Days out in my campervan in March 2026

I only had one camping trip in March, a weekend in Wales.

I stopped a night in Barry ready for a parkrun and a visit to watch Barry Town play football on the saturday before heading off to Newport in the evening ahead of visiting my nephew and his family on the Sunday before heading home via visiting a friend in Monmouth.

The campsite in Barry was approximately 3 miles outside the town so on arrival on the Friday night I drove down to the beach to check out the parking for the morning and back via Jenner Park to check out street parking for the afternoon.

The campsite was on a farm.

There were two sets of toilet and shower blocks. This one for general use and a set for disabled travellers as well as washing up facilities and good wifi. It was a very peaceful site with an amazing sunset.

There was some housekeeping as usual. Peter is left handed and I'm not and between us the electricity cable is getting awfully confused.

I really hate how this door opens where the cable is stored. To put it away properly is such a fluff, either from the outside or climbing in through the side door and manoeuvring in a narrow gap. It would be so much easier if the door was detachable.

The van is 2.07m but we have a solar panel fitted so I avoid anything with a height barrier, especially when the ground is uneven. I found a good spot for parkrun.

With great views of the beach.

And now I've mastered the art of folding the roof within a minute, it's lovely to be able to lie down with a cup of tea and read my book after a run with a spectacular view of the sea.

After the football I drove onto Tredegar in Newport where I stayed at the Caravan and Motorhome Club for a night. It's in the grounds of a National Trust Site which we've explored before.

The only downside is that check out is 12pm and the showers shut at 10.15am and it's a pain when you have to rush to pack up so you can get showered before the drive home. Some sites have two blocks and alternate cleaning times.

I pack all the fridge stuff back into the cool bag so when I get home it's ready to lift straight back into the house.

A clean tea towel sits under the bowl to stop it moving around and the dirty cloths are hung up ready just to be taken into the house. And fresh cloths are put back into the van straight away. All the other items, clothes and shoes are packed into the yellow bag ready to be carried in also.

The only other trip I had out in the van in March was to Bath when I took part in an Ultra Challenge. I could have taken the car but it was a long journey both ways around 2 hours each way with a 5 hour walk, so I took the van so I could brew up after wards and have a lie down for an hour to rest before the long drive home.

Our adventures in April took us to Tenby and May I'm off on my own to Northern Ireland.

 

Week 17 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

I injured my knee running on Tuesday, I'm struggling to walk and driving has been hard.

The positives

Things have been going a bit mad (for me) on tiktok with a couple of videos and the messaging which has been quite entertaining. I love chatting on WhatsApp to my son in Australia throughout the football.

Saturday 25th April Out for coffee with Peter in the morning then train to Birmingham for the last home game of the season. I got hit in the side of the head with a ball by Bristol City during the warm up and had a banging headache and needed to seek some assistance at half time for some paracetamol. A young lad also got hit in the face and his family sought help then left in the first 20 mins. We won 2-1. I got home at 8pm, neighbour invited me round for a catch up in her garden. I then caught up with all the other matches and had a late night.

Sunday 26th April Woke with a headache and a sore neck. I think I've been affected more than I realised. Watched the London marathon and can't believe the top two finishers did so in under 2 hours, what an achievement. Tracked a colleague from work as he had tracked me two weeks ago. Spent time in the garden while Peter cleaned the lean to roof and I read, did some blogging, sorted some stuff for work and we went for a walk and had coffee in the afternoon. The cat was a nuisance all day. Bath and an early night.

Monday 27th April I forgot there was a meeting after work and didn't get home till almost 6pm. I watered the garden and baked some cakes for my reading group on Thursday as it's my last session with them and sorted through some stickers and little toys I had around the house for them. I also started a trifle for my childcare group on Wednesday. I finished a book and did some blogging. Bath and bed by 10pm.

Tuesday 28th April Home from work, a cup of tea and out for a run. I've done something to my knee and I had to phone Peter up to help me walk/hobble home the last 500ms. I spent an hour on the phone with my mum discussing all her meal failures over the years after my custard failed to set on the trifle I've attempted to make for work tomorrow. Washing on and a few craft things and letter writing kits and gifts put together to work on over the weekend whilst we are away.

Wednesday 29th April Knee hurting all day and a bump with students playing rugby in the corridor didn't help. Haircut after work and a coffee. Home to pack clothes and stuff for the weekend into the van. Bath and an early night and programs downloaded onto phone for watching over the weekend. 

