The year started early for us at the start of February, when full of post Christmas winter blues, Herself suggested a cheeky 4 nights away. In freezing temperatures and surrounded by snow we spent 4 nights at Tudor Caravan Park in Gloucester shire. We didn't know it at the time, but this was to be our last trip out in our cherished Pageant 7 Series Sancerre. Short days were spent walking along the towpath of the adjacent ship canal and getting shitfaced in the Tudor Arms adjoining the site.
We'd been to the big show at the NEC in October and for varying reasons, mainly money, that we would not change the van just yet. Just 4 days after returning from Tudor an advert flashed up on my time line from the local dealer. We went to have a look and to cut a long story short fell for an offer that was too good to miss.
February 23rd saw us collecting the Charisma 635, but there was no way we were going to wait until Easter to try it out, so late on March 7th, in the darkness once more, we are pulling through the gates once more of Tudor Caravan park for a 4 nights shakedown trip.
No snow this time, but wet, cold and windy. Again we spent time walking the towpath and availing ourselves of the facilities in the adjacent premises. We were also joined by Beastie for a few nights - she also brought her parents.
A heatwave arrived at Easter and on April 18th we are pulling in through the gates of the Stover site near Newton Abbot for a planned stay of 4 nights. In the sunshine we had a day out up on Dartmoor and a trip over the Tamar into east Cornwall.
Our stay was cut short though, as a phone call home on the Sunday morning reveals that Creaky has been taken into hospital and we head for home just as soon as we can pull down the canopy and hitch up.
May Day weekend was approaching, and we had planned a trip to Longleat. That changed rather abruptly though as Creaky was once again rushed into hospital in the days leading up to our departure. we've both got leave booked from work, so luckily I manage to secure a pitch for 6 nights at a very local Pembrey Country Park. We're away, but close enough for Herself to visit hospital every day.
The weather was quite kind to us and we spent lots of time walking the dogs and chilling by the van, also taking in a war festival over the weekend.
We didn't go away for the Spring bank holiday due to us attending a Madness gig over the weekend. We did have 6 nights away in the week following at Home Farm near Weston Super Mare. A superb and peaceful CL was a real tonic.
We spend a lot of time walking on the beach at Sandy Bay, but also manged days out to Brean, Wells, Cheddar, Glastonbury and Minehead.
After having some warrantee work done on the van, an impromptu weekend is had at Pembrey Country Park on June 20th, where we pitch next to Ronnie, MBW and Beastie for 3 nights on one of the hottest weekends of the year so far.
The start of July sees us setting off on our early summer holiday. The first stage was 5 nights at Exebridge Lakeside. The weather was great and as well as various walks we took in The Valley of the Rocks and the Tarr Steps.
We also spent a lot of time in the beer garden of the nearby Anchor Inn.
Straight from here we headed towards Lyme Regis for 3 nights stopping at Manor Farm CS. We had a great few days, but the main reason was to attend the annual Sausages n Cider Festival, hosted by the local football club.
From then it seemed like an eternity to our main summer break, our annual pilgrimage to the far west of Cornwall for 18 nights, starting at August 22nd. Trevedra Farm didn't disappoint, but then it never does. It's our spiritual home.
No October getaway this year, but the start of November sees us hitching up once more for a two stop trip away. Firstly we pitch up for 2 nights at Parc Bryn Bach in the pouring rain to attend a nearby birthday party.
The Sunday, with very nasty hangovers, sees us towing down to the New Forest, where we pitched up at Black Knowl for another 6 nights. We spent a lot of time walking in the forest, and didn't really venture far. The weather was mostly kind to us and we had a fabulous week.
And there we have it. Two further trips in December were cancelled. At the start of the month a 3 night shopping trip in The Cotswolds was ditched due to me needing emergency dental surgery that weekend, with a dismal weather forecast for the time between Christmas and New Year extinguishing any enthusiasm we had for a 4 night trip to Longleat.
Happy New Year everyone, and safe travels.
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