Our Scottish Tour - Part 2

Scotland Day 5

Sunday 29th May 2016

Well, last night as planned we parked up, along with 5 or 6 other vans, at the disused ski lift station that is about half way up Cairngorm mountain. We've overnighted there once before, but I hadn't been able to recall the spot until we were nearly there, however once we arrived my memory was jogged!  We arrived about 4pm, so after a quick cuppa we set off for a walk over a rough and boggy trail in the high moorland surrounding the mountain, but other than a few birds, we only managed to spot the human variety of wildlife!

But there was still some snow about!





Monday morning we woke to clear bright warm sunshine, and while we sat sipping our coffee a herd of about 9 deer scuttled down the hillside, causing nearly all the ‘campers’to reach for their binoculars to watch their procession - it made a change from rabbits!

And after that little show it was time to get on the road again - but today our journey was only to be about 60 miles - we were headed for The Black Isle, and more specifically, Cromarty where we were hoping  to spot dolphins.  

T4rdis2 is the first van on the left

However, at this stage of our journey we were a little bit worried about where we would be sleeping - I’d already enquired at both Camping and Caravan sites on the Isle and they were full, so we knew we would have to find another ‘wild-camp’ for tonight.  And that turned out to be very easy! We drove into Cromarty village where we found a large grassed area directly above the shingle beach, and where several other vans had already staked their claim, so we promptly joined them.  The camp sites were asking for  £33 per night - we couldn't have asked for a nicer spot - and ours is free!  

The view from T4rdis2's windscreen

Having said that, we did find ourselves slightly disappointed with our view!   To our right it was off the arms of North and South Sutors, reaching out, and the open ocean beyond. 

However  to our left there was an area of industrial paraphernalia and oil rigs anchored just off shore.  Apparently, an oil platform construction and repair yard was opened here in 1972, and at that time it was the largest dry dock in the world.  Nowadays, platforms are brought into the Cromarty Firth  for refitting and repair work, or sometimes just anchored there when not in use.

Following lunch we walked out to the headland over a path that clings to the edge of South Sutor but we weren't lucky enough to spot any dolphins, however, we did learn about a folk-tale that dates back for many years.  ‘Souter’ is Scottish for a shoemaker, and the local legend has it that the North and South Sutors are named after two giant shoemakers who shared their tools and flung them across from one arm to the other!




The path that we were following was mostly through heavily wooded land, and at one point we came across a fallen tree that I doubted I could pass.  John advised me to ‘limbo’ under it ‘I replied I will if you will’ - I crawled under but he tried!





Following our walk it was back to T4rdis2 for tea, but I just don’t seem to be able to get my timing right!  We ended up eating at 8.45pm - and now I'm typing this at 10pm and it’s still broad daylight outside!  Also, I was keeping an eye on the incoming tide - while I was watching the gentle waves were lapping on the shore about 10 yards away - if it had come much further T4rdis2 may have got her feet wet and we might have been paddling by morning!


Scotland Day 6
Monday 30th May 2016

Our question this morning was 'what shall we do next' - 'should we stay another day on the Black Isle, or should we head further north' Also, we needed to consider the fact that after 3 nights of 'wild-camping' T4rdis2 was in need of ablutions! Therefore, we 'dithered' about if we should try one of the Isle's 2 campsites, or should we head off to Wick. In the end we decided on the latter, mainly because the Black Isle had failed to offer the dramatic coastal scenery that we love, and we knew this would be waiting for us further up the coast. And we weren't disappointed - we followed the A9 and A99 coastal route for about 100 miles, and as we went we were frequently treated to stunning coastal vistas that I had the time to drink in and admire but poor John could only glimpse as we travelled along!

On the way up we stopped off to replenish our supplies (at Lidl), and then completed our journey by mid afternoon, however finding the campsite proved to be something of a challenge! We had looked it up on the internet earlier, so we knew that the main entrance was guarded by a low bridge (2.8 metres) that T4rdis2 would be unable to negotiate, but the info offered an alternative route, so we thought we would be fine - the problem was finding it. After 2 drive rounds we stopped and asked someone, and he directed us down a steep and narrow dirt track that led along through a children's playground and then by a river. It was probably about half a mile in all, and when we finally arrived we breathed a sigh of relief that we hadn't met anything coming the other way because there were absolutely no opportunities to pass!


