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By keef & annie, Oct 27 2013 07:06PM Blackshaw Moor, Nr Leek , Staffordshire A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Motorhome trip No14 : October 26th – 27th 2013 NOTTS->LEEK,STAFFORDSHIRE & INTO THE PEAK DISTRICT ->NOTTS 89 miles Didn’t get away until about 12.15 after sorting out car and glasses and doing a little of the Big Shop, tee hee! Fairly bright and sunny and arrived in Leek after about a hour, never been there before. A very Victorian town with cobbled market place and some old mill trade factories in Victorian small red brick, plus some much older ones. Parked on the outskirts and walked in. Interesting place, the centre of which reminded us of Ashbourne. Bought some stuff in the Trade hall indoor market (see pic with stain glass type mosaic). Then back into the van and onto the Blackshaw Moor caravan club site. There is a Motorhome & Caravan club site about ¾ mile back down the road from this. Both for families to take their kids to Alton Towers which isn’t that far away. Our site had 50 kids on it so we pitched as far away from them as possible, sad old gits that we are, LOL xxx Nice site and very close to the Roaches and 2 reservoirs. Alas it rain most of the afternoon and all of the night but very relaxing reading and having the odd bevvie! Annie's nice homemade oat cheese and onion quiche for tea heated in the oven plus cheese & bikkies and posh pudding. Yum! Extra hour in bed as well so can’t be bad. Very windy Sunday morning, packed up in the rain and headed across the border into the Peak District, Derbyshire, mountain and rock formations that were amazing , never seen them before, must come back in the summer as beautiful views but all too windy and wet so we came home early on the Sunday. All in all a nice relaxing weekend! 31 photos in the SLIDESHOW #timeline

By keef & annie, Oct 13 2013 07:08PM Stroud Hill Park,Pidley, Cambs A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Motorhome trip No13 : October 12th – 13th 2013 NOTTS->PIDLEY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE ->NOTTS 192 miles We have been here before a few years back with our dear friends Pete & Joy, but we were in tents then. It did rain then but not as much as this weekend. We left early on Saturday morning and arrived at the site thru some horrendous showers to bright sunshine, so much so that Keef wore his shorts. We sat out for quite a while enjoying the chat and warm weather before going off for a lovely walk across the surrounding fields to the Mad Cat pub at Pidley where we had a nice baguette lunch and some very nice pints of Inflammable (4.2%) hic! The ladies had something else. Walked back before the onslaught of rain but had a few more beers & wine etc outside before it started so into the van for a few more bevies, hic! Then all bar Keef adjourned to Pete & Joys van. Cooked Steak & Kidney puds, mash & veg and carried over all 4 plates in the rain, yummy followed by nice cheese & bikkies and grapes. All very tired so retired early to bed, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe not! Bucketed down over night but being in the van is so much better than being in a tent. Sunday am spent relaxing, breakfast, reading before packing up the van and having a 3 course lunch in the site restaurant, which we can thoughrally recommend. Classy food for £17… example menu wood pigeon starter, roast beef main (or nile perch which Pete had) followed by gingerbread and orange cheesecake and fruit coulis, annie has a triple choc torte pud, all yummy Then after our goodbyes it was off into the rain, and back home, not too bad at just over 1 ½ hours. All in all a fab relaxing weekend! Note: The INDEX page has TAGs for all Blogs or you can use the SEARCH page to look for something or just use the search facilities here on the BLOG or the associated Blogs attached to each Blog, entirely up to you, there is a wealth of ways to find what you want, thanks for looking motorhome-travel blog 15 pictures in the SLIDESHOW #motorhome #motorhometravels #travelsin2013 #campsites

