Saturday 21 April 2012

Synderborough Farm, CL site, Sidbury, Devon 15th April.

We travelled down cross country rather than using the motorway. Found the site easily  and then spent some time setting up as the site fell away to the west. For the first time ever we had to use double levelling blocks under the near side wheels. the front had to be quite high as well.



We  have the site to ourselves,  The electric point is directly behind the caravan along with two taps!  The height of luxury!


A tractor came to spray the field in front of us. It looked as if it was trying to take to the air!


The views over the countryside are amazing, and there are many different birds to be observed. We are frequented by Buzzards riding the air currents over the valley in front of us.  Unfortunately we do not have a camera that is good enough to photograph flying birds!

The view from our lounge!
The valley we are in is the Syd valley
The view from the nearside window,
The bungalow is some 300 yards away




As dinner was being prepared we ran out of gas so a hasty trip to the front locker to exchange bottles.


On the Monday we popped into Sidmouth, 3 miles, and then to a camp site at Salcombe Regis  to collect a new bottle of Propane gas.  We usually run on Butane, but during the colder time of year we use Propane as it burns better.

Tuesday dawned bright and clear, although it had been a very windy and wet night.  we just lay there listening to the wind and rain lashing the caravan. Thank goodness the awning has fibreglass poles, as they move in the wind rather than bend or snap like metal ones.

We drove to Dorchester and met Mary for an excellent lunch. It was really good to see her as we have not met up since last summer.  The trouble with the roads round here is the number of 'mumpties' driving along at thirty and holding everyone up.

We drove home along the coast looking at Axminster, Seaton, Beer and Branscombe, mentally making a note of which places we would not like to live in!


Very hard rain and strong winds during the night lashed the caravan again!

The poor weather lasted into the morning, so it was a late brunch, followed by a lazy rest of the day.

Thursday was again windy but fortunately dry. We went into Sidmouth for a couple of hours.


 Here we found what is possibly the worst cafe I have ever been in, run by an eccentric ex-theatrical lady.  We left ann mooched around for a bit until we found another more hospitable cafe where we were able to sit and read the papers.  We asked directions to Waitrose from a lady in a charity shop!  She directed us to drive through the ford, and turn right at the T junction1




The ford was successfully negotiated, and we followed her directions!  As we zoomed up the hill, Lidl loomed up on the left, so with cheaper prices and excellent quality we went into stock up!

On the way back to the site we notice a road labelled public Byway!  So down it we turned.
 A steep drop off the road, and then a neat little lane!

 Through the ford,
 a very little ford I will add.
  and..... Well it then got steeper and muddier, so deciding that as we were on our own, and had no map,  common sense should prevail, and we should retrace our steps.  Getting back on to the road was a little challenging!

For dinner that night I prepared, and cooked Roast Duck, roast potatoes and all the trimmings!   Excellent it was!

We decided that as the weather was getting more unsettled that we should clear up on the Friday morning  and come home.  Heavy showers early on, then hot sun!  Fortunately we managed to get cleared up in the dry, and as we left the site the heavens opened!

Another successful trip. Now need to decide where to go to next!

2 comments:

  1. one of our favourite sites, Monique and Stuart are always very friendly, when they were full they found room for us in a stubble field down near their house! Love Sidmouth, great unspoiled town with some great walks, we walk into town from Sidford alongside the river(sid- of course!)

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  2. We too loved this site. The field ahead was just grass when we were there, no silage growing. There is a Caravan Club site a mile away where we purchased some gas when we ran out. There are piles of blocks in the grass for levelling, and levelling means levelling here. Nice owners.

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