Henley on Thames

Thames at Henley

Four Oaks site (could only see one oak worth mentioning) is close to the town, so an easy walk, or in our case a short drive to find somewhere to park on the way home. The Thames river front is quite smart but most of the rowing action is across river from the main town where there are lots of marquees ready for Regatta week in July. Plenty of bunting and road closures over the weekend so I guess Henley will be celebrating the Jubilee in style. Judging by the fancy boutiques and bistro's they can afford a bit of a splash. Very high prices in the charity shops Rosemary noticed! We found a small Greek restaurant with 'a yard' to have a economical lunch before we drove home.

Saw lots of birds of prey, mostly red kites, on the drive between Henley and the M40. RSPB do say they are increasing in numbers - this could be one of the areas.

Petworth House

The french style house

Henley on Thames looked to be about half way on our journey home and as we have never been before we booked into Henley Four Oaks CC site. On the way we passed Petworth House, a NT property, at around lunch time so we stopped in the wooded car park to make a sandwich and a drink. It looked worth a short visit so having listened to the introductory talk and we had a look round. The main rooms are just full of paintings by famous artists, lots of Van Dyke, so unless you are an art buff it was rather wasted. The old kitchens linked to the house by an underground service tunnel were much more interesting. There were some spectacular azaleas in the grounds.

It took longer than I expected to get around London in the rush hour so we did not arrive at Henley until around 7o'clock, but had a nice sunny pitch non-the-less.

Arundel

Arundel Castle

Another glorious day so we decided to go out for Sunday lunch in Arundel. Its an attractive town with a cathedral, castle and lots of nice pubs and eating places. The pub lunch of seafood linguine and fish cakes washed down with a glass of pinot grigio and a pint of shandy  pub respectively were excellent. The castle offered lots of visiting options, must be confusing for foreign tourist, we just went for the seniors gold option (keep, main rooms and gardens). This was more than enough as the castle, belonging to the Duke of Norfolk, is very big with plenty to see. We successfully bused it back home, making use of the bus timetable 'app' on the android phone, now we understand the Coast Hopper 700 routes. We are on our way back home tomorrow with one stop en-route - still TBD.

Littlehampton Beach

After a lazy start we took the bus into Littlehampton for a couple of hours and walked along the harbour as far as the beach. It was the first hot weekend for a while so there were plenty of families on the beach, although its not very sandy for the kids. The ice cream kiosks were doing a roaring trade.

Picked up a few bits in Waitrose while waiting for the bus. The wind had now dropped and we had our first barbeque of the holiday and the year!

Wedding Anniversary

Boat at Bognor Regis

Another hot sunny day with a nice breeze to walk into Littlehampton, about a mile away. Pleasant small seaside town with a harbour along the river Arun before it flows into the sea. The harbour side is recently refurbished with apartments and a paved river/harbour front walk. Stopped at one of the restaurants for a bit of lunch. A party  of French ladies who lunch, mussels and chips (moules/frites) and with a view of yachts in the harbour - we could have been in Brittany.
Rosemary found some jubilee windmills to take home for the garden party and we took the bus back to site - eventually. There was a choice of 3 buses with the same number, coast hopper 700 and it was a case of "3rd time lucky" before we got the right one. It took almost 3hrs to go 1 mile - but we had a tour of the coast with a short break in Bognor Regis.

It was too windy for a barbeque so the "Jamie" was fired up again to cook the lamb steaks to accompany a nice bottle of anniversary wine.

Chartwell House

After a bit of slipping and sliding on the wet grass we made it out of the CL and went to nearby Chartwell the family home of Winston Churchill. A very interesting NT day out with plenty of information and exhibits from eventful life and times. The house itself is not huge but has big grounds with lake, swimming pool and working garden and is in a superb position with uninterupted views over the Weald of Kent. Winston loved the place, writing his memorable speeches and painting in the garden studio. He said that 'a day away from Chartwell is a day wasted'  - think he had a point. One of Rosemary's favourite NT houses.

After two days of history and culture we decided to spend the weekend at the coast and  drove the 50 miles down to the CC site at Littlehampton where we had a enormous grassy pitch. Sunny and with a hedge for protection from the strong easterly breeze it was very warm.

