Wales – THREE GO TRAVELLING

Our Tour of Wales – Part 4: Trefor, Gwynedd to Penrherber, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire

Our Tour of Wales continues and we’ve been to some lovely places this week, we’ve started heading south along the coast…

Leaving Trefor and the amazing views across the Llyn Peninsula, we headed to Llanystumdwy and the Camping and Caravanning Site. A little further inland than we’ve been recently, it was an ideal chance to get some chores done! The sea is just visible from the campsite and you can walk to it, a short walk will also take you to the town of Criccieth (or you can get a bus)! We walked down to see the grave of David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister 1916 – 1922 (our third PM grave to date), opposite his grave is the Museum dedicated to him, too. The village, itself doesn’t have a lot, there is a pub and a school! https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/gwynedd/criccieth/llanystumdwy-camping-and-caravanning-club-site/

From Llanystumdwy, we headed down the coast to the town of Barmouth, were had read about Wales’ Number One Fish and Chip Shop – The Mermaid Fish Bar http://themermaidfishbarbarmouth.co.uk/ and felt it would have been rude not to give it a try. It is definitely worth the wait in the queue. We have subsequently discovered that the Times Newspaper have voted the Mermaid number 2 in the United Kingdom, now there’s another challenge afoot! Barmouth has a lovely sandy beach and although the main part is not dog friendly, there is a part near to the harbour where dogs are allowed, and at the time of our visit the beach side car park was big enough for us to park up in – it is pay and display, and no overnighting!

We continued our journey south and to the little village of Bow Street, just outside Aberystwyth and a Caravan and Motorhome Club (CMC) Certified Location (CL) Cae Ceiro https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/wales/ceredigion/aberystwyth/cae-ceiro/. Located next to a Guest House of the same name, and about a mile from the local shop, but along the way you’ll pass the pub, butcher’s shop, chinese (cash only) and Fish and Chip Shop. Walking along the footpath, which runs along the side of the CL, passing over the railway line, you can head up through the fields and along the road to St. Michael’s Church at Llandre, where you can pick up the Poetry Path, dedicated to local poets. The churchyard also has a 2000+ year old Yew Tree.

From Llantre, we continued our journey south and to another new CL, Terfyn Mawr https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/wales/carmarthenshire/newcastle-emlyn/terfyn-mawr/, in the hamlet of Penrherber, outside Newcastle Emlyn, with views across the countryside to the Cardigan Coast. Our hosts, Gerald and Hazel, have created a wonderful little CL, complete with a spotless shower and toilet room. Although the CL was only opened in May this year, it is just beautiful. The grass pitches have been arranged to maximise the view and the sunsets from your pitch are stunning. The grass properly cut and like carpet under your feet. Walking Reg from the campsite, the lanes are so quiet, that you don’t need to fight your way along the overgrown footpaths. There is a Cheese Farm nearby – walking distance, downhill! https://www.cawscenarth.co.uk/ This is now our Number One CL (apologies to the others but)… Unfortunately, we have another site booked so couldn’t extend our stay, we will be back, probably scheduling our other stops around this one.

As always, thank you for reading, we hope you and your families are safe and well and managing to stay cool in the weather we have at the moment in the UK. We’ll be back soon with more from our tour of Wales.

Our Tour of Wales – Part Two: Aberbran to Bala

Leaving Aberbran, we headed north and up to the town of Llanidloes. We’d chosen to stay at a Caravan and Motorhome Club (CMC) Certified Location (CL) and Upper Glandulas Caravan Park did not disappoint! Located about a 20 minute walk from the town centre, on a working farm, you wake to the sight of sheep around you. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/wales/powys/llanidloes/upper-glandulas/In addition there are Red Kites which liked to land in the trees nearby (and at times, it felt, follow us into the town)!

Walking into town we found it was steeped in history, and dates back to the 7th Century, when the Celtic Saint Idloes, founded a church by the RIver Severn. The Normans invaded in the 11th Century and established a motte and bailey castle, now the site of a Pub! Edward I granted the town a Market Charter in 1280 (there is still a market on Saturdays). In the centre of the town, at the junction of the four main roads is the old Market Hall, on stilts and dating back to 1612, and is the only surviving timber framed market hall in Wales, in its original location. The source of the River Severn is located about 10 miles away in the Cambrian mountains; Llanidloes, is the first town on the river. You can walk the length of the River on the Severn Way, from source to sea.