By keef & annie, Aug 23 2013 09:23AM Cornwall trip A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Motorhome trip No11 : August 15th – August 22nd 2013 NOTTS->CHARD->FRADDON->PENZANCE->SCILLY ISLES->CIRENCESTER ->NOTTS 767 miles A week of mostly lovely weather. Had a fabulous time and was able to visit Linda & Ian on route which was a lovely weekend with them both, thanks so much for your hospitality and sense of fun, big love to you both from both of us. We started on the Thursday and travelled to the Ilminster Caravan Club site near Chard in Somerset. Nice friendly site with recently refurbished amenities block, would thoroughly recommend. Sat out reading in the sun and dodging the black clouds. Nice couple next door from Ilkeston (nearby home) who were down for the Levellers Beautiful Day concert weekend nearby, Ocean colour scene, Primal scream & Levellers headlining each of the 3 days. Boy did he know his music, great chatting about Grateful Dead/ Fairport etc etc. Went for a little walk around site and outside in lane. Poured overnight! Then onto L&I’s for weekend, rained most of Saturday so chatted a lot, great fun, watched Expendables 2 in eve, what a hoot. We will be back, hee hee! Sunday great weather , visited the lovely St Just in Roseland, saw the pirate graves and had a little walk then onto St Mawes with views across to Falmouth. Nice walk past fab houses and some lovely plants , it’s the gulf stream you know! Turned back when luckily for us Jess was knackered , well she is 77 now! Monday after saying our goodbyes set off for Penzance, sadly fatal crash caused by foreign tourists driving the wrong way down the A30 and colliding with an oncoming lorry at about 10 pm Sunday eve, meant A30 closed until 1.15pm which delayed us slightly. Filled up in hayle and by the time we had re joined the A30 the road was open. Shopping, enough for 3 days at Morrisons Little Rock. Went to Newlyn and Penzance and had a quick look around. Quite like Penzance, sea water jubilee pool apparently only £1 all day, nice for a hot sunny day. Stayed at Cardinney Caravan & camping site for 2 days, not bad, cheap , nice flowers, dodgy electrics and antiquated showers but OK! Site was between Land’s end & Penzance, about 5 miles outside Penzance on A30. Tuesday was a great day, taxi 8am, Scillonian III to St Marys Scilly Isles, what fab weather all day, both got a bit of sun burn. 4 ½ hours on the island, loved every moment we will be back. Hughtown and beach and boats fab. Took 1948 Austin coach tour around the island, the old guy doing the commentary was hilarious. Sat outside on the way over and inside on the way back. Delayed taxi back to site so got back at about 8pm. Long but wonderful day. Wednesday much driving in heat to Cirencester. Had lunch on A30 lay bye 20 miles from M5 at Exeter. Stayed at Cirencester caravan Club site, best yet, we will be back. Thursday morning parked in Waitrose and walked into Cirencester, very nice Cotswolds old town, 2nd roman city in UK. Had a good mooch around including very interesting Church, almost a Cathedral in our humble opinion. Then back home and unpacking in the rain late afternoon. All in all a lovely week and lovely to see my little sis again. Ahhh…. 200 pictures in the SLIDESHOW Comments From old site

