Trip 163 - Van Life Festival

Wednesday  27th May  (Day 1)

Off to the Shropshire area to be near to the Festival weekend we had booked. We stopped at Druid’s Wood, Claverley, Shropshire. The approach was quite narrow and the village had pot holes to be in awe of. The site was a lovely flat area out of the main village but only a few minutes walk. We were met by the owner and soon settled in. Within half an hour Resa and Eric joined us. The temperature was around 25 degrees. A lunch and then a quiet sit in the shade until around 1730 and then it was off to the pub. Two pubs; The Crown and The Plough. Both pleasant but unremarkable in both character and beer choice. Back to the site and an evening meal and a chat until we retired to our motorhomes to sleep at 2300.

Thursday 28th May (Day 2()

Some torrential rain and lightening in the night. When I awoke in the morning I could hear the fridge was on gas. Investigating I discovered the lightening had tripped our electrics. We would have had a cold shower had I not noticed! It was soon sorted and I returned to bed. After breakfast we did not rush as we could not get onto the festival site until after noon. Off we went around 1100 and the first issue was our two motorhomes meeting three cars on a single track road with two of the three car drivers brain dead. Ten minutes or so and we managed to pass them. The journey was then about an hour. A stop on the way to get Eric some cash from an ATM and Chris to return to Aldi a mat she bought yesterday which was faulty. That said we both used the same postcode and we ended up a long away from the Aldi! Who knows why? Having eventually met up at the right place and got things sorted off we went to the Show ground. We arrived at 1230 and the reception process was lamentable and it was not until past 1310 that we managed to drive to our parking area. Having set up we had lunch and then just sat enjoying the the bright sunshine. We then walked into Shrewsbury. It was a city that surprised, as it had much more history than we expected. Realy lovely old building and full of character. After a couple of drinks it was time to return home but Resa could not manage it so Resa and Eric took a taxi and we walked back. A BBQ and salad was had by us. The evening was then a good chat with Resa, Eric, Ray, Lesley, Chris and I. While it was a hot day it cooled down quite quickly so by about 2100 we all moved into the Quest. About 2300 we said our good nights.

Friday 29th May  (Day 3)

A much cooler night so sleeping was great. Only about 20 degrees in the morning so a bit cool to what we have been accustomed to. A fried egg sandwich and then we decided to walk back into the city. Our first stop was the Prison which was £13 a person but really interesting. We spent well over two hours in there. A walk next to St Chad’s church where we saw the grave of Ebeneezer Scrooge - left over from the filming of Scrooge in the 1980’s. Over the road was Dingle Gardens that Percy Thrower designed and implemented. He was the Superintendent of the parks gardens until he died on 1988.. A walk along the river making our way back to the  site and we just had to cross over have a Butty Bach in The Boathouse pub where we sat overlooking the River Severn. We got back to the site at 1500 and it is now well into the upper 20’s. The ‘real’ music programme doesn’t start until 1730 with Black Country Sabbath. So after a walk around the stalls and self-builds until by around 1630 we were set up and ready for the music. The group started on time and, while I appreciated the five performers, there was only two tracks I enjoyed. The rest was, for me at least, a bit if a racket. That said Eric thought it was great! When they finished we returned to the motorhome for our evening meal. The rest of the music was tributes to Thin Lizzy, Guns ’N’ Roses and Iron Maiden. We did not return to subject ourselves to that. We sat in Lesley and Ray’s awning just chatting until it was time for bed.

Saturday 30th May (Day 4)

Another hot one by all accounts. We started with a (small) Big Boys Breakfast and the plan was to go on a boat ride at midday. Just before 1100 the six of us left and we arrived in good time for the boat trip. However, the upper deck of the boat was already booked out and reserved for every trip today. We duly booked for the midday boat tomorrow. A walk through the park and then a beer at The Boathouse. Then a slow walk back to the site with the temperature in the upper 20 degrees. Chris and I walked around the shows stalls leaving the others to their own devices. We returned to the motorhome about 1520 and sat in the cool of the Quest listening to ‘Blondaid’. A bit later we strolled up to the arena. The entertainment that followed was the Fleetwood Mac Experience, followed by a UB40 tribute then Strictly Abba and lastly the Detroit Soul Collective. They were all really good but the Abba tribute stood out head and shoulders above the others. So many of the crowd dressed up. We had Red Indian Chiefs, Cows, Freddie Mercury’s, Spice Girls, and so much more, even one person as a whoopee cushion. The evening meal was a Thai takeaway from one of the show outlets and was really good. We left the show about 2230, half an hour before it finished as it was chilling down. All agreed it was a good day.

Sunday  31st May (Day 5)

A cooler night and start to the day, indeed it remained cooler the whole day. After breakfast we walked around the trade stands again until 1100.  The six of us met up to walk into town (Shrewsbury is not a city as we thought). A coffee and then at midday we went on a forty-five minute boat trip which was pleasant. Afterwards we beetled back to the site for the last two live acts; Sunday is country and folk day. So we saw the Not Cowboys from Cornwall, followed by the Kings O’Blarney. The first played country based songs or even pop songs imagined into a country vibe and the O’Blarneys were mainly Irish songs. Both excellent and a good way to finish the weekend. In between the two acts we packed away the quest, windbreak, table, matts etc. Tomorrow rain is forecast quite early. We finished the evening with Mexican Train Game with Resa and Eric.

Monday 1st June   (Day 6)

We said good by the Resa and Eric around 0940 and off they went. We were off also by 1000.. Apart from one small holdup un the M6 it was a good run home and it the delay only added about ten minutes. Home by 1315