August 2024 - Days out in the Campervan

We were in Turkey for 12 days in August, then I travelled for a week to visit our grandson, so that only left us 12 days in August to get out and about.

I visited Glastonbury for the day with a friend. There was a day at a spa with colleagues from work, a hospital appointment and dog sitting for a friend over the bank holiday weekend.

We bought a drive away awning last month to give us some extra room when the weather isn't as nice and to enable us to cook more food, but we discovered our goal cooker wasn't compatible with UK gas bottles so we needed to purchase a new one. A new regulator wouldn't solve the problem, it was something to do with the pressure/bar and by the time we sourced buying an actual gas bottle and new hose and regular it was cheaper to buy a new one, which runs off gas bottles and saves space without lugging another gas canister around with us.

We managed one night away last weekend to the Forest of Dean. We visited our granddaughter on Friday and rather than drive home late we camped up for the night, we took the contents of the fridge with us for dinner and breakfast and just used the van, no need for the awning for just one night.

We've been struggling with all the bedding. It's such an inconvenience to keep putting the table up and down in the van to get the bedding in and out from the bench seat. As when the bed is raised during the day we can't clip it in place with the bedding up there. I had two S hooks in the garden and decided to give it a try. It's been a game changer. They're strong enough to hold the bed in place.

All the bedding is stored under the back seat, there's room in there for two sleeping bags, the covers for the front windows, 2 blankets, the sheets and towels.

Another tip we've found really useful is to move the back carpet over the plastic cover and to save stepping over it onto the step stool and it's made it much easier to get in and out of the van at the back.

I'm away on my friends drive this weekend, in Monmouth and I'll be using her facilities and the leisure battery and the following weekend back to Lydney for our Granddaughters birthday weekend.

Celebrating Lammas at Glastonbury

My friend from work, Mel, asked if I wanted to visit Glastonbury with her during the school holidays, the only day I had free was the 1st of August which turned out is Lammas Day.

Lammas Day also known as Loaf Mass Day is a Christian Holiday. It is a festival to mark the blessing of the first fruits of harvest. Lammastide falls at the halfway point between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

Neopagans have adopted the name and date for one of their harvest festivals in their Wheel of the Year, which appeared to be what was being celebrated in Glastonbury when we visited.

Parking in town was a bit tricky with the Camper Van, but we found someone and caught the park and ride up to the Tor where we were dropped off to walk the last part up to the top.

We walked towards the town and visited the White Spring, which Mel had told me to pack my swimming costume to go for a dip. It didn't open till later that afternoon, so we gave it a miss.

We then visited Chalice Well gardens where the Lammas Day Celebrations were taking place and we were able to dip our feet in the water. It was freezing so I'm really glad the dip in the White Spring didn't take place. Mel is an open water swimmer and is dipping in pools in the middle of winter, but it's not for me.

We then headed back to the van through the town, for a brew and a picnic before heading home.

It was lovely to get some time away with a friend, no agenda, just out in the fresh air and the weather was perfect to explore somewhere new. Although I've been into the town before, I've never been up the Tor or explored the tourist areas.

June 2024 Days out in the camper van

We visited Brighton the middle of June to attend my Uncle's funeral.

We stayed at the Caravan and Motorhome Club just up from the Marina. If we're staying away for more than one night we like to be within walking distance of a town or on a bus route.

Our first pitch had no 3G signal but we just put up with it for the night as the following morning we had to pack up to drive to the crematorium and attend the wake afterwards. If we hadn't had to leave the site by car, we'd have just stayed and put up with it.

 The van looks so small in the pitch.

We haven't seen another Westfalia Ford Nugget conversion yet. All the vans we've seen as so different.

Our first pitch also had no evening sun, so we didn't sit outside for long.

I love the fact the roof pops at its highest at the back, where the kitchen is, it gives us so much more room than the vans with the kitchens along the side. Plus we get two sliding doors.

The day after the funeral, we caught the bus into Brighton and back and enjoyed a day exploring.

I also spent a night on my own in the Forest of Dean at the beginning of June. Once we got to grips with setting everything up and packing it all away, it is a one (wo)man job.

I travel with my milk brother and espresso machine so I can make a latte on the go.

We discovered this month that the grey water tank hadn't been emptying and we'd been driving around with a full tank, having mistaken it emptying with draining the fresh water tank before leaving the previous site.

It was easily remedied with a cable tie to push debris out the way. We discovered a snail shell in the tank. It was a dirty, smelly job.