Somerset, Dorset, Hants

OK Ally got the hint.

Reason I was not over this like a rash is that we don't really do the Big Tourist places like Weymouth and Bournemouth, of the two Weymouth would be our preferred option

IN the New Forest Fordingbridge is quite a nice town we sometimes go to and there is a large commercial campsite called Sandy Balls with almost everthing on it near by which seems to always has offers on but expensive in peak season. indeed places around the New Forest itself is where we would be more likely to go

We think that Poole is much better than Bournemouth and Weymouth and you can do day trips to the Channel islands from here or maybe even do a overnighter with a B&B.


We have relatives on IOW and usually if we go either stop for a few nights with them or if it is a family do in a travel lodge so have never taken the m/h over. One BIG warning however they are boiling hot on parking we were done for not getting the all the car in a parking space (one wheel was touching the white line) and the white line was at the end of the row with only a small gap to bushes on that side so beware. The relatives we have over there confirm that the wardens will do you for anything so beware if you do go.

As I said we don't really do the big tourist towns but do go down south when the kids are not around.
Kingsbridge and Salcombe are two of our favoured places. Just down the road a few miles is a small place with a massive shingle beach call Slapton Sands and whilst not much to do there, there is a pub on the beach which is famous for its Fish and Chips but I warn you the largest size not many finish it and those that do miss out on the fantastic cakes and ice cream they have for pudding.
From here if you want big tourist towns Torbay is a short hop one way and city wise Plymouth the other. This though is quite a bit further down than maybe you want to go and would rule out the IOW

Direct south from Glastonbury and fairly easy to get to is Lyme Bay which has fishing villages of Sidmouth Seaton Beer and Lyme Regis with Exmouth being the larger town, and Exeter only a short hop. One of the advantages on this area apart from still being fairly not over commercialised is that it is easy to get back onto the M5 and plenty of places worth a visit.
Funny thing we don't tend to go to Dorset much apart from Lyme Bay, Dorchester is not a bad Market Town and not really seen as a Tourist Town.
Regret apart from Sandy Balls we have always stopped at Caravan Club sites/CLs which usually only accept members but I guess that maybe you would be using Brit Stops

If you wanted somewhere on the way back if you have not been there already Wells is worth a visit and a Drive up and down Cheddar Gorge is most definite worth doing although Cheddar itself is a real Tourist rip off. Across the Motorway you have the Quantocks if you fancy a walk and Watchet and Minehead are worth a visit and of course Weston super Mare has had Millions spent on its seafront and pier which has made a big difference

Hopefully not too much info

David

First of all....

We had the time of our lives

4 of us, Deirdre & Stevie, Julie & I + 2 Motorhomes headed to Glastonbury via Scotland. We used Brit Stops to slowly make our way down through England stopping first of all in Cumbria, I'll not post the stopovers as you need to buy the book to get that information, but some great spots and ones we would never of found if it hadn't of been for Brit Stops.

Night before Glasto, all was quiet, even the mouse........... sorry back on track. We headed to a fantastic Cl which is now a campsite Thorn Hills Farm in Othery which was recommended to us by Jamie from Strand Camping. A fantastic place, i think it was £12 per night including showers and EHU, really really clean and well looked after, worth a visit if anyone is in the area.

Of course we asked were the nearest pub was, it was the London Inn in Othery which was a small walk from the campsite. The 4 of us headed there, sat down, ordered some drinks only to find out from Mark & Sarah, the Landlords, they didn't do food on a Monday. We were offered different options for food, but Sarah being the wee darling she is, went into the back and made us all the best pizza you can imagine!

We had the best nights crack in the London Inn, sat with the locals and the landlords and drank the night away, we were slightly intoxicated - Sarah even ran the girls home in her car and one of the locals wives ran Stevie and I back to the campsite (much later). Yes they mostly had Somerset accents, I love that accent

Headed to Glastonbury the next day, now I have been a number of times before, 8 years in a tent, twice in a Caravan and once in a Motorhome previously, the gates ALWAYS opened at 12 noon on the Tuesday for Motorhomes, Campervans & Caravans. I meant to check if this was still the case but I didn't. At 10:30am we found out that the gates now open at 8:30 am, so it was a mad dash to get packed up and head to glasto.. I'll leave the Glasto story there, I can't put into words how massive, how good and amazing Glasto is, you need to go for yourself, suffice to say, it was brilliant, we all had a excellent time as expected,.............. Does it show?





Stevie & Deirdre sadly had to go home after Glasto, but Julie & I had another week to enjoy ourselves and meet up with our son who lives in Bournemouth.

We headed South and as you know, best laid plans and all that........... we just drove. I wanted to go to Weymouth and Portland Bill which we did...









We then headed along the coast and stopped at a very expensive campsite with a weird name.. I am sure it'll come back to me but can't remember what it is at the minute. Stayed there one night to shower sand recuperate, grab some food etc - stopped at a few other places after that on our journey.

We then moved along the coast and here is where the trip took a strange turn!, I had heard of the great beaches along the South Coast and decided with me being a ginger that on the hottest day of the year this was the best place to be. Strudland beach looked beautiful on google and indeed it was. We drove along near Sandbanks trying to get a spot to park, just before the small ferry there is a car park which was full, we had seen some MH's along the road heading towards the Sandbanks ferry parked along the sid eof the road so we thought this is what we must do. Parked up beside some other MH's, had something to eat, grabbed our chairs and followed the other Sun Bathers to the beech. Quite a walk and on soft sand it was difficult, we walked for quite a bit and then came across the sign "you may encounter naturists ahead", now I am no prude and a few naked people doesn't bother me, if that's your thing then who am I to object.
We walked closer to the beach, seen a few guys swinging as they walked, thought nothing of it then realised, Hang on! there is NO ONE with their clothes on. This was a new experience, but I enjoy new experiences, so not sure what to do we picked a quite corner and sat down, enjoying the view so to speak. People of all ages and all sexes were naked as the day they were born, I don't like being the odd one out so to Julies amazement stripped off and joined in. Quite an eye opening experience and being a Ginger a real intelligent thing to do on the hottest day of the year! Before my bits got scorched I got dressed and we headed back now with the proud entitlement of being a qualified Naturist, well I was, Julie was having none of it, even after I took the brave decision whilst naked to walk the length of the beech and wade into the sea.

Sorry no photos for the above paragraph

After that, well we headed to Sandbanks via the Ferry, found a campsite near Bournemouth, a great campsite very keenly priced with great pitches and spotless facilities, we met up with family, went to local pubs for meals, done the touristy thing all around the area, New Forest etc.

I have left quite a bit out, we didn't get to Isle of Wight after all, maybe next time, we just didn't get to squeeze it in.

Will we go back, can't wait and in fact are thinking of a two week holiday just touring the South Coast next year.


(moving this to BLOGS section)