Yep, it’s that time again. Patsy time that is and this communication comes to you from the second stop of our trip at the Caravan & Motorhome Club’s Berwick Seaview Site - their northernmost in England and blessed with some cracking views.
Anyway, it’s been an eventful yet fun few days since we left home so here we go.
It was Friday when we departed the south coast for the 4 hour or so tow to the Somers Wood Caravan Park near Meriden in Warwickshire. The purpose of the visit was twofold. Firstly to break the journey up north but more importantly to hook up with my cousin Andy and his wife Janet. They’d decided to travel a day early so were already on site when we arrived. You may recall we visited Somers Wood in October 2016 and got the same friendly welcome this time too. It was good to be back.
Water - in it’s various forms was the feature of the weekend and manifested itself firstly by way of a detached pipe in Andy’s ‘van the first evening. He done the only sensible thing - tuned off the water and headed with us to the the pub. The White Lion at Hampton in Arden was one of our favourites during our last visit here and did us proud again this time with a great selection of real ales and some terrific food too.
It was to be our turn later as a hissing sound could be heard under my bed as we prepared to turn in. Water was spraying from what looked like the hot water tank. The pump was turned off, towels were strategically positioned and we went to bed.
It was about three AM when I got up to pay a visit that I noticed how cold it was in the ‘van. The heater had gone cold and there appeared to be no electric supply to it. Great. This was going really well. We quickly established that everything else was ok, fired the gas up and returned to the land of nod, further nocturnal visits notwithstanding. Oh the burden of an ale drinker!
The morning brought with it some clearer thinking - well marginally - and we soon established that I must have knocked the main switch to the heater when we were dealing with the leak. Quite a relief. Further investigation revealed that it wasn’t the hot water tank that was leaking but the pipe that supplies it. A easier and much cheaper fix than we had feared. A run to Jacksons of Old Arley for the necessary parts and both ‘vans’ waterworks were fixed before lunchtime. With ours we replaced the length of pipe and the tank connector to be on the safe side. With Andy’s we had to add a piece as there was simply not enough slack left to re-join the pipe.
In a way we expect it with Patsy - she’s now 10 years old, but Andy’s ‘van - another Coachman - was not even into it’s second year.
The rest of the weekend when much more smoothly, the snow that threatened all day on Saturday came overnight and we were greeted with a blanket of the white stuff Sunday morning. The roads were clear though by the time we emerged to return to the White Lion for a superb Sunday lunch - possibly one of the best I’ve ever had out. In the evening we rounded the weekend off with nibbles and vino in Andy & Janet’s ‘van. They would be headed back to Essex during the morning while we would be heading off early for our long drive up north.
It was another enjoyable stay at Somers Wood and thanks to Angela, Marc and the team for making us so welcome once again. It’s an area we love - the proximity to Birmingham is great, although we didn’t get the chance to visit this time. In addition some of the village pubs around here serve up some cracking food and offer some great real ales to wash it down with. We’ll be back I’m sure to continue our er, ‘research’!
It was below freezing when we left early this morning but the roads were clear and traffic was kind - in fact the the mercury began to climb and by the time we arrived at the site - some six and a half hours later - it was positively balmy five degrees. Rosie clearly didn’t like it very much though it seemed. After returning 30mpg on the way up from the south coast on Friday, today she could barley manage 24, due in part to the gusting wind and colder air I guess. She is getting on a bit too bless her.
Right, sightseeing begins tomorrow - at least partly as we’ve got a drive up the coast planned to visit friends in North Berwick. Hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities for lens clicking on the way.
So, thanks as always for reading and until the next riveting instalment…
Cheers & Beers
Rich & Trev
P.S. Our latest Sunday Night Natter is out on our YouTube channel, coming from Somers Wood and discussing our trip and what’s to come.