November Camping

Trout Lake at York House, Hawsker,  Whitby

More to follow...

October Glamping

    Another trip to take our grandson near Gatwick... This time we visited Stratford Upon Avon; to take Chris to Rugby. We didn't take a tent but stayed in a 'snug.' This was a kind of posh pod. It had a bed settee, fridge, heater, lights... Not really impressed! It was too hot and , of course, we are used to nice big tents with several rooms... the dog had to sleep in the car. When he stretched out to go to sleep there was no room for anyone else in the snug. 

   It was so hot in the night that the dog sounded like the Welsh Highland Railway steam engine coming into the station! Huff puff huff puff... poor Barney.

    We had to sleep with the window open. Still, I'm sure that the snugs are great in the summer with their deckings and the site's taxi boats into Stratford - it's a lovely neck of the woods. The site was Riverside Caravan Park, Tiddington Road. [Good pub in Tiddington] The site had a good cafe but seemed to have a lot of rules. We went for their excellent breakfast one morning to be told that our grandson should not be on the iPad as laptops were forbidden in the cafe. I pointed out that it wasn't a laptop, he wasn't on the internet and we had just ordered three full breakfasts with extras. Too many rules.

Shakespeares house, Stratford

Warwick Castle

My gorgeous Grandson, Chris at Warwick Castle

Archery Display

View from top of castle

View into Warwick

Became quite dizzy...

Warwick warrior...

Kenilworth Castle

Chris with his Grandad Cliff at Warwick castle (well nearly as many wives!)

    

October Camping

    Developed the itchiest toes in the history of itchy toes in the month of October and headed off to my favourite place that isn't Bolton. Whitby! To be honest, camped outside Whitby at Hawsker. York House Caravan Park at Hawsker is a superb jewel in the heaven that is camping! 

    Situated in between Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby it offers up the best of many worlds on a host of levels. 

    The Cinder Track... this is the trackbed of the dismantled Whitby to Scarborough Railway. It is possible to walk along the track in safety (let the dog off the lead, take y' bra off... did I just say that?) 

    Walk along the track towards Robin Hood's bay and you will be rewarded by magnificent views of the North Sea, fishing vessels and then 'THE BAY' itself - spectacular! But, possibly more important, certainly for me, is the complete peace and time to feel lost in this tranquil and simple landscape. I love thinking time. You get it here. 

    When you reach the bay; great pubs selling food, interesting and quirky shopping, a beach marked with the scars, views that defy any description and more walking along the cliff tops if you want it. 

    The track continues to Scarborough, and , on the way, passes through Ravenscar, well worth a visit when the cafe is open. Discover it's amazing history. What might have been if this place had become popular?

    In September 2011 we stayed in RHB ('The Bay' as they like to be called, no one quite knows where the Robin Hood bit comes in!) at Hooks House Farm campsite on the hill above the town. Fantastic views and a very welcoming site, close also to The Fylingdales Inn (great nosh!).

    A walk the other way from Hawsker takes you to the superb seaside town that is Whitby. I love the walk there along the road from Hawsker that ends next to the Abbey car park. You can see the ruined abbey all the way. I don't really like walking along the track into Whitby because it is boring. You end up in a cutting and can't see anything. It also emerges at an uninteresting part of the town. The only saving grace from walking along the track is that you can approach Whitby this way over the train viaduct and that is quite impressive!

Approaching Whitby.

    If you like Tapas, you will love The Black Horse Inn on Church Street. Dog friendly, they serve tapenade and cheese to rival anything that the best can offer. Real ales too! 
    Maybe the best bit of Whitby is the harbour, the two piers, one now cut off from the pathway and the beach that sees seals and tourists galore. 
    At the time of writing they have just witnessed a land slide on the east side of the harbour. I hope it is soon sorted out for the residents to enjoy this eclectic town. Mint.

