Tredegar House CC site. 22nd April 2014

Well we looked round for somewhere else to go and spotted Tredegar House just between Newport and Cardiff.We had been looking for a CL, 5 caravan site, but this was about the same price, so I popped up and collected the Caravan from storeage and brought it home to pack. Maragret, our char lady was at our home doing her thing so she inspected the new caravan and gave it her seal of approval.

We then set off along the M4 over to Welsh Wales. As we were going along Lizzie said that thesideof her face ached, but that it would be ok. 

We were on site by 1.10, pitch 38. This is a really nice tidy site with good size hardstandings. We quickly set up in the sun and relaxed for the afternoon.

Our Pitch

The National Trust Park next to the Caravan Site was invaded by travellers at 3.30pm, so the whole of the site went iinto lock down! Plenty of Police and security men around. We cooked dinner and turned in. 

The site stayed in lockdown mode until Wednesday morning, although the travellers had been evicted the previous night!  Good work by the National Trust.

We went to Tredegar house for Coffee, and then as Lizzies face was rather swollen we got an emergency appointment at the local health centre.  Lizzies face went down during the day, and we were toldit would probably go away, if not we needed a dentist.

Bit of a damp day, so I got to the bottom of the Cool bathroom!  It was a pipe that had come adrift in the wardrobe, so that was soon sorted. I do have to say this heating seems excellent. Just set the temperature and forget it.

Thursday started really well. Lizzies face had returned to normal, so after breakfast we set off for St Fagans. This is the Welsh National Folk Museum.  Lots of oldbuildings have been collected from all over Wales and rebuilt there. Many have people working in them showing traditional crafts.  It is at least 25 years since I was last there.  We spent several hours just wandering the site.

A good use for an old Tram

How shops used to be!

The China department

The Village Institute. Library, reading rooms and a concert hall

A Showmans Tractor

Roundabout

The whole fair

The stove in the School. I hadoneof these in my classroom when I first started teaching!

On Friday Lizzie woke with a really swollen face, so wephoned her dentist at home.  No chance of an emergency appointment.  So we rang the Welsh Health service emergency dental line in Cardiff.  They put us through to Newport, and then we were given an appointment at a dentist in Cadicott for two hours time.  Off we went, and Lizzie saw this nice dentist who removed a rather angry tooth.  Lizzie soon began to return to normal!  It only cost £13.00 as well. Excellent service.

Saturday morning saw Lizzie virtually back to normal so after breakfast it was Coffee at Tredegar House followed by a tour of the house.  When we got there we were told the disabled lift was not working, so were given free tea and coffee to compensate.

The house was very good so I will let the pictures tell the story.

The dining room

Bed in the day room!

Many outstanding portraits

Part of the outside

On Sunday we had a leisurely clear up before driving home and putting the caravan back in to storeage.

Whilst we were on the Tredegar House site were aware of people going past and looking at our Caravan.  It is such a new model that we have not yet seen another one, either being towed or on site!

Our Brand Spanking New Caravan and Green Acres CL! 10th April

Well.on Wedneday 9th of April, after much cleaning and polishing of our 2006 Bailey Ranger 470/4 we traded it her ( caravans are like ships, always female) in for a brand spanking new Bailey Pursuit 430/4, Platinum edition.
This a new model being built by Bailey, so we have one of the first.This is a fixed bed caravan, with a rear wash room, Solare panel on the roof, Alko ATC traction control,Alko wheel lock, microwave and computer controlled heating and hot water systems.
We spent the afternoon fitting her out, ready for departure the following day to Greenacres CL, which is not to far in case of any problems!
Set off at 11.00am onThursday for Bibury. She towed very well,although felt a bit nose heavy, sowhen we arrived I checked the nose weight and it was high!  Guess who forgot to empty the on-board water tank which is at the front! Whoops!
Set up and put our brand new matching awning up. All went well. Had a go at programming the Computer controlled heating. All ok, except for the bathroom which was a tad chilly. New oven worked really well!

Slept really well in the fixed bed!  Ahh, the sheer bliss of not having to make the bed up each night and pack it away in the morning. Breakfast on the Cadac.
then off to Gloucester to find Dunelm mill to get new matching bedding for the caravan.

On Saturday it was colder so we went to Cirencester, which is a lovely little town and purchased new wine glasses as our previous ones had got broken whilst travelling. They were left on the shelf and neither of us noticed.

Lots of Hares in Cirencester!

Do not know why the hares, probably a charity thing!  Will find some more next time we go there!

Back to the caravan where Lizzie started rearranging cupboards in a more logical way!

Sunday was a really cracking day, so after a hearty breakfast it was off to the Swindon and Criclade railway.Travelled the line on an ex Southern region DMU.  This railway may be short but it is really lovely. Great fun.

A seat for me?

Back to the caravan and I cooked a full Sunday roast, complete with Yorkshire pudding.  The new oven is very good.

Better photos will appear in due course!

On Monday we cleared up and took the caravan back to storeage as the dreaded travellers were on the common!

I have to say that our first trip away in the new caravan was absolutely brilliant!   A real step up from our previous one!