Surprise weekend in Chester and Isle of Anglesey

Friday 6 June 2014
Our own van should have been ready for us to collect today but, true to form, it's been delayed yet again, this time for another 3 weeks - that'll be 4 months later than the original completion date! But that's another story.

So we had nothing planned for this weekend. Cathy was working down at the unit, preparing a couple of motorhomes to go out and once again, Dave & Lesley kindly suggested we take one of their vans away for the weekend, in this case th Eldiss.  So I was surprised to receive a text at work just before midday to say we're off in a van tonight so find us somewhere to stay. I popped into Morrisons at lunchtime to buy some food and was home by about 1715. Cathy was still down at the unit, but had packed some clothes: I added mine to the bag, grabbed a few other things and drove down to the unit.

Because it was such short notice I knew it would be difficult to get a campsite pitch, so had a think about where to stay. I decided on the Little Roodee coach park, by the river Dee in Chester for tonight, followed by a night overlooking the beach at Lligwy Bay on Anglesey.  So with the van packed up we headed off.  It was a really warm day so we were looking forward to a stroll through Chester and a night out.

We arrived at an almost empty car park and paid the overnight parking fee - £5 for large vans, but only £1.50 if you can fit in a normal parking bay.  The van looked quite lonely parked on its own, but a couple of others arrived later. A quick change and we headed off, walking alongside the river and up into town. We were headed for the Portas Tapas Bar on Northgate Street, but stopped off for a couple of drinks along the way.  Arriving at Portas, the outside seats were taken, given the warm, balmy evening, so we went inside. They were busy so we grabbed a couple of stools near the entrance and ordered a glass of wine until a table became free.  Once showed to a space to sit and eat - a couple of stools alongside a long bar-like table, we ordered our food.  It quickly came and we really enjoyed it, particularly the croquetas and calamari, but it was all delicious, quickly delivered and just enough. A couple of wine glass refills later, Cathy was ready for some pudding, a lovely chocolate pudding, which came with a dark, sweet sherry. We'll definitely visit this tiny Tapas Bar again.  The night was still and warm as we walked back to the van and sleep.

Lonely but soon to be joined by two more vans

Very tasty!

Saturday 7 June 2014
The coach park is a great option to stay overnight in Chester, if a little noisy. The gates are locked at 2230 and are supposed to be opened at 0630, but I heard the van arrive to unlock at 0430. We were up at about 0700 and had a quick brew before heading off. By this time the clouds were building and, as we joined the A55 and headed into Wales, we drove into torrential rain. By the time we reached Anglesey it had eased off and we pulled into the car park at Lligwy Bay under cloudy but warm skies. I reversed the van up to give us uninterrupted views of the bay and the sea.  Kettle on, we sat in the rear lounge with some bacon butties and a brew. After a walk along the beach and a quick paddle (the sea was bloody freezing!) we came back to put our feet up, read and watch the weather.  More heavy rain came over and we were both feeling tired, so I climbed into the over-cab bed, while Cathy stretched out in the rear lounge. A good snooze later, the rain and clouds were gone and the sun was shining, so we headed off for a walk along the coastal path, heading North. After a short while we realised we'd been here before - we were on the same path we had walked a few years ago, recorded in our first ever blog entry.  We sat on the rocks in the sun for a while before walking back along the beach. Back at the van we had a brew sat on the bench outside, overlooking the van, before heading back inside for a read. Dinner tonight was steak, sausages and Greek salad, with a chilled bottle of Cava. We know we won't be able to do afford to do this in our own van every weekend, but this trip was a surprise, so,why not! I'd packed our little yellow bucket BBQ so that was flashed up while we sat outside in the evening sunshine. We chatted to the couple next door, in a panel van conversion, from Warrington. They were very well organised and enjoyed their BBQ, sat inside with the sliding door open and in full sun, yet out of the wind - that'll be us soon. Well fed, we sat in the sun as it lowered, headed inside to wash up, sweep the floors, then watched the tide ebb as the sun set.  It's been a very relaxing day, just what we needed.  As the sun sets over the headland I know we'll sleep well.

