We live near Oxford so Calais was not practical
as we wanted to hit Bordeaux, so we went
Portsmouth to Caen and Le Havre to Portsmouth
as the return due to pricing and availability. We got
a good rate through the camping and caravanning
club discounts that more than paid for this year’s
membership fee. We also took out AA European
cover, although it was about £80 a week on top of
the annual cover charge, expensive but reassuring!
In theory every town in France has a mechanic
and they are all the older fashioned mechanics
who know our simpler engines extremely well,
chances are this extra insurance would have
been unnecessary.
Prior to setting off, we had been having some
engine issues and multiple mechanics locally had
looked at it, most recently a half day that resulted
in a cable tie forcing the air filter to always run with
warm air intake not cold. A very expensive cable tie!
Our latest tank of petrol showed running figures of
just 18mpg which wasn’t good either. We decided
that actually the real issue was the carb and since
we have a second van and that one has the same
original carb, we could swap them over and see
what happens. One quick read of the Haynes
manual and a bit of Internet research and the swap
took around 10 minutes! What a transformation!
Poppy had more power, better idling, no cutting
out, no holding back and the problem was solved
just before the trip. Following the advice from
our illustrious President Malcolm at a recent AGM
weekend, we also bought a split charge relay and
fitted it, total price £7 and that charges the leisure
battery when the engine is running, the solar panel
keeping it going when parked.
Other prep work for a big long trip was to make
sure that on board were the bits that we might
need. Spares – Rocker cover gaskets, throttle and
clutch cables, set of plugs, points, condenser and
coil. Some wire and termination plugs, electric
tester (even the screw driver with the light bulb
from the pound shop), set of bulbs, some fuses
and a fan belt. We also took 2 litres of oil, checked it
each day and in fact only used about 300ml across
the whole trip. Then we packed the tools – Set of
sockets, adjustable spanner, screw drivers, feeler
gauges and of course a cork screw! Other useful
stuff – torch, you need a high-vis jacket per person
and they fit under the passenger seat along with
a cheapo (we paid £2) plastic triangle also under
there as they need to be accessible from the cab
area. We didn’t bother with the breathalyser, you
are supposed to have two but there is no fine for
not having one. If you wear reading glasses, you
are supposed to have a spare pair in reach of the
driver too. We took the log book, MOT, insurance
doc and a photograph of each one just in case and
we needed them to get out of the UK as a lot of
stolen vans used to get driven out of the country.
We also kept our passports with us at all times
even when out for a walk, just in case. The Michelin
2017 map of France and a sat-nav for those times
when the map just doesn’t do it were essential.
We stayed at the camping and caravanning
recommended site on the Saturday night in

