Coragh

A little three day excursion down to the southwest to visit no 1 son who has returned from his holiday in America where Emma said "Yes".

Monday, 19th August

As is usual this summer a sunny day. Packed up enough clothes for three days and put Matthew's A- level CDT project - a percussion storage trolley - in the car, hitched up the caravan and set of for Bristol. A largely hassle free journey apart from a 30 minute hold up at Gunthorpe Bridge for works. Stopped at Hopwoood Park service station for a coffee at about midday. It was very busy and an old lady had had an incident at the foot of the escalator so it was stationary and there was a one way system on the stairs. However, we did find a quiet spot in Starbucks. Eventually got to Corag about 2 p.m.  It is down a small lane with a very tight entrance slightly north of Yate. A minimal facility CS it has water, electricity and chemical disposal and nothing else. The site owners were out so a note was left for us on the gate. It's that kind of place. 

Coragh campsite

In traversing the minor roads approaching the site there were some ominous clunks from the caravan. The jockey wheel had loosened and lowered itself a few inches and grounded. When put into use as we unhitched the wheel disintegrated. We will need to sort that tomorrow.

We spent a couple hours setting up, having a cup of tea and sandwich and a short rest before going to see Matthew. The little awning is on, mainly to practice putting it up. Matthew's house is about 8 miles away in Kingswood on the eastern edge of Bristol. On the way we stopped at Sainsburys to collect a few things, especially towels which got forgot in the packing.    

We spent the evening with Matthew and Emma with a good Indian takeaway and a couple of bottles of Cobra.

Tuesday, 20th August

A hot, sunny day. Usual leisurely start to the day and then went to try to get a new jockey wheel. Aimed for Kingswood Caravan and Camping Centre but took a wrong turn and ended too far west. Hit the Bristol ring road at the point where it was being shut because of an accident. So for the second day in succession we were stuck in stationary traffic. Eventually extracted ourselves and found our destination. A brilliant tardis of a shop with a choice of suitable jockey wheels. As we were in Kingswood we parked up and had a bit of a wander, ending up in Boswell's coffee shop. Kingswood High Street is a fairly typical suburban shopping street with some big names and a lot of charity and bargain shops. We then went back to the campsite and spent the afternoon lazing and enjoying the hot sunshine. Vicky did some school work and I went for a little walk down the lane. There doesn't seem to be much walking done in the area as overgrown footpath and phone box indicate.

In the evening we met Matthew and Emma at The Swan at Nibley for a good meal in celebration of their engagement. 

A broad, bricht, moonlicht nicht. 

Dunbar

View towards Dunbar from the pitch

We drove from Slaley Hall to Dunbar on Friday, 2nd August after three days of golf and settled onto a pitch on a raised terrace overlooking the town and the Bass Rock. Fortunately there was a fish and chip van on site which took care of dinner. 

Saturday, 3rd August

Dunbar harbour

A bright, breezy day. In the morning we drove into Dunbar for a bit of an explore. The harbour area is  very picturesque with ancient ruins of a castle and fortifications. Above the harbour is the town. A one street town with a high street of independent shops, no chain names except the Co-op and Lloyds. All the coffee shops on the high street were either full or had no water. On the main high street was Saddlers, a very good little coffee shop with a garden centre out the back.  Bought a few bits and pieces and then found Asda to do a good food shop to last us a few days. Went back to the site for lunch and the spent the afternoon nest building. I fitted the newly acquired rubbers to the porch awning that came with the caravan. It was very windy so it took a bit of effort from both of us to put it up, but once there it is very effective. In the absence of proper restraining straps (there are sockets for them) I rigged up some guys to keep the awning attached to the caravan.  Next task was to try to put up the windbreak. As with the awning it was a bit of a battle against the wind but I prevailed. The site pennants also went up round the awning so our nest is complete. Pasta bolognese for tea.