View from our dining room

Soaking up the last of the sun

Sunday 8 June 2014
We did indeed sleep well in the peace and quiet of the Bay. After a brew sat outside and a hot shower, I cooked us bacon butties. After 24 hours parked up, we packed everything away and headed off along the coastal road. Next stop was Church Bay, down a winding and narrow road. We parked up easily opposite the Lobster Pot restaurant and took a walk along the coastal path heading south. It was sunny but very blustery and we enjoyed the cobwebs being blown away as we walked along the cliff top path. From this highpoint we were looking out towards Holyhead, a few miles across the bay. We'd not been there before and it was approaching lunchtime, so that was our next destination. We followed the signs for the town centre and then the harbour. Some free coach parking was right on the waterfront so we stopped there. We started to walk into town, but it didn't look promising, so we turned back towards the harbour and popped in to check out the Harbourside Bistro. We were pleasantly surprised, outside seating on a deck overlooking the harbour, with a fresh and modern menu. Cathy had goat’s cheese and fig parcels to start and I had the fish chowder. Both were excellent.  For main we both had the pan fried hake. This was cooked to perfection and came with some colourful steamed and glazed peppers, sweet potato, leek and parsnip, mushy peas, homemade tartar sauce and chunky chips. The presentation and flavour was very reminiscent of the sorts of bistros found in small French fishing harbours: a real surprise and somewhere to return. Back on the road, the plan was to find somewhere to park up, make a brew and relax for a while before driving home.  But some dodgy road signs meant we instead spent a couple of hours driving across Anglesey down narrow country lanes! Ending up back on the A55, we instead pulled off toward the NT Penrhyn Castle. We'd visited here the last time we were in Anglesey and knew it had quiet and plentiful parking. Parked amongst the trees, Cathy made us a brew while I caught up with the blog.  Then it was back on the road to get back to the unit, unpack and clean the van.

Considering we were expecting a weekend stuck at home, this was a surprisingly relaxing weekend, just what we needed.  Thanks again Dave and Lesley for letting us take the Elddis - we had a great time and still love motorhoming!

Harbourside Bistro, Holyhead

Al fresco breakfast

In memory of Toby Bear

We've dedicated this blog of our trip to Anglesey to Toby Bear or, as we named him 'Tobias Wildebeest Stagg'. Toby was a grumpy old man of a Jack Russell, with his own special temperament.  Mad about shiny lights and chasing shadows, he was also a lovely companion and liked nothing better than cuddling up with us on the sofa when he came to us for his holidays when his Mum & Dad - Katrina & Kevin - were on holiday.  He also enjoyed his walks, although we never dare let him off his lead!  Toby had been poorly for a while but this was being treated with medication and so he continued to live a happy and pain-free life.  But that all changed last week, when his health deteriorated rapidly and Kevin & Katrina had to make the very difficult decision to put him to sleep.  The vet came on Thursday morning and, despite putting up a good fight to the very end, Toby has left us.  Visits to his house won't be the same without his enthusiastic welcome, occasionally accompanied by a grinchy growl - well he was a grumpy old man after all!  Chase those Lights in Peace Toby - goodnight our favourite furry friend. xxx

The one and only Tobias Wildebeest Stagg

Friday 7 March 2014
Once again we were in a van hired from Live the Dream Motorhome Hire, as we wait for our own van conversion to be built.  This time it was an Adria Twin SLX - a similar size and layout to our own, so we were looking forward to trying it out.  It has a fixed double bed, a mid-ships bathroom, with the shower cubicle built into the central floor area, and a half-dinette up front. With 2 gas rings, sink and fridge, this is our ideal layout for simple campervan living.  Cathy prepared and packed the van on the Friday and, when I finished work, we dropped off her car at the unit and headed off.

I had booked two nights on a 5-pitch CL site in the village of Pentraeth, overlooking Red Wharf Bay on the Isle of Anglesey.  I enjoyed the short 2 hour drive as it gave me a feel for the van - although this one is a Fiat Ducato and ours is a Citroën Relay, they're built in the same factory in Italy and the layouts are the same. We arrived at the site in darkness at about 1940, to find we have the site to ourselves.  The owner welcomed us and showed us to our pitch, telling me in the morning we'd have a lovely view down to the Bay.  I hooked up the electricity while Cathy got the kettle on and, with the blinds closed and mood lighting and heating on, we were soon snug and warm. Cathy had already cooked a chicken before we left, spatchcocked and marinaded by me the night before, and we had this with salad, bread and an organic Rose wine.  With the music playing through our wireless 'Jam' speaker, we were soon chilled out.

Saturday 8 March 2014
During the night it became quite windy outside, but we remained warm and cozy.  Saturday morning came and I was up first (as usual!) to make us a brew.  A cooked breakfast followed and we prepared for our walk.  Leaving the site we took the unadopted road alongside, which wound down to the edge of the Bay. The tide was out so we were able to follow the (sometimes very muddy!) coastal path toward the white buildings in the distance alongside the edge of Red Wharf Bay.  First we came to the Ship Inn, then the Boathouse Cafe, before we headed up the hill and away from the water's edge.  We followed the footpath down to Benllech beach and walked across the sand before stopping at the Bay Cafe - coffee for me, tea and cake for Cathy (of course!). We carried on the coastal path as it headed up onto the cliff top, twisting and turning until we reached Penrhyn. Looking back, we could clearly see the summit of Snowdon which was covered in snow - Snowdon had been snowed on!!  Here we cut through a caravan/chalet site (filled with very snooty TCPs and their many 'PRIVATE' signs) before reaching the main road.  We followed this back, stopping off at Benllech to buy some painkillers for Cathy. I was tempted by the fresh crab, lobster & smoked fish shop opposite but resisted!  The walk back along the road was very windswept, and we were glad when we were able to shoot off onto a footpath, leading across the fields, back to the CL and the warmth and quiet of the van.  With faces tight and glowing from windburn and sunshine, we had a brew and looked out at the lovely view over the bay.  Cathy had a snooze while I read my kindle, before we walked all of about 100m to the Bull Inn for some liquid refreshment.