Caen as the ferry docked around 9.30pm and
it was literally half a mile from the ferry port but
expensive at £26 per night. The morning was
bright, the sky looked promising and the van was
running well, our ultimate aim was Bordeaux but
given the breakdowns of recent years, we were
just going to enjoy what fate brought us. Maybe
Sunday would see us stay over in Nantes? Well the
motorways are for fast cars and you can pootle
along in your van on free roads and they are all
deserted, beautiful countryside and clean villages
and towns. Nantes came and went before we
stopped at the supermarket for bread and cheese
and by late afternoon we arrived on the west coast
at a village called Jard sur Mer about 200 miles
from Caen, Poppy running better than ever, the
site found in the Aires book was six euros per night
and was right by the sea, a little village for strolling
and they had an ice cream shop too. Monday
morning waking up hearing the ocean and we
still had no plans or sites booked for the rest of the
trip. We bought a book from Amazon of the Aires
Camping Car Europe version, there are signposts
all over too of big camper vans signposting a place
to stay – often a car park in town but most are
free, pretty, clean and have CDP and fresh water,
although some charge for the water. That evening
we were in St Emilion, on a vineyard having a BBQ
and drinking wine made from the grapes that
surrounded us on all sides.
We had never done the exciting bit of setting off
with no booking for the night and just looked at
the map each night for where to head the next
day. Sometimes the Aire that we aimed for just
didn’t cut the mustard, often we found something
better on the way, vineyards being our favourites
and along the way we stayed by the Dordogne,
the Charantes, on vineyards, distilleries and in
pretty villages. Sum total cost apart from the
first night was twelve euros site fees and we
came back with a lot of wine bought from the
people who make it. We visited Bordeaux, Bourg,
Cognac, Bergerac, Monbassilac and other places
making wines plus cultural places like Oradour sur
Glane (a village retained as it looked after a 1944
massacre) and Arromanches les Bains (scene of
the Normandy landings) amongst others. Day
time exploring towns, villages, medieval chateaux
places of interest.
As usual, at each fill we log the fuel consumption as
we have done since purchase and we managed to
get up to 29.7mpg averaging 26mpg across a 1,400
mile round trip which alone saved us £100 on
petrol. Since June 15th this year your mobile works
in Europe on your UK mobile contract so there are
no extra charges which meant we were online and
able to make and receive calls without worry. The
overnight ferry from Le Havre meant a full day of
fun and exploring (and ice cream) before getting
on the ferry as it took us home. Docking at 6.30am,
we zoomed through the English countryside and
were home by 8.30 just before the locals started
heading off for their Saturday shopping trips.
What would we do differently? Well for sure we
loved it so much that we want to go back soon.
We would know that on Bastille Day the shops
shut at lunchtime making our last afternoon’s trip
to the Hypermarket to fill the van before getting
on the ferry a fruitless venture! We’d go for longer
and spend more time practicing French before
heading off. What a fabulous time was had by
all. There were a great deal of campers sharing
their experiences, one from a Dutch couple who
annually drive their modern van down to Italy, take
the ferry to Greece and have 3 weeks wild camping
on deserted beaches. Maybe once we retire that
will be possible! There were no flights involved, no
hotels, we did eat out quite a few times but plat
du jour gives you great quality food with lovely
ingredients for a set price meaning that the whole
trip was really very inexpensive and we arrived
home with 20 bottles and a whole lot of memories.
Anyone know the nearest place I can get moules
et frites?

Continuing our 2020 Social Distance Summer
Road Trip, we left Wales and headed north to
Scotland, but we had to reach the border first
and decided to spend a night in the Lake District
on our way north to break up the journey.
The journey from Wales to the Lake District was
long and uneventful. 200 miles in a VW Camper
at 55mph is quite a slog, but we are used to
long durations on the road and somehow in
the camper it never seems as bad as being in a
car. Maybe that’s because the camper feels like
being at home? At least you can pull over pretty
much whenever you like and make a cuppa!
On arrival at the Lake District, we hit
Windermere. We aren’t staying here, but it’s the
starting point for a road through the mountains
that I have wanted to drive ever since coming
to this location by accident four years ago; the
Kirkstone Pass!
For those who know the Lake District well
enough, you may know there are two places
called Troutbeck.
One of them is close to Penrith and has a
campsite, the other is near to Windermere and
doesn’t! Four years ago I drove to the wrong
Troutbeck and haven’t been able to live it down.
The Kirkstone pass pretty much runs between
the two, but we weren’t brave enough to take
on the pass last time we visited (first time towing
the camping trailer and didn’t know if we would
make it!… bearing in mind one of the roads on
the pass is called “The Struggle!” and so we took
the long way round instead.
From the Windermere side of the pass in
the south, it’s a long uphill jaunt along harsh
mountain roads with tall, threatening, exposed
rock faces, narrow sections and tight bends.
After what seems like a lifetime with my foot
flat on the throttle (I don’t dare back off incase
we can’t get going again!) we make it up to the
summit of the road, which is surrounded by
even taller mountain peaks and rocky landscape

