Time for our annual pilgrimage, back to Leeds. Krystal all set to visit her birth place and be checked over.
The 2023 Habitation Check.
We always go back to the Vantage factory for this as we get such terrific service from Vantage. Not too much on the list for this year, no majors! We have just had two new tyres, a service and an MOT, so all is well on the Fiat front.......we hope! Time for Vantage to do its bit.
Usually we go up to Leeds on a Sunday, stay at the Turnpike ( Premier Inn ) in Knottingly and take Krystal up to the factory on a Monday morning. For the last two years we have really struggled with the Leeds rush hour traffic, finding it very stressful to make the factory by 8.30am, last year it took almost an hour . This year we decided to try a change. Habitation booked for a Tuesday morning and a Premier Inn in Leeds City Centre booked for Monday night. This meant we could drop the van off at the factory on Monday afternoon and make a long leisurely stroll into Leeds centre and have a meal and a night at the hotel. It also meant we could have breakfast in the morning and lounge about watching daytime TV until 11.30am before going to pick Krystal up on Tuesday afternoon after her check up.
Another small diversion. We decided rather than a 5 hour drive to Leeds, we would go on Sunday morning and break the journey just North of Birmingham at Kingsbury Water Park, that meant a much more comfortable 2/3 hour drive first and about the same the next day.
The journey to Kingsbury Water Park was pretty uneventful with very little traffic. Luckily for us the motorway which runs just behind the campsite was closed for the night so it was very peaceful. Nice Camping & Caravanning site which was pretty empty although I did book.
Krystal happily settled on her pitch for the first night.
We walked up the lanes to a very nice pub The Dog and Doublet and managed to get a meal. It was very showery so we did have to do a bit of dodging about under the trees.
Great site for fishing and bird watching. Sadly not really enough time to have a proper look around, maybe next year!
The next morning we made a prompt start heading for the Vantage factory. A bit of traffic but not bad, We stopped for sandwiches on the way and arrived at Vantage around 3.00pm just in time to bed Krystal down for the night and have a chat with Julie and Ian who would be doing the hab check.
We had packed our overnight stuff in our ruck sacks and headed down the road to the City Centre. Luckily no rain. It was an easy flat walk and the hotel was just behind the railway station, a few minor detours and we found it. A nice meal, a few drinks and a peaceful night. The next day we strolled back to the Vantage factory to find out how Krystal had faired. All was well although it turned out she did need two new batteries, Julie had phoned the previous day to give us the good news, one battery OK, one dodgy. We decided on two new ones. Our credit card company love us!!
Next stop, a drive to Cheshire and we were heading for Shays Farm. Another lovely well run, really clean site, the other side of Chester. A good stop for us as Den's brother and sister-in law live in the village of Tarporley. There is also a very nice pub walking distance from the site called The Shrewsbury Arms. Incidentally the pub has a nice little camp site attached too.
We went to the pub with Paul and Anne-Maria had a very filling and lovely meal. On the way back through the fields ran for shelter as the rain poured down. Luckily it was a passing shower. We curled up in Krystal and watched telly ( which we rarely do when we are away) courtesy of the TV hook up point on our pitch....leads available from the site wardens.
The next morning we experienced Cheshire's finest taxi service, driven by Albert's wife Suzanne (village taxi service) who picked us up at the camp site and took us to the bus stop in Tarporley. Den's brother Paul arranged an away day to Chester, followed by a meal with more Schwarz's ( Den's cousin Chris ) in Wales. So we did a taxi to the bus stop, bus to Chester ( used our bus passes for the first time) train from Chester to Flint, then car back. Great fun. We trekked the Chester walls had coffee in various venues and lunch. Chester for those who don't know is well worth a visit.
Chester clock. A must for the selfie. We resisted but took a pic instead.
A view from the walls.
Chester race course right in the middle of town.
Kids dressed as Romans having a fabulous time.
Of course we had to try the cocktail bar. Sadly too early for cocktails so we had coffee instead....WE DID!
We went into the museum and looked at a bit of old silver and some bones!!
All in all a lovely day out. Thanks Paul we did enjoy it. Train to Flint and another great meal with Anne-Maria and Chris, time for a family catch up.
Our next destination was Barmouth. A place we have not visited for around 20 years. Camping Hendre Mynach. A 20 minute bracing walk along the sea front to the town. It was BRACING!!! Very wet and windy. The camp site was much as we remembered it and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We managed to get a hard standing with a TV hook up point, which we used as the weather was wet. The campsite was pretty quiet when we arrived although filled up as the day went on. Facilities were passable, clean with plenty of hot water, if a little dated. Reception sold a few basic necessities,
Hard standing pitches definitely needed.
Shepherds huts now on the site for rental.
A blustery blow along the front.
Barmouth we discovered was an interesting place. Very much like Blackpool in some places though on a tiny scale. Loads of fish and chip shops, a few up market over expensive restaurants and not much in between. The pubs were generally very scruffy and not that inviting. We eventually managed to find a place for lunch. The Dolphin Bar, which was actually a fish and chip cafe that served wine with the meal which was very tasty if somewhat basic!
A few hardy souls ventured out into the sea, they were wearing wet suits. A few more were actually on their paddle boards.
Our short stay at Barmouth was soon over and we trundled off the next day back to civilisation and our last stop near Hereford.
Lucksall Caravan Park by the River Wye. A beautifully kept site with brilliantly clean and tidy facilities. There was also a restaurant on site and a couple of pubs within hiking distance across the fields.
This is the second time we have been here and is a site we will go back to. We had dinner in the restaurant and walked across the fields to the local village. We were lucky with the weather as the sun did try to come out.
A very nice break, just a shame the sun had deserted us. There's always next year.
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