Leaving Llanidloes, we took a detour up to the Clywedog Reservoir and Dam, there are walks and viewpoints around it. We continued our journey up to Newtown and Welshpool, before finding our next stop outside the village of Berriew. Glandir CL, is located, a short walk from the Montgomery Canal, along which you can walk to the village centre, about 30 minutes, or Welshpool about 3 miles – there is a bus back! Berriew has a selection of pubs, a village store, butcher’s shop, cafe and Sculpture Museum. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/wales/powys/llanidloes/upper-glandulas/

Our next stop this week, was the Camping and Caravanning Club Site at Bala. We had assumed that the Bala CCC Site, was in Bala, but it was actually 3 miles away. Next time we visit, we will find the campsite on the Lake! That said, we upgraded our pitch to electric and chilled over the weekend, with the British Grand Prix and Laundry (Ric the former and me the latter, but I do love clean clothes and am a little partial to ironing)!

We’re heading of again on Monday, continuing Our Tour of Wales. As always, thank you for reading. We hope you and your families are safe and well and have some inspiration from our little tales of our travels. We’ll be back soon, (as WiFi and 4G permit in these mountainous parts!)…

Our Tour of Wales 2022 – Week One: Sussex to Powys

Setting off on a slightly overcast Sunday morning, having said our farewells to family, we headed north west to Wiltshire and Royal Wootton Bassett. We had found a Caravan and Motorhome Club (CMC) Certified Location (CL) at a Fishery. Flaxlands Fishery is a short walk to the main town and the CL is located at the top of the site, with spectacular sunsets, but it’s not very dog friendly. There is a dog walk which is along the side of the M4 (it is fenced from the road, but I always worry there might be a gap and a return walk inside a conifer corridor. The back of the CL leads to a footpath, which given the time of year was through haylage awaiting harvesting – Reg loves running in the long grasses, not to good for his new found hay fever but.. As the next footpath was unwalkable in shorts (nettles and brambles adorned the stile) we could only walk a straight walk out and return the same route, according to the fishery map, dogs are not allowed to walk through the fishery even on the roadway! so a round trip was not possible walking along the road.

Leaving Wiltshire, we headed north to Gloucestershire and our happy place, Tewkesbury. Staying at the CAMC Tewkesbury Abbey Site (again), we relaxed, had some lovely walks, some we’d done before and others not. We walked part of the Battle Trail and River Walk, but not the Severn Ham (this time)! On one of our walks, we even saw a couple walking their…..tortoise! https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/england/cotswolds/gloucestershire/tewkesbury-abbey-club-campsite/

We did venture into the Abbey, however! It was a very hot day, and for the first time in all our visits to Tewkesbury, the doors were open, so we were just going to have a sneaky peak, but it’s dog friendly – dogs are welcome INSIDE! A great relief from the rising humidity and heat outside. Tewkesbury Abbey in parts dates back to the 12th Century, and was built to house Benedictine Monks. The build was started in 1102 and it was almost complete when it was consecrated in 1121. As always, Ric is fascinated by engineering and found two Gurney Stoves, made by the London Warming and Ventilation Company in the 19th Century, to provide heat by burning anthracite, and have now been converted to gas. https://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/visiting-the-abbey/

Our next stop, and we’re still not in Wales, was the World’s First Book Town, Hay-on-Wye. Home to over 20 bookshops and a castle. We had a wonder around the town, walking up the little roads and twitterns. We ventured up into the castle – again dog friendly – and home to the oldest set of working defensive doors still in situ in the UK, having been first installed in the 13th century. We walked along the river walk as well as through some of the fantastic countryside. There is even another gold post box (our second one found), for Jody Pearson, a paralympian discus thrower.

Our stop for the night was a lovely CAMC CL – Dark Orchard. It is off grid, but in a large secure field about a 5 minute walk from the town centre and so peaceful, with a stream running along the edge. The owners Linda and Chris are so welcoming as is the official welcome you will receive from Linda’s father, Pete the Greet. This is on our list to return to (especially as we have had a whole list of more things to do and see)! https://www.no10dulas.co.uk/dark_orchard_cl/

Leaving Hay-on-Wye, we crossed the River Wye and into Wales! It was only a short drive to our next stop and a short detour to Brecon first. Each time we have arrived at Brecon, we have been drenched and this trip was no different. Stepping out of the motorhome and taking two steps, prompted the biggest downpour yet! Having stocked up with food and essentials, we headed to our next stop, Aberbran CMC Site. A short drive from the A40 and alongside the edge of an old railway line, unfortunately the old railway is not a walkway, like Slinfold CMC, but we did manges to find a walk through the countryside. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/wales/powys/aberbran-club-campsite/ The weather has yet to improve, although the rain has abated, the wind has picked up, gusting up to 30+ MPH, the awning was safely stowed early in the morning, having read it is only tested up to 20MPH!