The area is partly submerged in cloud, but there
is a cafe at the top and there are bikers gathered
(cars too) who have been enjoying the twisty
black stuff.
The road back down the other side towards the
North is very similar; steep, twisty and narrow!
One main difference now is the pedal choice.
Instead of the right one being hard to the floor,
I am covering and pumping the middle one in
the hope that we don’t get brake fade! (That’s
a story for another day!) The route down treats
you to magnificent views over Ullswater in the
distance and when you do eventually reach it,
the road follows the undulating contours of the
shoreline, providing a few places along the way
where you can stop and enjoy the views over
the water, maybe even have a paddle.
We don’t stop as we are keen to get a decent
pitch secured for the night and head to our
campsite at Troutbeck Head. To get to the site
from Ullswater you have to climb the hill at Aira
Force waterfall, which is understated at steep.
Don’t forget to look in your mirrors to appreciate
the stunning views!
We have visited Aira Force waterfall in the past.
It’s a very popular National Trust attraction and
has a sizeable car park, but on a day with decent
weather it gets extremely busy.
Here’s a top tip: Visit the waterfall on a really rainy
day. It will be virtually empty and the falls will be
even more spectacular! Just make sure you pack
your waterproofs as you will get wet!
After checking into the site and enjoying a
cuppa, we head back out down to Ullswater and
see if we can find a spot to stop on the shoreline
to let Ruby (our springer spaniel) have a paddle.
It’s rammed. It’s summer, it’s the school holidays
and people have been in a covid lockdown for
4 months!
We follow the road around Ullswater and
up to Penrith to get some supplies. If you’re in
the area, this is a great spot to pick up essentials
before heading off into the wilderness for a few
nights. Within 5 minutes of each other, there
is a Morrisons, an Aldi and a Booths! There’s
also a Pets At Home and a Go Outdoors. So
everyone, including travelling pets, should be
well catered for.
With stocks of essential supplies and the fridge
filled with dog food (should really be cold
alcoholic beverages in there), we head back
down to Ullswater again and Bingo!.. The crowds
and families have now left as it’s tea time, so we
park up and head down to the shore. I pack a
towel and my swim shorts… just in case.

When we get down there, the views are
simply stunning. There are some beautiful and
picturesque places in the UK, but this has got
to be up there. It is hard to believe that we are
still in England, this could easily be the Italian
lakes! The sun is shining on the mountains on
the other side of Ullswater, which is flat calm and
quiet. Ruby needs no persuasion and is straight
in the water. I follow in my flip flops… wow! That
is seriously cold!!
Feeling brave, or possibly just delirious from
driving all day, I don my swim shorts and head
in. After 5 mins of walking up and down up to
my waist with excuses about how it’s too cold
and how I will develop hypothermia, I go for the
dunk. I’m in. It’s freezing! As I paddle I start to
loosen up and feel the refreshing water washing
over me. After 5 minutes or so I realise that the
water is so cold it is making my skin tingle and
I feel bits of me going numb. I carry on a while
before making the decision to get out whilst I
am not shivering with teeth chattering together
like one of those wind up toys!
I dried myself off and we headed back to the
camper. Ruby got to have her favourite towel
dry and we head back to base at the campsite
for dinner. We have a short walk in some nearby
footpaths before the sun goes down and head
to bed in preparation of another long day that
will take us further north and across the border
into Scotland!
Phil Aldridge
“Tales From The Driving Seat” is on Instagram
@talesfromthedrivingseat and blogspot
www.talesfromthedrivingseat.blogspot.com

