'Why not call her Fanny?' I watched Tracey's face in the iPad Skype screen for her reaction.
My cousin likes the name we chose for our motorhome, 'Dickie', and as I have a childish and, some may say puerile, sense of humour, I thought Fanny would be an amusing moniker for their new van. Tracey chortled merrily, called over her shoulder to her husband Peter, 'how about a Fanny to go with Dickie?' and Fanny was born. Now we just had to find her before they arrived from Australia.
Henceforth, for the last week my partner Mr Fluffy and I have been scouring the motorhome dealerships of the south west for a new van to be ready for them when they arrive for their European odyssey. We've made a bit of a road trip out of it and have eaten in some very charming Britsops along the way; the Crown Inn at Catcott being a fine example.
The thing that stood out for me as we visited these dealerships is that there was not one woman salesperson at any of the seven sites we went to. We asked one salesman in Somerset about it and he said 'we had a couple of 'girls' here but they only lasted three or four months'. Perhaps they weren't keen on being called 'girls'.
Has anyone else noticed this? Is it just me? I hear there may be one or two up north so perhaps it is just the south west. I shall attend the Exeter motorhome show next week and see if any crop up.
Anyway it's just an observation. We did manage to find Fanny. It's quite daunting choosing a van for someone else as it's such a personal choice but, after much Skypeing and emailing of photos and videos, we made a choice: a Burstner Travel Van. She'll be waiting to take them on their adventures when they arrive after their long flight from Australia in a few weeks time.
MOTORHOME GETAWAYS Graham, Kerriann, and their chorkie, Hugo, head off to explore Europe and the UK in their Hymer, Dickie. There is usually a theme, be it stone circles, Black Madonnas or just fabulous cheese. Let's see what it turns out to be this time.
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Fridge Flues Can be Alarming
To say we
were thrilled to have survived the night without being poisoned by carbon
monoxide (CO) would be an understatement. We were wild camping in the Cabo de
Palos area of Spain and had noticed a strange sooty smell in the van but could
not determine the cause. We'd kept the windows open overnight as I was worried
about the strange aroma. While walking back to the van after a short mooch
around town we heard a high pitched
alarm emanating from 'Dickie', our 2008 Hymer 508. Worried that someone had
tried to break in while we were on our stroll we dashed back to discover the
sound was coming from our CO alarm which, thankfully, we had fitted when we
first bought the vehicle a couple of years ago. As the windows and doors were
all locked tight the CO had been able to accumulate. The meter was reading 61
which, according to the information on the meter itself, is a fairly dangerous
level.
'Dickie' had
undergone a habitation check about 6 weeks before so we were stumped as to what
could be the cause. Being a weekend we could not do much about it but we
emailed our British dealer who gave us the details of a Spanish motorhome
mechanic in Almeria for us to contact. Unfortunately they were unable to fit us
in for a couple of weeks and we weren't keen to risk it so it was lucky that
the following day we met a chap with a similar problem who knew of a local
dealer who could help us out straight away. Luckily the weather was good enough
for us to keep the windows and skylight open to keep air flowing in the van.
Freeing the flue at Caravanas Lorca |
Caravanas Lorca was a
couple of hours away but, with a typically laid-back Spanish attitude, the
mechanic grabbed a ladder and small chimney sweep-style brush and got to work.
'This is a common problem', the mechanic said, and proceeded to clear a huge
pile of soot from the refrigerator flue. A few sweeps and around 40 Euros later
we were on our way with a perfectly cleansed flue and perplexed expressions on
our faces. How on earth can a habitation check miss such an important detail as
a blocked fridge outlet? We decided to investigate.