As always, thank you for reading and we hope you and your families are safe and well. We’ll be continuing Our Tour of Wales, and hopefully we’ll be able to keep you updated as we go!

Wales: continuing along the south coast – Freshwater East to Gowerton

Shipwreck on the Cefn Sidan Sands, Pembrey, Wales

After Reg’s first proper paddle in the sea, we took him up along the Wales Coastal path and up onto the headland. He did get to enjoy more time on the beach, but not in the sea, as the weather changed and the thought of a damp and smelly dog in the motorhome, was not one we wanted to have!

After our first day on the beach the weather changed and heavy clouds, sea mist and a light rain stayed with us for a couple of days. On our second day up onto the headland, we looked down into the bay and could not see a lot, then as we stood and looked, a tanker appeared out of the gloom, like a ghost ship, but the mist had started to lift.

As we left on Wednesday, the sun came out and the sky was the perfect blue. Before we left, we spotted a falcon on the campsite, proudly displaying its kill. We headed eastwards to our next stop over at Pembrey Caravan and Motorhome Club Site, on the edge of the Pembrey Country Park.

As we checked in we were informed that the beach was dog friendly (westwards). The first day was a little explore of the country park, followed by a take-away! Thursday, we set off to explore the beach, after a good stroll through the park, Reg was able to run on the grass (off lead) and then we got to the beach…. Seven miles of golden sand and the tide was out!

We let Reg explore a bit off lead again, until we came across a whole strip of beached jelly fish, as inquisitive as he is, we thought it best to steer him clear. Further along the beach was a ship wreck, the coastline here is littered with wrecks from the 18th and 19th centuries, storms have shifted the sands to reveal more and the forest in the park is believed to be haunted with the souls of those whose ships have run aground!

Friday and we set off again, Pembrey is definately a site we will revisit – the fact we could only book two nights should have told us as much!

We headed just along the bay to Gowerton, at the start of the Gower Peninsula. Despite a walk through the park to the town and a takeaway (chinese and it was delicious) there was not a lot you could do directly from the site. It is on National Cycle Route 4. but, this part was a bit too treacherous with the dog trailer, single track road in places, with cycle path along the two sides and a tight bridge and bend in either direction. We did walk along the Coast Path for a bit and manage a circular walk, but…

We’re heading off again tomorrow, where to you’ll find out in our next post. Hopefully, we’ll have news to share! Thank you as always for reading. We hope you’re all fit and well.

A Week in St. David’s, Pembrokeshire, Wales

This week, we stayed in one place! We have been to St David’s before on our trips and had hoped we would be able to stay here, despite the pandemic. We were able to book a week on the Caravan and Motorhome Club Site, a short walk from the town and Whitesands Beach.

The first day, we were here, we headed back to the beach, taking Reg up on the sand dunes and the rocky outcrops (the beach doesn’t allow dogs until 1st October). Up on one of the outcrops, our attention was drawn to a mass in the water. Did it move? It did, oh my what was it? Then a head popped up and we were being watched by a seal. He was watching us and us him, then he was gone! We headed back to the main beach and enjoyed a lovely locally made ice cream, watching the tide recede from the beach.

The next day, we took a stroll into the City. St David’s is the smallest city in the UK, both in size and population. We walked up to the Cathedral and around the old town, before walking back tot he campsite and spending time in the sun. On the way back to the campsite we found a memorial to the crew of an RAF Liberator KH183, based at RAF St Davids, and that sadly crashed with no survivors on 8th July 1945, three months after VE Day and one week before VJ Day.

Wednesday, and the rain arrived, so we took a drive out, heading up to Fishguard and touring around returning to Haverfordwest and St Davids.

Thursday, and as predicted, the sun was back. We spent the morning completing chores – tidying and washing, before heading back to the beach via the Golf Club Road and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. We had hoped to get another ice cream but the kiosk was closed!

Friday and another great weather day. We headed back into the city, and hoped it wasn’t as busy as the last time. It wasn’t and we were able to have a wander around and return to the campsite. Reg is getting better at walking on and off the lead.

Saturday, we took another stroll to the beach and were able to have another ice cream!

On Sunday, we set off again, this time to Freshwater East and a beach where Reg was allowed! He happily went into the surf and had he not been on a lead, we might have struggled to get him out!

As always, thank you for reading. We’re continuing our tour in the UK hoping not to have to return home soon! We hope that you and your families are safe and well, too. What happens next week, we’ll endeavour to share as soon as we can (WiFi has been very hit and miss recently).

