Off we go again

Apologies for the Enid Blytonesque title to this post. I still lust after being one of the Famous Five (but not bloody soppy Anne). Further apologies for the out-of-sequence placing of the photos. We're still fiddling about trying to work out how to do it - that is, Kim's fiddling about while I stand in the background cursing with great gusto at how long it takes.

April 6th. Kim's tooth was yanked out. Glorious weather so we decided to take Dorothy to Shropshire, our favourite county. We stayed at Ebury Hill, near Shrewsbury. Ebury Hill was a hill fort in the Iron Age and, more recently, a quarry. It's a big site with 100 pitches but laid out in such a way that you don't feel crowded. No shower block so therefore inexpensive. There's fishing if you want it but sod all else, which suits us fine. Good views.




Wroxeter. This is Kim sitting on the remains of the forum columns. To the left is Watling Street, still open to traffic.







Me outside the Roman villa, posing as an eccentric old biddy.











The Roman villa as featured in the Channel 4 programme 'Rome Wasn't Built in a Day'.










Wroxeter Roman City.







Ebury Hill Camping and Caravanning Club Site (non-members welcome)
Ring Bank
Haughton
Shrewsbury
SY4 4GB
01743 709334

Kim forgot to pack socks so we had to take a trip to Asda to buy some new ones. I think it was a deliberate oversight in order to satisfy his sock fetish. We bought wine and rum while we were at it so it wasn't a wasted trip.


April 8th. I'd tidily stashed my undies in the bottom wardrobe drawer in the bathroom but discovered, to my dismay, that my clean knickers were wet. Leaking shower! Oh groan. All the carpet was soaked as well so that had to come up. Bloody silly idea, if you ask me, to have fitted carpet in a caravan. I don't know how the last owners kept it clean but we've made it filthy already. It'll have to go.

Chaotic bathroom notwithstanding, we visited Wroxeter Roman City, which was quite splendid. We ate our picnic and went on to Haughmond Abbey - magnifico. Well, we've just joined English Heritage so we might as well get our money's worth.

I won't be boring and describe the shower mending process but the handy Kim sorted it out while I kept out of the way and read a book.

Sunday 10th April. Another touristy day out. We picnicked in the grounds of Buildwas Abbey and then went on to Much Wenlock to see the priory. It's big. I'd even go so far as to say awesome! We walked up the hill from there to have a look at the old railway station and came upon Windmill Field, which was the inspiration for the modern olympics. I didn't know that. I made a few notes to remind me to look it up properly so I can write an article and earn a few pennies. The trouble is, being surrounded by so much history, one becomes blase - but our transatlantic brethren love this stuff. We finished the day with a visit to Ironbridge, which was heaving with tourists. I thought the bridge would be visible from all quarters but we had to walk miles from the car park to get a glimpse of it. I was going into whinge mode so Kim bought me a cup of tea to shut me up. All this sightseeing gives one sore feet and a brain cell overload.






The parlour: Buildwas Abbey












The crypt










Buildwas Abbey












Wenlock Abbey











Topiary at Wenlock Abbey






Tuesday 12th April. Home for my dentist appointment, hospital check-up, a ton of washing and sorting out my ancient dad. We're looking forward to the next trip out but I'll try not to title it 'Two Run Away Together'!

Moving up a bit

We're probably not going to Europe this year, so the plan is to travel all around the coast of Britain - not all at once, although that would great, but in bits and pieces, as and when we get the chance. At the rate we go, it'll probably take about 10 years, by which time we'll be towing Dorothy with mobility scooters.

So we left the luxury of Willowbank's hot showers and headed North to a little place called Hundred End.

Landsdowne Camping
Shore Road
Hundred End
Southport, PR4 6XP
01772 814075
www.landsdownecamping.org.uk

We were met at the gate by the owners and a dog the size of a donkey. They'd seen us driving past on the way to getting lost. What's to be said about this site? There are a couple of fields, electric hook-ups, water and chemical toilet disposal. What more do you need? Oh, there's also a fishing lake and a garden shed full of tourist information leaflets. The owners are very friendly and helpful. It's flat and windswept and we had to take down the awning before it blew away. If you're after entertainment, children's playground etc, forget it, although there are a couple of swings and a slide. It suited us very well because we enjoy peace and quiet and we were the only ones there, until our last night when a gang of lads with tents turned up. They were no bother. The kindly owner put them on the other side of the field, well away from us. He also installed a chemical loo in a little garden shed for their use. This garden shed was the size of a sentry box! But any portaloo in a storm I suppose.

There are buses to Southport or Preston. We never use the car unless we have to. So we went to Southport one day for a fish and chips lunch. Then we sat outside a pub on Lord Street, enoying a drink while we waited for the bus back. The weather is amazing for April and it all felt quite continental and holiday-ish.

Another day, we walked across fields to look at the Ribble Estuary, which is a bird reserve (RSPB). You'd think you were in Holland with all the dykes and ditches. The whole area is dedicated to growing vegetables. I don't know how they manage with the howling winds, but there are lots of hedges. We saw oyster catchers and shell ducks. Of course, we forgot to take the binoculars or the camera! It was very much like our own Dee Eastuary at home, mainly salt marsh, but a lot wilder and more dramatic.

Unfortunately, we had to cut short this trip as Kim had diabolical toothache so we came home to let the dentist sort it out.

The verdict on caravanning after our first few days away? Excellent, and we can't wait to set off again. The electric heater is such a luxury we can't help feeling we're cheating but what the hell!