Great Christmas South Coast Adventure

[barryd]

Hello to all and a very merry Christmas to you! (even AJ an Paingate)

We are currently installed on the Isle of Wight. Set off on Monday and after battling through the snow we eventually escaped the Yorkshire Dales and managed to get down to Hayling Island just before all the snow and ice scuppered everybodys day. Found a fantastic CL for a couple of nights for £6 including EHU and spent a day in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (HMS Victory etc) which was fantastic.

Should have tested everything before we left though as within the first hour of arriving we had a major water leakage (hose had come loose), the Carver fire wouldnt light and the Camos Dome wouldnt tune in. Remarkably for me I didnt run around swearing and kicking the van but managed to fix both the leak and the fire and whilst having a fag celebrating my new found calmness and DIY capabilities realised I parked the van (and the Camos Dome) under a tree.

Hampshire doesnt seem to have been gritted and yesterday was chaos but somehow we managed to skate our way to the ferry and arrived on the IOW yesderday morning. The bike then broke down but thanks to a rather scarily named motorcycle dealers called Dave Death Motorcycles they had us up and running within an hour!

Had a quick look around Cowes last night on the bike but soon headed back to the warmth of the van and a fridge full of Stella.

We are on a campsite at Cowes which is unusal for us being wildy types (to be honest it was cheap as thrown in with ferry costs). It seems ok and we have a view of the Solent.

Plans are to stay here a week then do New Forest, Dorset and Devon. Just hope the bloody weather improves!

Cheers to all and Merry Christmas!!!!!

 

[grasscutter]

We love the island. Make sure you have a drive along the Military Rd A3055 on the south of the island. There is a great car park on top of the small mud cliffs with access down to the beach. We had the advantage of walking the beach with a friend who is a geologist and he pointed out dinosaur footprints to us.The area is a mecca for fossil hunters. Enjoy your stay and merry christmas.

 

[barryd]

We love the island. Make sure you have a drive along the Military Rd A3055 on the south of the island. There is a great car park on top of the small mud cliffs with access down to the beach. We had the advantage of walking the beach with a friend who is a geologist and he pointed out dinosaur footprints to us.The area is a mecca for fossil hunters. Enjoy your stay and merry christmas.

Same to you! Thanks for the tip. We are going out today to go right round the island and will check out the spot you mention.

All the best
Barry

 

[biggirafe]

Merry Christmas Barry and same to your wife as well.
Please to hear you made it off the drive. From what I have seen on the weather your timing was spot on.

Have a great time in the sunny south

 

[barryd]

Cheers, Same to you. We were lucky to get here but its been worth it so far, the weather has been great today. Bit cold on the bike though!

Cheers
BD

 

[Pioneer]

Hi BD,
a few years since we went to the IOW but enjoyed every second, apart from our first night. Having sailed on the midnight ferry, we found a very large carpark and stayed the night. Next morning, 6am, was wakened by the noisy roar from the morning Hovercraft, we had gone around in a circle from the Port and ended up on the opposite side of the ferry terminal wall
That's wilding for you, some you win, some you don't.
Enjoy your trip.

Happy Camping
and a merry christmas.

 

[barryd]

Hi BD,
a few years since we went to the IOW but enjoyed every second, apart from our first night. Having sailed on the midnight ferry, we found a very large carpark and stayed the night. Next morning, 6am, was wakened by the noisy roar from the morning Hovercraft, we had gone around in a circle from the Port and ended up on the opposite side of the ferry terminal wall
That's wilding for you, some you win, some you don't.
Enjoy your trip.

Happy Camping
and a merry christmas.

Cheers

We did a complete round the island trip yesterday but took the van as it was too cold for the bike. There were one or two car parks (including the splendid one on the Military road, thanks for that) and they all had no overnighting signs up which looked quite new. I am sure there are wilding spots but it seems Hampshire council dont seem keen on letting you park where you want.

Off to the New Forest, Dorset and then Devon and will use CL's but it would be nice to find some quiet wild spots as well.

BD

 

[Coolasluck]

Merry xmas Barry,i heard on the news today that the weather is to get cold again next week,although there is uncertainty as to if we are to get rain or snow,i guess we shall have to wait and see

 

[barryd]

Cheers, same to you as well!