The Adventure Continues: Wales, England and back to Wales

We left Newport and headed back across the border to England and the historic market town of Tewkesbury. Neither of us had been here before and the initial sight of the town, with it’s historic battlefield statues, Victor and Vanquished – The Arrivall, commemorating the War of the Roses and the Battle of Tewkesbury on 4th May 1471, on the roundabout as we approached, along with the colourful pennants outside houses and the historic Abbey.

We had a walk around the town and onto the Ham before returning to the campsite and finding a local Indian takeaway in the process (if you’ve read our previous posts, you’ll know we love a curry, or chinese or pizza…..!)

We went for a longer walk the following day over the Ham again and up to the Marina, returning to the campsite via the Abbey. The weather was a little doubtful first thing but slowly the sun came out and the walk was very warm. We returned and carried out a few chores, before planning our onward journey.

We were all packed up the following morning, and Reg walked, just as the rain started and it continued for our whole journey back to Wales. We headed to our stop in Brecon, via Monmouth, where we had planned to stop and have lunch. The traffic and weather gods were against us – Monmouth had road closures and diversions, trying to negotiate the one-way system in Nortia, took away any enjoyment and we carried on to Brecon.

The rain was relentless, full wet weather gear donned and we checked in and sorted out our pitch. Of course the moment we’d finished the rain stopped and we were able to see a bit more of the countryside surrounding us.

On Friday, we walked along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal – the same canal we’d cycled along in Newport! Here though, the canal is navigable and there were holiday boats on the canal, along with paddle boarders and canoeists.

On Saturday, we went for a drive over the Black Mountains, we have been over them before but the scenery is fantastic and well worth a trip.

On Sunday, we headed off again, this time to one of our most favourite places, the city of St David’s in Pembrokeshire. St David’s is the smallest city in the UK (both area and population). We’re looking forward to our week here, so you’ll hear more about our trip in the next blog.

As always. thank you for reading. We hope you and your families are safe and well.

The Adventure Continues: Dorset, Somerset and Wales.

Leaving Dartmoor, we headed east and into the most torrential rain we’ve seen for ages. We stopped to stock up as we’d found a little CL (Certified Location) site to stop at in Middlemarsh (just outside Sherbourne), Dorset https://www.cherrycottagecl.com/ The Caravan and Motorhome Club Certified Locations are small independently run campsites with 5 pitches.

The following day the rain stopped and the sun arrived. We went for a walk in the countryside, getting lost once and resulting in a climb over an eight foot high gate! Luckily, there was a wee gap at the side and Reg was able to be sent through – we did try it but it wasn’t wide enough for us!!

Then, more rain – all day on Wednesday. Even walking the dog around the dog field resulted in a soaking, each time we tried to go out in the dry, halfway around the field, the heavens would open! We spent the day catching up on the blog and just chilling. This is one site we are definitely coming back to so there will be plenty of time to explore.

Moving on, we headed north to Minehead, we were here a few weeks ago and knew we liked it, but it was a stopover and an ideal place to catch up with some of the family. We caught up with the washing, did a quick top up of LPG and had a Chinese Takeaway from the local parade.

After a night we were heading off again, it’s getting close to the Bank Holiday and places are getting booked up, we were heading off to Newport, Wales. We’d checked with Ditsy Daisy and Gloria Google Maps, and on the motorway it would take us 58 mins from Bridgwater. We’d arranged to meet some of the family at a lovely cafe, just off the M5, Pyne’s of Somerset https://www.pynethebutcher.co.uk/ it’s so much better than a usual motorway cafe, and worth the drive.

As we set off to the M5, we were stuck in traffic, this queue continued all the way to Newport and two and a half hours or so later, we arrived at Tredegar House. We have stayed here before, but many years ago, in the Campervan. The house was closed (again – it was the last time we were here too), but the gardens are open and an ideal place to walk Reg.

On Saturday, the rain returned, so we had a tour in Nortia. We drove to the Fourteen Locks, but despite having checked the website and finding it had parking for coaches, there was nothing suitable on arrival. We headed off up to Caerphilly, in search of cheese. Despite a good walk around there was no cheese shop to be found, but we did find a statue to Tommy Cooper, who was born in the town. Next, we headed into Cardiff, and the National War Memorial and the Norwegian Church, before heading back to the campsite.

On Sunday, the weather brightened up and we took the bikes out for a trip, along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal aiming to get to the Canal Basin at Pontymoel, along National Cycle Route 4. After 10 miles of derelict and overgrown canal, we decided to head back and a wrong turn later, we arrived at the campsite having completed 26 miles!

Reg has now crossed his first country border. He has a few to go before catching up with Albi, but Albi hadn’t crossed a country border at this age!

