Mousy
LIFE MEMBER
We left early doors in the van yesterday for Pembrokeshire, it's only an hour or so from us. Before we saw the light and the way we used to have a static van at Newgale (forgive us oh mobile friends).
So we were looking forward to revisiting some favourite spots and exploring a few new beaches. If any of you haven't yet been, I'd recommend it, it's a lovely county similar to Cornwall in geography but with less tourists.
We went to Manorbier beach, it was tipping down with rain aided by a brisk wind, we couldn't see much for the sea mist/fog either. Not ideal conditions but we got togged up and took Ruby for a walk on the beach, above the beach past the castle we saw 5/6 vans parked up, they had obviously been there overnight.
When we drove past we saw a mix of surfer vans, fishermen and a couple of MoHOs still wrapped up tight with silver screens on.
We were hoping the rain would ease off but no such luck so we went into Pembroke for lunch. It's been a while since we were there, the high st now looks very tired with shops closed down and boarded up. Unpainted shop fronts and an odd mix of shops. Not how we remembered this pretty Georgian town with its castle and river. With the news that the Murco refinery sale has fallen through and the possibility of major jobs losses to the area we fear for the locals.
We had booked into a camp site nr Bosherston, although it was too early to park up we thought we'd have another walk on the beach there. The one mile long single tract road with minimum passing places was interesting. We saw a marvellous display of reversing by a local and we were lucky to get an interesting variation on a wave from another. We made it to South Broadhaven beach unscathed, all the excitement had worn me out and the sea mist and rain was less than inviting so I got my head down for a nap whilst Martin got engrossed in the latest Which report. Never a dull moment with us, we do fun with a capital F.
Martins laugh woke me up, my first thought was what could possible be making him laugh in the Which report? Or had I been talking in my sleep again?
No, it was the arrival of a bunch of New Age travellers. This was a rag tag collection of old buses, caravans and coaches all brightly painted and looking the worse for ware. We watched mouths a gape as they parked up and bounced out of their vehicles. A quirky selection of dogs, babies, kids and dreadlocks. They were obviously very happy to be there or possibly to have arrived at all, given the state of their vehicles. Quickly chairs were put out and a camp of sorts was set up. It made us laugh and we realised how anal we were, no sign of leveling blocks, steadies down, gas on, fridge switch over etc, we didn't think they would be interested in non slip matting from poundland either! The rain didn't seem to be dampin their mood, but it was ours, my belief that it would "burn off" and reveal lovely sunshine was seriously misplaced. We decided to call it a day and head home. On the way back we rang the campsite to cancel our booking. The owner was greatful that we had rung, she had just rung the police as her camping field was up against the car park and she was aware of the new visitors. The police weren't interested she said as no laws had yet been broken and the national trust (whose carapark it is) didn't have anyone on duty. We mentioned that as they were opening bottles of fizz as we left, we didn't think they were just there to walk the dogs! No doubt they were planning on making that car park their home for a while.
It gave us food for thought as we drove home, how different we are, the assumptions we make and how we choose to live.
We hope that when we return to that car park there won't be new height barriers and that we don't meet them on the single tract lane!
So we were looking forward to revisiting some favourite spots and exploring a few new beaches. If any of you haven't yet been, I'd recommend it, it's a lovely county similar to Cornwall in geography but with less tourists.
We went to Manorbier beach, it was tipping down with rain aided by a brisk wind, we couldn't see much for the sea mist/fog either. Not ideal conditions but we got togged up and took Ruby for a walk on the beach, above the beach past the castle we saw 5/6 vans parked up, they had obviously been there overnight.
When we drove past we saw a mix of surfer vans, fishermen and a couple of MoHOs still wrapped up tight with silver screens on.
We were hoping the rain would ease off but no such luck so we went into Pembroke for lunch. It's been a while since we were there, the high st now looks very tired with shops closed down and boarded up. Unpainted shop fronts and an odd mix of shops. Not how we remembered this pretty Georgian town with its castle and river. With the news that the Murco refinery sale has fallen through and the possibility of major jobs losses to the area we fear for the locals.
We had booked into a camp site nr Bosherston, although it was too early to park up we thought we'd have another walk on the beach there. The one mile long single tract road with minimum passing places was interesting. We saw a marvellous display of reversing by a local and we were lucky to get an interesting variation on a wave from another. We made it to South Broadhaven beach unscathed, all the excitement had worn me out and the sea mist and rain was less than inviting so I got my head down for a nap whilst Martin got engrossed in the latest Which report. Never a dull moment with us, we do fun with a capital F.
Martins laugh woke me up, my first thought was what could possible be making him laugh in the Which report? Or had I been talking in my sleep again?
No, it was the arrival of a bunch of New Age travellers. This was a rag tag collection of old buses, caravans and coaches all brightly painted and looking the worse for ware. We watched mouths a gape as they parked up and bounced out of their vehicles. A quirky selection of dogs, babies, kids and dreadlocks. They were obviously very happy to be there or possibly to have arrived at all, given the state of their vehicles. Quickly chairs were put out and a camp of sorts was set up. It made us laugh and we realised how anal we were, no sign of leveling blocks, steadies down, gas on, fridge switch over etc, we didn't think they would be interested in non slip matting from poundland either! The rain didn't seem to be dampin their mood, but it was ours, my belief that it would "burn off" and reveal lovely sunshine was seriously misplaced. We decided to call it a day and head home. On the way back we rang the campsite to cancel our booking. The owner was greatful that we had rung, she had just rung the police as her camping field was up against the car park and she was aware of the new visitors. The police weren't interested she said as no laws had yet been broken and the national trust (whose carapark it is) didn't have anyone on duty. We mentioned that as they were opening bottles of fizz as we left, we didn't think they were just there to walk the dogs! No doubt they were planning on making that car park their home for a while.
It gave us food for thought as we drove home, how different we are, the assumptions we make and how we choose to live.
We hope that when we return to that car park there won't be new height barriers and that we don't meet them on the single tract lane!