Sunday, 4th August 

A lovely day. A long walk. Packed lunch into rucksacks, sun cream on off we went. The road outside the campsite leads down the sea and picks up the John Muir Way. We turned left off towards Dunbar. Most of the way into Dunbar skirts Dunbar Golf Club. There were plenty of golfers out enjoying the sunshine and battling the wind. Vicky found a couple of discarded golf balls by the path and I found another later on. The course looks very good and inviting to play. It is a qualifying venue for The Open. We followed the John Muir Way  through little back streets into the town. It was a sunny Sunday in the height of the holiday season but the beaches were almost deserted. We stopped for a drink at The Volunteer Arms before carrying on past the harbour and leisure pool. On the other side of Dunbar is another golf course. This one is not as high quality but has some interesting holes. Four of them on an exposed promontory look quite dangerous. We ate our lunch on the end of the windy promontory. A short walk took us round to an ice cream van and very messy ice creams. The chocolate sauce was a mistake in that wind. An even shorter walk to a public loo with hot water to get rid of the sticky substance. Back into the town along a straight round found us once again at Saddlers for a welcome pot of tea. We stayed there quite a long time before retracing our steps past the golf course and along the road, which seemed longer than in the morning, to the campsite. A sit down and a drink then I got the barbeque out to cook a couple of steaks for dinner. Later on there was spectacular activity in the sky. In the West there was a colourful sunset and in the East was an even more colourful, bright rainbow. An excellent day. 

Monday, 5th August

Poster Box

Edinburgh day. A very wet morning. It started raining during the night and continued at various strengths up until lunchtime. As it was going to be late night we sat out the rain by relaxing in the van and completed a few domestic tasks. After a light lunch of corned beef salad we drove into Edinburg and found an NCP car park near Cowgate and decided to swallow the potential £15 charge. We walked along Cowgate to the Underbelly to get tickets for Ed's show. It was 2for1 night. Ed came into town at about 5 so in the mean time we had a little wander about and spent some time in Jennings department store - a bit like Libertys with a central area surrounded by mezzanines. A drink in The Last Drop and an expensive, but very nice, meal in Steak and Mussels with Ed before he went to leaflet drop. 

We had a further wander and went to see An Audience with Jeff Goldblum - a sort of standup comedy act. It was quite good, well sutured and witty. A coffee in Cafe Nero and a sit in the Grassmarket followed, where saw the fireworks at the end of the tattoo then we went into the Underbelly to watch Novemberunderground. 

It is a short play set in the restaurant and one of the rooms in a London hotel. Serious, witty, a bit macabre at times it needed concentration to follow but it all fitted together well. Ed was good. We had to wait 'til half way through for him to appear as a sort of terrorist cleaner who chats up the hotel owner. There was an audience of about 50 which looked full in the small venue.

 After a quick farewell when it was finished we raided a bank to pay for the car park and he went of to a party of some sort. Got back to the site about 1.30. 

 Tuesday, 6th August

Dunbar Gardens

On a wall down an alley

Another very sunny day. Got up a little later due to the late night. Retrieved the car from the car park and bitter and bobbed. Drove to North Berwick, stopping on the way at the gardens in Dunbar for me to take some pictures of flowers as my camera school assignment. The first time, other than Edinburgh, that we have encountered congestion. It took us over an hour to find a parking space. This area of Scotland is called the "Golf Coast". In Dunbar there are two courses, North Berwick two more, we passed one on the way and beyond North Berwick there are four more, including Muirfield, before the next conurbation. We had coffee on the High Street, which was a great relief for me, and then wandered around the town. More shops than Dunbar but still no high street chains, and a lot more people. North Berwick is the birthplace of Robert Louis Stevenson. Lunch was taken in the Buttercup Cafe. A very cheesy macaroni cheese for me. A small, traditional cafe, very homely. A family came in with four small children who were very good. Drove back to the camp site via Asda and attempted to chill. Made more difficult by the neighbour's over loud music.  We bought 24 hours of wifi so that I could upload my Camera School homework. Vicky took advantage of it to check her new phone account. It was a frustrating hour as she tried to upgrade the web page for full access. I had to go for a little walk! Lamb kofta and masala chicken on the barbeque for dinner.

Wednesday, 7th August

 Another beautiful day. The sun shone and no wind. It being our last day we wanted to do a coast walk, but not on a golf course. St. Abbs head was the destination. Lunch packed, sun cream on we drove 15 miles or so down the coast. St. Abbs is a charming little fishing village, not unlike those in Cornwall, down a steep, narrow winding lane. A pay and display car park on the harbour side (only £1 an hour) next to a little cafe attracted our attention.

View through the cafe window

We spent an hour firstly with coffee,very cheap and very efficiently served in cramped surrounding, and then wandering the harbour. A fisherman had just landed and was gutting his catch provoking much excitement and warfare amongst the gulls.

