We actually managed to get down onto the beach the other day, and were surprised to see so many people actually in the sun – mind you, not many were venturing into the ocean just yet.  There was even a group of people who had a barbeque in the evening, and although we stayed and had a beer with them, it was getting dark and we left at about 7 to get back to the van.

We’ve been doing a bit of sight seeing in the area round where we’ve been staying over the last couple of days – Penance was lovely, and we were considering a trip to the scilly isles – although the helicopter flight out there would cost us a couple of weeks of budget – which isn’t an option right now – maybe we’ll wait until the summer, as the islands are supposed to be fantastic then.

This week’s negative news is that the car is still rattling a bit, and could require some serious work to get it going properly.  In the words of Han Solo, I’ve got a bad feeling about this, ans suspect that we might need to replace the old guzzler with a new one…

Update to follow…

Anyway, Easter is now less than a month away, and after the mixed weather we’ve been having for the last few weeks, its hard to see how this is going to go.  I’m still in the south west – we moved further down into Cornwall after a lovely few days at Devon Cliffs – the missus really enjoyed spending time at the spa, and I took the dog for a long walk along the beach every day – when the weather was up to it.  There was wifi – which was pretty pricy, but I didn’t use it.

The point is, the big concern at the moment with the Easter Holidays so close is that we are going to lose the peace and quiet that we’ve been able to enjoy so far.  I like families, they make the parks much more fun, but it can make getting access to facilities a bit tricky.  We might have to look for smaller parks over Easter, which means less to do – although the main tourist attractions should be open then, which will more than make up for things.

Hopefully it won’t be as long until the next post.

Exmouth is a fairly pretty town – especially in summer, but at the moment, the winter weather makes it fairly bleak.  I much prefer being able to see the sea when we park up, but Devon Cliffs is above the ocean on the cliff tops, which meants that at the moment it is fairly windswept.

We’ve managed to find a space in one of the holiday parks back fields, where we are shielded by the trees, and this morning, the weather was sunny, so our little sun trap meant that it actually felt warm.

I need to nip into town later this afternoon to pick up some gas for the cooking and heating.  At this time of year, we seem to get through a lot more camping gas than we would normally expect, but we’ve got the heating on most of the time to stave off the cold.

Hopefully there will be a few of the arcades open in the centre of town – the wife loves a bit of bingo, and I’ll also be able to get some essentials.

Gosh, all that post sounds really bleak, as though we’re struggling through some kind of bad news experience, but it isn’t the case at all.  Aside from the drive, everything is pretty good, and I’m loving the freedom that this trip offers.  With a bit of luck, we’ll be heading further down south in the next week or so, but I’d prefer to enjoy some rest before hand.  And maybe a bottle or two of beer this evening.

Of course, the main problem during the summer months is the traffic – there are only a couple of major roads that take you down from Bristol to Cornwall or along the south coast, and these do tend to get pretty snarled up at the weekend.

Thankfully at the moment, the roads are fairly quiet – albeit snowy, and this means that even with the van behind us, we can make fairly good time.  I’m keen to stop off a few times along the way – the wife disagrees of course, and wants to spend as much time in places around Penzance as possible, but I’m in no real mood to miss out on everything along the way.  Places to see are fairly quiet at this time of year, and I definitely want to visit Cricket St Thomas near Chard, which is where they filmed one of my favourite TV shows – To the Manor Born – with Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles.  Great TV.

We’re going to be leaving Rockley Park behind for this trip, but that’s no problem.  We’ve really enjoyed the social aspect of a large holiday park, with the bar and other facilities, and although it costs a little more to stay in (still less than £10 per night), we’ll probably be keeping to these kind of places for most of the summer.  There is less to worry about than when you stay on a field and have to rely on the batteries for cooking.

So, away we go.  we might make Exmouth tonight, but as I say, no rush, and I’ll be in touch again as soon as I can.

One of the great things about modern caravanning is that it is now possible to keep in touch with friends and families on the go.  Since I got a mobile broadband thingy for my laptop, I have been able to send and receive emails on the go – which makes it easier to blog too!

Poole is rightly one of the best seaside towns in the UK.  Its large natural harbour has been a safe haven for sailors for hundreds of years, and in recent years, it has become a favourite for wealthy people (unlike me) who have made their home on the ultra exclusive Sandbanks area.

Even though it is freezing cold this week, I plan to spend a lot of time hiking along the Jurassic Coast, and possibly visit places like Weymouth for a few days.  I think though with the weather being what it is, and high winds forecast, I will avoid doing any real sailing – although maybe I’ll come back later in the year.

For interest, I’m going to be staying at the Haven Rockley Park caravan park, which has a good location.  One of the main reasons why I’ve chosen the holiday park experience rather than a less expensive option is because of all the additional features such as the bar – it will be most welcome to get out of the van for some liquid central heating on a cold night.

With the kids all grown up, and having flown the nest, me and the missus are now able to go away more often than ever before.  Recently we bought a new caravan that we can tow around the country and stay in different places.  While some people might think that this is sad, and that caravanners simply block up the roads and get in their way when they are trying to get somewhere quickly, what they fail to remember is that we’re often on our way somewhere too – the only difference is that we’re free enough to take our time and realise that the journey is half of the fun.

So the next time you’re caught behind someone on a country road, remember that if you were in their position, you’d probably be doing the same.

Anyway, back to the story…

I’ve found that the UK is a pretty big place, and even though it is sometimes (usually) cold, and often rainy, the towns and villages that make up this green and pleasant land offer plenty of sights to see, and places to experience.  On my journey around the UK, I intend to take in some of the best sights, and enjoy meeting some great new people.

You never know, on the way around the country, I may even bump into you, so as you overtake, remember to wave!