances are deceptive for, in fact, it's a tent disguised as the iconic van. It sleeps four adults in two zip-separated rooms, which are probably more comfortable than bedding down in the real thing.

And then there's the price. Whilst a reconditioned original VW camper can cost £20,000 plus, the tent is a mere snip at £299.000. And it won't break down.

Photograph courtesy of the Daily Mail

Scoot Off in the world's tiniest caravan

2011-05-05T09:30:00.001+01:00

Spotted in the Daily Mail recently: Now, you don't need a car to tow a caravan, with the recent launch of the world's smallest caravan, which can be pulled by, of all things, a mobility scooter! Costing £5,500, the QTvan measures 6ft 6 inches by 2 ft 6 inches, and is small enough to travel along pavements (perish the thought) or even up a supermarket aisle (watch out Waitrose). Although it is tiny, it has those refinements that making camping bearable, like a colour TV, radio, a drinks cabinet and a single bed.

Developed by Environmental Transport Agency (ETA), the caravan is designed to highlight the estimated 220,000 people who use a mobility scooter without breakdown cover and face the prospect of a long wait should they suffer a mechanical fault or their battery runs flat.

The ETA called it the QTvan, because it caters to three very British obsessions: queuing, tea and caravans!

Photo's courtesy of http://www.eta.co.uk

Houghton Water Mill, Cambridgeshire

2011-04-05T13:18:00.000+01:00

Since before the Norman Conquest, there has been a mill at Houghton. The current mill dates from the seventeenth century, replacing the previous one that was destroyed by fire. It is one of the most complete mills along the length of the River Ouse. The mill stopped active work in 1930 and was converted to a youth hostel in 1934. The Mill and the adjacent caravan and campsite are owned by the National Trust, and in 1998/1999 a £1.2m building programme was completed to refurbish the Mill, install a working water wheel and an underground turbine.

Part of the cost of this work was funded by a Heritage Lottery Grant of £624,360. The work maintains the Mill's reputation as a popular tourist attraction.

The Mill is open every Saturday and Sunday, from 2.00-5.30p.m. from April to October, and is additionally open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from July to September at the same times. Milling takes place on Sundays (subject to water level), starting at 2.00p.m.; the wholewheat flour produced (from wheat grown at nearby Wimpole Hall) is on sale, and there is a small tea room for light refreshments.

The National Trust website advises that the mill is "situated in a stunning riverside setting and full of excellent hands-on activities for all the family, this five-storey historic building is the last working watermill on the Great Ouse. Flour is for sale, ground in the traditional way by water-powered mill stones. Note: milling demonstrations subject to river levels. Don't miss Milling Demonstrations: Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, 1 pm to 5 pm. Wander or cycle through the neighbouring water meadows. New conservation room - discover more about the local wildlife. Family events programme including open-air theatre and hands-on baking days. Dogs on leads in grounds only".

The above information is courtesy of the National Trust website and http://www.houghtonandwyton.co.uk/mill.php

Above image: Houghton Watermill

Houghton Meadows Caravan Club Site, Cambridgeshire

2011-02-03T09:23:00.001Z

To stay at Houghton Meadows Caravan Club site, you have to book very, very early. Well, you do if you want to stay for a weekend between April and September. This is an extremely popular site, and with very good reason. After three years of not getting in, we booked early in the season and had a wonderful stay in mid-July.

Firstly, the site is dead easy to get to - just off the A14 near Huntingdon and Godmanchester, but far enough away from the constant hum of the A14 to be relaxing. The Wardens WILL NOT accept arrivals before 12 noon, and as a result, on Sunday morning, as units moved off by the 12 o'clock deadline, a long queue of incoming 'vans caused mini-mayhem by restricting access to the Mill car-park adjacent to the site. However, if you get off the site early enough and park your unit up (easier in a motorhome than car and 'van) you can extend your day by a good few hours.

What's really great about this site is that it's not a typical "cloned" Caravan Club site. It's a meadow, set alongside the banks of the River Ouse, with units perhaps just a titchy bit higgeldy piggeldy, there's not even one tiny little hard-stand, but there are lots of hook-ups, it accepts tents (shock horror), and the wardens are absolutely delightful!

A tip - whilst chugging round the site in the motorhome looking for our perfect pitch, we wondered why several gorgeous looking prime pitches were empty. Zoom, straight into the best one. Get the levelling blocks out, plug in the hook-up - aaaahhhhh! Move, quickly! Spotted loads of wasps on the grass crawling over the fallen fruit from the plentiful trees in the middle of the site, so before pitching up, check you are not under a fruit tree - especially if you have kids or pets with you. If you are late arriving, however, you may find these are the only pitches left ..........

Best of all, the site is adjacent to the absolutely delightful National Trust Houghton Water Mill and Tea Rooms and is just 5 minutes stroll from the pretty village of Houghton, so there is always something to do or look at closeby. The Mill opens at weekends and Bank Holidays in peak season, and extra days between July and September. It is still in full working order and if you are lucky you will see flour being ground. The friendly millers are there to share the fascinating history of this building, and a tour is available which is exceptionally educational for children of all ages.

There is SO much to do in this area - a week wouldn't be enough, let alone a weekend. There are riverside walks aplenty for miles and miles, watching the boats meander along of idling at the nearest lock to observe boats passing through. Cycle routes abound - all flat, and buses from the village to take you into Godmachester or Huntingdon, and from there trains to distant destinations. The towns of Huntingdon and Godmanchester are both within a 4 mile flat walk, and merit further exploration.

The village of Houghton, with its pub, fabulous village shop which opens up into an Aladin's cave of essential requirements, and gift and antique shops is a delight to meander round on a warm summer's evening.

It was with great reluctance that we left the site on Sunday morning, but memories of this delighful site will ensure we book early again for next summer.

Above image: River adjacent to Houghton Meadows Caravan Club Site

Winter Camping at its worst

2011-01-02T16:20:00.000Z

The forecast for camping wasn't that bad for the last weekend in November 2010. Chatsworth House Caravan Club site had been booked months in advance and there was never any worry of snow in November - was there ...........?

Friday afternoon was cold and beautifully sunny, with no sign of the white stuff. The temperature at 11 pm was hovering around zero or minus 1, nothing to worry about there, been out in far worse. Woke on Saturday to a very pretty campsite with 3 inches of snow, watched people walking to the shower block in Crocs (as you do?) and children being pulled on sledges on the site. What fun! Spent the day walking in the estate, mulled wine in the Courtyard (vastly overpriced at £3.25 for a small paper cup, but warming). Lunch at the delightful Devonshire Arms in Baslow - 15 minutes walk from the site - and dogs positively welcomed in the bar. Back to a nice warm motorhome, hot meal and good wine. Checked thermometer at 11 pm - minus 10. Oh 'eck. Still, we were warm and cosy and couldn't do anything about it. All would be fine in the morning ........

Temperature inside the motorhome had dropped to 10 deg C by 7 am the following morning, despite two oil-filled radiators running full tilt all night. Put the gas fire on full (we don't like to sleep with the gas fire on, just in case) and soon warmed up. Took the dog for a slither through the secret door into the estate (see photo below). Boy was it cold. Bumped into a lady whose diesel had frozen in their motorhome, and they weren't going anywhere by the looks of things. "Don't worry chuck (said Mr AP), we'll be fine".

Guess what? Engine wouldn't start. Then, the site lost ALL electrical power which meant not only no electricity, but also no toilets, no water and no indication of when it would be restored. Things were getting REALLY dire.

Skipping over all the swearing, head scratching, phone calls and mulling things over with the people next door, to get the important parts defrosted required some ingenuity because using a fan heater or hair drier was not an option until (if) the power came back on.

How did we get moving? By heating hot water in the gas kettle, putting it in a plastic bottle and squirting it over the offending parts. It worked and eventually the engine spluttered to life and we were on the move.

The first thing we did when we got home was to cancel our booking at the Caravan Club's Losehill Site, Castleton, for the following weekend. It just wasn't worth it.

Above image: Chatworth Park, November 2010

New Backpacker facility at Hayfield Club Site

2010-12-02T09:02:00.002Z

A new £35,000 backpacker facility has been unveiled at Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club site in Derbyshire. The eco-friendly building has been built in memory of former Club Director General David Welsford, who died in 2007. The facility offers ten vented lockers for drying wet clothes and walking gear as well as benches and tables offering campers the chance to escape the weather. It also has boot-cleaning equipment and a bicycle stand. The new building was unveiled to members at a special ceremony in September 2010.

About 40 people attended the event including Mr Welsford's partner, Liz Oldis. Liz said "I'm incredibly proud to be here and see the new facility unveiled because I know the Club meant so much to him". The Club's current Director General, Robert Louden also paid tribute. He said "This facility seems like the perfect tribute to a wonderful man. David was well liked and loved by everyone who knew him and had the Club and its members in his heart".

Words and photo courtesy of the Camping and Caravanning Club.

Camping and Caravan Club Freeze UK Site Fees before VAT rise

2010-11-05T14:05:00.005Z

This is great news indeed! The following article appears in the November 2010 issue of The Camping and Caravanning Club Magazine:

"The Camping and Caravanning Club has frozen the 2011 site fee prices before VAT on all of its UK Club Sites for the first time in ten years.

Not since its centenary year in 2001 has the Club opted to keep site fees the same for a second successive year. VAT is set to rise from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent in 4 January 2011 following Chancellor George Osbourne's announcement back in June.Director General Robert Louden said "Our decision not to increase pitch fee prices, apart from the mandatory VAT rise, is a way of saying thank you to our members who have helped continue to thrust the Club to the forefront of the outdoor market". Currently, a family deal (two adults and up to four children - exclusive to members) costs on average, £17.50 per night for a standard pitch in mid-season.

Holiday Home site fees, all self-catering accommodation and "Meets and Groups" prices have also been frozen before VAT for 2011. The Club's Store and Camp facility will change to storage only, at a competititive rate. Mr Lousen added "It is imperative that we continue to persuade people not only to come to this country, but to stay in it as well and experience the freedom and flexibility that comes with the great outdoors."

The Club now has more than 510,000 members and has continued to grow at an accelerated rate this year with more than 715,000 people camping on a Club Site in 2010."

Caravan Club - please take note!

Motorhome, Memory Foam and Restful Nights

2010-10-04T11:27:00.004+01:00

Our motorhome does not have a fixed bed - we deliberately chose the flexibility of a U-shaped lounge which converts into a double bed. However, after the first couple of seasons, it was clear that the foam for seating just doesn't do it for sleeping.

What to do? Waking up with a stiff, sore back, which eased during the day, only to return the following morning was no fun. Should we have the foam re-done in the seats? Too expensive. Should we look for a motorhome with a fixed bed? Way way waaaaay too expensive, and anyway, we love our wonderful motorhome. No, there had to be an easy solution........ didn't there?

Then one evening the male half of AvailablePitch came in obscured by a large cylindrical parcel. "Here Gert" (he has his foibles) "try this". Inside was a Dunelm Mill Memory Foam Mattress Topper. Hmmm, might just work? Looked pretty large though, and was quite heavy, and where would it live during the day? Could we take it back if it didn't suit - of course, "as long as you've not slept on it".

The first night's sleep on the memory foam mattress was SHEER BLISS. We slept straight through without fidgeting, shuffling or moaning. But where to store it? No problem, it rolls up quite tightly, supported by a couple of hand-made elastic straps, and goes up on top of the mezzanine (aka the Luton). Yes, it is a little heavy and bulky, but what's that compared to a GREAT night's sleep?

The mattress come with a removeable, washable cover (although it's the devil's own work to get the damned thing back in) and starts from around £50, depending on the size and thickness desired.

So before you think about having your seats re-upholstered or changing your 'van give it a go - it worked for us. Now, where's the cocoa?

Photograph courtesy of Dunelm Mill.

The South Western Lake District

2010-09-03T08:49:00.000+01:00

There is such a lot to see and do in this southern-most part of the Lake District, without going anywhere near the busier places. Walking the Cumbrian Heritage Coast, starting at St Bees (now in the ownership of the National Trust) has to come near the top of the list. Sadly, motorhomes are forbidden to park in the large open car park at St Bees: Thank you Local Authority, most welcoming. The cliff-top walk is gently undulating and not too taxing after a rather steep initial climb, but the breathtaking views from the path are well worth the effort.

The nearest lake to Newbiggin Farm is Wastwater, 11 miles away. This journey is not to be recommended in a large motorhome. However, there were some brave souls attempting the drive round the narrow roads of the shore. We visited in our friends' four wheel drive vehicle, leaving the motorhome safely parked up on the site. Wast Water is the smallest but deepest lake in the Lake District and is described in the guide books as "bleakly beautiful". Hard to tell on the day we visited as the mist and heavy rain prevented much viewing of anything other than condensation on the inside of the Mitsubishi.

Must just mention at this point the National Trust campsite at the head of Wastwater. Didn't get chance to explore due to torrential rain but given its stunning location, this has to be one of most picturesque campsites in the Lake District.

Back at Waberthwaite, it's worth persevering with opening times to visit the village shop Richard Woodhall. This is a truely old-fashioned, genuine village store and Post Office stocking fresh fruit and vegetables, essential provisions, newpapers and magazines and traditionally cured bacon, ham and other meats. Well worth calling in just before leaving to stock up on stuff to take home.

Also worth a visit is the coastal village of Ravenglass,about 3 miles from the site, but not really cycleable due to some very steep hills and not really walkable due to narrow roads and few footpaths. The Eskdale and Ravenglass Steam Railway may be running steam trains if you are lucky, and this is a picturesque and historic journey through some stunning scenery.

There is so much more to do in this area that you could keep yourself more than occupied for many happy days exploring, but for now, we had to sadly leave to return back home.

Above image : Wastwater, Lake District.

Newbiggin Farm Certificated Site, Waberthwaite, Lake District

2010-08-03T16:23:00.002+01:00

The camping field at Newbiggin Farm Certificated Site is about half an acre, very slightly sloping, with the recently installed slate/shingle hard-stand area at the bottom of the site. As Colin wryly observed, after looking at the puddles which appeared after a night of heavy rain, maybe they'd have been better placing it slightly higher up the site! Never mind, it worked for us and our axles remained firmly above ground the whole time, and we had no problems driving off when it was time to leave.

The site faces west, so enjoys the sun all afternoon and into the evening, with lovely sunsets a couple of times. There are sweeping views from all pitches over the salt marshes towards the tidal estuary, and the sea beyond (not visiable from the site), with the landmark viaduct taking trains into nearby Ravenglass clearly visible in the distance. This is a peaceful part of the world, on the south western edge of the Lake District and well away from the more popular "hotspots" of Windermere and Ambleside. In fact, tucked away in Waberthwaite, it was difficult to image the traffic jams and congestion the other parts of the Lakes were experiencing.

There are 6 electric hook-ups, all at the top of the site, so long cables are required if pitching on the lower part of the site. The loo, electric shower and handwash basin with hot water, located in the same room, are a minute's walk back down the lane and into the farm yard. This is a basic but clean facility, unheated, with the shower costing 20p for 2.5 minutes. A delightful feature is a wooden "engaged /vacant" sign hung on the door, which you turn when you enter or leave the barn-building. It saves you hovering around wondering if there is anyone inside. Take lots of 20p's. Colin will provide them, but sometime he's milking or doing other farm work and may not be around. Helpfully, he leaves a note on the kitchen door as to when to expect him back.

NOTHING is too much trouble for Colin or Bill and they regularly call into the field for a friendly chat to check all is OK or to share their knowledge of the area. These are genuinely friendly, welcoming people, and if there were any problems, they would be more than happy to sort them out quickly.

There had been a rally planned for the Easter weekend, but sadly it had to be cancelled by the rally organiser at short notice. The large rally field has stunning distance mountain views, (see image above) is slightly elevated and well draining, is closer to the farmyard for the facilities, but there is no hook-up. Colin expects this to be very popular in the coming season and says early booking is recommended.

More about what to do in the area in the next blog ........

Image Above: Panoramic view from Newbiggin Farm, April 2010

Newbiggin Farm Certificated Site, Waberthwaite, Cumbria

2010-07-20T15:26:00.003+01:00

We'd wanted to visit Newbiggin Farm Certificated Site ever since they subscribed to AvailablePitch.com a couple of years ago, but time, other commitments and perceptions of how busy the Lake District can be, prevented this until Easter 2010.

Easter 2009 saw many campers cancelling sites at the last minute as snow and bad weather took hold. Now, we ALWAYS pre-book our desired sites well in advance for all Bank Holidays, as we know from running AvailablePitch.com, that sites, particularly the special or popular ones, get booked up months in advance. And if you want to get on a Caravan Club main site for these dates, you either book when online/telephone bookings open in January, or forget it.

Our criteria for the first camping trip of the year: A Certificated Location or a Certificated Site with hard stand (to stop our motorhome sinking to its axles), with hook-up (Easter can be VERY cold) and preferably loo and shower facilities. We also wanted go go somewhere we'd not been before. Newbiggin Farm fitted the criteria, and because we booked early with Colin Walker, we and our friends were in.

CLs and CSs take a maximum of 5 units (CS's can also accept tents), so you are never over-crowded or find yourself on a noisy site during a peak period, and this is a huge benefit at busy times of the year.

The forecast for Easter weekend was not good, indeed Colin told us he'd already had some cancellations as people feared 3 days of wind and rain. In the event, we had a mixture of weather, but not exactly as the weatherman had predicted.

The approach lane to Newbiggin Farm is a little narrow, and care is needed through the hamlet, however, as hardly any traffic uses this road, it is not a problem. We nearly pulled onto the rally field in error, because we spotted another motorhome already pitched up and lemming like, we followed. Just in time, Bill appeared from no-where on his pushbike and guided us the short way on to the camping area, on the left hand side.

Colin, his wife, father Bill and adorable sheepdog Bess run this working dairy farm. A few farmyard smells are to be expected, however the views from all pitches and the welcome from the incredibly friendly and genuine Walker family more than compensate. Warning: Don't stay on a farm campsite if you don't like "country type" smells...........

The camping field is about an acre, very slightly sloping, with the hard-stand area at the bottom of the site. As Colin observed after a night of heavy rain, maybe they'd have been better placing it slightly higher up! Never mind, it worked for us and our axles remained firmly above ground.

More about this lovely Certificated Site in the next blog ........

Image above: Uninterrupted views from Newbiggin Farm Certificated Site, April 2010.

Heard about SimonSeeks.com?

2010-07-06T18:15:00.000+01:00

A really interesting email popped into AvailablePitch.com's "Contact Us" box recently. Researchers at SimonSeeks.com, a new travel website had read our Blog and wondered if we'd write some camping and caravanning-related travel articles for their new website. Wanting to know more, we learned that in addition to the satisfaction of seeing your articles on the web, Simonseeks also gives travel writers the chance to earn money when readers click on their reviews. Hmmm - does it now? So how does that work then? Here's what we discovered:

SimonSeeks.comcomes from the same stable as Moneysupermarket.com and Travelsupermarket.com and has big ambitions to become a top 10 travel website. Founder, Simon Nixon (hence the name), a keen traveller himself, launched the website based on his own interest in travel and his experience in searching for tailored travel guides online. Simon says: "The site is distinct by the quality, range and relevance of the reviews, and is easy to use. I am confident this aspirational venture will prove a success and that simonseeks.com will quickly become one of the UK's most popular travel websites."

Anyone can have a go at writing travel guides, from travel enthusiasts to celebrities and media professionals, and anyone can submit an article for consideration. The guides must be "original, informative and readable" and all articles are vetted first to ensure they are of a good quality. After registering, budding writers have access to writing hints and tips to help them get started. Once published, guides are rated by visitors and the most popular ones move to the top of the ratings and potentially earn more money for the writer.

So, how exactly do you make money from your articles? Well, according to Simon "Writers share revenue with Simonseeks.com based on the number of visitors who click on their travel guides. Commission is paid on bookings made with the travel partners, and writers also take a share of advertising revenue. The more often an article is read, the more the author earns. The secret lies in cross-selling advertising that is directly relevant, and closely matched, to editorial"

At the moment, sadly, there isn't a specific "camping" section on SimonSeeks.com, and we have asked that this be included as a category, so that the millions of UK campers can find reviews about campsites and caravan parks quickly and easily. At present the site seems geared more towards hotels, restaurants and resorts, however, there is huge potential for campsites and caravan parks to be part of this new online travel community. Therefore, the more people who write camping articles, and mention the campsites visited, the more all-important business will be generated for campsites and the more information is available to help campers find their perfect campsite.

Take a look for yourself at http://www.simonseeks.com/ and who knows, you too could become the next big thing in camping and caravanning writing - and don't forget to look out for AvailablePitch.com articles in the future.

Derbyshire Well Dressings

2010-06-14T10:12:00.001+01:00

The blessing of the source of water, in the form of a well or spring, is an ancient ceremony dating back to the Celts or even earlier. It is only found, apparantly, in or near the County of Derbyshire.

Many believe it originated from a pagan custom of making sacrifice to the gods of wells and springs to ensure a continued supply of fresh water. Like many folk traditions, it was later adopted by the Christian Church as a way of giving thanks to God for His gift to us of water. Tradition has it that it took on a special significance in 17th century Derbyshire as various villages, notably Tissington, gave thanks for their deliverance from the Plague which wiped out many inhabitants in the Derbyshire village of Eyam (said "Eeem not I-am). In fact, they had been spared by the altruism of the inhabitants of Eyam, who unselfishly quarantined themselves while the disease, accidentally introduced in a package of clothing from London, ran its deadly course.

Well Dressing is the art of decorating springs or wells with pictures made entirely of natural products like flower petals, moss, bark, shells, pebbles and leaves.

Wet clay is pressed into boards, which have been soaked for up to a week beforehand so as not to dry the clay out. Then the picture is traced onto the clay using a pointer. Next comes the delicate task of filling the picture with the petals and other natural materials. Each petal has to be put in individually by hand, and petals overlap like tiles on a roof so that rain will flow off the picture. This is a slow and laborious task which takes many hours and usually occupies most of the week prior to the well being dressed.

Well dressings take place at many Derbyshire villages between April and September, and details of these can be found at: http://www.welldressing.com/

More about Hayfield and Kinder Scout, Peak District

2010-05-21T11:53:00.002+01:00

The following information is courtesy of "PeakDistrictOnline":

"Hayfield is a beautiful village with many fascinating buildings including Fox Hall on the Kinder road which is dated 1625. The original Hayfield parish church was built in 1386, but this structure was washed away in floods and rebuilt in 1818. The parish of Hayfield consists of Birch Vale, Little Hayfield, Rowarth and Hayfield Village.

Hayfield was at one time a woollen centre. Before the numerous mills were built many houses operated as cottages industries, with a workshop in tall attic rooms where wool was woven on frames. Calico printing and paper making also provided employment locally in the 19th century when many of the cottages were built. On August 4th 1894 at the George Hotel in Hayfield the Peak District Footpath Society was established with a meeting of men from Manchester, Sheffield and Derby.

