Manor Farm CL, Worcester

    An easy drive here - just off the Worcester ring road.  It's all hard standing here and is situated behind the Manor Farm pub that does meals.  Result!  The map at the site is worth a look at as it details walks, local shops and Civil War battles and Victorian power stations.  We took a walk down to Powick Bridge to have a look, sadly we didn't take any photos.

Map of the area

    On Saturday, we took the train up to Birmingham to see the Christmas market.  We were very disappointed - not many stalls at all and they all tended to be the same.  Maybe, it's a bit early yet.

 Noddy Holder of Slade, made from Lego at Birmingham Train Station

Duke Hotel, Hilmarton CL

     We came here 7 years ago almost to the day but this time, the hotel is just a B&B so there's no food or drink.  Never mind, Mike has sorted out the bus time tables so we can catch a bus just outside the hotel.  Not a lot has changed since we first came here but all we need is water anyway.
     On Saturday, we had a drive around and a good look around Wootton Basset for Christmas presents. On the evening, Mike had booked a table at the Sally Pussey Inn up towards Swindon. It was an ideal choice as it was on the bus route from the Hotel.
     We didn't think much of the pub as it was too loud and the food wasn't particularly good - who has chips with lasagne?  We ate quickly so we could catch the bus back to the caravan.  We legged it outside and caught the bus - the only trouble was that it terminated at Wootton Basset and we 'd have catch a later bus.  I was still carrying 3/4 of a bottle of red wine from the pub so I was up for sitting on a bench, neck the bottle while we waited for the next bus.  Mike wasn't up for this - 'I've got standards' so we went in a pub opposite the bus stop.  We should have come here to Wootton Basset instead and if we come again to the Duke, I think we will.

Smithy House CS, Ogden near Halifax

 Saturday 4th August

    This was our annual summer holiday with our grandkids, Josh & Sophia.  They stayed at our house last night so we could set off straight after breakfast.  We'd organised plenty for them to do in the car including some laminated A4 photos of our family members.  They then had dry wipe pens to do whatever they wanted with them.  The results were quite hilarious.

    We arrived about 3 o'clock, Josh & Sophia were happy playing while we were setting up and it didn't take long before we'd finished.

View south towards Mount Tabor

View to the east with Robertshaw's Farm Shop just over the hill

    We treated the kids to a meal down t' pub but before going in, Sophia was singing a song about dogs going to the pub because they were hot.  I think that she was hot too.

🎵 Two hot dogs went into the pub to have a drink water 🎵

Sunday

    On waking, we found that the air awning had gone down, a quick pump got it back up.  Mike said that he'll have a look at it sometime.  We all decided to go to Ilkley Lido as it would be good for the kids to cool off in the sun.  We parked up in the brilliant sunshine and headed in.  We found a bench and got the kids changed, Mike even went in...........IT WAS FREEZING!!!!  It didn't seem to affect the kids but Sophia was shivering but still wanted to go back in.  We didn't stay long as us oldies were getting hypothermia.  I was also told off for taking photos of my husband and grandkids!!  What is the world coming to?

No taking photos!

   Getting back to the caravan, Josh & Sophia played outside rolling down the grass until dinner time.

It's great that they can play together

    After dinner, we went for a leisurely bimble to Ogden Water.  We only went around a quarter of it but the kids loved, making rosebay willowherb spears and going hunting. As soon as we got on the reservoir dam wall, this was Sophia's catwalk and insisted on posing.

The natives are on the warpath

Strike the pose!

Monday

    It was time to go visit Mike's mum Sheelagh, she was the the main reason that we had come up here to Halifax as she hadn't seen J&S before.  We only stayed an hour or so because the kids got restless.  Not surprising really.

    On the way back, we stopped off at Robertshaw's Farm Shop.  Mike was like a kid in a sweet shop.  He found an orange juice squeezer that crushed fresh oranges there and then.  The kids were entranced.  Over the week, we went back a few times!

    Back at the caravan, Sophia found a friend - a hover fly that kept coming back to her finger.

'I've got a fly with sunglasses on!'

Josh was engrossed in his Harry Potter book :)

Tuesday

    We went back to visit Sheelagh  and also met up Shaun & Julie - Mike's siblings.   

    We then had a cuppa in Halifax Borough Market which was interesting for me but commonplace for Mike.  He was more interested in the pork pies!  Apparently, there a street in the sky above the market!  

    We then went down the Piece Hall in Halifax to have a look around as it had been recently renovated.  It looked lovely but seemed to have lost a bit of its charm.

Josh & Sophia pretending to be tired - they soon perked up!

Sophia found a friend in Julie

    After that, we went down to Eureka! which is a children's science & discovery centre.  We took our daughter Amy to it not long after it opened and she really enjoyed.  This time, we used our Tesco vouchers to buy the tickets.  We had a really good time.

Fill 'er up!

    We were all in bed early that day!

Wednesday

    Today was a day out on the Worth Valley Railway (the one in the Railway Children film)

Platform 9¾

All aboard!

Thursday

    After pumping up the awning, we were off to Shibden Park near Halifax.  This is where they filmed Gentleman Jack.

I was teaching them how to row

We started to round  and round in circles until they got the hang of it

    Josh and Sophia in a drystone walling exhibition, Josh is a playing at being a gecko and Sophia is Beyoncé on the stage.

    On the way back to the caravan, we stopped and bought some fish 'n' chips for dinner after Mike and Josh re-inflated the awning.  Mike had had a look at it but it was in an area that wasn't repairable.  It's still under guarantee so not a worry.

Thumbs up from Josh

Friday

    We went over to our friend Jackie who lives close by and we've known her for at least 35  years. Sophia enjoyed playing on her granddaughter Evie's toys

Saturday

    Time to go home, we've had a great time and the weather has been good too.

Rum n Reggae Weekend

Saturday 14th July 2018

    Carol had found out about this event in Bournemouth so we all decided to attend and make a weekend of it.  It was easy getting there as we stayed at the Berry Hill CL in Bournemouth and it's quite close to a bus route.

    We caught the bus into town and presented ourselves at the venue.  It was dead, they were just setting up and the music was due until after 9 and it was only 7 now.  The drinks were very expensive and no seats so we decided to cut our losses and go somewhere else.

    We were glad that we did as we found a Greek restaurant with a spare table.  Result! and a good time was had by all.

Fun Face

Rum Face

Bum Face

 

Grove Farm CL, Corsham

 Friday 15th June 2018

    This is our first time to Grove Farm and it's in a lovely location situated just above Box on the A4.  We decided on this CL as it's got a pub - The Miner's Arms just down the road which has favourable reviews.

While we were setting up, the lid came off the door bin and Mike discovered a dustpan and brush in the lid.  Excellent, it's only taken us 15 months to discover it!

    We went down the pub and they gave us a table by the window overlooking the valley.  It was a lovely meal and we'll come again.

Views from our table

Saturday

    We decided to go to Laycock Abbey and had a mooch around.  They were doing some filming at the time but I can't remember what they said it was for.