Tag: Vanlife

Scottish Borders – Lauder and Jedburgh

On leaving Dunbar it was just a short hop south to Lauder to stay at the Thirlestane Castle Caravan Site (click here for my review).

We still stopped on the way for a spot of lunch and to watch the cows in the fields though!  (Notice how we were still in our shorts. In October.  In Scotland!!)

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On our way to Lauder

The reason we had chosen this site was that it was in the grounds of Thirlestane Castle – which had closed for the season just a day or 2 before we arrived…..

Still, it was a nice walk along the road down towards the castle and then back up the steep road to head into the small town.  Here we wandered along the High Street, taking in the numerous ‘Wynds’, the old church (which has a watchhouse in the grounds to protect against bodysnatchers) , the town hall and pubs.

We visited the unusual church – unusual in that Continue reading “Scottish Borders – Lauder and Jedburgh”

Day 7 – Monday 6th June. Bike ride to Andernos. Drive to Cap Ferret

The sun came out today!

Well rested after yesterday’s journey we set out on our bikes along the cycle path, heading towards Ares centre.  We actually ended up in Andernos, a little way along the coast, which was quite charming.

We stopped in a bar for a café au lait (the young barman didn’t understand, it appears I should have asked for café crème..) and a chocolate.  They came in very small cups – which was just as well as my chocolate was sooo strong I’m not sure I could have drank much more.

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When leaving we headed off in a different direction, trying to go along the coast but blocked by a marina (isn’t it always the way?)  Instead we found another aire, a lovely little church and a nature reserve to pedal through.

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Beautiful inside & out.

 

We went off one way but soon had to push our bikes through sand. Continue reading “Day 7 – Monday 6th June. Bike ride to Andernos. Drive to Cap Ferret”

France Roadtrip, May 2016 – It’s brightening up over there…. (errr, no it’s not :( )

Our 1st coastal stop in France. Good for cycling and relaxing 🙂

So I lost a lot of what I wrote yesterday (twice – I’ve only just realised I lost the re-write).

Let’s continue with yesterday (we did a lot more than today for a start).  We went back to the castle in Talmont St Hilaire boys (I wonder if you recognise it?)

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We didn’t go in though as we arrived at 12.30.  Just as it closed for a couple of hours.  Most places close for a couple of hours for lunch – except hairdressers and bakeries we’ve noticed.  That’s going to take a bit of getting used to!

We then decided to visit Les Sables d’Olonne (somewhere else I’ve been before with the boys).  I was a bit disappointed as it was a bit of a dump and it took an age to find the seafront (French signage doesn’t seem to be designed to help you find where you’re wanting to go…)

Here I had a crepe.  After ordering I told Calv that I believed I might have just ordered a pancake with cream.  I was right – I don’t know why I did it; I knew that Chantilly means whipped cream!  It was okay, but I won’t make the same mistake a 2nd time 🙂

We drove back to the van on the coast road (why didn’t we just go that way in the 1st place?!

Once back we decided to get a wash done, so off we set to the laundry, set the wash going and decided to head to the bar for 20 minutes until it was done.  3 1/2 hours, 3 wines/beers and an impromptu dinner in the restaurant later we were just about to head out for a bike ride (trust me it sobered me up!) when I remembered the washing!  Lucky I did or it would probably still be in the machine now!

The bike ride in the evening took us halfway back to Les Sables d’olonne to Chateau d’Olonne (the 1st sandy beach following an amazing rocky coastline) – 9 miles there and back (and no, I didn’t use the motor for most of the time – Debbie & Paul…)

Today (Day 5 – I think it’s Saturday..) has been a lazy day apart from a visit to Lidl (won’t be going back..)

I’ve finished my book (Jamaica Inn) and started a new one (Make Me – Lee Child).  Calv has given 1 side of the van a polish and I’ve done the ironing.  Rock & roll!!

Tomorrow we’re off again, this time to Lege Cap Ferret near Bordeaux and we have high hopes of finally seeing some sun!

I hope everyone’s well and am fairly sure your weather is currently better than ours 🙂

 

 

 

 

May 2016 French Roadtrip – No! The other right….

Travelling from St Malo to French West Coast at Talmont – mainly avoiding the motorway! Was that the best decision? Well yes and no…. Read on for more detail 🙂

It was a long day yesterday. Travelling.  We opted to take the scenic route….  I would say big mistake, BUT, we did see some lovely little towns and villages which, of course, we would never have done from the motorway.  Maybe we should just have got onto the motorway a little earlier though?  Instead of waiting until there was a road closure barring our way, a SatNav that couldn’t deal with that and a Calvin going the ‘other right’ when I said go right….  We stopped at a little town called Rouge (just before Chateaubriant) which had a massive church.  This seems to be a theme – small town/village, big, big church.  Very impressive I have to say.

 

Then we were tootling along a back road and came upon this little cemetery with a small chapel in a village called Maumusson.  Like I said, we wouldn’t have seen these had we taken the motorway.  But we would have got here a lot quicker!

Anyway we made it, finally. Again another lovely site.  Great swimming complex (the sun’s rumoured to be making an appearance tomorrow so we might get the chance to use it as well..)

The moment the pail tipped 🙂

 

 

Again a lot of Brits here (and a fair few from the Channel Islands – though not as many as were at the last site)