Cornwall & More

Yippeee we finally made it to Cornwall,the camp that was put on hold.
The weather is glorious on our arrival and the site is very peacefull.We are not the only campers we have several other tenters caravanners and motorhomers for company.Many of whom have taken up late season special offers.On talking with fellow campers we are suprised to find that they had the mother of all storms last night.The weather report for the week is looking rather soggy.Not put off in the slightest as we have waited far to long for this break.

The site littlewinnick is in the beautiful district of St Austell.A site we would readily come back to.
There are plenty of walks from site and it also boasts direct access to the Pentewen Cycle Trail.We walked to Pentewan beach which also had a quaint pub

Although our week was at the end of the holiday season we still found there was plenty to do and see,the benefit we found was no queues or bustle.Just what we both really needed.
We spent our days wandering around the harbours and small villages.Where we were very impressed with the meals on offer.Our evenings were spent relaxing in the tent planning where to go tomorrow.

We were asked by familly to stay in contact whilst we were away.So to give them piece of mind,we took along our laptop and skyped our elderly parents from the tent.Their reactions were pure amazement as we gave them a guided tour of our home from home for the week.

As with all holidays it comes to an end so much quicker than you want it to.We brought back the usual gifts and information packs however I also came home with a new hobby.Having fell in love with the many driftwood sculptures that are in every shop window.I decided to try my hand at making a driftwood tree.I ordered the driftwood from the internet and set to, working out where and how I would have the space I needed..Hubby has set me up in a small garden shed.So once again I have another sanctuary.

I'm really enjoying working with driftwood,I have found it to be very relaxing.I've also found an artistic side that has been buried deep within me.Family and friends have suggested selling my items but I'm just happy doing what I do for now.Maybe one day I will though at the moment I don't need the stress of another job,which i'm sure it would turn into eventually and the added risk of losing my enjoyment.I might add that I have not had any panic attacks,since I put my mind to work on my new hobby.

Our latest camping trip took us to the coast,yes I know not the weather for the seaside.However I had other plans.Finally managing to get a pitch here Graffitoe Farm ( awesome views of the beach ).Quite a lot of the open all year sites were waterlogged and we struggled to find a coastal site.

Kind of like two birds one stone,I decided to see if I could collect some driftwood from the nearby beaches.I did manage to source enough to make a small item.Yet to be decided though.I felt like a bigkid again running up and down the beach without a care in the world.How I needed that.Hubby also had his turn at being a bigkid, catching waves as they came crashing in.Though one wave has cost us a new camera,we had lots of fun and came back wet through of our own choosing.

The weather again was suprisingly mild for November. Views were amazing and again no hustle and bustle.We were the only Tent and had one caravan for company.Again another site I would really like to return to.

Watch this space.

My next blog will cover the trials of a new year camp.
I may also set up a page to display my handmade driftwood collection.

If you have time I would really like your feedback on my blog

St Patrick's Meet

March brings with it a St Patrick's meet. Several other campers whom we have met on sites through out the last year are having a meet.

The meet takes place at keviki. A small site with basic facilities.

We also get to meet new campers,and campers we've only chatted to through the forums.

There is a good range of tents including a Tourag,Cabanon Guadeloupe,Our Sunncamp Gite,a Vango Icarus and a new Vango air beam, which we are all eager to see.A couple of caravans and a small pop up tent.

We all gather around as the Vango air beam is brought to life.Impressed with how quick it went up.Happily throwing good humored insults back and forth between us all.

Keviki

For the occasion some of us have put bunting up,and it flaps gently in the breeze.The weather is quite mild for March and we have sunshine.

We all sit around the camp fire as one camper tries out her new cobb,serving up Irish sausages followed by Irish themed cup cakes what I have brought.
Some of the campers have decided to take a stroll up to the local pub,but it's not long before we are all sat around the camp fire once again.

As the night draws in the weather turns and we are rained off, all heading into our own sanctuary's.

The following day is pretty much the same, with everyone swapping tales of their travels.The weather is behaving once again and the children are enjoying the trampoline on site.It's not long before the adults are vying for there turn on the trampoline.

We end the day sat having a good old chat around the camp fire deciding where and when our next meet will be.

The following morning goodbyes are said as we wave each other off .

 

New Year Camp

This is our first ever New Year camp and the hubby didn't take any persuading.I was expecting to go into full debate mode about staying home,in the warmth with Television,computer etc but no he wanted to go.

We booked Walesby Woodlands for three nights with Ehu.

On arrival we were met by the owner who was rushed off his feet, with his wife laid up ill and a toddler to look after.We were quickly booked in and shown several pitches to choose from.We were also invited to use the cafe on an evening.The owners had decided to open it up to the campers,as a meeting place to sit and have a drink ( fridge available to cool your beers) and would be holding a disco on new years eve to bring the new year in with all their customers.This was a lovely idea and many people took up the offer.