Leeds Castle

After a one night stay at Hythe we joined the M20 motorway for a quick drive towards Maidstone and Leeds Castle. English Heritage operated (ie expensive) but very interesting with plenty to see in well maintained grounds, walks, picnic areas and the castle itself. Not such an imposing castle as some, it was mostly designed as a residence, but in a very nice island setting. The castle has hosted some memorable parties in its past, Sinatra sang here and the grounds are the setting for summer concerts. With its grand setting and easy access from London and the continent the fine meeting rooms are still used for high level diplomatic meetings (eg the Camp David series). The tickets are valid for a year - so we could come back again I guess.

Drove part of the Kent tourist trail via Tonbridge and past many more stately homes before finding a CL for the night near Chartwell. Another warm sunny day - has summer arrived at last?

Mini Cruise to France

Pole position on the car deck 

It only cost £12 for both of us to board the Dover-Calais ferry and spend the day cruising the English channel -  provided we did not get off. The cunning plan is for you to fill your car/van/boots with booze - but we do not have the space to do that, so it was just a cheap day out and it felt like we had been abroad! I drove the van round the car deck in Calais and we were in pole position leading the lorries off the boat when we got back to Dover.

Murky day at sea but the weather forecast is 'fine and sunny' tomorrow. When we arrived in Hythe for an overnight stay the sky was clear, the sun was out and so were my shorts, for the first time this year. Its about 20 degrees warmer - unbelievable.

We tried to have a Skype video call to Mark in Dubia in the evening. We could talk and see him OK, but the up-link speed from our campsite in the marshes was not good enough for two way video.

PS We did actually buy one box of wine and a bottle of gin on the boat.

Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs.

Yarrow building in broadstairs

Having never been to the Kent resorts we paid them a visit starting with Margate. The weather was not ideal for checking out seaside resorts but Margate seemed like a rather run down depressing place and we left it quickly behind. Broadstairs, smaller, had a bit more character but having picked up a parking ticket, while we having a quick lunch, it did not leave a favourable impression. We stopped to take some photos of a victorian Yarrow building which was used as hostel and Rosemary's brother Jeff came here with with school outing or holiday in the 50's.  Ramsgate looked a bit more refined but having seen them all now I don't think we have missed much.

Spray on the prom 

We carried on to the CC site at Folkestone where we had a pitch in the later arrivals, early ferry starters area.  This is when we decided we to go to France for the day and booked the tickets on line!

Rosemary will also remember this site cos she lost her favourite bucket here.

Canterbury

Sunday - Brighter but still cool today. Rosemary went back to town shopping, leading a party of Germans from the site! I stayed on site, downloaded some photos and updated the blog. Rosemary came back with some bargains from M&S - what a surprise!

Canterbury

Saturday started quite sunny for a change so after breakfasting outside, for the first time this holiday, we went into Canterbury for some sight seeing around the city. Very busy with tourist and shoppers and queues for the cathedral

Lunched on tapas at a Cuban restaurant/bar and then wandered around the impressively large cathedral and surrounding lanes. Returned on the bus and it was a pleasant enough evening (just) to cook and eat outside again.

Caught the end of the Chelsea champions league match. Mark called from Dubai from his luxury appartment and it rained overnight.

Rye and the Marshes

Friday started dry and bright and we returned to look at Rye which is one of the ancient Cinque Ports established to defend us from French invasions. The old part is at the top of the hill, it has a castle overlooking the now receded coastline and an imposing church. The surrounding cobbled streets are lined with attractive old cottages and listed buildings and descend steeply to the river and small harbour below. Rye appears to attract lots of French and Dutch tourists.

The afternoon became very murky with drizzle which seemed quite approriate for the tour of the Romney Marshes. We gave up and headed north towards Canterbury to find a farmers market, which Rosemary had heard about from a rare breeds farmer in a shop! It was at Challock close to the very attractive Kings Wood nature reserve, which was absolutely full of bluebells. We stopped briefly for coffee break in a leafy lay-by, just a shame the sun was not shining to complete the scene.    

We arrived in Canterbury late afternoon and booked in to the C&CC site for a three night weekend. It has a regular bus service into town right outside the entrance.

