Collacott Farm CL, Bideford, Devon

Monday 28th September 2020

    We set off from Stourhead and had reasonably good journey.  The only bad part was when we came off the A30 onto a small road to get to the CL.  Refuse lorries were bombing up and down the road to get to a landfill site further down the road.  Being higher up, the drivers could probably see over the hedges to see other lorries but not cars.

    Once on the site and set up, it was time to relax.  There were alpacas on the farm and while we were here I got busy 'chuffing' and made the CL owner a picture felted with a view from our caravan window complete with alpacas.

Cheese n biscuits anyone?

    Although out of lockdown, we tended to stay away from crowds but did have time for a cuppa outside a café in Appledore.  The last time we stayed here was back in 2010 where there was a CL on the coast just outside the town.  It was lovely with smashing sea views.  Sadly, it closed because part of it fell into the sea taking the coastal path with it.

Mike hasn't got the hang of taking selfies

    We carried onto Northam Burrows where we parked the car and took a walk onto the beach - it starts at the mouth of the estuary to Appledore and ends at Westward Ho! 2 miles away.  There was hardly anyone there.

Alleyway in Appledore

View from Northam towards where the old CL was

Fantastic views

Almost a mirror image

Dramatic sky, it looks I'm trying to hold back the storm

Stourhead Gardens CL

 Friday 25th Sept 2010

    We arranged this trip with Carol and John to see the changing colours of the trees and of course to have a really good time! 

    Unfortunately we were a little too early for the change of colours but we certainly have a brilliant time with our very good friends. 

    With lock down and everything being restricted we all certainly needed it! 

Carol being caught finishing the custard!

 Saturday

   The Stourhead site is brilliant.  It's easily accessible, hard standing, away from the visitors and entry to the gardens (and maybe house) with the price of our stay. 

    We walked the gardens slowly and overall it was just over 3 miles so we thought we'd done really well! Carol is the most fittest of us all now but we kept her going 😉. John had also brought his mobility scooter so that helped. 

    We get on so well and we had such a laugh. 

Sunday 

    We went to Nunney Castle and look around the village. The castle is brilliant, small but quite impressive and surrounded by a moat! It is an English Heritage site but is free to get in. The ruins go up 4 storeys so you can imagine what it may have been like.

 

    There is only one café in the village and with social distancing there wasn't room for us so we went to the pub for a cuppa. That was good too. We sat outside by the river and the sun warmed us. I would like to explore more next time but we'd decided to go to Warminster for a little bit of shopping and diesel. 

    Back home and a cuppa outside and a little snoozette 😊. 

Monday

    We set off for Bideford for the next part of our hols. Unfortunately, C&J had to go home. 

Let's see what Bideford has to offer. 

Horse Lane Farm CL, Devizes

Friday 21st August 2020

    A short 22 mile drive from home to here and we were soon set up.  We've been to this CL before but have decided this time to visit the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes as it seems to be the case that we never visit anywhere on your doorstep.  We bought the tickets earlier in the week as there were covid restrictions on and numbers were limited.

Saturday   

    After leisurely breakfast, we headed off into Devizes as we had to be at the museum for 11 o'clock.  As we feeling a bit rushed, Mike took a load of photos so that he could read the labels at leisure later on.  So I thought that I'd put them on here as well.  We didn't do much else as we were still a bit fearful of covid.

 

Mill House Farm CL, Mosterton

     We decided to go away for an extended weekend following a relaxing of the COVID19 lockdown rules. It certainly was good to get away and see some different scenery! 
     Nigel saw us in, he is such a lovely man. The weather was good too with some clouds but enough sun to 'catch it'.  Mike hadn't seen many swallows this year but we certainly made up for that in the field. They were swooping all over catching little insects. It was lovely to watch. 
     We arrived on Friday and it was so quiet that there was almost instantaneous relaxing. Mind you the Lemon Cider, that I have acquired a taste for, may have helped.

     We wondered what to do on Saturday so just had a slow wander around the village and saw the church this time and noticed the stained glass window. It was obviously a recent one as it included a tractor in the picture. It was total surprise but very apt as I'm getting heavily into stained glasswork as a hobby.  No more chuffing felting says Mike. The chuffing is the sound that it makes it makes when you pierce the felt with the needle.

Nice rum 'n' raisin

     After that, we went for a drive not really knowing where to go. When we got back we found we had virtually covered a whole OS map of the area we have. 

     We did stop at Seaton and managed to keep clear of crowds. We got an ice cream on the sea front but didn't go on the beach.

     It is difficult knowing what to do when away at the moment especially when you don't want to get too close to too many people.

     On Sunday, we went to Montecute House to walk around the gardens but when we got there we were told we had to book the previous day so we were turned away. That was a little disappointing. So we headed to Chard instead.            
    We saw signs for the reservoir conservation site so went there. It was good to get out and walk although the signs about the site were a little confusing and we couldn't really get close to the waters edge. 
     We did wonder whether we would be able to have our BBQ due to the overcast weather but in the end the sun came out and we had a lovely evening outside. 
     We returned home on Monday when the roads were a little less busy.  Overall a good weekend but difficult to know what to do during the days. 

Travellers Rest, near Wickham

Friday 28th February 2020

    Having booked this as our first trip of the year with Carol & John, we managed to get away before the corona virus lockdown.  It was a good trip down with the usual traffic.

Saturday 

    We went into Wickham for a mooch around the shops and a coffee, also had a walk along part of the Meon Valley trail - not too far as Mike's still getting over his 2nd hip replacement.

    We then went for a drive around, seeing the vista of Portsouth & Hayling island from Fort Southwick up the top of Portsdown Hill.  We then for set off back to the camp site via all the small country tracks.

    Then we had a puncture, Mike tried getting the car off the road as much as he could but it was between bends in the road.  So we all set too, looking out for cars while Mike changed the tyre.  He was cursing a bit as the wheels were a bit heavy and trying to do it fast.  There wasn't a lot that we could do.  Anyway, all back on and off we're off to have a lovely meal in the pub tonight.

Sunday

    We had a leisurely packing up as Carol & John were leaving on the Monday.  We hit the A34 going north and the traffic came to a halt.  The A34 was closed and all the traffic was trying to turn around.  Mike decided to take the caravan through Winchester town centre and go home via Stockbridge.  It was a bit fraught as we were coming into town from a different direction that we didn't know and we didn't want to rely on the satnav.  Luckily, we got through town ok but it took us nearly 4 hours for what is normally a 1¼ hour journey!  I think that C&J had the best decision. :)

    Mike decided that he'll get all the tyres changed as we have our Southern Ireland trip coming up in the summer and they would have needed changing by them.

Changing the Alde fluid

     Mike thought it was about time that he changed the boiler fluid especially as he bought the kit on Ebay for £40!  He positioned the caravan on the driveway so he wouldn't have to bend down too far - he had a replacement hip joint last November!

He was suffering a bit afterwards but at least it doesn't have to be done for another 5 years.