When we contacted our
dealer about this situation they responded:
'Our habitation service complies
with industry standard which all reputable Motor Caravan dealers follow'. They
were right. According to 'The Approved Workshop' (a joint enterprise between
the National Caravan Council, The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning
Club which is the benchmark for motorhome and touring caravan servicing)
website: Gas appliances will be safety
checked but not serviced as part of the basic service; you can ask for this to
be carried out (at an extra cost). Please note some appliance manufacturers
will not continue any warranty into the second or third year unless the
appliance has been serviced annually - check with your appliance manufacturer. Whilst
the flues should be routinely checked for correct attachments, and be free from
damage and corrosion, the pipe itself is not checked and cleaned unless
requested. The vehicle is checked for leakage of gases at the time of service
but, as shown by our experience, is no guarantee that in a few weeks' or months'
time a leak will not occur and cause CO poisoning.
The sample Annual
Motorhome Service Habitation checklist which can be downloaded from the
Approved Workshop website (www.approvedworkshops.co.uk) states 'Fridge not
serviced unless requested.' Had we been made aware of this at the time of
service we would have had it done. According to the Camping and Caravanning
Club website, motorhome and caravan owners '...should advise your workshop if
you require the appliance to be serviced rather than just checked for
function'. I think this needs to be made clear by the dealers when booking in
for a habitation check as the consequences of CO poisoning can be very serious
indeed.
The gas itself is odourless and colourless so cannot be detected unless
you have an alarm. It binds with the haemoglobin in your red blood cells so
reduces the amount of oxygen that can be carried in your bloodstream and can
cause serious brain injury as the body is starved of oxygen. If you do not have
an alarm the symptoms to look out for are: headache, nausea, and general
malaise. They then worsen to include confusion, dizziness, shortness of breath
and even chest pain. Death is the final symptom. As you can see the early
symptoms can be confused with common illnesses like flu, food poisoning or even
a hangover. CO Alarms are designed to alarm before there is an immediate life
threat so you will be alerted to the danger and be able to remove yourself from
the situation as quickly as possible. They cost anywhere between £15 and £25 so
are not a great expense. We are very happy to have had one and we test it
regularly to make sure the batteries are working.
In our situation, the
industry standard was followed and our motorhome dealer acted within the
regulations when performing 'Dickie's' habitation check. We weren't informed that an extra check on the refrigerator flue was required and we
presumed all necessary safety checks were being undertaken. Perhaps it's time
for the industry standard to be improved and for all motorhomers to be made
aware verbally of the extra checks that could be undertaken to ensure gas
appliances are in the safest shape possible. This does cost a little extra
(we've been quoted around £25) but is nothing when your health and, indeed,
your life can be in danger from 'the silent killer'.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Local Loveliness
As Hugo sat atop the ancient stone altar, I contemplated whether I should sacrifice him to the gods of excrement or let him live. He had just rolled in his third fox poo of the morning and I was not relishing the idea of washing him in Dickie's shower cubicle. Sense prevailed and Hugo is still with us despite putting up a bit of a fight as he was cleansed in the waters of our van.
We are normally somewhere in Europe at this time of year but, due to family commitments, we have decided to make the most of what the UK has to offer and do some small trips in the local area. West Cornwall beckoned and we spent a night at Gurnards Head, a lovely pub with great food, just near Zennor. Graham has a book coming out early next year so we combined our trip with a drop off of the final proofs to his book's publishers, Troy Books, who are located near Penzance.
If you eat in the restaurant you can park your van overnight and there is a fabulous, if somewhat muddy and foxy, coast walk just minutes away. This is where we discovered the remnants of an ancient chapel with only its altar remaining. The rocky cliffs lead down to stunning beaches, only accessible by dangling precariously from a rope by the look of things. As tempting as it was to fling ourselves down for a walk on the sand, we desisted and stuck to the coast path.
The rain started so we headed off to the Ayr Campsite in St Ives. We've stayed there several times before as it's superbly located within walking distance of the town and it has great views over the sea. We had to do the touristy thing and ate fish and chips in view of the ever-present seagulls by the main beach. The rain came in so we spent the rest of the afternoon in Dickie just enjoying being away from home and pretending we were in France or Spain.