We’re heading off again, tomorrow. Thank you again for reading this. We hope you and your families are safe and well.

Lockdown Week 13: Places we’ve been (Part 6 – Belgium, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain and Gibraltar (with a night in Portugal).

Week 13 in Lockdown. Although we can travel out, we can’t stay out overnight. The weather has not been great this week, but next week looks better!

Reg had to have a new bed, this week as he’s outgrown his! We’re hopeful that we can move in three weeks, but waiting for Boris to give us the ok.

Belgium

We headed out of the tunnel on our first trip and headed to Belgium, so we could get Nortia fixed the following day in Geel at Dicar Motorhomes https://www.dicar.be/ and despite trying we couldn’t find anywhere with space, so had to head across the border to the Netherlands for the night.

De Klinge – we stopped, once Nortia was fixed at Camping Fort Bedmar in Belgium. The campsite was our first one in Belgium and in a lovely place. There is a statue in the town to Gustaaf De Loor, winner of the first La Vuelta, in 1935.
Ypres – we stopped at the Jeugdstadion, just a short walk from the Menin Gate and the town.
Bredene – Camping Veld & Duin, just a short distance from the beach and the town centre. Almost next door is a Chinese Restaurant!

England

Richmond, Yorkshire – Richmond Hargill House (CMC) Camping and Motorhome Club site. Our very first stop in Nortia! Close to Catterick, Darlington and the Yorkshire Dales.
North York Moors CMC, on the edge of the North York Moors near Whitby. This site was the first we have ever stayed on without facilities, and a good way to get to know Nortia (and our limits)!
York – Rowntree Park CMC, on the edge of the city. We love this site! If you venture out of the back gate you come across a lovely neighbourhood, with local shops, restaurants and services. Out of the front gate and follow the river into the city centre. This site does flood!
Maplethorpe Camping and Caravanning Club SIte, a short walk to the beach, passed a lot of holiday parks.
Thetford Forest CMC – another site with no facilities, but in the middle of the forest and with the Desert Rats Memorial and designated trail. Perfect for dog walking.
Ashwell, Baldock, Hertfordshire – Ashridge Farm CMC, in a idyllic English Village, complete with two pubs and a cricket green.
Henley – Henley Four Oaks, close to the town of Henley and the river Thames.
Littlehampton CMC, close to the town of the same name.
Folkestone – Black Horse Farm, ideal for the Tunnel and Ferries.
Bearstead CMC – close to the Tunnel and ferries. In the countryside with a good dog walk.
Polstead Camping and Caravanning Club Site – a gem of a site (we’ve stayed here twice on the trips first in October and again in March). Close to Flatford – scene of Constable’s Hay Wain.
Oakham, Rutland – Rutland Caravan and Camping Site. Close to the town and with a lovely dog walk.
National Memorial Arboretum, Burton-on-Trent – As we were passing, we wanted to visit the site of National Remembrance. It was very wet when we arrived and we had a great day out here.
Swadlingcote – Conkers Camping and Caravanning Site, Derbyshire.
York – Sheriff Hutton Camping and Caravanning Club Site, a nice site, not too close to the City. We stayed here at Halloween and it was here I (Sarah), managed to nudge a caravan when reversing! If you are going to nudge a Caravan, make sure the owners aren’t sitting having a nice cup of tea, watching your every move!
Alnwick, Northumberland – River Beamish CMC site. We stopped here so we could visit Cragside, the first house in the world to be lit with hydroelectric power.
Berwick-on-Tweed – we’ve stopped here before and love the views and the town.
Hawes, Yorkshire – Britain’s highest market town. The campsite is a short walk for the town centre.
Castleton, Derbyshire – after a hairy drive over the Snake Pass in the rain – the road had been closed but was passable with care. We stopped at the CMC site in the village.
Shrewsbury, Shropshire – Love 2 Stay Campsite – a very modern campsite.
Cheddar – We stopped at the CMC Site, just on the edge of the town and close to amenities.
Dartmouth – Hiilhead CMC club site – lovely views of the coast and an all-purpose campsite, with restaurant and swimming pool. We left here using the Kingsweir ferry and stopped for lovely lunch in the town.
Truro – Carnon Downs Caravan Park. We stopped here on our way to the Lizard and Lands End.
Tavistock – we stopped at the Camping and Caravanning Club Site, close to the market town and Dartmoor.
Charmouth – Manor Farm Holiday Centre. Close to the town and the beach, but not a lot of character.
Wareham – Hunters Moon CMC site. A brief stopover, with a lovely dog walk.
Brighton – CMC site, at the edge of the city. Close to the seafront.
Crawley – Gatwick CMC site. If it wasn’t for the fact it is close to family, we might not stay here! The runway is literally a road away, so very noisy.
Moreton-in-Marsh CMC site – on the edge of the Cotswold village.
Leek – Blackshaw Moor CMC, in the Peak District, great views and walks.
Skipton – Bolton Abbey CMC on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, great views and walks and drives.
Harrogate – Harrogate Caravan Park, just outside the town, next to the Great Yorkshire Showground. We stopped here as Nortia, was booked into Steve Mann Caravans, to repair a fault we had with the water pump. https://stevemanncaravans.co.uk/
Barnes Green, Horsham – Sumners Ponds. Close to home and a gem of a site.

