Amber's Birthday (April 2017)

15th April to the 19th April

We could not be there for the whole of Amber's Birthday but we could get there for a couple of days and see her before we left on her Birthday. We were going to be away for a couple of days before we could get onto the site in Peterborough, then two days on the Caravan and Motorhome Site there. The first site was well out of the way over towards the Wash below Boston.

Saturday 15th April

We drove there relatively easily, although the SatNav took us down a very narrow road for the last mile or so of the journey, which it didn't have to. The route there was A19 to A1 then A17 to the side road for Holbeach Hurn, where the site was.

The Rose And Crown is a very nice name for a campsite although the site is not that good, we will have to see how it goes.



Rose & Crown
1 Low Rd, Spalding
PE12 8JN
Web Site dougiescaravanandcamping.co.uk/index.php/touring-camping-...

We booked in and were put next to the children's play area, it was windy so we didn't do much just sat in the van reading and watching TV.

At tea time we wandered into the bar, where they had a nice choice of draft beers and a good selection of food on the menu. I had a a couple of draft beers in there and for food I had the biggest Hunters Chicken and Dot had Homemade Steak & Ail Pie. It was all very nice, the beers I had were Tom Wood's, Hop Bunny Hop and one called Patron Saints Ale, not sure who made it. They were both not bad, better than I expected but we only had the two, then left.

Sunday 16th April

Another quiet day in the van, we didn't do anything at all, except read and watch TV. After the GP we wandered back over to the bar and had a Beef Sunday Dinner, when we got there we were told there was no beef left but on checking, the chef had just cooked another one. It was really good and I had another new beer in there, Tom Wood's, Imp Stout, although I moved back on to the Patron Saints Ale for the second one. Again we only had the two and the meal then wandered back to the van.

Monday 17th April

Today we were thankfully moving on to Ferry Meadows Caravan and Motorhome Site in Peterborough. Again our SatNav took us down some very strange roads to get there. We got there ok and we were half an hour early but we were just allowed in. People were still leaving, well into the afternoon, what happened to no entry until twelve thirty and having to leave by eleven or eleven thirty. First the change of name then the change of rules, what is the club coming too (I do not believe the rules have really changed).

Amber, Ralph and Fran turned up not long after we got there and pretty soon we had the BBQ going, we also had a few beers.

Later that night, Amber stayed with us and I watched the Boro match on Ralph's iPad before bed.

Tuesday 18th April

Ralph came back late in the morning and him and amber ate all of the sausages that were left from yesterdays BBQ.

We then all went out for a drive in Ralph's car, to Rutland Water, one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe. We did not stay there very long but Amber managed to get an ice cream before we left.

We took a long way back to the site as the A1 the way we wanted to go was stood still. When we got back Fran and her granddaughter came over and latter on, we all went to the Beefeater for a birthday meal for Amber.

Wednesday 19th April

Amber's birthday, Ralph and Fran came over early and we spent the morning together before we had to leave to get back for Dot to go the work on Thursday.

Three Days With The Girls (April 2017)

2nd April to the 5th April

The twins were on holiday two weeks before most of the other local schools, so we thought we would go away for a few days in the van while it was still quiet. Imagine my surprise when I went to book the Caravan and Motorhome site in Barnard Castle and found it was over £38/night. This is for a pitch on a site at the beginning of April, the 2nd to the 5th in fact. We didn't go there.

We booked the Caravan and Motorhome site in Thirsk, something like £22/night and just as nice. As we were so close to home we also took the car with us, so we could drive around during the day.

Sunday 2nd April

Well I set off for the Caravan and Motorhome site in Thirsk, now you may be wondering what the Caravan and Motorhome Club is, well its the Caravan Club but they changed their name to keep in with us motorhomers. I say I set off, because Dot and the girls were in the car and they arrived just after me.

We got set up and had our lunch before Me and Emily set off onto town to watch the Boro match. We went to the The Darrowby Inn in the centre, as they were the only ones to answer the phone when I called them to see if it was on. The match was ok but the beer was very expensive, or the cola was and it wasn't very nice, that's the beers.

After the match we met up with the other two and went for a walk by the river, we wandered about for about half an hour then just went to the pub for tea.

We made our way to Spoons The Three Tuns, and sat downstairs in one of the basement rooms. Me and Emily had the All Day Breakfast, Georgia had Burger and Dot had the Pie and Mash with Mushy Peas. The beer I had was Birrificio MC-77, Mild The Gap from Italy but it was really from Hook Norton and it was ok. I had another beer a Bodebrown, Brazillian Burton Pale Ale from Brazil but again it was really from Banks’s.

Monday 3rd April

When everyone was ready we got in the car and drove to Ripon, its not far but it got us out. It was dinner time when we arrived and we just popped into Greggs for some sandwiches, well small baguettes each. After dinner we headed to the Cathedral then on down to the river just for the walk.

 

Back in town I had a look in DrinksWell a booze shop, very good beers in there but expensive, so I bought nowt. I had a sit in the town square while Dot and the Girls continued shopping. We then made our way into Booths supermarket, where the beer selection is fantastic and I bought quite a lot, as I usually do in Booths, the price is just right.

We even headed into the cafe upstairs for a drink.

I had to take the beer back to the car but the girls continued with their shopping, so I just sat on a wall, in the sun and waited for them to get back. When they did get back we just drove back to the van and played on our iPhones / iPads (well some of us did) until it was time for tea.

We made our way back to Spoons for tea but first I had a pint of Butcombe, Union, it was a bit too hoppy for me. So with the food I got an Abbots, the girls both had Fish and Chips and Me and Dot had Tandoori Chicken Wraps.

On the way back to the van we called into Lidl and got some more beers, some nice French Wheatbeers and some other nice beers as well. Then it was back to the van to drink them.

Tuesday 4th April

Today we headed off to Knaresborough, we parked down by the river and set off for a walk under the viaduct towards the next bridge over the river. We have been many times before and even a few times with the girls but nether of them remember the place at all. I though they may remember as we got into town but they never did,

Up in town we decided against going for somewhere for lunch and just got fish and chips and ate them in the square.  We would eat later back in Thirsk at Spoons.

After a walk around the shops we made our way to the remains of the castle but as I said the girls didn't remember any of it, very strange.  But I did take a photo to show them when we got home.

 

We walked through the station on our way back to the car and had to wait for a train to pass before we could get through to the other side. Emily did go through the underground pass to get to the other side but the rest of us just waited.

From there we walked down to the river and had a walk along the far side but the opposite way to Mother Shipton's Cave. We didn't walk too far and came back the same way, from there we made for the car and drove back to Thirsk.

That evening we wandered back to Spoons again for tea, I had another new beer, a Maxim, Hapi, not bad at all but I did change to Abbots for the second one. For food Me and Emily had Tandoori Chicken Wraps and Dot and Georgia had Ham and Cheese Panini, all with chips of course.

On the way back to the van, again I popped into Lidl for more of the good beer we got yesterday.

Wednesday 5th April

Well it was time to get back home, Dot and the girls went off in the car, Emily had to be back to go to the Boro match. So I just drive slowly home on my own.

Next trip will be to Peterborough for Ambers Birthday in about two weeks.