By keef & annie, Jun 14 2013 07:49AM Rutland Water, Rutland A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Motorhome trip No9 : June 3rd – June 6th 2013 NOTTS->GREENDALE FARM SITE, WHISSENDINE, RUTLAND->NOTTS 110 miles A tranquil site, ok apart from us ;) We went away with Brian & Gina, Annie’s brother, for a few days to the lovely Rutland Water area. The weather forecast was fine and we did get 2 days of very good weather. Brian & Gina were travelling back down from Leeds having had their vans hab check. An essential each year for all motorhomers! We visited the wonderful working Whissendine windmill where Nigel Moon the miller and his 90+ year old mum still produce flour. We even bought some, well worth a visit. We also spent a very sunny afternoon wandering through Oakham, a lovely town with buttercross and castle, plus a whole stack of churches and then onto the fabulous Barnsdale gardens , owned by Geoff Hamilton of BBC’s Gardeners world fame, so sad that he passed away so early but his legacy of gardens is well worth a visit. In late eve we went and had a stroll around Hambleton village in the middle (-ish) of Rutland water. Meeting the local trout fly fisherman on route. Rutland water is especially good for picnics assuming you don’t mind sharing your lunch with the ducks, they are mighty persistent *smile* oh and they now have public Barbie stands to use. We also visited the lovely town of Stamford, Britain’s best stone town (claim and to be believed) , take a stroll around its many churches and along the river welland but don’t forget Barn Hill where Charles 1’s spent his last night as a free man…. Hey my neck is really itchy! Greendale farm site has some lovely views and is small and compact with sadly only one loo / sink and shower for the 11 pitches. The pool despite the advertising was never open and the weather for a change was good enough oh and the camp site owners are a little too intrusive and rule conscious for our liking. We will not return! It was part of the “tranquil site” mag and it was mostly that so we will try some other ones. Thanks again to Brian & Gina for a lovely few days. We loved the area so will be back again soon, we hope. Anyone else been there and want to share their views on the campsite or the area? Note: The Index shows ALL blogs already published or you can find Blogs about a specific subject by clicking on a word in the TAG CLOUD, thanks, motorhome-travels. 80 pictures in the SLIDESHOW we visited Mr Moon Flour Grader and his Mum , both legends, in their Windmill #family #motorhometravelsblog

By keef & annie, May 18 2013 06:25PM Malvern Hills, Worcestershire A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Motorhome trip No8 : May 14th – May 17th 2013 NOTTS->BLACKMORE CAMPSITE, HANLEY SWAN->NOTTS 180 miles Our first trip away in the campervan of 2013. What a fabulous area of the country and apart from Great Malvern not an area we have ever been to before. Stayed at the Caravan Club site called Blackmore at Hanley Swan , Worcestershire. This site has a twinned Camping & Caravan Club site and a Girl Guides site all with great views of the Malvern Hills. We were on pitch 140, hard standing but there are lots of pitches that are grass as well. It is a very big site as 4 or 5 times a year caters for visitors to the Malvern Show Ground which is only 2.5 miles away. The days we were there people were prepping for the Quilt show. We stayed for 3 nights and visited Worcester, Great Malvern, Hanley Swan and the fabulous Upton-upon-Severn. The 363 bus conveniently stops outside the site going to Worcester in one direction (£3 return fare) and Upton (£2 return fare) in the opposite direction. To get to Great Malvern and the hills by bus suggest walking about a mile to the crossroads at Hanley Swan and catching the 42 bus (£2 return fare) although you can catch the 43 bus at Upton to save the walk but it was so pleasant with great views. After 3 months away in the southern hemisphere it was great to see some really old English traditional towns. Worcester’s Friar Street and Art Gallery / Museum are well worth a visit and the Tudor house (free). The oldest pub in Great Malvern the Unicorn offers fab food and a lot of it as well as some very interesting and unusual real ales. Remember Malvern is quite steep as built on the hill side. Upton is just great with 17 pubs and some lovely little quirky shops and medieval architecture plus the great views from the river side. It also holds one of the biggest free Blues weekends in the UK. Step aside Glastonbury! We had 1 free night voucher kindly given to us by our dear friends Pete & Joy for Xmas plus as a mid week booking pitch prices were half price, so all in all good value. The weather was mixed but considering the forecast said rain all 4 days that was a real bonus. We loved the area so will be back again soon, we hope. Anyone else been there and want to share their views on the campsite or the area? 53 pictures in the SLIDESHOW The INDEX page has TAGs for all Blogs and by year or month, A-Z INDEX alphabetically, or you can use the SEARCH page to look for something or just use the search facilities here on the BLOG or the associated Blogs attached to each Blog, entirely up to you, there is a wealth of ways to find what you want, thanks for looking motorhome-travel blog