Scotland

Edinburgh – CMC Site. We had hoped to go into the city and have a look around, but the weather turned and rain set in. Be aware, there is a lot of cycle theft up here and the site have lockers for you to store them in, safely.
Dalbeattie – Glenearly Caravan Site. We followed the South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) around the south west of Scotland. We found this campsite almost by accident and it was lovely.
Stranraer – Low Glengyre Farm Certified Location – a gem on a working farm.
Moffat – Moffat Camping and Caravanning Club Site – on the edge of the town.

Wales

Llanberis – Morris Leisure Touring Caravan Holiday Park. Right at the edge of the village, close to the Snowdon Mountain Railway and walks.

Spain

We started our tour of Spain on the Costa Verde travelling along from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Campostela, before heading south.

Zarautz – Gran Camping Zarautz – our first night in Spain, this campsite was right on the Atlantic with a lovely view of the sea and beach and a walk right around it.
Loredo – Camping Loredo Derby – Right on the Atlantic, sand was blown along the campsite roads. We discovered in the night that we had parked side on to the wind, so a fairly sleepless night ensued. The facilities were incredibly basic.
Onis – Camping Picos de Europa – a campsite right in the Picos de Europa Mountains. This is where we heard the wolves in the morning.
Castropol – Camping Vegamar – due to the amount of rain they had in this part of Spain, the grass pitches were not available, so we were allowed to camp in the car park.
Santiago de Campostela – Camping AS Cancelas – a lovely site close to the centre of the city and a hypermarket and shopping complex. We didn’t get to see much of the town, as it was here we spent the night (almost) in the hospital.
Salamanca – Camping Regio – heading south we crossed into Portugal, then back into Spain and spent the night here. The campsite is behind the hotel and a reduced price fixed menu meal was available.
Cáceres – Camping Cáceres – Our first campsite with a private bathroom.
Hinojos – Camping Doñanarrayan Park – we arrived to a closed campsite after a horrendous journey in heavy rain. The Barman, came out and explained we could camp but we had to wait until the morning to pay etc. We were given a basic map. After walking the dog, we found the only sanitary block, but it did have heating and hot water.
El Puerto de Santa Maria – Camping Playa Las Dunas San Anton – this is another site we don’t want to share but…. we arrived for two days – then Christmas and left 16 days later. We made some lovely friends here and will return.
Tarifa – Camping Valdevaqueros, The time had come to say goodbye to the friends we had made and head off on our adventure. Heading south we stopped outside Tarifa on the beach and contemplated asking to go to Morocco, then we heard from our friends www.rewindthegap.co.uk that the Erwin Hymer Insurance wouldn’t cover us, so we couldn’t go. The campsite is close to the beach accessed via subway and home to a lot of kite surfers.
Marbella – Camping la Buganvilla. We found this campsite just outside the town hoping we could cycle in, but without cycling on the busy A7 there was no way.
Viñuela – Camping Presa La Viñuela – Up in the mountains above Malaga, behind a restaurant. There are walks along the river.
Granada – Camping Suspiro del Moro, Otura – This is another lovely gem of a campsite, just outside Granada and you can get the bus or cycle into the city.
Roquetas del Mar – Camping Roquetas del Mar – we were going to stay for two nights, but this is where Albi fell sick and passed away. We stayed for another night whilst he was in the vet clinic. We did manage a cycle out along the sea front and will probably return to explore further.
Mazarrón – Camping los Delfines – we stopped here in desperation of somewhere to stop and were contacted by Karen and Colin – Rewind the Gap, to say they were nearby and did we want to meet up?
San Javier – Camping Mar Menor – after a Burger King Brunch, we arrived at this lovely Stellplatz. Our place had been held by Karen and Colin (much to the dismay of others who’d been turned away). The campsite has the best facilities, we’ve seen for ages (especially for a Stellplatz). It is behind the former Airport – now home to the Spanish Air Force display team
Villajoyosa (Benidorm) – Camping El Torres – a must on our to do list. Neither of us had been to Benidorm before and we had heard the tales. A short cycle ride from the campsite and you are in Benidorm!
Moraira – Camping Moraira. This is another hidden gem. We cycled out from here to Cova des Arcs at Cala del Moraig. The beaches and bays around here are fantastic. Even better, at the bottom of the hill to the campsite is an Indian Restaurant and takeaway!
Valencia – Camping Coll Vert, El Saler. We arrived for two nights, so we could cycle along the beach to the city. Then we were hit by Storm Gloria, and the two nights turned into five. Sand and water was everywhere.
Benicassim – Camping Tauro – a one night stop over and we found ourselves in a Caravan Club rally. The campsite was full of Brits! We could have stayed at home.
Peñíscola – Camping El Eden – close to the beach in a gem of a town, overlooked by a castle (in Game of Thrones) with cycle routes around – when the sand is cleared. When we were there the sand was over a metre high in places!
Amposta – Parque Natural Delta del Ebro – A free spot with Motorhome Parking (services are payable – water and disposal), in the heart of a natural park, with Flamingos.
Cambrils – Camping La Llosa – we loved it here. You can cycle into the town and on to Salou. We picked up an Indian takeaway and met some more lovely people here. We stopped for two nights and left after five! We got the train from here into Barcelona.
Prades – Camping Prades Park – Up in the mountains, with stunning views and walks. We walked up to La Roca Foradada, the holed rock. Another weather warning was in force when we arrived, but thankfully it wasn’t too bad
Taradell – Camping La Vall – still in the mountains, the weather turned colder and we headed back to the coast. We liked this site and will return!
Palamos – Empord’Area Palamos – A Motorhome stop just outside the town and with more cycle paths into the town and around the countryside. A supermarket is within walking distance.

