Tuesday 28th May 2024

We've had to put any campervan travel plans we might have had on hold due to a rainwater leak through the front skylight of our van. This leak is undoubtedly caused by the sealing around the skylight cracking. The same thing happened to the rear skylight about 3 years ago. The first date Devon Motorhomes, who repaired the rear skylight, are able to do the work is Friday 28th June so quite a long wait before we can consider going anywhere in the van. Note the large plastic boxed placed to collect the drips for the next 4 weeks or so!

Saturday 25th May 2024

This morning we saw several rabbits, a fox and two deer close to our parking place in the Wishing Well pub's overflow parking area. The pub was shut when we left at about 10.30 so I left my pint glass on a table outside. Many thanks to the pub for two nice overnight stays.

Our drive down the M5 today was pretty grim - stop start traffic for most of the way. We arrived back at Widecombe about 14.00!

Today we travelled 122 miles (196 kilometres).

Our journey lasted 7 days and we travelled a total of 730 miles (1175 kilometres).

Bye for now. Roger.

Friday 24th May 2024

Ann wasn't feeling too well this morning and after some deliberation we decided to head back to our house in Devon. We thanked Kerry and Gareth for their hospitality and set off westwards at about 11.15. The M25 and M3 were continuous roadworks and when we got onto the A303 our sat nav diverted us off it onto the M4 adding about 45 miles to the length of the journey.

After stopping on the M4 to take on just enough (expensive) diesel to get us back to Widecombe the sat nav diverted us off the motorway and towards the Wishing Well pub where we had stayed on Monday. It had already been a long journey so we decided to stop there again.

We parked in the same place we had been on Monday next to this impressive bed of nettles.

I went into the pub to request permission to stay over. "No problem" said the bar person. I bought a pint and took it back to the van.

Ann had a little sleep.

Later on, after she had woken up, she cooked us a very nice Shepherdess Pie.

Today we travelled 175 miles (282 kilometres). We are at N51.5079 W2.3909 (again!).

Codrington     Street View

Thursday 23rd May 2024

This morning Gareth's robotic lawn mower, known as Trevor, was doing his thing. Apparently he does it every day unless it's raining in which case he knows not to do any mowing!

Today Kerry and Gareth are hard at work so we amused ourselves.

After breakfast we drove the short distance to National Trust Sissinghurst Gardens and parked in the camper section of the carpark. Here we see vans from left to right German, British, Swiss and Netherlands.

We'd been to Sissinghurst many years ago but didn't remember it very well.

Seems like it's a very good time of year to visit - the place is packed out.

Here's the tower. We decide not to go up it.

I remember from my last visit that there is a very good view from the top.

There are flowers everywhere!

We walked down this beautiful avenue of lime trees.

Impressive!

This is the moat.

This plaque commemorates one of the founders of Sissinghurst as it is today.

 And this one commemorates the other modern founder.

This area of the garden has Mediterranean flora.

 The restaurant was packed out.

So we concluded our visit in the tearoom where there was plenty of space.

We left Sissinghurst and travelled into Maidstone where we eventually found a big Halfords shop and bought new wiper blades for the van. We also did a minor shop at the adjacent M&S Food Hall.

Later on we went out for a meal with Kerry and Gareth at their local pub.

Today we travelled 44 miles (71 kilometres).

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

It was raining this morning in Winchester. We set off east and travelled through several parts of the country we were unfamiliar with. During the journey the windscreen wipers on the van stopped working on a few occasions but later seemed to cure themselves! We arrived at Ann's daughter Kerry's house in Kent at about 15.15.

Gareth, Kerry's husband was very busy working when we arrived,

So was Kerry.

Gareth has bought a robotic lawn mower which he can monitor on his smart watch! Here it is sitting on its charging station.

I watched some good tele in the van. Firstly Paula Vennells, the former head of the Post Office, telling the Post Office Public Enquiry that she didn't know anything about the problems with the Horizon Computer System!!!!????

And secondly the PM getting soaking wet in Downing Street announcing a General Election on 4.7.24 while being also drowned out by a PA system nearby blaring out "Things Can Only Get Better". 

I saw this big fat pigeon sitting on the very top of Kerry and Gareth's house. Kerry cooked us all a very nice meal of veg pie with feta and filo pastry followed by apple crumble. Many thanks Kerry.

Today we travelled 119 miles (192 kilometres).

Tuesday 21st May 2024

It was a bit cloudy this morning. We left the pub car park and headed east. Along the way we saw signs to National Trust Lacock Abbey so we decided to visit. As we walked through the grounds towards the Abbey we passed this interesting column.

Close up of the top of the column.

There are some beautiful trees here.

The Abbey was founded in the 13th Century.

It stopped being an Abbey at the time of the reformation and was converted into a family house.

Inside this fine cloister boarders on the central quadrangle.

Meetings of the Chapter were held here.

A view into the quadrangle.

This very old book written in ancient Latin was used by the monks to interpret the bible.

There are lots of lavishly decorated rooms.

The dining room.

The great hall.

The National Trust tearoom is in this courtyard next to the abbey.

These hares are for sale along with plants etc. We exited via the gift shop but didn't buy anything!

We continued to travel east and then parked for the day at a municipal car park near the centre of Winchester.

There are dedicated parking spaces for the likes of us. Well done Winchester! It costs £7.30 to park here for up to 24 hours.

We are parked next to the public toilets and a hotel. We walked to a nearby Tesco shop and bought a few groceries. We thought about walking into the centre of Winchester but decided it was too far.

Ann is studying vegan cookery.

There are frequent ready meal deliveries to the hotel.

Does the hotel allow its guests to have their own food delivered??

Local taxi drivers frequently park in front of us to visit the public toilets. 

Several of the taxis have this sign on the side. I interpret it as indicating that the vehicle has a device fitted which would make it difficult or impossible to steal the catalytic converter??? Weird.

Today we travelled 81 miles (130 kilometres). We are at: N51.0696 W1.3167

Winchester     Street View