Category: Diary

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Bromyard Downs

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Nice site, good walks for dogs, facilities as they are are good, very neat and tidy, near the road but quiet at night. Being on a bend crossing the road from the site need to be careful.

Issue for Motorhomes, we use a 6.4m motorhome and only just managed to fit on a hardstanding pitch, the hardstanding pitches are small (very small), some are much bigger but obviously more popular. It is impossible to pitch in the traditional manner of car, van, awning and gap, just not possible. The difference in the awning and non awning pitch size is negligible. Grass pitch sizes are better but Motorhomes discouraged from using when we went, although very firm and not sloping.

We would stay again as nice site and for us a good location but disappointed by the pitch size.

14/pn inc EHU with Awning (hahahaha)

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Waghorns, Bewl water

Decided to go away for the bank holiday weekend, could not decide where so picked Beal water as a friend had recommended  a site Chessons Farm, near it and Ali and Julie had booked in for a weekend in a month or so’ s time.

Full, as was Cedar Gables, any way had a look around and found a CL Waghorns other side of the lake but looked fine and more importantly had a pitch 13.00 pn with ehu.

All packed up and departed Friday at about 14:00, M25 slow but mostly moving, the worst is the A21 near Tonbridge Wells, arrived about 16:30, which was not bad.  

Waghorns has 5 pitches although could take a few more the owner reckons 9, there are 6 ehu points around a field with view all round, owners house is just next to the pitches as is a horse paddocks and chicken runs.  There are 2 toilets nominally one Men and one Ladies, a washing up sink, toilet waste point, fresh water point, an imformation table and Wi-Fi.

It is just over a mile walk to the lake and the cycle oaths, but the roads are very quiet and dog walking and cycling is easy.  There is a nice pub about half a mile away, good food and not overpriced, but not cheap.

  • 13.00 on including ehu 
  • Wi-Fi included but crap
  • Mobile signal good
  • Tv reception good
  • Pub good
  • Dog walking offsite OK
  • 8/10

We took Gaza for a walk on the Friday about 2 miles and checked out the pub, booked dinner for Sat eve.  Had prepared Indian with rice, very nice but broccoli yeuchhh!

Saturday, croissants hard, good long dog walk round the local footpaths and woods, loads of bluebells.  Then Gaza settled we headed off on bikes to the lake and the visitors centre, didn’t  find the centre.  Lake is excellent, the cycles track or Bewl Walk is mostly sharp gravel and grassy paths, some on the tarmac lanes up and down slopes, with some proper hill climbs.

Jacqui had a slight fall nothing broken, was on a rutted grassy/muddy path, just lost balance, thankfully landed on the grass.

We ended up doing 16.5 miles, the bikes did well and apart from failing on one of the hills.  I think Jacqui understands my issue with the bikes now as they were bought to helps us covers miles easily and to not be out off by hills.  They work well comfortable, easy to operate, great displays,  power levels probably fine for us, tackles slopes not problem, but steep hills not quite right.  May try changing the sprocket on mine and see if that helps.

Got back took Geza for another walk and then drinks and off to then pub, starter, main wine and beer 52.00 not bad.

Sunday, planned much the same but in the morning Jacqui slipped on the bottom step and banged her side, so not cycling, instead we took Gaza off for a 5 mile walk and a beer.  He managed it all but reaches his limit.

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Laithwaites wine offers

Often get letters from Laithwaites or one of the other wine clubs offering this that and something else generally bin them as wine is overpriced, unknown and he offers invariably involve signing up to a plan.

But this offer caught my eye, the wine in it looked familiar and although the initial discounted price was about 6.99 per bottle they had a 20.00 discount code, plus an extra bottle for 12, 40.00 for 24 bottles and 2 bottles free.  This meant 26 bottles for 127.76 or 4.92 a bottle and wine I know I like.

Grabbed a browser and ordered, the basket accepted the code and all completed.  Wine arrived 2 days later, but only 24 bottles no free gift. Bollox, contacted customer service via the website as probably just and oversight, the sage went like this.

  • Offer received and ordered  20.04.17
  • Contacted nicely saying no received free gift.
  • Reply ‘we have ran out 19.4,17 sending a 10.00 voucher.
  • I replied saying why have an offer for something that you have already run out of, not reasonable.
  • No response.
  • Phone explained issue, representative stated t&c’s cover this and they have run out.  I explained that the wine on the offer us available to order on their web site.  Thats a different wine and the offer you used started beginning of April, also one of the wines is out if stock.
  • Explained not happy and would like a proper written explanation.
  • Received email requedtinbni forward them a copy of the offer email, which I did.
  • Still poised off, I started trying to find offer t&c’s, on the web nothing other than offer still valid.  But in the delivery a full copy of terms and the offer, totally contradicting what they had told me.
  • Back on the phone straight away, another rep, more useful, after an internal debate agrees to send the gift bottles and extra to say sorry.  Very happy with result.
  • 3 bottles and an apology arrived the next day.
  • The next day the 10.00 discount voucher arrived.
  • The following day another 2 free bottles

So moral is complain and read terms.

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HTC Oxford, First Service

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Took the van in for its first service on Thursday 20th April, booked it in on the 20th March for today, turned up about 9:15am. Â Guy on reception has no record of the service being booked but says not a problem. Â Rang later to say all done and can be picked or left and pick up the next day.

Wanting to miss the School traffic we decided to pick up the next day, total bill including vat 393.00. Â Sure it could have been had cheaper but at I do have some faith in these guys getting it right, they did change the Fuel filter so we shall see.