Fisherman's friends

After that we headed back up the lane to a Scottish National Trust car park to commence a circular walk out to the Head and back. Guided by the map in a very informative leaflet we headed out through the countryside passing a farmyard full of sheep and a man repairing a dry stone wall to a lovely, secluded bay were we sat and had our lunch. Pettico Wick had obviously be used at some time perhaps as a supply point for the lighthouse as there was a stone jetty. Erosion has accounted for the last section of the path down so we perched on a grass ledge a little way above the beach. 

Pettico Wick

Thereafter there was a steady climb over the Head, past the end of a fresh water loch to the lighthouse. The lighthouse is automatic now but the keepers cottages are still  occupied as private dwellings. A spectacular place. The walk then alternated between cliff top and countryside as it took a more or less straight route back to the road just a few yards from the Visitor Centre. Lots of spectacular views especially as we neared the village.

St Abbs from the north

A welcome cup of tea in the Old Smiddy cafe and a look through an arts gallery. Does anyone ever buy anything at these places? Back to camp via the Asda petrol station. Finished of the Lamb Koftas as starters to a dinner of salmon pasta. The windbreak and awning came down in preparation for going home tomorrow.   

Bellingham

Our first proper outing

Friday, 26th July

We both awoke really early and were up at six a.m. Which meant that we were able to leave the house at 8 am. Collected the caravan and were on the road just after 8.30. Took the A617 and the the A1. The journey was fairly smooth with quite a lot of traffic, several lorries overtaking each other with 1 m.p.h. difference in the speed! Attempted to stop for coffee at Scotch Corner but couldn't park the caravan so ended up in a layby with coffee from a roadside vendor. A lot cheaper. Arrived at Bellingham at about 12.30, booked in, found a space and set up. Although we booked a grass pitch we are on hard standing in view of the weather forecast. Lunch on site and then tried out the awning that Cyril Pick has given us. It took a bit of working out and there is a suction cup missing from one of the poles. In the late afternoon we walked into the village. We found two little shops to source a mallet and a walking stick rubber, to substitute for the missing suction cup. In the first shop we bought a mallet for £2.99, in the secong the identical item wwas £1.99!  Bought a few bits and pieces from the Co-op. Walked back. It was a lovely evening. Wine and barbeque. 

Saturday, 27th July

A really fine day. Sunny and warm with a few clouds. We spent the whole day on site, the car didn't even get started. It needed a day of rest after hauling the van for four hours. During the day we completed the erection of the awning by filling in the front and sides. The zips are difficult to handle but it is very good for free awning. In the long term it is probably not us but for the time being it'll do. Later in the day I managed to get the CCC flags along the front. My 30 or so was knocked into a cocked hat by the new arrival with getting on for a hundred spread on his awning.

Bellingham Camping Club Site

Today's funny incident was when the canvas gave way on one of our ancient beach chairs as Vicky attempted to arise from it. Looking at the weather forecast it maybe the only day we have to laze in the sun, especially while we are on this site. Bellingham site is very good. Fairly small, fairly quiet, excellent facilities and within walking distance of the village. The buildings appear to have been part of a school in the past. The building outside the gate is called "The School Masters House". I speculate that it was an outward bound school or for some sort of military training. Perhaps I will find out. There don't seem to be many one night stands although it would be a good stopover on the way to or from Scotland. In a fenced of area there are a number of camping "pods" at £40 per night. Glamping? The shop is well stocked but expensive. Bread, marmalade, map, rock pegs cost over £20. It is good stuff though.

Sunday, 28th July

Tower Knowle Visitor Centre

It started to rain at about 3 a.m. and continued until lunch time. Whether it was coincidence or not units left the site as if the plug had been pulled out of the bath. We just sat it out, snug in the caravan and awning. It would not have been so pleasant without the awning neither would it have been without the hard standing - no mud or grass inside.

When the rain ceased we decided to explore the Kielder valley. First stop was Tower Knowe visitor centre. We paid £1.50 for an hour's parking. Not much to see really but had a soup with an excellent cheese roll for lunch. Mistake of the day was realising too late that the £4 all day car parking applied to all the Kielder car parks. With the weather brightening all the time then travelled along the deserted lakeside road up to Kielder, where we did get a £4 ticket. Kielder Castle is a hunting lodge which was a bit of a folly really. It is small and well set out as an information centre/museum and cafe. There is a well qpreserved Austin A30 in the courtyard.  We whiled away a pleasant hour there and after a snooze in the car walked part of the Duke's Trail through the forest. The forest is a good activity centre with a network of walking and mountain biking trails of varying difficulty. In order to get full value from our £4 we then stopped twice on the way back. The first was at Matthew's Linn which is a canoe centre with a good view across the lake. Leaplish is quite a centre with a caravan park, a large car park and The Boat Inn where we had a drink to the accompaniment of the shrieks and yells from the audience of a childrens' entertainer in the bar. A very good pint of Wylam's Angel. Finally we drove across the dam and had a look there. Quick visit to the Co-op and returned to the site for tea. A very beautiful evening with a good sunset. Lamb chops with new potatoes and cabbage for tea and a good glass of Gran Calero.

