Trip 139 - Ashridge Farm, Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Wednesday 5th February (Day 1)

An unplanned (sort of trip away). Chris and Carolyn were going to Ashridge Farm CAMC site today, which is in Ashwell, Hertfordshire we decided to join them. We left about 1130 for a short 50-ish mile journey. A quick stop first for some food etc at a Tescos and then down the A1. We arrived at 1330 a few minutes after the others. We were soon set up and having our lunch. Our first sortie away from the site was a stroll around the village. Ashwell is a lovely village boasting three pubs, a bakers, butchers, pharmacy, convenience store and café. The museum is meant to be interesting but only opens Sunday afternoon. The church was quite plain but had some interesting bits of history in it. The first of the three pubs we visited was the Bushel and Strike. One drink and then off to the Rose and Crown. Another pint and we booked in for an evening meal here on Friday. A slow stroll back to the motorhome getting back about 1800. The evening meal was cooked by Chris and we spent the evening chatting away. Bed was around 2300

Thursday 6th February (Day 2)

The day started with quite thick fog. Around 1030 we left in the fog for a circular walk. It was about 8.5 miles. A pleasant walk, which would’ve been better with some country views, but had some issues in that one or two of the footpaths were across ploughed fields. Extremely claggy mud. We found a work around to avoid this. Eventually we arrived at Guilden Morden and The Three Tuns. A pleasant pint before off to the church to sit and have pour picnic. While we were in the pub the sun completely burned off the fog and it was lovely blue skies. The return was mainly along roads. My walking boots decided that the sole and boot would attempt to part company on arrival back they went in the bin. We arrived back about 1600 after almost ten miles. We then sat and recovered for a while. It was our turn to cook and chilli con carne was the meal. Again another evening of chatting until bed.

Friday 7th February (Day 3)

Our plan for today is a bus into Baldock, a nearby historic town. So 0940 saw us board the bus for a twenty five minute journey. The weather was very different from yesterday. Fog then sunshine yesterday and grey and cold today. We arrived at the Tesco Extra in Baldock and walked from there into town. We didn’t realise but the Tesco building was the highlight of Baldock! It was a very large ornate building with muses around the top. Through time it was a main employer in the town being a Kayser stocking factory and then a parachute maker during WW11. In the 1980’s Tesco took over. We walked up the High Street and the main thing of note was there was not one charity shop or Turkish barbers. We made our way to the market and were very amused to find it was one table against the wall of a pub with a few bits of vegetables on. New the church (St Mary’s) had some graffiti from survivors of the bubonic plague. (Well those that didn’t survive would not have done it.) Back to the High Street and a bacon roll and coffee. While in the shop the weather got a bit worse as it was trying to sleet. Consulting the bus timetable we found a bus in thirty minutes or one in two plus hours. We opted for the early one and returned to Ashwell to frequent the only pub in the village we had not tried. It was, without doubt, the poorest of the three. Sat by an open fire though was very pleasant. A quick visit to the bakers shop and then back to our motorhomes. The afternoon went by with us teaching the K’s to play Mexican Trail Game. They are not game players normally so I am not sure how much they enjoyed it. By 1830 in a light drizzle we all left the site for the Rose and Crown for an evening meal. All four of us had great food; three of us belly pork and also parma ham wrapped around a loin of pork with crushed garlic mash and cabbage; Carolyn had a chorizo, chicken and cream pasta dish. Back on site we had a quick nightcap before bed.

Saturday 8th February (Day 4)

It rained during the night and grey skies welcome us in the morning. We all packed slowly and by 1030 we had all left for home. For us the 50-ish mile journey was trouble free and, after a visit to a farm shop, we were home by 1215