By keef & annie, Apr 30 2013 03:20PM A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog We have been lucky enough to spend 3 months away recently firstly in Malaysia where our youngest son got married which included KL, Langkawi , Georgetown (Penang) and latterly Melaka, then hired a Britz Mercedes Sprinter 313 Motorhome for a month to travel around the top half of North Island New Zealand We spent 4 months seeing North & South island of this lovely country back in 2007/8. We then travelled the Nullarbor plain from east to west in Australia, again in a Britz Sprinter van but this time with a built in external gas BBQ, bliss! Oz also included Sydney, Tassie, Adelaide, Perth and Geraldton. Including our previous trips to OZ we have now travelled around the outside from Cooktown (QLD) to Geraldton (WA) plus Broome, Kunnarra, Darwin and thru the middle on the Ghan including Alice & Uluru. We heart Oz & Nz. We finished our trip with 2 weeks in lovely Singapore. If we tot up the miles / kilometres we drove on this trip we can say we drove the equivalent of the distance from London to Tashkent (Uzbekistan)... It is nice being back in the UK to our own little Motorhome with a whole host of new exciting trips to look forward to. If you wish to see pictures of this trip chose our dedicated Blog 167 for all slideshows & photos. Thanks for looking. Note both our hire vans were Mercedes.

By keef & annie, Oct 14 2012 05:08PM Lincolnshire trip no2, Motorhome trip No6 : Sept 24th – 1st Oct 2012 A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog NOTTS->NORTH SOMERCOTES, LINCOLNSHIRE->NOTTS 360 miles We went back for our 2nd free weeks holiday from Don Amotts at their Lakeside Park Holiday park in North Somercotes. This time we were on the best pitch, pitch 43, which we have pre booked on our previous trip there. The weather at this time on year was most kind to us and we had 3 full days sunshine enabling us to set up the chairs and table outside and read. We also used the indoor pool again, luxury with steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi and a great retreat for when the weather outside was poor. They have now updated their technology so you can get free wifi down by the bar and inside the restaurant area. Very useful for catching up whilst away. We had a day out along the coast, the best deserted sands being at Wolla bank but we did risk a walk around Mablethorpe and even on the beach. A little too ‘seaside’ for our liking but the beach huts were interesting. Saltfleet beach was a little too dangerous after we read the signs saying unexploded bombs possible from RAF Donna Nook. One of the highlights of the week was a splendid Indian meal @ Zara’s in North Somercotes. A ½ hour walk in from the campsite. We can highly recommend the Mudani meal. Oh and the great sunset on the walk on the way back. Bliss! Oh and OF COURSE we had to return to Appleby’s ices at Cornisholm for our fave ice creams, Irish cream and mandarin respectively this time. Yummy! The INDEX page has TAGs for all Blogs and by year or month, A-Z INDEX alphabetically, or you can use the SEARCH page to look for something or just use the search facilities here on the BLOG or the associated Blogs attached to each Blog, entirely up to you, there is a wealth of ways to find what you want, thanks for looking motorhome-travel blog You get a free 2 weeks twice when you purchase your motorhome from Don Amott's as we did, this was true in 2012, clearly may not be now post Covid-19 although motorhome sales haev gone through the roof, witness Don Amott's continually asking me if I want to sell #nochance 39 Photos available in the SLIDESHOW

