Monkeyworld & Lulworth Cove - 13th Aug ‘25

No sun today and it struggled to get above 18 degrees all day whilst back in the shire it was 28 degrees dawn to dusk sunshine. Oh well, at least I didn’t have the battle with the Twinnies to apply the suncream. 

It was a funny old day. Nothing was a real runaway success but we had a lot of laughs.

An early rise with a very big breakfast. The plan is to fill up on breakfast so we make it to the evening meal with just snacks. That sort of works if you ignore the frequency and size of the snacking!!!

We booked a trip to Monkeyworld on line with an 11.30 check in. It was a busy place. I think everyone had seen the forecast and decided it wasn’t the weather for the beach!

I’ve got to say, Monkeyworld was not a huge success and only kept us amused for a couple of hours. To be fair to it, it did exactly what it said on the can - there was a barrel load of monkeys and not a lot else. A couple of them were entertaining but most hadn’t read the email and were just sitting with their backs to the paying audience looking disinterested. 

The more we went round the more all 3 of the kids (and me to be fair) started to be critical of the reluctant monkeys and our fellow guests! I’m afraid these sort of places can bring out the snob in me - I can’t help but be thinking that more than 3 out of 10 are Reform supporters! And Charlie is so like his mum with his caustic, irreverent and funny put downs - the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! 

It was funny, the 4 of us wandering around a bit befuddled and bemused in a sea of excited guests. At one stage we were totally lost trying to find the exit - via the Gift Shop.

The Orang Utans were definitely the highlight but I was quite pleased to leave behind the kids pushing in front to get a better view, the “large” adults taking too long at the front and the swarm of mobility scooters!

God, that makes me sound awful - sorry. But the delightful thing for me was that the 4 of us walked round Monkeyworld as one. Clearly on a different planet to not only the monkeys but also most of Monkeyworld guests!

So the only way was up - turned out it wasn’t.

We were fairly close to Lulworth Cove so we headed off there. Kim and I had been during one of our pre Covid Brunnehilda trips. I remembered a pretty little village with a quiet beach / Cove! But that was in September! In August it was absolutely rammed and the beach was far from sandy! We sat on the pebbles for 15 minutes, it started to rain, we went back to the car (via the ice cream stall). To be fair, that bit was a success with Charlie saying it was the best ice cream he’d ever had!!

We decided to go back to Brunnehilda for a bit to lick our wounds and decide what next. Next was a snack and then a game of football in the field next to the campsite. Thankfully we got to 9-9 so the Twinnies accepted a draw and there was no agro / tears from the loser - we were all winners!!

The evening was more successful - we managed an enjoyable game of crazy golf in Swanage before a step back in time and dinner at a Wimpy restaurant. Charlie won the golf and the Twinnies thought the Wimpy was better than McDonalds so that was good!

Back to the van for more snacks, cards (me and the Twinnies), shower (Charlie) and a Disney dvd.

It sounds like an awful day but it really wasn’t. So much banter, so much fun and so alike!

Swanage - 12th August ‘25

Four months since Brunnehilda had an outing and this one didn’t start well!!

It’s the annual Brunnehilda trip with my grandsons. Quite surprisingly Charlie (aged 17 yrs 11 mths) wanted to go with his old grandad and young brothers! It was an especially difficult day for Charlie as he started it off at 9am by failing his driving test! So it didn’t bode well for a good day!!

While Charlie was getting his 3 majors and 4 minors, I was shopping at Tescos and getting to the van nice and early to do a bit of gardening! Like Sleeping Beauty’s castle, Brunnehilda was entwined in weeds and brambles. I took an axe and lopper to these in the seering heat and soon got her free. Then it was checking tyres and putting on the new plate. It took me ages to hook her up. I won’t bore you with how, but it definitely fits in the user error category. The first of at least 3 this first day! I think a gap of 4 months is enough for my caravan muscle memory to turn completely to flubber! 

I met Laura with the boys at midday and we hit the road. The 3.5 hour journey to Swanage ended up taking 5.5 hours. Thats with a 30 minute stop at Sutton Scotney where we used Charlie’s Roadchef discount card to get £36 of McDonalds for £12. Result - although this is where the day / journey started its descent into chaos.