The murmurations of the starlings on Bodmin Moor were calling so we finished off our Cornish odyssey with a trip out to Roughtor near Camelford. The birds did not disappoint and millions of them came in to nest around 430pm, entertaining all who had come to watch. We can't get away too far this winter but it's great to think there is so much to see and do so close to home.
We are normally somewhere in Europe at this time of year but, due to family commitments, we have decided to make the most of what the UK has to offer and do some small trips in the local area. West Cornwall beckoned and we spent a night at Gurnards Head, a lovely pub with great food, just near Zennor. Graham has a book coming out early next year so we combined our trip with a drop off of the final proofs to his book's publishers, Troy Books, who are located near Penzance.
If you eat in the restaurant you can park your van overnight and there is a fabulous, if somewhat muddy and foxy, coast walk just minutes away. This is where we discovered the remnants of an ancient chapel with only its altar remaining. The rocky cliffs lead down to stunning beaches, only accessible by dangling precariously from a rope by the look of things. As tempting as it was to fling ourselves down for a walk on the sand, we desisted and stuck to the coast path.
The rain started so we headed off to the Ayr Campsite in St Ives. We've stayed there several times before as it's superbly located within walking distance of the town and it has great views over the sea. We had to do the touristy thing and ate fish and chips in view of the ever-present seagulls by the main beach. The rain came in so we spent the rest of the afternoon in Dickie just enjoying being away from home and pretending we were in France or Spain.
The murmurations of the starlings on Bodmin Moor were calling so we finished off our Cornish odyssey with a trip out to Roughtor near Camelford. The birds did not disappoint and millions of them came in to nest around 430pm, entertaining all who had come to watch. We can't get away too far this winter but it's great to think there is so much to see and do so close to home.
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
The Return
Ardnamurchan |
I know I'm a total wimp and don't feel confident driving our large Dickie so I suggested we look at a few van conversions on the way home. We popped in to Highbridge Motorhomes near Bristol and had a look. Our first Dickie was a transit Duetto which we loved but, after looking at the vans yesterday, we realised that once you've had a Hymer it's difficult to go back to a smaller van. The build quality and space available are perfect for us and the only reason we would change is my mental block on driving it.
So I bit the bullet and did actually drive from Wells to Boscastle, even doing the seven point turn required to park on our front driveway. Perhaps I don't need a psychiatrist after all.
Friday, 23 October 2015
A Winding Road Through Some Fluff and a Phallus
Lindisfarne boaty cabins |
As we head slowly back to Cornwall we’ve agreed that we will
definitely be travelling back to Scotland in Dickie again. After the Outer Hebrides
and a night stop at a gorgeous beach in Ardmair, just outside Ullapool, we
drove across to Braemar. The forests around there are similar to how it would
have looked just after the Ice Age with thousands of birch trees and juniper
bushes interspersed with heath land. We were lucky enough to be caught in a
mini-gale and were rained upon by a flurry of tiny birch leaves which freaked
Hugo out totally.
Ardmair |
The Autumn Leaves |
We’re now heading down through Yorkshire having spent a couple
of nights wildcamping in Northumberland. We were a little disconcerted to come
out of the Elk’s Head pub in Whitfield the other night to the sight of a chap
whipping his shotgun out of his car boot. Luckily we’d been informed there was
a hunt on the next day or we’d have picturing ourselves on the next episode of
Crimestoppers. Lindisfarne was a surprise as we were expecting a calm spiritual vibe but we actually found a penis made of rocks at the base of the castle - who'd have thought!
Lindisfarne Phallus - no I did not make this |
Crossing the sea to Lindisfarne in Dickie |
Lindisfarne Castle |
Stone statues on the beach |
It looks like we’re following the route of the Yorkshire
Tour de France as there are many yellow bikes along the way. Last night was a stopover
at The Swan Pub in Addingham which, Graham informs me, did a great pint of
beer. Unfortunately it was not serving food so we ate at the very popular
Craven Heifer which, although not very cheap, served very good food with great
service.
