First outing.

Bigfish6969uk · Feb 17, 2018

Hi all, i think we have got all the basic stuff we require for our first trip in Bert that you all kindly advised us on in our previous thread so we are ready to go. We are planning to go around Snowdonia for a week at the end of March and have found a few campsites that we quite like the look of. Was just wondering if any of you could give us a few pointers as to where you have stayed around this area and were the sites any good. Only need 2 major things....ehu for the wife and a pub close by so i can stagger back.
Thanking you all in advance.

SimonB · Feb 17, 2018

On the west side of Snowdonia is http://www.snowdonia-park.co.uk/ which is a nice site and also a micro brewery. It is at a station for the Welsh Highland Railway which run steam trains to Caernarfon to the North or Porthmadog to the South. There is another site at Bedgellert but it was being changed to a mainly cabin site with a few touring pitches. You'd have to ring to check. https://www.campingintheforest.co.u...content=beddgelert&utm_campaign=google_places it's a bit of a walk to Bedgellert, ½ to 1 mile but lots of nice pubs there.

Bigfish6969uk · Feb 18, 2018

Thanks for that SimonB, the first one you suggested is on our list as we can catch the train to other places whilst leaving the Cali set up. Anybody else got anymore places they recommend?

Ocean Spirit · Mar 25, 2018

A bit of a High Jack as we prepare for our first UK trip scheduled for Easter, so only 4 days to go.
Have I forgotten any essentials?
1) Oil checked
2) Windscreen washer fluid topped up
3) Tyres checked (impressed that they were 44F & 41R as per specification as I have not checked them before)
4) Fridge tested, heater tested.
5) Adblue topped up
6) Roof known to work previous week (don't mean to sound paranoid...just sayin')
7) Leisure batteries on charge now. and hook up will go straight back in drawer.
8) Gas bottle fairly new (Done 4 kettles)
9) Cali topper in with chairs, kitchen pots/pans/cutlery/plates/cups etc to hand.
10) Bedding, towels, torches, ready.
11) Fuel, water tank and personal gear to follow...

I don't own a bungee or any other insulation for the vehicle (yet)

Thanks

flying banana · Mar 25, 2018

beer. doh!

Hotel California · Mar 25, 2018

....relax , it will all fall in place after a few trips.
That said i am now trying to remember how our first outing in the Cali went , first need to recall back where we went

Amarillo · Mar 25, 2018

hotel california said:
....relax , it will all fall in place after a few trips.
That said i am now trying to remember how our first outing in the Cali went , first need to recall back where we went

Here is my first trip report.
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/baptism-of-fire-in-amarillo.17553/

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

SimonB · Mar 25, 2018

2020 freedom said:
A bit of a High Jack as we prepare for our first UK trip scheduled for Easter, so only 4 days to go.
Have I forgotten any essentials?
1) Oil checked
2) Windscreen washer fluid topped up
3) Tyres checked (impressed that they were 44F & 41R as per specification as I have not checked them before)
4) Fridge tested, heater tested.
5) Adblue topped up
6) Roof known to work previous week (don't mean to sound paranoid...just sayin')
7) Leisure batteries on charge now. and hook up will go straight back in drawer.
8) Gas bottle fairly new (Done 4 kettles)
9) Cali topper in with chairs, kitchen pots/pans/cutlery/plates/cups etc to hand.
10) Bedding, towels, torches, ready.
11) Fuel, water tank and personal gear to follow...

I don't own a bungee or any other insulation for the vehicle (yet)

Thanks

Paper Maps in case the SatNav lets you down.
Where are you planning to explore?

Ocean Spirit · Mar 25, 2018

We took inspiration from a video posted on the forum a month or so ago. We are just going to do an anti clockwise trip of the west country coast. stopping a single night at each campsite. Taking in as many stops as possible to enjoy along the way. We have ear marked...
Illfracombe, Woolacombe, Clovelly, Boscastle, then a bit more inland as we meet friends in Plymouth, on to Brixham, Eype and home again...
So any recommendations on that loop would be welcome :thumb

SimonB · Mar 25, 2018

I've stayed at the Fox & Hounds at Lydford a couple of times. It's a campsite at the back of a pub. Good food and on the edge of Dartmoor. It's only 50 miles from Ilfracombe but would give you a bit of time to bimble along to the coast through Woolacombe, Croyde, Barnstaple, etc without going so fast you miss everything on route. Are you a member of the C&CC or C& MHC because their books will give you loads of sites that are in the area. Look for the ones with just basic facilities, hot water for washing up, loo, showers and avoid the big advert sites and you'll have a nice site that's not spoilt by too much noise and not too big.

Ocean Spirit · Mar 26, 2018

Brilliant info Simon advice taken for future, we booked a few places already this time as it was Easter.
Yes we joined the C & MHC so far.

Bigfish6969uk · Mar 26, 2018

A Ridge Monkey.

Ocean Spirit · Mar 27, 2018

Bigfish6969uk said:
A Ridge Monkey.

Thats a good point.
This time though we have standard pots and pans but came within 1 mouse click of buying one last week, so it's going to happen n the end!!

motacyclist · Mar 27, 2018

SimonB said:
On the west side of Snowdonia is http://www.snowdonia-park.co.uk/ which is a nice site and also a micro brewery. It is at a station for the Welsh Highland Railway which run steam trains to Caernarfon to the North or Porthmadog to the South. There is another site at Bedgellert but it was being changed to a mainly cabin site with a few touring pitches. You'd have to ring to check. https://www.campingintheforest.co.u...content=beddgelert&utm_campaign=google_places it's a bit of a walk to Bedgellert, ½ to 1 mile but lots of nice pubs there.

Alternative to the Forestry Site at Beddgelert is this one, a bit more convenient for the pubs!

http://www.caeducampsite.co.uk/

Also you should spend at least one night at Shell Island, largest camp site in Europe they claim, no hook up but there is a pub. We don’t normally worry about hook up unless we spend 4 or 5 nights without moving the van, the batteries have plenty of reserve.

Shell Island

http://www.shellisland.co.uk/

It looks crowded in the photos, but they must have been taken August Bank Holiday! Usually the units are spread very sparsely.

Good luck!

Bigfish6969uk · Apr 5, 2018

Well we’re back from our first week away and what a fantastic time we had.
First off we stayed at Tyn-yr-Onnen in Waunfawr for 3 nights. A lovely site where the owners are very friendly. We were close to a pub and the steam railway so no worries about getting around.

The wife also got to bottle feed a couple of the lambs(another tick on her bucket list)

Next we headed for Anglesey for 2 nights via Zip World and Velocity 2, scary but well worth it.
We stayed at the Kingsbridge Park which is a 15 minute walk into Beaumaris. Another lovely site with the warmest shower block ive ever known. Finally we headed for Chirk for our last 2 nights, another good site.

All went as we were hoping it would except for the rechargeable lantern and portable gas heater both packed in but i soon upgraded them for shiny new ones. The Ridge Monkey was superb(toast in a morning and cheese toasties on an evening).The only thing we took but didn’t use was the collapsible saucepan as we used the local pubs for lunch.
All in, we had a super week and should have bought a Beach years earlier. Roll on the next holiday.