The traffic was bad! Roadworks or the slightest misnomer meant there were lots of little queues. As soon as you cleared one you hit another. So all these little queues turned into one big one lasting about 40 miles. This is where I made my second unforced error - I let the sat nav take over. Like an excited puppy dog, it kept on pulling me off in a different direction to try and beat the jams. It didn’t work! Although we did see some nice countryside. All the stress may have saved me 45 seconds and used an extra gallon or two of fuel!

We arrived at the Haycraft Caravan Club site at 5.30. Pleasant enough check in lady and a nice clean busy little site. Only about 50 vans but very nice modern facilities. I filled her up with water and headed for the pitch. It was too challenging an angle for me to attempt to back her on. It was completely full, apart from my pitch and there was the usual audience of critical caravan owners (always male!!). I thought “sod it”, I’m going to swallow my Alpha male pride and motor move her.

This would have worked if the motor movers had worked. They sparked up a bit and then stopped. I changed the battery in the remote a couple of times before concluding that the problem was the main caravan battery. Problem is I now couldn’t disengage them . I tried to find the tool to manually do this but couldn’t! Meantime there were a couple of motor homes waiting to get by! They had to drive all over the busy pitches opposite to do so! I felt the laser light of a dozen critical eyes on the back of my head as I realised I couldn’t find the tool to take off the mover manually! While starting to despair I thought I’d try once more - it wouldn’t move but I did manage to disengage so at least we could push her on manually. That wasn’t going to work - you had to push up hill to get on the pitch - with just me, Charlie and Twinnies! Luckily 3 of my neighbours took pity on me / us and, after a lot of huffing and puffing we got her big German backside onto the pitch! I thanked my neighbours profusely and sent the kids to play football while I completed the set up.

Then we had user error number 3! I had her plugged in but couldn't make any of the electrics work! I stripped the wardrobe floor to find the fuses and electrical override- all ok. I dug out the user manual to seek help - none was forthcoming! I concluded that it must be somehow linked to my motor mover battery issue but then I realised … I hadn’t turned the main electric switch on at the door!! Something you always do first on a set up - muscle memory to flab! A very panicky 20 mins was over- just before I grabbed the phone to book a hotel!

The boys got back from their football playing as I finished a very long, stressful, hot and frustrating set up!

After a snack of chocolate and lucazade (the food of Champions!!) we headed out to Swanage for the evening.

Parked up FOC right by the beach - you wouldn’t get that in Cornwall!? The boys had a paddle and I sussed out Laura’s recommendation on local chip shops.

After drying Twinnies feet and squeezing out their soaking shorts (of course they got them wet!) we walked the 200 yards to the Fish Plaice. I remember going there before with Kimbo and all the family on one of our many August BH trips to Poole.

We ate it on the little square over looking the sea. Encouraging the seagulls to move on was an important element of our eating experience but the food was ok and most was finished. Although, I’ve noticed that no matter how few chips you order, there is always some thrown away! The seagulls eventually moved on.

Even though an ice cream was offered, we decided to get back to the car.

Charlie had another shower when we got back - he has 2 a day! Ironically the same number the Twinnies have in a month - between them!!

We played a couple of games of cards before transforming Brunnehilda into her overnight state. We were all knackered so went to sleep very quickly. A long and challenging day but happy to say we still managed to consume kilos of rubbish food! Oh, and the flush in the toilet isn’t working. Bring on day 2!

Southwold & Covehithe - 4th April ‘25

The last day so we decided to eat out for breakfast. We took our lives in our hands to cross the A12 and then picked up a pretty little footpath in to the village of Yoxford. We walked up the High Street and found the Black Dog deli. A local chain of coffee shops with really nice coffee and food - albeit at a steepish price tag.

We decided that today was going to be Tilly focussed. After the beach disappointment of yesterday we wanted her to get a good run on a sandy beach before we headed home.  

