Friday 30 March 2012
Diesel
Diesel, got none in the van and I will not wait in queues with all those idiots panic buying, so I am going nowhere for a while. Next week panic buying starts for the Easter bank holidays and the campsites will be full of even more idiots, so I am better off at home anyway.
Friday 16 March 2012
Scotland 2012, Day Five
Day Five, March 12th
Another very fine day, we sett off to Jedburgh in Mick's car. First thing we did on the way was pull over for some better photos of the viaduct Dot and I saw the previous day. Not just me this time, we all got out to have a look.
After the short bridge interlude, we continued to Jedburgh, where we parked in a large free car park close to the Abbey. The sun was shining as we took photos of the Abbey and then wandered off towards the shops.
There are quite a few photo opportunities in Jedburgh, so we took a few more before looking for something for lunch.
Dot and I had a chip butty each, the other two had cheese burgers and I was the only one that didn't enjoy lunch. The kids had just got out of school for their lunch, so we had been lucky to get our before the rush. I seams that macaroni cheese is big in the borders, I do not remember seeing it on the menu much south of the boarder.
It didn't take long to walk through the shopping area and we were soon back to the river, where there was a very nice old bridge.
Back at the car, we decided to drive back the way we came and stopped off for me to get even more bridge photos before driving to the chain bridge but on the opposite side of the river from Melrose.
Back at the campsite we sat out in the sun reading until it was time for a last night drink in the pub, before supper and more Inbetweeners in Mick's van.
Another very fine day, we sett off to Jedburgh in Mick's car. First thing we did on the way was pull over for some better photos of the viaduct Dot and I saw the previous day. Not just me this time, we all got out to have a look.
After the short bridge interlude, we continued to Jedburgh, where we parked in a large free car park close to the Abbey. The sun was shining as we took photos of the Abbey and then wandered off towards the shops.
There are quite a few photo opportunities in Jedburgh, so we took a few more before looking for something for lunch.
Dot and I had a chip butty each, the other two had cheese burgers and I was the only one that didn't enjoy lunch. The kids had just got out of school for their lunch, so we had been lucky to get our before the rush. I seams that macaroni cheese is big in the borders, I do not remember seeing it on the menu much south of the boarder.
It didn't take long to walk through the shopping area and we were soon back to the river, where there was a very nice old bridge.
Back at the car, we decided to drive back the way we came and stopped off for me to get even more bridge photos before driving to the chain bridge but on the opposite side of the river from Melrose.
Back at the campsite we sat out in the sun reading until it was time for a last night drink in the pub, before supper and more Inbetweeners in Mick's van.
Thursday 15 March 2012
Scotland 2012, Day Four
Day Four, March 11th
The Boro were due to be on TV at 12:30 and England at 15:30, so as the sun was out we thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk before the match. First I put the slow cooker on and got the veg ready for supper, or a late lunch. Mick and Bren didn't fancy a walk, so Dot and I went on our own. As the light was much better, our fist stop was the chain bridge for a better photo.
A notice on the bridge warns that, only eight people are allowed on the bridge at any one time, it looks a lot stronger than that to me though.
From the bridge we set of for somewhere called "The Hundred Acer Wood Visitor Centre", when we got there it was closed and looked like it had been for some time but there are still signs to it all over. We continued along the road though to the next village, from the road we had long views of the viaduct and also the Abbey back in the town.
I even took some photos of the local flora along the way, at the village of Newstead, we found a footpath back to Melrose.
We were soon back at the abbey and as I was tacking photos, we bumped into Mick and Bren doing exactly the same thing. We agreed to come back that night to see if we could get a good night shot of the Abbey.
In the shops we checked to see if there were any frozen Yorkshire puddings but they were expensive so we got plain flower instead. I also got a new beer to try on the night. We looked in at an auto jumble but we didn't need anything, although I think Mick bought a tyre pressure gauge
Back at the van I watched the football while the others sat in the sun (this is March and in Scotland?), the match didn't go well and we got beat 0 - 2. We had our Sunday dinner between the football and the rugby, the puddings turned out great and the rugby went a lot better than the football, with an England win over France.
Only went to the George tonight and it was very quiet in there but the beer was still good.
After a few beers we sett off back to the abbey, to see if we could get a good night shot, me and Bren only had poor cameras but Mick (a pro) had a good one with him. I think my photo is OK but a bit grainy.
Back at Mick's van we watched the second series of The Inbetweeners, very funny. And the beer I bought was horrible.