We was the only tent on site,the remaining pitches all took by caravans.
The pitch we chose was between two trees as to give a bit of shelter.The weather was chilly but not overly cold or windy.The night sky was clear and full of stars.The owners also placed a couple of reindeer shaped led lights on the site to make everyone feel christmasy.

The weather held out on us and no snow was forthcoming,maybe this year we will get snow.

We both made a new year's resolution to have more nights camping in 2013.

 

December Camp Meet up for the Brave

  Ok so a few of us decided to camp in December 2012,much to the amusement of other camping friends and family.

We chose a site that backed onto a Pub,just in case emergency shelter was needed.Skipton Arms.
 Learning that the pub was also haunted just added to the adventure.

Below is the story as reported in the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph.

 WHEN it comes to watching the World's Most Haunted, it would take more than a dark room and a puff of cold air to freak me out.
Even a creaking floorboard would not have me rushing for the light switch.

5. ​
   MAKING CONTACT: Medium Susan Drury and researcher Steve Dinsdale outside the Skipworth Arms in Moortown. Pictures: Rick Byrne
   

So in a bid to find out the truth behind the torches and whether it was possible to talk to the dead, I was inquisitive enough to join Steve Dinsdale, investigator and audio-video researcher, and Sue Drury, medium, investigator and researcher, for their sixth investigation at the Skipworth Arms in Moortown.
Heather Chuck, 54, has been landlady of the pub for the past four years and she has experienced activity since the day she moved in.

She said: "It was happening straight away. When I'm with somebody I'm not bothered, but when you're on your own it's a bit scary. "There's definitely some- thing in here. I had a barmaid who worked here and every time she worked, glasses fell off the bar. We thought she was making it up, but we saw it on the CCTV."
Heather's presence attracts the orbs – a glow of light that shows the energy of a spirit and is only visible on digital photographs.
She said: "Something happens at least once a month. A customer was stood having a pint at the table and when he went to take a drink it exploded. He thought somebody had shot a pellet through the glass window. It wasn't a warm glass and it wasn't ice cold. The top of the glass was still complete.
"I also got grabbed on the arm last week. I shouted 'Oi' because I thought it was someone winding me up, but there was nothing there."
Among the spirits present in the bar area are believed to be Jim and Mary Parker. They used to own the pub 40 years ago.
Heather's husband, David, 43, said: "When I was cleaning the pipes one day, I thought there was a little lad or lass in a baby walker and it came whizzing past me. There's lot's of noises and stuff like that going on."
Grimsby medium Sue has had spiritual powers from the age of five, but she has only explored her abilities over the past 10 years.
" We use glass tipping on the table top and the rods to call the spirits to come forward.
"Most of the spirits are grounded, they're not hostile, but they don't want to move on, but we can move them over if we want them to go.
"On our investigations, we get people to join in and feel it for themselves."
Steve said: "You don't have to be a psychic or a medium to pick up spirits, you can just be sensitive to it.
"When we use a yes-no board, we place a glass on top and put our index fingers on it, and ask questions. The spirits use our energy to come through.
"A lot of the spirits, when present, have a massive drop in temperature, so we register it with a digital thermometer. We also measure the electro-magnetic frequency that spurs them to come through using a ghost metre shipped in from Singapore."
So with the chance to experience first hand the reality of making contact with the spirits, I was passed the divining rods.
Unsure of what was going to happen, one thing I was definitely going to do my utmost to keep the rods still.
We called for Jimmy to come forward.
Sue said: "Jimmy, if you're in the room, can you cross the rods over for us please."
And in less than 10 seconds, the rods were moving. I was stunned, but still sceptical.
Jimmy was asked to use the rods to point to where he was in the room and with that instruction, my heart almost leapt into my mouth. The rods swung round from pointing forward to touching my shoulders facing behind my back. But they didn't stop there. They continued until they crossed my neck in a headlock.
At that point I could sense something behind me and was in no doubt the spirit had moved the rods.
Then things started to get even weirder, when Jimmy moved the rods independently of each other like he was playing a game – at which point I was quivering in my shoes.
To further strengthen my new-found beliefs, I had a go at contacting the spirits myself.
"I asked for Billy, the young boy, to come forward and cross the rods if he was four years old.
A slower movement saw the rods cross over in front of my very eyes and I had no control over their movement.
My arms were a good 30cm apart, so I knew I wasn't crossing them. But the motion was a softer one, as you would expect for a young child.
In a bid to trick Billy, I asked him to do the same if he was six years old. And with every mental power I was trying to get the rods to cross and contradict the previous answer. But there was a strange force that was firmly keeping the rods apart – even if I tried to give them a helping start. Seeing is believing.

So with five tents set up,we were ready to visit the pub.
No we didn't bump into ghosts,though we did witness the constant re-fill of our glasses,but didn't complain.

