Tuesday August 9 Glemsford to Ardleigh, Essex

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, sunny and comfortably warm with puffy clouds and a pleasant breeze. Had a leisurely start, spending time with the map working out where we were going so that the navigator didn’t make any more blues. Although on only our second day on the road we ended up with a parking ticket…but more later!

This really is a beautiful area, with small villages and thatched roof cottages. It is called Dedham Vale and is classed as an Area of Natural Beauty. With the roads being very narrow there are very few places that you can pull over and park the motorhome especially in the small villages, so we headed to Dedham to have a walk along the River Stour. The streets were thronged with people and we were very happy to see a sign pointing to “Coach and Car Park” area, so pulled in to a large empty area apart from one coach. I got out and had a chat with him and he said to park beside him as there was no way we would have fitted into the carparks. So we had our lunch in the van then headed off for a really long walk beside the river. There were so many people walking, having picnics beside the river and also rowing rather lovely wooden hire boats.

We walked back and thought we would pop into town before heading back to the van, and as we walked passed the carpark it I spotted something orange on the windscreen! Sure enough a ticket…for 70 quid or 35 quid if we paid it straight away. Spoke to the bus driver who had had a chat with the “officious” official but said he wouldn’t have a bar of us being there, we were not a coach, even though there was heaps of space. So decided we had a ticket anyway so headed on into town for a look around.

We have emailed in and to ask for “forgiveness” so will see what happens.

A bit more of a look around then onto this Camping and Caravan Club Campsite, about 30 minutes from the ferry. It is a very nice place, open green fields and only a few people staying. Very impressed.

And it was a good call as we got talking to a couple from Netherlands who are also catching tomorrow’s ferry. The came over for a few drinks tonight, Michael, who is a professional trumpet player and his wife Sonny and their two daughters have been touring around UK for 4 weeks in their caravan. We had a good chat with them about our route through Netherlands, and have decided the best option with it being mid holiday season, and the fact that we want to get north for the summer was to use the motorway system. They have suggested the best route for us, which sounds great, so all organised!!!

Going to head down to the ferry early and have breakfast as we queue. Not sure what internet coverage we will have over the next few days, so maybe a delay in blogging.