Minsmere

Friday 22nd April

We left the Vulcan Arms early, arriving at Minsmere just after 8am. It was overcast and very cold but we saw over 50 species of bird during the day. We had to retire to the RSPB cafe a few times to warm up though! We left at 3.30pm to return to Joy and David's house.

A rather bleak view from one of the hides

Greylag Goose

Avocets

Grey Squirrel from the tea room

Greater Spotted Woodpecker from the tea room

Marsh Harrier hunting over the reeds

Little Egret

Avocets feeding and displaying

Saturday 23rd April

We packed up Morag and followed Joy and David to Bentwaters air base for an hour at a fun agility group. The weather was interesting - hail rain and sunshine alternately!

We said our goodbyes and left Joy and David shortly after midday to make our way home. We had a couple of stops, first at Anglesey Abbey for lunch and secondly  near the Welford arm of the GUC to give Button a walk. We arrived home a little after 6pm.

Ipswich to Sizewell

Thursday 21st April

We left Dave and Joy to drive a few miles to see some other friends, Trish and Martyn. Like Joy and David we met them when we lived in France but they have now moved back to England. We had lunch at the Punch Bowl in Battisford. We were delighted to find that the chef at the Punch Bowl is none other than Emanuel, the son of other friends in France, Denise and Louis. I took the wedding photos when Emanuel and Agata got married in Lamalou-les-Bains!

We left Trish and Martyn after lunch to drive to Sizewell where we had booked a pitch at a CL next to the Vulcan Arms pub ready for our trip to Minsmere the following day. The view was nothing to write home about but the pub was friendly with good food for our evening meal.

The view of Sizewell from the Vulcan Arms

Short Break in Suffolk

Tuesday 19th April

We packed Morag up ready for our trip to see our friends Joy and David in Ipswich. I had to change the gas bottle as it had run out. We started out at 11am in bright weather. Our lunch stop was in a lay-by near Welford in Leicestershire. We continued the rest of the way along the A14, NOT my favourite road! We arrived with Joy and David at about 4.30pm and paked up next to their house. We would be staying in their home for the next few days.

Wednesday 20th April

After taking the dogs for a long, early walk we went with Dave and Joy to the Wilford Bridge Inn for lunch. After lunch we had a short walk along the Deben estuary and a very brief visit to Sutton Hoo. We will pay another visit to Sutton Hoo on a future trip as it is an extensive site that welcomes dogs on leads.

The Deben estuary and Wilford Bridge

The Sutton Hoo Helmet (replica in the exhibition hall)

Leaving Broadway on My Birthday

Saturday and Sunday 12th/13th March

We prepared Morag for the journey and left for Bob and Lucy's at about 10am. It took roughly an hour to drive to Kings Sutton. After lunch we watch the Rugby Six Nations. England beat Wales - a good birthday present for me!

We slept the night in Morag, parked on the road outside Bob and Lucy's house.

After spending Sunday with our Son, Daughter-in-Law and Granddaughter, we returned home to arrive at 9pm that evening.

A Sunday walk with the family

Broadway Tower

Friday 11th March

After breakfast we walked back into Broadway and followed the rather muddy footpaths to Broadway Tower, a 65 foot tall folly on the second highest point of the Cotswolds. Built in 1799 the tower later became a favourite place for the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones.

Broadway Tower

Another view of the tower

We had tea and a snack at the tower tea room but didn't spend long up here because it was cold and rather foggy. The walk back down the hill was a lot less muddy.

In the evening we walked back into the village for dinner at Russell's restaurant which we had found in the Good Food Guide. Lyn aid for the very nice meal as a birthday treat for me!

Russell's Restaurant

A Quiet Day in Broadway

Thursday 10th March

We walked into Broadway village centre, a 15 minute walk, and had a look around. The turist information centre was very helpful and welcoming. Broadway has many attractive buildings constructed from the honey-coloured Cotswold Stone. We had a pint in one of the pubs and did a little food shopping.

Lyn and Button in Broadway

An attractive row of Cotswold Stone cottages

Quiet corner in Broadway

Back at Morag, we had lunch and a quiet afternoon. In the evening we had fish and chips from a visiting mobile chippy - very good they were too!

Short Break in Broadway

Wednesday 9th March

We filled up at our local garage before making our way to the Caravan Club site at Broadway in Worcestershire. We stpped for a sandwich and a cuppa near Bassett's Pole and arrived at the site at about 3pm. The site is clean and spacious with two good toilet blocks. We parked up close to the Motorhome service point on the upper level of the site. We took Button for a walk and had a look at the Broadway Station, under construction, on the Gloucester and Worcestershire Railway (GWR!). The station is scheduled to be open in 2018 and, being next to the site, will be a real attraction.

Morag at rest in Broadway

The old goods shed for the railway, now converted into one of the toilet blocks

The goods shed is home to The Wanderer, a horse drawn caravan built in the late 19th century for the first vice-president of the Caravan Club, Dr. William Gordon Stables.

The Wanderer

A new year for Morag

Saturday 5th March

Morag has been woken from her winter hibernation for a short trip. She started first time and we drove to Froghall Wharf to take Button for a short walk. Afterwards we had a cup of tea and a slice of cake before driving home.