England 2006
HOME Some done but not all
|
|
England 2006
|
| York | Hawes | Keswick | Poole | Peterborough |
March 4th to 7th
We visit the CC site in York three or four times every year and the first time this year was for three nights, for my birthday in March. Very cold. This time without the twins
 |
York Rowntree Park, Caravan Club Site
|
August 19th to 23rd
Had Saturday on our own before Nicole and Tim brought the twins down to stop with us on Sunday. There was a gay pride sort of festival going on in the park (well I think that's what it was), there were bands on and stalls selling hippy stuff. There was also the usual bouncy castle and trampolines and stuff so spent a bit of time there before we had a BBQ for tea.
|
|
|
||
Weather was so good we spent most of the last two days of the holiday in the park with the twins playing on the swings, etc.
|
|
|||
October 30th to Nov 1st
Weather not too good, a bit wet but what do you expect October but we got wrapped up and had a walk round the wall, well part way round, it's a it dodgy with the girls. We also did a trip on one of the river boats but with the weather as it was we sat inside, it was safer that way as well. This was the first time we let the girls have a go with the camera but they could not see through the view finder and took lots of pictures of people with no heads.
|
|
|
||
Next day we went for a walk along the river but were caught out by a sudden downpour, it also got very windy and cold. So we headed back to the van to watch films. Later the girls got dressed up (their other Gran and Granddad had bought them witch costumes and done pumpkins for them) then went round the site trick or treating as it was Halloween and they really enjoyed themselves.
|
|
|
||
May 14th to 17th
Usually visit this site about ones a year. This time with the twins.
 |
Hawes Brown Moor, Caravan Club Site. Brunt Acres Rd, Hawes, DL8 3PS |
As you turn off the main road in Hawes to head for the campsite, you pass a small park with a children's play area, the girls spotted it and didn't even want us to go to the site but stop here so they could go play. We checked in and had to convince them to have lunch before we set off back for them to play.
There is a family wash room on this site (you do have to ask for a key though), so Dot gets the girls bathed while I set up the bed for them.
Next day was pretty similar only we took a picnic with us this time
On the third day we thought we might be able to walk to Hardraw Force Waterfall, using the double buggy but this turned out to be practically impossible. So we had a shorter walk and then back at the site, for a sit in the large field by the river with some ice lollies purchased from reception.
|
|
|
||
On the way home we stopped off at Aysgarth Falls the weather wasn't quite as good as the previous day and we had to keep the girls in rains to stop them getting in the river.
|
|
|||
March 9th to12th
Day one 9th March
Booked for a long weekend away, for Dots birthday on the C&CC site, thought we would chance the lake district weather (we went to Prague last March for Dots birthday, it could not be colder than there, four inches of snow and the temp never above freezing), we had already spent several nights in the van in the snow over Christmas and also we did York earlier in the week for my Birthday (see York).
 |
Keswick Keswick Camping and Caravanning Club Site Crow Park Road, Keswick CA12 5EP |
On arrival on Thursday lunchtime, I was surprised to see how many others had chanced the weather as well, mostly motorhomes with a few caravans. We had booked for four night but I had made a mistake and we could only stay for three night, the people on reception where very good about it and said it was no problem and we could just pay for the fourth night if we changed our minds later.
The ground was very very wet and soft, luckily we are on hard standing, got really muddy just plugging the electrics in. We put an old mat outside the habitation door (I knew there was a reason for carrying it everywhere with us).
Put the TV on and the only channel I can not get is channel 5, obviously this is the one I want to watch the Boro v Roma in the UEFA cup. Good job I decided to put the satellite in and I was wrong anyway, its on ITV4. ASTRA 2 should be straight out the back of the van, so I stick the dish to the back with suction pads, point it at the lake and get a single first time (good tip to remember for next time, but will I??).
|
|
|
||
Day two10th March
A lot drier today but there is snow toping the mountains, went out for a meal for dots birthday, then after the meal, as there was a jazz festival on in the town, we ended up in a pub with a jazz band playing, unluckily Dot hadn't been feeling well and we had to leave early (or luckily if your not dot).
Day three11th March
Day four 12th March
Woke to find the van covered in snow, and it was still snowing, had to make a fast decision, do we set off now before it gets any deeper, do we wait to see if it improves, or do we book in for another night? After talking with the people in reception and finding the the roads are still open we decide to set off ASAP and if it is too bad, we will turn around and come back.
So without breakfast we set off for home, the roads are not too bad at first and most vehicles are travelling at a steady pace but as we get to the long clime away from Keswick on the A66 the car in front of me slows right down. This is not good for me, he eventually pulls over to the side but by this time I have lost momentum and am sliding about all over, I think we will never get up but by good luck rather than skill we eventually reach the top. The rest of the trip on the A66 through Cumbria is very similar only having problems behind very slow cars but I found that if I hung back before steep inclines, I could then keep up a steady speed and not catch up before he top. Once in Durham the roads started to improve and there was no snow at all past Bowes.