 

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Clumber Park, April 2017

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Set off on the Sunday midday for Clumber Park, Heather and Steve had stayed the previous cheese night and left around mid morning 11ish. Â Actually we had a false start as got to Bicester and Jacqui realised she had forgotten her new walking boots, so turnaround and picked them up, this delayed us a bit still traffic was light.

Uneventful journey and this time we decided to follow the CMC directions rather than the Sat Nav’s. Â Parked up at pitch 156, quite busy but plenty of available pitches.

Basically sat in the sun and had a G&T, then dog walk, dinner, watched Sully and OK film  and bed.

Next day, breakfast coffee, dog walk longish trying though to keep them to 2 miles for Geza’s sake although he seems to be getting stronger and we had to help get in the van  initially he can manage by himself.  Nicely tired dog so bikes unloaded and off for a ride round Clumber Park estate, very easy 7/8 miles.  Clumber Park wardens make a great thing about theft and bikes especially providing a bike lock up, we decided to just put them away each night covered up.

That evening I managed to format our movies drive a simple thing to do when attached to the TV and just shows why you cannot be too careful (dickhead)! Â Also with the internet there being truly awful we were forced to rely on TV this was for the first time sporadic so we invested in a TV cable 15.00 for 25m aerial lead.

So far have really enjoyed the site so we decided to stay on for a 3rd night, it was very pleasant sitting outside watching world events unfold with a refreshing drink to hand.

The big event for me was meeting Eric of Eric and Shazza fame, whose blogs I have read avidly for the last 2 years. Â Really nice to speak to him and see that they are still hankering after touring again in a couple of years.

We left the site with nothing booked but a plan to head on to Bourne and then Sandringham.

 

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Grafham Water, CMC Club site

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16.03.2017, Thursday evening – mostly ready to set off tomorrow pm for a weekend break at Grafham. Â Van is prepped just food and some clothes to load up.

New things this trip:

  • Diabolo sandwich maker, expecting great things
  • Revise screen cover attachment method
  • Shower head though doubt we will use it.

Arrived at site shortly after Ali and Julie, typical, one day we shall beat them!.

Wardens very chatty and helpful, currently in a large Concorde Motorhome, that they are changing to a Carthago Malibu PVC, they claim has as much room and easier to drive. Â Think they are nuts!

Took evening stroll to water edge all very pleasant mainly down to a almost neat Gin and Tonic Jacqui prepared for me.

Saturday morning  walk around the back of the site for Geza should have been about 1.5 miles ended up 2.5 miles and over rough terrain he was a bit tired and glad to see us bugger off on our bikes.

We set off the four of us to the Wheatsheaf pub about 5 miles round the 10 mile track round the lake.  Lots of runner and some cyclists, really appreciated the electric assistance.  Julie got a puncture in her rear tyre after about 3.5 miles, thankfully nothing to do with me this time.  Agreed that Ali should go back for the van Jacqui and Julie would walk together and I would ride ahead to check on a good spot to meet up and load the van.

Found the fishing lodge with a massive carpark virtually empty so all met up there the pub was packed with little parking available.  Jacqui and I carried o round the lake buying some eggs on the way.  About a 1.5 miles from the site we came across a Bike shop dealing with electric bikes, phone Ali and told him as oopen till 5pm and could fix her tyre.

After getting back to the van Ali and I walked back to the bike shop and got the tyre repaired along with puncture slime.

Overall a good site could go with a pub or something being within 0.5 mile or so. but otherwise good location. Â Very small site though.

 

 

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Setthorns, 24th Feb

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Wanted to visit New Forest to get a tree fix, so booked into Setthorns. This time we booked a standard pitch with EHU, not a Select pitch. The pitches are smaller as such harder to get level on, we managed but did for the first time park up somewhere we could not get level with the hydraulics, we moved.

We also had a look around and decided that Select pitch next time.

Saturday, walked about 6 miles to the pub and back, Geza managed it but was tired. When we got back a caravan alarm was going off turns out it was the one next door, nothing untoward but quite annoying, we decided not to move and they did come back under the cover of darkness.

As it turns out the walk was a bit too much for Geza and when we got back home we ended up taking him to the vet, after offering to put him to sleep which we declined we took home with some Antibiotics and pain killers. He did not move or drink/eat anything for about 36 hours, by this time we had been back to the vet and they gave him an anti nauseum injection whihc did not help. Tuesday morning after deciding if no improvement we would put him to rest, he seemed to perk up and almost back to normal. Much weaker but still quite alert.

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Devizes, 20th Jan

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Booked up in the Morning to take a trip to Devizes, arrived as dusk found a nice spot near the dog walk.

In the morning Geza for a walk along the canal away from Devizes up to a Pub but a little early for us, so just headed back to the van.  Got the bikes out and took off to Devizes, many locks to pass and a nice cafe stop (cash only).

That evening we had a meal at the local pub, good enough but nothing special would eat again but not special.

Clear dry day, would go back

 

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Longleat New Year 2017

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Journeyed to Longleat on the 3th Friday, traffic flowed although avoided the A303 and came by the A350.

Typical CC Club site, so hardstanding with EHU, facility blocks scattered around and one way tarmac everywhere. Â The site was fully booked, we arrived about 3:50 about an hour after Alistair and Julie who had parked up and reserved the pitch next to them. Â Drove on and levelled up easily.

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