15 May 2014 Blackpool to Home

Long drive - stopped off at Stratford services on the M6, then the M6 toll which we got our caravan club discount for (only £4.50 for an HGV motorhome) and the Brampton Hut A14/ A1 junction. Started at 0930 and arrived home by 1700 - averaging just under 20 mpg which is not too bad! Sunny most of the way.

Went over the Manchester ship canal -

and the Satnav took us on a small diversion through Suffolk on the way home!

14 May 2014 Kirkby Lonsdale and Ingleton

Went to visit Helen's Uncle at Kirkby Lonsdale - and went to see the railway viaducts at Ingleton and over the Ribble Valley.

Stopped off for some ladies bargains at Tulchan outlet shop - apparently they were bargains!

13 May 2014 - Keighley and Blackpool

Today went to visit Jane in Keighley for a lunch and to witness a duck invasion on the front lawn - small detour to some factory outlets for new handbag (not for Charles!). Then a tour down the sea front at Blackpool, most places closed but the comedy carpet was amusing:

12 May 2014 Visit to Peter Hambilton - Hymerdirect

First time for a couple of years, lots of minor things to be done and checked - now all done!

Picked up our hire car ready for the next few days of travels ....

11 May 2014 Birmingham to Blackpool CC

We started with a light breakfast at Beckett's farm shop which is within walking distance of Chapel Lane Caravan Club:

Not sure whose was the most healthy! Then a drive up the M6 and the M55 to Blackpool.

We stopped at Poplar 2000 Truck Stop, but discovered again that this only sold HGV fuel with a Keycard fuel card. We then went to Charnock Richard fuel stop to get some more diesel. Hope we don't make that mistake for the third time!

So, we are now installed in a comfy plot in Blackpool Caravan Club. The weather is still not very pleasant, seems to have been raining all day!

10 May 2014 Home to Chapel Lane Caravan Club near Birmingham

Journey from home - some rain on the way.

Van seems to be going well (touch wood). Took a long search to find our TV remote controls that were cunningly hidden in the bottom of a cupboard. Heating and lighting all going!

Was pleased to find that the Brampton Hut interchange services between the A1 and A14 now has an M&S store. Just as well as the milk is in the fridge back home!

Picture shows us en route ......

Speedo  is in Km if it looks like we are going too fast in our HGV:

October 22nd - Hydraulic failure!

Tried to move the Hymer - and the clutch did not work.

It has a hydraulic clutch, so it went off to Orwell Trucks today with a huge tow truck - courtesy of our Green Flag with the Caravan Club. Glad we didn't have to pay for this!

17th August - Back home!

Here we are back at home at home - 1003.5 miles for the journey to and from Scotland.

We stopped off at Cambridge Services for lunch, and arrived home at 2 PM. The Tesco order of food (ordered whilst at Newcastle) arrives this evening so we don't have to do anything else today!

It's been a lovely break!

15th August - To Clumber Park, near Worksop

We drove down to the Caravan Club site at Clumber Park today, stopping off at a very new looking Wetherby Services for coffee and shopping at M&S for some food.

We passed our favourite Breakfast Truck stop at Junction 52 but did not stop:

We went through the A19 Tyne Tunnel which as a class 3 vehicle cost us £2.50.

We are here for a couple of days, Clumber Park has a rock concert on tomorrow nught - we'll see, but it is £ 50 each!

14th August - Still in Old Hartley

Quiet day today, and a mixture of sun, clouds and rain.

Apart from a cycle ride to get a newspaper from a local shop, and a round of golf on the municipal pitch and putt not much was done!

This is a panoramic shot from the facilities block with the sea in the distance. We are down on the right. It is distorted to show some detail!

13th August - visit to Newcastle on Tyne

Today we took the 309 Bus from near us to the Haymarket Bus stop in the centre of Newcastle. It was very cheap, using an off peak adult return

After a coffee in Starbucks and a new toothbrush at Boots we took the Metro to Wallsend to see the remains of the Roman Fort Segedunum.

There is a near perfect remains of the fort there, at the end of Hadrian's Wall. Swan Hunters shipyard is just to the left where Cunard liners such as the Maurentania were built.

We then returned by the same Metro and Bus route to home. Here is the Pub we ate at last night:

Just as we got back St Mary's Lighthouse was lit up by sunshine.

We ate outside, with Helen dining on M&S Cauliflower Cheese cooked in our portable Halogen Oven.

12th August - Old Hartley near Whitley Bay

Today we pootled down the A1 to the Caravan Club site. Raining most of the afternoon.

It's a lovely site right on the cliff to overlooking St Mary's Island with a lighthouse on it.

You can just see the lighthouse in the distance. We had supper at the Delaval Arms which was good value.

11th August - Seaview Caravan Club at Berwick on Tweed

Yesterday we drove down to Berwick from Edinburgh, stopped of at Marshall's to get some bits and a coffee and lunch. In the evening Helen cycled into town to get a Chinese meal

Today we got up late and sat outside, and then went down to the sea front where the Spittal Festival was in full swing along the Promenade!

9th August - Back to Edinburgh

Here we are back in Edinburgh, just an overnight stop, setting off from Perth just before 11 AM. Quite sunny, Helen played Golf at Silverknowes Golf Course, carrying her clubs on her bike! I dozed back in the motorhome.....

We are very close, less than 100 yards from the Firth of Forth here. Here is one of Helen's pictures:

We went to see the little shop at the entrance for some ice cream for tea. The site is full as the Edinburgh Festival is on at the moment, lots of people who have not booked are outside parked on the entrance.