Pick up Brunnehilda & Off to Ross on Wye - 10th Aug ‘20

Another really hot day. We packed the car up to the gunnels with all the stuff we took out of Brunnehilda to allow them to service her more easily. We’re not taking Isabella this time but it is the first outing for the new sun canopy. Let’s hope we get the weather for it!

We left at about midday and after a stop at our normal resting place,  the McDonalds at Tott Hill, we arrived at Shaftesbury at about 3.45pm. 

After a chat with Pete the mechanic and a quick look around a funky new wee Knaus model, we were back on the road with Brunnehilda -£400 lighter in the bank balance!

The XC40 doesn’t pull her as well as the Xc60. She did groan a bit as we headed up the steep hill towards the town. We had a relatively trouble free journey - apart from going right through the middle of a very busy Bath! The last hour of the journey was following the river Wye valley up to Ross. Driving by Chepstow racecourse, Tintern Abbey, Monmouth and then on up to Ross. The river looked perfect for my canoe - shame I haven’t bought it this time?!

The last 2 miles to the site were a bit hairy! Single track with passing spaces. Although the said passing spaces were a little thin on the ground! Praise the Lord ... we never met anything coming the other way!

The entrance to the site was a bit tight and, me bring rather cocky, chose not to open the gate as wide as it could go. Subsequently I missed scratching the side of the van by about 5mm!! Lesson learnt!

The site is amazingly positioned, about 50 yards from the river Wye and, to quote Bjork it is “oh so quiet”! We are about a mile from the nearest hamlet. 4 miles from Ross - as the river flows.

Can’t fault the site although the owners fondness for rules seems to continue. We had 2 separate letters of instructions about all the COVID dos and donts and on arriving at the site we were faced with more rules on a sign by the water tap. Interestingly all this communication about rules but absolutely nothing on what to do, where we can walk, nearest pub etc.

We popped out to Morrison’s at Ross to get tea and a few provisions to keep us going. It’s still very humid and being by the river there are lots of midgys.

Tea and an episode of The Wire got us to 11 and an early bed! God it is sooo quiet here! With the Twinnies due in a couple of days I fear this haven of peace and tranquility may be blown right out the water!

Walking to Lee - 2nd Aug ‘20

Much of the same today as yesterday - and just as nice! 

A leisurely morning but instead of omelette, we had freshly baked croissants from the camp shop - not quite so good but darn close.

We left the site at about midday, walking down the hill, this time not turning left to Mortehoe but kept on walking down all the way to the gorgeous little village of Lee.

It was about a 30 minute walk literally all down hill. We had hoped that the little coffee stall would be open but it wasn’t! What a missed opportunity for someone as it was quite busy.

The beach at Lee is about the complete opposite to Woolacombe - very rocky, very few people and very sheltered (no waves). We found a nice spot on the rocks and watched the world go by. As with yesterday the urge to swim grew - especially when the sun came out and the water seemed to be calling out to me!

I have to say it’s one of the nicest swims I’ve had in some time. It was like a mill pond, very warm (once in) and lots of rocks to explore. It was so pleasant that Kim even said she might have been tempted - if she had had her cossie with her!

We walked back up the hill at about 1.45, taking our time with a couple of stops to catch our breath. We went straight out when we got to Brunnehilda and were in Ilfracombe by 3 o’clock.

As this was our last day we went for “blow out” ... a shared fish and chips from Lynbay and a Kelly’s ice cream - in my case topped with clotted cream! Here’s a question where does the clotted cream end and the Cornish vanilla begin??

Back to Damage Barton by 4.15 for a shower and final pack up of Brunnehilda. As we are trying to minimise the amount of stuff in Brunnehilda for her upcoming service we put a lot more equipment in the car- in fact she’s full to bursting!

I was tempted to try and back her out but hey, why have a dog and bark yourself? Why have a motor-mover and make an idiot of yourself in front of all these judgemental caravan types? We hitched her up perfectly - which was nice compared to last weeks fiasco and were heading out the gates by 5.45.

We arrived at Blackmore Vale at Shaftesbury by 8.15 having had a splendid trip over. We hitched up and had a simple tea, watched a couple of episodes of The Wire and “crashed out”.

Tomorrow we leave Brunnehilda behind for the week as she has her first service.

These post COVID days means they have to have her for a week as they aren’t allowed to step foot inside her for 3 days - unclean unclean!! I plan to leave them with a list of small warranty jobs to be sorted as well.

So here ends a smashing week. Lots of fun with the boys and a couple of days of rest and relaxation (although lots of walking!) to finish up.

Damage Barton Caravan Club Site, Woolacombe:

Pros:

1) Fabulous (hard to beat) views

2) Good location for fabulous footpaths

3) Good location for Woolacombe and Ilfracombe

4) Nice shop

5) Laid back staff

6) Nice big pitch

7) Toilet block open all morning (until 1.30) so you never have to worry about it being shut 

Cons:

1) A long walk up the hill to the facilities 

2) Sizeist wash rooms

The First Journey

It was certainly a “high noon” at Blackmore Vale Leisure! We headed out at 12 o’clock after I had expertly followed the clear instructions to de-rig. I do love a well written  process so all went well and I was like a pig in s***.

