Author: trefor

We went to Castlerigg Camp Site in Keswick Lake District to celebrate a birthday with 2 adults and 2 teens plus Stanley the border terrier! Here is a selection of photos we took and a short biog of where we went! 

We had an excellent sized pitch with hook up to campervan Ruby and also had the separate tent (Julie hired an awning) which accommodated a double blow up bed and all our bags. It’s a perfect place to explore the lakes with really lovely walks for a variety of levels. Very dog friendly with the most amazing views to wake up to! 

We had pizza delivered when we arrived and there is a really well stocked shop on site with everything you need. 

We all really enjoyed driving along the A1 in Ruby not having to rush anywhere and I got very nostalgic at winding a window down! Got lots of beeps and appreciation for her! 

Julie Jamie Harry Honey and Stan

Jessica and Matt Ballard took VW campervan on the North Coast 500 for their honeymoon. This is their trip report.

We had such a brilliant time!!! She drove like a dream too, especially whilst we were on the NC500 and so many people were asking us about her

I’ve attached loads of photos for you – feel free to choose your favourites! We moved every day and the campsites mostly had incredible views so made for some great photos with Jade. Write up below – hope this is okay? 

‘We took Jade up to Ullswater on the first night, then over to Loch Ness for the second night and then finally, on day 3, we started the real adventure on the NC500! Our first day took us across the Applecross Pass (incredible but a little bit scary as a passenger – it did feel like we might fall off the edge of the cliff a few times!!!) and then into Applecross. The next day, we continued onto Gairloch via an incredible smokery sat right against a waterfall (home smoked sea trout was to die for). Day 5 of our trip took us to Ullapool and we stayed at a brilliant little campsite called Ardmair Point, overlooking the sea. It didn’t get dark at all whilst we were on the North Coast – it was incredible. The next 2 days took us to Scourie and a tiny little campsite called Bay View in Talmine, where we woke up to a view of cows on the beach less than 100m away. After this, we started our journey down the east coast via Thurso and Dornoch. Our final 2 stops were Perth and then down to Robin Hood’s Bay for our final night. 

We would recommend the trip to everyone who can do it – you wouldn’t believe you were still in Scotland with the whitest beaches and bluest sea!!! And driving in Jade made it all the more special for our honeymoon too. 

Thank you Anne’s Vans for helping us with such an unforgettable trip.’

Jade was honestly great fun – we found it easy enough to manoeuvre round each night and had plenty of space really (we definitely packed far too much in hindsight but it worked out fine!!). Matthew drove her (he’s braver than me haha) and he was surprised by how easy she was to drive on the single track and hilly roads – she didn’t struggle at all and once he’d got used to the steering and brakes, it was great! Most difficult thing was getting used to moving from standing still but that got easier as he got used to not having power steering. She was honestly great – the bed was comfy and much bigger than we expected too!!! 

Hope this is all okay – thank you again. We had so much fun and it made it so exciting doing something so different! 

Take care, 

Jessica

PS I think the idea of planting trees is great – please could ours be Mr and Mrs Ballard? 

We are really grateful to Jessica and Matt of this trip report. It brings real joy to our lives to see customers having such a good time 🙂 If you want to hire a super cool vw campervan for the north coast 500 you know where to come. If you know nothing about the North Coast 500 then follow the link.

Jessica referred to tree planting. We plant a clump of 25 trees for each of our van hires as a gesture towards offsetting the CO2 emissions that will have been generated by the fuel used.

What a couple of days. We moved to Douglas and had lunch with old friends Paul and Wendy. It was chucking it down. The day started dry and we got the van packed up and were just pondering taking the awning down when it began to rain.

This was not part of the plan. You can’t put an awning away wet. Well you can but it is a beast to pack and then needs taking out and drying when you get home. Fortunately the rain was short lived and half an hour later we had managed to get the awning dry enough (with a little help from a towel)  to pack away. It was still slightly damp in places but we will sort that out back in Lincoln.

Anyway after lunch we moved on to the Airbnb we had booked for the last two nights. We wanted to get there early as the parking was first come first served and it being TT week we were worried that the place might be rammed. As it happened we found a spot right in front of the door of the apartment and the van is there now until we leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

The views from the Airbnb are terrific and I am writing this whilst looking out over Douglas Bay. The other benefit of  the gaff is its proximity to the TT action in Douglas. I left Anne and walked to the TT Tshirt shop on the promenade, coming away with some 2022 merch. Then we headed out for the main purpose of the evening: the Nile Rodgers and Chic gig.

Wow. One of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. Worranight! We were totally mind blown by it. Every song was a hit and we knew them all. An hour and forty minutes of dancing finished us off for the night and we headed home to bed.

