Much Wenlock and Ironbridge

The sun soon burnt away the morning mist and we had a final breakfast outside on what could be the last warm September morning of the year. It is the last day of our holiday and we have travelled home via Much Wenlock, an historical town with ruined Abbey and connections with the modern Olympic games. It has nice old buildings and a butcher that had won best in England on several occasions. We stopped here for a pub lunch after shopping at the Ludlow farm shop. 

We also stopped at Ironbridge which of course is famous for having the first bridge in the world to be built using cast iron. We had a cappuccino here and bought two takeaway pasties for supper. We had a reasonable drive back via M54 and M6 arriving home about 6:15 to a much cooler and cloudy Croft.

Stay away day at Croft Castle

We decided to stay away another day while the weather holds, so we are swapping pitch and going to Croft Castle for the day. We did this trip the first year of motorhoming for a fungal forage and supper.

We booked an 11 o'clock slot at the castle and did the 3 mile hike taking in the iron age fort at Croft Ambrey before returning to the castle for a scone and drink. It was a bit too warm for walking , although we clocked up 11000 steps, but just right for cooking the last outside steak supper of the year (unless we have an Indian summer in October.)

Birthday in Ludlow

Rosemary booked lunch at the Cliffe House restaurant for my birthday. So after opening cards and WhatsApp greetings we took the van down the narrow lanes and just managed to squeeze it into the car park at the hotel. 

Very nice roast beef lunch then drove back through the castle market place, which seemed to surprise the locals so perhaps we should not have gone through town! 

Back on site in time to enjoy the afternoon sunshine. Even better now the wind has dropped. Following the saga of Marks rescue chickens on WhatsApp and Leicester City game on TV as the sun goes down.

Ludlow

We left Westbrook Park to make the short 15 min journey to the Ludlow Touring site just 2 miles south of the town. We passed the site and went on to the park and ride so that we could go into Ludlow more easily before taking our pitch.

The Saturday market was a much reduced affair but there were plenty of tourist about (English of course). We had a wander then coffee on the Castle Tea Room terrace which is normally the VIP area when the food festival is on. The manager said that Ludlow had still been very busy despite the cancelled festivals. Our site has been booked solid since 4th July when it opened. 

We bought some bruscetta from the pop up Italian pizza man who comes site every week, to go with the chargrilled loin of lamb. 

Teme Valley part 2

Clear, cool night with owls hooting and waking up to the prospect of another sunny but breezy day.

It's very peaceful here with hardly any mobile signal and very slow WiFi when it's there at all. If it was not for the TV booster cable there would be no depressing news either - perfect location to chill out. Going to see if I can spot the kingfisher again and may catch it on camera.

Then it's the Saints and Sinners path, do we walk to the pub or the church?

Decided to be sinners but found the pub is closed except for takeaways, February floods and now Corvid are to blame. So we had a few snacky things to take away for lunch, then we will have to repent.

Walked to Little Hereford church which is accessed by crossing a couple of pedestrian bridges across the Teme. We spotted a kingfisher again, a heron and yellow wagtails. Makes a change from sparrows.

Westbrook Park

We are staying 2 nights on this 5 star site beside the River Teme. Lovely walks down the river bank, pub in one direction, church on the other. Fishing possible but difficult from steep banks into fast flowing river which used to be full of Barbel, don't think I am going to bother. The regulars were not catching!

Perfect day to start the holiday, sunny and warm with gentle breeze and we have an ideal pitch in the corner of the site.

Welsh Borders or Shropshire

We are just back long enough for a wash and a shower before 4 days over near Ludlow and Tenbury Wells.

Homeward Bound

Everywhere was wet with dew this morning and it's going to be a scorcher. The crows dispersed after 9:00 and we had breakfast in the sun before packing to go home.

We stopped in the typical Norfolk town of Swaffham on the way home.( Steven Fry loves it here.) for a coffee break. Free parking in the market Square so we spent the parking money on a bacon bap.

Nice steady drive home for us but the East Coast bound traffic was stationary in two places on the A47.

Final leg stretching stop was made at Wing farm shop and camp site in Rutland for a few bits of shopping and we arrived home at 4:40. Just right for a BBQ which we did not get round to doing in Norfolk. Too many lunches out!

Bus to the Seaside

The sun had risen over the grandstand, it's going to be a good day for a trip to the coast on the Coast Hopper bus.

We caught the 11:00 and alighted at 11:30 to walk down to the harbour. Watched the kids crabbing and the grown ups stuffing themselves with fish and chips from the row of shops on the quay. We shared an ice cream instead.

Wandered along the quay and decided to go up the Main st to find a proper restaurant for Sunday lunch, the main reason for coming out today.

The Bang at Wells seemed to fit the bill and the Tuna Salad and posh fish and chips filled us up nicely.

I discovered that we were only 30yds from the bus stop which was due so we returned on the 2:30 to avoid another 2 hrs of unsocially distanced crowds.