Hastings and Bodiam Castle

Fisherman's cabin at Hastings

After a lazy start we headed back to the coast to Bexhill, Hastings and Rye. Bexhill did not look very inviting, although Duane Eddy was appearing in concert that day, so we continued along the coast to Hastings and stopped in the old waterfront area.  Hastings has a small boat fishing community and the Fishermans museum and Shipwreck museum provided a good (free) historical background.  Rosemary purchased some plaice from one of the many quayside stalls which she cooked later for supper.

Medieval Bodiam Castle 

We decided to stop the night near Rye, but before finding the CL we shopped in Rye and then we visited the NT Bodiam Castle about 10 miles inland. Although the inside is a ruin the exterior is in excellent condition and looks just like a medieval castle should. The wide moat was full of huge carp, including some colourful koi, which gathered by the bridge to be fed by the visitors. In bygone times the castle protected the river trade and provided a spectacular home for a succession of dukes.    

The CL was located at the old dairy just outside Rye. There was a little rain in the evening and its cold.

Battle of Hastings

The battle field

Wednesday was forecast to be the best day of the week so we spent it "doing" the battle of Hastings, starting at Pevensey Castle. William of Normandy landed there in 1066 and set up camp before marching east to do battle with Alfred. The castle is now a few miles inland but once guarded a harbour and our last site at Normans Bay would have been in harbour 1000 years ago, until it silted up in the 1700's. A knowledgeable volunteer in the Old Court House briefed us (a half hour history lesson) before we made our escape.

Monument from people of Normandy

After laying waste to a few villages enroute, the famous battle actually took place about 15m north of Hastings on the hill site which is now occupied by Battle Abbey. This was built by William in 1069 to try to atone for the slaughter that took place and is now partly in ruins and part occupied by a private school. It is looked after today by English Heritage but the purchase was largely funded by a group of Americans!              

We walked the walk round the site and visited the museum, then strolled up the High St. lined with the inevitable Abbey cafe and Battle tea rooms etc. Bought some Battle Bangers (recommended by Gordon Ramsey!) from the Battle butcher to have with diner and they were actually rather good.

A secluded pitch

We stopped the night at Battle Caravan Club site. A very smart site in the terraced grounds of an old victorian mansion complete with some spendid old trees, rhododendron bushes and bluebells. It did not rain all day!

Beachy Head

Beachy Head Lighthouse

Tuesday promised us sunshine and showers and it started with a shower.
The nearest bus stop and railway station were about 3/4m away so we used the van to avoid getting soaked. Went back to the country park that is Beachy Head and walked up to the edge of the cliffs. Elf and safety seemed to have not been here as the 165 metre drop is largely unfenced. We enjoyed one of the sunny periods although there was a very cold wind on the cliffs. Retreated to the visitor centre to miss a heavy shower while we had a hot bar lunch and then to the NT property by Seven Sisters cliffs for a coffee.

We just managed to miss another good downpour and arrived back for a sunny evening on the site and a short stroll along the beach.

Brighton and Eastbourne

Next stop the Sussex coast from Eastbourne to Hastings, two nights this time at another C&CC site at Normans Bay. We drove down to Brighton, for Rosemary's nostalgia trip, then along the coast to Eastbourne and walked along the pier. The Victorian Tea Rooms served a rather nice coffee and an egg and cress sandwich! Then off to the site which is right next to a windy, shingle beach. We arrived just as it started to rain.

A rather wet evening, not as windy as promised but its cold.

Horsley overnight stop

Site reception viewed over the lake

Left home around 1pm aiming to get to the Horsley C&CC site for an overnight stop. Its not far from Katie's flat near Kingston but she was away and did not manage to join us. The site is in the Guildford stockbroker belt and apparently there are quite a few celebs living in nearby Okenham. The attraction for us is that it appeared to have a rather nice fishing lake.

We stopped for tea at a garden centre nearby and arrived around 4.30pm, wandered round the lake and spoke to the fishermen. Plenty of nice carp to catch - duly noted for a future visit.  

Summer Tour 2012

Setting off for an English touring holiday, for a change, hoping to see parts of the UK we normally drive thru on the way to the ferry. So its Sussex and Kent here we come - despite the weather forecast.