Portugal

We only spent one night in Portugal, hoping to return later in the year. We will be back, just in a little while!

Chaves – Guest House Chaves, on the back of a park and on the edge of the town. The campsite is in the garden of a guest house. It was a lovely taste of the Country, especially having driven over the mountains and through the countryside.

Gibraltar

We should have stayed longer. We actually stopped in Spain but it was so close to the Border, that we’ve added it under Gibraltar.

La Línea de la Concepción – Alcaidesa Marina Motorhome Parking. On the edge of the marina, close to the town and the border and an ideal cycle ride onto the Rock.

Week 20: Wales to Cornwall

We stayed in Llanberis for three nights, taking advantage of a 3-4-2 offer (well it has to be done!). After our scrumptious roast beef dinner with exceptional roast Yorkshire Puddings, we set off into the town. It hadn’t changed a lot since our last visit, but a lot of the attractions were closed as its the low season. We had seen that the little train around the lake was still running (but typically not on a Monday! maybe tomorrow then). We had a lovely breakfast/lunch in a cafe in the village and took some time shopping for items we needed. I had lost my hat a few days previously, and although I kept wanting to change it there was nothing wrong with it; that said I didn’t loose it on purpose!

The next day, it rained and rained and rained, even taking the dog for a stroll was a feat. We chilled, tidied and completed the laundry, not really living on the edge but… Then in true style, we got an Indian Takeaway from the village. Ric ventured out in the bad weather to get it!

The following day we headed out of Llanberis and started to head south, the Navigator did take a couple of wrong routes to get out but it was fine! We headed up to Caernarfon and then down towards Dolgellau before we decided to head for Shrewsbury. The lands up here have suffered a lot with the amount of rain and there is a lot of flooding, fields and roads are under water. We chose to stay at Love2Stay Campsite, it is so plush and even has a dog agility course. As Albi is still limping, we didn’t make him do too much but making him walk the see-saw and ramps made him put some pressure on his foot and as he didn’t seem in pain and willing to continue, we started seeing some small improvements. The campsite even has complementary White Company Toiletries in the showers!

We left Shrewsbury and returned to Wales. The weather has not improved. There are still floods and now local warnings of road closures including the M5. We chose to take the main road (rather than the B-Roads) over the Black Mountains. We followed an incredibly large load along the A40 to Crickhowell, before reaching the Prince of Wales Bridge back into England. We found a campsite to stay at in Cheddar.

Trying to find some sun, we headed off again in the morning. We met with family for lunch locally and then headed off to Brixham. Here the sun started to shine (at last)! The campsite was a surprise at the top of the hill overlooking the bay, it has a swimming pool and cafe. In the night it rained, heavily, but the sun did come out in the morning.