By keef & annie, Sep 19 2012 04:02PM Not The Motorhome trip No1 : August 31st - September 6th 2012 A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog NOTTS->KESWICK,CUMBRIA & About->NOTTS 500 miles Didn’t take the motorhome this time as stayed at wonderful Glenholm cottage on Penrith Road near to Fitz Park on the Greta River. Went with Craig, Leanne & Bill and had the most wonderful weather and time, food and company for the whole week. Visited Bassenthwaite, Thirlmere, Ullswater, Coniston and Tarn Hows as well as had some lovely walks including start of White Horse Bent, Scales, scene of some wonderful memories. Nice pub food in both Horse & Farrier, Threlkeld and White Horse Inn, Scales oh as well as seeing some great Paralympians…. We met up with Mandy and Colin (and Libby) for lunch one day, lovely to see them, finally got to visit them in their house in Oxen Park near Ulverston see Blog 152 on our trip when the van engine gave up. Will definitely bring the campervan back to this area, just so beautiful. There is a great site we spied near Threlkeld. Maybe it was Threlkeld Hall , maybe it wasn't, see Blog 126 Anyone else have any Motorhome / RV experiences in the Lake District they want to share? If you want to see our future family holidays in cottages look for the 2nd in Seaview cottage in Llangrannog CERIDIGION Wales Blog 64 then for the 3rd staying at Hesleyside Hall, BELLINGHAM Northumberland Blog 73 and the 4th one was at Rose Cottage FROSTENDEN Suffolk Blog 89, they are associated. #vanswelove 72 Photos in the SLIDESHOW The INDEX page has TAGs for all Blogs and by year or month, A-Z INDEX alphabetically, or you can use the SEARCH page to look for something or just use the search facilities here on the BLOG or the associated Blogs attached to each Blog, entirely up to you, there is a wealth of ways to find what you want, thanks for looking motorhome-travel blog

By keef & annie, Aug 20 2012 08:35AM A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Norfolk, Motorhome trip No5 : August 17th -19th 2012 NOTTS->SWAFFHAM,NORFOLK->NOTTS 200 miles The warmest weekend of the year, so far. Up in the 30’s C. Lovely stuff and a great weekend with our dear pals Pete & Joy. We have a yearly camping jaunt away with them and have done so since both our sets of children were very young, usually somewhere equidistant from each of our homes so often in the Norfolk, Oxford, Cambridge , Suffolk sort of areas. This year if was Swaffham. We have been to Pentney Park just down the road in years past but as it was school summer holidays we opted for Breckland Meadows ADULT only campsite. They are a great idea for (sorry) some peace and quiet or it seems if you have a dog. Not the greatest site we have ever stayed at , as rather small pitches and facilities that may need an upgrade, but perfectly acceptable for a long weekend and cheap with very very friendly staff! We mostly spent a relaxing time at the site as such superb weather chillin’ via eating, drinking ,reading and jawing, great to catch up 😉 but we did take a walk into town along the old railway track which was very shady (about 30 mins) past the Eco Centre with Wind Turbine, 300 steps to the top, but just too hot for that so gave it a miss. The town centre itself is lovely and has 6 pubs and a bandstand and a Saturday market plus the (supposedly) 5th best fish and chip shop in England. Pub-wise we settled on the Kings Arm’s , a lovely old coaching inn , great beers, friendly staff and beer garden. We liked it so much we went back for Sunday lunch! The town sign is also just so English! Take a look, Swaffham is well worth a visit if you have not been there. Already looking forward to next year’s trip. 11 Photos available in the SLIDESHOW #friends #motorhometravelsblog #motorhome #camping

