How Harriette Got Straightened Out and Harry Saw The Light(s).

September 24th: Time to go back to the caravan / camping store in Preston where we bought the awning (Harriette) and see what could be done about the bent poles. (See Chapter 11, Part One). Armed with 2 sheets of photos we went in without much hope, but we were pleased to see the lady salesperson who had advised us on our first visit. Not to go into too much detail, we came away with a refund for the item supplied which we hadn’t wanted – and a new set of poles! (That lady understands PR.) Of course, we spent another £50 while we were there, and we’ll go again, neither of which would have been the case if she’d been less sympathetic.

So then we decided to hit Blackpool! A bit disappointed to find that the Pleasure Beach was already closed when we arrived just after seven, but the illuminations came to life (or light) at exactly seven-thirty, and we decided to ‘do’ the lights by van, instead of the ‘usual’ tram ride.

 Not a bad plan, really, except that it’s very slow and the 1 hour of crawling at walking pace or less is hard work on the clutch and the left leg controlling it! But the lights are well seen, having the view down the centre of the display, rather than the side where the tramway is, and there’s plenty of time to take in the big tableaux at the Bispham end. Carol’s attempts to capture some shots on her phone camera weren’t entirely successful, but here are a few samples:

 

We completed the evening with the traditional Fish N Chips supper, but ate it in the van, not on the pavement. The drive home then took nearly two hours.

Part Two: How Harry Climbed Sutton Bank and How a ‘Superpitch’ wasn’t really.

We moved on on Tuesday (31st August), happily ‘landing’ at Tesco’s in Northallerton without looking for it, so shopping for essentials before going on to Cote Ghyll Caravan Park near Osmotherley, just inside the North York Moors National Park. Osmotherley is another pretty little village – not quite as picturesque as Dunster in Somerset – but very nice, with a very attractive little reservoir just above as we found only when driving away on Friday.

Cote Ghyll is very different from St. Helena’s! The latter is ‘adults only’, this was full of children. Lots of caravans and tents of all shapes and sizes, arranged in terraces on either side of a stream with fairly steep sides. We paid £5 a night extra for a ‘superpitch’, which offered our own water point, grey water disposal point and television aerial connection, reception being poor if you didn’t connect to the aerials up on the hillside. Well, yes, it was all there, but very caravan-friendly. The water, good, we filled Harry’s tank fully for the first time ever! The grey water disposal, useless for a motorhome, unless carrying a roll-away tank like a caravan. It was at the side, near the tap, not where we could drive over it. The aerial made a huge difference, but the wire wasn’t long enough to reach to where we needed to park Harry (on hard standing) to connect to Harriette (on the grass). We went to ask for an extension, but reception was closed by then, so we just parked with a space between the van and the tent which was OK because the weather was fine and we didn’t need the connecting ‘tunnel’.

On Thursday we were free of commitments and thought of doing the North York Moors Railway, but settled in the end for a drive up Sutton Bank – a notorious climb which defeats some HGVs and where caravans are not allowed. 25% gradients and S-bends. How did Harry manage? Easily! No problems. On top we picnicked, ‘did’ the Visitor Centre, then walked along the rim of the escarpment past the Yorkshire Gliding Club’s premises. There were at list six gliders ‘up’ when we started, most of which came in to land in front of us.

We completed the day with a scenic drive through Helmsey – very pretty, but we didn’t stop, worth a re-visit, and on to an excellent dinner at the Black Bull in Swainby, the next village north from Osmotherley. Found it by chance, very lucky.

AND FINALLY (though nothing to do with Yorkshire) ‘How Harry Met Sally’ (!) – that was Carol’s idea; I wanted to call him ‘Fred’ or her ‘Freddie’ (Don’t take a vote on it!), but anyway; we drove home (and Carol drove from Scotch Corner) via Kendal, where we actually picked up the little red car! (No photos yet) Once ‘our’ salesman was available – and curiously enough, the delay was because he was dealing with a family with a Chausson Flash 03 Motorhome who were collecting a red C1 to tow behind it! – once he was available to us, the hand over was very quick, everything having been done last week and the cheque having cleared: ‘There are your keys, there’s your car, have fun, goodbye!’ So Carol drove home in a nice shiny (nearly) new red car, while I trundled along in the (still) battered old (by comparison) van! That’s life, init?!

Part One: How Harry Proved Culinarily Capable (Twice) and How Harriette Got Blown Away (Almost)

I had to be in Northallerton for an appointment on 1st September, so we decided to have a bit of a holiday round it. Also, Philip, Carol (jnr) and Judi were staying in Kettlewell for the bank holiday weekend, so we suggested a meet. But at first it seemed that that was going to take place from home because all caravan parks were fully booked until we heard from St. Helena’s near Leeds that they had space. So we went there on Friday and set up. We agreed to meet GPT and the ‘girls’ on Sunday (it was his birthday on Monday) at Bolton Abbey, being about halfway between us, and we offered to ‘do’ a meal. This would be the first time we (I) had prepared a cooked meal for four on Harry’s 3 gas rings and limited workspace.

However, a good meal was enjoyed by all, I think, after which the ladies went for a walk down to the ‘Strid’ (where the Wharfe narrows between rocks so that some foolhardy persons have occasionally – and usually unsuccessfully and fatally,tried to STRIDE across.)

(Photo – The Strid)

(Photo – Philip snoozing)

Meanwhile Philip snoozed and I, Cinderella-like, washed up! When the walkers got back we popped a bottle of bubbly to mark birthday and retirement and sampled some of ‘that’ cake. Nearly everyone had gone from the car park by now, and a nice lady had come over to make sure we knew we couldn’t stay overnight. The place now being empty we got our bikes off the back so that Philip could sample assisted riding – but everyone wanted a go and Carol (jnr) has some good photos of that part of the event.

So we parted and went up or down the valley according to our resting places, but the scene which greeted us at St. Helena’s as we turned towards our pitch seemed at first to be one of total devastation! There were all our belongings which we’d left in the awning (Harriette), surrounded by a tangle of twisted metal. At first the fabric of the awning was nowhere to be seen. Closer inspection showed things weren’t too bad, considering. Firstly, although the day had been very windy, it had been dry, so nothing had got seriously wet. Secondly, nothing had been interfered with – not even the ‘bar’. And thirdly the tent was just lying on the ground under the frame which was on its ‘front’ with the top and sides waving about in the air, but most of the poles seriously distorted.

(Photo – Harriette in bits)

However, a nice American neighbour from the caravan a little way away came over and said he would have tried to sort it out for us but he had no idea where to begin, but he would help now we were here, so we got the frame standing again in spite of the bent poles and were able to replace the fabric and all the contents. A combination of unfortunate circumstances had caused the upset – the wind in exactly the wrong direction, with the van not there and a slight slope on the field, again working with the wind; but I am wondering whether we can say the poles are ‘not fit for purpose’. Kim, the American, couldn’t stay for a drink just then as he and his wife had visitors arriving, so we thanked him next day with a bottle of wine …

That next day was Bank Holiday Monday, and we (I) did another meal for four; Chris and Michelle came up from Huddersfield for a helping of sausage and mash followed by pancakes. While some people sat in the sun and chatted:

(Photo – Family chatting)

Someone else had to slave over a hot stove!

(photo – SKT slaving over hot stove)

When that was over – and appreciated – we decided not to go out anywhere but to stay where we were and have a game – of bridge! During the game we had a little visitor ………….    aahh!

(Photo – hedgehog)