We headed down to Fowey, having crossed to Dartmouth on the ferry and then stopped in the town for a quick lunch. We crossed into Cornwall and headed up to Truro, where we’d chosen to stop for the night. The days are definitely getting shorter, we seem to be arriving at the campsites at dusk, and our day trips seem to be shorter.

We couldn’t leave Cornwall, without heading to Lizard Point and Land’s End. We paid to stop and have lunch at Lizard Point looking out over the bay. The road down was a little tight but we fitted! Land’s End is still very touristy, so we took photos and left! We headed back up the A30 across Bodmin Moor but it was disappointing to realise the new road bypassed Jamaica Inn, as we found out too late – as dusk was falling.

We stayed at a campsite in Tavistock, on Dartmoor. Normally, we manage to drive onto Dartmoor in snow, so we’ve got our fingers crossed tomorrow’s drive will be in sun not snow. Tonight though we’re cooking a home made Cottage (Motorhome) Pie!

Thank you again for reading, we’ll let you know what our journey across Dartmoor was like in our next tale….

Week 19: Scotland to Wales (via England)

Scotland and the South West Coastal 300. We left Edinburgh (without visiting the City as the weather was so bad) and headed off towards Moffat and the SWC300 heading clockwise to Lockerbie and on to Dumfries, before stopping at Dalbeattie. Despite the weather the views were stunning. We have driven this part of Scotland before but always on the motorway in order to get somewhere. It was so nice to be able to view it properly.

After Dalbeattie, we headed of again towards the Mull of Galloway, the most southerly point of Scotland. We’d stopped for lunch in the very pretty, typically Scottish-looking village of Newton Stewart, then headed over to Garlieston, where the Mulberry Harbours for WWII were tested, as the beach was similar to the Normandy Landing Beaches. We found a lovely, little Caravan and Motorhome Club, Certified Location at Low Glengyre Farm. We had the whole site to ourselves! Here, we found that our video from Latvia had been published by Erwin Hymer and Etrusco UK.

We carried on the SWC300 and took a sight detour to Kilmarnock, as this was on Ric’s wishlist. We headed up the coast to Stranraer and Cairnryan, then on to Turnbury Golf Course which had held the Open four times, the last one being in 2009, before being bought by Donald Trump.

From here we headed up to the Royal Troon Golf Course, which has also hosted the Open, nine times, the latest being in 2016. We ate our lunch looking over the golf course. Kilmarnock, was a surprise, not knowing what to expect the town was a beauty. We returned to the SWC300 at New Crummock and headed through Sanquhar, where the oldest Post Office is located, to Wanlockhead, Scotland’s highest village on to Moffat, where we chose to spend a couple of nights to recharge our batteries and clean up the MoHo. It was lucky we chose to stay here as the weather turned and it rained solidly for the night and the following day, so a short walk into the town was off the cards! However, we did discover an Indian Takeaway, which delivered! It would be rude not to!

We crossed back into England and down to Cumbria, avoiding the motorways. We travelled down to Kirkby Stephen and up to the Yorkshire Dales to Hawes, the highest Market Town in England. Hawes also has the tag in our memory as our expensive town, as the first time we had been there, we left having purchased two coats, a pair of Toggi boots and a pair of Barker’s Brogues! The Caravan and Motorhome Club Site at Hawes is situated about a five minute walk to the town (Albi still has a poorly foot so a long walk is still off the cards). We drove to the car park in the town centre as we left, to have Fish and Chips from the Chippy.

We continued our journey south, through Burnley, Accrington and Oldham before turning towards Glossop and the Snake Pass. All along our route the signs had said that the pass was open so we carried onwards until we were met by a sign stating the road was closed. After discussions with the locals (who were keen to use the pass) and checking the Highways Agency App, which said the Pass had been reopened, we gingerly headed up and over. It was easy to see that there had been a problem as there was a lot of water on the road, but it was now passable with care. We arrived at a campsite in Castleton in the Peak District, in the dark, so we had to wait until the morning to see the true beauty of the area.

The Peak District didn’t disappoint. The following morning, the views were stunning. It was a cold and crisp Remembrance Sunday morning. We had been advised to either leave early or later due to road closures in the village, for the Parade. We headed up the Winnats Pass towards Chester and the snow-capped mountains of Snowdonia. We were heading to a site we have stayed at before in Llanberis (we’ve found a deal 3 nights for the price of 2, so were here for a while)!

Llanberis was just as we remembered, except this time there was snow on the mountain tops. We’ve chosen to have a roast dinner tonight, complete with Yorkshire Puddings.

Thank you again for reading and apologies for the delay in our posts. We’ve had hardware issues, hopefully now all fixed. The next episode of our adventure will soon be live…