The Boro were due to be on TV at 12:30 and England at 15:30, so as the sun was out we thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk before the match. First I put the slow cooker on and got the veg ready for supper, or a late lunch. Mick and Bren didn't fancy a walk, so Dot and I went on our own. As the light was much better, our fist stop was the chain bridge for a better photo.
A notice on the bridge warns that, only eight people are allowed on the bridge at any one time, it looks a lot stronger than that to me though.
From the bridge we set of for somewhere called "The Hundred Acer Wood Visitor Centre", when we got there it was closed and looked like it had been for some time but there are still signs to it all over. We continued along the road though to the next village, from the road we had long views of the viaduct and also the Abbey back in the town.
I even took some photos of the local flora along the way, at the village of Newstead, we found a footpath back to Melrose.
We were soon back at the abbey and as I was tacking photos, we bumped into Mick and Bren doing exactly the same thing. We agreed to come back that night to see if we could get a good night shot of the Abbey.
In the shops we checked to see if there were any frozen Yorkshire puddings but they were expensive so we got plain flower instead. I also got a new beer to try on the night. We looked in at an auto jumble but we didn't need anything, although I think Mick bought a tyre pressure gauge
Back at the van I watched the football while the others sat in the sun (this is March and in Scotland?), the match didn't go well and we got beat 0 - 2. We had our Sunday dinner between the football and the rugby, the puddings turned out great and the rugby went a lot better than the football, with an England win over France.
Only went to the George tonight and it was very quiet in there but the beer was still good.
After a few beers we sett off back to the abbey, to see if we could get a good night shot, me and Bren only had poor cameras but Mick (a pro) had a good one with him. I think my photo is OK but a bit grainy.
Back at Mick's van we watched the second series of The Inbetweeners, very funny. And the beer I bought was horrible.
Scotland 2012, Day Three
Day Three, March 10th
Dot,s birthday, after lunch, we set off for Galashiels, in Mick's car to have a look round. Well it was nothing like Dot and I remembered, or perhaps it was somewhere else we had been many years before. Had a look for the bridges over Gala Water and they were all very plain, I took photos anyway.
After the shops, it was back to the campsite and as it was still early, we all had a walk down to and then along the river.
We were going to go back to the van for a meal that Mick and Bren had made ready for tonight, before going back out to the bars. But we popped into the George for one and as the Scotland v Ireland rugby was just starting, we ended up staying out. We had one last beer in the Kings, before eventually going back for our supper and watched the first series of The Inbetweeners on DVD. We had not seen it before and it was very funny.
Dot,s birthday, after lunch, we set off for Galashiels, in Mick's car to have a look round. Well it was nothing like Dot and I remembered, or perhaps it was somewhere else we had been many years before. Had a look for the bridges over Gala Water and they were all very plain, I took photos anyway.
After the shops, it was back to the campsite and as it was still early, we all had a walk down to and then along the river.
We were going to go back to the van for a meal that Mick and Bren had made ready for tonight, before going back out to the bars. But we popped into the George for one and as the Scotland v Ireland rugby was just starting, we ended up staying out. We had one last beer in the Kings, before eventually going back for our supper and watched the first series of The Inbetweeners on DVD. We had not seen it before and it was very funny.
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Scotland 2012, Day Two
Day Two, March 9th
Had a fry up for breakfast, good thing about holiday is, letting the diet go for a while.
As Mick and Bren would not be arriving until the afternoon, we got warped up and went for a walk before lunch. We turned left out of the site, the opposite way from the shops and bars, and wandered out of town. There are some very impressive houses that way, we continued to follow the road to the village of Darnick and then down to the river. There was an impressive single track bridge over the river at this point, I took some photos and then we headed back but along the river instead of the road.
The walk along the river was very scenic, and from high up on the bank I got a nice shot of the suspension bridge. Back in town we headed back for sandwiches.
When Mick and Bren arrived, they pitched next to us and after getting sorted, we all set of so we could show them the town. Well that didn't take long and we were soon in the pub, it was a lot busier than the previous day, it was Friday. We had supper ready for when we got back but in the George & Abbotsford, they put sandwiches on the bar as we were about to leave so we had to stop for another. As we did the night before, we also had one in the Kings Arms before going back for our pasta bake and a very bad film.
Had a fry up for breakfast, good thing about holiday is, letting the diet go for a while.
As Mick and Bren would not be arriving until the afternoon, we got warped up and went for a walk before lunch. We turned left out of the site, the opposite way from the shops and bars, and wandered out of town. There are some very impressive houses that way, we continued to follow the road to the village of Darnick and then down to the river. There was an impressive single track bridge over the river at this point, I took some photos and then we headed back but along the river instead of the road.