Scotland Day 7
Tuesday 31st May 2016




Our plan is to stay put for another night so today we headed off to explore Wick and it's surrounding points of interest. We left the campsite via the track that we had negotiated yesterday and headed for The Castle of Old Wick which can trace it's history back to the days of the Vikings.

Today the castle is a gaunt ruin that stands like a beacon on the cliff tops to the south of the town, and just below it, if you use your imagination, the cliff seems to have the face of an old man hewn into it - hence the monument is also known as The Old Man of Wick!







The coastal scenery around the site is much more in line with what we'd been looking for, and as we walked back towards the town we were treated to many dramatic vistas.

One of them being the ' Trinkie' - a seawater filled pool that sits on a huge flattened area of rock that has numerous massive flat layers forming ridges and steps that were just asking to be explored - so we did!

It was also in this area that we came across hundreds of nesting Terns! Apparently, they commonly attack humans if they wander to near to their nests, so when a large flock rose up and started squawking we decided it was time to go. However, a short while later we spotted several birds of prey swooping about, so maybe it was them that they were warning off!


From here we were soon back in The Old Town of Wick and we had another important decision to make - Should we have fish and chips, or should we visit our old favourite - Weatherspoons! The former might have won out if the weather had been a bit better, but as it was cold and overcast, we decided on the warm and welcoming confines of the latter. And we were very glad we did, we enjoyed a 'Highland Burger' and chips with whiskey sauce (a burger topped with haggis), along with a pint of one of their guest beers.

The old harbour with the herring boats drying their sails

It was also while we were having our dinner that I took the time to find out a little bit more about Wick's interesting history. Apparently, the town's name has Viking origins - The old Norse title was 'Vik' which means bay. Wick is also famed for herring fishing in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it is said that by 1840 the town was exporting more than 55,000 barrels of cured herrings, and the women became so fast at preparing them that they could gut and sort them into size at a rate of 40 fish a minute! Apparently, during those times it was not unusual for 500 gallons of whiskey to be drank in a single day - but I don't expect that was by the women who had the delightful job above!

After lunch we did wander up to The Pulteney Whiskey Distillery but we had missed the tour and the visitors area was heaving with a coach full of foreign holidaymakers - we couldn't really hear ourselves think! However, our interest was tweaked by the fact that in the 2016 World Whiskies Awards The Old Pulteney 1989 vintage had taken the title of the world's best single malt! Maybe in the near future we'll treat ourselves to a bottle from a local supermarket but I don't expect we'll be able to afford that vintage!  




And then it was time to head back home to T4rdis2, but on the way we did pass another of Wick's claims to fame. At just 6 feet 9 inches Ebenezer Place is noted in The Guinness Book of Records as being officially the shortest street .......in the world!





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Our Scottish Tour Part 1

Scotland Day 1

Wednesday 25th May 2016

This morning we woke up to greet the morning on Brighouse Bay Campsite and proceeded to watch the rabbits while we ate our breakfast - but then came an incident that very nearly put us off completely.  There were 3 very little bunnies hopping about and enjoying the early morning sunshine, and they seemed to have crept out from underneath a nearby caravan.  As the minutes ticked by they became more confident and moved further away from the van's shelter and safety - and then, all of a sudden, down swooped a great big black raven and grabbed one of them in it’s talons.  At this stage the bird seemed unable to take flight with it’s burden but it was throwing the baby about and pecking at it - a horrible sight to see! But then John quickly donned  his underpants on the outside and rushed out scaring  the bird away and allowing the  little bunny, who seemed to be okay, to nip safely back under the van.  Once John came back inside the raven strutted about for the next half an hour looking for it’s prey, but for today at least, he would have to do without his breakfast!

After that gruesome excitement it was time to pack up and get on our way to the Galloway Forest to do a bit more exploring - however, we hadn't gone far when we came across Loch Ken - and it was so lovely we felt compelled to stop for a coffee break while gazing across it’s tranquil waters.

Then it was forwards and onwards to Loch Clatteringshaw where we had a little walk to see the Robert the Bruce stone - not overly exciting unless your into it’s bloodthirsty history - but it did make a comfy perch.  

We also came across this structure - it must have made for compact living but without the conveniences that we benefit from in T4rdis2! 

However, the Loch and it’s surroundings were much more interesting and not lacking in grandeur - the colours all around just looked as if an artist had taken a palette of paint and squatted  a bit of every available colour to complete the picture. 