Besides holding an annual fair, a twice yearly gathering was held at Hayfield which was known as the 'Shepherds Meeting' when stray sheep from the moors were sifted out and given back to their owners. Hayfield has many customs and traditions including the annual well dressing festival in July and the Hayfield County Show and Sheepdog Trials. Also popular in the area are fell races which include The Hayfield Championship series. More unusually named races though include the Padfield Plum Fair Scamper, Tanky's Trog and the Lamb's Longer Leg!

In 1979 the whole village of Hayfield was evacuated for the night following an incident on the main road when a lorry carrying inflammable liquid gas overturned and caused panic throughout the village. The claim to fame for Hayfield is the fact that this was the birthplace of Arthur Lowe (22.9.1915 - 15.4.1982) who is best remembered for playing the part of Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army.

Hayfield lies equidistant from Glossop which is four miles to the north and Chapel-en-le-Frith to the south. Hayfield is the gateway to Kinder which towers above it like a Lost World. Should you venture up onto the High Plateau of Kinder Scout it can certainly turn into a Lost World should the mist descend and you find yourself climbing up and down the groughs or trudging through peat bogs.

Kinder Scout is retrogressive moorland where the soil is excessively acid and inhibits the growth of many varieties of plant life. Rainfall causes erosion of the peat to the underlying gritstone, developing deep groughs up to 12 feet wide with slimy sides which can suck the unwary into inky black bogs. Bilberry and Crowberry are the only tolerant species of plant, whilst in the cloughs you can find siliceous grasses and heathers on the gentler slopes. On the exposed bleak summit are many areas devoid of any plant life where either murky bogs, mounds of soggy peat or boulders of millstone and acres of exposed grit give the appearance of some desolate alien planet.

Kinder was once described as a black morose platform of gritstone. It is interesting to note that depending just where rain falls on Kinder Plateau determines two totally different destinations. If rain starts to trickle east it will flow into the Derwent and on to the North Sea, but if it trickles west into the Sett, it joins the Mersey and then flows into the Irish Channel.

At one time Kinder and the surrounding moors were private, accessible only to the landed gentry who came to shoot grouse. Until the 1930's it would only have been possible to follow a couple of recognised paths from Hayfield to the moors and not to venture from these. There were notice boards erected at several points, warning of the consequences of trespassing. The moors were privately owned and many keepers, often wielding guns, were employed to protect them from the casual walker who had not obtained a permit. Great lengths were followed to bring the trespassers to justice, even to the extent of publishing photographs in newspapers with a reward for identification.

JHB Ward, who was a staunch campaigner for permission for the public to walk the moors, argued that because old rights of way existed, the moors should allow public access. He organised the mass trespass which took place on 24th April 1932 onto Kinder Scout, when 400 ramblers set out from Bowden Bridge and walked up William Clough and onto the moors. Scuffles near the top with the keepers resulted in 6 ramblers being arrested and charged with riotous assembly and assault. 5 were sentenced to prison for between two and six months, but their efforts were well rewarded.

In 1949 as a result of the 'National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act' the Peak District National Park was founded, and within a few years of its inception an agreement was made allowing free access to the moors apart from a few days during the grouse shooting season which runs from 12th August until December.

During 1982 the National Trust bought over 3,000 acres around Hayfield which included Kinder Scout, the Downfall and two farms, for £600,000. This set the seal on the area remaining open to the public.

One of the best ways of walking up onto Kinder and to The Downfall is to set off from Bowden Bridge at the back of Hayfield village and to walk up William Clough which rises to the left of Kinder Reservoir. On reaching the top of the clough there is a well walked path across the top of the escarpment to The Downfall where the infant river Sett drops 100 feet in the highest natural waterfall in the Peak District cascading over huge gritstone boulders. In winter the Downfall blows back in a plume of spray that can be seen as far away as Stockport. There are interesting rock climbs in the area including Pavlova and the Chinese Wall Quadrinnacle.

The view from The Downfall to Mermaids Pool and Kinder reservoir some 1,000 feet below are superb, whilst in the distance are the chimneys, high-rise stacks and buildings of our industrial north.

The Kinder reservoir above Hayfield nestles below the escarpment and is trapped in a moorland embrace. It was built in 1912 for the Stockport Corporation. Whilst set in woodland on the far side are the quadrangular buildings of Kinder Upper House which are mainly 20th century with parts dating from the 16th century. Here Mrs Humphrey Ward wrote much of her novel David Grieve, based on the surrounding countryside.

It is said that the Mermaids Pool contains a beautiful nymph who hides until dawn when she bathes. A spell is cast on anyone catching sight of this mystical figure, ensuring that they live forever!

The Pennine Way which is a long distance walk of 250 miles from Edale to the Scottish border runs along the top of the Kinder escarpment above Hayfield. The route was first suggested in 1935 by T C Stephenson and was granted official approval in 1951.

Above image: Countryside near Hayfield

In and Around the village of Hayfield, Peak District

2010-04-30T15:12:00.001+01:00

Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club campsite is on our "favourite sites" list and one we keep going back to. The nicest thing about this site is its proximity to the village of Hayfield. The site is set at the side of the river (well, more of an ambitious stream really). This means that ducks and moorhens are regular visitors to the campsite, but it also unfortunately means there are midges in season. For how to enjoy camping and live peacefully with midges, see earlier blog "Midges in Scotland".

From the campsite, follow the river for a short while, past the children's adventure playground, and you are soon in the village itself. This is a typical Derbyshire village which is little changed from how it would have been in the good old days - charming houses and cottages set higgledy piggeldy on little lanes, more pubs than you can shake a stick at, friendly natives, lots of natural wells - at least eight, and a choice of places to stay - B&B and pub accommodation, all reasonably priced. No visitor goes hungry in Hayfield. Our favourite eating places are the tremendously friendly and olde worlde George Hotel and the equally welcoming and more trendy Sportsman Inn.

These two pubs get our vote for three reasons: (1) They do affordably accommodation, which means non-camping family and friends can stay nearby (2) They allow dogs INSIDE (hooray and thank-you!) (3) The food and service is outstanding.

Now, the George Arms has the best Lamb Rojan Josh in the world ever according to Mr AP - better even than his favourite Indian restaurant in Nottingham, which had better remain nameless. In fact all the food at the George is excellent - freshly cooked, generous portions, good value for money and served with a huge smile.

The Sportsman is located on the hill above the Hayfield C&CC campsite and is about a 10 minute walk up to it, and about 5 minutes back down, but take a torch as the route back is very dark once the evenings draw in. This is a very popular pub both with walkers and campers, and they even have somewhere to tie up your horse, should you find yourself in possession of one.

There's just sooooo much more to say about Hayfield, that it will be continued in the next blog ........

Above image: View of Hayfield C&CC site from above

Hayfield Camping and Caravan Club Site, Peak District

2010-04-06T11:31:00.000+01:00

Arriving at Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club site in a motorhome is not for the faint hearted. The lovely village of Hayfield in the High Peak area of the Peak District, has to be painstakingly negotiated, through it's narrow streets, inching past parked cars and gingerly round a hairpin bend, and up a steep narrow hill, before heaving a great sigh that you've done it, then taking a sharp right into the long approach lane to the campsite. For these reasons, this site only permits tents, trailer tents and motorhomes, although I would not want to attempt taking anything longer than our 7 meter motorhome, particularly round said hairpin.

Hayfield C&CC site is a "traditional" site located on a former printworks (donkey's years ago) and is split into two distinctive and different camping fields. It is a fairly basic site, with no hook-ups, and an old but large heated toilet and shower block meticulously cleaned to C&CC standards. There are no laundry facilities as yet, but what's wrong with wearing grubby clothes when you are camping - isn't that half the fun? Tents and small camper vans tend to gravitate to the right hand field, and motorhomes and trailer tents head to the left, although you are can camp in whichever field you prefer.

There are loads of things that are great about this site: the atmosphere, the scenery (located at the foot of Kinder Scout), the dozens of walks direct from the site, the pretty village with its 3 or 4 pubs (of particular note is the The Sportsman Inn ), 2 restaurants, a fish and chip shop and the Sett Valley Trail which is a 4 mile walking/cycling/bridal route to New Mills (although as the friendly staff at the George Hotel said "why would anyone want to go to New Mills! ?" - A good question!) It also has the most wonderful adventure playground area for children, just 5 minutes walk from the site, so you can keep the little ones occupied.

This site is high on our "favourites" list, and we return whenever we can. As it's a basic site, the cost is reasonable, even in high season, and it has lots of character, which, sadly, some Club sites lack. The Wardens are wonderfully friendly and cheerful and go out of their way to be as helpful as possible to make sure a good time is had by all. Definitely an excellent site for tents, cyclists and backpackers as well as motorhomers, and is a brilliant base for all the outdoor activities on offer.

More about the village of Hayfield in the next blog.........

Above image: Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Broglie to Gandspette - and home

2010-03-21T15:12:00.000Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" SAYS AU REVOIR TO FRANCE:

Broglie to Gandspette - 192 miles

At the Aire there was a notice board with English instructions detailing everything necessary including, how to pay, how much and that the gate would be locked at night with a contact number if you needed to leave. The pitches were hard standing with huge grass spaces in between.

On Aires you are not supposed to “camp”, ie get tables chairs, bar-b-ques etc out. However, on arrival, there was one other van there, a Dutch couple and they were well and truly camped out. So we did the same, it was too nice a night to be inside. We walked into the town, visited the bar and located the bread shop for next morning. Later, whilst cooking our evening meal outside, a man came round and collected the 5 Euros site fee.

Next day, after breakfast, we headed for a site at Chateau du Gandspette. This was booked through the Caravan Club and after 2 weeks in France it was a little bit of a culture shock. It was just like being back at home! We were placed in a nice area with two 'vans to a hedged off area but everyone was English. The site was only about 20 miles from Dunkirk so many people were doing the same as us, first or last stop.

The facilities were of a good standard, swimming pool, play areas, all you could need, and yes a van in the morning selling fresh bread at the gate.

At all of the sites we checked the polarity. All had been fine until the last one, the Caravan Club booked site was the only one with reverse polarity, but we had Mr Snail’s extra lead so all was well.

The next day, with sad hearts, we were off to the ferry port to return to England. But we returned home safe and with no harm come to us or our property, so all my planning had worked. We had been adventurous and not booked anything and even tried an Aire de Camping Car. All in all we felt pretty pleased with ourselves and cannot wait to go again, because as people who have been lots of times tell us “it is easy” - and it truely was!

Our totals were: 17 days away: 1655 miles; £129 on tolls; 269 litres of diesel = £215; Average 28 mpg

Above image: Aire de Brogolie

The Ile de Ré

2010-02-23T14:22:00.001Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" EXPLORES L'ISLE DE RE BY CYCLE:

No wild camping is allowed on Ile de Re – probably the only place in France. A bye-law was passed in the early ‘90s to stop motorhomes wild camping. This is probably because the island is small with lots of campsites including at least 3 Aires de Camping Car that we saw. One of the Aires and the Municipal site are on the right after you have crossed the bridge and enter Rivedoux-Plage. But keep driving there are better sites to be had.

The cycle routes on Ile de Re are very well signposted and the surface wxcellent, mainly traffic free although sometimes on quiet roads. The island is very flat, so ideal for the rider who does not want to be too energetic (like Mr Snail!).

There were not very many English people there, although I think this may change with recent articles in the Caravan Club magazine and Daily Mail singing the praises of this island.

Having cycled around this end of the island we travelled 14 miles and moved further west to Cormoran campsite, Route de Radia, Ars en Re. As with all the other sites, the lady on reception spoke good English. The site had a swimming pool, bar and snack area (from which fresh bread was sold in the morning), a gym, unisex toilets and showers. The weather forecast pinned up in reception was for sun every day. We did have some rain one morning, but the man at the bar said wait until 11:00hrs and the sun will come out. Sure enough it did, Ile de Re seems to have its own micro climate. We had several more days of cycling exploring the rest of the island, there was just one little area we didn’t cover. Still that gives us a reason to return ……

Image above: St Martins de Re

Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Ile de Ré to Broglie – starting the journey home

2010-01-25T12:33:00.000Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" STARTS THE JOURNEY BACK TO BLIGHTY:

Ile de Ré to Brogolie - 273 miles

Sadly the departure day from Ile de Ré came all too soon. The sun was shining bright and we did not want to leave. However, leave we must, and we did the usual supermarket and fuel stop at the start of our onward journey.

Our trusty Vicarious book listed an Aire de Camping car in Broglie, a village just off the motorway so we headed for this - our first night homeward bound.

An interesting situation arose as we entered one town. Mr Snail was driving slowly due to road works. Being unsure of the speed limit, he slowed to 30 mph. Unimpressed, the car driver behind overtook us in an impatient French way. Silly man. As he pulled in front of us there was a group of people on the pavement clad in dark blue clothing. (French Police are not as obliging as our’s and don’t wear high visibility jackets.) Our first French Police and yes! they had a speed camera and yes! Mr Impatient got pulled over! That taught him. So Mr Snail acting like his nickname saved us a fine. (Just for the record, he always rode his motorbike at the back of the group and the rest of us had to wait for him, hence the nickname Snail – so now you know).

The sat nav was programmed for the Aire at Broglie and we arrived in the village all right. At a T junction with a large church in front, Mr Snail followed the sat nav directions and went straight across. It looked too narrow for our 'van to me. A man dashed out of his house, waving his arms and shouting in unintelligible French. Clearly it was not suitable for us, and we weren’t the first motorhome to attempt it. An articulate French lady explained we had to turn around and take the 2nd left. We followed instructions, found the Aire and for our first ever Aire it was perfect……

Above image: Bridge to Ile de Ré

Cheverney to Ile de Ré

2009-12-31T08:20:00.000Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" HEADS FOR THE ILE DE RE:

So, on the sixth morning, we departed Camping Les Saules and headed west for Ile de Ré in extreme wind and heavy rain. A journey of approx 200 miles

As we crossed the beautiful bridge over the Atlantic from La Rochelle we could see golden sand on both sides of the island and a welcome brightening of the sky.

Travelling down through France, the peages which had previously accepted our pre-loaded Travelex Cash Passport (a pre-paid MasterCard) stopped accepting it. Thank goodness, therefore that we’d had the foresight to also carry a Visa card, which was accepted. So it is a good idea to have a least 2 different credit cards with you just in case.

We had nothing booked on the Ile de Re. Mr Snail had picked the campsite - La Grainetiere, Route de Saint-Martin, F- 17630, La Flotte from our ASCI book (see earlier blog for details) as our first base. This made our pitch cheaper, so the saving we made using this card over the full pitch price covered our joining the scheme. It was chosen because it was near the town of La Flotte and had lots of level cycle paths nearby.

Another delightful lady manned Reception and her English was considerably better than my French. We wanted flexibility – maybe 4 or 5 nights. “No problem, just come and pay the day before you want to leave”. Most campsite receptions, like most of France, are shut for lunch between midday and 15:00 hrs. Arriving before noon was not a problem (unlike many campsites in the UK).

The site’s warm swimming pool was used by the Snails every day. The site had a café, bar, wi-fi in reception at a reasonable charge, and freshly baked bread and croissants.

The unisex toilet/shower facilities were extremely clean and warm because there was a door! Hurray. There were the usual sinks for pot and food prep and interestingly one specifically for washing fish and seafood. How unusual. However, the Ile de R é has an abundance of fresh seafood so this facility was well used, with queues on occasions!

The site had huge trees to provide shade, for which we were very glad; the pitches were not very clearly marked. But once a lady who was to become our neighbour showed us the little concrete domes in the ground we could see where we had to be.

NB: Bridge toll was 9 Euros for a motorhome, increasing to 16 Euros in June 09 for the summer season.

Image above: La Grainetiere Campsite, Ile de Ré

The Snails in France - Epernay to Chevernay

2009-12-15T07:23:00.002Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" DOES AN INTERNATIONAL RALLY AND VISITS SOME CHATEAUX:

Epernay to Chevenay: 192 miles

On arrival at Camping Les Saules, Route de Contres, Cheverney, we were greeted by a delightful young lady who spoke excellent English. We were booked onto the Camping and Caravan Club International Rally. We were pointed in the direction of the Stewards, Pat and Muttley (yes – really!) They made us feel very welcome and Muttley helped us choose a pleasant pitch on the edge of the camping area with an open field to one side and a lake behind. We were here for five nights, so plenty of time to relax.

The site had a swimming pool, games room with free wi-fi, a bar and snack area. Bread requirements could be ordered on a sheet left in the games room daily and bread was collected at reception the next morning. The toilet facilities were cleaned at least 3 times a day. The only problem was that the building wasn’t warm as there was no external door on the block. So showering was a tad chilly.

Despite being on a rally, we had full access to all the site facilities including electric hook up. The only problem was that the electric hook up wasn’t much cop as the fridge spent most of its time on gas. Mr Snail worried whether our gas would last - Calor Propane is not available in France. This made him uncharacteristically stingy with the temperature I was allowed to set the motorhome’s heating at and I had to put another layer on.

The site was great for easy cycling to nearby chateaux, using maps provided by reception. After a couple of lovely days, heavy rain arrived. To prevent cabin fever, we took the motorhome to Blois and parking was no problem. Following directions in the Vicarious Book, we arrived at the Blois Aire at the edge of the river and parked there. It was perfectly safe.

Next day, more rain. We drove to the chateau at Chambord and followed the motorhome/coach parking signs into a huge car park. To park a 3m high van in France is no problem. This was our last night, tomorrow we were heading for Ile de Re, on the Atlantic west coast ……………………….

Above image: Camping Les Saules.

The Snails in France - Dunkirk to Epernay

2009-11-10T07:53:00.002Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" GETS STUCK BEHIND SOMETHING EVEN SLOWER:

Dunkirk to Epernay - 193 miles

Getting out of the dock area was easy - we just followed the signs for the motorway – remembering to drive on the RIGHT.

Mr Snail was at the helm; I was equipped with map, sat nav and an idea of where we were aiming for (always a good idea). The sat nav was handy because it tells you the number or name of the road you are travelling on. In France you do not get many route confirmation signs to confirm you are on the right road. We had decided that we would use the motorways and pay the tolls as we were on limited time and had places to be. The motorways were all of good surface, lacking in Police, road works, accidents, other traffic and hold ups of any kind. Worth the money as we were able to travel at 80mph ish.

Along the motorway network, the Aires de Service are brilliant for motorhomes. The Michelin map shows them as a green tree symbol, with a petrol sign used for full services as we know them in England. The aires all had good parking. The toilets were clean, although some were the strange stand up type for us ladies. There was usually a picnic table and with your own kettle and food on board you are sorted.

One precaution we took when stopping there was that one of us would get out and turn the gas on. The other from inside would lock the cab doors then go and open the habitation door. Doing that, we felt safe that no uninvited guests would come on board. We often saw security men at these stops as we are told criminals do cruise up and down the motorways. So do not spend the night there.

We arrived in Epernay “The Capital of Champagne” and easily found the municipal site. We did not have a booking, but were warmly welcomed and soon settled in. Madam at Reception spoke beautiful English and marked on a map how we could walk into the town.

The site had hook up and clean toilet and showers. The pitch was bordered by a hedge on 3 sides ensuring privacy. After setting up, off we walked to Epernay. Because this was a Significant Birthday tour, we needed some fizzy supplies and to gain an insight into how the fizz is made, (that is my excuse, it’s my birthday and I am sticking to it).

We had a pleasant 20 minutes walk into Epernay town along the river and easily found the Avenue de Champagne. On arrival at Moet & Chandon we discovered that they had a tour leaving in a few minutes, excellent. We had the tour around, and then had our first sample of champagne. Our holiday had begun! The first day had gone as planned and even the sun was shining – couldn’t have been better. I was starting to relax. (Could have been the champagne of course).

Next morning, as the non-English speaking man at Reception had gesticulated, a little van came “peep peep peepy” around the camp site to announce the sale of fresh bread and croissants. And NO-ONE does fresh bread and croissants like the French.

Our tank of English diesel got us to Epernay but a refill was we needed if we were to make it to Blois. En-route to the motorway, which was some miles away, we called into a town to fill up at the supermarket. All along the road side are signs for supermarkets telling you what direction to find them and how far or how long it will take to get there. Some petrol stations are marked on the Michelin map. This gives you confidence that you are not going to run out of fuel.

A few years ago, whilst motorcycling in France, there was no petrol to be found on a Sunday morning. The petrol stations were shut or the automatic ones would not accept English credit cards. The situation got desperate, so with that in mind we always filled the ‘van before pitching or on setting off. However, always have a full tank Saturday night. Don’t leave Sunday’s to chance. Even nowadays.

Calling at the petrol station turned out to be a good and bad thing. Good because in addition to diesel, we got food for the fridge, wine for the “cellar”. Bad because as we rejoined the road which eventually lead to the motorway, we found ourselves behind a “convoi exceptionnel” – an extremely large vehicle going very, very slowly. There was no way we could get passed. It was so wide that wide that on-coming traffic had to go into the ditches to allow it by. At every roundabout we willed it to go the opposite direction, but for 2 hours it was not to be. Eventually, it went right and we went left. Hurray. However, we lost time because of it, but as we’d pre-booked our next night’s stay, it wasn’t a problem.

The Snails are ready for the off! Derbyshire to Dover

2009-10-30T12:45:00.002Z

IN WHICH GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" FINALLY DEPARTS FOR FRANCE AFTER MUCH FAFFING ABOUT:

Well that was all the planning done. Or was it?? There is always that nagging voice in my head that says “you have forgotten something!” and the worry is that it will be something important. Too late - we were packed and ready to go.

But at the last minute, Mr Snail threw a spanner into the works. Instead of coming home from work, having a few hours kip, then leaving home about midnight for a 5am Dover arrival, he decided that we’d leave immediately and sleep somewhere in the Dover area. BUT WHERE?

It was late to book anything, so I trawled the internet to get ideas where others had “wild camped”. I discovered that Canterbury Council have a Park and Ride car park where motorhomes can spend the night, however, if you arrive after 22:00 hrs, the height barrier is in place. So, no good for us.

But we set off anyway without a plan. Yup that’s right - no plan. Never been known for us Snail’s. Scary. I was whittling all the way down about where we would stop for the night.

After a pleasant meal at a Little Chef, I had an inspiration – I’d check the Supermarket Finder book for one with a 24 hour petrol station in the Dover area. I was sure I’d heard that Tesco allows motorhomers to spend the night in their car park as long as they purchased something. Well it was worth a try. Hopefully problem solved.

On arrival at Tesco near Dover, we filled up with diesel (hence becoming a customer) and spotted 2 foreign caravans in the car park with their steadies down. Interesting. As I paid I asked “Is it alright if we spend a few hours in your car park please?” The cashier confirmed it would be ok so we drove in and selected a spot, closely followed by another motorhome. After a chat with the driver he said “safety in numbers” and parked alongside. It was very noisy and not the best pitch we have ever had, but it fulfilled a need.

Getting to the docks was quick and easy. I had our booking documents ready, but they weren’t needed. We were identified by number plate recognition. Clever. All we had to show were our passports. We collected our VIP label for the Executive lounge and were first in the queue. We had upgraded with the Caravan Club to access the lounge on board ship for half price each.

We soon had company on the dock and were very quickly loaded. On board we parked exactly where the deckhand told us. The gas and fridge were switched off; the fridge would be cold enough for an hour and a half to keep the food chilled. We noted the details of the staircase that we ascended, as we wanted to easily return to our ‘van once on the French side, and went to find some breakfast.

