Sunday 28th June : Saturday 3rd May
When we purchased Zygie it was so that we could chill out and not rush around. If that meant we got our timings wrong sometimes so be it and just work around it. Today was such a day. With some frozen food to pick up from Cook and a few other things to do we headed off later than planned. No problem as we had a pub in mind that we had stayed at before with plenty of parking.
Unfortunately I had forgotten to tell K that we had a problem with the habitation door stay and I was due to pick up the replacement part from Webbs, Warminster on our way. Now when things are going for you plans can work however I had not thought the traffic would be so bad and that the drivers we encountered would be so pathetically slow. Ok we missed the 4.30pm cut off at Webbs finding them locking the gates as we arrived! A change of plan was needed. Checking out an alternative evening stop over in the Brit Stops book saw us parked up at The Prince of Wales, Dilton Marsh. This meant we could call back to Webbs in the morning at 10.30 for the door part. Sometimes getting plans wrong can work out fine. We had great early evening meal, a free entry into the pub quiz and The Boys had a super village walk. What a friendly lot they are in the this village.
Bank Holiday Monday and it decided to tip down. The Boys did not want a walk in the rain, but they had a quick one around the village green as it would be while before they got another break. Webbs had just opened and I had a smooch around the shop after I had picked up the door stay.
Going up through Bristol we stopped off to get a wall clock for Zygie. Neither of us wear watches but sometimes it is useful to know the time of day!
Green Gables, our CL for the next two nights, is in a village outside Bristol, close to Winterbourne where I started to teach in 1974! Even though it was still pelting down the owner came out to unlock the gate and show us where to park. A nice quiet spot sadly spoilt only by the traffic noise from the nearby dual carriageway. However it does have some lovely walks around, including the Frome Valley Walk Way.
On Tuesday Hannah came over from her flat in Bristol to pick me up and we spent a lovely day down in dock area, having a bite to eat and visiting the SS Great Britain. Bristol has changed a lot but still remains a beautiful city. I always thought I was at College when the SS Great Britain returned to Bristol but it seems it returned the year before I started there – a mystery as to what I was doing there then. When we got back and H had left I got stuck into trying to solve why we could not get rid of the grey water. Two things either the probe was stuck and not working or – well actually I can only think that the water level was ok and had not reached the probe! It took ages to loosen the tap to get inside the tank to check. After half an hour or so still no real answer. That night we watched the movie “Bridget Jones Baby” during supper.
Wednesday and we off early to travel up to North Wales and the camp site by the river in Betws-y-Coed. The plot was one of the last left on this site with beautiful views all around but one of the most expensive. Fortunately we were only going to be there one night. However it was also a family site and being the school holidays it was full of kids running about (quietly – not!!) and on their bikes using the adjacent road hump as play thing. Alex joined us later in the afternoon from her home in Worscester. This was going to be the first time to use the drop down double bed and also to see how much room we had.
First thing on Thursday morning Alex and I were off in her car up to Zip World Velocity, Bethesda. Sadly all over in two hours but it truly was a great adventure and would love to do it again! After a walk along the river bank with The Boys we were off at midday.
That night we drove over to Anglesey to a farm CL at Llannerch-y-medd. It was lovely site with great views all around but it was very windy. During the night the rain pelted down and the wind shook the van too. However I had taken the precaution of facing Zygie into the wind on arrival so it was not as bad as it could have been.
Friday we drove south separately, Alex home and us to our Brit Stop at The Oak, Upton Snodsbury. This turned out to be another great pub stop over although the walks for The Boys was limited. That night Alex came over to join us for an evening meal.
On Saturday we had a very pleasant drive through the Vale of Evesham and onto the A419 home.
Dreamin 2 