We knew Southwold beach was sandy so that’s where we headed. We parked up, fortified ourselves with an ice cream then found a sheltered (ish?) spot on the dunes to settle down for a bit. Di and I snuggled into keep warm (the sun was out but the wind was quite chilly) while Tilly ventured onto the main beach for an explore. 

After a couple of hours, as enjoyable as it was, we thought we would try another beach - Covehithe. The guide books said it was sandy, quite isolated and very quiet - perfect!

We parked up by the village church and walked down a footpath to the beach. It was indeed secluded and quite spooky in some ways. The erosion is very visible here with lots of decaying trees and vegetation cut off by the encroaching sea. We had about an hours walk up and down the beach - seeing only 2 or 3 fellow beach walkers during that time.

On returning back to Brunnehilda we decided to eat locally and popped back to the Kings Head for another delicious burger / pizza. We had a long chat with a lovely waitress. We were trying to guess where she came from by her accent. We got there eventually and we had a long chat about her homeland of Hungary and how she was enjoying her new life in Suffolk. It made me sad to think that evil politicians like Farage and our appalling client press are trying so hard to make us all hate and be angry with a lovely human being like this. Well fcuk him and fcuk them. 

We relaxed back at the van for our last evening. Tomorrow morning will be all about the pack up and getting on the road for home by midday. 

We’ve had a great 4 days. The weather was perfect, the site spectacular and the company wonderful. We’ll be back that’s for sure. 

Aldeburgh & Sizewell - 3rd April ‘25

The morning coffee in bed might have been the same but this morning we had the second coffee with an al fresco breakfast of yoghurt, fruit and nuts. A very healthy start to another gorgeous day. 

We sat outside the caravan and looked up the hill to the top of the field and the woodland beyond. Depending on the time of year, the field is covered in Sunflowers - hence the name of the site! It’s a huge field so must be quite a sight in late Summer. 

We decided on another beach and cute town - a re run of yesterday’s lovely trip to Southwold. This time we headed 10 miles south to Aldeburgh.

The town is indeed very cute and we spent a pleasant hour walking up and down the high street. We included a walk on the beach but this was far less successful! You don’t walk on Aldeburgh beach - it is very pebbly with the size of pebbles that make any sort of walk a bit of a chore. This was especially true for Tilly who clearly wasn’t enjoying her normal wave running / yapping. 

We decided to eat and drink instead of walk! I remembered a particularly nice smoked fish stall on the beach. I remembered correctly! Di and I shared some rather delicious smoked prawns while I bought a smoked mackerel and cheese pie for solo consumption later!!

After that we found a really friendly little coffee shop called The Chocolate Teapot and “forced down” some pastries! I think my pan au Chocolat had its own postcode! We had hoped to eat outside in the sun but it was too busy. It turned out the cozy little inside of the cafe was probably a better bet. Too busy needs quantifying- we’re talking 3 small tables occupied rather than a throng of holiday makers! In fact, this week has been amazingly quiet. I thought the weather might have brought folks out but it turns out the demographic of the few tourists there were very similar to the demographics of Di and myself!! Who’d have thought it?!

To stop Tilly spiralling into a manic depressive state, we decided to find a beach that she could walk / run on.

After driving through to show Di the twee and fascinating village of Thorpeness we headed for Sizewell. Could there ever be 2 different places side by side? Thorpeness looks like a set from the Stepford Wives while visiting  Sizewell feels like you’re stepped into a scene from Chernobyl!!

Tilly did get a run - although there wasn’t much sand. We found a sheltered spot behind a fishing boat and had a lie down on the picnic rug. Di read her Kindle and I just relaxed and opened all my senses to take it all in!

We headed back to Brunnehilda, got spruced up and headed out for an evening meal. We arrived at the recommended Queens at Dennington just as it was opening. It’s a lovely old pub with a strong local reputation for good food. And gee it was good -especially the Malteser Sundaes that Di and I agreed it would be rude to share so we had one each!

Back to Brunnehilda for some Earl Grey and more TV binging. We ended the day debating what we could do with the 2 geese eggs the farmer gave us earlier in the day - apparently they make nice cakes?!