Thursday 30th April Sorted out fridge stuff for Peter to pack into the van when he picked me up after work and got the cat litter tray ready and put food out for the cat sitter. Peter drove me to work and collected me and we drove to West Wales for the weekend. It was non school uniform day which was handy and a long weekend for the bank holiday. We arrived at the site at 7pm and were set up by 8pm. We opted not to go out for dinner and ate in the van. No phone signal on site which we knew about but had forgotten wifi password and couldn't reset password as we couldn't get access to our emails.

Friday 1st May Child 3's 34th birthday over in Australia. I'd sent his card over with his easter gifts. I'd put together another parcel to post soon with end of season football program and his girlfriend's favourite chocolate. Still waiting for his limited edition football shirt I ordered in November that apparently won't be arriving until July. During the night a bird got under the van and into the tent and rooted through a bag, grabbed the parcel and a packet of rice and ate the contents of both, leaving the program on the grass and no sign of the letter and some other things. We drove into Tenby, walked along the beach, through the harbour and had breakfast and coffee. There was a pub stop for beer and mocktails and after a stroll to the south beach a late lunch/early dinner then back to the camp site via a supermarket shop for an evening reading and chilling out.

On the blog this week:

Word of the week - Can't

The best bits of April

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Post Comment Love - 1st - 4th May 2026

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

The weather has been lovely this week and it's the bank holiday weekend so we're in West Wales in the camper can chilling out for a few days, reading books, going for long walks on the beach and visiting old castles and just enjoying the fresh air.

Pushkins is enjoying the attention of the house sitter. I'm not sure if she just loves attention or whether she was trying to stop us planning our trip or suggesting she came with us.

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Word of the week - Can't. I can run a Marathon ... but I can't ...

... squeeze a tube of face cream so I've had to buy it in a pump. It actually works out cheaper.

... open the medication I need for my hiatus hernia caused by the training for the marathon, so I've bought sachets which I can only open with a pair of scissors. It does cost a lot more but I can't carry the large bottle with me anyway.

... I struggle to open the cover on the milk, the lid on new jars, use a tin opener, open these packets that say 'tear here' do a necklace up, put the back of an earring on, write for any length of time.

... but I can run a marathon. I just don't know how helpful that is around the home.

This week I discovered I also can't make a trifle.

My custard wouldn't set. I went ahead and made the dream topping and took it to work in a jug and drove with it to work and put it in the fridge and used it as an example of 'when things go wrong'

It was enjoyed by all, it was just a little runny.

The best bits of April 2026

In no particular order:

Our next cat. Been hanging around our house and garden for quite a while now despite Pushkins seeing it off on a regular basis, although at the time of writing not seen for a week or two.

Enjoying the sun, but why she has to sit here, I do not know.

Watching us while we do the garden.

Not helpful at all.

A visit to Brockhampton Estate.

A day out at countrytastic with child2, Dil and the grandchildren.

An easter party in our old neighbourhood with our oldest friends.

Three football matches this month. It all went a bit Peaky Blinders for the game against Blackburn.

Attendance was low against Preston North End. I'm in the yellow coat.

Last home game of the season against Bristol Rovers and I got whacked in the head by one of their players.

Great to get the washing out on the line. There has also been a lot of gardening done but too many photos to choose from.

Kath turned 50. She is the one responsible for me running the Brighton Marathon. I've got to blame someone. She is also my motivational coach who kept me going when I didn't think I could do it.

Flowers and good luck card from Kath the day we travelled down to Brighton.

Fundraising was probably the hardest part of the marathon and I'm grateful to each and every one of you who dropped something in the pot, with almost £2000 raised since last September.

Nails painted in the colours of Bowel Research UK. It's a great way to get the conversation started and now I can casually drop in 'oh did I mention I ran a marathon for them to raise funds in memory of Stephanie?'

And finally the Brighton Marathon.

Before:

During:

After:

And my final finally my support crew - Peter. He's not a big fan of featuring on my blog. In 2024 I insisted on taking a selfie a day for a year and he moaned like mad about it. At Stephanie's funeral he acknowledged how grateful he was for all the photos I had taken over the years of us all as a family as we had so many photos of Stephanie to choose from, he's just not a big fan of me sharing them everywhere.

Week 16 2026 One Daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

Have been feeling down in the dumps since the marathon. Had focused so much into it and now it's passed I'm wondering what now? So much of my life has been been filled with adrenaline, the kids, work, studying, moving abroad, another relocation, dealing with my father's death, living between two countries, repatriating during covid, returning to work and Stephanie's death. It's easy to say just enjoy life for a bit, switch off and let things happen. I'm not sure what I'm frightened of, other than being bored I supposed.