This morning we got up when our bodies told us it was ok to do so, polished off the rest of the bacon and headed down to the promenade. Walked a mile and a half or so in the fresh Manx sea air to the far end of the prom and purchased Manx Electric Railway tickets to Ramsey where we were due to meet school pal Richard to celebrate a significant birthday whilst watching the Senior TT race. The big one.

Had a fantastic view of the racing looking down on Parliament Square. Unfortunately the sidecar race was stopped due to an accident and the delays were such that the Senior TT has been postponed to tomorrow at which point we will be on our merry way back to Lincoln.

Now chillin back in the airbnb and getting ready to head out for tonight’s finale: the Steve Gibbons Band. Thassit for now. It’s been a heck of a trip but nearly time to head home.

The only other thing to report for now is that tomorrow the alarm is set of 6am. As a precautionary measure when we got back from Ramsey I fired up campervan Jade to test she would start. After all, the last thing we want is an “incident” at 6am. Jade started straight away. No problemo. Deeply satisfying. She is 49 years old after all.

Somewhat fuzzy start to the day. It was our last night at Peel campsite last night and we celebrated with dinner out at the Boatyard restaurant. A particular fave of ours. Also stopped off at the Miller’s T’Ale micropub and stayed for longer than planned after getting into conversation with some of the punters.

Today we move to Douglas where we have an Airbnb for a couple of nights. We have tickets for the Nile Rodgers and Chic gig in town tonight, are in Ramsey to watch the Senior TT on Friday and back in Douglas in the evening for the Steve Gibbons Band gig.

Our ferry is unreasonably early on Saturday morning so we figured it made sense to have the campervan loaded in advance and ready to go. Check in closes at 7.15am if I remember correctly so we will have breakfast on the boat.

It’s been a truly great trip so far. We’ve learnt a lot about our new campervan, Jade and have been lucky with the weather. I’m currently sat in front of the van with a cup of tea brought out by the fair Anne. There is gentle snoring emanating from one of the French guys’ tents.  All is well.

It’s mostly blokes in the campsite which has, unusually, resulted in there often being long queues in the gents whilst Anne has been in and out of the ladies in no time at all. The blokes are a mixed bag. I’ve been watching one who must be in his fifties meticulously brushing his long blonde hair. Personally I think I need a haircut if I can grab hold of it at the back 🙂

Also some have been making an effort to shave whereas stubble is part of the deal for me when camping. Perhaps I’ll have a shave for Nile 🙂

It’s a good morning to be shifting our base as the rain is supposed to keep off until later and we will want to get the awning dry before packing it away. Otherwise we keep everything in handy bags and boxes and it should just be a case of chucking it all in (stowing it carefully in) the van. 

Need to clean out the BBQ. We bought a small portable one for £12 before coming away and it did the job for us.

Camping is all part of the TT experience. There is nowhere near enough hotel/B&B accommodation on the Isle of Man to accommodate all the fans and camping is the only option for most. The other constraint is whether you can get a ferry booking. Most of the slots are sold out the first morning they go on sale a year or so in advance so if reading this post makes you feel like booking a van and going next year you really need to be planning for 2024 instead.

The photo btw is Giacomo Agostini who was watching yesterday’s racing from a garden opposite our friends’ Paul and Wendy where I was standing. If you don’t know who he is you should google it 🙂

After a quiet start to the day we walked up Peel Hill

The campsite is quiet. It is a non race day at the IoM TT races and most people are off doing touristy bits. I’m sat outside the campervan tapping away and enjoying the Manx sunshine.

This has been a great trip so far for learning about our new campervan Jade. Little things like on the second day we bought an adapter so that we could keep the coolbox plugged in to the electricity inside the awning when we drive off for the day.

Campervan Jade being a 1973 Westfalia conversion is almost identical to campervan Ruby of 1974 vintage. There are lots of little differences but fridge wise Ruby has had the original insulated coolbox space (not by any means a fridge – we are talking 1960s/70s tech here) replaced with a 12v mini fridge in the same compartment. These newer fridges are much more efficient. 

Campervan Jade still  has the original cool box setup but is getting a replacement. We are currently trying to decide whether to get a “fridge” or a good quality coolbox. The benefit of the latter is that you can easily  take it out and leave it in the awning as already described.

I’ll keep you posted about this 🙂 Probs.

In the afternoon we left the campervan behind and walked to Corrin’s Folly at the top of Peel Hill. It took less than an hour from campsite to the top of the hill and you get fantastic views from up there.

Descending the hill we had a cup of tea and a crab bap at the Breakwater Cafe looking down at the boats coming in and out of the harbour. The number of nationalities represented by the bikers milling around the cafe was really noticeable. The TT races are a truly international festival. On one occasion Anne got into conversation with a German guy, in German. Good at languages is our Anne 🙂

At around 5pm we strolled to the Peveril pub on the quayside for a beer out on the terrace, moved on to The Miller’s T’Ale for another before heading back to the campsite to light up the BBQ.

