Motorhome & Caravan holiday Blog

We were up early today, packed up and I had to reverse partway down the drive to dump the grey waste and then drive back into the site to do a U turn and then we could leave at 9.15. We went a short way down the A17 back towards Spalding and then turned on to the A151 and eventually joined the A16 towards the A1. There were lots of speed cameras across the fens and we saw one multi car accident at a crossroads being dealt with by the Police. We joined the A1 and were having a great run until we got just past St Neots when the A1 became stationary, we crept along and then stopped right by a junction so I decided to turn off and to let the sat nav re-route us. Initially it wanted us to turn around and rejoin the A1 but I continued and found a B road running parallel to the A1 and took that and then the sat nav re-routed and we sailed down the bumpy B road for about 10 miles and then rejoined the A1 and it was a clear as anything. Looking later on Google maps there are major roadworks on the A1 between St Neots and Sandy. We stopped at Baldock services for coffee and whilst there we heard the news of a serious accident on the M25 with the motorway closed clockwise near where we would join it. We turned off the A1 and onto the A414 at Hatfield and joined the M25. Unfortunately due to rubber neckers and a broken down vehicle on our carriageway the motorway was down to two lanes. Hundreds of vehicles ignored the red lane closed signs and sailed on at crazy speeds and there was no sign of any enforcement, I wonder if the gantry speed cameras do anything about it. The remainder of our journey on the M25 was subject to variable speed limits of between 40 and 60mph but we eventually made the M4 turn off. Down the M4 to junction 7 and off onto the A4. We stopped at a large Tesco about 10 minutes from the site and stocked up on provisions, this took best part of an hour. It has surprised me than none of the UK supermarkets that we have visited have large parking bays for motorhomes unlike French and Spanish ones.

After the shopping we made our way down some local roads and on to a single track lane down to Amerden Park campsite right by the Thames and unfortunately right next to the M4 so it is a bit noisy. Reading, some washing, writing the blog and a bit of TV took up the afternoon.

We had a quiet day today and stayed at the campsite, pottering reading and cleaning. At 7pm we were collected from the campsite by John a friends son who is a cabbie in York. He took us in to York to Ambiente Tapas a restaurant we have been to before whose general manager as another friends grandson. We had an excellent tapas menu, it had changed since we were last here, 2 years ago to the day but it was just as nice. We were well looked after by Jim and the rest of the staff. The recommended sherries with desert were both superb. After coffee as it was such a mild evening we went for a walk around the area and then called John to take us home. Unfortunately, he had another fare and was a way out of York and so we used a different taxi service to take us back to the campsite.

Ingrid, Colin & Jim

We got up this morning to bright sunshine and we finished packing up and just as we left at 9.45am it started to spit with rain. We routed back around the northern Carlisle ring road and back on to the M6 at junction 44 heading south back towards junction 40 and t times the rain was quite heavy. We turned off at junction 40 to head across the Yorkshire moors towards the A1M on the A66. This road was a mixture of single carriageway and dual carriageway, it was heavy with traffic particularly lorries but it kept moving at the speed limit. At the junction with the A1M at Scotch Corner there was a service area where we stopped for coffee.

After coffee we joined the A1M heading south and again it was fairly heavy with traffic but flowed well. There were a couple of sections of reduced width with 50mph speed limit. We continued on towards the junction with the A59 and then on to the A59 and in to York. The route in to York was exactly the same as we took when we visited here a couple of years ago and some of the route was a bit narrow at times but without issue and on to Manor Farm Campsite. We checked in and parked up on a nice pitch in a large field with a few other caravans and motorhomes. I have an appointment with a local dentist tomorrow morning first thing to sort out my toothache. We had a quiet afternoon reading and relaxing. Today we saw more motorhomes on the road than we had at any other time so far in the UK and less caravans.

We woke up to fine drizzly rain that was soaking everything and even though it was raining the ground staff started cutting the grass, it was a good job we didn’t want a lie in. The rain continued on and off throughout the morning, Dave and family were packing up to head off in the direction of York, we were impressed at the speed and ease of collapsing their Quest gazebo. We said our goodbye’s and they set off just before 12 noon. Mum arrived a little later and we went into Dalston to the Post Office and then came back for a late lunch BBQ. By mid afternoon the rain had stopped and everything was drying nicely and then it started again so we hurriedly put everything in the garage so it didn’t get too wet, given that tomorrows forecast is for heavy rain all day. I will stow it all properly tomorrow between showers.

Mum left at tea time and we tidied up, washed up and settled to the first real evening of TV since we left home.

We packed up and left in light rain at about 9.40 this morning. We left the campsite and went a short way on the A40 before joining the M5 north towards Birmingham, the rain varied between light and pretty heavy. There were a couple of sections of roadworks with 50mph speed limits including the junction of the M5 and M6. We then joined the M6 and had heavy rain started to fall. There were lots of sections of roadworks and some with 50mph limits and at least 1 with a 30mph speed limit. We turned off the M6 at junction 17 towards Congleton, as we went over the motorway we saw that it was now stationary traffic on the northbound M6, lucky we left here. On the outskirts of Congleton we found an Aldi supermarket that was open and we eventually found somewhere to park and did some food shopping. It was pretty busy and so we spent some time queuing up to pay. We then continued on our journey to Capesthorne Hall arriving at about 12.30. We had a pre-allocated pitch and made our way to it. In the wash block we found a letter addressed to us with all the site information in and our receipt. Very efficient and no staff required.

After lunch we took a walk around the grounds and took some photos of the stately home and its grounds.