Being on the high ground on the north Devon coast, the Damage Barton caravan site was exposed to the cold blustery wind when we arrived there. It would be the ideal place to stay in July or August, I’d imagine. Damage Barton is actually the name of the nearby farm and surrounding fields. The region is called Mortehoe. And what a job it was getting there, with Mortehoe Station Road being so narrow, and with vehicles coming and going from the other holiday parks being situated along it!
It seemed like only yesterday that we left the Base Camp in the depot after the final trip of 2020. Robby brought it out again for a visit to Bracelands Campsite, which is located in a giant clearing in the Forest of Dean. Unfortunately I could only join him for two nights, since it was Mothers’ Day weekend, but it was worth the journey. It was only an hour’s drive along the M4 then an A road, so we could potentially return there for a day out.
This was probably our final trip with Base Camp Bertha until next year. Robby and I have just returned from Brighton, and I think it was the best trip we’ve had in the last couple of months.
Things didn’t go smoothly to begin with. Cutting a long story short, I learned that it’s possible to jump start a Ford Cougar using Missy, my precious Renault Clio. Hypothetically it’s possible to do the same with the battery in the Base Camp, as it has a higher rating than the typical car battery.
Originally we intended to return to Meadows Farm, as we fancied another stay at Tenby, but the pitches were fully booked. Instead we reserved a place at Trevayne Farm. I’m not sure which site I prefer: Meadows Farm has a very nice view of the coast, and it’s the only site within a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Tenby. Trevayne Farm has pretty much its own beach that would be very quiet in the summer, being accessible only through the Coastal Path or the farm, and the facilities are slightly better.
We learned of Bargoed Farm when we met the owners in Dorset a few months ago. Being just a few miles from Aberaeron and a few other locations of interests along the coast of west Wales, we thought it’s worth spending a few days here. Andy and Tony joined us for this one, and were staying in their Tab on the neighbouring pitch.
As the name suggests, Bargoed Farm is an actual functioning farm, with barns and fields and a few animals here and there - our pitch was visited a few times by two cats and a group of chickens.
Our stay in Brighton just happened to coincide with a heatwave that, it was reported in the Corporate Media, would bring record-breaking temperatures in the region. When I was much younger, this kind of weather was typical throughout July and August, and it seems a rarity in comparison these days.
I didn’t expect the temperature to be a lot more than 30 degrees centigrade in Brighton, but we came prepared anyway, bringing plenty of water and the Chillmax Air unit we bought at Asda last year for about £30.
Though we rarely visit all the places of interest I have marked on the GPS when we’re off somewhere, we do get around. We used Wilksworth Caravan Park as our base, and it was as good as any: It’s within walking distance of Wimborne town centre, the staff are very friendly, the facilities are well maintained and there is a handy shop at the reception. I couldn’t see any pitches that were actually full-serviced, but none of them were more than a few metres from a water and drainage point.
A site called ’ Love2Stay ’ is just outside the town of Shrewsbury. Robby had mentioned a number of times its reputation for having the most comprehensive range of facilities of all the caravan sites in Britain, and 90% of the reviews were very positive when we were deciding whether to book a place there.
The journey took around three hours from the depot from Cardiff. We took the wrong exit somewhere near Ross-on-wye and were consequently directed by the satnav onto the motorway through Birmingham.
After a very long drive (~5 hours) from the Cardiff depot, we set up Bertha at the Carnon Downs site, in the centre of Cornwall, about three miles south of Truro. It is the ideal place from which to explore the region, and there are numerous things to see.
Our area was fully-serviced, each station having a water supply, electricity and a waste water drain. Everything at Carnon Downs is meticulously-kept, from the grounds to the shower facilities.
Since we aren’t going abroad anytime soon, Robby and I have taken to visiting places around Britain in the Swift Base Camp, affectionately named ‘Bertha’. We have been a couple of places closer to home already, but there wasn’t much to see.
Tenby is Robby’s favourite location in Britain, and it’s certainly the best place we have stayed so far. We managed to get a place on Meadows Farm, which seems the only site within walking distance of Tenby.