The ruined abbey

View from The Cinder Track

View from the terrace of The Bay Hotel (good grub)

Walking towards Whitby from Hawsker

View from the beach - East and West piers

On the East Pier at Whitby

The Abbey from the car park path

Camping in the garden in the Trout Lake when I got home

The view from the top of Rivington Pike

View from Rivington Pike -  you can see Home Farm camping and caravanning site on the other side of the reservoir

                                                                 

 Robin Hood's Bay

The two piers

September Camping 2012

September Camping

In the first week of September, when all the schools returned, I persuaded Graham to come to Hardhurst Farm in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. What a good site! EHU for tents, an excellent farm breakfast that was gargantuan... couldn't eat all day after this. 

The site benefitted from a pub selling stunning food about 3 minutes walk away.

Ultimately, we had to stay a day longer because I developed a bad back and couldn't move! That's my excuse anyway.

Hope is an excellent area; about 20 minutes walk to the village. A train station nearby, superlative walking on all sides. Highlight for us was walking to Ladybower and sampling the local hostelries...

New Outwell chairs

Barnie had strange lights around him at this ancient pub in Hope...

Another eerie light?

Tea in the canopy?

Astoria at Hope

Camping kitchen...

Me taking a picture of Graham taking a picture from a disused railway track in Hope

Ladybower Resdervoir

Outside the Astoria

Weird...

EHU

Billy garden camping when we went home

Put up the Velocity in the garden and ruined the lawn yet again...

Disappeared , on my own, to Cae Ddu at Beddgelert at the end of September.

New Quechua bed at Cae Ddu in the Bear Lake 6

Bear Lake 6 at Cae Ddu

I love this tent... it's first outing of 2012

The bridge at Beddgelert

Cae Ddu at Beddgelert; great site- 5 minute walk into the town

Llyn Dinas and short walk from Cae Ddu

Went looking at caravans when I came back...

Made some shoes for baby Robyn...

On the Welsh Highland Railway near Rhyd Ddu!

August Camping

August started with a trip to West Wittering in West Sussex. We took our grandson Chris down South so he could fly from Gatwick (on his own to Bermuda!)WE stayed at Nunnington farm campsite. It was a short stroll into a small village with good shops, including an excellent butcher and a restaurant. West Wittering has a cracking pub called, I think, The House in the Home? Friendly service, excellent food and dog friendly. What more could a camper want? 
The weather was also cracking...
Only quibbles, the pitches were small and everyone was a bit on top of each other... also on the tuesday, a group of travellers overcame the well kept cricket pitch in the next field and we were subject to loud generators rubbling from 8pm till 2am, barking dogs and arguing travellers! Having said that, the worst behaviour was from children on the campsite who were taunting the travellers children; name calling and goading them!

Chris's usual position in the tent...

Graham having a brew in the canopy

The view as we walked to West Itchenor

Chris enjoys West Wittering beach; they sell dog ice-cream! (Chris didn't have any of it, just the dog!)

Superb beach within walking distance of the camp site

Saw this fierce looking centurion near Chichester

Had to take him to Gatwick for his flight to Bermuda... made me cry ;-(

Barney in the pub in Chichester. This dog has a real problem...

Chichester cathedral

Pub at West Itchenor - this could be one of  Keith Richards' locals if he ever lives at his nearby house at Redlands

Tent at West Wittering - very hot weather - the tent was on net doors for most of that week.

Airbeam...

Then... we were only back for one week when I needed to go camping again, this time just me and dog. Went to my favourite site of Baysbrown Farm... but had been very naughty girl yet another time... NEW TENT - the Vango Astoria 800 with canopy! It is like staying in the Waldorf Astoria... Couldn't resist this tent as it was an excellent price and so easy to erect; about 20 minutes...

My view from Astoria at Baysbrown

Inside the Astoria...

Ditto...

Ditto... except it's raining now! Glad I brought lots of Wainwright books to read!

View of Langdale Pikes from the tent when the weather was good...

Not content with having bought another tent, I also went to Gaynors in Ambleside and bought a new Outwell table!

The Astoria in my back garden when I got back home

Rain falling on the tent at Great Langdale

Barnie eating his doggie ice-cream...