Exploration of the Lost Gardens of Heligan

Off To Heligan Woods

Sunday the 8th May dawned warm and sunny, just right for a trip to the Cornish coast.  Unfortunately due to the blowing up of the Merafield road bridge the traffic was truly horrendous and we took nearly an hour just to get to Brixton!  When we finally escaped the rest of the journey to Mevagissey was uneventful and we arrived at Heligan Woods without losing our way, well we did go round a roundabout a couple of times!  There was a little confusion on arrival as several units arrived together but as we knew our pitch number we were soon directed to the pitch and hooked up.  

Right, now to put the kettle on, wrong the piezo ignition on the cooker refused to co-operate and we had again forgotten the matches but a quick trip to the shop to locate the said box of matches was successful and we were able to also have a delicious slice of ginger cake with our welcome cup of tea.

From the pitch we could see the sea in the distance and there were very few people on the site which although very attractive, could get a bit cramped in high season.  There were lots of plants and trees including some lovely specimens of rhododendrons, there were also a number of very attractive static holiday homes dotted amongst the trees.  The toilet block was adequate but certainly not spectacular but with a very nice washing up area which we made use of.  We had a quick walk around to locate how to enter the Lost Gardens from the site which was really close by and we went to bed looking forward to exploring the gardens the next day.  

Once again sleep for me was elusive, but after a few meagre hours I managed to get going.  We had breakfast and set off for the Gardens about 10.30, through the gate and we were there, map in hand we found our way to the Kitchen Garden which was spectacular despite being early in the season.  Again the rhododendrons and azaleas were spectacular and at their very best.  We made our way to the restaurant to see what was on offer for lunch, sadly the food was not really to our taste but very healthy!  However, we bagged a couple of Cornish pasties and a cake, the queue for coffee was very long and veeeerrry slow with nowhere to put the heavy tray.  When we finally got to eat our lunch it was delicious and very filling.  After lunch I was feeling a little weary since I had very little sleep so we made our way back through her gate and had a little snooze back in Bobbo.  After a cup of tea and a sit outside in the new chairs we made our way back into the gardens for a final look around.  It was much less crowded and hordes of German tourists had finally left and we had a stroll through the woodland walk.  We then went to the shop and made some purchases including a new basket for the allotment, a very good day out with plenty to see and nice to return at a different time of the year.

After sandwiches and cake for tea we watched some television and after a final walk had a test to see how fast we could do the beds and we got it down to a scant 10 minutes, pretty good going.

After a better night's sleep sadly we awoke to rain, which stopped long enough to pack up in the dry, unfortunately the chairs had got a bit wet as they hadn't been pushed far enough under the Motorhome.  The waste water disposal point was very difficult to access but after some manoeuvre ing we managed to get the outlet in position to empty the tank.  We weren't so lucky when leaving the area which again was very narrow and we did a bit of damage to a flower tub, but fortunately not to ourselves.  It was finally time to leave and it wasn't long before we ran into the rain again, but it was an uneventful journey and we returned home at 12.00.  We soon unpacked and returned Bobbo to storage.  A very enjoyable visit all around with a few more lessons learnt, make sure we have matches being number one!

Our Maiden Voyage

Let The Adventure Begin

So says the motto on the side of Bobbo the Motorhome and so it was on Thursday 5th May when we ventured out on our first adventure.

Bobbo is an eight year old Autocruise Stardream, built on a Peugot Boxer van.  The interior is well laid out for us with a rear lounge, mid kitchen and washroom with a full size shower.  There are a number of extras such as a cycle rack, awning, roof rails, solar panel and tow bar.

We had decided on a trip to a Caravan Club Affiliated site at Lydford on the edge of Dartmoor, approximately an hour away, just far enough to feel that we had actually left home but not too far if things were not working properly.  We booked for two nights as that would give us a good idea if there was anything that needed fixing and that the beds were comfortable.

We set off around 2.30 having picked up Bobbo from storage and loaded up with food and other personal items.  John thought he would need the comfort of his travel bag and I just put my things in the drawers and cupboards.  The journey was smooth and uneventful apart from a strange noise around Tavistock, which we ignored and turned up the radio.   The sun was shining and the moor was looking at its very best.

We found the site with no problem at all and received a very friendly welcome from Shirley at the gate.  She directed us to the Motorhome service point to pick up water and then gave us a choice of pitches, after assuring us of lots of help should we require it we reversed into our new home.  We did discover that there are a variety of Hoselock connections, however, John managed to sort out the right combination and we filled up through the window which seems to be the quickest way.  We did decide to change around where we keep the hoses and leads to make arrival quicker and easier.

A quick inspection of the site facilities revealed immaculate toilets and showers a washing up area with large sinks and lots of tourist information.  The pitches were spacious with good hard standings. The site was busier than anticipated but by no means full, there seemed to be an even mix of caravans and motorhomes, with grassy padlocks and lots of flowers around the site.

With water on board it was time to set up the toilet which was very easily achieved and it was then time to put the kettle on.  The cooker worked perfectly and we enjoyed our very first cup of tea, the first of many we hope.

Whilst preparing dinner (pizza and salad) I managed to slice my finger with the new knife and it was then we discovered we had overlooked a first aid kit, however, the lady in Reception kindly provided some plasters and the finger was patched up although it did hamper domestic chores somewhat and John had to do the washing up!

After achieving an excellent reception on the television we decided it was time to test the bed making routine.  This did take some while but was finally achieved and we fell into our new snug beds at about 11.00.  I did not sleep particularly well but John had a good night's sleep, it was quite cold in the morning so after making a quick cup of tea I explored how the heating worked.  It worked a little too well and we had to turn it off after about half an hour as it was too hot!  We had a leisurely breakfast, did the washing up in the wash up area and were a bit surprised to find the water level was quite low this was probably because we had been fiddling about trying to get the hot water to work and had wasted quite a bit.  We drove over to the water and filled up again on returning to the pitch we attempted to get the van levelled up on the ramps, this did not work too well as the motorhome wouldn't stay on the ramp and kept rolling backwards.  We will have to investigate this later.

As lunchtime was approaching we set off to walk down to 'The Castle' in Lydford, about 10 minutes.  The pub was busy as there was a wedding in progress and only a few tables available, however, we managed to squeeze in and the meal was very good with lots of choice.  We beat a retreat when the guests arrived in the bar as we were feeling decidely underdressed.  We had a look around the castle itself and then took a slow walk back to the site.  After a cuppa and a sit down, we set off for another walk to look at the viaduct over the river Lyd and explore a little further past the site.  Unfortunately although it was dry there was a strong wind blowing which gradually increased as the day drew on.

After tea we watched some television and agreed that it would be good to bring Scrabble to play.  Bedtime was much quicker and we were in bed by 10.00 for a much better nighs sleep.  The site filled up considerably with weekenders during the evening and unfortunately the girls in the 'butty' van did not come on Saturday morning so it was usual breakfast.  After washing up we shut the gas etc down and drained the tanks at the disposal point.  We left at about 11.00 just as it started to rain which was a shame for all those people who had turned up for the weekend.

All in all it was a very successful first trip out and we were pleased that everything worked so well.  We had a long list of things to bring next time just to make life a little easier.

Here's to our second adventure!