Moretonhampstead 19th July

We left Cornwall on Saturday morning and headed into Devon, calling in to see Matt, Pip and Mari. Bliddy typical - hot and sunny. Matt wowed us with his vegetable garden. He sure has green fingers.

Trevornick, Holywell Bay 14-19th July

On Monday morning we headed off down the coast to our usual Cornish camping spot at Trevornick inbetween Newquay and Perranporth. We met up with our friends Jo and Phil who'd arrived on the Saturday. So 2 vans became 3 :-)

Bluebird & Flossy

Phil & Jo's van

As usual for this trip the weather was awful, gales, rain and general grey most of the time. I must admit I was feeling a bit travel weary when we arrived at Trevornick. I blame the weather. Anyway it was great to see Jo and Phil, even though we didn't spend much time with them, as we all did our own thing and met up later on, or if we happened to be at the same place. While we were there we went into Truro, Newquay and Perranporth. This was our 4th or 5th visit to Trevornick and we think it is time for a change next year.

Look...the sun is shining. Jo and Phil in Perranporth

Gordon and Rachel - colour coordinated!

Pound shop shades - Cool! / Perranporth beach

Higher Harlyn near Padstow 12-14th July

A photo of the sunset taken from our pitch at St Merryn on Saturday night.

We moved on to St Merryn on the Saturday morning. We had decided to stay at the C&CC holiday site next door to Higher Harlyn Holiday Park. Sarah and Jon were a bit concerned about the lack of electricity on the holiday site so when we arrived we asked how much it was to stay in the proper site with electric. £28 a night. We were shocked. £28 a night to camp, and that was before the schools broke up. There's no doubt the main site was a nice field with a nice view but the showers/loos weren't as good as cheaper places we have been. So we followed through our plans and drove through the site to the rally field and booked in with the stewards from the Birmingham District Association. £12 a night with the use of all the facilities at Higher Harlyn. Fantastic. We were greeted by 2 brummie pensioners who brewed up while we filled in our booking forms. Lovely people.

After we got settled we jumped on a bus and went into Padstow. Gordon and I headed across the fields from the campsite to the bus stop. We didn't have to wait long until the little green bus turned up. Unfortunately Sarah and Jon just missed it, and we saw them as we sped past. We met up an hour or two later and went to Rick Stein's for fish and chips. Gordon and I had plaice and chips and a scallop each. Last year they were absolutely fabulous. This year they were the greasiest chips we had ever been served. The fish was lovely but even the scallop was swimming in fat. It comes served in a shell and there was a puddle of oil in there too. What a disapointment. We couldn't believe the difference in standard to our previous visit. Sort it out Rick please.



We headed back into the town centre for a mooch round. And I managed to take a tumble on the quayside. HOW EMBARRASSING. I grazed my knee and gave everyone a good laugh! No alcohol was involved either (honest guv). Ah well I survived even though I hobbled around for the next few days.



Gordon and I headed over to the club bar in the evening and we were impressed by the surroundings and the live music. Lovely. Best of all we heard the weather forecast for Sunday. A proper sunny day.

The beautiful Harlyn Bay beach - and blue skies :-)

After breakfast we made a picnic and headed down to Harlyn Bay which was about a 15 minute walk away. This was great for Gordon as he had had many happy holidays there with his parents when he was little. He said it looked exactly the same. And the weather report was correct - it was actually hot!

One of the funniest things of the day was that we discovered that Sam didn't like walking on sand. We had to build a path for him with beach mats so he could move about. Mind you, it meant you could plonk him on a mat and he was trapped. For once you didn't have to keep playing the chase me chase me game.

At the beach we met a new monster man - called NODROG.

At the end of the afternoon we went over to the Harlyn Inn for a few drinks and to listen to the entertainment, 2 guys on guitars who were very good and gave us a laugh with their banter.

Camping Caradon, Looe & Polperro 7th - 11th July PART 3

Polperro has got to be one of the prettiest places I've ever been to. On our first visit it rained and rained. This meant that we had it to ourselves. But the rain even came through my 2 coats and got me wet, and Jon had to buy another as it totally did for his coat. On the Thursday we heard the weather was going to be OK the following day and arranged an extra night at the campsite so we could go back to Polperro when it wasn't tipping down. It was definately worth the return visit.

Our first visit...

Gordon in a Polperro street / Three Pilchards home of a fab fish pie

2 days later...

Sarah outside the famous fudge shop - Rachel in Polperro (with out a pacamac)

A lovely pub called The Blue Peter Inn

Camping Caradon, Looe & Polperro 7th - 11th July PART 2

Campsite Fun!

Jon made the most amazing paella for us.
Well done and thanks it was fantastic. What a great cook.

Gordon and a pint of Rattler in the "village hall"

The Cornwall 08 ping pong championships. Great fun :-)

Camping Caradon, Looe & Polperro 7th - 11th July PART 1

We were glad to hit the road and head down to Looe after our Budleigh experiences. And it only took an hour to get there. What a gem the campsite turned out to be. So well kept, lovely owners, cheap as chips, spotless showers, and a village hall style club house. The only other thing we could have asked for was SUNSHINE. In fact we loved it there so much we asked to stay on another night.

Looe harbour - as seen on "Echo Beach"

Shiver me timbers mate - that's Gordon with Jack Sparrow

Sarah and Gordon in Looe

Something strange kept happening to Sam. He'd fall asleep in his pushchair about 11.30am and then wake up in the Ship Inn an hour or so later surrounded by adults with rosy faces. Must have been something to do with the apple juice they were drinking.

PEEPO - Sam on the bus making us smile / Gordon gets 40 winks on the way home

Lunch with Pip and Mari

It was great to be able to stop off on the way to Looe to see Pip and Mari, it is a shame it takes much longer than an hour to get to them for the rest of the year. We went own to Bovey Tracey Riverside Mill for lunch, and Mari looked lovely with her bright bib on. Our girl is growing up!

First Stop - Pooh Cottage Holiday Park, Budleigh Salterton 5th-7th July

Well OK, not quite the first stop of the holiday as we stayed at Hereford on the Friday night. BUT our first night in the camper. All was well until we arrived, when the heavens opened. After about 10 minutes Sarah and Jon arrived and we sat in our vans until there was a break in the weather when we put up our awnings. A freak gust of wind managed to bend some of the poles on the JK awning but Jon managed to sort it out so they could still use it. That was the taste of the bad weather to come! We went down to the local pub that night. Food was good and it was a nice enough setting for our first night. The Dog and Donkey about 5 mins walk from the campsite.

On the Sunday morning there was a break in the weather and we walked into Budleigh. We had a nice walk along the front and on the pebble beach. It sure was windy though. Now after a walk especially when you have a toddler to think about you want to sit down, and have a drink and snack. There really wasn't anywhere in Budliegh that was child friendly. In fact we found the people really rude and selfish. What a strange place considering it should be chasing some tourist trade. We managed to get a seat outside a the Cosy Teapot (as we weren't allowed inside) then the heavens opened. The rudest woman we have ever encountered lives above that tea shop. She shouted at us for leaving little Sam asleep in his buggy a few feet away from us under the awning of the shop next door which was closed. Thankfully a little later on the Salterton Arms opened which was a lovely pub, clean and well done out, and warm AND DRY!