Mr Fluffy gets a bit more fluff than he bargained for |
Having driven through the slightly less bucolic outskirts
of Bradford (along the excitingly named Godwin Road) we were pleased to arrive
in the spa town of Buxton. The campsite is within walking distance to the town through a
lovely wood. It looks like snow out there so we’re hunkered down in Dickie
awaiting a turn in the weather.
The Lovely Godwin Road |
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Sail Away to Stornaway
Near Marbhig |
The Fluffster and Hugo sat on the upper deck of the
Stornaway - Ullapool ferry trying not to get seasick; hence my servant status.
Luckily it was the calmest sailing Graham has had. The last time he did this
crossing it was the 80s and he spent the majority of the trip draped over a
toilet empty the contents of his stomach as the ferry was flung around by
gigantic waves.
One of our favorite Callanish stones |
We’ve had amazing weather and we were lucky enough to
park overnight at the Standing Stones of Callanish (with permission I might
add). I’ve been wanting to get to Callanish for years so it was fantastic to be
able to spend more than a few hours there. There are three separate sites
within easy walking distance of the visitors’ centre, through rather muddy
fields, but the slush is worth it. Next day we headed up to the northernmost point
of Lewis to the Point of Ness where, every August, the local men head out to
one of the islands to hunt gannets which are a delicacy in the area. The beach there
is strikingly beautiful and it’s easy to see how it could get more than a little
hairy in bad weather.
And another favorite |
There is an area called the South Lochs which is a bit of
a hidden gem according to the tourist literature. It is certainly extremely
lovely and surprisingly free of tourists. The very helpful woman in the
Ravenspoint Visitors’ Centre (An interesting museum and shop) suggested a
gorgeous spot to overnight in Dickie. It was by a small loch near the village
of Marbhig and to say it was idyllic would be an understatement. There were rarely
any cars passing and all we could hear was the gentle lapping of the water and
a few birds tweeting their happiness at living in such a fabulous place. There
are sea eagles around there but we didn’t manage to see any unfortunately.
Callanish II stone |
Near Ullapool there is a bay at a village called Ardmair
which is also amazing. We parked here on our way to Lewis and on the night we returned
as it was so lovely. We will definitely be back to this area of Scotland. The people
are friendly and the scenery is to die for. I think next time we’ll head down
to Harris and pick up a tweed or two.
And now we are back to reality sitting in a caravan park
near Inverness having just done all our washing, filled and emptied every
Dickie receptacle as needed, and hoovered the seeming kilos of Hugo’s fur off
the furniture. Wildcamping is great but it’s nice to get to a washing machine
occasionally.
Tomorrow we head to Findhorn and the east. Looking
forward to what happens next.
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
Stunning Scotland
I think Scotland is the most beautiful place I have ever been - with the one exception of Norway which is marginally more breathtaking due to the icy blue of the fjords.
We've made our way up from Lancaster to stay in a very pleasant campsite in Balloch on the shores of Loch Lomond. It's a great spot to get a first taste of the lochs and, despite the rain, we had a stunning walk along the lochside and got a spot of Chinese takeaway from 5 minutes up the road. That's the last campsite we stayed in and since then we've wildcamped up through the stone circles of the valley around Kilmartin, and the beaches of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Here are a few pictures to show the fabulousness of the areas we've visited.
We had a particularly fabulous meal at The Whitehouse in Lochaline following a walk along the loch to an ancient castle.
Castlerigg stone circle |
We've made our way up from Lancaster to stay in a very pleasant campsite in Balloch on the shores of Loch Lomond. It's a great spot to get a first taste of the lochs and, despite the rain, we had a stunning walk along the lochside and got a spot of Chinese takeaway from 5 minutes up the road. That's the last campsite we stayed in and since then we've wildcamped up through the stone circles of the valley around Kilmartin, and the beaches of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Here are a few pictures to show the fabulousness of the areas we've visited.
Rock art on way to Kilmartin |
Standing Stones near Kilmartin |
The boys get in on the stoney act |
Temple Wood burial chamber |
Close up of Temple Wood |
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