Walberswick & Southwold - 2nd April ‘ 25

Brunnehilda’s blinds / curtains couldn’t keep the sun from waking us up. Well it was more like the combination of the background noise from a very busy A12 and an extremely noisy farm rooster!

Di and our Brunnehilda morning routine has developed as 2 cups of coffee and reading our respective online newspapers. Although I have to say with me it’s more the daily puzzles than any attempt to keep up with the news. Everyday gets more crazier and crazier as the Orange Narcissist continues to wreak havoc with world economies and political stability.

Today was always going to be about Southwold. Both Di and I have been before. The most recent time for me was a lovely family holiday just 3 months after Kim passed away and booked to help us all come together and celebrate her memory. So Southwold is, and always will be, a very special place for me. 

We thought it might be nice to walk Tilly along the beach into the town. The plan being simply to wear her out before the town / shops! We parked up in the centre of Walberswick and had a mooch around - including a very nice coffee and cheese scone / flapjack in the sunny courtyard of the village cafe. 

We then moved down to the main car park by the water. This is normally packed in the summer but today we shared with about 4 other cars. The usual fun and games paying for our session using an online App and then a short stroll over to the ferry across the river - £2 each (and the dog was free) for the 30 second journey.

The walk up the beach into Southwold only took us about 20 minutes but was thoroughly enjoyed by all 3 of us. It is very windy today and was quite chilly if you strayed into an area that was shaded from the sun. 

This was the first of many times this week where I contemplated about how much better it was to be sharing a beach walk with another human being rather than just a manic Collie! Someone to share the beauty and inspiration with and focus on chat, fun and be in the moment rather than thinking back to the past constantly and dwelling on what’s been missed!

We had a smashing walk up and down the high street . Di bought a couple of things from a charity shop - this being Southwold, it was a very up market charity shop! It culminated in a visit to the local bakery coffee shop - the 2 Magpies. Di  I shared a croque monsieur and Tilly and I shared a mammoth sausage roll - you can do the maths!!!

More walking then - off to the famous pier and then a leisurely promenade up and down it. As with most of our short walks, this too culminated in more treats. This time it was 2 very generous helpings of ice cream! 

We walked back across the golf course, over the bridge (further down the river) and along the banks of the river. 

By the time we got back to the car at Walberswick we fancied a drink!

Kim and I had really enjoyed Dunwich so we headed there for a quick beach walk first and then a drink at the Ship Inn. It was getting very cold by now so the beach walk was only for about 20 mins and the pub garden was ignored for the warmth of the conservatory. 

Then it was the quick journey home to Brunnehilda. Di wasn’t hungry but I couldn’t resist reheating the chilli I brought from home. I had this with a cuppa as we watched this weeks TV binge! The very wonderfully scripted and acted This City is Ours. 

A smashing day with lots of happy old memories for us both to think back on and loads of lovely new memories created.

Suffolk Trip - 1st April ‘25

The second trip of the year - this time not Northumberland or Derbyshire but back to Suffolk.

Unlike trips on my own with Brunnehilda, this and the last trip (in February to Embleton) the Travels With Brunnehilda blog has been written retrospectively. When I’m on my own there always seems lots of time to consider what I’m going to write and then to write it up. When I’m not travelling on my own that time seems to disappear - which I guess is a good thing. Someone to talk to during the day rather than consider what I’m going to write. Someone to spend time with in the evening rather than tapping on my phone!

We were due to be on site by 2 but I had a puncture the day before and I didn’t have that fixed until after lunchtime. So we didn’t leave Welton until gone 3pm. It was a good and quick journey with no stop and arriving soon after 6pm.

With Di as my co traveller again the set up was quick and easy too. She got in with doing all the stuff in the van while I sorted the outside. By 7 we were having our first cup of tea.

The site is amazing! It’s called Sunflower House in the charming wee Village of Yoxford. It’s right on the A12 so easy to access. Although we had a bit of a stand off in the village just before Yoxford. A very angry woman refused to back up for me (a caravan!) at a narrow part of the main road. She furiously gesticulated at me (and the 2 cars behind) to back up and let her through. She finally realised that was never gunna happen and greeted our wave of thanks when she did eventually back up with a tyraid of pure hate, anger and venom! Poor woman .. God knows she’s got going on in her life that she’s having to deal but I’m glad I’m not living in her head!!