The positives

I had my nails redone on Monday as they were lifting. In mint green and turquoise, the colour of Bowel Research UK, when people comment on them it gives me the opportunity to casually mention 'they're the colours of the charity I ran the Brighton Marathon for last weekend' 

Saturday 18th April Up early and off to Chippenham playing Fields, Monmouth Parkrun. We arrived with 10 minutes to spare and I struggled to run. I need a good hours walk to warm up before I can run. it's not stretching, it's aerobic exercise I need. My friend who helps run the parkrun had her 50th birthday last week we went for a coffee. Peter joined us, he'd gone for breakfast. We then went on to visit the grandchildren and took our granddaughter to the park. We got changed at their house, then headed back to Monmouth for an early dinner before going back to the parkrun where my friends surprise 50th party was being held. We had a lovely evening and got home around 11pm and straight to bed.

Sunday 19th April Had a lie in then headed out to the retail park for a coffee and home to clean the house. I had all the windows and doors open. I did upstairs and Peter did downstairs. Beds were changed and three loads of washing went on. I then spent the afternoon in the garden moving all the pots into their new homes, I did a lot of weeding and transplanted some seedlings. I also cleaned out the van and restocked the tea/coffee/sugar pots and t towels.

Monday 20th April Into work, a quiet day and I left at lunch time as I had a chest X-ray to check on my hiatal hernia. Nails redone as they'd lifted, a coffee and some blogging, books returned and renewed at the library and home to tidy up the front garden with some simple pruning. Evening spent reading and catching up with messages from friends.

Tuesday 21st April Went out for a coffee after work to meet my friend for a coffee and a catch up. We used to work together and she's a hairdresser and does my hair at the salon where she now works. I got home at 7pm. we had the boiler serviced int he day, all is well. Evening spent in front of the TV, bath and an early night.

Wednesday 22nd April Straight home from work and the train to Birmingham to the football. I read my book on the way up. Had a coffee in Starbucks and as it was still light, walked up to the ground. Numbers were low, especially the away fans, less than 100. I was easily spotted on the telly by Peter and my friend. I'm wearing a yellow coat. We won 2-1. It was cold once the sun went down. Home at midnight and after a quick bath it was straight to bed.

Thursday 23rd April Work was good, although it was a struggle to get up. Home and changed into running gear, drove into town to meet Peter for a coffee as he'd walked up. Did some shopping, Peter took the car home and I walked up the hills and ran home. I did some gardening, uploaded some more clothes onto vinted and sorted through some things for school for next week. 

Friday 24th April Home from work and a relaxing afternoon and evening reading in the garden and jsut chilling out. We watched some football and it's getting exciting now at the bottom of the Premiership and Championship with it being mathematically possible that teams can avoid relegation and gain promotion right up to the last minute of the final match. My team are mid table so I'm just enjoying the show. I had an early night and fell asleep before 10pm.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love 

The best bits of March

Word of the week - Gardening

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

24th-26th April 2026 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Please leave a comment with the host you link up with and we'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter/X tag us and we'll RT. You can find us here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby Please also add our badge to your post.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

It's our youngest grandsons first birthday today.

Sadly we're not there to celebrate it with him, we'll just have to make do with a video call later. That's the hard part of being so far away. I left his birthday gifts over in Northern Ireland when I visited in February half term and we're visiting again over the Whitsun week at the end of May.

I've been making the most of this lovely weather and have got a lot of work done in the garden, planting out seedlings, moving pots into their summer position and trimming back the shrubs.

I had a chest x-ray on Monday as all the running has aggravated an hiatal hernia I was diagnosed with several years ago that has never caused me any problems until 2 months  ago and has made me nauseous and physically sick at times.

I've had coffee out with friends, been to Birmingham to watch the football and I'm back at the football on Saturday for the last home game of the season.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

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Word of the week - Gardening

We've been taking advantage of the weather here in Malvern. The washing has been on the line and I've finally sorted the pots in the garden, dismantled the temporary metal framed greenhouse and it's gone to the tip (thank you Peter) 

The raised beds have been dug and are ready to plant out the courgettes and beans that I've grown from seed.

The sweet peas will be planted into the pots and can grow up around the trees to add a bit more colour to the back fence.

The tomatoes and peppers have been transplanted into individual pots, the ones in the shops are starting to flower, I must start mine earlier next year and put them on a sunnier window sill. 

The side of the house has stayed tidy over winter. I'd kept the cloche up thinking my seedlings might have been further advanced by now and planted out earlier and needing a bit more protection, so it can be packed away now.

I'm hoping to have finished the front garden by now with pruning some shrubs and getting the weeding done, but I'd rather be sitting in the back garden enjoying the warmer weather while it lasts.