Trip to Alnwick

In August we had a day out in Alnwick Gardens to meet up with some of the family and we had been just a month before with Amber but seeing as we got year long passes to enter, we decided to come back for a longer visit. The rugby ground, about three quarters of a mile from the gardens, had a campsite, so we booked in there for a few days.

Alnwick, 7th to the 10th of September

Day one, 7th Sep 2014

I had forgotten my camera (something I would never have done before my stroke), so any photos from this trip are from our phones.

We picked a bad day to be driving North passed Newcastle, as the Great North Run was on, so it took quite a while to get the last part of the way to the tunnel. We where stood still for quite a while but from there on it was a nice easy drive the rest of the way.

When we arrived at the Rugby Club, we were surprised to find about another 20 motorhomes / caravans parked up there and thought that our electric hook up was out the window. I was wrong though, all of these vans were with a rally and none of them had hook up. We found a sign for us on one of the hook ups against the fence and got settled in.

Unfortunately we do not have a photo of the site.

Alnwick Rugby Club Campsite
Greensfield, Greensfield Avenue, Alnwick, NE66 1BG
Web Site http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/alnwick/

As soon as we were settled in, we set off for the walk into town. As it was Sunday some of the shops were shut, so after a walk we headed into the gardens. Where the girls wanted to play in the water gardens and got very wet.

Very nice for the walk back.

When we got back the girl that runs the campsite game over to see us and collect the money we owed for site.

That night we popped into the Rugby Club bar, just for a couple. The people from the other vans were all in the bar as well, I am not sure whether they were showing vegetables or whether that was a separate thing going on in there. Anyway me, Dot and the girls used the lounge away from what was happening in the bar.

Day two, 8th Sep 2014

Walked into town again and had a good look around the shops this time.

After shopping we went back into the Gardens and again the girls played in the water, but at least we were ready today. The girls had a change of clothes with them this time and used the underground toilets in the gardens to get changed.

As the girls had an extra week off school (a new school with only the first years this year), the gardens where very quiet this Monday. After messing in the gardens and getting wet, then dried and changed the girls picked a couple large of piggy banks from the shop. This will have to be part of their Christmas present for this year.

That night when the others had gone to sleep, my hart went into defib and was like that for a couple of hours. I do not know what brought it on but was glad when it cleared up.

Day three, 9th Sep 2014

The girls had got fed up with the gardens and today wanted to go to the swimming pool, which luckily was just over the road from the campsite.

That night we walked over to the bar again, were Emily watched the rugby club training on the main pitch.  I only had the one beer as the night before had really worried me somewhat.

Day four, 10th Sep 2014

Well it was time to head home but we would have a nice drive along the Northumberland coast on the way back.

We had fish and chips in Blyth, the south part of the town were the beach and chippy are, is far nicer than the rest of Blyth (sorry Blyth).

After lunch the girls played on the beach while Dot and I sat in the sun.

Before long though it was time to get back on the road and home.

August trip with the girls

The next time we used the van was in August, to go and visit Amber but we took the twins with us, as it was the summer holidays. We looked for a site down in Peterborough but eventually chose a Caravan Club Site a bit farther south, nearer Huntingdon.

Grafham Water Caravan Club Site, 10th to the 15th August.

Day one, 10th Aug 2014

We had to pick up the twins then drive to Peterborough to get Amber.  So it was not very early when we eventually arrived at the campsite.



Grafham Water Caravan Club Site
Church Road, Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0BB
Web Site www.caravanclub.co.uk/

While I got us settled in the girls all went over to the pool and stayed there for the rest of the day, or what was left of it anyway.

I know this site was all set up for me to show my photos but the Stroke seems to have effected me in strange ways and I do not always think to take photos.

Day two, 11th Aug 2014

Another fine day and I talked the girls into going for a walk but not before they went over to the pool first. So it was after dinner when we set off for a walk to the lake. It was not far, there was a route across the fields through a small forest and we were there.

Well it was not as nice as it sounds, it was smelly, there was a gooey layer along the shore line and the girls didn't like it there, at all. It was a nice if short walk though.

So we set off back to the site, at least the girls loved the pool and spent the rest of the day there.

Day three, 12th Aug 2014

Today the girls spent the whole day in the pool, they came back for lunch but that was about it.

Dot and I both spent time in the pool but not all day.

Day four, 13th Aug 2014

By now the girls where getting a bit worn out with the pool although they did pop in for a while. Then spent the rest of the day playing quite well together.

That night the girls let off some sparklers they had found in the van from last bonfire night.

Day five, 14th Aug 2014

Today we had to drop Amber off at a hotel Cambourne, for her mothers wedding. It was a bit awkward to pack up and go out for the day but Amber had to be there.

First thing though they had to be in the pool, just for a quick swim, then it was off to find something to eat. Now Grafham Water has a couple of car parks with cafés but when we got there, the van would not fit under the barriers on the car parks. So we were not wanted, we drove off and eventually came to a MacDonald's.

After lunch at MacDonald's we dropped Amber off for the wedding and then headed into St Neots to have a look around the shops.

There was a market on, so we spent quite some time there and even went to the pub next to the river for tea.

 

After tea it was straight back to the campsite, well it was after some more shopping, just for things we had missed.

Day six, 15th Aug 2014

Today it was off home but not before the twins had one last dip in the pool.