Following our lunch (which we ate overlooking the calm waters of the loch) we proceeded a few miles further down the road to the Red Deer Range.  Here you can see deer and goats feeding on the hillside, along with myriads of small birds fluttering about while collecting their lunch.

And finally we drove onto the Rhins of Galloway - a narrow peninsula that is almost entirely surrounded by water, the Irish Sea along it’s long coast, Loch Ryan to the north (left) and Luce Bay to the south (right).    We did a little bit of exploring in T4rdis2 - we drove nearly all the way down the southern arm and then across to Port Logan, but as many of the roads were very narrow, we decided to continue our exploration on two wheels tomorrow.  

Therefore, our focus was mainly on finding a parking spot, and as most of the car parks had ‘No overnight camping signs’ we decided to return to the New England  Caravan Club Site that we had passed earlier - and I'm not sure if it was a mistake, but they only charged us £24.60 for a two night stay - bargain!  

The site overlooks Luce Bay and our pitch has lovely views right over the water, so it didn’t take us long from pitching to being out in the evening sunshine walking along the shingle beach spotting birds as we went. 

Oh and did I mention the rabbits - there are hundreds of them here - it doesn't matter which of the windows you look from, we can always see at least half a dozen racing and chasing and nibbling away at the grass!  I'm sure they don’t need to mow very often.

Scotland Day 2

Thursday 26th May 2016

The morning dawned a little drizzly and cold but we weren't about to change our plans to ride, so we made our porridge, packed our picnic and then I sent John out to unload the bikes - I sent him because the air was full of midges and I wanted to hide in T4rdis2 for as long as possible! He told me that at one stage his arms were almost black with the little blighter's - this resulted in him rushing in and smothering  himself in Avon Skin So Soft - which made him smell very nice, but I'm not sure it had any other benefit because once we started moving we seemed to outrun the bitey things and they didn’t bother us again for the rest of the day!  

We set John’s automatic internal Sat Nav for the Mull of Galloway which is the most Southerly tip of Scotland and it's where a lighthouse can be found.  The trip was only to be about 10 miles but the terrain was very undulating, so a very though workout was provided by our ride! The scenery was however spectacular, so distraction was at it’s very best, and the miles just slipped  by very quickly - and when we got to the top - several people shouted ‘well done’ so it was all worth the effort!

The view from the top was almost 360 degrees and it was possible to see Ireland, The Isle of Mann, The Lake District and the Paps of Jura over and above the Mull of Kintyre.   

But the site was really dominated by the lighthouse that has stood there since 1830 and was built by Robert Stevenson,  It stands 26 metres high and 99 metres above sea level, and it cost £9,000 to build - but that would be the equivalent of about £9 million at today's prices. These days it's automated  (since 1988) and thus unmanned, but in times gone by the keeper would have the responsibility to ensure the light flashed correctly all night, and in the daytime he would have a myriad chores such as cleaning, painting and generally keeping everything running smoothly - and all for the princely wage of £45 a year!

Today the site is managed by the RSPB and the cliffs around it provide nesting grounds for all manner of sea birds, and it also forms part of The Mull of Galloway Trail. The information boards informed us that it is possible to undertake a long distance walk from here to Cape Wrath, which is noted as being the most North Westerly point in Scotland - but we thought that might be a bit too far for us - so we’ll go in T4rdis2 instead!

We paused for lunch right at the very top of the hill, and then it was a lovely swoosh down, but not for long, because just like our outward journey, we needed to proceed over the undulations that were a bit like a roller-coaster, so by the time we got to the bottom, we dismounted and almost fell in a heap just like these two - and that was before we’d had any inebriating refreshments!  

Now our dilemma was, should we nip into the Clashwhannon Public House for a quick pint or should it be the village shop at Drummore, and then back to the comfort of T4rdis2.  The latter won, so in the late afternoon we sat sipping a pint while watching the hoards of bunnies skipping about!

Scotland Day 3

Friday 27th May 2016

This morning we departed form The New England Caravan Site and headed off to Castle Kennedy Gardens which is advertised as one of ‘Scotland's Hidden Gems’ - and we wern’t disappointed.  


The Gardens cover 75 acres and have the most magnificent displays of azaleas and rhododendrons that we have ever seen.  Many of the plants were really ancient and there displays were nothing short of breath taking, and whats-more, when you took a breath you were rewarded with a lovely floral perfume that wafted about throughout the walkways.  


