Wandering the country lanes of the west country

When I last updated this we were in Minehead at the very end of what had been a traumatic 10 days. However I am now pleased to report that we appear to have a fully functioning van (touch wood!) and also have a valid MOT for the next year. Hopefully there will be no more talk of mechanics and garages on here for a while.

This week has most definitely been an improvement on the previous one. We have had a wonderful time wandering around the south west of the UK in glorious weather and staying in some fantastic places, and doing lots of cycling and walking around the country lanes. It is only tonight that we are sharing a campsite for the first time with another van, having spent the rest of the time as the only vehicle on some remote and beautiful CL’s (small caravan club sites generally on farms etc). This has given me lots of practice driving on narrow country lanes, with only a few hairy moments.

We have got into a routine of spending two nights at each of our stops and this seems to be working well. It gives us a day to explore between stops and then a day in the area we are staying. Our route this week has taken us from Minehead into Taunton to get the MOT, and then back out into Devon to a place called Eggesford, between Dartmoor and Exmoor; to Escot House near Ottery St Mary (Devon) ; Halstock, just south of Yeovil (Somerset) and tonight to Dorchester on the trail of Thomas Hardy.

The CL at Escot House was superb (see picture), 5 acres of park land all to our selves with the exception of a flock of sheep! We spent a day wandering around the house gardens and then the country lanes around the edge of the Estate. I also got a chance to try out my Christmas present from Chris and have a go at painting the landscape with my little portable easel. I have to admit to not being very good but it was fun and I have lots of time to improve this year.

We had a great cycle around the villages near Eggesford in beautiful sunshine, and thanks to some evil hills for cycling ( I am quite unfit at the moment!) some panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and farms. We even found a cider farm and rewarded ourselves in the evening with a few cooling glasses of the Winkleigh Sparkling Cider.

Tonight we are parked on a golf course just outside Dorchester, having been to see the Cerne Abbas Giant today. Not all that exciting to be honest but the village of Cerne Abbas is very pretty. We also had a wander round Dorchester this afternoon which seems like a nice place.

This certainly beats being at work!