The food was OK, the Executive Lounge was comfortable. Neither of us are good sailors and the slight swell made us uncomfortable. The lounge was cool and quiet, with free soft drinks and comfortable chairs, for me to sit and watch the other boats go by and Mr. Snail to snooze in.

Once docked and down to the ‘van, we had a quick check around tyres etc. All in order, just in case we were flagged down by anyone, then we would know that it was a trick which we wouldn’t fall for. We were now ready to hit France…………………

Preparing the motorhome for France

2009-10-20T13:05:00.001+01:00

GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" CONTINUES HER STORY: With the planning done, we now needed to get the motorhome ready. Through a motorhome magazine we found a local motorhome-friendly garage (quite difficult these days) and although our 'van was not ready for a service either on time or miles, she went in and had one anyway just to be sure. One less thing to worry about.

We purchased 2 reflective jackets, as they are required by law in France to be readily available and worn if you are out of the 'van on the road with a broken down vehicle or at the scene of an accident. We obviously hoped not to need them, but by having them would avoid a fine. We kept them "ready for action" over the back of the driver and passenger seats. Luckily, we never had to use them.

Headlamp deflectors we bought and attached, despite not intending to drive during the hours of darkness. (Once in France, we did not see any other UK vehicles with these attached, but having them is one less thing for any mardy French policeman to have a go at). All the warning triangles we own were stashed in the van, hopefully not to come out again.

On a previous trip out I was once driving alone in the 'van and came to a low bridge. Oops. How high was I? Annoyingly, I had to stop and ring Mr. Snail to be sure, because it would have been slightly careless of me to have proceeded and taken the roof off. This resulted in Mr Snail preparing a card which was placed on the dashboard with the vans "vital statistics" - width, height and length etc. We read somewhere that in France this is a legal requirement so, we were ahead on that one.

We checked our E111 - now called European Health Insurance Cards - they were out of date but easily renewed online. Passport also checked for expiry date - all was fine. All the driving documents were photocopied, and the originals were hidden the van.

The one thing I must ashamedly admit to is not preparing the holiday money properly. I intended to take credit and debit cards but Mr Snail said they would cost too much in fees. I checked www.moneysavingexpert.com. which recommended a card, but I had not allowed enough time to obtain it. So we went for the second best. A Travelex Cash Passport which is basically a Mastercard pre loaded with Euros. This is used without charge as a credit card or to withdraw cash with a 2 Euro fee. It is available from Thomas Cook and Co-Op Bank. MoneySavingExpert.com also recommended a Nationwide account because this does not incur charges within the Euro zone. Again I was too late - the cards arrived but not the PIN. Agghh! We DID purchase some Euros, and I did inform our bank and credit card company that we would be using the cards in France, just in case the unusual useage caused the cards to be stopped. Mobile phones were activated onto roaming. We looked at the internet but decided it was too expensive to use abroad. We'd rely on finding wi-fi hotspots.

We purchased a French map upgrade for our satnav and a 2009 large scale Michelin map of France. We are map lovers and disparaging of satnav’s but we thought the two would compliment each other and help us.- how right we were!

A further worry on my list of hundreds, was about electric hook-up and reverse polarity. Mr Snail already had a device on board to plug into a socket to check if the polarity was reversed once hooked up, so he made us a short hook-up lead which was reversed in polarity and labelled as such. So that was another problem taken care of. The worries were decreasing.

Before we went to France, Mr Snail concentrated on using up our lightest gas bottle, then bought 2 brand new ones, checking the weight, because we'd heard of someone buying a new one that was actually empty. He toyed with the idea of buying a different regulator in case we ran out of gas and had to purchase some other stuff, but he is too tight and didn’t, on the basis that we were not away long enough, and would have sufficient to last. That is of course if it wasn’t cold!

So that was about it. Van was packed and off we went into the unknown, on our Big Adventure…………………………………………………………………………………

France in a Motorhome - the Planning Continues

2009-10-10T10:02:00.001+01:00

THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES BY GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" ABOUT HER FIRST TIME IN FRANCE

THE PLANNING CONTINUES: A vital part of our planning was a visit to the Boat & Caravan Show at the NEC in February, where we purchased a book entitled All The French Aires (well - all the ones they know about that is) from Vicarious Books. Aires are a network of stopping places specifically designed for motorhomes or camping cars (aka motorhomes to us Brits) They are usually run by the local town council or ‘Mairie’. Aires for camping cars are all over France in towns, villages, supermarket car parks and we knew we were going to try at least one. (These Aires are different from the rest Aires on the motorways. Do not overnight on the motorway)

We visited the ASCI Stand and paid £10 for an ASCI camping card. This came with a book giving details of all the participating camp sites. With an ASCI card off season, your pitch is set price which is a reduction on the normal fee. Also at the show were Tourist Information stands from many areas of France. We acquired a guide for Charente-Maritime, the region where the Ile de Re is situated, to from a delightful French lady (Mr. Snail was instantly in love I think). A read of this made us realise just how many campsites there are on the Ile de Re and we decided it was not necessary to book anything in advance there.

Another purchase was the Camping and Caravanning Club site book equivalent to the Caravan Club one. A huge pile of books and ideas came home with us from the show, together with impatience that we had to wait a few months before it would all come to fruition and we would be there.

A must-read for us are all the motorhome magazines and for some time I have saved all the campsite reviews including articles on France in a folder. I learned that France has thousands of Municipal sites and basically most towns have one however I did not find a publication or website that features them all. One motorhomes magazine had a readers article on a site in Epernay. This looked exactly right for us: in the town, clean facilities and hook-up. Mr. Snail used http://www.mappy.co.uk/ for working out distances and decided that Dunkirk to Epernay was achievable for the first leg of our journey, still leaving enough time in the afternoon to explore the town and drink the local wine. That was our first night sorted.

Now, where to go from there? On perusing the Camping and Caravanning Club site book I found a site in the Loire region boasting access to 180 miles of cycle paths to use to visit the many Chateaux in the region. Co-incidentally, this was also the location for a club rally being held on our first weekend in France. Why not book on the rally? So we did. This saved us money on the site fees, because the price included all the facilities of the site and hook-up. As newbies abroad, attending a rally seemed a good way of finding people who’s brains we could pick for tips or advice. A comfort thing for a worrier such as I.

So, all the booking and site planning we felt necessary to do was now done. Next, we needed to prepare the motorhome for her Big Adventure ...............................

The Snails do France in a Motorhome

2009-09-30T16:22:00.001+01:00

THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF ENTERTAINING ARTICLES BY GUEST BLOGGER "MRS SNAIL" ON HER "FIRST TIME" IN FRANCE IN A MOTORHOME

FRANCE IS EASY!! There! I have said it, because it was. We wanted to go to France but, I was worried about all the sleeping motorhomer’s who have been gassed and robbed. I was worried about all the motorhomer’s who had been stopped by bogus officials and robbed. I was worried about all the other nasty things that I had heard of happening to motorhomer’s. I was scared that any of these bad things might happen to us, in a foreign land far away from home. But I needn’t have been.

We have just returned from 2½ brilliant weeks in the most motorhome friendly country in Europe. As well all the worrying, I did a lot of Planning and Preparation which, as I often tell Mrs. AvailablePitch, Prevents Poor Performance. So I will share my planning with you and hopefully if your motorhome wheels have not as yet touched foreign soil, you will have the confidence to go. As go you must.

We knew we wanted to go the first two weeks in June as it was a significant birthday. We knew we wanted to go to Epernay (for some Champagne-tasting), and the Ile de Re off the west coast, via the Loire region. France is a big country with huge distances to cover, so firstly, you need to establish where you want to go. If you do not have to go during school holidays, avoid the period end of June to end of August, as this is when all of France goes on holiday and it will be busy in the popular areas.

We checked out the ferry costs and found that booking with the Caravan Club was best for us. We booked Dover/Dunkirk with Norfolk Line and upgraded for half price to the Executive Lounge. Early booking is recommended to get the best deals. Our sailing out was at 0600 hrs Thursday, returning mid-day on a Friday. With that booking we received the Clubs’ book of recommended sites, from which we booked one near to Dunkirk for the night before our return sailing. We also booked our Recovery Insurance with the Club, just in case. Camping Cheques are also available; you pay a set price in £’s which covers your site fees, inc 2 adults, and can use them at listed sites off-peak. Details are in a book supplied by the Club. We didn’t use these so I can’t comment on them.

So the plan was starting to come together………….

Bank Holiday Camping at Breck Farm, Holt, Norfolk

2009-09-10T14:20:00.002+01:00

Breck Farm, near Holt, Norfolk, is the antidote to Club sites, which is the reason we chose it for a recent Bank Holiday break. This is a traditional, rural and rustic farm site of around 10 acres located between Holt and Sherringham in the beautiful North Norfolk countryside.

Camping at Breck Farm is like going back 30 years - camping like it used to be - eeeh - I remember those days!! A most unusual and welcome feature is that, in certain areas, open campfires are allowed and large metal circles are provided to contain them. As dusk fell, the faint smell of woodsmoke and the twinkling of distant fires made this a magical place to camp. Logs are available from the farmyard for a reasonable price or you can take your own if you are suitably organised and don't mind splinters and spiders in your vehicle.

According to the owner, Maureen, this site is rarely completely full, as they just open another field. This therefore makes Breck Farm an ideal last minute campsite. On the hot and sunny Bank Holiday we were there, the site was about up to capacity - there must have been 200 - 300 units all happily co-existing together. The majority were tents, but a fair proportion were caravans, motorhomes and trailer tents. There are around 100 hook-ups in the main area close to the facilities block, however, the majority of tents preferred to pitch near the wooded areas on the edges of the fields.

Despite the numbers of people of site, everyone rubbed along together very happily and the site had the jolly, carefree atmosphere of a very large rally. Designated a quiet site, the resident warden regularly patrolled the site, and if it was felt a radio, TV or group were too loud, they were politely asked to turn it down, and this was done without hesitation.

A huge newly built toilet, shower and washing-up area was useable but still in the process of being completed and on a couple of occasions did not quite cope with the huge demand placed on it at peak times. When completed it will be a fantastic enhancement to the site and hopefully cut down on the queuing times for showers and washing up facilities.

This is a fantastic site for kids, with many spontaneous and good natured games of cricket, rounders and football breaking out, with everyone welcome. Breck Farm is a site where Mum and Dad can quite happily let the youngsters run round, building dens in the woods and let off steam in a way which is sadly rare in today's society.

An added bonus is that a 15 minute walk from the site along a designated footpath (although annoyingly through the middle of a very dense and tall rape seed field on the farm) is Weybourne Station, from where steam trains on the North Norfolk Railway line run to the coastal resort of Sherringham and the opposite way to the simply lovely market town of Holt, with it's irregular streets, historic buildings and variety of independent shops and cafes, bistro's and restaurants (but avoid the Albert Fish and Chip Shop, where service is indifferent to the point of rudeness and food quality is only adequate).

Breck Farm is the sort of site where you can just sit back in your chair and watch what other campers get up to - there's always something interesting going on. Then, when you get fed up of that, there are Cromer, Blakeney, Wells-Next-The-Sea, Cley-(no longer)-Next-The-Sea (pronounced "Cly") and many, many more lovely places of interest all within a few miles. A car would be useful to visit some of these places, however, most are accessible via (steam) train connecting to the coastal hopper bus, with a bit of advance planning.

So if you are looking for traditional family camping in a safe and peaceful environment, where enjoyment is more important than strict rules, then Breck Farm could be just the site for you.

Image above: Breck Farm, Holt, Norfolk

Handyman makes own caravan

2009-08-30T17:16:00.000+01:00

The following article was spotted in the local free paper recently. Amazing what some people get up to in their spare time:

King of the road: A handyman who was made redundant three months ago has used his skills to build himself a caravan. Chris Hart, 52, decided to use his free time productively and made a one-man holiday home from an old trailer.

Mr Hart, of West Hallam, said he would now be able to treat himself to a cheap break. He said: " I taught myself what I needed as I went along."

The caravan is made from aluminium, polystyrene and plywood and features a bed, fully-plumbed sink and a flat-screen TV.

Mr Hart plans to use it to enjoy the summer on a trip down to Cornwall.

To see a picture of the 'van, click on the link below:

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Undefined-Headline/article-1137025-detail/article.html

Happy Jake's - A Certificated Location with a difference

2009-08-15T10:43:00.000+01:00

When a Certificated Location intriguingly called Happy Jake’s registered recently with AvailablePitch.com we just HAD to find out exactly what was behind the unusual name.

A quick phone call to Mark Edwards revealed the story: Happy Jakes is a new Caravan Club Certificated Location which has just opened in Flemingston, in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. It is situated on a 10 acre smallholding currently to pasture with occasional sheep being grazed and a small number of free-range chickens. Run by Mark and Amanda for approximately 6 years the caravan site is situated in a secluded corner section next to their home, with a delightfully sunny south facing aspect.

In Amanda's own words "Happy Jake's was born through a desire to ensure the future of our young son, Jake. Being older parents, it is essential to us that we put in place an income stream for his future. This is especially important as Jake was born with Trisomy 21 which presents him with a greater challenge to meet and achieve learning goals. It is our hope that Jake will be able to take over the running of the site when he is older - that may be with assistance or independently but only time will tell!

So far, Jake, at the age of six, has developed what can only be called a wicked sense of humour and a level of determination that has to be wondered at. He never ceases to amaze us! He already assists with jobs on the site like helping Dad by opening and closing gates for mowing, weeding around the drive and hosing the driveway. He also collects the eggs and cleans the coops, and to say he does this with relish would be an understatement".

The CL is situated in its own fenced off area and includes 5 electric hook-ups with timed light to assist for late arrivals and waste disposal point close by. There are two structures, one that houses two sinks with drainers (cold water only) and water fill point and the includes a hand wash basin, and another water fill point, with recycling facilities available soon. Mark and Amanda have future plans for the site which includes hard standings, showers with disabled access, and toilets. Unfortunately this entails planning permission which is proving somewhat difficult at present.

I'll leave the last word to Amanda: "Should you visit us, you will understand what we are saying and be welcomed with what can only be said is the ‘Happiest’ smile around for Jake is, as our name suggests, pretty much always ‘Happy Jake’."

Image above: Jake and the chickens - Happy Jake's Caravan Club Certificated Location,

Flemingston,

Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.

Last Minute Camping

2009-07-25T18:25:00.003+01:00

Are you looking for a campsite or caravan park with vacant touring pitches for the summer? Want to find a last minute pitch? Need to find a campsite with vacancies??? 2009 is an incredibly busy year for campsites, but there are still camping sites and caravan sites on AvailablePitch.com with pitches available now! Click Here to search for a campsite with vacancies for the summer holiday.

Please note that campsite owners are responsible for updating their own availability calenders. Pitches are booking up very quickly right now, so please check direct with the site that they still have pitches available.

AvailablePitch Rally Continued

2009-07-21T15:01:00.001+01:00

We'd got the one acre Certificated Site at New House Farm, Hurley, near Atherstone, Warwickshire, all to ourselves for our special birthday weekend, and I have to say that hiring out a whole campsite for your own exclusive use is extremely decadent and highly recommended for any sort of social get-together!

New House Farm is a relatively new Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site enthusiastically run by David Pearson and family, who live in the farm house next to the site. The camping field is tucked away at the back of the farm, with far-reaching views over the beautiful rolling Warwickshire countryside and because the site is a long way from a main road, it is extremely peaceful.

For our rally, units started rolling in from lunchtime on Friday, and David had advised we could stay as late as we wanted on the Sunday - the site was ours for two and a half days. The location of the hook-ups dictated where we pitched - which was all together in one corner, forming a large sociable circle - no orderly Club rows here! We closed the gates and let the dogs chase around to their hearts content.

The great British weather delivered us quite strong winds over the early May weekend, and just a smidgeon of rain, however, despite a variety of awnings and annexes, we conducted all our festivities outside. Because of the location, had we made any unsociable noise, (which we didn't!), we wouldn't have disturbed the neighbours.

David has recently installed a brand new HEATED shower and toilet, located in the farm yard a very short walk back from the site, and there are 5 new hook-ups. The ground is pretty firm and well draining, and the site is open all year round. What a great place to spend Christmas - now there's a thought!

There are lots of walks direct from the site, and a few of us staggered out to explore the immediate area on Saturday afternoon. On the morning of departure, of course, the sun shone hot, the wind dropped and no-one wanted to leave. Everyone agreed what a thoroughly enjoyable weekend we'd had, and voted to do it again next year.

Now - must remember to get it booked well in advance with David!

AvailablePitch Rally at New House Farm, Atherstone

2009-07-12T09:41:00.000+01:00

Two of our group were celebrating "significant" birthdays and wanted to do something special. But what should we do? Various suggestions were bandied around, until the clever one amongst us suggested our own private rally weekend at a small campsite, where we would book out the whole site. Brilliant idea!! Now, where should we go?

We had a pow-wow and drew up the criteria: It couldn't be too far away so as to be accessible for everyone to travel to. The essentials were: it must have some hook-ups, it must have basic loo and shower facilities, it must have firm enough ground to support motorhomes in the event of wet weather and be remote enough so that we didn't disturb neighbours in the extremely unlikely event that we perhaps made a slight noise. Oh - and dogs must be welcome.

A quick search using AvailablePitch’s rally field search brought up many options, and after much lively discussion, the choice was made: New House Farm, Hurley, Atherstone, Warwickshire. A check of the availability calendar for the weekend we wanted showed us there was availability, we just needed to check whether the whole site was free.

A quick call to David at New House Farm confirmed he could fit us in, and we booked the site for the exclusive use of our group from Friday midday to Sunday afternoon at a really excellent price when divided between us. As a Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site, we were required to be members, but that wasn't a problem, as we were all long standing members. All we needed now was good weather........

Ingleborough Caves and Ingleton Waterfall Trail

2009-07-02T13:58:00.000+01:00

A quick phone calls to Ingleborough Cave and nearby White Scar Caves determined that dogs WERE allowed At Ingleborough Caves (free), so they got our money x 4 adults and not nearby White Scar caves, which do not allow dogs. Bad move White Scar Caves owners!

The following information is courtesy of Ingleborough Cave website: "To reach the cave from the car park follow the signed route on foot past the church and an impressive view of a waterfall, to reach the old sawmill building and the entrance to the Ingleborough Cave Estate Nature Trail. A small charge is made for the trail, and leaflets are available at the start to help you to interpret the many features to be seen along the route.This is a popular 2 km walk for people of all ages, passing the lake, and up through the wooded valley to the open dale and the imposing entrance to the cave. You should allow a minimum of half an hour for the walk.

Until 1837 the secrets of Ingleborough Cave were hidden behind large natural calcite dams behind which water had ponded, submerging much of the passage beyond. These were broken down following a flood, to reveal a wonderland of sculpted passages and beautiful cave formations which have been delighting our visitors ever since. The Cave was once the outflow for the streams that flow through the world-famous 17 km Gaping Gill cave system, but it has long been abandoned by the main stream, allowing it to be explored safely by visitors.

A well-laid concrete path allows you to traverse comfortably for over half a kilometre into the mountain, and discrete lighting displays the calcite flows, the stalactites and stalagmites at their best. This really is one of the country's natural wonders. An expert guide will help you to interpret the features, enhancing your experience. At the end of the path, the cave will be seen disappearing into the distance. Even after all this time, explorations in the far extremities of the system continue to unravel the secrets of this hidden world"

Ingleborough's Waterfall trail is quite demanding, with many steps both up and down, but it is beautiful and really is well worth the effort. It took us about 4 hours to complete, taking it at a steady pace. You have to pay a fee of 60p each just to walk up the trail to the paybooth, and then it is £4.00 per adult for the trail itself. The following information is courtesy of http://www.skiptonweb.co.uk/:

"Ingleton Waterfalls Walk: Famous for it's spectacular scenery, the Ingleton Waterfalls Walk takes a circular route from the Dales village of Ingleton up alongside the River Doe, past several small falls to the main falls, Thornton Force, then across over the tops and back down another valley alongside the River Greta. Great scenery, a well tended path and ice cream along the way.

Take the A65 from Skipton, west towards Kirkby Lonsdale. Turn right off the A65 into the village and follow the signs for the Waterfall walk, which take you to the village centre. Over the bridge and turn right into the car park. Opening Times:The trail is open seven days a week, all year round, 9.00am until dusk. If you require further information on opening times please ring the pay kiosk at the entrance to the trail on 015242 41930".

On the subject of dogs, we found the village of Kirkby Longdale, a few miles away, to be extremely dog friendly, including in a couple of the delightful cafes. Again, these enlightened businesses got our money!

Easter at Stackstead Farm CL, Ingleton, North Yorkshire

2009-06-23T09:39:00.000+01:00

After snow at Easter in 2008 and hasty last-minute rearrangements, a key priority for the Easter 2009 break was a site with hardstanding and electric hook-up. We are huge fans of the Caravan Club's Certificated Locations and the Camping and Caravanning Club's Certificated Sites, especially at Bank Holidays, because crowding just does not happen. Membership of the relevant Club is required to stay on one, however, this gives you access to thousands of small "5 van" sites across the UK, and affords far more flexible choices than the larger Club sites, which are often fully booked months in advance of peak periods.

Stackstead Farm is located about a mile out of the rugged Yorkshire Dales village of Ingleton, famous for the Three Peaks Challenge, Ingleborough Caves and a huge variety of walking opportunities. Wendy and Steve have owned the site for 10 years, which comprises a commercial caravan site (now all seasonal pitches), a bunkbarn sleeping up to 22 people in 4 bunk bed rooms, a small bunkbarn (The Stables) providing basic walkers' accommodation and a Caravan Club Certificated Location.

Caravans and motorhomes pitch in a circle (to keep the Indians out) around a central grassy area, with 5 fairly small hardstandings, but pitching is also allowed on the circular track. The site has spectacular views of Ingleborough mountain and is quiet and peaceful, being a fair distance from the road, however, the downside of the far-reaching view are that it is exposed to the cold northerly winds. There are free-range cockerals and hens pecking around the site, which whilst adding a nice rustic feel, mean that an early-morning lie-in is not possible, and they will stick nosey beaks into awnings and help themselves to any food which is lying around, given half a chance.

The weather was not very kind to us and the wind was gusting up to 30 mph - so strong that we had to take our awning down for safety's sake after the second night. The CL has a basic shower and loo block (shower 50p), which is stated to be heated, but unfortunately wasn't, making ablutions somewhat chilly in early April. The facilities are shared with the nearby seasonal site, but there was never a problem with queues or over-crowding - probably because it was so cold that people used their on-board facilities.

The small village of Ingleborough is about a 15 minute flat walk away and has a mix of traditional shops - butcher, newsagent, small supermarket, gift shop and the amazingly delightful Curlew Crafts and Tea Rooms, which outdoor seating for those of us with dogs - thank you! The food is traditional and homemade, cooked to order, with daily specials and the portions and extremely generous. Their Lemon Meringue Pie is just to die for. It was so good we nearly ordered another portion each. But that would have been plain greedy, wouldn't it?