We also learnt that the garden was constructed in the early 19th century and was originally planted with a single type of monkey tree - many of which can still be seen today as they majestically reach towards the sky.

However, beautiful as the garden is, one of it’s dominating features is the ruins of Castle Kennedy which dates back to the 14th century.  It and the gardens nestle romantically between the White Loch and the Black Loch, and even though the picture doesn't do it justice, you can maybe get the idea of it’s grandeur.  Sadly, in 1716 the castle was accidentally gutted by fire, and since then it has remained unoccupied thus allowing Mother Nature to claim it backto some degree.

Add caption

On our meander through the gardens we also came across Lochinch Castle - a much newer building dating back to 1864 - and it really did remind us of a French Château with it’s conical turrets and stunning position on the edge of the White Loch.  The info boards informed us that throughout it’s history it has belonged to Earls of Stair, and today, the 14th Earl and his family still occupy it, and although it isn't open to the public, it is available for private functions!   

Eventually, our time was up and hunger drove us back to T4rdis 2, and once fed we headed off towards Girvan where we knew that there was an ‘accepted’ parking spot right on the shore line where we should be able to stop for the night - however on the way we did pull into a large lay-by/picnic area that would have served our purpose equally well.  And it was here that we spied seals basking on the rocks.  

Our day ended in the afore mentioned parking area, but we were not alone!  As the evening wore on several other vans pitched up, and then to our amazement, a massive double axle caravan arrived and proceeded to set up there home for the night.  Even the French don’t allow that in their Aires!  

Scotland Day 4

Saturday 28th May 2016

Well,  the car park provided a little haven for the night and in the morning we were rewarded with the eerie view of Ailsa Craig - a tiny off shore island that appeared to be topped with snow!  In reality it was cloud with the morning sunshine glistening on it, but it did look surreal!  

Following our breakfast, we soon had everything stowed away and set off on our long northward trek - probably about 200 miles today.  Our plan is to ‘wild camp’ again tonight at Cairngorm, and then to proceed onto the Black Isle tomorrow - but that will be another story!

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Family Time and Our Departure to Scotland

Friday 20th May to Tuesday 24th May 2016

Now, I think we can happily say we're well and truly settled into T4rdis2, and on Friday morning we finished off finding homes for all our belongings before our planned departure on Monday when we will be heading off up to the highlands of Scotland.

Just now, we're still at Riddings Wood Caravan Park, but I think we almost wished we weren't - and that's because it was more than hectic as they had a Rally booked for the weekend and large numbers of caravans were in the process of pitching up and setting out their flags and fairylights! Because of the crowds we were anticipating a couple of nights of restlessness - and we weren't wrong there, but a bit more on that later!


In the afternoon we cycled over to see my brother Pete, and he supplied us with lots of pre recorded shows, films and music, thus providing us with entertainment for any rainy days we may encounter! And then we also called in to see John's sister Angela and her husband, before remounting our bikes and peddling back to the now 'full to bursting' campsite.

The evenings entertainment seemed to kick off at about 8.30, but the music and bingo calling from the marquee stopped soon after 11pm so we thought maybe we had misjudged the situation and it wouldn't be too bad!   However, soon after that the people in the caravan next to us proceeded to light their fire pit and continued to party until about 2am, and despite repeated 'warnings' from the wardens, this antisocial behaviour was repeated the following night! Oh well, who needs sleep!

On Saturday, we just had a quite day - John fixed up a drainage system to assist with easily removing grey water from T4rdis2, and other than that we loserked about, and along with reading and watching a bit of catch up TV, we kept an eye on the goings on in our very soggy campsite, it rained on and off for most of the day so we thought that might quieten things down later - but it wasn't to be - I think the poor wardens were ran ragged!

On Sunday morning we popped over to say a temporary goodbye to Sue and Stewart, a couple who have become friends, and who are the extremely hard working wardens at Riddings.  They seemed quite upset and told us how 'the few' had spoiled the Rally event, which was a shame really, because as usual, the majority had been a good crowd.

Anyway, after that we organised ourselves for our departure, but we weren't really going far.  We had arranged to meet all our family at 'The Bear Public House' at Alderwasley for a farewell Sunday dinner and a little stroll afterwards, but as an added bonus the pub had welcomed us to stay overnight on their car park.

Where's my dinner Mum?

