Croft Farm Water Park. Back Again!

 Back again to one of our favourite places. Croft Farm Water Park near Tewkesbury in Gloucershire.

We have been visiting here for many years with so many changes. However , the essence of the place remains the same. Relative tranquillity, intermittent road noise but only when the wind blows in a certain direction! Rural charm, loads of wild life geese and ducks to name but a few. Water, loads of it clean and swim friendly. A handy pub up the road, quirky but friendly, another one down the river depending on your individual SUP skills. Café and gym also on site. Toilet and facilities, basic but clean and tidy. Can be busy on the water especially at weekends but worth it.

 A lake side pitch, so not far to carry the board.

Croft Farm is a water park that also caters for school groups. Camping in tents in the bottom field and in huts for the kids. Loads of water activities which have been well developed over the years. Actually it was great watching the young people enjoying themselves in the water.

Raft building looked like fun!

We took our paddleboard to make friends with it, before our next French trip.

Den had definitely improved his technique and actually managed to stand up.

I held the towel and issued advice!😊😊😊

We were super lucky with the weather but the "heatwave" helped the feeling of being somewhere other than murky Gloucestershire.

Three nights certainly felt like a week. A return visit is on the cards possibly September!!!

A lakeside pitch at £45 a night, not the cheapest, although we could have gone in the meadow field off grid for £25. Not too bad for July.

Review Ile De Re France

 Our first visit back to the Ile De Re in France for around 40+ years. The last time we went the children were small and we used our trailer tent. Our lasting memories were being pushed out of the sand dunes on the campsite where our trailer tent got stuck.

So, 40 years on and we were ready to find a few changes. We picked our site pretty much at random on the North of the island a stones throw from Le Blois Plage. Unfortunately our chosen site was not the best Le Varennes, a largish site but now predominately chalets and lodges. The camping area was a small space for around 35 units, pretty much squashed in and resembling an aire. The only plus point was the toilet and shower facilities were clean and used by fewer people.

Our pitch fortunately was one of the larger ones under the pine trees.

As it was during the heat wave with temperatures peeking at 39C, we were pleased with the shade. Our windbreaker came in handy!

The site had a touring area rather squashed in.

There was also an indoor and outdoor pool. The bar was not a restaurant, but did do burgers and pizzas when open. There was a shop for morning bread but only open for 2 hours in the morning. The village nearby had a supermarket and restaurants a 10 minute walk.

We must admit to feeling slightly short changed by the facilities. Clean but the hot water in the showers took ages to come through It would also have been better to have a bar that was open in the afternoon and a better stocked camp shop.

The beach was a short walk away over the dunes and the town had a daily busy market. The Ile De Re has a huge bridge to get across and a lovely charge of 40 Euros. The island is criss-crossed with cycle paths, which can get very busy. Not too bad in June but I can imagine they would be crammed in high season.

The surf school on the beach.

We rode the cycle path to St Martin en Re. The harbour was very busy and full of tourists.

Picturesque but incredibly busy.

We enjoyed our stay here but would probably not return as the place was far too busy for us.

All too soon, time to make the journey homeward. We spent 5 days travelling home stopping at La Fleche, Camping La Route D'Or for two days.

A lovely shady pitch, we needed it!

A Michelin star restaurant right in the middle of the town.

Hotel De Ville

While we were there, a commemoration ceremony for the WW1 & 2.

Attended by youngsters from the military academy in the town and old soldiers

La Fleche is a great town to wander around in and we will stop there again.

A final stop on our way home, back to St Nicolas at Le Bec Hellouin.

Incidentally, love my new sunshades.

Back to France in August. Ile D'Oleron this time.

 

Spring Trip. Vendee. Noirmoutier

 Our first trip to Ile de Noirmoutier and we haven't been disappointed. A real mixture of weather. Heat wave, temperatures up in the 30's, rain, winds, everything really, just like at home.You get to the island via a bridge, or if you are relly brave a tidal causeway.

The campsite Les Roussieres is at the north end of the island, which is much quieter and less touristy. A really handy spot just a short walk to the large beach across an interesting plastic floating bridge.

When we arrived we were given a few pitches to look at. As it was very hot we went for part shade, under a few trees but very private.

We loved the spot. The pigeons loved pooing on the van!! We persevered for a week, Den fought pigeon poo, we then  moved to a more open pitch.

The beach is unspoilt, goes out a long way and is pretty uncrowded.

Not bad for the second week in June.

The campsite was not busy and although we had booked in advance there was no need at this time of the year. There is a small bread shop open until 11am and a bar restaurant open evenings Wednesday to Sunday. The toilet facilities are immaculate and very clean with loads of hot water.

A 40 minute amble takes you to the main town Noirmoutier. Loads of shops bars and restaurants. 30 minutes in the opposite direction, takes you to the village of La Vielle where there is a supermarket, bar and small tabac. 

Noirmoutier is a haven for cyclists and there are bike paths everywhere around the island. A thirty minute walks takes about 6 mins on the bike so well worth taking them.

We did a few rides, one to the top end of the island to the port of L'Herbaudiere. A small interesting port. We did a few more on the very empty back lanes on some very hot days, till the wind set in..... no we weren't really lost!!