June 10th to 14th
A lot warmer than last time we where here. Got the twins and my mother with us, although my mother is staying in sheltered accommodation just outside the site entrance road (this is run by the same people as the place she lives in, in Hartlepool and the spare room is only costing her £5.00 per night).
 |
 |
 |
June
Day one 24th June
We had never really considered Dorset for a holiday but when Nicole and Tim said they had booked a holiday there and asked if we would like to come with the we jumped at the chance to visit somewhere different. Nicole, Tim and the twins, Emily and Georgia were travelling with Tim's Parents, Jim and Jean, who had lived in Dorset for a while, so they knew the area and were looking forward to revisiting old haunts.
 |
Poole Rockley Park Holiday Park Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4LZ |
Booked on to one of the Haven Holiday Parks, in Poole for seven nights although we will only be staying for six as we are booked on the Norfolkline Dover to Dunkerque ferry on the seventh night (£38.00 return). We are meeting Niccole and the others there, who are all sharing a three bedroom holiday home.
When we arrive the others are already there and have already sussed out the place, it is a very big park but fortuitously, we are about a hundred yards from their accommodation, it could have been about half a mile. The others are up in the Oasis food outlet having lunch, so we quickly park up and join them for a pint and sandwich.
It is absolutely boiling and I am just about passing out trying to put the awning up only to discover once it is up, that it is faulty, the two flexi poles that hold it up are poking through the material. I am furious and just want to tear it to pieces before throwing it in the bin but Dot being sensible, is convinced the she can fix it. So about a hour later and half time in the footy (Germany v Sweden), I am once again, absolutely boiling and I am just about passing out trying to put the awning again but Dot is right and everything holds together.
I have spent the time while Dot is mending the awning trying to set up the TV, this site has the worst TV reception of any site I have ever been on, even connecting to the aerial socket on the service point I can just about get BBC1 and we have the worst position on the holiday park for a satellite dish. We are at the bottom of a terrace, with two very large trees on the terrace above, no chance at all.
We are supposed to meet the others back up at the indoor pool but by the time we have finished with the awning, they are on their way back down at their place.
The evening is spent watching Argentina v Mexico with a few beers back at their place, where the TV is watchable.
Day two 25th June
Off we go to Tesco for the weeks provisions, I think its because Nicole is an accountant, that we have a list of the food we need for each meal for each night of the week, could be wrong. One funny thing, is how we already have enough beer and wine for the week with us, Dot and I brought the booze for everyone in the van.
Got ready for the England match, flag on the awning (next pitch is a Scot, how do I know? flag in the back of his car and I can't understand a word he says), England shirt on, twins have theirs on as well, beer cold. Not a good game but we beat Ecuador 1 - 0, so its onward and upward to the next round, we will be in France for that one.
After tea we decide on an early night but listen to Portugal v Holland (as we get the winner next), could not see anything on the TV, sounded a bit of a bloodbath, we get Portugal but several of their players are banned for the match.
Started to rain, rained all night.
Day Three 26th June
As it is still raining and cold, we set of for Bournemouth and the Oceanarium, a sea life centre and also the beach, if it fairs up. After a wrong turn we get parked in the underground car park of the BIC (Bournemouth International Centre), which turns out to be next door to place, it's stopped raining but is still cold so in we go.
Note, you can get tickets from reception at a discount , we didn't.
The Oceanarium is not that big but the twins love it, all of the characters from Finding Nemo are there for them to spot and we go round twice (you can go back as often as you like during the day, if you keep you ticket) but the second time it is getting rather busy. So we set off into Bournemouth centre, a very short walk, for a sandwich.
 |
 |
 |
In the centre there are several stages setup for a music festival and various different types of music are being blasted out, Out of all of these different types the girls pick out a German brass band with majorettes baton twirling, as their favourite and it takes us an age to get them to move on, eventually it starts raining again which gives us an excuse to move them on.
Day four 27th June
Had a day onsite in the pool and down on the small beach, it was a bit windy on the beach but ok if you had some shade. I also took the scooter out for a short run, basically just a look around the very large campsite.
Day five 28th June
The rest all went for a day out in Weymouth and a look around where Jim and Jean used to live, there wasn't room for all of us in the car so I volunteered to have a quiet day set in the sun reading. I could have followed on the scooter but I fancied a quiet day.
|
|
|
||
Day six 29th June
Trip into Poole centre on the open top bus, well that was the plan, today the bus had a top on it but the girls thought it was great fun anyway.
Poole centre, with a good mix of old and new shops is just a couple of hundred meters in from the harbour and marina area, with free internet access in the large library. Which was lucky as I was looking for internet access to get an up-to-date copy of the insurance for the scooter
 |
Peterborough Ferry Meadows, Caravan Club Site
|