The only complaint we did have was it didn't snow!

Skipworth Arms

Donna Nook

   It's now early November and I have no trouble choosing where to camp this weekend.I'm looking forward to taking the hubby to Donna Nook Nature Reserve. I remember going, way back when I was knee high to a grasshopper but hubby has never been.

Booked into Pigeon Cottage a quiet little site,with good shelter.
The weather is rather chilly but dry. We pitch Bella with no problems,I'm happy now.

Saturday morning we have a good breakfast and set off for Donna Nook. It's very chilly on the coast, so we head to the onsite vender.The coffee is surprisingly good for only £1. Clutching our coffee's we head onto the small walkway.

The sight before us is not for the squeamish,though you wont get much closer to nature.With coffee finished the cold wind becomes forgotten as we click away with our camera's,oh and awe -ing to what lay before us.The hubby is impressed, pointing out the huge protectors of their young bouncing and sliding to an approaching predator.We spend a good couple of hours just watching nature unfold.
On the way back hubby asks me what seems like a daft question.I look at him gone out,with a cheeky grin he repeats his question."I have no idea " I reply.With my response given hubby points down towards a wooden sign. Where he slowly lifts the small wooden panel, beneath his seemingly daft question .Here lies the answer.Which he refuses to tell me.We notice the walkway is dotted with these Q & A signs and race each other to read them. At the last one there is a small hut where you can read lots more information or purchase small gifts.

Feeling the cold once more we opt for another coffee ,welcoming it's warmth to walk back to the car with.

A good morning out for so little cost as entry is free,but car parking is a small charge.We both agree that this will become a yearly visit.

Donna Nook

Center Pitch

  Bella's first outing was again at a local site.The weather had been poor recently with lashings of rain.On arrival at site we wanted to pitch in a corner plot,only the owners had just upgraded there EHU supply.The site had trenches still visible crossing in all directions,which were not settling well in the current weather.We were told to pitch freely in the middle of the site,as we were the only brave souls booked this weekend.

Well I don't know about you or yours,but I detest being on show, so to speak.Although we were on our own It just didn't feel right.Bella didn't sit well with it either,being on uneven ground.Even cooking outdoors looked and felt odd in the middle.

An unsettled Bella

What was the problem? We were solo,facing onto the boundary hedging with no one to disturb.
I really didn't enjoy my first outing with Bella.

Was It just me,or do you feel the same to?

Introducing Bella

  I've not wasted anytime at all looking for a canvas tent.It could only be a bell tent.But which supplier caused a headache.

In the end we opted for a 4m Ease from Soulpad. Why? As a now declared camping addict,they had the fastest delivery option at purchasing time.

Of course I feel very strongly attached to this tent so have had to name it just like I did with Lincoln.

Bella

 Picture taken recently at Bungdale Head Farm

We use Bella from Mid September through till Easter,loving the snugness from the Sig and the quickness with which we can be set up on those chillier days.The glow of the indoor lantern also looks prettier in the winter months,giving a very warm welcome after a day out walking.

We do have a couple of niggles with Bella but nothing major.Firstly She's way to lovely to cook in ,so currently looking at options available to us.Secondly the cable for EHU has to go directly through the middle of the front doors,I dealt with this by inserting my own zip into the left  lower wall panel.
Friends and campers alike have commented on this from,"you brave girl "to" wow super job","will you do mine". To which I respond "NO,would any of you have dared to do it for me".

We have several canvas tarps which we can use for outdoor cooking or just shelter.

Air bed disaster

   So amongst the many items we required for the tent was a bed.We spoke to the parents regarding their air bed.To hear how comfy it was.So we decided to give it a go.I managed to secure a double air bed from work in the sales.

On first use it inflated quickly and quietly.An added bonus was the quilted cover that came with it.
The bed fitted in the bed pod of the tent a bit to snugly.Only having floor space at onside.Well hubby is always up first so decided to give him the floor space.

Our first opinions about the air bed was how cold it felt on getting in.The firmness suited hubby but I like my bed a bit softer.Anyway we soon drift off to sleep.

I woke during the night with such a fright,the bed was moving like a ship on the water.Through the darkness I could just see the outline of hubby looming over me."sorry,been to the toilet"he whispered.I turn over and as i do I'm raised up once again."sorry"mutters hubby.I turn to face him and as I look up to him, I see a large bare foot heading straight for me.Not wanting to wake the rest of the camp site I grab hubby's foot to guide him.He jumps at the touch and comes crashing down on me.We end up a bobbing pile of giggles trying to stifle the laughs, we try not to look at each other as we bob up and down attempting to straighten ourselves into a sleeping position.It's sometime before we reach sleep both still trying to stifle giggles.

Kampa double bed

The following week we buy a raised double camp bed.