The walk along the river was very scenic, and from high up on the bank I got a nice shot of the suspension bridge. Back in town we headed back for sandwiches.
When Mick and Bren arrived, they pitched next to us and after getting sorted, we all set of so we could show them the town. Well that didn't take long and we were soon in the pub, it was a lot busier than the previous day, it was Friday. We had supper ready for when we got back but in the George & Abbotsford, they put sandwiches on the bar as we were about to leave so we had to stop for another. As we did the night before, we also had one in the Kings Arms before going back for our pasta bake and a very bad film.
Tuesday 13 March 2012
Scotland 2012, Day One
We would usually go to York at this time of year but as the site is closed, we looked for somewhere different and eventually decided on Melrose in the Scottish Borders. We had been there several times in the past but had not visited since 2007 and that was only for one night, this time we would be there for five nights.
Day one, March 8th
Last time we went there a wrote about using my new GPS for navigation, well we stopped using that a long time ago, this time I used the GPS built into my mobile phone, it's amazing how technology has moved on.
Gibson Park is a CC site right in the centre of Melrose, just opposite the rugby club, Melrose is in an excellent position not far off the A68 or A7 and the site is two mins walk to the shops and bars and has the usual good CC facilities.
We arrived about 13:30, set up the van and had a sandwich, then set off for a walk, it started to rain as soon as we left the campsite. The rain was light at first, so we walked thorough the town and then set off for the river, to find the suspension bridge, we had missed every other time we had been. Anyway the rain got heavier and we took refuge in an Edinburgh Wool Mill shop, the good part of this was, we found mothers Day presents in there and the rain had stopped when we came out.
The bridge was not quite where I thought it was but we found it anyway and even though the light was very poor for photos, I still took some. Hopefully I would get some better photos of it before the end of the holiday.
We then finished our walk around the town and found the old railway station, the Melrose bypass road now seems to follow the route of the old railway. It looked strange to have the road running passed the train station. The Waverley Line, once ran from Edinburgh to Carlisle
By now it was very cold, so we headed to the pubs to do some research, Mick and Bren were joining us tomorrow and we should know which pubs to recommend. The closest one was the Station Hotel, a very comfortable bar but the selection of beer was very poor and the one bitter they did have was not nice at all. Next it was the Ship Inn, strange name for a pub so far from the sea and their beer selection was even worse but it was popular.
The next bar was very different and they had three hand pulled beers to choose from, so the The George & Abbotsford Hotel was on the list for another visit. Finally there was The Kings Arms and again they also had three hand pulled beers to choose from, so we now had two good places to drink.
Back at the van we had supper and a very early night.
Day one, March 8th
Last time we went there a wrote about using my new GPS for navigation, well we stopped using that a long time ago, this time I used the GPS built into my mobile phone, it's amazing how technology has moved on.
Melrose
Gibson Park, Caravan Club Site
High Street
Melrose, Scotland, TD6 9RY
Gibson Park is a CC site right in the centre of Melrose, just opposite the rugby club, Melrose is in an excellent position not far off the A68 or A7 and the site is two mins walk to the shops and bars and has the usual good CC facilities.
We arrived about 13:30, set up the van and had a sandwich, then set off for a walk, it started to rain as soon as we left the campsite. The rain was light at first, so we walked thorough the town and then set off for the river, to find the suspension bridge, we had missed every other time we had been. Anyway the rain got heavier and we took refuge in an Edinburgh Wool Mill shop, the good part of this was, we found mothers Day presents in there and the rain had stopped when we came out.
The bridge was not quite where I thought it was but we found it anyway and even though the light was very poor for photos, I still took some. Hopefully I would get some better photos of it before the end of the holiday.
We then finished our walk around the town and found the old railway station, the Melrose bypass road now seems to follow the route of the old railway. It looked strange to have the road running passed the train station. The Waverley Line, once ran from Edinburgh to Carlisle
By now it was very cold, so we headed to the pubs to do some research, Mick and Bren were joining us tomorrow and we should know which pubs to recommend. The closest one was the Station Hotel, a very comfortable bar but the selection of beer was very poor and the one bitter they did have was not nice at all. Next it was the Ship Inn, strange name for a pub so far from the sea and their beer selection was even worse but it was popular.
The next bar was very different and they had three hand pulled beers to choose from, so the The George & Abbotsford Hotel was on the list for another visit. Finally there was The Kings Arms and again they also had three hand pulled beers to choose from, so we now had two good places to drink.
Back at the van we had supper and a very early night.
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