Monday 4th March (Day 1)
Off for the first time this year! We left for a stop at Warwick CAMC racecourse just after 1115 and arrived with no traffic issues at 1315. We were soon settled and had lunch. Unfortunately our ‘free one night stay’ discount code does not include this site - an email to the CAMC is in the offing. After lunch we went for an eight mile walk along the Grand Union Canal along the Hampton Locks (21 of them). We stopped at a café on the canal and had a cup of tea and a scone and cream. Having returned we walked into town for a quick look around as it is only the second time we have been here. Spookily most places appeared ‘shut on Mondays’. Returning to the motorhome we had to support the local commerce with a pint at ‘The Old Four Penny Shop Hotel’ and then Sainsbury’s for our dinner. Steak pie and mash was the order of the day, it was somewhat delayed as I tipped over a full glass of scotch and coke which resulted in a good clean up. While cooking Resa rang and part of the conversation was that Ciará was expecting a son in August / September.
Tuesday 5th March (Day 2)
So up every and off by just after 0800. A twenty minute drive to River Motorhomes for the habitation check, water ingress, service and MOT. By 09000 we were dropped off in Stratford-upon-Avon. A gently stroll and we found a nice independent coffee place and had ….. a nice cup of tea! The rest of the day was walking, walking and walking around the town. We should have caught a bus to ‘somewhere’ but didn’t. We went to see Shakespeare’s grave but the church was locked. We sat and watched the roses on the river, ate sandwiches surrounded by inquisitive swans. We were due to be picked up at 1500 but a delay in the MOT resulted in a 1600 pick up. Even them we had to wait almost an hour in the reception area. We sorted a stop tonight at ‘The Duck Inn’ at Redditch a distance of eighteen miles. We arrived and the landlady pitched us up and informed us of the EHU, which was free if we used the pub which we had already planned to do. Having set up we review the documentation from River Motorhomes. To say we are not happy is an understatement. Firstly, after six years we still have some damp (to be fixed under warranty but that is hardly the point). The the MOT showed an advisory for brake pad wear at the front. Why they did not contact us and suggest the replacement while they serviced the motorhome I do not know. Next, last year the damp check resulted in unnecessary pin holes in the inside which they were going to sort, but didn’t. Again, we had a broken bracket on a light which they knew about, agreed to resolve and even showed on our habitation check; not sorted. Even more the heki above the driving position we informed them about and needs looking at - but wasn’t. Finally, the passenger blind needed re-tensioning; but wasn’t. Into the pub for a meal. The landlady has only been in charge for five days and the previous one had run the pub down. We ordered burger and chips with cheese and bacon. She came from the kitchen very apologetic as they had no bacon, the main food deliveries were arriving tomorrow. That said we had a great meal and a chat with he friendly staff. Bed around 2230.
Wednesday 6th March (Day 3)
Plan A was to go for a walk, then to Tescos for a ‘big’ shop and after that to our next nights destination, The Blue Bell Cider Inn, Hockley Heath, West Midlands. However, I had a brainwave and looked for a National Trust site to visit. We found one at Baddelsey Clinton. So plan B was Tescos, National Trust then Blue Bell Cider Inn. By 1130 we pulled up at Baddesley Clinton. This is a moated house dating back, in parts, to 1460. One beam has been dated in the 1200’s. We spent a very pleasant and informative two hours here. One story was Nichols Broom’s father was killed over an argument about money. He challenged the killer to a duel and killed him. Back then to kill someone in a duel was alright - sort of. The make sure Nicholas had to pay the king money (£1 13s 4d) to get a ‘pardon’. Some time later he returned to Baddesley Clinton to find the local priest ‘tickling the chin of his wife’. He did nothing more than kill him with his sword. To ‘get off’ this one he had to pay both the king and pope and they also pardoned him for the first killing. When he was older he thought of these deeds and requested to be buried upright in the church, St Michaels, at the doorway. As every person who walked over him would absolve him of his ‘crimes’ (!). There was also what was left of the toilet (a hole into under the building) with a rope attached at the top. In the 1500’s when the catholics were being persecuted three jesuit priests were in the building, as guests of the lady of the manor, when the army arrived. The priests climbed down the toilet hole and hid for five hours and so escaped death! It was then a fifteen drive to the pub and we parked up at 1315. Chris,, Graham and Masie arrived at 1400 followed soon after by Alan and Sue. After a cup of tea the five of us, not Su and Alan went for a walk around the lanes and a lake of about five miles. It was a pleasant day and the walk even more so. Around 1700 we all gathered in the pub for a drink before eating a meal there. BBQ ribs for both of us which was lovely but could have been a bit hotter. Then back to the motorhomes for a game of (S)Uno. By about 2300 we went to bed - Chris and Graham to an unheated motorhome as they had no gas!