We had a gentle stroll back to the site via Weatherspoons for coffee. Rosemary is a little distressed because she hadn't bought anything.

Fakenham Racecourse

We just managed to get on here after messing up the Mill Cottage booking but it is a really good site. We have a pitch in full sun which is great considering luvely weather. The site sprawls  over much of the public  areas and has plenty of Covid secure facilities. 

On the the way here we stopped briefly in Holt for a coffee in one of the many attractive cafe/bistro. It's an old town with historical Georgian buildings and nice shops. Rosemary enjoyed her visit. 

After settling in to Fakenham we walked into town along the path by the river, it's about 15 mins, to have a coffee in town centre and sus out the bus terminal for tomorrow trip to Wells.

We got back in time for cocktails in the evening sunshine before Rosemary creates a fish platter.

Just before sunset a couple of hundred crows descended to roost in the copse by the site. Occasionally it ' kicks off' as late comers or interlopers appear.

Pretty Corner

We left the CMC site to drive the short distance into Sheringham and parked in the overflow car park up behind the promenade. Then walked down the prom into the centre of town which was busy with socially distance holiday makers like everywhere else. Most places were open with Covid rules in place and Rosemary bought a dressed crab and some rolls for lunch later. We had coffees, first proper coffee of the holiday and then proceeded to the Mill Cottage CL about 1.5 miles up hill out of Sheringham. It's opposite the Woodland Trust Pretty Corner Woods so we chose one of the shorter trails that went towards the Tea Room only to find it closed. We did make it to the viewpoint where there is a glimpse of the sea and at 315ft one of the highest points in Norfolk. Our place on the CL is not much lower and is catching the afternoon sun and a stiff breeze! We can use the very attractive landscaped gardens which would have been lovely for cocktails on a nice warm summer evening. Perhaps not tonite!!!

Cromer crab

We walked down to the local railway station and caught the train into Cromer, just one stop. Wandered  the prom for bit and shared a take away coffee before looking for somewhere to have a lite lunch. The recommended, no 1, chip shop had long queues so we didn't bother. Quite a lot of people in Cromer like everywhere else! Found a small cafe in a side street that did a reasonable crab platter so we shared one, it was very good. 

Cromer looks a bit sad these days with Covid not helping. We did a little shopping at Morrison by the station and came back late afternoon.

Cloudier and not so warm as yesterday.

in

Norfolk Coast AONB

We spent the day traversing the coast road through Wells next the Sea, Blakeney and stopping off at Brancaster beach for a quick paddle - the water was freezing. At Brancaster Staithe we planned to buy a crab sandwich from the Crab Hut. However a large queue of people had the same idea so Rosemary rustled up an alternative butty in the van. We found a nice spot in the tender park to stop an hour to eat it. Arrived at West Runton to stop on a CMC site for two nights and had a couple of hours in the evening sunshine. Our neighbors came from Leicester, a bit paranoid about Covid.

Sandringham Estate

First stop at CCC site in The Sandringham estate. Busy site, most facilities closed except for dish washing, but a nice sunny end to the day. Stopped in Essendine on the way to see Margaret.

Norfolk Break

We have booked 5 days away on Norfolk coast starting with a night in Sandringham before 4 days around Sheringham.

Breezy Cotswolds

It's a breezy start to the day for the home run, but there is a bit of blue sky. We spent just one night at Moreton in Marsh CMC site which is within strolling distance of the village. We found a really nice bistro for a sharing platter before we drove home via Stratford upon Avon.

Sunny Tewkesbury

The overnight drizzle has gone away and it's a lovely sunny morning to see a bit more of Tewkesbury including the nearby Abbey. It's only open till 1 o'clock so we will check it out before moving over to Moreton on the Marsh.

Had a socially distance visit to the impressive but empty Abbey and lit a candle. We had a morning coffee at nearby coffee shop and a chat with some locals before moving on to Moreton on the Marsh in the Cotswolds via the Batsford Arboretum garden centre.

Another full CMC site but close enough to Moreton for an afternoon stroll into the village before settling in for the night. Eating in the van tonight.

Tewkesbury Two

We woke up to steady rain which stayed for most of the day, very heavy at times. It eased up by mid  afternoon so we were able to take a walk down the High Street and stop for a coffee and cake. We returned via the River Walk past some of the old industrial buildings, now converted for living. 

The site staff have been busy shovelling wood chippings into the swamp that is in front of our van. Hopefully it will be dry enough to drive over by the time we leave tomorrow.

Later we had dinner at Wetherspoon's the only place we could get in without a booking. 

Only managed to spend £12 and ate out twice thanks to Rishi.

Tewkesbury Twip

This is our first trip out this year which had to wait until the leaky roof was fixed last week.

We originally booked two nights at Hereford fishing site but moved to Tewkesbury because of the forecast rain.

We have had days of thunderstorms already so a day of heavy rain on an isolated site didn't seem like good idea. This site is walking distance to the old town centre just by the old abbey, so there's things to do.