The Bull had Doom Bar on tap - my (and now Cathy's) favourite bitter.  It was very strange being in a pub where we were the only native English speakers. From pensioners to the youngest children, they all spoke Welsh, occasionally lapsing into the odd word of English.  Back at the van, we battened down the hatches (and blinds) and prepared our dinner, whilst looking out at the bay turning paler, then darker as dusk followed by darkness descended.  Both full, with washing up done and the van tidy and locked up, Cathy crashed while I sat with a brew.  We have no phone or wifi signal here - even the iBoost couldn't connect us - so our time is spent reading, listening to music (Cara Dillon is playing now) and staring out to sea.  I did have a text this morning to to tell me my new Ukelele had been delivered - I look forward to starting my musical learning again.

Sunday 9 March 2014
Another windy night (outside!) and the morning brought dark, menacing low cloud that threatened rain. I was up at about 0800 and sat with a brew, reading while Cathy slept on.  I always like these mornings to myself in the campervan. If the weather's good I'll sit outside and listen to the birdsong; this morning I could still hear the birds, but had to sift out the sounds of the wind in the trees and hedges.  With it being so windy, all the windows and skylights have remained firmly closed to prevent them sailing off towards the Bay. Breakfast this morning was bacon butties then, washed and cleaned up, we prepared to move on.  Our usual routine is for Cathy to pack everything away inside the van, ensuring all doors, drawers and cupboards are secured.  I sort out the grey waste and empty the toilet cassette, before finally unhooking the electric cable and fighting it back into its round, nylon bag, which always looks to small to take the cable!  All ready to go, we had a chat with the owner, thanked her for the stay and headed off.

For Christmas last year, Nicola and Chris bought us a year's membership of the National Trust. This was great as we planned to join anyway.  Our thinking is that most NT properties are set in lovely countryside, they always have good, large car parks (the majority of which will be free for us) and we'll have free entry to all the houses and gardens. Ironically, one of only two properties that still charge members for parking is Tatton Park, the closest property to home! Cathy is more interested in the houses than me, but we both like the gardens, I particularly like Victorian walled kitchen gardens - maybe I was an under-gardener in a previous life!  Looking through the handbook we found a NT property close-by: Penrhyn Castle in Bangor, with lovely views over the Menai Strait from the surrounding parkland.

With plenty of space to park, we showed our membership cards and walked up past the castle to walk around the gardens.  We liked the bog garden, but the walled area was disappointing.  The castle was built in the second half of the 19th Century in a Norman style, but during the reign of Queen Victoria. She stayed at the house and refused to sleep in the 2 ton slate bed they had spent 6 months making ready for her visit - don't blame her, it looked cold and uncomfortable. As always, we liked the 'downstairs' area, the kitchens and staff quarters.  We returned to the van for tea and biscuits before heading back along the coast road to Cheshire.  We wanted to stop off on the way for fish and chips but, as with most areas of England and Wales, the Councils make campervans very unwelcome.  So we carried on to the unit to clean and return the van.

So that was our weekend in Anglesey. With no phone or wifi signal, we enjoyed the peace and quiet.  We really liked the van and it reinforced the point that we had made the right decision to go for this size and type.

PostScript: Although Toby is gone but not forgotten, he has left a large hole in Katrina and Kevin's lives. So they returned to the area where Toby was born and found one of his relatives - a 12 week old Norfolk Terrier/Jack Russell cross, who is the absolute spitting image of Toby.  He's called Pip, we met him this evening and he is absolutely delightful. He's not Toby, but if he has half his personality and brings as much joy to his owners, then all will be good with the world.

Kettle's on

View from the van down to Red Wharf Bay

View across Red Wharf Bay

The Ship Inn, Red Wharf Bay

Coffee for me, tea and cake for Cathy!

Bay Cafe, Benllech beach

Parked in Penrhyn Castle

That's what you call a roasting spit!

