Monday 25 August 2008
Run to the Hills 22nd - 24th August
We went to our first proper VW event near Matlock called Run to the Hills. We camped with Club 80-90. Thanks to the members that made us feel welcome, and Matt for organizing everything. It was great to be with so many other T25s and meet other club members I've talked online too. Gordon and I went after work on the friday night, and we were joined by Sarah and Jon and Lauren and Matt on Saturday morning and Charlie and Donna on Saturday evening.
Monday 18 August 2008
3 Counties Tour August 14-17th
We set off from home after work on the Wednesday night and headed down to Birmingham to stay over with Dad. It was nice to see him and he served up one of his recipes - Normandy chicken. Mmmmmm.
County No.1: Worcestershire
About 10am on Thursday we set off for our first destination. It took about an hour to get to The Marlbank Inn near Malvern. It
was a nice little site for the money. The location was good, but the facilities were in the midst of a refit so you had to use the pub loos. It was fine for a 1 nighter and only £10. We had a pint in the pub and chatted to a friendly local then went outside to catch a bus into Great Malvern. Then the heavens opened. I've never been out in anything like it. We tried to brave it out under our single umbrella but once it started hailing we had to admit defeat and run across the road to the pub porch.
Once in Malvern we found that it is one of the most boring places to be stuck on a Thursday
afternoon. Seeing as it was the first day of our holiday and Malvern has the most fantastic views we envisaged sitting in a beer garden (between showers) and looking at the scenery. No such luck. None of the pubs in the centre were open until 5pm. We caught the last bus back to the campsite at 6pm and headed into the pub for some tea. Wow. It was great. It made us sleepy though and we were soon back in the van with our feet up.
The next morning we took a walk across the fields away from the pub. It was lovely. We will certainly go back once they have sorted out those showers.
County No. 2: Herefordshire
On Friday night we met up with them in the pub and had a great night. It all went a bit strange when we went in the Cross Inn and the landlady decided to go all psychic on us. She came out with all sorts. It was certainly an experience. Our fellow campers had left 
us by that time, and we wandered back to the van glad that we had remembered to bring a torch as it was pitch black.
The next day the other couple said that they had fell off the kerb and ended on the ground, and had to be escorted back to the campsite by a local as it was so dark they couldn't find their way back. Those beer goggles wouldn't have helped either I imagine.
We were ready for the off for 11 o'clock on Saturday and took a bit of a detour to Pembridge and Dunkertons Cider Farm, part of the Herefordshire Cider Trail and one of the best ones we have sampled. Their cider is always the same standard and I think
they sell some via Waitrose so you just know it will be good. I like their Black Fox cider. Mind you I didn't think I would fancy drinking again for a bit after the night we had just had in Eardlisland.
We headed off for our next campsite but before we got to Leominster we saw a sign for cheese and decided to follow it. There was a lovely little cheese shop with their own Hereford cheese and organic bread so we bought some and knew lunch was sorted when we got to our next campsite.
County No.3: Shropshire
We drove up through Ludlow and turned left up a B road through a golf course towards Much Wenlock. What a lovely road, we hardly saw another vehicle. We were heading for Sytche Camp site just outside Much Wenlock.
We took shelter in the Talbot Inn where we met a local character with mutton chops who told us about how he had seen Hayley Westonra at Shrewsbury flower show that week. She was wearing a pink organza dress and looked "very romantic" in his opinion. A few minutes after our conversation we spotted he had dropped off to sleep in the pub. V. funny. We had a lovely meal in the Talbot Inn, very 1970s, but we like that sort of food so it suited us fine.
About 7.30 we headed back to site, it was still raining and we were glad we were parked at the bottom of the site to give us some shelter from the gales that were forecast. We were warm and cosy in the van and relaxed in front of the telly for the rest of the night.
The next day we headed for home, passing the V festival site at Weston Park near Telford. We had a great time, and would recommend all the sites we stayed at.
County No.1: Worcestershire
About 10am on Thursday we set off for our first destination. It took about an hour to get to The Marlbank Inn near Malvern. It
was a nice little site for the money. The location was good, but the facilities were in the midst of a refit so you had to use the pub loos. It was fine for a 1 nighter and only £10. We had a pint in the pub and chatted to a friendly local then went outside to catch a bus into Great Malvern. Then the heavens opened. I've never been out in anything like it. We tried to brave it out under our single umbrella but once it started hailing we had to admit defeat and run across the road to the pub porch.Once in Malvern we found that it is one of the most boring places to be stuck on a Thursday
afternoon. Seeing as it was the first day of our holiday and Malvern has the most fantastic views we envisaged sitting in a beer garden (between showers) and looking at the scenery. No such luck. None of the pubs in the centre were open until 5pm. We caught the last bus back to the campsite at 6pm and headed into the pub for some tea. Wow. It was great. It made us sleepy though and we were soon back in the van with our feet up.The next morning we took a walk across the fields away from the pub. It was lovely. We will certainly go back once they have sorted out those showers.
View of the Malvern Hills / Looking towards Upton upon Severn
County No. 2: Herefordshire
On Friday night we met up with them in the pub and had a great night. It all went a bit strange when we went in the Cross Inn and the landlady decided to go all psychic on us. She came out with all sorts. It was certainly an experience. Our fellow campers had left 
us by that time, and we wandered back to the van glad that we had remembered to bring a torch as it was pitch black.The next day the other couple said that they had fell off the kerb and ended on the ground, and had to be escorted back to the campsite by a local as it was so dark they couldn't find their way back. Those beer goggles wouldn't have helped either I imagine.
We were ready for the off for 11 o'clock on Saturday and took a bit of a detour to Pembridge and Dunkertons Cider Farm, part of the Herefordshire Cider Trail and one of the best ones we have sampled. Their cider is always the same standard and I think
they sell some via Waitrose so you just know it will be good. I like their Black Fox cider. Mind you I didn't think I would fancy drinking again for a bit after the night we had just had in Eardlisland.We headed off for our next campsite but before we got to Leominster we saw a sign for cheese and decided to follow it. There was a lovely little cheese shop with their own Hereford cheese and organic bread so we bought some and knew lunch was sorted when we got to our next campsite.
County No.3: Shropshire
We drove up through Ludlow and turned left up a B road through a golf course towards Much Wenlock. What a lovely road, we hardly saw another vehicle. We were heading for Sytche Camp site just outside Much Wenlock.
Much Wenlock - taken as we arrived
Sunny day (not when we were there!)
We took shelter in the Talbot Inn where we met a local character with mutton chops who told us about how he had seen Hayley Westonra at Shrewsbury flower show that week. She was wearing a pink organza dress and looked "very romantic" in his opinion. A few minutes after our conversation we spotted he had dropped off to sleep in the pub. V. funny. We had a lovely meal in the Talbot Inn, very 1970s, but we like that sort of food so it suited us fine.About 7.30 we headed back to site, it was still raining and we were glad we were parked at the bottom of the site to give us some shelter from the gales that were forecast. We were warm and cosy in the van and relaxed in front of the telly for the rest of the night.
The next day we headed for home, passing the V festival site at Weston Park near Telford. We had a great time, and would recommend all the sites we stayed at.
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