The meal turned out to be fantastic, and even though they only offer carvery on Sundays the choice was the best I've ever seen with about 7 or 8  different roasts which they piled any combination of on your plate till you asked them to stop, thus to say the portions were generous would be an understatement.  However, maybe the're victims of their own success because we did have to queue for rather a while to get our food!

Left to right - Adam, Evelyn, Ben, Louise, Paul, Thomas, John,
Jack, Vicky and Sarah

After we'd all been fed and watered (no, we didn't drink water really), we pottered off for our walk in the woods ----

Evelyn chomping on a large slice of beef!

-----and then it was back to the beer garden for further refreshments, and for some, a pud!   Finally, it was time for hugs, kisses and goodbyes - but this time it wasn't quite so traumatic because we will only be away from them all for about a month.

On Monday morning, after a delightfully peaceful night in The Bear's car park (we had a lovely spot with fantastic views and no noise), we nipped off to do our food shopping and visit the dentist, before heading off to Bury. We needed to return to Emm Bee Motorhomes because they had omitted to provide a tool kit or puncture repair kit with T4rdis2, and after last weeks experiences we really didn't want to travel far without them!  And from there we pottered the short distance to Lane End Farm where there is a pretty little 5 van site that would provide for all our needs overnight - and again it was blissfully quiet.

Then on Tuesday morning we set off on our journey proper, and headed up the motorway towards our first destination in Scotland which turned out to be Brighouse Bay in Dumfries and Galloway.  We had made quite good time to start with, and arrived near Gretna at about 2ish, but from there we found ourselves meandering along narrowish country roads that slowed us down considerably.

However, we weren't in any hurry, and we were thoroughly enjoying the views over the Solway Firth,  but as we went we were keeping a sharp lookout for a parking spot for the night, and at one point John did say 'do you think there'll be anything down there' .  'Down there' turned out to be a very narrow 2 mile track that led to Balcary Point, but what he hadn't realised was that the track was so narrow that on one side T4rdis2's tyres were almost in the sea, and, on the other side, the cows in the field were having a very good nosey through our windows!

And then when we got to the end of the road - all we could do was turn around and go back cos there was no room at the inn!  Anyway, forwards and onwards we went, and eventually we found a delightful camp site at Brighouse Bay.  The site is absolutely huge and encorporates a golf course and lots of other leisure facilities, but the bit we were on was deserted (except for the rabbits), and we were only a stones throw away from the coast.

Therefore, it was kettle on and a quick cuppa, before we ventured out towards the very craggy coast via a little path right opposite where we were parked.  First we pottered though a wooded area that was carpeted with numerous brightly coloured wild flowers along with trillions of blue bells, and then it was out onto a coastal path where we overlooked Brighouse Bay, and more distantly, the open ocean - and all this in lovely warm sunshine.

Tomorrow we plan to explore The Galloway Forest and take in some of the small lochs that are found there, and who knows where we will be spending the night - but that's all part of the ongoing adventure xx

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Stuck in the Mud and We've Moved House!

Wednesday 11th May - Thursday 19th May 2016.

Well, what an eventful week in the life of Lin and Johns Motorhome Adventure!  On Thursday we left our campsite in the Yorkshire Dales and  trundled  down to Carsington Water where we  planned to make our home for the next 5 nights - however, what we hadn't expected was getting stuck in the mud - and not just once!

We arrived at the site - or should I say field at about 5pm, and because it was a bit sloping and looked a bit suspect John had a quick walk around to  inspect for sogginess of the ground - and he thought we would be okay. However, as we drove down towards what looked like a suitable spot, the T4rdis's front wheels entrenched themselves in the soft ground and that was it - we were well and truly stuck.

John rocked the van backwards and forwards, he tried it with traction control, he tried pushing while I took the helm - all accompanied by a good deal of swearing and mud spraying- but it was all to no avail, we weren't going anywhere - and worse than that, we were on a huge 'wonk' so there was no way we could stay where we were.




So, first we tried to contact the farmer for a tow but he was unavailable,  then we rung the recovery service that we have available as part of our vehicle warranty, and they said 'yes' they could help but as we were a long way from hard standing (50 metres) they would have to sub-contract the job  to an expert recovery firm and to expect a call shortly directly from them.  The call duly came, but along with it came quite a shock - they wanted £300 to complete the job!




This was a very big OUCH, but luckily, while all this had been going on our saviour arrived in the form of Farmer Paul in his big shiny  green tractor.  He soon had the T4rdis hooked up and tugged up the field, and from there he directed us across the road into his Rally field where there was a solid drive that  he said we could park on - so we did.

