Knowing the roads would be busy over the August Bank Holiday weekend and not long back from Pembrokeshire made a return visit to a small campsite just outside Tring an easy choice.
College Farm Campsite
College Farm Campsite is a 5 pitch Camping and Caravanning Certified Site (CS). It is basic with electric hook up, fresh water, and a chemical disposal point.
Grand Union Canal junction with the Wendover Arm
Saturday was dry and so we took a walk along the Grand Union Canal, only a few minutes walk from the site, south and then up to Ashridge National Trust site. We often cycle here for a coffee and cake at Brownlow’s Cafe.
Return route was via Aldbury and managed to grab a Geocache that had eluded us on our last trip and a pint at the Grand Junction, Bulbourne.
The only bad thing of the day was June’s huge blister on her heel… The boots, although newish, had never given grief before so it may have been down to the socks….
As a result of the blister Sunday is a stay around the motorhome day 🙂
We had our big trip in April this year where we went to Andalusia for 18 days in the Motorhome so only enough leave for a week in summer. So off to West Wales which had stunning scenery and we had a week booked at the Caravan and Camping club site just to the north of St David’s.
This is easy
On arrival the warden pointed out that it was a little windier than normal:)…. No em the less really nice site…small, 45 pitches, with washing and drying etc. No motorhome service point but no issue as we had a waste water trolley with us just in case. The nearest beach, Abereiddi, was only a 15 minute walk away through fields.
Abereiddy
Tuesday saw a trip into St David’s where we booked a boat trip for Friday and managed to grab wifi at a cafe called Pebbles Yard.
Wednesday was just a little damp but during one of the dry bits we headed off to Porthgain, a small village about 2-3 miles along the coastal path. Very similar to the North Cornwall coast line the path held some stunning views that you just wouldn’t see from a car… As we descended into Porthgain it began to rain but still the Sloop Inn was dry and had great food. We couldn’t stay there all day so during a lull in the rain we headed back to the Motorhome bagging a couple of geocaches on the way….. The rain did come down a little harder but hey….. It was only rain. Amy’s few words describe her thoughts…..
So today was very interesting as I had mixed emotions and we also had mixed weather. So we well I mean I started the day at about 11:10 in the morning, ( as you can tell I am not an early bird ) as I lugged my self out of our tent and managed to burn a bagel. Yet I was still in a good mood thinking ” yes it is raining no walking today!!” Yet the raining stopped for all of about 20 mins and started again but we I kept on pushing though. I got told by bob that it was going to be roughly 2 miles there and back and I was thinking ” yeh I can do that pips” ohhhh no it was 4 miles there and it wasn’t fun and please note that I was in nee length thin shorts, a thin walking top, a ‘water proof’ jacket and walking boots which I soon find to have holes in. So I was going from a happy mood to a very wet unhappy mood. We walk 2 miles and me being me started to complain and complain in my head but I was like cab to say it out loud so I just kept it in there.
By the time we had gotten there my face made me look like I had been crying for months, my legs looks like I have walked into the sea and my boots well let’s just say there were very very wet socks. Yet there was s lovely cheese and bacon baguette waiting for me in the sloop inn.
Just a little rainJust a little rain
Thursday we had a couple of hours coasteering booked with Celtic Quest . Getting to the beach at Abereiddi by 9.00 was the plan and it ensured that we had a spot for the Motorhome in the car park.
Coasteering was great fun and the instructors we had, Gaz and Nick were a good laugh, Nick managing to get June to do a penguin dive. The trip ended in a disused flooded quarry, the Blue Lagoon. This has in the past been the scene of Red Bull free diving competitions. We opted for a slightly lower option but the highest just was about 30 feet.
Coasteering
Friday was an even earlier start to get to St Justinian’s life boat station for an Offshore Island Whale and Dolphin Watch with www.ramseyisland.co.uk. It was a beautiful sunny day and the sea was really calm. Once on board we headed off to Grassholm which has a large colony of Gannets. As the Rib approached the island we took a sudden turn north and headed off at speed to a pod of Dolphins that had been found by another Rib. Once in the area we had about 2 dozen beauties swimming between the two boats. It was stunning. After a while we headed back to Grassholm to see the Gannets closer…. For Chloe, one made a deposit a little too close. The trip back to the old lifeboat station saw a couple more Dolphins and a bit of ‘zapping’ by the skipper as he pulled a couple of tighter turns.
It was time to visit Canoe 2 again we felt… This was the second visit and I am sure we will come back again. They are such a professional setup that just can’t do enough for you. We had planned this for the August Bank Holiday weekend but we had to change.. This was no problem for Canoe 2 who even changed the booking at the campsite next door for us too. Camping was £15 a night with electric.
Arriving Friday night in the pouring rain we were grateful for the motorhome…even more so when we heard that some folk were arriving later and having to put up tents…
Last time we set off from their base at Ditchford Lock in south Northamptonshire and finished at Thrapston Nine Arches. So this time we had a taxi, again arranged by Canoe 2, to take us to Thrapston so we could paddle to Oundle Mill. It was a great day out, stopping off at Kings Head at Wadenhoe for lunch.
Three in a boat
As we ended the trip we were collected and taken back to the campsite. All in all a good day out on the river. We did get a quick glimpse of a KingFisher as it flew ahead of us….
We did take 2 GoPros out so when I get time there will be a short 2 minute video put together.