Then Mark turned up to help us motor move Brunnehilda into place. I know we can put a man on the moon and make cars that drive themselves but to see her turn on a sixpence like a remote control car was still jaw dropping! I was very paranoid about Brunnehilda’s nose weight - not sure why- but the BMV guys calmed my nerves and told me all would be ok!

As you would expect with our flaming British June, it rained most of the way home. No real incident apart from me going wrong and heading through the centre of Warminster. As it turns out, it was a good day to lose my caravan touring virginity - dual carriageway nearly all the way and very few lorries! The Volvo XC60 found Brunnehilda’s weight to its liking and, apart from an 10mpg drop in consumption, she hardly raised a sweat.

We arrived back in Northamptonshire at 5 and rocked up at a beautiful little site at Kilsby (about 5 miles from home) - bookings@shireviewkilsby.co.uk
The fabulous view was due to it being on the side of a hill which meant the van needed to be very high at the front and low at the back. The motor mover earned its crust again and I had a first go at driving up a ramp on one wheel to even Brunnehilda up. Apart from tripping over a Dutch couples tent guy ropes and breaking my key in a lock ( and the lock!) all went well.

We picked up Bobby (our youngest son) and the 3 grandchildren and took them to meet Brunnehilda. A walk and a cup of coffee later and Bobby headed home. The Twinnies and Charlie watched a DVD and settled down to bed - 5 of us in a 3/4 berth? But to be fair, two of them are only little.

This could be a long night ?!

The First Full Day

We slept like babies in our Knaus Sudwind van (aka Brunnehilda) last night. The only excitement being me having to climb over Kim at 5 am to get to the toilet - far from graceful but I’m sure I’ll get better!? It certainly makes going to the loo a team sport!


The first breakfast of toast and cereal was a real feast. Then lots of checks to make sure Brunnehilda was fully functional. As you would expect with a fine piece of German engineering - she didn’t disappoint. Both “problem” items we found were tactfully explained as user errors by the ever patient BMV team of Mark, Pete and Paul. Getting us “caravan ready is clearly another team sport!

The deed was then done and a vast amount of money changed hands - although I suspect the 30 minutes on the phone to HSBC was slightly overkill? As if to celebrate the official change of Brunnehilda’s ownership,

Paul kindly booked us into the Salt Cellar https://thesaltcellargoldhill.co.uk/in Shaftesbury for a pot of tea, an egg and bacon roll and a view of Gold Hill that money can’t buy?



Back to the site for a lesson in motor moving. It sounds very easy but I’m sure it’s not - all to be revealed tomorrow.

We treated ourselves to an afternoon / evening visit to Weymouth. The journey through Sherborne was delightful. The first glimpse of June sunshine for a long time.

Once we arrived we convinced ourselves that a long walk would more than compensate for the fish and chip supper we had our hearts set on.
So we set off from the car park to the North Quay, a pit stop for a coffee and a pint of Timothy Taylors and then up and down Weymouth Beach.

Weymouth Beach huts

Seagull enjoying a jellyfish

Culminating at Fish and Fritz (according to Trip Advisor the best one in town). Fritz and TA didn’t let us down. Although it’s fair to say that fish always tastes better when eaten overlooking the sea on a calm and sunny evening. http://www.fishnfritz.co.uk/

Back to Brunnehilda in time for bed. To tea or not to tea that is the question? Early morning gymnastics may be too big a price to pay?!

Picking up Brunnehilda

You have to admit, which ever way you look at it, 37 years 3 months and 30 days is a long time!
As it happens, exactly how long Vincent Van Gogh had to cram a great deal of life into.
More importantly, well to me anyway, this is the amount of my working life I willing gave to Volvo Car Corporation.

Now it’s a bit crass to say a life changing decision can be made after seeing a witty bumper sticker but I’m afraid that’s about the size of it!
“Adventure before dementia” was a large motivating force for my wife, Kim, and I to take an early retirement  - in my case 6 weeks before my 60th birthday.


So after months of planning our escape (probably good fodder for future blogs?) we purchased a caravan and set things up for a memorable year of travel. Culminating in the big day - the handover of our new Knaus Sudwind 500 PF (aka Brunnehilda) from Blackmore Vale Leisure http://www.bmvcaravans.co.uk/caravan in Shaftesbury.

Inside with everything set up.

Pete gave us an intense 2 hours showing how everything worked. About 25% sunk in but hey, that’s what manuals are for?! All working Ok apart from the TV aerial. Pete helped us get the 12v TV set wired up.

Then a smashing early dinner at the Kings Arms at East Stour Common http://kingsarmseaststour.com/ a visit to Tesco in Shaftesbury for provisions (and the use of their toilets for number 2s!) and back to Brunnehilda to watch a DVD - Birdman (clearly a good film but not the bundle of joy the occasion called for!)

It’s 8.52pm and it feels like midnight. It looks like the first night in the enormous German fixed bed is going to happen sooner than we expected!?