Camping El Naranjal Calle Cannes, s/n, 03730 Xàbia, Alicante, Spain +34 965 79 29 89 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ReSnABEHmqELv1bu6
Stopped for 2 nights acsi
Day 18, Camping El Naranjal
Day 8 to …. Bravoplaya Camping – Resort (antes TorreLaSal2)
Bravoplaya Camping – Resort (antes TorreLaSal2) Avenida, Carrer del Camí de l’Atall, 44, 12595, Castellón, Spain +34 964 31 95 67 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ihq6qDdtHRcJ4a68A
Day 5, Pont a Brac
Left camping car park after emptying and filling, site facilities very good.
Had the weather been better we would have stayed awhile longer for a walk or bike ride. Decided to crack on to Espana.
Journey was grey, wet and overcast. Stopped for coffee and a biscuit or 2. The stop was at a farm cave outlet with a cafe restaurant, provided great parking and an Aire with free ehu. Nothing else there.
Have stopped for the night at a free Aire Pont a Brac, free emptying ehu and water 2€.
Day 4, Bazouges Cré sur Loir, France
Anniversary today 29 years married, felt right.
Set off Giverny nice and early 10:30, intending to gave a late breakfast so as to encourage Jacqui not to overeat early on as she did yesterday.
Stopped for fuel at an Intermarche 3.2m height we did fit easily. Then carried on to Saint-Langis-lès-Mortagne Aire very nice little stop free with waste, wc, 2€ for water or ehu. Had a lunch of scrambled egg toast and a pain at chocolate hmmmm.
We then decided to crack on to the coast and slightly better weather today has been dry but windy and chilly. Chose La Fleche camping car-park, nice 2 hours trip and ended up at Bazouges Cré sur Loir, camping car-park. Some issues gettingnin as the email address I used was already registered but couldn’t be useful as I had no card for it so created new account. But it us a great stop if weather tomorrow good then we may well stop a couple if nights ? ? ?
Day 3, Giverny
Left Long aire early sadly reception still closed and no signs if life so free stop, about what it is worth.
Stopped to purchase a couple of croissants, then stopped at a Autoroute Aire for breakfast. Decided to head to Neufchatel en Bray supermarket as virtually on the way, French social distancing non existent not impressed at all. Lelcerc and Lidl.
Cracked onto Giverny arrived about 13:35 had a quick snack and then headed to the Giverny Impressionist Musee, they had an exhibition of American Impressionism the Hudson River school. Educational and interesting but some crap amongst some great art.
Decided to stop the night and move on tomorrow, the aire is free, behind the coach park, no facilities.
Day 2, tunnel and France
Left Oxford about 10:30, had a great journey down to the M20, when we encountered Operation Stack.
It added a good 45 minutes to the journey from J7 to J8. When you are directed off at J8 you are met by 3 lanes going to 2 lanes then some police holding up laminated sheets waving madly at lorry drivers, whilst taking the 2 lanes to one lane for 99% of the traffic on a roundabout. Absolutely bloody useless idiots who thought it up.
Caught the 15:50 train which we were booked onto. Virtually empty but still left late. No questions or passport check by the French, just waved through.
Arrived a little late, but set off for Long Aire (expensive choice 10€ for nothing).
First issue was that our phones and the mifi did not connect properly to internet they worked fine, but no data. So turned on an old phone with a EE PAYG SIM and googled APN settings. Changed for Lebara and Superdrug and hey presto they worked brilliantly.
Whilst we stopped on the A16 Aire the heavens opened but it gave us the time to sort out the APN settings.
Arrived at Long 20:20, chosen as we had not been before at the moment at 10.20€ to park we won’t both returning. Mind not paid yet! Tried but reception closed and although they saw me they did not come out so I obeyed the sign to not knock.
Lasagne, wine and Gangs of London and a glass of ice….bliss.
Day 1, Bladon Chains
CMC 23.01 used a voucher. Lots of rain in the way down, but no hold ups.
Stopped at Bicester, filled up with petrol, lots of new building and changes. Looking prosperous.
York, THS
Wanted to visit York for a while, as there is a Temporary Holiday Site running till the 1st September, we thought we would try it out.
Arrived and checked in paid 20 for the 2 nights and big rugby pitch available to all the van parked in rows at least 6m apart lots of room for van awning and guidlines.
Wandered into York, found the Minster and a market all very nice alot of people about doing tourist things. All the main attractions were pre-booking only and were all fully booked. Shame.
We found a restaurant and although a bit early as we had skipped lunch we decided on an early dinner, also we got to make full use of the government rebate. The menu looked good but on the whole the food was not quite there missed the mark on all my dishes and Jacqui’s main. Her starter of a Haddock Scotch egg was very tasty and well executed, my has pressed terrine was teeny tiny and actually not that great. Service was however excellent and with a 20.00 rebate probably fair value. If we had to pay full price we would not go back. It was called ……
Bala July 2020
Booked Bala back in May with the idea that it would be open by now. Turns out it is open but sadly it is busy busy busy.
Lots of families, lots of sailing, kayaks, sups etc…
The journey was long and wet, when we arrived it had mostly stopped but started spitting as we decided to erect the Vango awning.
After setting up awning the sun appeared and stayed out for most of the day. Lots of kids playing on the tyre swing — note to self do not stay on any pitch near a swing in school holidays or at weekend.
Had a wander to consider areas for pitching up with family headland is fav so far but anywhere would be fine.
Day 2
Day 2
Kids shut up about 22:00, so good night and no real noise till about 08:00. Watched Wynn’s via three midi worked very well.
Up late and breakfast toast Marmalade, coffee using new kettle
Unloaded bikes and decided to head off to Bala for a look around and a coffee. It was spitting and quite windy so we decided against the kayaks. On the way stopped at sailing club Jacqui almost fell off (again a steep sloping drop) have a difficultly breathing bit, which was brought on by the fall and putting effort in in the slopes. As this was happening I was stung by a wasp ??.
So keen to get to a chemist gave the sailing club a cursory glance and headed into Bala, bought afterbite own, cream and antihistamines. Followed by a coffee and ?.
8 mikes cycled there and back, popped bikes back into can and had another coffee.
Spoke to Molly and warden to check out where we would be in September with kids and agreed on the spare field not a lake view but sheltered quiet and easy lake access. Also beach for a fire ? when required.
Day 3
Up early breakfast toast and then sorted out kayaks and then set off for a paddle. All good we were out for just under an hour. Definitely need to pack a Thermos next time.
Bacon and eggs for lunch, payed with fitting bag to kayak and the luggage nets. Then fitted fins to try later.
Family Camp 2020
Arrived at Anita’s after an easy journey at around 18:00. Katrina had already got herself setup, not where planned but at the other end. Also one of her new airbeam bags had split the beam fabric so we duck taped it up.
Positioned van in an OK spot may have to move but easy for tonight. Had a bbq chicken and some rice, very good. At that point Lawrence and Lorna arrived and started their setup, very efficient.