Surprise Trip

This trip was rather a surprise. We had originally decided that we were not going away for any more weekends because we are going for a week away in October.
However, we have both had rather stressful weeks at work and home and we thought it might be good to go away.
We visited Olney on Saturday and came across this small site which we rather  liked. So we shot home, rang the site and booked in for Saturday evening!
We quickly filled the ‘van with water, I won this time! I had changed the connection so that the pipe could not fall off the tap, and prepared the toilet cassette. After getting the motorhome out of the drive Helen drove all the way on her own and I followed in the car.
We arrived before 5 and received a really friendly welcome at the site at Ekeney house. It is a very small site but has electric hook-up and hard standing and we parked in a spot with beautiful views. We tried one of the walks which had been suggested to us on Saturday afternoon after we had the ‘van sorted. It was a pleasant walk through woods but we tried to extend it thinking that if we went a particular way we would be able to cut through, we could not! We had to return from our extra section and follow the marked path. still we had a decent walk and exercised both ourselves and Sugar the dog. It was good to get away from the cares of the week. It was quite strange that so few people were on the site, there was just one occupied caravan there on the Saturday. It was just so quiet and peaceful.
Sunday dawned quite dull but not cold, after getting ready we decided to try a different walk, this was through the woods and then to a small hamlet of Petsoe End. Unfortunately we did not have an map with us so we tried to go in one direction, but although the footpath was marked it seemed to peter out in a field that was set out for horse jumping. We then walked in a different direction and discovered a place where country pastimes were conducted. We returned from there and went back through the hamlet.
Gosh, it was such a surprise that a place so close to a large conurbation could be so rural.

We came across these pigs very close to the small road we were walking on.
Shortly after this a chocolate Labrador ran out of a drive and stayed with us. It was a little bit of a nuisance as it was very boisterous and kept jumping at Sugar and Helen and I. It was not long until I had to carry Sugar.  The dog managed to follow us all the way back to the motorhome however hard we tried to turn it back!
Sometime after this I was about to put the shoes outside. I opened the door and there was a hen quite near to the door. Unfortunately Sugar managed to jump out of the doorway quicker than I could react. I ended up chasing Sugar round the field in my socks while she was trying to catch the hen. She nearly succeeded because there were a lot of feathers all over the field. What she would have done we do not know, but think she might have enjoyed a tasty snack! Fortunately the hen took refuge under the car, Sugar could not follow and Helen managed to catch Sugar. Blimey was I worn out from chasing Sugar.
After a well deserved sleep we discovered that a small aircraft was taking off from what seemed to be a local field.



At sometime later we set off to take Sugar on another walk.

There were really good views of Olney and the local wildlife!

 

We stayed on site on Sunday night and I went to work on Monday after visiting home to get changed. It was really strange waking up in a field and being at work a little while later. Helen stayed for some time enjoying the countryside and being able to be on her own.

Something Different

This weekend, the August Bank Holiday, was a little different. We went on a Church weekend with about 50 to 60 people from Church. The journey was our longest to date and my wife, Helen, drove all the way. She really enjoyed driving the motorhome because the driving position is so high up. It looks like I can enjoy being the passenger in the future. It is time I improved my map reading!

 We did not stay at a regular campsite but in different locations at the retreat centre which was near to Broadway in the Cotswolds.
This was the first time that we had not had electric hook up and so we had to rely on gas and the leisure battery.
Our allocated parking place was right next to some friends in their motorhome, but it was very difficult to  get into and we had to have assistance to park. The first night was quite scary as there was a thunderstorm and we were parked under trees! It was quite alarming to be lying in bed and see the flash of lightening through the roof light followed almost immediately by the crack of thunder.

Tucked in under trees

The format of the weekend was very relaxed with the purpose being for Church members getting to know each other. There was an organised walk on the Saturday, we were to have joined it for part of the way but the weather rather put us off.
Instead we visited the National Trust premises at Snowshill, there was a queue for the house so we enjoyed the gardens instead.

Enjoying Snowshill

Rather than the walk we had a cream team in Snowshill village hall. We followed this by visiting Broadway and looking at the shops, followed by an ice cream. This motor homing is rather fattening! 

Sunday started with an informal service, then we went decided to visit the small village of Stanton and walk on the Cotswold Way. We made a mistake in getting there and ended up on really small roads. Was I glad that we did not meet anyone, the road did not feel to be much wider than the motorhome.

Stanton is a really pretty village.

Following our walk along a small part of the Cotswolds Way we set off back to the retreat centre with the idea of stopping on the way. We were fortunate to stop in an unused farm gateway. Here we were able to take advantage of the motorhome, we had a cup of tea and lunch while parked in the gateway.

The following day was Bank Holiday Monday and we all returned home. On the way we spent a few hours at the National Trust garden at Hidcote. This is a really wonderful garden and we spent quite some time there before returning home.

Here are just a few of the marvellous flowers on display even at the end of August.

And this is just a fraction of those displayed there!

Just in case anyone wondered what had happened to the hosepipe, I filled the water tank at home this time. It was a more equal battle on home ground!



Snowshill Manor