Wikipedia says the following about Ingleborough: Ingleborough is the second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. It is one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the other two being Whernside and Pen-y-ghent. Ingleborough is frequently climbed as part of the Three Peaks Challenge, which is a 24 mile (38 km) circular challenge walk starting and finishing in Horton in Ribblesdale.

There is so much to see in this area, and the famous Ingleborough Caves are a must-do activity, as is the Waterfall Trail. However, enough for now - more about these in the next blog .......

The Doctor with a Wandering Mind

2009-06-12T16:59:00.000+01:00

Spotted in last week's Sunday Times - Richard Hammond explains the origins of caravanning:

A long time ago, before Boeing invented the 747 jumbo jet, goods had to be transported on the backs of donkeys. And when you have people moving cargo around you have people called robbers who like pinching stuff. Very annoying when you've walked for several hundred miles across a desert with heavy bags of spaces strapped to your donkey and some bloke with a sword and an Errol Flynn moustache nicks it off you.

Eventually people got fed up with being robbed and some bright merchant came up with the idea that if traders travelled in groups it might put robbers off. Brilliant. Much of the trade when through Persia (now Iran) where the name "karwan" was given to the groups of travelling traders. And that's where the word "caravan" comes from.

The first caravans seen in Britain arrived in the 19th century and were lived in by Romany or gypsy people. Today Romanies and gypsies use more modern caravans often towed by Transit vans. The traditional Romany is not to be confused with the blokes "who have a bit of tarmac left over from another job" and offer to resurface your drive for six hundred quid.

An old Victorian gent by the name of Dr William Gordon Stables is the most important person in caravanning history because, in 1885, he built the first proper caravan. The doc called the finished vehicle "the Wanderer". Inside, the Wanderer had accommodation for the doctor, his coachman, John, his valet Foley and his dog Hurricane Bob. Oh, and a perch for his cockatoo. Foley was given the task of riding ahead on a tricycle to make sure the way was clear.

It is not known where the dog's name came from, but hopefully he was named Hurricane for his energy rather than for an ability to generate gusts of wind. As any caravan veteran knows, flatulence is the enemy of a happy caravan holiday".

Extracted from A Short History of Caravans by Richard Hammond, published by Orion at £12.99.

Above image courtesy of Orionbooks.co.uk

Motorhoming Lessons Episode Two

2009-06-05T09:38:00.000+01:00

Guest blogger Mrs Snail continues her story:

....... so having arrived at Bowkerstead Farm, we discovered the area we should have been camping on was out of bounds, however, we were welcome to stay where we were - parked among the farm machines, was that OK? No thanks, it wasn’t. We were out of there like snails on gravel.

We drove until we got a phone signal and consulted the site directories we keep on board. A few phone calls later, a site was found the other side of Lake Windermere. We gingerly retraced our steps along the narrow road then found ourselves on an even narrower and steeper one down to the Lake Windermere ferry. Now in fairness, there had been warning signs about length and weight of vehicles allowed on the ferry however we were within these so we thought we would be OK. As we approached the ferry, the road dipped down steeply to the loading ramp and, worryingly, there were lots of gouges on the road surface. Husband did an emergency stop as the man waved us on. “We’re going to ground the van” husband yelled. “They usually do!” replied the man cheerily. Husband inched forward whilst I watched the rear. “Stop” I bellowed as our rear overhang was about to acquaint itself with tarmac.

Have you guessed where this is leading yet? Yep, that’s right, we had to turn around again, unable to get to the intended site.

Wearily, we once more negotiated the steep narrow lane far enough to get a phone signal. Out came the site directories again – was there a site this side of Lake Windermere? Couldn’t see anything. Fortunately, a Tourist Information booklet hurridly grabbed the day before from Ambleside TIC came up trumps. On the first page was Skelwith Fold Caravan Park. “Any chance of a touring pitch tonight for two knackered motorhomers?” “No problem” were sweet words indeed.

Skelwith Fold Caravan Park was a little marvel. Mainly a static site, with a recently developed touring area. We liked it so much that we stayed more than the one emergency night. Husband particularly liked the grey water disposal area (isn’t it strange what blokes get excited about??) For a long time he’s said that that a long thin grate running side to side that the van could be driven over would be the best for motorhomes and this is exactly what they have there, a metal grate you drive over, open your release valve and bingo! That was him well happy.

So – lessons learned?

LESSON 1 – never believe what you read in the magazines. Always check when you make your booking exactly what facilities are available and what access is like.

LESSON 2 – if you have a motorhome with an overhang DO NOT attempt the Lake Windermere ferry.

LESSON 3 – always obtain as much information as possible in advance about anywhere, especially local information.

LESSON 4 – if you’ve longed for a dream grey water disposal area – go to Skelwith Fold!

The moral of this story? No matter how many times you do something there are always new things to be learnt.

Mrs Snail

Above image: Lake Windermere. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Motorhoming Lessons - Episode One

2009-05-29T11:36:00.000+01:00

The following article has been written by guest blogger - "Mrs Snail":

Last year, having decided on a week’s holiday in our motorhome in the Lake District, we consulted our saved library of magazine articles. An Out and About magazine article on cycling in the Grizedale Forest took our fancy. The recommended site was Bowkerstead Farm, located on the south of the Forest, with hard standing, showers and toilets and the location was good enough for us to forego hook-up for a couple of nights.

Having stayed at Low Wood Caravan Club Site, near Kendal, and done the walking part of the holiday in depressing rain, we set out in anticipation and high hopes for the cycling part. Surely the weather HAD to improve?

My husband is a HGV driver so a little (!) motorhome presents no problem to him. He decided (bless him) to take me along the scenic country roads to show me Esthwaite Water. I really don’t know how my nerves stood the narrow roads and oncoming traffic, but we survived. However, worse, much worse, was still to come.

Firstly, we missed the right turn to Grizedale Forest. Well, that’s not strictly true. As the navigator, I had dismissed it as far too narrow for a motorhome. But after stopping and consulting the map, yep, there was no doubt, that was where we had to go. Fortunately, that made it an easier left turn than a right would have been. Then it got very steep, very narrow and for me very VERY scary. Eventually, we came upon the the Grizedale ForestVisitors Centre, and after an embarrassing trauma that I won’t go into (if you go there, park in the coach bays), we collected our cycling map in readiness for the next day’s activities. Carrying on driving, we located Bowkerstead Farm easily enough thanks to a large Forestry Commission sign announcing the location – so far so good.

The entrance was over an extremely narrow bridge which wasn’t so good. Husband decided that our ‘van would not fit over that bridge and we must turn around and find some where else to stay. Wimp. I negotiated with him to continue and see if there was another entrance to the farm. There was, however it was along a very bumpy unmade road. We persevered and eventually got there with the sides of our ‘van still intact. Phew.

On arrival, there were no humans to be seen, just lots of cats, so now we had to find the hardstanding – where was it? All we could see was a tent area accessed through a narrow gap in a wall. Eventually we located a human being who told us that motorhomes usually went on the bottom field. Unfortunately, that was currently too wet for motorhomes therefore there were no hardstanding pitches available.

Have you guessed where this is leading yet....................? To be continued in the next blog.

Canterbury, Chatham Docks ... and home

2009-05-22T10:51:00.002+01:00

On the final day at the Canterbury site we set ourselves a real challenge - to get to Chatham Docks by public/sustainable transport – bus, walk, train, walk, bus, walk. Now, with hindsight, we could have taken the motorhome, because we discovered there is a HUGE car park at Chatham Docks and no height barriers, and indeed there were several large motorhomes already parked up - but we didn’t know that at the time. Anyway, the way we did it was an adventure as we don’t often use buses or trains.

The 09:00 hours bus was already running 10 minutes late when it arrived, and was almost full, so things were already getting stressful regarding catching the train on time. However, we were allowed on the bus, and after alighting (don’t you love that word?) at Canterbury Bus Station, we had a brisk 10 minute walk to Canterbury East Railway Station, via the road bridge, where a return ticket to Chatham was £9.00 each. A short walk round the corner from Chatham Railway Station took us to the bus stop where an Arriva bus took us to Chatham Docks on the outwards journey, the Dockside Shuttle was used on the return journey. Door to door, the journey took a total of two hours each way.

Getting into Chatham Docks cost us nothing - we used our Tesco Deals Vouchers to pay the entrance fee of £13.50 each for adults. However, this buys an annual ticket allowing unlimited visits during the year (not much use if you live in Derbyshire and not the South East.)

This is a large, spread out site and some walking is required between the various parts. It was hauntingly quiet when we were there midweek, so we were able to see and do what we wanted without delay. Now regarding dogs, we’d already checked on their website that dogs were allowed on site, however, different parts of the site had different policies. In some places she was allowed with us, and made a fuss over, in others she had to wait outside. Or we had to take it in turns. The whole issue of dogs in public places is a real gripe with me, and will be the subject of a future blog. There are two café/restaurants with plenty of outside seating (for dog owners and smokers), the prices were reasonable, quality of food was good and staff were friendly and helpful.

The Ropery Tour is absolutely fascinating, in fact, the highlight of the day, and is conducted by staff in period costume, and we got roped in (!) as volunteers for the rope-making demonstration. All I can say is that it must have been a HORRENDOUS place to work all those years ago. Many phrases which are common in every day use come from the rope-making trade including “Not enough room to swing a cat”, “Give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” and “Let the cat out of the bag”. And did you know that it is 31 miles between Canterbury and Chatham and that’s how many miles of rope was used on an old-fashioned sailing ship??

Canterbury was our last stop on our grand 2008 tour, and the next day, it was up early to head for home in Derbyshire. The end of another fabulous tour.

Now – where shall we go next year?

Above image - The Ropery, Chatham Docks. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2008

Exploring Canterbury ... and beyond

2009-05-15T09:59:00.001+01:00

Most car parks in Canterbury don’t have height barriers and midweek in September, there were always plenty of spaces including room for larger motorhomes, however, the buses were so convenient and cheap that was better to leave the ‘van parked up at the Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club site and use public transport into the City.

Our exploration of Canterbury started with walking the wall – always one of the best ways to orientate yourself and see a city from an elevated position. A booklet detailing the walk is available from the Tourist Information Centre - £2.00 and a leisurely stroll takes about 1.5 hours.

Now regarding the Cathedral, you can only get up close and personal by paying £7.50 and going through the gatehouse into the grounds. As with so many English attractions, dogs are not allowed even in the grounds (do they realise how much money they are losing?) so one of us (him) had to stay with the dog. Therefore, a quick gallop round was in order to stop the male one getting bored. Allow at least two hours, 3 or more if you want to do it full justice. The atmosphere is truly amazing as hundreds of years of history is there to be explored.

The "Canterbury Experience" visitor attraction a short walkk away was next on the “to do” list – a similar type of experience to the Jorvik Museum in York (but on a much simpler scale), except I didn’t really enjoy it. It’s self-guided with an audio guide, triggered automatically as you walk round, but it just tells stories from the Canterbury Tales. Call me a heathen, but I found it boring, I’m afraid. A word of warning, it is not suitable for young children – one poor child’s screams could be heard ahead for several minutes before the parents had to reluctantly call it a day – and no refunds.

Wanting to explore further afield, we’d researched public transport options online and decided on a “Kent and Sussex Explorer Ticket” for £6.50 per adult, which departed from Canterbury Bus Station. The faithful No 13 bus took us into the bus station, from there it was straight onto the bus which took a triangular route to Herne Bay, Whitstable and back to Canterbury. Herne is approximately 40 minutes journey, but somewhat tortuous through various housing estates. But it got us there …… eventually. The sun came out, the sky was deep blue and people started smiling again.

Herne Bay is a small traditional resort, not as grand as Eastbourne but gracious, quiet and an interesting little place to potter around for a while.

Whitstable was a real find – a trendy, quirky town with an excellent mixture of shops and boutiques, clapperboard houses and the atmospheric harbour with its fresh fish market. Moules Mariniere were on the menu at the sea-facing and fashionable Pearsons Arms – and as we stood outside looking longingly at the menu and noticing that there was no outdoor seating, the outstandingly friendly staff waved us into the bar, and allowed us to bring the dog in so we could all have lunch. The service, the welcome and food was outstanding and after a few glasses of wine, it was a struggle to get going again to catch the bus back to Canterbury.

Above image: Canterbury Cathedral. Copyright AvailablePitch 2008

Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club Site - Tour 2008

2009-05-03T22:53:00.005+01:00

True to its “friendly club” strapline, we were indeed given a very warm welcome at the Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club. The possible reason for this quickly became became apparent – according to a notice on reception, they were hoping to win one of the “best campsite” awards currently up for grabs.

Prior to arriving we’d checked online availability earlier in the week, and spoken to the Wardens to confirm there were pitches available. We didn’t actually book, however, because the Camping and Caravanning Club require a minimum £25.00 deposit, or the cost of one night, whichever is the cheaper, upon booking (unlike the Caravan Club, which currently requires no deposit at all) and we wanted to keep our plans flexible on this tour.

After a short queue at the entrance barrier, we were “processed” very efficiently and requested, and were allocated, a very quiet pitch well into the site, tucked away in a corner, backing onto a wood, with a nature/dog walk very close by. The Assistant Warden went to great lengths to suggest a pitch which suited us and cycled down ahead of us to guide us there. This is a very pretty site, divided into several very different areas all with their own “feel”. There is a brilliant dog walk which is in fact a small nature reserve, which was peaceful to walk through at night with just a head torch, and a pleasant way to unwind. Reception sells a variety of essentials together with local produce, and nothing was too much trouble for the Wardens, they really were outstanding.

The pitches are located in several meadows, each with a very different feel to it. Some areas have hardstand and are more suited to motorhomes, whilst others are very much a meadow, ideal for “proper camping” in tents and trailer tents. There was a variety of wildlife came to visit us including rabbits, squirrels, owls and bats.

We liked this site so much, that a planned two night stay became three, then four, and eventually five. What made us stay so long? Well, in addition to the site being so delightful, it’s so easy to get around the area on public transport – Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable and Chatham were all visited. The No. 13 or 14 bus stops outside the site, and is only a 10 minute journey down into the City centre. The alternative is to walk, allegedly 15 minutes, but because the bus was so convenient, we never walked it, but think it would be more like 30 minutes down. One word of warning – the buses are very popular with Seniors using their free bus passes. On one occasion a mid morning bus was so full it only let 2 people on, (not us, unfortunately). This meant we had to change our plans to visit Chatham Docks that day, as we would have missed the connecting train. Luckily the site had provided us with a bus information sheet and following advice, we walked a short distance to catch the shuttle bus which runs round the nearby housing area before heading town into town.

Canterbury is a truly fascinating city, at the heart of which is the world famous Canterbury Cathedral. More in the next blog ................

Tour 2008 - Eastbourne to Canterbury via Hastings and Rye

2009-04-26T22:46:00.001+01:00

Our next destination was Canterbury in Kent and our route followed the coast round through Bexhill and Hastings. A stop at Hastings was planned - we’d read mixed reports about the town and wanted to make up our own minds.

As we drove through Hastings, we noticed there was no parking at all on the seafront, unlike many English seaside resports. Furthermore, all the car parks passed had height barriers, with the exception of the last one which, unfortunately, we didn’t spot in time, and not finding a handy petrol station to do a hasty u-turn had to leave Hastings, for now, unexplored. It looked pleasant enough, what we saw whilst looking for a car park, similar in feel to Eastbourne, and there were plenty of holidaymakers knocking about looking like they were enjoying themselves in the overcast weather. We noticed that the pier, in the middle of the seafront, was closed down, which unfortunately gave a slightly derelict air to that part of town.

Continuing east, we approached the town of Rye, which, whilst not initially on our radar, looked very enticing as we cruised through and an impromptu stop was hastily negotiated with the driver. By following the blue “P” signs for coaches and lorries, we effortlessly ended up in the extremely large Station Car Park, with no height barriers. We spotted a German motorhome parked in one of the many vacant coach bays, and no sign of a ticket, so we figured it would be OK – and it was.

Rye is a lively, compact town and we spent two fascinating hours pottering around the range of independent and specialist shops – including some lovely antique shops. Reluctantly, we headed off for our evening destination - Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club site.

Image above - main street, Rye. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Tour 2008 - Brighton To Pevensey, East Sussex - Fairfields Farm

2009-04-19T13:15:00.000+01:00

Fairfields Farm is one of the most popular campsites on AvailablePitch.com and we wanted to check it out for ourselves. Located just 4 miles from Eastbourne, and one mile from the sea, it’s ideally placed for visitors from London and the South East wanting a either quick weekend getaway or a longer holiday. The resident wardens are extremely friendly and take great care of the site, making sure it is clean and tidy, regularly mowing the grass and keeping the toilet block clean. They also advise on the best restaurants and takeaways (and, more importantly, which ones to avoid!)

Fairfields Farm attracts a lot of overseas visitors and we spotted Dutch, German and French number plates in the short time we were there. The key attractions on this site are the fishing pond and the wide range of unusual farm animals, which you can get up close to and stroke. We saw peahens with their chicks, hens, ducks, cute little Shetland ponies, miniature pigs, and goats.

A 5 minute flat walk takes you to Pevensey/Westham railway station, and from there, Eastbourne is a 10 minute or 4 mile train journey away, at a cost of just £2.70 adult return.

Eastbourne is an elegant Victorian resort, altogether more refined and restrained than Brighton. Prices were surprisingly reasonable for food and there was a huge range of places to eat, from seafront restaurants in the poshest hotel, to cosy tea rooms in the town centre. There were some interesting shops too. We found Eastbourne quiet, but this was unsurprising given the horrendous weather the UK had experienced over the preceeding days.

A must-see attraction whilst at Fairfields Farm is Pevensey Castle, 10 minutes walk away. An English Heritage-run property dating back to Roman times, it’s free to walk in the grounds (and dogs are permitted). We nearly didn’t go inside, but are glad we did, because for £4.70 you get to explore the inside rooms, and an interesting and entertaining audio tour is included. These places need our money if they are to remain viable so we were pleased we’d donated via our entrance fee. Dogs were forbidden from the inside rooms, but as we’d got the place to ourselves, we were able to safely leave her tied up nearby and she came to no harm. Nearby, St Nicholas Church, Pevensey, is the very first Norman church in England.

Tour 2008 - The things you see on campsites .....

2009-04-12T09:43:00.000+01:00

What other campers get up to on camp sites never ceases to amaze and amuse, and can provide an ongoing source of entertainment and amusement if you keep your eyes open

Picture the scene: Brighton Caravan Club Site, early evening in September (see previous blog), gale force winds and persistent torrential rain. Not a time to be outside.

A large motorhome drives slowly up the access road to the very top tier of the site. On the roof is a HUGE satellite dish set at an unusually jaunty angle. What’s happening here? Has he travelled here like that, or is just he moving from a lower pitch in search of a good signal?

Dusk is falling now, we don’t switch the motorhome lights on, so they can’t see us watching. Motorhome slowly pulls into the empty pitch opposite. With the engine still running, the Heki roof-light is flung open, (it’s pouring with rain and a howling gale, remember,) the driver exits the cab, jacket-less, walks to the back of the ‘van and climbs onto motorhome roof via the ladder at the back (the roof must have been like a skating rink) and shouts instructions down through the open sunroof to the poor unfortunate occupant inside. What these instruction were we will never know. After 10 minutes of rain, roof and shouted instructions, roof-light is closed, ladder is descended and, with the engine still running, said motorhome drives slowly off in search of - ?? Another pitch with a better signal? Another campsite where no-one is watching??

What’s wrong with a nice game of Scrabble, a good book or even, if all else fails, having a conversation with each other?

Image above courtesy of www.sky4caravans.co.uk

Looking for a camping pitch for Easter, May Day or Spring Bank Holiday?

2009-03-29T10:49:00.001+01:00

Want to find a campsite or caravan park with vacant touring pitches for Easter, May Day or Spring Bank Holiday? 2009 is a very busy year for campsites, but there are still some camping sites and caravan parks on AvailablePitch.com with pitches available now! Click Here to search for a campsite with vacancies for Easter, May Day and Spring Bank Holiday.

Please note that campsite owners are responsible for updating their own availability calenders. Pitches are booking up very quickly right now, so please check direct with the site that they still have pitches available.

Tour 2008 - Brighton, East Sussex

2009-03-27T14:27:00.003Z

The Brighton Caravan Club site is your stereo-typical, predictable Caravan Club clone. Tucked away in a valley a short distance from Brighton, the site is at the top of a long winding approach road and located in a sheltered valley, which was fortunate given the stormy weather brewing up. To get the best views, we headed for the top tier, which, whilst the furthest away from the toilet block (and hence the least popular) afforded the best views. Despite torrential rain and gale force winds, the grass pitch was free draining and remained solid enough for us to move on easily.

The bright lights of Brighton are a good 30 - 40 minute walk away, however, a 10 minute walk down hill (15 mins back up) takes you down to Brighton Marina with it’s complex of shops, restaurants, bars, petrol station and an Asda Supermarket. There is plenty of outside parking for motorhomes as well as inside parking in a multi-storey for smaller vehicles.

From the Marina, access to the centre of Brighton is easy on the Volk Electric Railway which trundles frequently between the city centre and the marina for a small return fare. The weather was unseasonal for early September - very windy, extremely heavy churning sea and cold enough for scarfs and hats. There were lots of hardy people around grimly enjoying the sea air whilst Lifeguards sheltered under incongruous red and yellow sun shades, clinging determinedly onto them to stop them blowing away.

Once you get off the electric train, there are lots of interesting little shops and stalls tucked away under the promenade. Another interesting area to grub around is The Laines, with its mix of hippy, craft, ethnic and gift shops. We found the more famous “Lanes” to be mainly jewellery shops.

Despite the atrocious weather, the site filled up on Saturday night, but there was still a large choice of pitches when we left on Sunday morning, heading towards Pevensey……..

Image Above: Brighton Caravan Club Site in the pleasant summer weather of 2008. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Tour 2008 - Chichester to Brighton via Emsworth and Fishbourne

2009-03-12T12:46:00.004Z

Before leaving the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Chichester, we’d planned to walk to the nearby picturesque village of Emsworth, however heavy rain scuppered that plan, so we took the motorhome down en-route to Brighton. And we are glad we did as it’s well worth a visit – a very pretty historic town with the type of friendly, traditional shops so sadly missing from High Streets today – butcher, greengrocer, patisseries, gift shops and LOTS of pubs and restaurants. Two large car parks with no height barriers meant that there were no problems parking out of high season on a Friday.

Grubbing round here here for a morning would have been lovely, but the rain was horizontal and we were wet to our underwear. After a quick change and a de-mist of the windscreen, we set sail for Brighton, calling in at the Roman Palace, Fishbourne en-route. A huge car park with no height barriers made it a motorhome-friendly place to visit and using the Caravan Club 's “Days Out” brochure, we got entry at two for the price of one.

Fishbourne Roman Palace was discovered by accident during the digging of a water main trench in 1960. The discovery led to nine seasons of excavations that showed the site had developed from a military base at the time of the Roman invasion in AD43 to a sumptuous Palace by the end of the first century. Between 1995 and 2002, new excavations by the Sussex Archaeological Society revealed exciting new insights into the development of this site. A good 3-4 hours should be allowed to fully explore the palace and the grounds, unfortunately, the continuing rain kept us indoors and we weren’t able to explore the gardens. There is a pleasant café, and we had lunch before resuming our journey towards Brighton.