The site is on a farm with a huge field leading into an area of woodland (with a pond). There are lovely walkways available to take the dog. Although the curious goats and angry geese weren’t that pleased to see Tilly.

We were quite tired after a long day so walked the 200 yards down the A12 to the Kings Head. A lively friendly little local pub. I had an amazing steak burger and Di had a chicken burger. We shared some very naughty fries smothered in all sorts of bad stuff!!

The day has been sunny from sun up to sun set. The rest of the week was forecasted to be exactly the same each day. And they were right - 4 days of nothing but bright blue skies and continuous sunshine - wonderful! 

Seahouses, Bamburgh & Holy Island - 22nd Feb ‘25

A gorgeous weather day was forecast and it didn’t disappoint. We were treated to coffee in bed with the glorious sun shining through the bedroom window. 

As we were getting ready to get out, Di noticed the owner of the camper van next door - and his dog. It was only bloody Ernie - again! We would have popped out to say hi but he and his owner seemed very busy getting ready to pack up and leave. 

We timed our leaving to get to Seahouses for lunch from my favourite fish and chip shop - Neptunes. We took advantage of the one hour free parking and ate our haddock and chips overlooking the sleepy harbour. A quick walk around the town and then forced an ice cream down on the way back to the car park. 

Our main destination of the day was the beach and town of Bamburgh. I had spent all week trying to teach Di how to say Bamburgh. She had been saying Bamber (as in Mr Gascoigne, the 70’s University Challenge host) all week and my tip of it being spelt and pronounced the same as Edinburgh only had a limited effect!

We parked at a spot Di had parked up with her camper van a few years earlier. It was up by the golf club and avoided paying any parking charges - yippee. We then had a wonderful walk along the gorgeous beach. The sun was out and the wind had dropped. I don’t know who of the 3 of us enjoyed it most? I also managed to join Tilly for a paddle - gee it was cold!!

We headed up to the town passing by the entrance to the castle. Unlike Dunstanburgh and Alnwick, this one was open. But at £18.75 and no dogs allowed in the actual castle, we decided that Baron Armstrong could do without our money and we’d go and spend it in the pub!

That said, we both had a soft drink in The Lord Crewe Arms on the pretty High Street with a lovely view of the incredibly imposing castle! Then a walk along the coastal road and beach back to the golf club and the car.

After checking the tide tables, it seemed rude not to head off to Holy Island for a quick walk / drink. We arrived in the car park at the edge of the village at 5.15. So the walk around the village, bay and priory was done in the gloamin. 

Of course we ended up at another dog friendly pub - Manor House Hotel. This time we did partake in alcohol - well it was well past 5 o’clock! And talking of dog friendly … we headed home to the Dunstunburgh Castle Hotel in our village (Embleton) for dinner. The steak I had was magnificent but the setting was even better. We were in the dog friendly lounge. Including our table, there were 5 couples and a guy all with at least one dog each sitting peacefully under their respective tables. Tilly was impeccably behaved. Although to be fair, she was absolutely knackered. 

It’s been lovely finding dog friendly places to eat. It’s not something I would have always bothered with - especially with Benny in tow - but Di is such a dog lover and would rather leave me in the car than leave Tilly alone while we eat!

More Sopranos and a decision made to not think about packing until tomorrow morning. We are aiming to leave at 10.30 to get home (via Melbourne) for 5.30. 

What a lovely holiday. Di is a great travelling companion and was right at home with 2 of the other girls in my life - Matilda and Brunnehilda.

Although Northumberland is not an area I went to with Kim, it was so nice to make new memories with Di whilst regularly thinking back to happy memories travelling with Kim.

I left 4 days ago wondering whether this might be one of Brunnehilda’s final trips. I’m travelling home looking forward to our next trip out in my Teutonic home on wheels. Both Di and I are very fond of Suffolk so maybe Brunnehilda will travel East next time?