We head into Aberystwyth to pick up some
essentials; dog food, milk and petrol! Not
wanting to waste the trip into town, we head
to the seafront and take a drive along the
promenade. We are pleasantly surprised by the
lovely Victorian buildings and a funicular cliff
railway too!
Stocked up with supplies and the tank full to
bursting with petrol, we head north and are
looking forward to today’s route which will take
us on a B road that follows the coast around the
southern part of Snowdonia rather than going
through it and then into the National Park to
camp for the night.
The start of the coastal road happens
immediately after crossing the river/estuary at
Machynlleth via an old stone bridge and then
turning left off the main A road and following
the river on your left. As roads go, this one is
beautiful. The surface is smooth, with a stone
wall on one side and a cliff face the other, it
undulates over and around the coastal features,
giving us amazing views over the river and sea.
As we get closer to the coast, the road becomes
lined with old oak trees, growing out of the cliff
and hanging over the edge.
Our first stop on this route is a small seaside
town called Aberdovey. There is a golf club, a
beach and beach related stuff. We drive through,
noticing people pointing and commenting at
the camper… this often happens and I sometimes
wonder if they are pointing at something falling
off! But you get used to it and you soon realise
that driving a bright blue camper van with an
exhaust that announces your arrival everywhere
you go is going to get you attention.
The road picks up as it comes out of Aberdovey,
but its only a short run before the next small
town called Tywyn. On our way in we notice
the large amount of static caravans surrounding
the area. The town is pleasant and has all the
makings of a seaside location, with a decent
looking Co-Op if you need supplies! The beach
is clean and there is also a narrow gauge steam
railway here too.

From Tywyn the road heads inland to avoid
another river estuary and make the crossing via
a bridge.

There is a ferry that can take you across, but
we took the road to save time. Once you cross
over the river, the road heads back towards the
coast and is it does, starts to climb. As the road
meets the coast you are met with one of the
most beautiful coastal roads we have driven.
There are numerous lay by areas to pull over and
appreciate the view, which we did.
We followed the coastal road until reaching
the larger town of Fairbourne. To continue
from here there are a few options; a ferry direct
to Barmouth, a modern road bridge several
miles inland or an old rickety wooden bridge
that resembles a seaside pier… guess which
option we went for?! The old wooden bridge
at Penmaenpool is a toll bridge, costing 80p for
cars and £1 for motorhomes. We are technically
driving a Motorhome, despite being car sized,
but I don’t mind paying the extra 20p to keep
the bridge maintained. The crossing is bumpy as
the wooden sections are uneven, but we make
it across safely without encountering any trolls
who want to eat us for their supper!
After crossing the bridge we head into Barmouth.
Barmouth is a seaside resort with everything
you would expect; amusements, chip shops,
sandy beaches and a long promenade. It was
busy. Really busy. We stopped for a while on the
promenade and watched the crowds but didn’t
venture out of our own space inside the camper.
From Barmouth we follow the road all
the way to the end of the coastal route at
Penrhyndeudraeth and make our way up to the
campsite which is only 5 minutes up the road.
Nearby is the village of Portmeirion; a tourist
village, designed and built by Sir Clough
Williams-Ellis in the style of an Italian village,
which is now owned by a charitable trust. We
didn’t visit as we didn’t have any time left in the
day, but it’s worth a look if you’re in the area!

In the evening we pop back into
Penrhyndeudraeth to look for some dinner
and find several takeaway options including
a Chinese, Indian, kebab and chippy. What a
fantastic selection. We opt for the Indian and
head back to the site to rest up in preparation
for the next day – Snowdonia!

We set off from our site the next morning
heading for Anglesey. It’s a shorter trip today,
taking in the sites that Snowdonia has to offer.
On the route we pass through Beddgelert,
which has an interesting story. The town is home
to a legendary site called Gelert’s Grave. In the
legend, Llywelyn The Great returns from hunting
to find his baby missing, the cradle overturned,
and his dog Gelert, with a blood-smeared
mouth. Believing the dog had savaged the child,
Llywelyn draws his sword and kills Gelert. After
the dog’s dying yelp Llywelyn hears the cries
of the baby, unharmed under the cradle, along
with a dead wolf which had attacked the child
and been killed by Gelert. Llywelyn is overcome
with remorse and buries the dog with great
ceremony, but can still hear its dying yelp. After
that day Llywelyn never smiles again.
You can park in the village and walk to the site,
however the morning has brought much rain
with it and so we decide to carry on with a
journey.

