The Dicksons Go To York

"Dave Up North" send this despatch:

We’d bought our Bongo last month and still hadn’t done anything other than the commute to work and a couple of shopping trips. This HAD to be addressed.

Erin and I went round the camping shops and gathered what we thought were essentials, cooking equipment, sleeping mats, etc.

We bought an Easycamp Annexe, as our funds were drying up and we didn’t want to spend hundreds on a big awning, if we didn’t have a use for it. As it turns out, we will now be buying a big awning. The bigger the better. The Bongo has limited space, so an awning could double that space. Which would be great.

On Wednesday the 19th, we packed the van up and set off for York, a place that we had both visited separately as kids on school trips, and had, together, had a one night stay a few years ago, but not had time to explore.

Erin wanted to visit “Mother Shiptons Cave” in Knaresborough on the way. This, for those of you who don’t know it, is a popular attraction where a baby was born in the cave and grew up to be famous for her prophecies. Even Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York and Cardinal of Rome had heard of her. And she prophesised his death.

There is also a “petrifying wall”, where objects placed under the waterfall turn to stone.

Fascinating place, for sure. Erin bought a petrified stone teddy. It cost £30 and you can’t even cuddle it. Bargain! We met Pete Humphrey and his family there. And spent the afternoon exploring Knaresborough with them. A beautiful Yorkshire market town. Thanks to Pete, Ethan, Laura and Grace for entertaining us. Great start to the trip.

After waving goodbye to our new friends, we travelled on to Naburn Lock Caravan Park, just 3 miles outside York.

On entering the park, we booked in at the well stocked site shop, where we met the owners, Catherine and Peter Wilkinson.

As we are new to this type of holiday, we asked loads of questions that the more seasoned travellers among you would not need to. But Catherine and Peter answered everything cheerfully and really made us feel welcome.

We drove round to the pitches, which are all inclusive of electric hook-up, and chose to park on the upper tier of the family field. There is an adult’s only field above this one, but it is closer to the road. As it was fairly quiet, being midweek, we didn’t feel a need to use the adult field.

I had done really well packing the bongo. Made sure that the last thing packed would be the first thing out. The awning.

But I couldn’t figure out how to put it together. So Erin did it. Easy if you know how… or read the instructions.

After “WE” had made camp, we cooked our dinner.

Not impressed with onion peeling

We had only bought one of those small briefcase things that have a single burner gas ring. The sort that runs off gas canisters that look like tins of hairspray. We were going to be spending 3 days on our trip. Eating out a couple of times, so it would be used for two meals, a few brews and heating our washing up water. How many tins of gas would we use?

“Well Erin, fear not. I am a man so I will be able to calculate the exact amount of gas we will require”

I bought 8.

It actually used 2, including sitting watching the flame for 15 minutes trying to empty the second can before packing up.

And as for needing it to wash up. The site has a covered area with spotlessly clean sinks and lovely hot water. We didn’t think it would be like this.

After a shower in the heated camp shower block (which even has piped music in the background – nice), we went to bed.

We had decided that we would try out all the sleeping arrangements on this trip, to see which was the best. Tonight it would be upstairs.

I had already learned that the self inflating mattresses that we bought would not do the job, as I had tested these on our living-room floor and nearly did myself an injury. So we had bought some 3inch fireproof foam, cut to fit with a hole for the hatch.

We got ourselves up there and filled the hole with the foam insert and got tucked up in our winter sleeping bags. Very cosy.

All was well until about 4am, when I was awoken by someone digging me in the ribs.

“David”

“What”

“I can’t sleep”

“Why”

“I am cold, I need the loo, you are lying on the hatch and I am feeling claustrophobic”

“Lucky Claus”

“Just get up, you idiot”

And with that, I had to get up, move everything downstairs and escort the little lady to the toilets. Mind you, she was right about the cold. It was freezing.

The next morning we awoke at 9.30. So downstairs on the self inflating things must have been really comfy. Still mighty cold though, so we went to Argos and bought a small fan heater for £12. Bargain.

After a lazy day hanging around the campsite, we went to the Blacksmiths Arms, in Naburn village for dinner.

The pub was great. I had gammon, as it is my ambition to have gammon in every pub I go to, washed down with lager. Erin had haddock in tomato and basil. Oh, and a few glasses of wine.

Everything was fresh, home-grown and tasted exquisite. We will return.

According to the camp leaflet, the pub is a ten minute walk away. We timed it, and it was true. Funny thing is though, a couple of hours later it took us over half an hour to get back. Mmmm.

That night, we didn’t try the upstairs, but went straight for the lower double. I arranged the heater on the centre console and set it to minimum, which switches it on if the temp drops to around 5 degrees. This made all the difference. Toastie warm night. We had also zipped the sleeping bags together to allow a bit of movement. We slept really well, but that could have been the booze helping.

The following day we got up early and got a bus from the park gates right into York.

It only took fifteen minutes and was cheaper than the car park charges.

York was absolutely fantastic, a really beautiful city with great shops, a gothic Minster that any city would be proud to have and some great attractions.

We went to “The York Dungeons” and the Jorvic Viking Centre. Excellent.

After a stroll down the river we had intended to go to the “Ghost Walk” around York, where you are guided round the city and….. I won’t spoil the surprise.

We didn’t have the energy to do this, so we headed back to the Bongo and snuggled up with the telly for a couple of hours. Heater firmly ON.

We came home on Saturday 22nd. Just a short trip away, but it has taught us a few things for the future and we have been really chuffed with the way our Bongo behaved. We will leave the 3 inch foam at home next time. Upstairs is not for us. I will also try to persuade Erin that we don’t need 4 coats and 4 pairs of shoes for a 3 day break. And you don’t need all that gas for cooking.

P.S. The guy who owns THIS camper, an ex racing driver, said he had “downsized” to this. Then he told us that “downsizing” means forfeiting a few luxuries.

Mmmm, I can imagine.

Take Care, Happy Bongoing

Dave n Erin (up north)