Shetland Autumn 2023 Day 1: 2nd September 2023

After much thought we decided we were, just about up to (health wise) going  up to Shetland this September and overlapping with the beginning of wool week as we did in 2022. Michael has had problems with his mobility all year but we thought he could manage the motorhome and we would have everything with us that we needed. So on September 2nd, a Saturday, we finally left after what has seemed like checking lists for days and days. The motorhome was packed with  lots of wool and dyeing related things, including the digital microscope, electric spinner, hand dyed balls of coordinating pink/purple Shetland yarn I had dyed as well as more natural dyeing, weaving and some (possibly) Mesolithic flints from the garden and some lead spinning whorls found in the village. All part of the sharing that is part of wool week and the weeks surrounding it. 

We decided we would only drive  a short distance for the first day as we would be up early and however well organised we were, there would be last minute packing! So we booked Clumber Park, in Sherwood Forest a Caravan and Motorhome site which we really like. 

We left at 10.00 and then took a detour to our nearest town to buy Kwells from  a decent sized Pharmacy. These are my insurance in case the ferry is choppy. We couldn’t get any yesterday anywhere! We have always been fine on the boat but not having any of these with me seemed like asking for trouble! 

So by the time we reached Suffolk, Elevdon, it was time for coffee in the courtyard Farm Shop. This is the first eating place I can remember seeing a notice saying they were completely cashless. There was waitress service and the food and drink were good too. We made a purchase or two and Michael was treated to a new case for his tablets. 

The journey north up the east coast is so much easier now the A14 improvements have been done and the parking better sorted at Cambridge Services, Today we made our own lunch, one of the bonuses of travelling in the motorhome. (1) The service station was not particularly busy which was nice. 

One more stop needed before we reached Clumber Park. We usually stop at North Grantham, parking is easy and we have never found it busy. This could be because the services are limited. We decided we would go in to Costa, really to have a break away from the motorhome. As I was studying the food offering I noticed our last female Prime Minister was also in the building too! I now eat much more savoury food and yet why is it that the offering to go with tea  is predominantly cake or in this case solely cake, cake and more cake! I decided I would therefore boycott Costa for eating and instead just had a drink but we were able to sit down in a quiet place. As we left Michael confirmed what I had observed in terms of seeing ‘famous’ people as she sat behind me. She was accompanied by a couple of bodyguards and I guess like us had to stop somewhere. I do wonder why service stations on the whole are such joyless places, those that do it well are really pleasant places to stop awhile. 

We were glad to arrive at Clumber Park. We like this stop a lot, we back onto woodland and could easily stay here more than a night. It was 25 C when we arrived and it seemed incongruous that in a few days we would be wearing full winter gear. 

So lovely to be in the forest 

The bonus this year was that there was the chance to have a wood fired sourdough Pizza for supper. These were super. Many of the larger camping sites have ‘street food’ visits at weekends and our experience of these entrepreneurs has been entirely positive. Great food, lovingly cooked at a great price. 

The nearest I got to  wool and textiles was thinking about them! 

1. Some of you will know that a regular health check went badly wrong for me last summer (2022). I had a week of daily contact from the surgery as I was found to be pre- diabetic, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I had already joined the waiting list to take part in the Zoe Personal Nutrition Programme as an attempt to  check up on and improve my gut health which was better but not perfect following the very bad food poisoning  I suffered from in 2011. Following this programme since last November has significantly improved those 3 issues. Eating my own food is the easiest but I can still eat out and pretty much anything I like. I will be referring to eating during the journal of this trip to Shetland. 

Shetland Wool Week 18: Day 26-28 : Aberdeen to Norfolk

Thurs 4 - Sat 6 Oct

We got up, on the ferry, early even for us (5.00) so we could have a relaxed breakfast in the lounge and be ready to go down to the van and drive straight off and on our journey. We were at the front of the car deck and thought we would be first or second off the ferry. We had both slept quite well and were anticipating fairly quiet roads initially. We like to stop at Glendoick which has a large garden centre and nice cafe and is just off the A90.  The aim was to be there for opening time at 9.00 without rushing things. 

True to prediction this worked well and we had a good stop, sitting looking over the garden and noticing how much more autumnal the trees were looking compared to the journey up. I then took over driving and our next stop was to be Cairn Lodge at Harpenden. This used to be rather run down but has been taken over by the Westmorland Group that run the independent motorway services at Tebay on the M6 Northbound. This one is having a makeover and is already a huge improvement. The rest of the journey was uneventful, I tried to do the Times crossword while M drove. We were booked into Hoddam Hall, a campsite we have only just discovered. It is a nice site and is very spacious, with a bar serving food  which is OK. However we decided to cook our own  and enjoyed a nice meal of salmon brought down from Shetland. This was the longest leg of the journey. 

A view from the van at Hoddam Hall

It was a very wet night but there was no wind and it was quite mild. I had not slept well, but we were only driving down to Clumber Park so we could afford to take things slowly. The rain stayed with us all the way down the M74. Today we had our second breakfast at Rheghed and then as always looked forward to the journey over the A66, which rarely disappoints with the spectacular and varied views across. However today it was not at its best due to heavy rain, and at times it was decidedly  unpleasant with the spray from the lorries. We  decided to stop at Bowes Museum towards the east end of the A66, and as we left the rain had stopped. Again it was west side of the country wet, east side dry, something we have been very aware of having lived on the wet side in Cheshire for several years and now returned to the drier east side. 

We were glad that it was dry driving down the A1 to Clumber Park. We noticed that Fish and Chips was an option for dinner and we decided that would be good. The day had turned out to be more tiring than anticipated due to the poor weather conditions. We did well with the crossword that day doing all but two clues. 

A view from the van at Clumber Park (actually taken in April! ) 

And so onto the last leg of our journey home. We had covered about 2000 miles in all over the 28 days. We were keen to get off early, it was wet again and not at all pleasant. We had a stop at Cambridge services, a nice croissant and coffee but a silly high price. It did the job though and we then carried on in the rain and got in by 12.00. We emptied the van straight away as even heavier rain was forecast. It had been a wonderful holiday but it was nice to be home. 

As might be  predicted we slept well that night. 

It is now under a year until we hope to undertake the wonderfully memorable experience again.