Thursday 7th March (Day 4)
A cold start to the day and we made tea for Chris and Graham. Breakfast was over to the pub and a good meal was had. We had then Plan A to go to a National Trust property before the campsite Dodwell Park which we could not go on until1300. Well Plan B, again, was our choice. This is because pot starting up the engine I got a ‘low engine oil’ light. On checking the dipstick it had no oil on. So River Motorhomes was fifteen miles away near to Dodwell Park. We drove to RMH and then put almost to litres of oil in! By the time this was done and all checked it was time to go to the campsite. We arrived first with Chris, Graham and Masie and then Alan and Sue entering almost at the same time. We settled in and sat around until just before 1700 when we caught a bur into Stratford. A short stroll and then we had a chat, drink and meal in The Garrick pub - getting a 20% reduction using the Blue Card, 5% better than Alans Greene King discount. A cab back as the last but was at 1817 and then six of us sat and chatted in our motorhome until about 2230.
Friday 8th March (Day 5)
A temporary parting of the ways as after breakfast the six of the others caught a bus to Stratford (Alan was not well so they stayed behind). We went in the opposite direction to Evesham as we did not fancy Stratford again. We had a lovely forty minute bus journey through little villages and towns. We were deposited in Evesham in sunshine, albeit a chill wind. We walked the main street and bought ten cd’s for £5! Eventually we made our way to the river and followed a path along side it away from the town towards Hampton ferry which is a passenger only cop pull ferry. Next to it was a restaurant / bar and we had a cup of tea and shared a panini. We continued on this circular walk back into town and caught the 1418 bus back to the site arriving t about 1500. WQe had bought Lemsips for Alan. We then settled down and read etc until spag bol for tea. The evening was finished in Chris and Graham’s MH playing the train game.
Saturday 9th March (Day 6)
A nice sunny start to the day with sausage and bacon butty for breakfast. Su and Alan left us as he was getting worse. The plan today was to go to Warwick. So a bus into Stratford and then a second on to Warwick. Having arrived we remembered that on Monday when we were here there was a building we wanted to visit that was closed. The Lord Leycester was the name. It has been around since XXXX and it one of the oldest medieval buildings in Europe. (The ‘y’ and ‘i’ was interchangeable back in the days. This was a great visit and it looked after injured ex-soldiers who became ‘brethren’. Even one of the masters had, potentially, a significant part in history as he was the childhood close friend of the ‘virgin’ queen, Elizabeth I, and it was thought that they might have married but circumstances prevented it. We then strolled around the centre area and went to the market which, while quite small, had some unusual stalls. Then, inevitably, it was a pub stop. After a drink Eric had identified a hotel he wanted to eat in (the pub we were in did great food). So we all trooped down to the Warwick Arms Hotel. It was a nice lace but ‘not us’, or more correct what we wanted. This was compounded by a choice of beer that was poor at best. Chris did not want to ‘rock the boat’ but for me another venue was the thing to find. I was supported by the other Chris and we went to the Old Coffee Tavern, leaving Resa and etc to have their fill of food. England were playing Ireland int eh Six Nations at 16l5. Several ‘plans’ were in place depending on where we were going to watch the game. Eventually it was decided in Stratford in a pub. This was despite the fact that the pub in Warwick had all the tables reserved and the likelihood was that Stratford would be the same; and so it proved. Our choice had meant that our bus back to the site was not until ten minutes after the kick off. So we arrived back twenty five minutes into the game. A good game with England winning which was unexpected and Ireland, while they will almost certainly win the Six Nations, will not be Grand Slam winners. The odds of both Italy beating Scotland and Englands win must have been good. Had a late meal and then went to Resa and Eric’s until bedtime.
Sunday 10th March (Day 7)
It has rained a lot in the night and the soggy ground is even worse. We had a simple breakfast ad said our goodbyes and were off just after 1000. A traffic free dive home but in atrocious conditions as it just tipped it down. Got the Huntingdon Tesco fuel station with ten miles in the tank. Home by about 1245.
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