Whilst we were cooking we had a visit from a couple of friendly rozzers who had spotted the campervan and came over to check it out. It’s amazing how the cool factor of the vans attracts people. As we drive through the site people whip their phones out to take photos.

It was a really good day and we were out like a light at not much later than 9pm. A tired Tref and Anne, helped by the hill climb, the beers, and the wine with the BBQ. Well we are on a campervan test trip and it is important to simulate real world conditions 🙂

Went for an early swim and instead of having breakfast in the campervan we strolled into town to the Harbour Lights caff. One of us had the “Over The Mountain” full works and the other had kippers. I’ll leave you to guess who had which 🙂 The breakfast was mahoosive and I won’t need lunch today…

Chilled morning sat around the van catching up on a bit of social media. Here in the Isle of Man we use my phone as a hotspot. It is left plugged in to one of the USB ports in Jade.

Jade is our fourth campervan and one of the learnings we have applied is that you can’t have too many USB ports. This campervan has two double 240v sockets, each with a pair of USB ports. Ok they only work when you are connected to an electric hookup but it is always best to hire a pitch that has this. You can still do “wild camping” and just rely on the leisure battery but you ain‘t going to be able to plug in your hair dryer, for example. When the fridge unit goes in next week we will look to including an USB port with that that works off the leisure battery.

The campsite is deserted as all the bikers have gone off to watch the races. Today our plan is to head South and take some pics of campervan Jade with some scenic backgrounds. Niarbyl, Port Erin and The Sound. We will be watching some more racing as the week progresses.

As for the rest of the day, I bought some books, we had a cuppa at the cafe at the Sound looking out over the Calf of Man and an ice cream back in Peel. tonight we have a table booked at the Creek for dinner at 6.30pm.

I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking – will post in groups based on location. If you need a lunch stop off we can recommend the cafe at Niarbyl and the Cosy Nook cafe near the lighthouse at the end of the prom in Port Erin. Also Davisons Manx Ice Cream is by far the best you will ever taste, anywhere. They have an ice cream parlour on the prom in Peel.

Mad Sunday yesterday. The day where the mountain road part of the TT course is made one way and the fans all get to emulate the racers around the course. We’ve always stayed clear 🙂

Mad Sunday is also Peel Day with lots of festivities on the promenade so we decided to leave the campervan parked up in the campsite and stroll into town. The highlight of this particular day is the comedy motorcycle display team the “Purple Helmets” preceded by  motorcycle stunt man Steve Colley. The event was particularly poignant for the Purple Helmets as they are stopping the show after 26 years.

We eased into the day with avocado on toast with egg and bacon and a cafetiere of coffee. I also finished off the milk we had been given by our farming friend Chris Conder when we stayed with her before catching the boat across. Full fat unpasteurised and fresh from the farm. Can’t beat it. I had to toast the sourdough “by hand” on  the stove in the van as we don’t have such luxuries as a toaster 🙂

The Purple Helmets were hilarious and totally not politically correct. The whole afternoon went according to plan. The point at which we came out onto the prom happened to be the best place to stand to watch the display. 

Afterwards we took a chance on finding a table at our favourite cafe the Harbour Lights. The minute we walked in a couple got in and left leaving us a table. Result! Especially when you consider there were thousands of people milling around outside. A scone and banana milkshake later we strolled along to the back room of the Creek Inn to watch the Wales v Ukraine footie match.

The same happened here. We found the one empty table in the perfect spot near the telly and were able to watch the game in comfort. Got the right result, being Welsh, although we were very aware that most of the world will have been supporting the Ukrainians.

Finally we mosied along to meet some friends at the Royal India curry house. I had the foresight to book in advance as they were turning lots of people away. Funny how you always fancy a curry after a few sherberts.

Back to the campsite we crashed out and were asleep within seconds. All in all a good Peel Day out on our campervan adventure.

6am in Peel and half the campsite seems to be awake although still lots of snoring very much to be heard from some tents. We arrived at approximately 8pm last night being a bit late as a “white van” had broken down in front of us on the top deck of the boat.

Upon arrival we got the van ready and threw up the awning. I’ll need to redo the awning this morning. Not put this one up meself before. It’s an inflatable job and didn’t go up quite to plan. Who reads instructions anyway? 🙂

It is a glorious sunny day in the Isle of Man and excitement is starting to mount for the first TT races later on today. I grew up here but haven’t been a regular at the TT since I got married. School holidays are different in the Isle of Man and half term on the mainland never seemed to coincide with TT week.

We are here now anyway. Last night after setting up we strolled down and bought some fish and chips in the town and ate them on a picnic bench on the prom. Afterwards we mosied to the Marine pub and had a couple of pints before heading back for what we thought would be an early night but turned out to be 11.20pm which is very late for us.