Now, the question was 'should we stay, or should we go?'  Initially we thought we might be better off looking for a proper campsite, but once we were on solid ground, and with fantastic views from our front window over the Reservoir we decided to stay.





So, on Thursday, after a quick visit to the dentist for John, we pottered out and walked the 8.5 miles around the Reservoir,  and as The Miners Arms was still open as we passed we felt forced to pop in for a quick pint.

On Friday we had planned to cycle, but the wind was blowing a hooley,  so instead we stayed at home and gave the van a good scrub, both inside and out, ready for selling it on Monday.  And it was then that Farmer Paul knocked on the door and told us that rather than sitting in the middle of his field it would be safe to move over onto the grass at the side - he was sure we wouldn't get stuck again!


On Saturday we got our bikes out and set off on our postponed ride from the previous day.  We peddled over to Tissington village, and then back along the Tissington and High Peak  trails, before dropping back down into Carsington Village, and from there it was only a short ride back to the T4rdis (about 30 miles in all - and only one big hill!)

On Sunday Ben, Louise and Baby Evelyn joined us for Sunday lunch at the Knocker-down Pub, which I would recommend, but only if your happy to wait a very lo-----------ng time for your food!






And then with much excitement came Monday - the day we had arranged to collect T4rdis2 - our nearly new Chausson Motorhome.  We were up early, fed, watered and packed up ready to go, then key in the ignition and .....Whizz whizz whizz..... went our wheels, but with absolutely no forward movement - we had sunk again, and all we achieved by trying to leave was the digging of two deep divets with our front wheels.  Again, this resulted in a few choice four letter words being uttered by one member of our duo, but I said 'never mind, I'm sure Farmer Paul will help us out!' WRONG - he was on his way to an auction in Bakewell and wouldn't be back until late afternoon.


So this time it was Knight in Shining Armour John who saved the day.  He went for a little walk around the field and found a bit of old wood which he used to brace the jack,  and then he jacked the van up on both sides and filled the divets with gravel which we had collected form the cycle track in front of the field. Then rev, rev, rev  went the T4rdis and all of a sudden we were free and off to collect our new home!



We were collecting our nearly new van from  Emm Bee Motorhomes in Bury, so with our little delay we arrived around lunch time.  Then it was the tedious job of completing all the paper work and handover information, before we lined the T4rdis and T4rdis2 up and transferred all our belongings from one van to the other - well nearly all - we did manage to leave crumpets and sausages in the freezer - I hope somebody found them before they became too ripe!

Since then we have been concentrating on settling in, and finding places to store all our belongings - but many of them are a bit dizzy at the mo from being moved several times - and now we're not quite sure where anything is! However, T4rdis2 is about a metre longer than it's predecessor and has cavernous cupboards and a ginormous garage so we have plenty of choice.  It also has a rear bedroom - so no more making and dismantling beds everyday, a chore I think neither of us will miss!   But the bedroom takes up quite a bit of space - so there is a compromise and that is having less space in our sitting room.



It really did feel a bit to 'cosy' at first  but we have very quickly become used to it, and all in all, I think T4rdis2 has already become Home sweet Home, hopefully a status that will be maintained for a good few years to come.






On Tuesday we went back to Ridding's campsite (near Ripley) and spent the rest of the day moving things from one place to another, and generally having a chuck out of all the things that are surplus to our needs.
And on Wednesday we went shopping to replace the bits we had chucked out with additional bits and bobs that will be essential to our comfort.  Following this we visited Sarah, Paul and Thomas where we were treated to tea and entertained by Thomas as he continued to show his expertise in mud pie making with his new spade, and tent making with the aid of a couple of blankets!

We also felt quite privileged when Thomas came running up to Granddad and presented him with a 'new tow rope' in case he ever gets struck in the mud again!

And that brings us to today - Thursday.  Our morning was spent doing a bit more sorting, and then at lunch time we were visited by John's Mum, along with John and Val who brought with them lunch in the form of fish and chips.
We all snuggled into T4rdis2 and enjoyed our lunch, and had a good old chin wag, mostly about the advantages of our of our new home.

Finally, to finish our day we nipped over to see Adam Vicky and Jack where we were cajoled into a game of alien space invaders, and then Jack came and made a very though exploration of our new van and gave it his unique stamp of approval!

 Anyway, I think that's about all my news for now, so until next time, take care x

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