Covid Capers Extended..

Ash

Oh Yes....
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I had an invite to a last minute covid friendly camping weekend in a field up north ..
Now as I'm in the high risk category of sickies I hadn't touched my van in a year bar 6 days.
So no MOT & I hadn't even started it :blast..

Now the van battery was 6 years old.
So once I'd made my mind up to go I ordered a new battery & tried to book an MOT.
Only to find as the government extension was ending everywhere was fully booked :(

Luckily my mate came up trumps and came in early one morning to fit me in.

And it passed with flying colours.. :)

It only has 53k miles on it even though its a 2001 manufactured Transit.
With the extremely rare auto gearbox.

And has been lovingly cared for.
Being converted as a church mini bus, then re converted by a carpenter, so only 3 owners in nearly 20 yrs.
 

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I had intended to head to Scotland last week, but over the previous weekend the weather forecasts changed & rain was predicted in Scotland for the whole week..:(

But weather for Wales & southern UK was looking grand.
Now Val H & his good lady Jill have been working flat out for the last couple of years to open a small campsite near Aberystwyth & I had promised to pay them a visit.

But obviously this year has been impossible for me & sadly 4 them so many others.

I rang Vern ( Val ) on the Friday a booked myself in for the Sunday & Monday but not telling Jill as it would be a surprise ( or not :D ).

So Sunday morning I set off for Wales.

A very special thank you to my hosts 4 the couple of days.
Vernon Val H Hickson & Jillian
Perfect hosts & a totally delightful place to stay..
Your hard work does you proud...

I highly recommend a visit either camping, wobbly boxing or in the superb cottage..

https://westwalesholidaycottages.co.uk/dolau-afon
 

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I had no plans other than the 2 nights in the campsite.
Only head through west Wales & head south..

I left there campsite mid afternoon & headed into to Aberystwyth.
For the first siteseeing.
A tad murky but dry..
 

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Then turned southward to Aberaeron Ceredigion
A delightful place.. :)
 

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After a brief stop there I continued south as dusk came I arrived in Cardigan.
Only one piccy as I decided to tramp down to Tenby for the night.

But it did look a nice place...
 

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Arriving at Tenby at 21.51..
So a quick piccy & head out of town to find a layby for the night..
 

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After a night's rest just outside Tenby.
I headed back in.
Really lovely walled town with a lovey harbour area.
We worth a visit..

Bugger of a place to park though, unless you've got a Blue badge.....
 

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England was calling so the A477, A40 & M4 was my chosen route..

:aidan
 

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Although I've had the van for 7 years,.
I've always travelled either towing my MotoLug trailer with a bike on the back usually with a F650GS / F700GS twin on it.
Or
A Mitsubishi colt automatic that had been converted to tow via an A frame..

whilst attending UKGSER events or Caravan Club sites..

Adding a few extra days, after the bike events.
Although that's changed over the years, as more members have vans or attend by car now.
( Old farts ) :D

But having replaced the colt with a non tow car, mainly because I couldn't lift the A frame or connect it easily with my disabilities.
Also decided to not to take the trailer or bike this time..

And another first - a road trip with no agenda, no plans, no planed destinations & if I could help it no campsites other than verns. ( Val H )
Just look at the map (2005 vintage ) :D & pick the next location as I went...

Now my van is nicely converted but it certainly isn't a £20k - £50K motorhome.
And by not planning to stay on caravan club sites that cater for disabled people superbly was going to be another challenge.

But I've been going to do it for 7 years.. :blast
And been promising myself a unplanned " road trip ".....


By not staying on sites I could hopefully avoid people as much as possible.

Youngsters going back to school, University's last week would also help.
I hoped..
 

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I'm up in Scotland now Ash ... weather OK :thumb

Enjoy your trip :beerjug:
 
Good on ya, Ash. :thumb

Great photos, looks like you're having fun. :beerjug:
 
Ash Nice write up, we spent a week in the Aberaeron area three weeks ago. A lovely bit of Wales, Dolphins and seals bobbing about in the harbour at New Quay.
 
Next brief stop was Clevedon nr Bristol..
Spent some time there in the 90s, when I was training as a mobile crane operator..
 

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Onwards to Weston Super Mare...

Stunning beach..

But for what I could tell was rather blighted by the dregs of earth folk in some areas....:(

Eveudent by the amount of police vehicles at tesco & council offices..

Which is such a shame, with a great beach..
 

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top effort... and great to see you in the grim norf...!
 
A quick fuel stop..
And a bit of school work, showed the van was doing roughly 39 MPG...

In a different life I wouldn't of cared about fuel consumption, but I have 2 now.
And I trundle about at 55 MPH max.
To try to eek out the fuel..
 

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I arrive at Watchet in Somerset at 21.34.

So just a night piccy.

And then head out to find my layby spot 4 the night.
Which luckily was 2 minutes away..
 

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I awake from my slumber 2 another stunning day..
Watcher Harbour / marina is undergoing major works.
But still a lovely wee place..
 

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Next up was Minehead..
You will notice in a my piccies so far the lack of people..
Great 4 me, but it must be killing these places..

I arrived there at 12.43pm

You can see in some pictures where they have raked the beach obviously at night or 1st fing in the morning & very few foot prints in the sand.
Because there are simply no people about..
 

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Cheesy piccy of me outside Butlins :D

And Ash written in the sand with my walking sticks... :blast
 

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