A Three Site Tour

As some of you know Margaret has been suffering, since Christmas, with something called Polymyalgia Rheumatica. Whilst this has not completely stopped us going away this year we have been limited to a few shorter trips. At long last they seem to have found a treatment which actually works and I am pleased to report that Margaret is a lot more comfortable and in hardly any pain. Based on this we thought we could try a ten day trip away which entailed three Club sites.

Our first port of call was Clumber Park, a site we have not been to for at least 25 years so it was good to renew our acquaintance. We left home on Friday 7th July and our first stop was to fill up with fuel. From here we drove to Daventry where we had to pay a visit to Road Pro so that they could re-program our satellite dish with new software as it, along with most others of the same make, stopped working! Fortunately Allen at Road Pro sorted it out pretty quickly and we were soon on our way. We joined the M1 at junction 20 avoiding the perpetual roadworks between Northampton and the M6. Fortunately not long on the M1 before turning off onto the A46 and then A1 up to Clumber Park. I had forgotten we had to negotiate our way through a stone archway!

Being the start of the weekend the site was very busy but we were still able to find a hardstanding although perhaps the downside was that it was near the children’s playground, but we were only here for two night. We treated ourselves to fish and chips from the visiting catering van. Very nice they were and a reasonable price. On the Saturday we didn’t think we could walk all the away to the visitors centre so made do with walking down to the lake near Hardwick Village. There were a lot of people out and about enjoying the good weather. One thing you have to accept about Clumber Park is that not only is the WiFi pretty poor but there is also no phone signal. So not a lot changed from 25 years ago!!!

On the Sunday we left Clumber Park and headed for the CMC site at Bridlington. We don’t often travel on a Sunday so had forgotten how it tends to be a bit more relaxed. The journey was half motorway and half two way road but we made reasonable time. The site at Bridlington is about three miles from the town centre on the Flamborough Road. The following day we were a bit uncertain about the weather but decided to take the bus into Bridlington. There is an hourly service from the main road where you exit the campsite drive. Like most seaside towns we visit there seem to be two sides. The seafront, which no doubt everyone comes for and the back town which we often find has seen better days. We wandered down to the Harbour but the tide was out. However there was enough water for trip boats to operate. I rather liked the idea of the fast launch but we kept ourselves on dry land or should that be wet land as it started to rain. We nipped into Poundland to purchase a couple of umbrellas at, of course, a pound each. Amazing really as they are made and then transported half way round the globe and still only cost a pound!!!

The next day was also wet so we donned our waterproofs and caught the bus back into Bridlington for some shopping at Tesco near the station. We got a taxi back as there was too much to carry. Very chatty driver giving us a running commentary on where the best places were to eat along the route. Not long after we got back to the site the sun came out and so did the chairs.

On Wednesday we ordered a taxi to take us to the station for the train to Hull, The UK City of Culture 2017. We knew nothing about the City other than it sits on the east coast of England. It was a good trip which I have explained in some detail in my last story.

Our last day at Bridlington and the weather still seemed OK. We were rather brave, I thought, when we decided to walk to Sewerby Hall which overlooks the seas just to the north of Bridlington. Since the mid 1930’s it has been owned by the local Council and has been use as a public amenity. The opening ceremony was done by Amy Johnson the famous aviator and in the house there are several room devoted to her life (and death). Within the grounds of the house there is a lovely walled garden with formal flower beds. When we paid our entrance fee we added on the land train into Bridlington. This is a nice little trip along the cliff and the promenade into the town, dropping off at the new Leisure Centre. Another wander around the town and, of course, an ice cream and we made our way back to the site for the final time on the bus.

Friday and time to move on. We are heading to our final site of our mini tour at Poolsbrook Country Park and the Club site there. The site has easy access from junction 29A on the M1. Interestingly the campsite and country park are built on reclaimed land which was formally Poolsbrook Colliery. There are some old photos in the site information room.

The following day we took the bus into Staveley the nearest town. It was not far away and you could probably walk. Strange in a way that there is a more regular bus service here than at Bridlington and far fewer passengers!! Staveley has clearly seen better days but there are still some interesting remnants for the past including the derelict cinema. One thing I wanted to look at was the Chesterfield Canal which skirts the town and is being actively restored by the Chesterfield Canal Trust and the Local Authorities. This has involved replacing part of the route of the canal as the old route had been built on. For most of its length the canal is navigable except for the section between Staveley and Kiveton Park a distance of nine miles. We got back to the bus stop only to see our bus disappear!!! However as a result of this we had a very pleasant chat to a local lady who helped us with the buses.

Sunday was a lazy day as there was a Grand Prix which we wanted to watch. Murphy’s law being what it is it was a lovely day!!! I did wander into the Country Park to take some photographs. Back home on the Monday and no more trips planned for August but hopefully France for September.