Saturday June 8 - 10 2024
Travelled in convoy. As usual, John had an itchy accelerator foot so we set off 10 minutes before we planned. Never mind, we were all ready.
Carol & John towing their caravan and Adrian & Maria in their campervan with us leading the way, driving Miss Daisy.
Some sights were seen along the way mainly in Calne, a giraffe with its head hanging over the path (obviously a statue one) and a little further along a bendy metal grandfather clock against a house wall. Not sure if the clock worked or not but very unusual and real gypsies with authentic caravans & horses and a huge model motorbike made from scaffolding pole.
We arrive, book in, get the gate padlock code and set up. We offer a cuppa which is taken up by a few but the others crack open the wine and beer. We sit talking and laughing. It's good to enjoy the company of others!
Carol & John have an awning they hadnt used before so we all set to and help them erect it. It seems pretty easy to put up. Then we all tried ours to see if it fitted - and it does. We didn't keep it up but at least we know it fits.
Carol, Maria and I went for a walk around the village. Lovely village, lovely walk and surprisingly lovely weather!
We had booked into the hotel for dinner. Lovely food but not enough of it so had to have pudding. As it was out first night eating there we had 15% off the cost of our food and drink (which was then put back on for the service charge but we did get good service). Back to vans around 9pm but I had to go to bed as I was so tired.
Sunday
I had a lovely sleep so woke refreshed! We all bought and cooked a bit of breakfast and came together to eat it. Wonderful breakfast and wonderful company!
Adrian & Maria left around lunchtime and Carol and I went for a walk. We took an OS map but couldn't find the first track off the road so went a different way. Found another track into the village then off on another track across fields and over styles. More fields of buttercups and very tall grasses. Unfortunately we were unable to find a track to get back to the road (it was an old map and some of the tracks have since disappeared) so we doubled back on ourselves back to the village then back to site.
We were out for about 2 hours and walking all that time. We walked for around 4 miles and had very tired legs and were very thirsty. A good sit down and a cold drink was order of the day then a game of Great Britain. We were laughing so much I wonder what the other campers thought of us as we were outside.
Mike cooked a roast dinner with the meat cooked in the slow cooker and first time use of the oven. The spuds were cooked in record time but it didn't detract from a wonderful meal! We had to wash up a bit before we had pudding, which was Christmas pudding with custard and ice cream! Not bad for a tiny kitchen. I had previously made a wipe clean cover for the end of my bed just in case but it came in very handy. It is difficult for someone volunteering to dry up as the drainer is in the corner and not accessible when the washer upper is washing up so it was done in shifts.
We then played True or False which we had bought when were took our caravan out for the last time to Devon. Mike and I had played it but it really needs 3 or more players and really is better with 3 or more people. Good game.
Our evenings are ending earlier these days as we are all getting on a bit but it gives us a relaxing time before bed and let the huge meal go down a bit more before bed!
Monday
Carol and John set off around 9am as they had to get home. Carol drove their caravan home as she was taking her grandchildren away in it in a few weeks time so wanted the practice.
Not long after they set off, we were sitting having a cuppa whe we spotted a Greater spotted woodpecker looking for grubs and insects on the wooden fence posts. We love seeing wildlife we wouldn't normally see.
On the way home, we passed 2 white horses, Westbury & Alton Barnes.