By keef & annie, Jul 18 2012 04:58PM A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Lincolnshire, Motorhome trip No4 : July 9th -16th 2012 NOTTS->NORTH SOMERCOTES, LINCOLNSHIRE->NOTTS 360 miles As we were offered 2 free weeks holiday by Don Amott's (apart from paying for electric hook-up and entertainments) when we bought our motorhome from them who are we to refuse? So we decided to take the 1st week at their Lakeside Park Holiday park in North Somercotes. All their parks are in Lincolnshire, not normally a place we would chose to visit for obvious reasons that will become clear later in this blog. Lakeside is the only one of the 5 that caters for tourers, the rest seem to be entirely about static caravans! So we packed up and set off in the usual UK s(b)ummer 2012 of thunder/ lightening and torrential rain which lasted all the way there and beyond. We had 3 super pitches whilst there for a week 77,42 & 47 mostly to accommodate our wishes but to satisfy weekend family camping. It is a very classy site and good for a short holiday with lots to do: golf, footie, tennis, boule, outdoor lawn bowls, sauna, steam room, fishing, exercise equipment plus a restaurant, pub, snooker room/Wi-Fi, shop, launderette, café, nightclub(?) with dance floor and disco. Note the pub sells Tom Wood Lincs real ale but the best I found was Summer Swallow by Batemans , a great pint! For those of my family who remember a bit like Potters for motorhomes! Plus despite the rather bad weather and outlook we got 3.5 days of very hot and bright sunshine in 7 , not bad for a British summer and we both look a little brown and sunburnt, yippee! We did go out and about a few days but here’s the rub… Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Mabelthorpe, Chapel St Leonards, Ingoldsmells & Skeggie are not our cup of tea, but having said that North Somercotes itself is lovely, great walks and Saltfleetby & Theddlethorpe beach and dunes are spectacular and deserted. Louth centre and Afford are also interesting & very old towns. Plus we visited the NT house and gardens at Gunby Hall. Gunby is the site of a medieval town that was killed off by migrant workers bringing in the Black Plague into Lincolnshire in 1300s (I think). The gardens are lovely and the head gardener is a nice man who gave us a wealth of info. Besides gardening for England he is on the ‘talking’ team *smile* So all in all we had a nice week away and look forward to our 2nd free week there later in the year to try out the lovely Indian restaurant in North Somercotes. We did read a lot of books and generally chill whilst here as a lot to do on site if the weather is good! The pool when not! Our second trip was Blog 48 36 Photos available in the SLIDESHOW #icecream #trythewebsite appleby's can be found HERE

By keef & annie, Apr 15 2012 12:16PM A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog We have always had the desire to travel the Baltics by Motorhome having seen some of it via a cruise in 2004 and Keef has relatives from Riga, Latvia so imagine our surprise when we were reading our latest Practical Motorhome to come across this article. We are now totally inspired to do it sometime soon. How about you, its not the usual route, have any of our readers out there been to the Baltics by motorhome , if so please share your experiences. Some useful sites are Estonian Tourist Board Latvian Tourist Board Lithuanian Tourist Board The lovely folk who did this trip (adam & sophie) spent almost 450 days travelling thru 30 countries in their motorhome and travelled over 36k miles. We only travelled 47k miles in our year away in the southern hemisphere and thats a much bigger land mass and 12.5k across Canada which is the 2nd largest country on earth, so it shows how far they travelled. Big respect to them. If you would like to learn more about them them please visit their website.

By keef & annie, Mar 13 2012 09:02AM A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog Came across this by Lonely Planet , Melbourne. See what may be the Top 10 (by 2020 this had vanished BUT there is a new 2021 destinations, maybe try that for ideas?) Some lovely trips for your RV , Motorhome or Campervan. We have done some of them already but would love to do them all, what do you think? Why not share your favourite "route" with us all here, just list it in the comments. In 3 months time I will chose the Top 3 routes as listed by motorhome-travels blog readers. UPDATE Nov 2021 see Below LIKE to join our Facebook community? or have a look at all our great "motorhomes" on our motorhomes-travel blog pin board If you are interested we also have a motorhoming travels quiz see Blog 141, all answers are available here on the site #havefun The INDEX page has TAGs for all Blogs and by year or month, A-Z INDEX alphabetically or just using the LETTERs in the Tag maps, or you can use the SEARCH page to look for something or just use the search facilities here on the BLOG or the associated Blogs attached to each Blog, entirely up to you, there is a wealth of ways to find what you want, thanks for looking motorhome-travel blog The TOP 3 routes worldwide (at least in our humble opinion) The Nullarbor Plain, Ceduna (South Australia) to Norseman (Western Australia) Hint use the major holidays button on this page or see Blog 167 and use the menu The Wild Atlantic Way (Eire) see Blog 129 The Wild Arctic Way (Iceland) see Blog 135