From the old we travel to the new!

Kielder, I’d forgotten about that one. The most midge infested experience I’ve had and we’ve been North of the border many times but this English site won hands, neck, ankles and face down! Beautiful setting it would have been today though in order to view the ospreys mind!

Our caravan still has a gas mantle🤣 And no cassette toilet. Solid as a rock, last time it saw a dealer was in 1996 as we waved goodbye. Swish though, we do have a very good bathroom, shower, good heating system. I also suspect we might be able to sell it for more than we bought it for some 28 years ago. We did sell on our other old classic at a bit of profit. I love old vans with character. 

Most regrettable thing about the Club? The demise of most of the lovely no facility sites and racecourse sites. The Club has lost so much of its uniqueness nowadays sadly.

Marazion didn’t have hook ups first time we stayed. I don’t think Killin did either.

We bypassed Kielder, knew about the midges. 1984, Hexham Racecourse, one of the Trax Affiliated Sites. We also used Wetherby, and Market Rasen Racecourses around same time.

Braithwaite Fold is back under the ownership of the Caravan and Camping Club and now known as Bowness on Windermere Campsite.

We stayed there in January this year in the very cold snap. Most standpipes were frozen.

The CCC also has a site located between Kendal and Windermere and another site just outside Kendal.

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I can remember staying on the Racecourses at Chepstow (late 60s) also Hereford and Newmarket in the mid - late 80s

 

 

My first van was a Swift Pirouette - bought new in the early 80's.  I've looked for some pictures on the net but all I can find are images of some very sad ones rotting in the corner of a field! I think that one had gas mantles as well and I don't remember being dependent on that orange umbilical like we are now.

What I do remember is that when it was just over a year old - and just out of warranty (!!), it developed damp in the bathroom (so damp isn't a new thing).  Since we lived about 5 miles away from the factory, I rang them and told them what had happened and without hesitation - and with profuse apologies - they offered to have the van back over winter to remove the whole rear panel and reseal it.  It wasn't even inspected beforehand!

That's what customer service used to be like

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No microwave or even an oven in the first caravan. Most meals were cooked in pans but we did have a sort of toasting thing comprising of two handles and a metal clamped container in which both savoury and sweet hot sandwiches were cooked over the one gas ring. Very tasty!

Our first caravan was an Eccles Topaz, it had a vinyl roof. Only 1 gas mantle, no toilet just a bucket with lid, 2 ring hob and a folding tap which was foot pump operated. The rear 4th  bunk was  canvas stretched on 2 poles. Single glaze windows with metal frames. We bought it in 1980 2nd hand. After just a few months we were posted to Germany and took it with us. OH not only installed 12v electrics he also fitted mains electrics. We also bought a portal pottie.

Brilliant van took us to Italy 3 times and Denmark twice before we sadly had to part company with it.