As we visit places across the UK and Europe we will post the information.
Ireland Visit
This year’s major trip will be the Ireland Two-week Coastal Trek. After spending 4 days working out the campsites and routes, it was time to start the mammoth journey. The first part will be the 5-hour trip to Fishguard.
Day one
The trip to Fishguard would end with us getting there about 7pm. We decided to try and get some sleep before the 2:45am ferry - sounds easy right! The first challenge was to find a place to sleep. The council has decided to make all the local car parks sleep-free zones, thanks local government. In the end, we found a pull in next to a graveyard. The only problem with that is the overhanging trees in the rain, the noise was so bad you just could not get any sleep!
As soon as 1am came along, we headed over to the port (5mins away) to book in. We checked in with the Premier booking, which meant that we got board first and had access to Premier Lounge with free coffee, snacks and Sky TV on tap!
Sounds good but with nowhere to sleep! Using two chairs, I tried to make a bed with not a great deal of success! (I so wish at this point we could use the bed in the dub!) We muddle through the night and docked at 6:45am.
Vanfest 2011 2
Vanfest 2011
Well as we own a dub, we had to book a VDub weekend to see what its all about and for us that weekend was Vanfest 2011 in the Malvern Hill’s. (We have already been to this location with the MMM Magazine and loved the location!). We were surprised at the cost of the weekend - £90 for two of us and the Dub but without any of the paid evening entertainment (which would have cost extra but for us it was all about the dubs!).
I was very excited on the trip, going up on the Friday morning with our tickets and site information in hand, we set off. It was great seeing lots of Dubs on the way up and all the friendly waving backward fourth.
As we approached the 5mile mark, we check the site information and entrances details, which states to use the yellow and brown gates. So I used the brown gate, which should be fine! As I approach a steward on this gate, I was told that I had entered via the wrong gate but was puzzled, as it should be one of the two allowed routes in.
We then tried to navigate to the general camping area - nightmare! When we finally found the area, the next challenge was the find a place to pitch up. This is where I started to lose it, as there was no control on pitch space. On most of the general camping area, campers would camp all around the outside making the only space in the center! Then if you found a way in, you have to pray that another camper would not block the small gap!!!!
France
Well it’s the first big test of the T5, traveling aboard well France anyway!
Living in Poole you would think we would take the Poole crossing to France! Until we saw the prices ouch! The Portsmouth to Le Havre crossing was over £100 cheaper, so that was the route we took - a bit of a convoy with Clare’s parents also making a trip in their Fiat Ducato camper. The crossing went well with a couple of beers in us. The beds on the LD ferry were built for small people so Clare’s mum was fine but at 6FT I found it a bit of a challenge. We docked at 8am which was great and left us the whole day to get to Le Dorat by tea time. I know that your thinking the travel time should only be about 4 hours, why would you be budgeting all day to get there! Well we wanted to see as much of the country as you can and not driving at 100Mph down the motorways but chose to use the local roads so we can stop off at a number of Aires to have a biscuit and something to drink. All sounding great until I powered up TOMTOM or as I have now named it CRAPCRAP! So we ditched it and started to use the good old paper maps, within no time we were back on route checking out some of the best views anywhere. Our first stop was “Aire du Pont de Brotonne” it had toilets and a place to park and have a coffee - nice!
The first MMM show of the year!
Well it’s the start of the MMM motorhome shows, starting in Peterborough. We always try and go to as many of these as possible with great entertainment and a good bunch of campers. We try and get as many days in the camper as possible so we booked Thursday to Sunday. The first day is great, as we can setup and watch all the campers big and small turn up from the £4,000 budget campers to the oversized US trucks.
We love Dub watching checking out the Dubs Autosleepers, Troopers, California’s and self builds (me!) turning up while having a beer.
The second day is when the fun starts with no hookup the big campers are on the generators, I have a little chuckle with my solar panel doing a great job!.
We did have great fun watching one large camper having problems with the satelite dish going round and round not knowing which way to go. I just sat back smiled and had another beer....
Looking around the show was great with loads on offer from the smallest screws to £4,000 sat systems. I loved looking around the US trucks but didn't like the £112,000 price tag.
A New Year A New Camper EXPERIENCE
A New Year our first real holiday in the new camper!
And where to go and try the new heater! The Cairngorms in Scotland
Travel nine and a half hours north and we reached Glenmore campsite (Forest Holidays). Nice site and facilities, just a little muddy at this time of year - well unless things are frozen like at the start of our trip.
The aim of our trip was the mountain hare and possibly the Highland Wildlife Park for Polar bears but taking one day at a time - no need to rush. The first day we had arranged a safari with Glenlivet wildlife to stalk Mountain Hare, excellent experience but not for the less fit among us - there is a clue in the name - mountains are involved!
Our second day was spent trying to get internet connection, as the campsite was a dead zone except for odd spots. Aviemore is a get town with all amenities including Tesco and its only 10-15min drive away. Thanks to Cafe Mumbo, we were back online.
Our last day was spent at the Highland Wildlife Park, just a half an hour away. Unexpected cross between safari park (drive round) and typical zoo (old fashioned walking). great value for money as you can spend the whole day there walking or driving around and we did which is rare for us. Polar bears were the obvious top of the bill and we were lucky enough to see reindeers at the entrance. Others include tigers, arctic foxes, buffalo, deer, camels, scottish wlldcat, wolves etc
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