Passing through the South Downs, we made a mental note to come back and stay in this lovely area. We’d planned to stop at Arundel but it was STILL pouring with rain and we wanted to avoid the weekend traffic approaching Brighton, but it looked very nice as we passed through.

We were heading for the Brighton Caravan Club site but had had a devil of a job getting in for the weekend. The site was showing full online and we’d tried ringing the wardens direct for several days but continually got through to voicemail. We eventually got to speak to a human, and were told they had a few vacancies left. On arrival, there were loads and loads of spaces, both on Friday and Saturday, so what’s happening with their website??

Image Above: Old Pier, Brighton in unseasonal September weather 2008. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Tour 2008 - Berkshire to Chichester - Chichester Camping and Caravanning Club Site

2009-02-27T16:23:00.005Z

Moving from Berkshire to Hampshire, our next destination was Chichester Camping and Caravanning Club site. Now first of all, this site isn’t at Chichester (don’t you hate it when campsites do that?) It’s actually located at Southbourne, about 5 miles from Chichester. Another former orchard (are you detecting a theme here?) first impressions are of a fairly small, rectangular site, with closely pitched units (but within the rules), on a mix of grass, hardstand and grass pitches on mesh. In early September, all 58 pitches were fully booked, in fact, we’d been monitoring the availability online (showing fully booked), and rang up to check for any last minute cancellations. We were in luck, they’d just that minute had someone cancel. The site is directly off the A249, therefore providing easy access, and it is only 15 minutes flat walk to the coast.

Due to the excellent public transport links, this is a popular site with seniors. Getting into Chichester is dead easy as the bus stops right outside the site, and the railway station is just 500 yards flat walk away. This also make the site is ideal for motorhomers who wish to explore the area whilst leaving their unit parked up on site.

The Camping and Caravanning Club generally allocate your pitch on arrival, rather than you having to drive round several times looking for the very best pitch. We were personally shown to our pitch by a very friendly Assistant Warden “We ARE the Friendly Club, you know!” and after being assisted to pitch up (skillfully avoiding parking under a fruit tree so we didn’t have apples thudding down on the roof in the middle of the night), we followed his instructions and walked down the road, past some orchards, round the edge of some fields and then picked up the coastal footpath.

Starving by now, we happily chanced upon “The Boaters” bar and café tucked away in the middle of Thorney Island Marina – what a marvellous find. We were very very late for lunch but they were more than happy to do us freshly cooked tuna jacket potatoes with fresh salad, and it was absolutely delicious.

Exploring Chichester the next day was on the agenda. The double decker No. 700 bus runs twice an hour and takes about 20 mins into Chichester. This is an incredibly popular bus and off peak (well - we were on holiday) was crammed full of Seniors chattering away loudly to each other and enjoying using their free bus passes to the full.

Chichester is a medievel and Roman walled city and an ideal starting point is a pleasant walk on the walls to orientate yourself before exploring the city further. It’s worth spending £1.50 on the Wall Walk Guide from the Tourist Information Centre because this points out all the areas and buildings of interest whilst giving the history of Chichester as you are doing your walk. Strangely, there are parts of the wall where dogs are not allowed, but as our dog can’t read, she didn’t notice. The city is a mix of both the usual chains and unusual independent shops and a good day can be spent happily browsing.

Back at Southbourne, and this is very much Pick Your Own country, indeed, just outside the campsite is a PYO which sells seasonal fruit. Within walking distance is a Farm Shop, where fresh local seasonal produce can be purchased, making cooking meals a doddle. To make life even more comfortable, there are two pubs within walking distance. The Travellor’s Joy is just down from the site, but only searves food in the evening, whereas The Beefeater at Botham is about a mile flat walk along the road and does food all day and evenings.

We could happily have spent a week on this site, however, after a couple of nights, we needed to move on to our next destination - Brighton……..

Tour 2008 - Oxfordshire to Berkshire - Amerden Caravan Park

2009-02-13T09:37:00.003Z

Next stop heading south was Amerden Caravan Park, which takes its name from the hamlet of Amerden, Berkshire. The site is tucked away in lovely Berkshire countryside, close to the M4, so some traffic noise is to be expected.

This is another most unusual campsite site. Today, so many campsites seem the same, and Amerden is a refreshing change. Originally a garden and orchard, converted into a campsite, it has a timeless traditional country feel to it. Reception is housed in a small log cabin packed with information, and the owner, Bev tells you where everything is.

There are 50 pitches for tents, motorhomes and caravans, many with hook-up, and because they are randomly dotted amongst the trees and hedges, it doesn’t seem that many. There are lots of fruit trees and mature shrubs, and several of the delightful pitches are private and fully screened (except from the front).

The toilet and shower block is fabulous – scrupulously clean, fresh, modern and heated. Picnic tables have been thoughtfully dotted around for campers' use and we spotted lots of fresh water points. There is also a kiddie’s playground. The washing up area is fabulous! The laundry and washing up area is even better than the Caravan Club’s facilities, with 3 sinks, with washing up liquid provided (how thoughtful is that?) one sink is just for washing clothes (basket provided), and drying options include a washing line and tumber drier. There is also a washing machine if hand washing is not an option.

Amerden is one of several sites listed on the Environment Agency’s “Go Camping on the River Thames” leaflet, and therefore is ideal for backpackers and cyclists wishing to follow the route of the Thames.

Right next to the site is a nice-looking B&B and campers can order breakfast in advance for a cost of £5.00 per person, For other meals, takeaways nearby include a Chinese, a Pizza place and an Indian, all of which deliver to the site (details can be found in the log cabin). Finally, if you get hungry in the middle of the night, there is a vending machine located near the washing-up area, selling crisps, drinks chocs and kids sweets – what a brilliant idea!

There are easy walks from the site along the River Thames towpath. One direction take you to Maidenhead, which takes about 40 mins whilst the other way, Eton and Windsor are about 4 miles away. We attempted to cycle to Eton on our second day. Three miles out, the male half of AvailablePitch sustained a rear puncture. Repair kit or spare inner tube? In the shed at home. We didn’t forget it, oh no, I was assured that we wouldn’t need it “never had a puncture yet”. Hah! Sod's Law in operation again.

Anyway, this is a lovely cycle ride, flat, narrow, through some pictureque wooded areas and past the fabulous expensive river-side properties, and for those that weren’t pushing their bike, was very enjoyable and highly recommended.

Image above: Pretty private pitch in the former orchard at Amerden Caravan Park. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2009

Tour 2008 - Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire -Swiss Farm International

2009-01-31T12:12:00.004Z

Why Swiss Farm International we wondered? The answer is because the site attracts many overseas tourists - mainly from Holland and Germany.

What an absolutely delightful place Henley-on-Thames is, and how convenient is Swiss Farm? - just an easy pleasant 10 minute level stroll into the town. No Regatta whilst we were there, but we did go on a boat up the river and heard all about it from our delightful compere.

Swiss Farm International caters for a wide range of campers and caravanners including an area for Park Homes (in a separate part of the Park), static caravans, many seasonal pitches, and plenty of touring pitches which, in our opinion, are the nicest. They even have pitches to cater for the largest RV.

Whilst this is a large site with loads of facilities, it is also a designated quiet site, so you never feel overwhelmed. Radios are not allowed (hurray!) and no noise is allowed after 10 pm. Great stuff. The gorgeous outdoor swimming pool, complete with lots of sunbeds (not bagsied by the Germans!) looked inviting, however,as the summer weather was cold and wet whilst we were there, sadly we just had to look longingly from a distance. There is a huge field dedicated for tents, with its own shower/loo block, but tents can also use the grass pitches with hook-up if desired.

The best pitches? Numbers 1 - 15 on the very back row, overlooking fields with panoramic views of cows.

This an extremely well run and managed site, run by Joseph Borlase, and we wished we could stay longer, both to explore Henley-on-Thames and a little further afield, using either the buses which run from the town, or on the boats - trips or self-hire, so we will be back in the future. It was time for us to move on to our next destination...........

Tour 2008 - Banbury, Oxfordshire - Twilite Leisure Park, Banbury

2009-01-19T11:13:00.004Z

One the the most fascinating campsites we’ve visited is Twilite Leisure Park, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, owned and carefully run by Jim and Barbara Thomas.

The site has a fascinating history, which is told pictorally on a “storyboard” at the entrance to the site, and Jim is happy to talk about the hard work which has been put into converting this historic site into a truely thriving leisure park. This is a genuine family business, with three generations of the family living and working on the site.

In the 1940’s Jim’s parents were farmers, and bought the land and properties for £500, the centre of which was The Red Lion pub which they ran from 1940 until the mid-50’s, as well as continuing farming. After they died, the site fell derelict and remained so until 2000, when Jim commenced an ambitious programme of regeneration of both the site and the adjacent wharf on the Oxford Canal.

At the heart of this site is an unusual industrial heritage feature - two original brick kilns. Indeed, part of the site was originally a brick and pipe works, and the unusual bowl shape of the site is a direct result of the extraction of clay. This provides a well-sheltered and atmospheric campsite. There are 17 pitches to choose from, of which 12 are used at any one time. The pitching area is all hardstand, in a curved shape around a grassy central area which can be used for recreation activities. Tents are permitted to pitch in this area, however, as the soil is heavy clay, it can be quite damp in certain weather conditions. The site has a separate male and female WC at the moment, but there are plans to convert one of the brick kilns into a shower and loo block at some point in the future.

A lovely feature of thie site is it’s canalside location, with up to 5 narrowboats in residence at any one time, providing a friendly mixture of “outdoor folks" using the site together.

Banbury is approx an hour's flat and gentle walk along the canal, past fascinating bridges and many narrowboats, both moored and chugging along, until you arrive right in the heart of Banbury, with its history, canal heritage and shopping centre.

Located within very easy distance of the M40, this site is ideal for a weekend break or longer stay, and the hardstand pitches and electric hook-up make it perfect for out-of-season and all year round camping.

Image above: Twilite Leisure Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2008

Motorhome Tour 2008 - Canals, Cities and Rivers

2009-01-05T09:45:00.000Z

Our Scottish Island Hopping Tour last September was planned with meticulous attention to detail. It had to be, to fit in everything we wanted to see, and ensure we caught the right ferry on the right day to the right island.

This year we did something we've never done before - set off without a plan of what we were doing or where we were going. Eeck - that's what happens when you leave planning to the male half of AvailablePitch! "But we DO have a plan - we're doing the South East this year - Brighton, Kent, around there ............." Right, that's OK then.

As for many UK holidaymakers in 2008, the weather wasn't the best. And heading south seemed to make sense given the weather forecast. Mind you, not sure why we took any notice because they never seem to get it right. Prevailing weather was cloud, and whilst parts of the UK had floods, we avoided the worst of the bad weather, it was just soooo gloomy all the time.

Anyway, we ended up travelling down via Oxfordshire and Berkshire, passing through the South Downs, then West and East Sussex, round through Kent and back up north via Cambridgeshire. We stopped off as we wished, stayed as long or short as we wanted, using AvailablePitch.com and the Camping and Caravanning Club's online availability to find a campsites with vacancies for the night(s) we wanted. And it actually worked very well! The next few blogs will cover our travels, where we stayed and what we did. Out first stop was at Twilite Leisure Park Banbury, Oxfordshire.............

Image Above: Twilite Leisure Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire. Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2008

Winter Camping at Chatsworth House Caravan Club Site

2008-12-22T11:02:00.001Z

Winter camping at it's best has to be at Chatsworth Caravan Club site, near Bakewell, Derbyshire.

Camping in November in minus temperatures isn't everyone's idea of fun, but as long as you are not in a tent, what's the problem?

This site was closed this year until until summer for a re-vamp, and as far as we can tell, the only changes are a brand new shower/toilet block, which is FANTASTIC, the reassuringly high standard of facilities you always get with the Caravan Club, and improved hard standings.

This site is incredibly popular, and bookings need to be made months in advance. It's open all year round, (all pitches are hard-standing with hook-up) and was fully booked in the middle of November. Not a spare pitch to be had. And no wonder. The location is just amazing. Set in a walled garden, find the secret gate and you are straight in the grounds of Chatsworth House. From there a 10 minute stroll, slightly uphill, takes you to the house, shops, courtyard and gardens. A 25 minute flat walk alongside the river takes you to the Carlton Lees Garden Centre, and there are many more walks available on the estate and surrounding villages. The village of Baslow is a 15 minute flat walk, with pubs and a great restaurant (take a torch for walking back and remember your key to the secret gate!)

Points to be aware of: the children's play area is pretty small, bikes are not allowed on the Chatsworth Estate (but you can cycle from the site into Baslow and beyond), and the entrance road to the site is very long and narrow (with passing places). The wardens are VERY STRICT about access times, which, out of necessity, has to be properly managed. Strictly no arrivals are permitted before 1 pm and pitches have to be vacated by 12 noon. No exceptions. But this makes sense, as we would not want to meet another 'van on entry or exit.

To stay on this site, book early, pack your Barbour and Hunter wellies and live like a Lord or Lady for the few days you are there.

Image above: November sunrise, Chatsworth House Caravan Club Site, November 2008

Thank Goodness for the RAC

2008-12-08T10:04:00.000Z

In twenty-odd years of driving, I have never broken down. Until last Sunday night, on the A42, on a wet and freezing cold winter's night.

The Golf had made a squeaking noise for a few days, but I put it down to the damp weather, and made a mental note to get it booked in.

I'd met a friend at the NEC for an enjoyable day out an exhibition, and we'd travelled there separately. "Safe driving" she shouted as we parted in the pouring rain at North 2 car park, and indeed all was fine until about 15 minutes later, trying to find my way onto the M42, when the computer screen flashed "Warning - Alternator". There was nowhere to stop, I didn't know where I was, and something awful had happened to the steering - I could hardly steer the car. I kept going, fighting to steer and got onto the M42. After a few more miles, arms exhausted, mouth dry, and lights getting dimmer, every light on the dashboard came on, the wipers stopped and that was it. Hard shoulder for me.

I'd got the RAC's phone number in my mobile phone, which WAS fully charged up (I was a Girl Guide and their motto "Be Prepared" has always stuck with me) and I'd got plenty of warm waterproof clothing. But this was my first experience of a breakdown and I didn't really know what to do.

The gentleman at the RAC breakdown centre was brilliant. I'd to walk carefully to the nearest white marker post and give him the number. Someone would be with me within 30 minutes and the Highway Patrol would be alerted as well. I was put through to a recording which told me how to stay safe in the interim. I had to get out of the car and find somewhere safe to wait. Pretty difficult on the A42.

Within 10 minutes I saw the orange lights of the breakdown vehicle and the friendly RAC man soon assessed the problem and fitted a temporary battery. "I need you to drive to Measham Services, where we'll load you onto the trailer and tow you home. Build your speed to 50 mph on the hard shoulder then pull out. Your power steering has gone, but you should be OK. I'll stay behind and protect you. Stop at any time if you need to". OK, I'll give it a go I thought, but I'll never, ever, take power steering for granted again.

At Measham, a magic trailer appeared out of the back of the breakdown van, the Golf was loaded and off we set for home. During the 2 hour delay on the A42 due to accidents, I heard all about what it's like being a breakdown man and some amazing tales of other people's breakdowns. Fascinating. In response to my question "What on earth makes someone want to do this job on a night like this???" the response was "I love it - I absolutely love it!" - and I believed him.

The next day, I had to get the car to the VW garage, and was advised to ring the RAC for an onward tow. Not only that, they also took me to work afterwards. How good is that? The garage diagnosed a broken alternator pulley, which was quickly repaired at a reasonable cost.

We see the AA and RAC trucks on the roads regularly, but never stop to think about what an incredible service these individuals offer at a very vulnerable and frightening time. So thank you Steve and Brad for your help, humour. patience and amusing stories. And thank you RAC for such a brilliant service. I'll never grumble about the price of renewal ever again.

Room to Roam?

2008-11-20T08:59:00.001Z

The following article is courtesy of "RAC World Autumn/Winter 08/09:

Caravan and motorhome sales are booming in the UK, so what's the attraction of a "box-on-wheels? Road Hog Jeremy Taylor finds out.

"Some, and its only a matter of opinion of course, accuse them of being big, white and ugly. Yet there must be something about motorhomes. Why else, last year, did thousands of families fork out up to £60,000 on one?

Despite being the butt of endless jokes and despite leaving frustrated road users cursing in their wake, sales of both caravans and camper vans are soaring, reaching an all-time high of 11,646 new motorhomes sold in 2007. Add to that the 69,000 caravans snapped up in the same year and you begin to get some idea of their popularity.

If you, like me, think that figure doesn't sound too alarming, consider this: experts say there are now a staggering 141,000 motorhomes registered on UK roads and the Caravan Club has one million members. That's enough to bring the highway network grinding to a halt behind a barricade of net curtains and swirly patterned upholstery.

But surely those thousands of owners can't be wrong? After all, younger buyers are the driving force behind the latest boom. Go slow thirty-somethings are now the target audience for manufacturers, who tempt them with trendy interiors and flatscreen TVs. The rising price of air travel and a fear of being "packaged" on holiday are also key selling points. Whether it's the Glastonbury Festival or Le Mans, a camper van makes the perfect getaway vehicle for weekend events too.

Still not convinced? Famous motorhome owners who have caught the bug include radio presenter Jeremy Vine, Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, singer Jay Kind and Steve McFadden, aka Eastenders' tough guy PhillMitchell. Even Robbie Williams has succumbed, according to the Motorhome Information Service "With everything on board, a motorhome takes you closer to the action" reckons spokeswoman Ruth de Mierre. "They're powerful vehicles, with turbo-diesel engines, giving decent fuel consumption as well as on-the-road performance. It's a "living" vehicle for people who enjoy living in style, any time, any place".

If you can beat them, join them. Which is why I'm writing this from the luxury "lounge" of my £40,000 Auto-Sleeper Sigma EK. Based on a Peugeot chassis, it's a popular mid-price model for four people. For that sort of money I could have bought a Porsche Boxster or three months of pampering at the Dorchester.

I should point out that I did once own a truly trendy VW Split Screen Camper, the same as chef Jamie Oliver's It was cool, whilst the Sigma, for all its luxuries, still looks like it's only missing a giant slot on the front for washing powder.

However, parked up on an Oxfordshire campsite, I'm already beginning to see why it's so easy to become a van fan. For starters, there's a distinct lack of naff cloth and loads of space for a family. It's ridiculously easy to drive, and apart from almost ripping the roof off under a low country bridge, very manoeuverable. If you are used to reversing a supermini, and not a 21 ft monster like this, parking sensors are an option.

The standard 2.2 litre engine can be upgraded to a 3 litre, so the quieter engine won't annoy every other holidaymaker who is facing an uncertain night ahead in a B&B. Cruise control, air conditioning and different upholstery are also available.

What you can't rush in your home on wheels is reading the instruction book. Just like a new tent, trying to convert the inward-facing seats into a double bed and fathoming the electric system will have you cursing, if left to the last minutes (AP comment: hope you are heeding this, Mrs Edwina Curry).

The Sigma sports a bed above the driver's cab, which your kids will love, There's even a net to stop them landing on top of you in the night. And, if the thought of waking up in a remote field is worrying, this model has a full kitchen, shower and electric flush toilet. Perhaps, more importantly, if you don't like the view from the window or your fellow camping pals prove noisy in the night, it only take a few minutes to cook a full English breakfast, pack up and move on. And that's the best reason to buy a camper van: freedom. If only they didn't paint them all white, then perhaps we would see even more on the road ....

Statistics courtesy of the Motorhome Information Service."

Above image: Camping on the beach at Muasdale Touring Park, Kintyre, Scotland

Heage Windmill, Heage, Derbyshire

2008-11-05T12:05:00.001Z

Whilst on a girlie weekend at The Firs - the latest new Caravan Club site in Derbyshire, we walked to Heage Windmill and were literally blown away by what we saw. The history of the place is fascinating and to see a working windmill in full sale is just amazing. Dogs were not allowed, so the Miller (in full costume) kindly agreed to look after Holly whilst we had a tour round the mill.

The following article is summarised from Heage Windmill's website. For the complete version, see web link at the end of this article.

"Heage Windmill is situated between the villages of Heage and Nether Heage in Derbyshire. It is a Grade II listed tower mill with six sails and fan tail and built of local sandstone and is over two hundred years old. Standing on the brow of a hill it overlooks the village of Nether Heage like a silent sentinel. The squat stone built tower is 24 feet in diameter and has a stone plaque by the entrance door marked “WSM 1850”, - the significance of which is not clear. The mill is built on a small mound and an entrance below could have enabled carts to back right into the building for loading and unloading. The first indication of the mill is in an advertisement for a tradesman in the Derby Mercury of 16th June 1791.

Tower mills were called smock mills in Derbyshire. There was a small stone building, built some years after the mill itself, alongside the mill which was used as the kiln. The roof of this later fell in and for a long time only the shell remained. This has now been restored and turned into the Visitor Centre. A kiln was often used to dry grain before it was ground into flour or oatmeal. A photograph dated before 1890 shows the mill with two common and two spring sales, a black ogee cap and a fantail which had 14 slim blades. It operated in this form until February 1894 when the mill was tail winded and the cap and four sails were blown off in a violent storm. A photograph in the Visitors Centre shows a man, presumably the miller, standing on the wreckage of the sails in front of the mill and the brake wheel protrudes from the top of the tower. When the rebuilding commenced it was decided to replace the four sails with six patent sails, presumably to obtain more power, although in other respects the mill was externally similar.

In the cellar below the mill there are four brick columns which were added about 1910 to strengthen the foundations of the mill, and the mill continued to be in regular use until 1919 and worked in conjunction with the nearby water and steam mills. However, in 1919 the fan tail was severely damaged in a gale, most of the blades being lost. The damage was serious and the mill closed down. She (windmills are always referred to as "she") became almost derelict, drawings and photographs in the 1930’s showing her with sail bars hanging down in a totally neglected manner.

The mill was struck by lightning in 1961 and a photograph taken in 1967 shows only the remnants of the sails and a stub where the fan tail and its staging had been. A preservation order was placed upon the mill by Derbyshire County Council who bought the mill for £350 and the mill was then listed "grade II*" on the 27th May 1966.

Over the next few years restoration work was carried out by the millwrights Thompsons of Alford in Lincolnshire and new floors, sails, cap and fan tail were made. New sails were hoisted on the 15th March 1972 and the fan tail was lifted into place three days later. The mill is still in the care of Derbyshire County Council and in 1993 it was necessary to replace the large wooden brake wheel, since the sails broke free in high winds, despite having no shutters, and smashed up the old gear wheel. In 1997 she was struck by lightning, fortunately without serious damage, and a lightning conductor has now been fitted. Some of the sail stocks and sheers (major support beams) had been recently replaced by Derbyshire County Council but full restoration work began in earnest in September 2000 and continued until May 2002. The working mill finally opened to the public on 1st June 2002.

Unfortunately during much of 2005 our six sailer only had four sails! We found we had wood rot in two of them during the winter maintenance work and, for safety reasons, removed them. New ones, which cost about £20 000, have been obtained and recently fitted to the mill , just in time for the start of the new season. Fortunately a six sailer can still operate quite well with four, three or even two sails, albeit with somewhat less power.