Back at the Live the Dream Motorhome Hire unit - time to clean up

Cleaning up

Weekend in the Peak District

22 February - 23 February 2014

Last weekend we hired a motorhome from Live the Dream Motorhome Hire, based in our neighbouring village of Anderton, as we wait for our own panel van conversion to be completed.  We only had a short weekend so picked up the van early on Saturday morning, following a comprehensive handover from the owners - and keen motorhomers themselves - Lesley & David.  I had pre-booked a pitch at the Beech Croft Farm Camping & Caravan Site in Blackwell, a small hamlet just off the A6 between Buxton and Bakewell. Our son, Chris came with us; sadly he is being medically discharged from the Army following a significant leg injury, so it was an opportunity for him to get away from this worry and relax, and for us to talk to him about what he wants to do next and how we can help him.

The van we hired was a Chausson Flash 03. This is a six-berth van with a large over-cab double bed, two transverse bunk-beds at the rear and a double dinette which converts into another double bed.  The bathroom was large, with a separate shower area.  The galley area was sufficient for our needs, with a decent sized fridge, 3 ring hob and grill.  We also took a Remoska cooker, which we had borrowed from one of Cathy's clients to 'road-test'. I cooked a Caribbean Lamb dish in it, with rice and peas, plus it also cooked our breakfast bacon. It's a good piece of kit if you're on EHU - quite pricey but Lakeland provide a lifetime guarantee, so worth the investment.  The van also came with a diesel-driven blown air heating system, something we were glad of in the chilly Peak District hills.  The van is based on a Ford chassis and was easy to drive, with plenty of power to tackle the journey, across the Peaks, past the high Cat & Fiddle Pub and over various hillsides. Thankfully this is only about an hour or so from home, so the journey was short.

We arrived at the campsite at about 1100. I walked over to the Reception and was warmly welcomed and invited to take my pick of pitches.  The site was very busy (a sign of it's popularity) and we had arrived before the normal midday checkout time, but there was a pitch available in the higher area.  This came with EHU, water supply and a TV socket.  The lady who checked us in also took the time to explain how to get to the local pubs and local walks from the site - this was really helpful as we planned to do both! Once pitched and levelled up, on went the kettle and we had some lunch and settled in.  The site has some excellent facilities, including a toilet/shower block with underfloor heating and a well-stocked shop.  Also, in the morning, there is a breakfast van that visits, for those too tired (or hungover!) to cook.  Coupled with peace, quiet and great views, this is a perfect site for exploring a lovely part of the Peak District.

We're the motorhome in the middle of the photo

After lunch we headed off to walk part of the Monsal Trail.  

This is based on an old railway line and a number of tunnels have been recently opened up, allowing you to walk all the way to Bakewell.  Windy and chilly on the top of the hills, as we descended into the shelter of the valleys, the sun came out and we enjoyed the very welcome warmth and light it provided.  We walked for about an hour before branching off the Trail and heading up the hill towards Priestcliffe - Chris, despite his injury, 'yomped' well ahead of his old Mum & Dad!  We followed the track towards the A6 and stopped off at the Waterloo Hotel for a drink.  The welcome and log fire were warm and, after a couple of pints of local beer, we headed back to the van to settle in for the evening.

Lime Kilns

For once Chris 'remembered' to bring his wallet!

..and his Dad was glad of it!

With screens up and curtains closed, the van soon warmed up.  

I had already set up and tested the i-Boost wifi system, which proved extremely powerful and well worth the investment; we were all able to catch up on emails, social media etc, plus stream music via Spotify - a great piece of kit.  

After a few drinks and nibbles, the Remoska cooked the Caribbean Homecoming Lamb to perfection and, with the rice and peas, we enjoyed a lovely warming meal.

Catching up on the outside world thanks to the i-Boost

Remoska - great bit of kit

After a few games of 'Pass the Pigs' plus tea and chocolate biscuits, we were ready for bed.  We slept reasonably well, although the wind had increased dramatically and the van swayed quite a lot in the strong gusts - it reminded me of being back at sea!

Even Chris' childhood mate - Tiglet - enjoyed the warmth of his bed!

We had a lazy lay-in, followed by a breakfast of bacon (cooked in the ever-useful Remoska), scrambled eggs and baked beans.  Then it was time to strike-camp, empty fluids, pack and head off back to Anderton.  I was expecting a difficult drive back in the very strong wind, particularly over the top of the Silk Road, but the Chausson handled very well and caused us no problems at all.

This was a very short break, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.  The site was perfect for us - quiet with great views, yet well equipped and very well-maintained.  We're grateful for Lydia Pearce highlighting this site in her very informative blog - Adventures in a Motorhome - thanks Lydia!  It was also lovely to spend some quality time with our son, Chris, as he comes to terms with being invalided out of the Army - hopefully something better will follow for him soon.

Our next trip will be in a fortnight, this time in an Adria Twin SLX, very similar to our own 'in progress' van conversion, so we're looking forward to trying out this size of van.

A sunny pitch