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Saturday 18 June 2011

A Mobile Conservatory!

The latest acquisition is this campervan. At the moment we use it like a mobile conservatory. We pack up a picnic and go park somewhere with a lovely view. We don't have much of a view from home and there are so many lovely places near us that we shall never run out of picnic spots.



This the view from the carpark to the south of Hartlepool looking across at the lovely old houses on the Heugh. There is a super toilet at this spot. It is free, automatic, clean and has an all-in-one hand washer. You put your hands in the hole in the wall and first they get squirted with soap and then they get sprayed with water and then warm air blows on them. Don't leave them in too long though, like I did the first time...hoping for some more warm air to finish the drying process. I just got washed from start to finish all over again!!!



We took ouselves further afield to places in Northumberland. Some of the loveliest castles in the world are within a few miles of one another. We passed within spitting distance of Warkworth Castle, admired Dunstanburgh Castle from a mile away, promised Alnwick castle that we would come back soon, camped overnight within view of Bamburgh Castle (except that we got the spot behind the barn) and then dared to be amongst the first few to cross over to Lindisfarne as the tide ebbed. This enabled us to walk out to the castle in the sunshine. Sadly the rainstorm hit us with still a mile to walk back to shelter. It was cold and wet.



Then we visited Chillingham Castle and got warm and dry and well fed on scones and homemade cake before another squall hit us on the way back to the carpark.



I haven't been too well since then. Quite a severe chill took over for a few days, but there may well have been something viral in it too because DJ is feeling a bit snuffly today just as I feel better at last. Isn't it always the way.



We also took the mobile conservatory to the Penshaw Monument and climbed to the top for a picnic and a grand view of north east Durham. Plans are afoot for outings to North York Moors, Seahouses and the Farne Islands to see the puffins and a trip to France later in the summer.



Once again I wonder how we will fit it all in. Today is wet and drizzly so I can catch up with some knitting and start another jigsaw.



More sunshine please.



Cheers Gillian



4 comments:

carol said...

What a lovely idea - I am so envious.

As a side project you can do a review of all the toilets en route. I found that one very amusing. In this part of the world a good toilet facility seems to annoy people so they just have to reduce it to an acceptable level of grottiness.

stitching and opinions said...

I went to Farne to see the puffins some time back in a September. As basically a city girl I forgot they only nest in Spring.
Still haven't seen one.

trish said...

Does Tigger go too?
She could become a travelling cat and have her own blog!

We camped at Dunstanburgh years ago when the kids were small. How Ed loved it!

Heide said...

I dream of visiting places like this and just sitting there while imagining the history and people who came before.