The new sails arrived from Boston and after some preparatory work were ready for lifting into position. The crane was ordered, and arrived on time, and so did the press – but also so did the wind! The wind was so strong that it was decided for safety reasons to delay operations until March 31st. Although still breezy it was much less gusty and within three hours both sails were back in place and the mill worked again with her full complement of six sails – just the day before we re-opened to the public.

Everyone who has contributed in any way to make all this work possible has to be thanked – perhaps many times over. Without these efforts the mill could so easily return to the decayed state it was in a few years ago"

Full information about Heage Windmill can be found at
http://heagewindmill.belperschool.co.uk/

Photograph above courtesy of Heage Windmill

New Caravan Club Site in Derbyshire

2008-10-22T11:34:00.005+01:00

Major plumbing work was required at home, and the male half of AP wanted a clear run at creating total chaos and leaving an awful mess. "How about a girlie weekend away dearest"? So that's how three girlfriends came to try out the brand new Caravan Club site "The Firs" at Ambergate, Derbyshire, just a few miles from home.

Originally called Firs Farm, we stayed on this site the first year we had our motorhome, so it was interesting to see how it had changed. We've said before that we find Caravan Club sites rather "samey" and this site is no exception. It's definitely been "Caravan Clubbed". However, "samey" equals predictable, and there are rarely any nasty shocks with Caravan Club sites. You know what you are getting, which is large, flat pitches, resilient hook-ups, top-notch heated shower and toilet facilities which are always clean, laundry and dishwashing facilities and well-tended grounds, usually with a security access barrier. If you are really lucky you get friendly Wardens, and the ones at The Firs are some of the nicest we have met.

The Firs opened for business in August 2008 having been over two years in planning and construction, being delayed somewhat due to objections from residents, which resulted in the Reception Block being moved six imches, and the shower block being built in a different position. There are 82 pitches, and approx one quarter of these are hardstand. The site is open March to 10 November.

Pitching is in two separate areas - the main site, and a lower section, down a rather steep access road, but offering a peaceful alternative to the more-populated main site. The best pitches of all are on the front row of the main pitching area, in front of the toilet block, and two of these have truly fabulous views down the Derwent Valley, the others being obscured by trees. As we were leaving on Sunday lunchtime there was a queue waiting for caravans to vacate these pitches, so occupying one of these is much coveted. What is unusual about this site, is that the original shower and toilet block has been converted into multi-purpose building including a drying room, an Information Centre, with chairs and tables to peruse all the leaflets, menus, brochures and posters on display and toilets/washbasin for when the main block is closed.

To get the most out of this site, a car is required, however, with a good OS Map and strong pair of legs (the site is at the top of a long hill), there are walks from the site, which take in several pubs. Not having a car between the three motorhomes, we set out with dog and compass and explored the glorious Derbyshire countryside so close to home yet undiscovered to date. The traditional mill town of Belper is within easy cycling distance (or slightly longer walking distance), with a small factory outlet housed in an old mill building and a mixture of shops, Morrisons Supermarket, restaurants, a tea room and a delightful Farmer's Market held the second Saturday of the month.

The weather was glorious and tee shirts and three quarter trousers were the norm. Lunch was taken at The Excavator Pub at Buckland Hollow, a convenient stopping off place on our 8 mile walk, however, we had a very unfortunate food experience, which was not resolved by the staff, so our advice is, if you are thinking of eating at this pub - don't. A far better bet is The Spanker Inn at Nether Heage, where the welcome was very warm and the menu looked excellent, although not sampled.

The highlight of the weekend was visiting Heage Windmill , the only six sail windmill in the UK, which was in full sail (but not grinding flour) the day we were there, complete with Miller and Wife in traditional costume. Within approx 20 - 30 minutes walking distance of the site, it costs just £3.00 for an individual tour round the windmill, (some concessions) which is run by volunteers, and it really is a little treasure. The Miller proudly looked after our little dog whilst we explored the mill and heard the long history of this fascinating and unique structure.

The windmill relies on donations and income from entry fees, so if you stay at The Firs, please try and support them with a visit. You won't be disappointed.

PS: More about Heage Windmill in the next blog.

Image above: The Firs Caravan Club Park, Ambergate, Derbyshire

Edwina Curry goes motorhoming (or how to make something really easy look incredibly difficult)

2008-10-10T12:03:00.014+01:00

The following article originated in The Daily Mail, 8 July 2008, and is featured in this quarter's Benimar Owners Magazine. Abridged for this blog, it makes extremely incredulous reading: "It had a leaking roof and a cold shower, but Edwina Curry fell in love with her new camper van" By Edwina Curry.

A year on and the smoking ban has had dozens of consequences: 400,000 people have given up, 175 million fewer pints have been drunk in British pubs - and my husband and I have bought a camper van. I may be a retired Health Minister, but my husband is a dedicated smoker and insists on smoking when on holiday. This summer, we had to find a smoke-friendly getaway. So we found ourselves perusing the latest in mobile homes. After all, John had reasoned, how better to get around the ban than buying a mobile home in which he could light up at leisure? (AP comment: He could always pack up).

I couldn't believe my husband was suggesting we holiday in a souped-up van just so he could smoke. But I came round when I laid eyes on "Vanessa" - all-singing all-dancing camper van festooned with gadgets, from a satellite dish and a rear-view camera to central heating and built-in awning. We were sold on her and after a quick tutorial on how to work her various gadgets -which went in one ear and out the other - we were merrily driving home in a £20,000 second-hand Benimar Anthus. The honeymoon didn't last. A tank of diesel cost us £90, the dogs didn't warm to the cramped conditions and my husband struggled with the chemical toilet, opting for a bush instead (Uhh - pu-leeze!). We decided we'd lose our camper virginity in Ireland, so we set off with everything from fishing rods to DVDs clattering round in the back. (Ever heard of lockers?)

Camper vans are perfectly comfortable if you know how to operate them and desperately uncomfortable if you don't. (No they aren't!) We were completely out of our depth. Stopping en-route to the ferry, we failed to switch on the various contraptions that make mobile living tolerable. The result was a cold shower, a warm fridge and no gas. (This is getting worrying) The rain was hammering down on the roof, which was leaking (I hadn't shut the skylight properly) (How difficult is that?)and our cramped living quarters smelled of wet dog. It was a gruelling initiation.

When we arrived at our campsite in County Wicklow, we were ragged dirty wrecks. Unfortunately, the water tank was empty. Before we could have wash or flush the loo, we'd have to fill it. But we couldn't get the cap off the inlet pipe, (you should have listened at the hand-over then) so we had to dismantle the side of the van (What???) and fill up the tank by hand, using a bucket instead. I gave up and used the grubby campsite toilets - a truly traumatic experience. But the real misery of camper van life is that you can't dry anything out. (Yes you can if you know how!) Our towels were soon as sodden as the dogs and everything smelled damp. Were we really going to survive a fortnight of this? It was a moment of despair that I discovered the shower had stopped draining. Without my specs and stark naked, (way too much information) I found a screwdriver and set about trying to unblock the plug - all the while, I soon discovered, in full view of a child staring at me from the caravan next door. (Presumably hubbie was outside having a fag?)

After this we decided nothing else could go wrong. (Ever heard of Sod's Law?) Then we went exploring, leaving our "This pitch is reserved" notice on our plot. We returned to discover somebody had driven right over it a pinched our spot. (Oops). After another night of being eaten alive by midges, we decided to move on. "Moving on" in a camper van is more difficult than it sounds. (No it isn't!) Everything that isn't packed away bounces around and turns into a potentially lethal projectile, and the dogs hated the way Vanessa lurched along the winding roads of rural Ireland. But just as we thought we couldn't have picked a worse holiday, the sun came out. We found a new campsite, my husband tinkered with his fishing gear and I planned a bike ride. Life slowed down and I felt blissfully lazy. Despite all our beginner's mishaps, I was starting to enjoy myself.

Then we worked out how to operate the toilet and shower. I got used to the broken nails, the grimy feet and the frizzy hair. I also appreciated how friendly our fellow campers were. Most importantly, I began to feel at home. However Vanessa did have one more surprise to spring - she is a devil to park. It's not her fault, the power-steering is brilliant and the rearview camera allows you to see behind. The problem was that nearly all public car parks have a height barrier and we just couldn't squeeze her in. (Agree, this is a right pain in Ireland) After touring a number of car parks we gave up and made for the beach where a fellow angler said it's all down to gipsies. Nobody wants them to park up overnight. This seems mighty unfair.

In the event, by the time we returned home, we were seasoned campers, if a little wild in appearance. I've repaired the breakages, blanked out the unpleasant memories and found my way round Vanessa. The dogs have discovered their favourite sleeping spots and so have we, curled up like mice in the cosy bunk. (I think you mean the Luton). We have been cheap, green - and John has been able to smoke with impunity. I think we might do it again".

AvailablePitch comment: "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear"!

Photo courtesy of Daily Mail

Economy Drives

2008-09-26T10:15:00.003+01:00

The following article by Carol Midgley was spotted in this week's Times Magazine on Saturday and offers an alternative view to the earlier blog article "Camping Boon as Credit Crunch Bites":

"There's one credit crunch story that is patently kosher. Sales of tents have rocketed, and bookings at caravan and camp sites have been the highest for years as people eschew expensive foreign holidays. I know this to be true because the entire caravan population of Britain was in front of me doing 25mph tops on single-lane A roads as I was driving home from Devon recently, mainly in second gear. In seven days I saw more clapped-out caravans and crammed-to-the-toilet-block camp sites than in my whole life. And yet these holidays - in ceaseless rain, obviously - looked about as appealing as a John McCririck bottom boil.

A good friend of mine swears by camping and yes, I see the attraction of not worrying about whether a hotel mattress will smell of wee. But on closer observation, it seems that British caravan and camping holidays consist mainly of putting out bins and attending the camp-site launderette.

Caravan dwellers appear to spend their entire time inside boiling kettles and, on the rare occasions when the sun does come out, promptly erect two deckchairs outside their own door to enjoy a bracing view of someone else's four-berth. Why not just set up camp on the grass at a motorway service station? Oh, actually, I did see one family doing exactly that.

And yet there have been waiting lists for some sites. Mystifying. I'm afraid I'm with George Carlin, who famously said that when you wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is very wrong indeed".

Image above courtesy of photolibrary.com

Even Stranger Encounters

2008-09-21T09:45:00.001+01:00

Just when you thought it was safe to go camping, it happens again.

Oh no!

Him! Mr Weird motorhomer, last seen sporting strange headwear, and studiously avoided at Peterborough Motorhome Show. Popped up at Clumber Park Steam Rally watching a world-championship snail race in the arena. Looks like his wife and dog are with him this time. Poor you - whoever you are - you have our sincere sympathies.

Now - where's that disguise?

Crakehall Watermill Certificated Location, Bedale (and B&B too)

2008-09-10T10:47:00.001+01:00

Somewhere really special was required for Aunty’s 80th birthday, and after lots of research, Crakehall Watermill seemed to fit the bill perfectly – a luxury B&B that did not overcharge for single rooms, an adult-only Caravan Club certificated location and the option of an evening meal, all set in a traditional village location, with an historic watermill on site to keep the male half of AP happy. The choice was absolutely spot on!

Alison and Lionel have owned Crakehall for 4 years, building the business into a thriving and incredibly popular B&B, CL and holiday cottages. The Watermill is not currently open to the public, but guests can have a VIP visit with Lionel if booked in advance.

Nothing is too much trouble, and it’s easy to see why Crakehall is so popular. They effortlessly arranged flowers in the room, recommended a restaurant, booked a table, ordered a taxi and best of all prepared a special celebration dinner using seasonal and local produce. The meal was absolutely delicious and excellent value at £15.00 per head.

There is so much to do from the base at Crakehall Village, near Bedale. On the first day we visited Beamish Museum, a 50 minute drive north up the A1. There's a huge car park, no height barriers, plenty of room for large motorhomes and dogs are permitted (but not in the buildings). This is an authentic working museum similar to Blist Hill at Ironbridge, where exhibits have been gathered from around the North East of England and re-built and staffed with people dressed in period costumes. It’s pricey at £16.00 per adult (concessions for Seniors) and a whole day is needed to do it full justice, not the half day we ended up with after a late breakfast and too much faffing around.

Getting round the site is easy for the less agile with historic trams running round the site at 20 minute-ish intervals. There are different themed areas, like The Old Town, The Manor House, the Farm, The Railway Station, the Waggonery, (where you can go a short ride on an authentic steam locomotive), The Pit Village (complete with pit houses, chapel, school and coal mine) with regular tours to the coal face - probably the most interesting part, but definitely not for the claustraphobic

A tour of Wendsleydale Valley occupied us the next day, starting with Hawes, a delightful village to explore, lunch at a tea room in Bainbridge village, a walk down to Aysgarth Falls and the huge watermill now housing a craft and gift shop and tea rooms, ending up in Leyburn (which we sadly found a disapppointing town).

The last day was spent at National Trust's Fountains Abbey near Rippon - a World Heritage Site. This is both the most-visited NT property and one of the most visited trourist attractions in the UK. A whole day is advised to do it justice, and there is a lot of walking, although there is a minibus for the less able and electric scooters can be hire. Amazingly, dogs are allowed throughout the grounds, and you can even walk through the restaurant with them to get to the outside tables! How refreshing not to feel like an outcast just 'cos you are accompanied by Fido.

It was very difficult for us all to leave CrakeHall at the end of our long weekend and in the scramble to get everyone packed up and off, Aunty left some local cheese in Alison's fridge. Two days later a parcel arrived, complete with ice pack, enclosing the cheese. Now THAT's what I call service!.

In pursuit of the Derbyshire panther

2008-08-31T17:04:00.002+01:00

According to Glynn Harthorne at Standcliffe House CL, the Derbyshire Panther is definitely not a rural myth. This, and other stories about the local area will be related to visitors who stay on this delightful 5 van site in the shadow of Crich Stand, near Matlock, Derbyshire.

Always at the cutting edge of new technology, a few years ago, Glynn set up a webcam from the back bedroom of his house, focussed on Crich Stand, originally so he could keep an eye on arrivals at the CL from his computer at work. The Law of Unexpected Consequences came into play, and he found that people from all over the world were logging on to look at the Derbyshire weather, study cloud formations and homesick expats wanting to see a little corner of home. Apparantly, the viewing figures per week run into the thousands. Well I never! Take a look for yourself using the link at the end of this article

Crich Stand, situated immediately behind the site, is a memorial to the 11,000 men of the Sherwood Forristers Regiment killed in the First World War. It is 1,018 feet above sea level at its tip. To reach it is a gentle (uphill) stroll, and what better way to watch the sunset than from such a vantage point?

Standcliffe House CL is situated right at the top of the Derbyshire village of Crich (Peak Practice’s Cardale), next to the Crich Tramway Museum. On a clear day, the views from all pitches are far-reaching and panoramic. The area can be explored on foot direct from the site. Alternatively, buses go from just down to road to Matlock, Alfreton, Chesterfield and other Derbyshire towns. Within spitting distance is a village shop, newsagent, pubs and a fish and chip shop, which means you don’t need to take the car out at all if you don’t want to.

The site is slightly sloping and all 5 pitches have hook-up. Pitch One is a flat hardstand, ideal for motorhomes, whilst you can take your pick of grass pitches anywhere on the field, if your cable is long enough. There is a recently refurbished WC and hand wash basin and a small tourist information area and Glynn is planning to install a power shower over winter, which will make this site just perfect. This is a popular site, and current pitch availability is shown on AvailablePitch.com

This site is great for us, being just a 20 minute drive from home, yet far enough to be “on holiday” for the weekend. Now – do we believe the panther story or not………?

PS: Big cat experts believe there may be as many as 100 leopards and pumas roaming the British countryside.

http://www.crichweb.co.uk/Webcam.htm

Atherstone Stables Certificated Location

2008-08-22T10:04:00.002+01:00

Living on the edge of the Peak District, we often head into Derbyshire for our weekends away in the motorhome. However, we'd had our eye on Atherstone Stables CL, Warwickshire, for several months but had struggled to get in as it's a very popular site - and with good reason.

Site owner Vicki Garland wasn't around during our stay, so we can only report on what we experienced, rather than getting interesting background and gossip straight from the horses mouth (so to say).

Immediately you arrive you feel safe, and slightly regal, as you enter through huge electric gates (code supplied on booking) and drive up an immaculate gravel drive, past the stables and holiday apartments on the left, through to the large camping area at the back. Access is great, so it's ideal for people less-experienced in towing. Horses are grazing in fields all around, including to the rear of the site, which gives lovely views from your caravan or motorhome. Being so far away from the road, there is no noise at all, and although the site was full, we can honestly say we never heard any noise from our neighbours at all (in fact we were probably the noisiest there!).

The site feels brand new. There are 5 huge gravel hard standing pitches with hook-up and one grass pitch (this one has the best views, but no hook-up) all level, backing onto hedgerows and overlooking a large open grassed area and beyond to the fields. The toilets (2) and showers (2) are a 2-3 minute walk back to the stable block and there is a £1 charge for showers (coin in slot). These are shared with the livery clients. The marked dog walk is actually a peaceful circular walk around the owners' fields and takes about 20-30 minutes. Proceed past the horses with care though, as a couple of them were quite frisky.

Yes, there is a slightly horsey smell around the stables/toilet block (not in the camping area though), but you wouldn't expect it to smell of anything else, really, would you? And everywhere is so clean and well-looked after. There is a room at the other end of the stable block which the friendly livery folk use for tea and coffee and resting, and tourist information is available there too.

Atherstone is a 1.5 mile walk, or a short drive away, and what a smashing town this is. Atherstone was once an important hatting town, and became well known for its felt hats. The industry began in the 17th century, and at its height there were seven firms employing 3000 people. Due to cheap imports, the trade had largely died out by the 1960s, and ended completely in 1998. Also nearby is the delightful Hartwell Country Park, Twycross Zoo, and many, many other places of interest.

Back at the site, walks are possible in the surrounding countryside (remember to take the gate code with you though ……. and watch out for the occasional fast car on the lane outside). If peace, quiet and relaxation are your bag - this site will be perfect.

If you have your own horse, you can even take Dobbin along for a holiday by prior arrangement with Vicki. How good would that be?

Perfect Penlan Caravan Park - Hay on Wye

2008-08-13T09:45:00.000+01:00

Without doubt Penlan Caravan Park is one of the most picturesque and peaceful sites we have ever stayed on. Located on the border between England and Wales, and against a sheltered backdrop of mature trees and hedges, the 270 degree panoramic countryside views from every pitch must be amongst the best in the UK.

This small site has everything you want - exceptionally spacious pitches, modern, clean toilet/shower block, fields for walking dogs or children to play (if no animals grazing) and a personal and friendly welcome and attentive service from resident owners Peter and Margaret Joyce (and their little spaniel Charlie), who both work extremely hard to keep this site special. There is an information shed, with maps and walks in the area which campers/caravanners can borrow, barbeques to hire and and fridge/freezer for camper's use.

Come to this site for a couple of nights, or a week, and you will leave relaxed, refreshed and already planning your next visit.

Camping Boom as credit crunch intensifies

2008-08-04T09:15:00.004+01:00

The following article is courtesy of Ellen Widdup, Evening Standard - 10 July 2008:

"Holidays under canvas or in caravans are making a comeback thanks to the credit crunch. Sales of camping equipment - including sleeping bags, picnic hampers, torches and paraffin stoves - are on the increase, with major retailers reporting rises of up to 40% in the past year.

Charlotte Tookey, senior marketing manager for Tesco Direct, which has seen a 38% rise in camping equipment sales since July 2007, put the surge down to the financial squeeze, which is forcing families to consider alternatives to holidays abroad. 'Summer camping trips are a great British tradition, so it is wonderful to see that more holidaymakers are choosing to go camping this year,' she said. 'For families feeling the pinch, camping can be an affordable solution.'

Last month Canvas Holidays said it had seen a 20% rise in bookings between May and June. One of Britain's biggest caravan break companies, Haven Holidays, has also reported a 30% rise in bookings. The National Caravan Council recorded a 20% rise in campsite bookings for July and August and a rise in the number of people purchasing caravans. Its spokesman said many people were choosing to camp because it gave them a sense of adventure and reminded them of childhood holidays.

Environmental concerns about aircraft emissions are also contributing to the camping renaissance, but price is thought to be the main factor. A two-week holiday in Malaga could cost a family of four up to £3,000 for travel, accommodation and transfers. By contrast, camping in Devon would set the same family back around £17 per night - a total of £242 plus travel costs for two weeks.

Most campsites charge roughly £15 a night for a caravan, £1 for power and water and 50p to put up an awning. Tent-dwellers are charged about £5 a pitch per day, plus another £3 per adult and £1 per child.

Ian Peet, from holiday specialist Go Camping UK said it was a sensible choice for those who wanted to get away without breaking the bank. 'Everyone is tightening their budgets so it appears there is no better time to get back to nature and discover the joys of camping.'

Some of Britain's grandest estates also welcome campers. In Norfolk, the Queen's Sandringham Estate and Holkham Hall, the home of Viscount Coke, both run caravan parks, as does Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire.

A spokesman for the Cool Camping guidebook said these destinations were among many now offering a range of high-end camping holidays. One of the most expensive 'boutique' campsites in Britain is Glastonbury's Camp Kerala, which charges £7,000 to stay in a shikar tent - kitted out with a double mattress, fur throws and down duvets - to the likes of Kate Moss during the festival".

Image above: Hayfield Camping & Caravaning Club Site, Peak District Copyright AvailablePitch.com 2008

Looking for a Last Minute Camping Pitch?

2008-07-28T17:08:00.005+01:00

Summer has arrived! Want to get away NOW in your tent or caravan for a weekend or longer? Looking for a last minute camping pitch? Find your perfect late availability touring pitch with AvailablePitch.com

Hundreds of campsites are listed and our "Search Availability" feature lets you instantly find campsites with touring vacancies for your chosen dates.

Click here to start searching for your holiday pitch - and bonne vacance!

Brand New Park - Newnes Touring Park, Ellesmere, Shropshire

2008-07-24T16:49:00.001+01:00

Just up the road from both Emral Gardens and Plassey Leisure Park is Newnes Touring Park, a brand new adult only touring caravan park owned and run by Robin Bebb. There’s something of a family thing going on in this part of the world, because Newnes is owned by another member of the Brookshaw Family (albeit by marriage) - see earlier blogs.

We didn’t stay on Newnes, but Robin had invited us to stick our nose in whilst we were in the area, have a look round and hear the story of how the site came to be. Situated in the tiny hamlet of Newnes, where Robin and his ancestors have farmed for generations, The Newnes is a medieval name for "the new ones" which comes from the old English "neow-ones" and is said to relate to new people being put in the property formerly occupied by Welsh rebels.

This is one of those increasingly rare new privately owned sites and it occupies an enviable elevated position above the town of Ellesmere, Shropshire, with far-reaching views over the Shropshire countryside toward Wales. Robin has worked very hard, and jumped over many hurdles to get his site up and running and it was great to see it fully booked.