Of course, this area is famed for shell fish so fish shops are everywhere. We didn't try mussels here because apparently you should only eat them July to September! ( You live and learn) If we were French, we may have gone digging for them. If the shell fish are under a certain size you have to put them back. A whole page devoted to "Peche a Pied" ( Fishing on foot) in the campsite info.

Loads of holiday homes on the island. I guess in July and August it will be quite busy.

The port at L'Herbaudiere.

All in all, we have whiled away almost two weeks here. Noirmoutier is somewhere we will definitely return to. 

Time to move on soon and our next stop Ile de Re. Should make a great contrast! 

Spring Trip. Vendee Islands. Noirmoutier & Ile de Re

 This year we have decided to do two shorter trips to France. With Le Shuttle booked in January, we were quite relieved that with fuel rises we had decided to do two shorter trips.

Our Spring trip started with a short one night stop on the way to Le Shuttle. As it turned out, it was well worth it and cut down the driving. 

So, our first stop was Broadhembury at Ashford, a short drive to the tunnel the next day. We had booked an afternoon trip, so we were looking froward to a leisurely start.

Nice tidy site with good clean facilities and a pub a short walk away. We made full use of the facilities and wandered to the pub for a pleasant meal.

Definitely somewhere we would stop again and really convenient for Le Shuttle.

The next morning we were up and off, arriving in time for an early crossing. Little did we know that there had been some problem and we were delayed by an hour, so back to our original time. Le Shuttle didn't seem too busy, no real checks except for making sure the gas was off and we were ready to go.

A short 35 minute buzz underground and we were there! Soon happily on a nice pitch overlooking the Channel at Les Erables at Escalles, a stop we had used many times. We made our way down to the village and a very pleasant meal in the local restaurant.

Bluebirds over the white cliffs! Not quite, but a lovely spot for the night, though windy as usual.

The next morning brought the heat wave! So it was to be for the next week. The temperature quickly rose to the high 30's. Luckily not too far to go to the other side of Rouen a 3 hour drive. Our second stop. Camping Nicolas at Le Bec Hellouin.

Two nights here. We had a lovely meal in the restaurant and the next day set off down through the woods to the village. It was HOT!!

Down hill on the way there. Coming back was a slog!!!!

Le Bec Hellouin is beautiful, dominated by the monastery and grounds. We had a lovely peaceful wander around.

Den liked this one!

Two hot days, a cooling dip in the swimming pool and we were ready to move on.

Our next stop for two days which quickly turned into four. Camping Neuville near Le Mans.

A cracking site run by an English couple. Very clean and tidy with huge pitches. A five minute walk to the local village which had a bar, supermarket, bread shop and butchers. Sadly the swimming pool was out of action.

Right by a lovely river just made for paddling in.

Loads of lanes to wander about in. If it hadn't been so hot we would have taken the bikes out. Very near to Le Mans with a local train to the centre. £12 for two with a wrinkly discount. Maybe one for another visit.

A lovely short stay and we will do a return visit on the way back.

Cracking Crickhowell.

 Another day, another trip.

This time we were off to try out our fitness levels on Table Mountain ( The Welsh version in Crickhowell )

A place we have not been to for about 10 years, but it used to be one of our favourite places.

Riverview Caravanning in Crickhowell, Wales. An adult only site, right in the middle of the Brecon Beacons and just below Table Mountain, right in the heart of walking country. The site has been considerably updated since our last visit and now boasts a heated new toilet block and hard standings for motor homes. All for £33 per night.

We were soon settled on a lovely private pitch in the sun and out of the wind. Complete with rubber mat and picnic bench. We set out for a stroll around the town. Lots of small shops and a few pubs so there was a fair bit of choice. The town was much as we remembered it. 

The famous Crickhowell bridge.

The Bridge End Inn. Lovely in it's time but now a little sad. A shame really, as it's in such a lovely spot by the river and the once beautiful garden is now very unkempt! We did have a quick drink here for old times sake.

The Dragon pub where we stopped for a meal.

The next morning we were up for the climb. Here, right to the top of Table Mountain.

I know it looks tiny, but believe me, it's not!!! It was a real slog and very sharply uphill in places. We almost gave up, but coming down would have been as hard as going up. At least we didn't have to call out the rescue squad, although that would have been difficult with no phone signal up there. Fortunately we were wearing the right footwear, had water and plasters!!

We braved long horn cattle, streams, forests, bracken, ponies and WIND. It was very windy on top of the mountain, luckily no rain. Sadly, we didn't take the camera out of the bag, too busy concentrating on where we put our feet. We did make it to the top of the mountain and felt very pleased with ourselves. Coming down, was just as traumatic and steep, we were glad we took our walking poles. On the plus side we made it, so won't have to do it again!!

The next morning we had survived intact, so went on a calmer hike along the flat canal. A beautiful walk and we did take the camera out.

The bottom of the famous Redwood Tree immortalised in Tolkien's The Hobbit.

 A Welsh dupe of the Gap Tree perhaps?

All too soon the end of a beautiful few nights. 

Another return visit planned maybe later in the year.