Since returning from Ireland, we have attended a couple of music festivals with friends. Firstly, at Northampton, we took both the campervan and folding camper so that our non-camping friends could join us. Over the 4 days we were there we listened to about 12 bands and did quite a lot of dancing, as well as chatting with people we have not seen for along time.
We then had a 4 day -break on our own at Bladon Chains Caravan Club site which is within walking distance of Blenheim Palace. The weather was kind to us so we walked quite a bit, also caught up on washing and re-charging the batteries.
Then it was off to Watlington, near Oxford, with a different couple of friends using the folding camper. Another lovely dancing and listening to music weekend was shared with about 100 other country & western folk.
After that, we spent a couple of weeks on our own again, taking the folding camper to Bradford Leigh near to Bath. We visited National Trust properties, walked a lot of miles, had cream teas and cooked breakfasts and eventually packed up when the weather turned really nasty, wet and windy (we don't do either of those!)
By the time we came home we had made the decision to sell the folding camper and just keep the campervan. We really now do not use Big Bertha enough to justify keeping her. So, adverts were placed and within the week she was sold, and collected a couple of weeks after that. It was a sad time as we have had many lovely trips away, but as we get older we are finding it harder to cope with the canvas and the putting up/down so many times.
Following on from that, we took the campervan to it's first ever motorhome rally at Edenbridge. We joined 23 other units at Gabriels Fishery, which for anyone who fishes is a must. We managed a couple of long walks around the area, but as it turned out to be one of the hottest weekends of the year we spent a lot of time just sitting in the shade. We made some new friends, picked up a few motorhoming tips and promised to join another rally at a later date.
We have just looked in the rally book and have decided to go to Cliftonville this coming weekend, hopefully the weather will be not too bad.
We have also planned an excursion to the Somerset Carnivals in a week's time, along with Lorna & Mike in their caravan. We have not previously been away so late in the year, but as we survived the snow last December when we picked the campervan up, we reckon we can manage Glastonbury in November.....watch this space!
Our various set-ups
