Campsite Capers

Friday afternoon - Robin Hood Caravan Park, Slingsby, Yorkshire.


We arrived at the caravan park in a reasonable time having sat in a few traffic jams on the A1 in the heat of a humid June day. Had hubby ignored my instructions to take the A1 rather than pay to use the Tyne Tunnel we wouldn't have had to and would have arrived a lot earlier than we did! Well even I'm not perfect you know!

Anyway, we chose our pitch, up the top of the field across from the impressive play area with a bit of space around us and unloaded the tent from the slightly over crowded car. We may need to buy a roof box or something if we are planning to stay longer than a couple of nights in future.

Despite the practice run in the neighbours garden we took almost two hours to erect it. A few harsh words were muttered as we put in poles and did the pin and ring thing. Eventually we had it up and could start to sort out the inside. There are three bedrooms but we just put up two and used the third as a storage area with a door so we could get a very welcome through draught. Once the carpet was down, the beds blown up (must remind hubby to make sure the pin is in the release hole so the air actually stays in the airbed next time!) we got out the cool box and had a beer.

See how spacious the tent is? This is from the front door showing Little Dudes room and the back door/storage area (and a towel for some reason)

I was well chuffed with my home from home but spent the weekend making a list of little things I needed to bring or buy before the next trip - like a tray and better cool box.

After a couple of hours chilling out in the sunshine, watching kids play and other more competent tent erectors put up tents of all shapes and sizes we went out for a bar meal at The Blacksmiths at a village a few miles down the road, although we were forced to endure a constant barrage of whining from Little Dude who just wanted to go back to the park and play with the other kids.

We were all pretty tired by 10pm and so one by one went on the expedition to the toilet/shower block which was some distance from the tent field - and seemed even further away at 2am in the morning when surprised by a cat leaping from the shadows infront of you! (add a port-a-loo to the list). Fortunately, it began to rain at 10.15 forcing all the kids back into their tents therefore making life a lot easier for weary parents.

Now I'm a good sleeper, I do wake easily when I need to - like when one of the kids/dogs starts to puke in the night, however there is something rather unusual about lying in bed listening to a complete stranger snoring three tents away. It's like playing 'I'll name that noise in..... seconds'. Is that someone walking a dog or a fox sniffing around the door? I only found out what one of the noises was the next morning when I noticed the VW camper van. The sliding door opening and closing during the night had me demented trying to work out what it was. The poor family with the baby with colic I sympathised with - although I'd have took him out in the car after the first few minutes rather than keep the whole site awake. Gentle rain seems torrential when falling on a tent and why do you need the toilet more through the night when you know there is a good 5 mins walk to the block? ( Add ear plugs to the list)

Anyway, we awoke early (about 3am initially) to the sound of a milion birds, sheep and horses and after a quick breakfast of Jam sandwiches and mugs of coffee decided to head off to....

Eden Camp, Malton


Had to take a picture of this - makes you proud and not so different to how I looked although we had white tops to our caps.

We first visited Eden Camp about 14 years ago with Big Dude when he was just 2 or 3 years old and really enjoyed it. It is even bigger now and has lots of memorabilia from the First World War and other conflicts since. It's a great day out and very reasonable considering the amount of information and exhibits there are.

Little Dude enjoyed the huts with exhibits showing what life was like back then, particularly the inside of a German U-Boat and the Blitz. Unfortunately seven year olds aren't interested in all the written stuff so we didn't get time to see everything, but did spend time looking at The Falklands War section which brought back a lot of emotions and memories having been in the Navy at the time and seeing many friends go off to war along with all our squadron helicopters. Funny how 25 years seemed like yesterday for a while.




Here is Little Dude beside one of the tanks on display.

He was a little disappointed that the shop didn't sell toy guns though and had to settle for a plastic jeep.









These are some of the 28 blocks open to visitors, each with it's own theme. The place is spotless and even has 'smells' to make some of the exhibits more realistic.





After Camp Eden we decided to drive up to Whitby, somewhere we have wanted to go but never been. Unfortunately it seemed that there was a 60's festival on nearby and half the country had also decided to visit Whitby too. Eventually we found a car park space and set off for some Fish n Chips. On the way to the chippy we passed the 'Dracula Experience'. The only experience was one of throwing £7 down the drain. It took us all of 5 minutes to 'experience' a slightly scary, dark walk through a small terraced house. I did jump once as a hand came out but no-one else did, not even Little Dude!



One of the views of Whitby harbour. There was a huge queue at one of the Fish and Chip shops on the quayside so we 'assumed' that it was the best of them (as you would), however, our local chippy was just as good so I think it was one of the English 'sheep' things, like when we see a queue we have to join it! and stupidly we did. Or rather hubby did while Little Dude and I went into the amusements armed with a dish of 2p coins.







and this is what we did, for the whole 40 minutes hubby was in the queue!


Baaaaaaa!


But after a long day out we went back to camp, opened a bottle of wine and sat out in the sun again until the early evening when the Burger Van arrived and we ate supper in a field listening to groups chatting, kids running around playing games, climbing, getting filthy and having a lot of fun - there wasn't a bored child in sight.



Later we lay in bed once again listening to the goings on around us - including the snoring man!

This morning was overcast but still warm although the forecast was for rain. We decided to get ready straight away and take the tent down so it didnt get wet. We almost did it. Rain started as we packed the last bits away. Plans to stop off at the Lavender Farm went out the window, so we set off back up the A19 and a big fry up at the A19 Cafe.

We thoroughly enjoyed our two days at Robin Hood, and will definitely be back. Even the hassles of erecting a large tent didnt put us off. If it wasn't for the World Cup we might have booked up somewhere local for a weekend. Still, we have the Scouts Family Camp to look forward to in July! Yay!