I heard it was going to be cold again as well. No doubt we will get snowed in in Devon! All adds to the fun!

cheers
BD

 

[Coolasluck]

Cheers, same to you as well!

I heard it was going to be cold again as well. No doubt we will get snowed in in Devon! All adds to the fun!

cheers
BD

We have decided to do a spot of wilding in the van next xmas,and make our xmas dinner ourselves.We spent some time at the fernworthy reservoir a couple of weeks ago,if you head towards okehampton way you may want to give it a go.We found it really peacefull on the moors.A lovely nice quiet nights sleep we had too.

 

[barryd]

We have decided to do a spot of wilding in the van next xmas,and make our xmas dinner ourselves.We spent some time at the fernworthy reservoir a couple of weeks ago,if you head towards okehampton way you may want to give it a go.We found it really peacefull on the moors.A lovely nice quiet nights sleep we had too.

Sounds great, if you have any more info such as GPS points or directions to wild spots at the lake that would be great and I will add it to the list

Cheers
Barry

 

[Coolasluck]

Sounds great, if you have any more info such as GPS points or directions to wild spots at the lake that would be great and I will add it to the list

Cheers
Barry

I dont have gps yet so dont know about some such things!!!
The actual reservoir has a car park which does not have a gate to it so parking up shouldnt be a problem,we stayed past the car park and laid up on a large laybe on the left hand side about 100 metres up the road.

 

[Goaskalys]

Off south ourselves tomorrow to sunny (well we hope so) Baltic Wharf, Bristol.
Will be looking over the SS Great Britain and hopefully using the Water Taxis and even a little shopping (got to keep Kath happy) as only a short walk into town.
Booked this up over a year ago so hope that we enjoy it.

I recommend the SS Grt Britain, very interesting with fantastic engineering

 

[barryd]

Let us know how you get on. Bristol is kind of on the way home from Devon later in Jan, Might have a looksee. Cheers Coola for the tip on the lake spot, will ave a looksee.

BD

 

[Belgian]

We have decided to do a spot of wilding in the van next xmas,and make our xmas dinner ourselves.We spent some time at the fernworthy reservoir a couple of weeks ago,if you head towards okehampton way you may want to give it a go.We found it really peacefull on the moors.A lovely nice quiet nights sleep we had too.

I've never been there; but this sounds great. Could it be this place ?
50:38:19N (50.63874) 3:53:11W (-3.88633)

 

[barryd]

I've never been there; but this sounds great. Could it be this place ?
50:38:19N (50.63874) 3:53:11W (-3.88633)

Hi Belgian

Is there nowhere you havent been!!

Thanks for the GPS but when I google earth or Tom Tom those coordinates they are about 400 metres from the lake side in some trees. Perhaps Coola can confirm. Is this car park right by the lake? Near the dam or what?

Do you have any more wild spot recommendations for Devon Mr Belgian?

Cheers
Barry

 

[Belgian]

Hi Belgian

Is there nowhere you havent been!!

Thanks for the GPS but when I google earth or Tom Tom those coordinates they are about 400 metres from the lake side in some trees. Perhaps Coola can confirm. Is this car park right by the lake? Near the dam or what?

Do you have any more wild spot recommendations for Devon Mr Belgian?

Cheers
Barry

No Barry,
Sometimes I amuse myself looking up a place on Maps of the world, street map search - powered by Multimap they give satellite views and OS maps (with P's on it); very handy to locate a spot and have the coordinates too.
(what a wealth of maps you have in the UK)
Yours,
Leo

 

[Coolasluck]

hi belgian

is there nowhere you havent been!!

Thanks for the gps but when i google earth or tom tom those coordinates they are about 400 metres from the lake side in some trees. Perhaps coola can confirm. Is this car park right by the lake? Near the dam or what?

Do you have any more wild spot recommendations for devon mr belgian?

Cheers
barry

its nearby to a place called chagford,then it is signposted the roads are typically narrow but worth peceveering with.

 

[barryd]

its nearby to a place called chagford,then it is signposted the roads are typically narrow but worth peceveering with.

I can find the lake alright on Google Earth and Leo's GPS coordinates are right near but is your car park right by the lake?

BD

 

[Coolasluck]

yes,but its a resevoir