The pitches are laid out around the edge of a large camping area, backing onto mature hedgerows and trees, and despite being open, is south facing, which means loads of sun and shelter from the prevailing wind. There’s a huge amount of space in the middle so there’s no chance of your view being spoiled by someone pitching in front of you.

Hook-ups are provided for each of the 10 pitches which are to the highest safety standards, and plans are in hand for a shower, toilet block, washing up and information area to be built this season, which will make this site just perfect.

The attractive town of Ellesmere is within 10 minutes walk from the site and Wikipedia has this to say about the town: "Ellesmere lies on a spur of the Llangollen Canal, which eventually terminates in Froncysyllte, Wales. It was originally known as the Ellesmere Canal. Thomas Telford was overall director of its construction. Work lasted from 1793 to 1805 with the aim of reaching Ellesmere Port, but never got that far due to costs. During its construction, Telford lived in a house next to the canal in Ellesmere, which still stands today".

Just as we were leaving, Robin let us into a secret – a cottage nearby is allegedly the former home of Dick Whittington who lived there before he and his cat donned their backpacks and headed south for the streets paved with gold in London. So now you know!

Emral Gardens - a Little Jewel of a Site

2008-07-08T12:42:00.001+01:00

Emral Gardens Touring Park, Bangor-on-Dee, near Wrexham, is beautifully set in the grounds of a former stately home, Emral Hall which was sadly destroyed in the 1930's when the running costs became prohibitive in the post-war years.

This is our sort of site - set deep in the heart of the country. Classified as a "hideaway" site, the 3 minute drive down the single track access road (with passing places) assures you that this is going to be a peaceful place.

Until last year, Emral was a Certificated Site of just 5 pitches. Then permission was granted for a further 15 pitches, making it a 20 pitch site for the 2008 season.

A mixture of seasonal, deluxe and grass pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents are on offer, most with hook-up and some backing on to an ornamental pond which was originally part of the moat around the Hall. Near the entrance to the site is a delightfully rustic toilet and shower kept scrupulously clean by owner Julie Broad, who is often pottering about the site doing odd jobs and chatting to guests. Nearby is a large log cabin housing reception, information, games, a relaxing area and TV for campers (particularly people in tents), indoor washing up and fridge.

The site is located so far away from the road that the only noises are the birdsong and the occasional hum of the mower keeping the site neat and tidy. The extensive grounds, including a stream and woodland, are a delight to explore and a two mile cross-country walk heads towards Bangor-on-Dee, a delightful little town with shops, pubs, and many circular walks possible.

This is a site for rest and relaxation. Entertainment is provided by the resident peacock, penhen and pea chicks, and guinea fowl who strut their stuff, together with the birds in the runs near the site entrance.

To get the most from this site, a car is useful, however for the two nights we were in residence we were more than happy to soak up the sunshine, stroll round the grounds and take the occasional walk into Bangor-on-Dee.

Run by the same family that own Plassey Leisure Park just 5 miles away, campers can enjoy a choice of two Parks, totally different in character but equally excellent in their own special ways. What more could you ask?

Plassey Leisure Park, Wrexham

2008-07-01T16:32:00.002+01:00

It's easy to see why The Plassey Leisure Park keeps winning awards from the minute you arrive up the sweeping drive. Staying here is like being a special guest on a private country estate. The welcome is warm and slick. Once checked in, you follow a warden on a buggie, who guides you to your pitch and ensures you are safely settled in.

It all started over 40 years ago, when Mrs Brookshaw Senior spotted caravans heading past the family dairy farm on the way to Wales, and thought "I'll have a piece of that!" She stuck a sign at the entrance and started taking touring caravans on what was then just a farmer's field. Since then this 250 acre site has evolved into the 5 star luxury park of today, still family run by the Brookshaws. It includes a 9 hole golf course and driving range, a luxury heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, covered badminton, pool and table tennis (all free), children's playground, lots of open spaces for games, and many walks on the estate - perfect for visitors with dogs.

This isn't just a caravan park, however. At it's heart is an award-winning craft centre, museum and visitor's centre, a tearoom and a high quality restaurant, all of which have been carefully created from the former Victorian model dairy, seamlessly incorporating many original features into the design. This provides an unusual and attractive reason to visit Plassey Leisure, whether as a camper, caravanner or tourist.

Plassey is a Park for everyone of any age, from tots to seniors, and there is always something to do, whatever the weather. Open all year round, tourers have a choice of 120 touring pitches in different meadows (and there are a further 100 seasonal pitches). 12 staff lovingly look after visitors' needs, tend and patrol the Park and keep everywhere spotlessly neat and tidy.

The site was almost full when we visited, mainly with families, and the loudest noise we heard was birdsong. If you can tear yourself away from the site, there are many attractions in the area of both English and Welsh varieties, ranging from the dizzying heights of the Pontcyllyte Aquaduct (free to walk across for those with a head for it), NT properties of Erdigg House and Chirk Castle, the delightful town of Llangollen and slightly further afield, the cities of Chester and Shrewsbury.

John - a huge thank you both to yourself and your lovely staff for making us so welcome. We thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay on your Park - and congratulations on being voted Practical Caravan's Top Site for 2008!

Stanstead Hall CL and B&B, Suffolk

2008-06-19T15:27:00.002+01:00

Dear Sue

As promised, we returned to your wonderful CL recently and brought Mum and Aunty to test out your brand new B+B. We all want to say what a really lovely holiday we had, and how difficult was to leave to return home after a few relaxing days away.

Whilst you couldn't do anything about the delay on the A14, you kindly arranged warm and sunny weather for the duration, and the special aerial display by bats on one evening was mesmerising.

And what better setting for your B+B than your amazing historic farmhouse? You are unsure of it's age but I recall you effortlessly dropped into the conversation that the building is mentioned in the Doomsday Book. Mum commented that it reminded her very much of something out of "Darling Buds of May", with geese, hens, cats, Bonnie the labrador and horses making various guest appearances throughout the weekend.

You made us all extremely welcome, and a special thanks for the arrangements for Mum's elderly little dog, who needs special care - that was much appreciated.

When we asked whether living and working in such an amazing place was as idyllic as it looked, you just laughed and said "we have our moments". Well, we'd like to share some more of those "moments" in future - so we'll be back. Your site has become one of our favourites, and judging by the popularity on AvailablePitch.com, is a lot of other people's too.

Yours sincerely

Kevin and Catherine
June 2008

Strange Encounters

2008-06-10T16:56:00.005+01:00

It's every motorhomer's worst nightmare - to find your next door neighbour is, er, a little strange. The venue? Peterborough Motorhome Show 2008. The dates? 25 - 27 April 2008.

Anyone who attends these shows will know that you park where the marshalls position you, and that's it for the weekend. No escape. It wasn't long before we realised that the bloke in the motorhome next door was, shall we say, somewhat eccentric? Luckily we managed to avoid eye contact all weekend so didn't actually have to have any sort of conversation.

If anyone knows who this particular individual is, please, by all means, post a reply, likewise, if anyone knows EXACTLY what he is wearing round his ears - it would be great to know.

We just feel sorry for his wife ...............and kids .............

The battle against midges and Avon Skin So Soft

2008-05-23T17:53:00.000+01:00

Read any article about midges and Avon Skin So Soft is often mentioned in the same sentence. But does it work? Well, I think so. Here is a summary of an entertaining article courtesy of Scotsman.com:

"Avon's spray finds calling as midge repellent for Royal Marines, by Arthur MacMillan

They are famed for their ability to operate at sea, in the jungle or in the Arctic wastes of Norway. Battles throughout the centuries have won the Royal Marine Commandos a reputation as one of the world's elite fighting forces. But on the home front, our toughest soldiers are prepared to pander to their softer side to combat Scotland's most persistent foe: the midge. For years the Marines at Faslane who guard nuclear missiles and the submarines capable of firing them have looked for an answer. They've finally found it in a brand of women's skin cream.

Instead of using mosquito repellent, soldiers are buying Avon body lotion to repel midges on the West Coast. The company traditionally associated women selling cosmetics door-to-door is experiencing an unexpected boom thanks to the pesky insect. A Royal Navy spokesman at HMS Clyde said: "It's not official kit but nothing works better and the Marines are buying it themselves because the midges are so bad up there." The wonder cure is a £5 bottle of dry oil body spray from Avon's Skin So Soft range. The midge problem at the base where Trident missiles and Vanguard submarines are stationed is so bad it recently installed a MidgeEater machine at the front gate and workers at the camp can be seen wearing midge nets on their heads.

A stores sergeant said: "There is nothing effeminate about it. The reason the Nods [Marines] are using it is because it is good kit. It works. It's as simple as that." It is thought that the oily base of the body spray is the ingredient that repels midges. Made with shea butter and vitamins, Avon's packaging boasts that it will "ensure your skin feels velvety soft, hour after hour".

Sales of the spray have gone through the roof with some Avon ladies selling hundreds of bottles. Avon's area manager said word of the body spray's ability to repel midges had spread since the wives of servicemen discovered its hidden qualities. She added "We sell it as a body moisturiser but many people tell us they are only buying it to get rid of midges. We don't market it as an insect repellent because its primary use is to soften your skin. But it is undoubtedly one of our best sellers, with our best agents having to order up to 200 bottles every three weeks."

Word of the spray's ability to fight midges has now spread throughout the entire West Coast, with sales being picked up in Dumbarton, Campbeltown, Oban and Dunoon. It has also been claimed that both the US army and the SAS use it as mosquito repellent in the jungle.

Scottish Water engineers in the Highlands and forestry workers are also placing orders. In recent years a more terminal approach to tackling midges has been the MidgeEater range of traps, which generate carbon dioxide to mimic the exhaled breath of humans which are the midge's favoured haunt. Once fooled into coming within range, the hapless insects are then sucked into the trap at high speed.

There are more than 30 species of midge in Scotland but it is the female Culicoides impunctatus variety that causes torment. It is the only type of midge that bites. The crew responsible for the final episodes of Monarch of the Glen set at Ardverikie estate, near Loch Laggan, wore anti-midge body suits and veiled headgear while filming".

AvailablePitch Footnote: Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray comes in 3 fragrances in blue, yellow and pink bottles, and it’s the blue bottle which is effective against the midges – “Soft and Fresh”. Midges still land on you, but don’t like and/or drown in the oil! Used dilligently, it does work, but you need to spray yourself regularly to keep it effective. No need to find yourself an Avon Lady -Avon Skin So Soft can be ordered online from the Avon Shop.

Midges in Scotland

2008-05-10T17:28:00.001+01:00

The threat of midges made us think very hard about island hopping in our motorhome in Scotland, but luckily, it did not put us off and as earlier blogs tell, we had an amazing holiday. We were relatively fortunate where the little blighters were concerned, however, because we went in early September, and not in the peak midge season which is June - August. Tiny as they are, midges DO bite, and leave a nasty itchy scab, which takes time to heal. Now the male half of AvailablePitch has buffalo hide, through which nothing penetrates, however, I am not so lucky and clearly have an invisible notice on my body which says “all flying insects please feel free to bite any time, any place, anywhere”.

In theory, campsites by the sea should suffer less. In reality, whilst they are less bothered than non-coastal sites, there will still be a few midges around. However, we found it tolerable, and there are things you can do which DO help. The day time was fine, the problem came early evening – 5-ish onwards. If the weather was fine and we wanted to sit out in an evening, we pulled the motorhome’s awning out, and lit several sticks of incense both citronella and lavender which was extremely effective. The smoke and fragrance from the incense was held under the awning, and we were able to sit out trouble free. The campfire also helped alot, however, you do end up smelling of wood smoke!

The other thing you can do is to use Avon Skin-So-Soft Dry Oil spray (blue bottle), which, whilst not being designed as an insect repellent, if used dilligently, seems to help. More about this in a later blog.

In summary, pick your time of year, go prepared, and don't let the possibility of midges put you off.

Picture above - Sunset, motorhome with awning out, campfire burning, 6 pm-ish, Muasdale Touring Park, Kintyre.

Island Hopping Scotland - What You Really Need to Know!

2008-04-13T17:10:00.003+01:00

Here's a quick checklist of what we learned on our fabulous Scottish Island Hopping Tour:

Island hopping in Scotland in a large motorhome is much easier than you think
“Hebridean Island Hopping” by Martin Coventry, became our bible and is well worth buying either in advance or on the ferry.
Fill up with diesel when you can - there are some extremely long stretches of road with no petrol stations
The islands are incredibly friendly places – expect waves from random car drivers and white van men as you are travelling round – particularly on Islay.
Parking a large motorhome is generally not a problem in Scotland or the islands we visited
Most supermarkets are Co-Ops, the occasional Tesco and a rare M&S
Midges are not such a problem as you might expect in September, and can be minimised with incense and Avon Skin-so-Soft
Wild camping is permitted in Scotland as long as you are considerate and get permission if appropriate. We didn’t do it, because we prefer the security and facilities of campsites, but plenty of motorhomes did.
Mobile phones (02) work in most locations
Expect bad weather, anything better is a bonus. Have a range of clothing, particularly good waterproofs, including over-trousers.
The ferries might seem expensive at first, but compared to Cross Channel ferries, they represent extremely good value for money.
Give the CalMac office your mobile number so they can contact you if there are ferry changes – and these DO happen quite regularly.
Our tour took us two weeks. We never felt rushed, and when we got back, it seemed like we'd been away for at least a month!

You will come back with many photographs and even more wonderful memories, so just get out there and do it!

Greendale Farm Adult Only Caravan and Camping Park, Rutland

2008-04-02T16:37:00.002+01:00

We are very fortunate in our job that we get to visit lots of caravan parks. We’d been trying to get in at Greendale Farm Adult Only Caravan & Camping Park, Rutland, for three years, but such is the popularity of this site, that we had never managed it. Then last September an offer dropped into our inbox – we were invited to Greendale’s end-of-season knees-up by special invitation only. We accepted immediately!

If you could take the best of all caravan parks and distill them down, if you were lucky, you’d end up with Greendale. So what are the elusive ingredients that makes this small, adult only park, such a success?

♦Friendly owners, Sue and Ian Barron, who are passionate about their site ♦ An incredibly friendly welcome, with high levels of customer care ♦ Genuine interest in everyone who stays on the site – no strangers here ♦ A pristine site which is lovingly landscaped, tended, nourished and cared for ♦ extreme pride in the site, the surroundings and the environment ♦ The shop including info/ library/ refreshment area, run on an honesty basis ♦ Thoughtful items to buy - one plaster, a few Piriton tablets or single tealights ♦ Strong environmental credentials – Greendale has a David Bellamy Gold Award ♦ Information, education, explanation, pictures and advice throughout the site ♦ An extremely quiet site ethic, operated in a strong but friendly manner ♦ Sensible rules, gently enforced with humour, for the benefit of all ♦

The park is set in gentle rolling Leicestershire countryside, close to Rutland Water, with the market town of Oakham, and Stamford nearby. There is so much to do in the area, that a weekend simply isn’t enough. We managed to fit in a circular walk around the Upper Hambleton peninsula one day, and a very careful stroll (hangover permitting) on Sunday along the North Shore of the reservoir.

Back at Greendale, the highlight of the weekend was a barbeque on the Saturday night – something about as common as an orgy in a convent - to which all the weekend “residents” were invited. There was a great crowd and we met some lovely people including Pete (“Mate”) and Linda, Steve and Jackie, Pete and Isla, Terry and Anne and Jane and Clive. The party started at 5 pm and was still going strong at midnight, so not surprisingly, there were a few hangovers the next morning.

The peace and quiet of this site gently embraces you, and it was extremely difficult to leave on Sunday afternoon. Let’s hope we behaved ourselves enough to be invited back next year!

One comment in the Visitors Book sums it up for us “We arrived as strangers and left as friends”. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Island Hopping Scotland - Loch Lomond to Lower Wensleydale - and home

2008-03-16T09:47:00.001Z

Nearly the last day of our Scottish Island Hopping holiday in a motorhome, and an early-ish start was required to pulll in a visit to the Maid of the Loch the other end of Loch Lomond. The Maid of the Loch was the last paddle steamer and the largest inland waterway passenger vessel to be built in Britain. Launched in 1953 – Coronation Year, it was built for service on Loch Lomond, the largest lake in Britain. Withdrawn from service in 1981, and vandalised thereafter, the Maid was rescued from dereliction in 1992 and as the first stage in restoring her to service is now open to the public in a static role.

As luck would have it, whilst not fully open on the day we were there, a group of school children were visiting the Maid, the Winch House and Slipway, and the boiler in the Winch House was actually in steam, so we were able to tag along and see things we would not normally have been able to. After a couple of hours anorak time, we needed to be heading south as time was pressing on, and we needed to be in Yorkshire by the evening. The SatNav was set for Leyburn - 205 miles and 5 hours later (after a detour due to roadworks), we arrived at the Caravan Club Lower Wensleydale site, near Bedale.

As soon as we came over the border from Scotland to England, the sun came out, and apparantly, most of England had had hot and sunny weather the whole time we were away. Typical.

This was our last stop and was nothing more than a pitch for the night before our last 125 miles home to Derbyshire the following day. The Wardens were extremely welcoming, the facilities, as ever with the Caravan Club, were excellent, but as we were late arriving, our pitch was one of the least popular, with our nose against one access road and our bike rack abutting the other. We were pleased M&S had changed their carrier bags to fluorescent green, as two were deployed to stop any passing site traffic catching us.

Once set up, we got the chilled champagne out of the fridge, lit the candles, and sat in the last rays of the evening sunshine, and celebrated what a totally wonderful holiday experience we’d had.

Hodsock Snowdrops

2008-02-08T14:48:00.002Z

"A magical sight you will never forget - myriads of flowers in the five-acre gardens plus a half mile walk through the wood with sheets of snowdrops to delight you. Certainly worth travelling a considerable distance to see"

Just up the road from Clumber Park Caravan Club site, Nottinghamshire, is Hodsock Priory, near Blyth, home to one of the best snowdrop collections and displays in the country, with 5 acres of formal gardens containing snowdrops and other fragrant flowering winter borders.

Not a Priory at all, but a stately home, Hodsock Priory, garden and snowdrop wood are situated in the middle of the 800 acre Hodsock Estate, which has been owned by the Buchanan family since 1765. The 700-acre farm is run by Sir Andrew Buchanan and grows carrots, sugar beet, wheat and barley. There are nearly 100 acres of woodland, which is actively managed and the whole Estate is run in an environmentally friendly way

Entry costs £4.50 for Adults, £1.00 for kiddies, with under-5's free. Dress warmly, with good footwear and allow a good three hours for the visit. Start off with a stroll round the gardens, taking in the wide variety of Snowdrops, Sarcococca, Daphne, Winter Honeysuckle, Leucojums, Golden Aconites, Cyclamen and Irises. Follow that with a gentle walk in the 12 hectare ancient woodland, with millions of snowdrops growing underneath the trees. Warm yourself by the bonfire and have a cup of tea from the cabin (or take a flask), and finish off buying some snowdrops, bluebells or winter flowering jasmin from the plant stall close to the exit.

The Priory is only open for 4 or 5 weeks during February and early March, and attracts over 40,000 visitors from all over the world. It's a magical day out for everyone young and old, with wheelchair/pushchair access to many parts, brand new tea rooms, an informative history room and the best toilets ever. Oh, and don't forget your camera to capture some beautiful and memorable winter scenes.

More information at http://www.snowdrops.co.uk/.

Island Hopping Scotland - Loch Lomond

2008-02-01T11:32:00.000Z

There are two Camping and Caravanning Club sites at Loch Lomond (greedy or what?), Luss on the west side and Milarrochy Bay on the east. Because Luss is situated immediately off the A82 Glasgow road, it is an ideal, and very beautiful, stopping off point. The only trouble was, one night was not enough and we didn’t want to leave! This site is incredibly popular, and booking well in advance is essential. The decision had been made some weeks earlier that this was to be the last campsite stop in Scotland and a pitch had therefore been booked. A good job too, as the site was completely full that evening.

On arrival, we were amazed to be allocated a loch-side pitch with stunning views through the shoreside shrubs down to our own private beach, and across the loch to the mountains. The friendly Warden walked us down and guided us onto the grass pitch and we parked sideways on to the Loch, with the 'van door opening straight onto the view – absolute bliss.

The village of Luss is very pretty, and is a model village, having been built on the wealth of slate. An untaxing circular walk of about an hour (map available from Reception) goes through the village, across ancient woodland, past the old slate mines and gives a good feel for the area.

Being at the side of a main road, there is some road noise, however, this is more background than intrusive. Midges? Yes, a few around at dusk, but our well practiced trick of pulling the awning out and lighting incense sticks made sitting outside comfortable.

Tomorrow, the journey south would continue, but for tonight, a leisurely evening meal of seafood from the Loch Fyne shop, cooked on the outdoor griddle and a cold bottle of Chablis whilst soaking up that fabulous view, ended yet another wonderful day.

Scottish Island Hopping - Kintyre to Inveraray

2008-01-12T08:11:00.000Z

So, having caught an earlier ferry from Islay back to Kintyre, we could now travel a little further towards home, before pitching up for the night. Loch Gilphead Caravan Park looked very nice and was our original choice when we thought we were catching the 3:30 pm ferry (no bookings taken for stays of one night - just turn up), however, we pushed on towards Inveraray. The choice of sites in this area was not great, and we’d seen an advert for Argyll Caravan Park earlier in some tourist information.

Now, due to bad experiences in the past, we would not normally choose a site on the basis of an advert, preferring to use the internet and word of mouth to find a site that suits us. We drove straight past this site once, because from the road it looks like a huge static park, however, not finding anything further along, we turned back and asked at Reception whether they had touring pitches. They did, which were located right through the site at the other end. This site was OK, but expensive at £18.00 night and we were pitched in an area that felt like a concrete car park. Granted, we DID have views of Loch Fynne, however, this was over a stretch of brown smelly weed and stagnant water, with millions of midges in attendance. I think tourers tend to use this site for just one night because when we woke the next morning, everyone else had gone – it was like the Marie Celeste! However, for a convenient stop-off on the journey south, its adequate if pricey.

Inveraray is well worthy of exploration, however, there was no parking to be had for our motorhome as the town was full of tourists - Japanese, American and Australian mainly. Inveraray Castle has a huge car park, and parking is free, and it’s about a 5 minute walk down the drive into the town from there. The castle itself is fantastic and should be visited if time allows. We didn’t have very long to explore the town, as we wanted to stop off at the Loch Fyne shop a short drive away. Parking at the restaurant/shop was no problem and we stocked up on fresh fish, sea food and gifts at the fabulous shop, which is very similar in style to the Farm Shop at Chatsworth House.

Our destination for our penultimate night was the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Luss, Loch Lomond, a site we’d stuck our nose into last year whilst walking round the Loch and really, REALLY liked the look of. We were not disappointed..............

Islay to Kintyre - The Journey Home Begins

2007-12-27T17:27:00.000Z

A word of warning at this point about the importance of re-
confirming ferry bookings. Our departure plans from Islay back to Kintyre Peninsula were changed by a text message the day before from CalMac advising that the ferry was departing at 14:00 hours, not 15:30 as booked (luckily, there is a good signal on Islay). A motorhome nearby had not left a contact mobile number, and only discovered by chance from us about the time change. Had he turned up for the 15:30 pm ferry, it would have been long gone, with the next one leaving 48 hours later.

