10-12-2015 Nimes France

We were spoilt for choice of 2 Bad campsites so picked this one at Nimes as the Bagatelle site in Avignon is really S**T ! Road noise and noisy itinerants on site so we thought we could travel up from here by train to Avignon but alas as usual while in France there was a train strike on ! Had a walk about in the town getting pestered by a local youth in the Park area. A place to avoid next time.

11-12-2015 Barcelona

Drove for 2Hr to next site outside Narbonne but no one there phone number to contact so decided to move on to L’Estartit so drove again for a few hours Site Closed o dear one of those days. Decided to drive the rest of the way to Barcelona site as the day was slowly disappearing. Gosh what traffic on the ring road in Barcelona. Got booked in OK went up to the restaurant and had a lovely tapas meal 5 dishes (lovely meal). We are now here into the New Year.

12-12-2015 Barcelona

Had a good run to Sitges then a look around the town catching the train back.

13-12-2015 Barcelona

Had a good run up in the hills then down to the beach for a wander about into Barcelona tomorrow.

7 December 2015 Tournon Sur Rhone

Still in Tournon had a good run this morning and a good walk up through the vineyards to a small shrine. Lovely sunny day 16 C. Just seen all the floods from our hometown in Cumbria. How sad again.

Visited our favourite  chocolate factory again Yummy

Just had an evening walk to Tain l’Hermitage to look at the christmas lights

8th December 2015 Tournon

Good walk about today looking for a different running route.

9th December 2015 Tournon

Had a good run this morning on our new route Walk about for the rest of the day and done some washing, maybe move on tomorrow south.

3 December Roptai

Walk about not much here we stopped overnight on the car park due to muddy conditions.

4-5 December 2015 Rives Du Lac

Arrived at 1145 just after the office had shut 1130 although staff walking about they made us wait until 1430 when the office opened again. How different to when we stopped here at the beginning of the year April. Had a walk about up to Geraudot and down to the lac. The water is low this place could be called Rives Du No Lac. Next morning used laundry and went for a run then a walk.

6 December 2015

Travelled this morning down to Beaune 2…. 1/2 Hr. Cold misty start to the day 2 C arrived at Beaune the campsite was as dire as we remembered it 6 Years ago 6 Amp kettle popped the fuse. Not worth staying got a refund and moved on to Tournon Sur Rhone 2… 1/2 Hr. drive this campsite is not bad at all.

2 December 2015

Our last day in Bruges managed another run this morning by the canals into the town. Lunch in town at the Christmas Market and a bit more touristy things a bit of shopping as we leave in the morning towards France via Brussels. A lovely place Bruges glad we came. A great place for a short break out of England 3 days is enough to see the sights. Diesel here in Belgium €1.088 per Ltr.

1 December 2015

A Good run this morning in and around Bruges then walked in and climbed the 346 steps of the Belfort tower for a bit of exercise.

30 November Bruges

Left on the Channel Tunnel this morning lovely journey across despite the rough sea!  An hour and a bit to our campsite an auto booking system to enter the site. Walked into Bruges just 30 mins not worth catching the bus for us fit young ens. A lovely place from our first visit. The Belgian border although not shut the motorway has a divert on through a police checkpoint armed! the hold up coming out is lengthy.

27-29 11-2015 Brighton

Now we are back in the world of so called “professional” travellers it still amazes me as to the complacency and arrogance of our fellow travelers and the snobbery of some.

Our trip to Eastbourne yesterday brought back the reality of the British recession after many years of eating Fish and Chips at Harry Ramsden’s at Guiseley and then throughout England as it spread we can now add Eastbourne to Bournemouth as a bad experience. Cut backs and bad management have managed to ruin a wonderful experience to a not to be visited again shame after 50 years.

Started enjoying our running and walking tired again after a full day. Snow chain buying this afternoon and then we have everything we need.

Eurostar booked our first campsite in Europe booked Christmas and New Year campsite booked.

We will be disappearing for a while as we move xxxx

20-11-2015 Allonby

Thank you for a lovely stay at Allonby with Brenda always a good time here.

22-11-2015 Mirfield

Travelled down to Manchester first for lunch with friends ….. lovely as usual. On to Mirfield to see family and let them see the new camping car. Problem with water leak in bathroom area turned out to be a bad connection on a hose in the toilet cassette cupboard.  Next morning down for a shopping trip to Meadow hall, Sheffield.

24-11-2015 Moreton in Marsh

Good camping site arrived on a Market day walked in and out of the village 3 times one time for chips (we should really stop eating this rubbish). Lovely place we like here.

25-26 11-2015 Brighton

Left early so as to take the camping car into Southdown Motor homes for a new radio fitting and a pair of front mud flaps. £557.00 WOW !!!! and the radio surround was broken ? yet another company that has dropped the “S” off ervice. Difficult drive up to Brighton rush hour and just made it in time to go see Mockingjay Part 2 disappointed not in line with the other films in the series.

Run this morning on the Downs then a walk into Brighton for lunch a lovely sunny start to the day.

Pictures of the new van coming soon! It’s been so wet here we are at present finding places for everything. We have so much space but cannot find anything at the moment as we are stopping at a friend’s cottage while we organise things. We have a new tyre to carry about as no spare in the van and putting the bikes in the garage they take up a lot of room and have to be secured along with the tyre which is creating a few problems. Lots of under floor storage below the bikes for extra food etc.  But planning what goes there difficult as the bikes have to come out to access it so we need to be back living in the van so as to let it evolve. All the holiday insurance Red Pennant bought we are now ready to leave and planning seeing family and friends on our way out of England. Just one last thing required a radio CD player at a massive £450 lawyers beware these fitters are on £120 Hour.

Sun – Mon 25 – 26 October Keswick – Hereford  (Poston Mill Park)

Our adventure starts a bit earlier this year due to us picking up a new motorhome.  Leaving Keswick we travel to our first stop Hereford a place we have not been before.

On arriving at our 5 star campsite  in the middle of no where, after settling in and having a cup of tea and inspection (Love the 60’s music in the toilet block) we went into Hay on Wye to try and find to friends we met in Nerja Spain.

Unfortunately we could not locate them due to them retiring. Next day we went into Hereford a lovely place and then on to Ross on Wye again a good day out. Small walk before tea across the field down to the village the mud been sticky we came back 2″ taller.

Tues – Thurs 27-29 October  Hereford – Paignton (Beverly Park)

A bad day weather wise heavy rain the motorways were so wet you could smell fish! Campsite busy due to holidays and the approaching Halloween. Had a run to Brixham in the morning followed by a walk to Torquay in the afternoon followed by drinks and fun in the clubhouse. What fantastic costumes the children had.

Sat – Sun 31 October 1 November Paignton – Bridport (Highlands End) via Bournemouth.

This was peculiar day as on talking to the motorhome supplier the building society cheque we had in our possession was no good as they needed it in their account for 5 working days and we pick the motorhome in 3 days with a weekend looming…….So S**T

We are so lucky to be in a Building Society that puts the customer first and is so integrated as part of the community of Keswick. A phone call and every thing was sorted, we walked into the Bournemouth branch and was treated like royalty 10 minuets later money transferred and one new motorhome paid for. Well done to The Skipton Building Society. A look around the town followed by our only second bad service by Costa coffee in years and lots of visits (see Image). Short Measure ? well done Bournemouth.

Drove down to Bridport for some more running on the coastal path.

Sun 1 November 2015 Bridport – Portsmouth (Kingfisher Gosport)

Into Portsmouth for a walk about and a bit of shopping and to Finnish paying for the van ready for us to Pick up Monday afternoon.