We follow a road that takes us past a beautiful
lake called Llyn Dinas, there are a few spots
along the side of the road to stop and if you’re
brave enough, take a paddle

The road starts to meander and climb slowly,
this becomes more apparent as you come past
Llyn Gwynant. There are some tight bends on
the climb and I notice views in my mirrors!
We eventually come to a small car park
which boasts a view of Snowdon. The Peak of
Snowdonia and the highest peak in England
and Wales at 1085m. We get a few snaps here
as the clouds break over the mountain and also
take advantage of the ice cream van parked here
too… it’s never too cold or wet for an ice cream!
We continue our journey through Snowdonia,
past Snowdon, and Pen y Pass, where there were
many cars being turned away as it was so busy.
We climb up and over the pass that flows in the
valley on what started as a miners track, down to
the village of Llanberis. You can walk Snowdon
from here as well and if your legs aren’t up to it,
take the train up too!
From Llanberis we make our way out of
Snowdonia, the landscape changes quickly
from Mountains to flat land and trees. We arrive
at Bangor, singing the famous song as we do
and then travel over to Anglesey on the Brittania
Bridge. We notice the large amount of farming
and gorgeous rolling countryside. We stop at
some beaches at Cemaes in the northern part of
the island and on our way to our campsite stop
off at a lovely harbour in Amlwch Port.
The next part of our journey will see us leaving
Wales and heading north towards the Scottish
border, stopping over in the Lake District
en route.
Phil Aldridge
“Tales From The Driving Seat” is on Instagram
@talesfromthedrivingseat and blogspot
www.talesfromthedrvingseat.blogspot.com

It was a real treat to head north in Dennis the
Dormobile last month. We had three glorious
weeks in Scotland in July (despite the roadside
Yellow Storm Warnings on route!). We broke
journey in Crianlarich and travelled on to Skye the
next day. Probably busier than usual, the island
was far from overwhelmed and Dennis loved the
rolling single track roads. We did notice a huge
expansion of motorhome hiring since last year.
We were surprised by our 1978 T2 having become
a rarity and a conversation piece; several people
asked to take his photograph! All of which made
the campsites even more sociable than usual.
Set up in Glen Brittle, we hiked up onto the
rugged Cuillin Ridge and got our only soaking of
the trip on the way down. From Dunvegan, we
used our bikes to explore a landscape that is still
only a generation or two away from the crofting
life. There was a whole trail of makers and artists
on Skye and we dropped in on a weaving shed
and a print and glass gallery.

We had been keen to follow the last stages of Euro
2020 despite being away, which meant listening
to a crackly quarter-final radio commentary on
the road to Crianlarich (did they just score??) and
also the semi-final at Dunvegan (the only pub in
the village wasn’t open on a Wednesday…).
At the small site near Staffin, we asked about the
nearest pub for the Sunday night final and the
lovely owners told us that they had a couple of
spare TVs and they could lend us one to set up in
Dennis. So with a low tech but safe hook-up and
a bent wire aerial, we watched the match! A first
for us.
More hiking and cycling to explore the stunning
Trotternish ridge and the coastline, before
heading down to Loch Rannoch and a campsite
near a remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest
and some hot and sunny Munros. The evening
midges were repelled successfully with some Miss
Haversham-style headnets!
Three nights with friends and family around
Glasgow and north Ayrshire also gave us the
chance to do a washing load (!) before our final
week down in Galloway in Scotland’s overlooked
southwest. If you get the chance, see if you can
book a space at quirky North Rhinns campsite. It’s
not many miles from Stranraer, but it’s another
world; 12 or 15 pitches tucked among a small
wood, well looked after by the enthusiastic and
sociable owners, who would love to host a T2 rally
sometime!!
Linda and Stewart Shuttleworth