Our first night in campervan Jade was very comfortable fair play. The newly upholstered bed (J&S Upholstery in Adwick le Street near Doncaster if you are interested – top professionals) exceeded expectations. We take a mattress cover, sheets and duvet with us but I think if I was on my own I would be comfortable enough in a sleeping bag.

Now I’m sat chillin out in the awning while Anne has a snooze before nipping to the local supermarket Shoprite which is just a couple of hundred yards down the road to buy some local Manx bacon and sausages for brekkie.

Although it is rammed with small biker tents I can really recommend Peel Campsite. Ian the manager had kept us spaces next to each other so that we could be next to our pals and we not only had  power but water too! Saved a bit of a walk to fill up the water container. 

On an ongoing basis campervan Jade will have the original sink and fridge unit in and we prefill the sink before going off on a trip. However as this is really a test trip in a new van and the old fridge and water pump needed a bit of a refurb we took it out and left it back at the depot. The electric coolbox works as well as a fridge anyway and fridges in campervans are really just glorified coolboxes.

There is lots to do in the Isle of Man and specifically Peel but the plan for today is just to get sorted and head out to watch some racing. Stay tuned for more news on our trip as it happens.

Returning customer Liz White enjoyed a fabulous ten days touring the Pennines with her two children and dog. Liz didn’t stop in one spot but toured to different locations around the Peak District which coincidentally is where the Anne’s Vans team went for the weekend.

The first set of pics are Liz’s and the second are from Castleton where we stayed.

Derbyshire and the Peak District is a great place to take one of our campervans. Fairly accessible with some great walking, pubs and restaurants. Also plenty of local shops for supplies and souvenirs.

Tired but happy after our annual trip to Woodhall Spa Country Park in a campervan. Felt as if we were the only ones there. Amazingly we got there early and were soon set up although it did take us a while to realise that we had the awning inside out which was why we couldn’t find the guy ropes!

Our usual form on arrival for this weekend is to get pitched and then send someone for fish and chips from the chippy in the village. However the Smiths, who were the only ones in the group coming by car as they were kipping in a “luxury pod” hadn’t arrived and as the chip shop was a good 20 minutes walk away we all set off anyway. 

Fortunately as we approached the campsite barrier and to everyone’s joy, the Smiths arrived so we about turned to the vans and got the wine out whilst they drove off and fetched the nosh. 8 lots of haddock, chips and mushy peas!

As night fell and the temperature dropped we moved into one of the vans (ok motorhome) and had a bit of a singsong – old rugby songs which for some reason you never hear these days.

Next morning we cooked our own breakfasts and met to walk into the village. The weather forecast was not good and indeed it rained solidly from around noon to 10pm. This didn’t dampen our ardour and in fact Anne went swimming in Jubilee Park Open Air Pool. Because of the rain she was the only one in the pool!! Was warm enough 🙂

A stroll around Woodhall involves the usual things of stop offs at coffee shops, couple of beers in the pub, lunch at The Tea Shop In The Woods and then back to the vans for an afternoon kip. We also usually buy a few bits and bobs from the deli on the main street but every time we passed it there was a long queue – pandemic social distancing rules inside the shop!

That evening we dined at the Abbey Lodge pub which was a fair old trek from the campsite so we booked a taxis to shuttle us there and back. Good job really as it was still chucking it down.

We were the last to leave the pub and Anne nearly got in the wrong car – the people said to her “you should have gone to specsavers”. As soon as we got back to the vans that was it. Straight to bed, all healthily tired.

On the last morning we traditionally have a big cookout. People bring out their bacon, sausages etc for cooking on Dave’s Teppanyaki grill. Fortunately it had fined up and we enjoyed our last alfresco meal in relatively warm conditions.

Now we have packed up and made it home to start the unpacking process. I counted three waves from other motorists between Wooddall and home. All part of the fun of heading off for the weekend in a vintage VW campervan 🙂

We love this area. You have to like the great outdoors but if heading off in a campervan is your idea of fun then you will have no problem liking Llanberis. Not only are there some classic walks around here but you can also use Llanberis as a base to go off for the day. We have stuck a few ideas down here.

• The beaches of Anglesey especially Llanddwyn
• Caernarfon Castle
• The Snowdon Mountain railway (although you should walk really)
• Portmeirion
• Harlech Castle
• Conway Castle
• The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands Railway
• The Slate Museum in Llanberis itself
• Beddgelert

There are loads of other places to go and things to do. Lots of castles and trains by the looks of it. In llanberis there are plenty of pub and restaurant options including the famous climbers’ caff Pete’s Eats. llanberis actually has one of the best Indian Restaurants we have been to anywhere.

We haven’t recommended a specific campsite here as there are plenty to choose from. At just over 200 miles this is about the furthest we recommend going in one day’s driving but it is worth it. This is a week’s trip and not a weekender.