August 2025 - Days out in the camper van

Our camping trip to Northern Ireland continued into August with a night in Scotland on our way home. Our sailing was delayed by 2 hours so I cooked up some pasta for lunch and put the kettle on while we waited. 

We arrived around 8pm after the ferry crossing. We sat and read for the evening after we'd eaten on the ferry we just had some snacks and a couple of drinks.

The van had a full spring clean, bedding and blankets washed, cupboards emptied and cleaned and van repacked. There was quite a bit of stuff we hadn't used so it didn't go back in. There's so much storage in the van with all the bedding fitting under the back seats.

I rewarded myself with a vanilla milkshake with a dash of baileys.

The next camping trip is planned for October back to Northern Ireland. The van is due it's annual service in September and I've a night booked in the Chilterns when I take on my sponsored walk for Bowel Research in memory of Stephanie.

July 2025 - Days out in the campervan

As long as I can make coffee, I'm happy to camp anywhere at any time. I've been taking advantage of the good weather to camp when I can. 

We've got solar panels so we don't always need an electric hook up but I have to use a battery operated milk frother as the plug sockets don't work off solar. The fridge and lights do.

Waking up before 6am with the dawn chorus and a lazy hour or two spent in bed reading.

It's been getting hot out there and in the van, but with the shades up, curtains closed and vents open, I have been able to sleep and keep cool.

It's been getting tricky to find sites that will accept one nights camping. A lot of sites are charging £60 a night per pitch. I found this one for £16 a night inc electricity. Not the best views, but clean and a toilet and shower.

I can always find a decent shot for the 'gram.

We've purchased a stool to use in the back. If it's wet weather or we're not stopping long, we don't pop the roof. Now I can sit down to make tea, prep lunch without breaking my back bending over. When the roof is popped I've got a good 4ft head clearance.

I had some flowers from a student for my birthday. I forgot to take them out of the van. I have a routine when we arrive home to make sure we're fully stocked for the next trip. I replace towels, dish clothes, tea, coffee, sugar etc as we unpack.

We spent a night two nights in Scotland on our way to and back from Northern Ireland. It was a last minute trip and our usual route sailing from Liverpool was fully booked. 

As the van was packed with the awning, there was limited space in the van when we pulled up. We made do with the solar panels and ate out. I was still able to make tea and use the sink by moving the storage box.

We had 4 nights on a camp site Lough Neagh with lots of visits with our grandson.

Our camping set up.

What's left when we drive away from the awning.

The plug sockets are a pain. One is behind the cooker and difficult to use when using the stove.

The other one below doesn't like the plug on my coffee machine, but is good for the toaster.

We have a lot of picnics in the van. Grandson insisted on it even though it was a perfect day for being outside.

On our way back the ferry was delayed by 90 mins so I made a pasta salad for lunch and a cup of tea.

The van is due for its annual service and habitation check, so we decided to give it a deep clean. Everything has been emptied out, cleaned and washed. These piles need sorting as we put everything in 2 years ago and there is quite a bit of stuff we haven't used.

Peter is cleaning out the water tanks and they need to air dry, so we won't be packing back up until our next trip.

April 2025 - Days out in the camper van

 Picnics and chilling out with mugs of tea and reading books after a walk on the Malvern Hills.

Finding new camp sites in the Forest of Dean - St Briavels. Close enough to walk to a local pub for the evening.

Bottled water for this trip as the pump has broken.

After a visit with a friend in Much Wenlock, I found a camp site rather than driving home so I could chill out for the evening and spend the following day meandering home visiting National Trust and English Heritage Sites.

Fab washing up facilities, including a dishwasher, normally the sink areas are just under a cover, this was fully indoors.

The site had had problems in the past with travellers so everywhere had CCTV cameras which meant you had to use the cubicles for all dressing etc, which made things a little uncomfortable and awkward.

A nice quiet site with plenty of space around the pitches.

Packing up time, making sure the nothing rattles on the journey.

Pulling the mat out over the edge makes for easier access in and out the back of the van.

Bag bought for me by DIL which I use to pack up everything that is to go back into the house when I get home. I then put in clean t towels, more tea bags/sugar etc for going back into the van ready for the next trip.

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Narrow country lanes in a van, not a lot of fun when meeting tractors and other vehicles.

Friends kids exploring the van after a day out.

Next up. I'm off to Northern Ireland for the Whitsun week on my own to help DIL out with the new baby and the 3 year old grandson. There will be lots of days out and I'm hoping grandson and I can have a night away.

Days out in the camper van. Winter 2024/2025

There hasn't been as many days out in the van and even less camping than I'd hoped for over the winter due to family circumstances.

We've also had a few problems with the van and needed a new leisure battery and now have a water pump to fix. 

The van decided to tow an imaginary trailer. it even showed up in the reversing camera. it was a real hazard when driving as it kept flashing on the screen interfering with the control panel and constant pinging as vehicles came near it. unfortunately there repair costs weren't imaginary.

I did manage one night away in the Forest of Dean. it gave me chance to sort a few things out inside the van.

I use the peg bag to put my watch and phone in at night to stop it falling down the side and I keep a torch in there if I need to get up during the night.

I have a couple of S hooks that allow me to store the bedding in the roof space. They create a little bit more space without reducing the head height.

These 'over the door' hangers are great for use in the shower room as it gives me extra hooks to hang all my clothes, coat and bags on to stop things getting wet.

I didn't check my supply levels before I went away, more tea needed.

A lot of vehicles park on ramps to level their vehicles, I just use more hooks to hold doors open.

The plugs only work when we're hooked up to the mains so I have a battery operated whisk so I can make coffee on a day out.

I'll be upgrading the fold up basket to a fold up trolley for washing up.

I had a day out with our granddaughter, her highlight was a picnic in the van.

Peter and I took a walk up the Malvern Hills last weekend and we decided to air the van by popping the roof and brewing up and reading our books rather than just driving home and watching the TV.

We're away this weekend camping in the Forest of Dean and hopefully back into the swing of things with weekends away and making the most of having the van.