At The Boat Inn

Monday, 29th July

A showery day. As yesterday quite a bit of rain in the morning, but not as bad, then brightening to a lovely evening. Sat out the showers for most of the morning, then set about the main task of the day which was to walk to Hareshaw Linn. Hareshaw Linn is a local beauty spot, about 2.5 miles from the campsite. We set off under brightening skies and walked through the village and beyond along a well used and maintained path. Some of the early path was closed due to slippage but there was a gravelled road parallel alternative. We met one or two people on the way up and were overtaken by a young man walking a dog. The way follows a stream crossing and recrossing via a series of wooden bridges with several waterfalls serving as an overture to the main show. Most of the path is through woodland so although we were aware that it was raining overhead we remained quite sheltered. At one point there was a curious stump embedded with hundreds of coins. You could imagine the Victorians processing up with their servants and horses loaded up with picnic paraphernalia on a pastoral idyll. About 150 yards from the destination, just before the last bridge, there was a slightly larger clearing where I imagined the horses and lackeys being left while the main party carried on with just a couple of servants to carry the hampers of food.

Lunch at the Linn

  Hareshaw Linn did not disappoint, it was just like a Constable painting with a 100 foot waterfall surrounded by cliffs. There was a stone bench on a natural platform overlooking the scene where we ate our lunch - cheese and cucumber sandwiches, crisps and a couple of biscuits washed down with orange squash. We spent about an hour eating, taking photographs and sitting. Eventually we were joined by another couple, Scandinavian I think, our cue to begin the descent and leave the scene to them. On the way down we encountered more folks coming up, including a Dutch family. The only blot on the experience was that Vicky was bitten on the leg by a vicious insect that got trapped inside her trouser leg.

The Fountain Cafe

On returning to the village we called in at the chemist to get a relieving cream to apply to the bite then took afternoon tea at the Fountain cafe - a delightfully old fashioned establishment serving Earl Grey, scones and a delicious lemon drizzle cake.  Bellingham has a number of small shops including a butcher who sold us a mountain of barbeque meat for £4 and an appetising pie. That's the next two dinners sorted. He also told us that, as we suspected, the camp site is situated on the site of an old boarding school for troubled youngsters. Back to the caravan for little rest then I went to find the driving range on Bellingham golf course where I hit a few balls in preparation for the August Mesters. A basic country club. A clubhouse with bar etc. but no pro shop, a four ball driving range and a four hole putting area. The course itself looks well maintained and interesting.

The barbeque consisted of a large piece of steak, a thick piece of pork, a chicken breast and a locally made sausage and beef burger. It was superb, followed by a Rolo mousse. Best dinner of the week.  

Tuesday, 30th July

A bright, breezy day. Hadrian's Wall day. Started at Housesteads fort. Another £4 for parking, but you can park at all the wall sites on the same ticket. The engineering feat of the roman wall is incredible. Built, literally, by the hands of soldiers with no machinery and primitive tools in a very short time it has lasted a lot better than contemporary structures. The sun was out but the stiff breeze necessitated the wearing of a jumper. A new, and still being developed, visitor centre abuts the car park then you have to walk about 1/2 a mile across a valley to the fort. Another new building is there containing a small museum and an informative film. We spent about an hour exploring the ruins finishing with a little picnic of flapjack, fudge and coffee. A short drive down the road is Once Brewed National Park centre which we called at for more information.

 Vicky thought that Lanercost Priory might be worth a visit so we drove the 15 miles or so see. She was right. FREE parking. Pleasant lunch in a modern cafe and shop. The priory church is an interesting building in red stone. An open, light and airy space with a William Morris dossa behind the altar and a view though the east window of the ruined choir beyond. The Bechstien was being tuned. We declined paying the admission to the rest of the site. Bought some local ale in the shop then drove back to the site. The pie from the butchers was very good.

Lanercost Priory