Category: Holiday

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Blenheim Countryfile 2017

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Travelled to Blenheim meeting up with Alistair and Julie on the A34, stayed at the CC&C site for the duration of the show. Thought we would be near the show but the sites was in a large field a good 50 minute walk from the show entrance, they laid on Buses each day which was good but really a complete con. We used our wind breaks and the Quest pop up to create our own enclave only to have a jobsworth warden stating there had to be 6 meter gap for emergency vehicles.

Weather was OK but windy and on the Saturday it rained.

Show was also a bit of rip off, charge you for entrance and then just try to sell you stuff, myself and Alistair tried to go without buying any food or drink just surviving on the free samples, almost managed it but towards the end of the day had a pint and burger.

On the Sunday A&J headed off home and we moved to Bladon Chains the CMC site, turns out we were just 2 minutes form the Country file show entrance and the sites had spaces??

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MHF Misterton 2017

Arrived at Misterton after Hoddom Castle, if was a nice weekend, late on the Friday but early on the Saturday. Did a walk to a micro brewery come pub and spent most of the day with Cliffandger. Met up with David and Bev, Debs, and @Scout (Phil and Angela) who were also at Kelso. Most are heading up to Falkirk maybe next year we shall see.

Not a campsite I would ever choose to stay at, in fact might try and avoid it, just abit odd. No toilet etc.. and has tents???

 

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MHF Millport 2017

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Got ferry from Largs to Millport very quick easy and efficient.

Set up in the field behind the Garrison House Cafe, ground a bit soft and also a public footpath running across the top with a fenced off football pitch 5 aside. Ground was very soft.

Very nice place plenty of pubs and some shops, small Spar type shop and a bank which only open 2 days a week though.

Great bay for launching kayaks and with a flat round round the island Cumbrae 10 miles long great for cycling.

After much debate we all moved Tuesday AM to firmer ground round by the car park, joining AllanAndLoren.

Cycled round the island very easy and pleasant, girls went for a swim in the bay whilst we went to the pub across the road.

Weds Kayaking which although a bit chaotic was good fun.

Thursday left to head down to Misterton.

 

 

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MHF Kelso

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Arranged by Helen and Martin (MHF@puddleduck), arrived Friday evening after driving up from Delamere Forest stopping at Tebay on the way.

Met @Scout, @Normaandsue, @IRNbru, @Simson, @Wizzer, @PeterC10, @pigginchilli, @Clive, @AllanLoren

Lovely warm weather

Walked into Kelso on the Saturday, had a communal bbq in the evening cooked by @Clive and @peterC10, tried dancing but chaotic, also offered a shower at Helen and Martin house, as they have Solar water heating and need to use it up, myself Tim (@Wizzer) and Helen.

Sunday walked and cycled to the Thomson monument took pics and then came back, great Indian meal prepared by @pigginchilli (Steve and Nadine) quite hot! Then dismantled the Event shelter.

Monday breakfast cooked by Martin, and left for Millport.

 

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Delamere Forest CC&C

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Typical CC&C site, escorted to pitch, put on hardstanding by default, want payment whilst driving.

Facilities ok, showers look small.

Good location for dogwalks and forest access.

Near Railway line

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Thetford and Lyndon Top

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Headed off the the MHF meet at the Thetford Rugby club, arrived Friday about 16:00 pitched up with awning for protection from the sun.

  • met David and Bev
  • met Debs
  • Bruzzler BBQ a waste of spacem binning it
  • cooked homemade Chicken Tikka very good see recipe
  • Geza better than expected at first got in and out of van but not well and had to leave Sunday early.

Village vets

  • nice vets,
  • but sad very sad.

Moved to Lyndon Top after vet visit:

  • stopped at Grafham saw a Visla
  • Lyndon Top 7.00 pn no ehu or wc etc… Â GREAT Site
  • cycled round Rutland excl peninsula
  • stopped at Noel Whitwell, very good food, closes 2:30 unless you ring to ask.

Hab check SMC Newark

  • met Tracey and David Dredge, from Deal
  • everything fixed under warranty hab check ok
  • late leaving as they did not put the skylight together correctly!
  • front VB Spring Coils fitted 850 inc vat did not believe our quote of 615 inc vat from E&P
  • 12v socket can be taken off the 12v on the control panel (Warren)
  • we both like the F-line i740 PLus @ 109k, rear U shaped lounge

 

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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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Happisburgh, Manor Park

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We booked this stop the week before as it was right is Happisburgh and we wanted to get a real feel for the place, sadly we have been put off. Â Run down, neglected and not cared for at all describes the caravan park. Â Cash only, although we did a bank transfer, facilities useable at best but very shabby, bit of a rip off at the price 20.00pn 5.00 for ehu.

Had a good walk on the beach and the coastal path, but cycling forget it all the roads are narrow and high hedges bad enough having to drive down them never mind cycling.

The Hill House Inn was good, food fine, beer good, bit cramped but very welcoming.

Booked for 2 nights but as the forecast was poor for the Sunday AM we left Saturday PM for home.

Really enjoyed the break and Geza did very well doing a 3 mile walk on the coastal paths.

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Sandringham, April 2017

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Left Clumber Park on the Wednesday 11am, heading off towards Newark, so that we could pop into PC World for the laptop cloverleaf power lead I had forgotten, some worming tablets for Geza and some food supplies.

Parked up in Newark PC World Car park, got all we need for myslf and Geza , walked down to Aldi and did a quick shop. Carried on to Bourne pleasant enough place good to pop to if lived nearby village. Â Contacted Sandringham CCC to book a pitch woman answering the phone said ‘oh no, fully booked’, really are you sure, ‘ oh yes no pitches this weekend it is Easter’, Â but it’s wednesday we want the pitch for tonight, yes fully booked this weekend, can you check please, ‘oh ok, errr, yes we have a free pitch, just trun up before 8pm’, do you want a name or reg, ‘no no, itll be fine’ Â When we arrived about 16:00 there were loads of pitches free so we booked for 2 nights.

Lovely site great layout, good location plenty of dog walking and cycling to be had. Â Opted for Hardstanding with EHU again not sure why but unless we state no EHU they always assume you want it, same with hardstanding.

Why do CMC close their Toilet block for cleaning 10 to 11:30 just when you need them, and why do CCC insist on escorting you to a pitch?

Again drinks in chairs outside followed by Lasagne in a wooden box and a nice flat bread, all Aldi and really very good.

Thursday slept well, walked the dog to the Sandringham Estate Visitor centre and had a coffee about a 3 mile walk his longest for a while and managed very well, we d=got the bikes ready after a couple of G&Ts in the sun with warmed quiche whilst watching new neighbours erect a gazebo. Â Then off to Dressingham and the Coach and Horses or the Feathers as it turned out, strange bike rides involved 2 memorable hills first uphill on the way there did not notice it, but on the way back thought goodness what a long fast hill that was, 2nd on the way into Dressingham itself seemed windy and steep but on the way back uphill seemed steep. Â Bikes once again worked well.

Dinner was Fish and Chips from a visiting chip van OK, not great fish, but chips and batter was fine.

Leaving tomorrow, would come back at another time of year i.e. not Easter.

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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.