But that’s not all. We got talking to a couple on the ferry back to Kintyre, who should have been going on to Oban, where their car was, but that journey had been cancelled and no onward arrangements were offered to get them back. Luckily, they’d persuaded friends to meet them and drive them the 70 mile trip to Oban!!! Apparantly, CalMac were one ferry down due to pre-winter maintenance, and some services were being changed or cancelled at short notice. Goodness knows what happens to those folks who are not contactable! It’s therefore advisable to make sure the CalMac office has a mobile number, AND that you ring to re-check the ferry well in advance of the return journey.

Islay - The Whisky Isle

2007-11-20T07:41:00.001Z

Until recently, there was just one campsite on Islay – Kintra Farm, 3 miles out of Port Ellen. Then, in 2007, another site opened – Port Mor Centre and Campsite at Port Charlotte. We can’t comment on Port Mor campsite because time did not permit us to visit it, however, a fellow motorhomer staying at Kintra Farm spoke very highly of it.

We use the internet extensively for researching our motorhoming holidays, and had seen some amazing images of Kintra. We chose it because pitching is possible right up to the beach and the views looked abolutely stunning. They were, and more.

This is without doubt one of the most beautiful and natural locations we have ever camped in our motorhome. The wide, sweeping, windswept beach is right in front of your door and the white sandy beach is just a step away. After checking in at the farmhouse, you make your way slowly over the solid grass-covered sand dunes to pick a pitching area of your choice. There were just a handful of fellow campers whilst we were there: a few tents and a couple of other motorhomes but we did not see any caravans in the two and a half days we were there.

Now, it has to be said that the facilities are basic, the welcome is brusque and the list of do’s and don’ts is very long and strictly enforced. A strange situation is that the site has no facilities for chemical toilet disposal. Apparantly the septic tank cannot cope, and there is an essay in the advance information emailed out that they are not a dumping station for campers who have stayed elsewhere. So the tone is pretty much set from before you arrive. We were only there for a couple of days, so it wasn’t a problem, but I have no idea what you would do if you wanted to stay there for a week or more. Now, I thought that it was a minimum requirement that campsite had to provide a CDP?

On the subject of water, this comes out of the taps brown and has to be boiled. We'd filled up before arriving, and had plenty on board to last us, but campers may wish to take an ample supply of bottled water for drinking purposes.

We paid £15.00 per night in September for our motorhome with no hook-up, to include showers and use of kettle, however, any other electricity used is charged for – ie mobile phone charging or hair-dryer!! Dogs are tolerated, and, disappointingly, there is a 4 mile circular walk from the site, on which dogs are not allowed. That put me in a right bad temper, I can tell you.

Once pitched up, we spent our time walking on the 10 mile beach, or just soaking up the amazing views. It was extremely windy whilst we were there, so sitting outside for any length of time was not pleasant and having planned to do the walk above, Plan B was a linear walk back down the single track road towards Port Ellen, and down towards Mull of Mu, which took us about three hours and is well worth doing.

We wished we'd booked longer on this site, and we would have loved more time to explore Islay, however, a text message from CalMac meant we had to adjust our return journey arrangements ................

Kintyre to Islay

2007-11-05T10:07:00.000Z

There are two things I don’t like – walking up hills or getting up early. So an 05:00 hrs start on holiday made me pretty grumpy. However, if we wanted to catch the 07:00 hrs ferry from Kennecraig (Kintyre) to Port Ellen (Island of Islay), it had to be done. Generally in summer there are two ferries a day from Kennacraig to Port Ellen - 07:00 hrs and 09:45 hrs, but not every day, so careful checking of timetables is essential. The 09:45 ferry was fully booked on the day we wanted to travel, with several on the waiting list, and no chance of a large motorhome sneaking on, so 07:00 hrs it was. And we are pleased we did this, because it gave us the whole day in Islay.

The crossing is 2.5 hours, the first part of which is an extremely picturesque cruise down West Loch Tarbert. Approaching the end of the Loch, the Paps of Jura were clearly visible, and to the east the Island of Gigha.

On arrival at Islay, driving was a doddle, and we able to park almost anywhere wiithout worrying – unusual in a 23 foot motorhome. Rather than going straight to the campsite, we decided on the spur of the moment to do a bit of a whisky trail. Now, not being a whisky drinker myself (although I kept that quiet on the tour), I did not expect to be enthralled by a distillery visit, but I have to say it was incredibly interesting. If you believe the guidebooks, distillery tours are by appointment only and should be pre-booked, but we decided to turn up and blag it, and sure enough, tours run regularly thoughout the day.

Our first stop was Lagavulin, and we had the tour all to ourselves. It took much longer than the usual hour, because we met the Head Distiller halfway round, got inside information, and ended up sampling of the whisky at various stages of its short fermentation process (when it’s more like a weak beer, apparantly). The statistics are mind-boggling. Millions of litres of water and thousands of tonnes of barley are used every year at this distillery alone. Multiply that by the eight distilleries on Islay, and that’s a phenomenal amount of raw materials producing this amber nectar annually. Once made, it then has to be stashed away for 10, 16 or more years just sitting maturing in bonded warehouses.

We left the ‘van in Lagavulin’s car park (after checking that was OK) and walked up the narrow road to Ardbeg – 20 minutes away, which has a café with outdoor tables, where we could sit with our little dog. The food here is fantastic and well worth a visit even if you are not interested in whisky. Ardbeg has a mascot called Shorty – a very pushy Jack Russell who is clearly used to getting his own way. He took great interest in our Jack Russell, Holly, until she saw him off, following which he turned his affections to a more timid little dog on the next table and amused everyone for the next hour with his antics (except the owners of said timid JR).

Last stop was Laphroaig, where there is a large car park, and we just stuck our nose into the Visitor’s Centre and Shop and picked up some little souvenirs. Time was getting on and we needed to get the the campsite, so we headed for the wide, windswept beauty of the site at Kintra Farm, 3 miles out of Port Ellen....... more about our stay in the next blog........

Island Hopping Scotland - Day Trip to Gigha

2007-10-29T07:29:00.000Z

The small island of Gigha - not pronounced Gig-Hah, but Gee-ahh, (not to rhyme with pier) is well worth a trip. Five minutes drive up the road from Muasdale is the tiny hamlet of Tayinloan, where the ferry departs every day to Gigha. We discovered that this runs every hour, except between 12 noon and 2 pm, when we turned up at 12:05 pm to see the ferry hairing off at high speed. Never mind, instead of having lunch on Gigha as anticipate, we had a very pleasant meal at the MacDonald Arms Hotel just down the road from the ferry port.

It’s really not worth taking the car over to Gigha. It costs about £36 and there is only one road of approx 5 miles. It’s best to take bikes, but we weren’t sufficiently well organised to do that, however going as a foot passenger (approx £5.00) is a good alternative. We only had 2 hours there, because the last ferry back on a Sunday departs at 4:30 pm, and we didn’t want to be stranded overnight, but still had a good stroll round and got a feel for this lovely island.

The Isle of Gigha has a total population of approx 150 people, and has been community-owned since 2002. One of the must-see attractions is the Achamore Gardens (honesty box entry) and we had plenty of time to walk to and have a look round the beautiful gardens – and dogs are allowed!

We’d just missed a music festival which was finishing as we arrived on the island, as evidenced by dead tents, sleeping bags, bin liners and other detritus scattered around. Camping is possible on Gigha – there is a field in front of the Gigha Hotel, but pre-booking is required with the Hotel. As we waited for the last ferry to arrive, the heavens opened and we took shelter in a very, er, basic waiting room in a shed. Meanwhile, our ‘van was back at Muasdale and a bottle of wine was chilling in the fridge.

Kintyre Continued

2007-10-22T21:31:00.000+01:00

The Kintyre Peninsula is almost an island, and is well worthy of further exploration. It attracts many walkers and nature lovers, and the Kintyre Way is a recently-designated long distance walk, which, by co-incidence, a friend of our was doing, using the Jura Apartment at Muasdale Touring Park as their base. Now this is an 89 mile waymarked walk, which sounds “easy” however, experienced as he was, by day three he had to pull out due to a blister severe enough to need medical treatment, and instructions not to do anymore walking that week, so it’s not an activity to be undertaken by the inexperienced. Apparantly, what finally did him in was walking over a boggy peat surface, which acted as a suction on the walking boots, leading to the horrendous blister.

The main town on Kintyre is Campbeltown, approx 17 miles from Muasdale, where there is an excellent range of independent shops as well as takeaways, the ubiquitous Co-Op and a surprisingly largeTesco Metro. We decided we HAD to visit the Mull of Kintyre, but to be honest, were a little disappointed. “Oh Mist Rolling in from the Sea” sums up the day we visited, and we could very little. The drive down to the Mull is 7 miles on a single track road, which is a spectacular drive (there are plenty of passing places clearly marked with black and wide striped poles) but it would have been crazy to take the motorhome down. There’s a small car park at the end – for approx 10 cars, and from there you continue on foot to the lighthouse, down an EXTREMELY steep hill. We ventured about half way then decided we could see what we needed from there, thank you very much.

The small east coast fishing village of Carradale is worth a visit, but our favourite place was Southend, in the south, where seals were close to the shore and totally unfazed by humans. There are prehistoric caves to explore too, where stoneage man (and woman) would have lived pretty cold, wet and miserable lives.

A must-do trip on the Kintyre peninsula is the circular drive round the coast road, stopping off at places of interest on the way, and this is do-able either in a day or, as we did, in bite-sized chunks.
What we noticed most about Kintyre was the sheer peace, quiet and lack of other people - wonderful! We had most places to ourselves, and it was rare to meet anyone else.

No trip to the Kintyre Peninsula is complete without a visit to Gigha, so the day before we left, we took a day trip as foot passengers across to this small island, which is owned by it's residents ..........

Scottish Island Hopping - Kintyre Peninsula

2007-10-15T11:36:00.000+01:00

It was the aerial view shot of Muasdale Touring Park that sowed the seed, and when Alison emailed a picture taken of a motorhome on the beach, that was it – our main destination for our summer holiday was decided. Of course, as earlier postings tell, we island hopped either side of Muasdale, but spent several nights on this small ocean-side site to explore the Kintyre Peninsula

thoroughly. A quick search for available pitches showed that Muasdale had limited vacancies for early September, and so the rest of the holiday was arranged around those dates.

Alison and Adrian have owned Muasdale for about 5 years, having decided on a lifestyle change from accountancy, and have been developing the business since. In addition to the touring park, they have the Jura Apartment and 4 static caravans for hire. We had a good nose around the Jura Apartment between lettings – a fine Victorian property, furnished true to the period, on the first floor of the large “extension” to the original house. Alison and Adrian’s winter project is creating a downstairs apartment ready for the 2008 season, which will make their letting portfolio complete.

The 10 pitch touring field immediately over the road is right next to a white sandy beach and turquoise sea, with lovely sea views (weather permitting) across to the islands of Cara, Gigha and Islay, with the Paps of Jura visible on clear days. All sorts of wildlife can be spotted with patience, including seals, and Alison is happy to share her knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. The weather was not kind whilst we were there, in fact we were confined to barracks on our first day because of heavy rain. It picked up the next day, and we even had a pretty sunset, although we were assured that glorious sunsets are the norm, not the exception.

Alison told us, without any hint of boasting, that they own both the grass AND the beach, up to the high tide mark, so I suppose their land ownership ebbs and flows (so to say). Unusually, camp fires are allowed on the beach, and as we had taken our own firepit, logs and axe, (our motorhome has a large garage), we had a campfire on several evenings. Beachcombing for driftwood is encouraged, and the local shop, just 5 minutes walk away, sells peat logs. Campfires are great, but in the romance of it all, you forget how much they smoke, and with a dodgy wind, we filled the campervan with smoke on several occasions – boy how that smell lingers.

With Adrian’s help we had pre-booked a small hire car from the Vauxhall Garage in Campbeltown, which meant we could tour the Kintyre Peninsula, and beyond, over the next few days............

Isle of Arran

2007-10-08T09:49:00.000+01:00

Apparantly, most folks just pass through the Isle of Arran, by arriving at Brodick then driving to Lochranza, for the ferry to Kintyre, without stopping. Big mistake. We wished we had longer on the Island, but two days was all we had, and we made the most of it.

Seal Shore Campsite is a very laid back site tucked away in the south corner of the island. The site owners sell absolutely delicious freshly caught lobster and crab (which you have to dress yourself) at very reasonable prices – and are well worth tackling with any tools handy – in our case a hammer and an axe! Why we were carrying an axe will be revealed when we get to Muasdale Touring Park.

There are two areas to the site – pre-booked and non-booked, the pre-booked area being nearer the sea, with hook-ups, and is mainly for caravans and motorhomes. Tents are pitched to the rear of the site. The weather was kind to us on Arran, with sunshine on both days, but midges could be a problem as evening appproached, despite being on the coast. We quickly learned how to deal with them – see later blog “Midges”.

One small niggle with this site was that motorhomes and tents turned up early evening and pitched up on the narrow strip right at the front of the site between the beach and the campsite, thus blocking the view for everyone else. So having picked a pitch for its great sea view, you found yourself overlooking the side of a campervan or acres of canvas. This could be solved by only allowing small, low tents along that area but ………………………..

A 20 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride from the site is a brilliant village shop and Post Office – Kildonan Store,– a veritable Tardis with a huge range of food and drink goodies. We even got an elusive bottle of sparkling red Ozzie wine, which we couldn't find in Tesco or Oddbins.

On the way to the ferry port of Lochranza, the departure point for the Kintyre Peninsula, we called in at several tourist places including the delightful Museum of Arran life, Arran Brewery and Arran Aromatics and had no problems parking the ‘van at any of these places. Arran in September was very quiet, and had we been on the island longer we would have had no quarms about taking the ’van out for the day.

The ferry port at Lochranza, destination Claonaig (on the Kintyre peninsula) is tiny, literally a small grid-like car park with a ramp down to the sea, and the ferry is not bookable. You just turn up and wait. We were first in the queue, and had plenty of time for a cup of tea and crab mousse on hot toast, (much to the envy of the motorcyclist in the queue behind us!).

This ferry was much smaller than the previous one, and was open air (to allow for larger, taller vehicles to be loaded). As we departed Arran for the short crossing, we left the sunshine behind, and approached the Kintyre Peninsula shrouded in mist. Our destination – Muasdale Touring Park, Muasdale, Kintyre.

Island Hopping Second Leg Ardrossan to Isle of Arran

2007-09-28T10:42:00.000+01:00

Three hours and 166 miles after leaving Kendal, we arrived at the ferry port of Ardrossan, north of Irvine. Whilst we normally buy all manner of things online, because of the nature of this trip, we wanted to ensure that our plans would work, and needed to check ferry times/days – especially ferries for Islay, which were particularly confusing. The staff were very patient with all our questions, and pre-booked all our ferry crossings with the exception of Arran to Claonaig, which is not bookable. It's important to reserve crossings for motorhome/ caravans to and from Islay as these get booked up very quickly. £220 lighter and wanting to fill up with diesel before embarking on our adventure, we drove back down the port approach road and fuelled up. An Asda Supermarket being built adjacent to the port, which will be ideal for stocking up on essential before departing for the sticks. Back at the port, we were first in the queue, and first on the 5 pm ferry to Brodick, the main town on Arran.

Caledonian Macbrayne Ferries pretty much have the monopoly on the ferries in this part of Scotland, and run an incredibly efficient, and (we think), value-for-money service. The ferries hurry into the port, their front ramp coming down as they approach, the anchors are crammed on and within seconds of docking, vehicles of all sizes, including juggernauts, pour off. In no time, the waiting vehicles are loaded with expert guidance from port staff, and off the ferry goes on it’s return journey. We were both excited and nervous about taking our beloved motorhome on so many ferries, but there’s no need to worry about anything. It’s a whole lot easier than Cross Channel ferries, and really nothing like it. Dogs are allowed on board and there is a lounge where they are welcome with well-behaved owners, and you can walk them on deck too. The cafe on the larger ferries serves reasonable food relevant to the time of day, and there’s a small shop selling newspapers, sweets, gifts and books. It’s well worth having a look at the books – we picked up “Hebridean Island Hopping” by Martin Coventry, which became our bible for the islands we visited.

The crossing to Brodick, the main town on Arran, was smooth and took just 55 minutes. On arriving at Arran, we turned left and headed for Seal Shore Campsite, Kildonan, on the south of the Island – a pictureque journey of 12 miles, 40 minutes. We were nervous about travelling on narrow roads, but the journey was a doddle – we hardly met another vehicle, and there was plenty of room for passing at most places when we did. The short drive down to Seal Shore had us full of anticipation at what looked like a beautiful site......

Island Hopping - The First Leg - Derbyshire to Ardrossan

2007-09-22T17:00:00.000+01:00

The AA route planner advised that our original plan of driving from Derbyshire to the Kintyre Peninsula would take 8.22 hours (based on a car) – a distance of 413 miles – flamin’ heck – we’d be exhausted. Plan B – Island Hopping had us driving to Ardrossan at 5.39 hrs, 315 miles – still a long haul in a motorhome, so an overnight stay was advisable. We broke our journey at Ashes Exclusively Adult Caravan Park, south of Kendal in the Lake District, so we could take in some of this beautiful area. This site is ideal for stopping off, as it's only 3 miles from the M6 motorway.

Ashes used to be a CL, then a few years ago gained permission to become a 25 van site. Run extremely professionally by Alison and Ian Mason, the site is set in lovely countryside about 3 miles from Kendal. With country views from all pitches, this was a very quiet and peaceful site, despite being full. The pretty, small, but very adequate, heated stone-built toilet and shower block is luxurious – hotel standard in fact, and there are two separate unisex toilets with washbasin, which are equipped for the less abled.

Walking or cycling into Kendal isn’t really an option from the site, unless you are super-fit, and taking our motorhome in to the town wasn’t something we wanted to do on a Saturday, so we got a taxi both ways, at a cost of £10 per journey. Kendal was delightful on the weekend we were there as there was a Street Art Festival, with all sorts of performers doing weird and funny activities. Did anyone else see the bloke in the window of Toni and Guys with a huge blob of shaving foam in a strategic place (which wasn’t his face) or the Black and White Men on the minute tandem? It was a great start to the holiday.

Back at Ashes, there are several walks from the site, and Alison has folders of information on the area which can be borrowed for the duration of your stay. This is also a site where you can just sit and enjoy the views and the fabulous English sunshine(!). We could have stayed on longer, but Scotland was calling, and our ferry was departing soon………

Scottish Island Hopping in a Motorhome?

2007-09-19T18:32:00.000+01:00

We’d not planned to go Island Hopping in Scotland, but that’s what we ended up doing. Island hopping in a 23 foot motorhome? A crazy idea? Were we mad? No! It’s dead easy. So here’s the story.

Originally, the plan was to drive from Derbyshire to the Kintyre Peninsula and back, taking in various stops both ways. Then a friend asked had we thought of taking the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick, and another from Lochranza to Claonaig? Where to where? Who was Brodick and what was Claonaig?

A visit to the excellent Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries Website, and online ordering of their brochure made things a little clearer. We ended up chosing Island Hopscotch 16 ticket (£220 for up to 10m motorhome and 2 passengers) – Arran – Kintyre – Islay, which took us from Ardrossan to Brodick, Lochranza to Claonaig, Kennecraig to Port Ellen, and Port Askaig to Kintyre. Sounds confusing? Yes, a bit, but all will become clear in future blogs.

One hiccup occurred, resulting in us having to change our return journey plans at short notice - we mistakenly thought the Hopscotch ticket got us back to our starting place of Ardrossan – uh-uhh - not true – it only got us back to Kintyre Peninsula. That’s what happens when you don’t read the small print. So instead of retracing our steps, we travelled back via Inveraray and Loch Lomond, down through Yorkshire, and back to Derbyshire - seeing places we would otherwise have missed. All done in two weeks – and it felt like we’d been away for a month.

And what an absolutely amazing holiday experience it was. We will be writing about it in bite-sized chunks in the next few blogs.

Woodland Caravan Park Revisited

2007-09-15T16:39:00.000+01:00

The sun came out at last, and everyone was looking for available pitches for the weekend – including us. We were very fortunate to get in at Woodland Caravan Park,just outside Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
This is a new site; it only opened at Easter 2007 and we were invited to their launch day, so it was great to actually stop for the weekend. The setting of the Park is delightful and access is a doddle, being almost immediately off the A515. The level spacious pitches have been thoughtfully integrated into the ancient woodland, and the pitches arranged so that you do not directly overlook your neighbours or the folks opposite. The dappled sunlight through the trees is enchanting, and the natural woodland and bracken setting creates a lovely restful atmosphere.

Linda-Jane and Charles are working extremely hard to make this site a very special place. The shower and toilet block are kept scrupulously clean and there is a useful laundry room (sleeping bags washed and dried in a trice). L-J is also planning to put a microwave oven in there too for the use of caravanners shortly. Exclusive walks in their grounds can be arranged with the gamekeeper, although we did it DIY and got hopelessly lost, and somewhat covered in cow dung and nettle stings. I understand that signposts to help the cartographically challenged are imminent.

Ashbourne is a short drive away, and the site is very convenient for Dovedale and Ilam. However, on a rare hot and sunny weekend, Dovedale was more like Blackpool, with hundreds of people picnicking, paddling, boating and sunbathing.

Back to Woodland, and we were pleased to see food available from The Two Women in a Kitchen (the Lemon Drizzle Cake is still wonderful), and special orders are taken. Five minutes walk down the lane is a stall selling plants at extremely welcome prices. There is a pub within walking distance, but it’s a reasonable hike, and uphill on the way back.

We loved this site – its less than 20 miles from home and the very warm welcome from L-J and Charles makes you instantly relaxed. We’ll be back in Autumn when the trees will be particularly wonderful and the crowds should have gone from Dovedale.

Race for Life 2007, Western Park, Leicester

2007-08-30T17:02:00.000+01:00

Last year’s Race for Life was at Holme Pierrepont. This year’s event scheduled for 29 July was postponed due to flooding, so we transferred to the event at Leicester. Big mistake. Holme Pierrepont is flat, Western Park is hilly. I don’t do hills. Never has 5 km seemed so long.

We set off with the runners (the walkers set off from a different point) and within 15 seconds my team mates had hared off like whippets. Not me, I settled down into my steady pace – didn’t know what this course had in store. Glad I did as it turned out. Overtaken by dozens of women for first 15 minutes, then it was my turn to overtake all those who were now walking. Tortoise and Hare. This was a grass course, and trailed all round the park. It wasn’t too hot, and despite HUGE black thunder clouds, stayed dry.

My time last year was 39 minutes (on the flat) and I was desperate to beat that, and all looked good until the final 500 metre sign, when ahead of me I saw a steep hill. Did I mentioned I don’t do hills? I finished in 39 minutes and 16 seconds, extremely out of breath and red in the face, but I’d run all the way. Tortoise and Hare. The winner did it in 21 minutes but I wasn’t there to race, I was there to do it – and raised nearly £100 in the process.