1000+ miles this year !

 The first trip out this year was in April for a friend's 50th in Wiltshire

A 300 mile round trip up the A30, M5 & M4, but she towed like a dream & kept us cosy 

We then squeezed in a trip to the Hay Festival in Wales (see previous post) which was another 300+ mile round trip 

 Next up was our annual mid-July outing to the Larmer Tree Festival in Dorset (250m round trip)

This year apart from our usual gang we had some new Larmer converts

 - my sister & her daughter & a cousin & his two girls. Clearly taken with the Airstream (well I like to think so) 

The weather was generally lovely but there was one biblical downpour 

But it wouldn't be a festival if you didn't have to cater for all weathers ! 

Highlights were Squeeze (above & below Glen Tilbrook), Frank Turner, Stornoway, Public Service Broadcasting, Tom Odell, Gentleman's Dub Club &, of course, Sir Tom Jones 

 The Flying Cloud now has upholstered dinette cushions

 and is starting to feel even more like home

The awning is a temporary fix as we still haven't quite decided what we want but at least this one uses the awning rail 

Sir Tom belting out the hits 

I have to say it was quite some performance...

August 1st saw us hitched-up again (with the first of the boats on the roof) for our usual wild camping destination (which we like to keep under our hats) 

 It wasn't the best of weather to arrive in but

…by morning the sun had returned 

and stayed like that for pretty much the next two weeks 

The churchyard has some great Celtic cross gravestones 

even if getting there is a little impracticable  

but worth it 

A new addition from a local antique shop - a 60s 'Bestlight' 

We even had the good ship Marian in the harbour  

 Old friends 

 new campervans

and evenings round the fire 

Despite having rewired & installed batteries, I haven't got round to reinstalling lights

so we survive quite happily on candle & torch power

Rather stunning high cirrus 

heralded the arrival jun the next day or so of hurricane Bertha 

Luckily the rather dire warnings were overdone for Cornwall as we had high winds but not too much rain

She passed over pretty quickly and the sun returned 

 A new resident in one of the river creeks 

  

Still haven't had time to work on her polish but hopefully next year  

But luckily she still shines under the right light 

Our backwater - Airstream is the bright shape to the right of centre 

 The local butcher and fishmonger's are excellent !

Still pleased that I kept the shelf/drawer unit across the front. If there's one thing Airstreams often lack its shelf space (except in cupboards) so it nice to have this even if it becomes a repository for pretty much everything !

 I popped down to Prussia Cove (even further west) to visit friends & coincide with the National Trust's firework celebration from St Michael's Mount

Time to leave 

and head back across the Tamar into Devon

and catch up with other friends who camp each year at East Prawle 

high up on the hills above Salcombe. Very different but lovely to be so high with views of the sea all around

Its a busy (but spacious) field, so we soon had visitors drawn to this new shiny object 

the interior end caps went down very well

 Again rather good weather, even with the odd passing shower out to sea.

 Beautiful walking, even if the return leg always ends with a climb

Rock samphire - sadly almost inedible, unlike its delicious marsh cousin 

A canoe trip to Salcombe and my son not quite mastering the portage !

 The local pub, the Pig's Nose, is famous for having excellent music - and for once brilliantly amplified - loud, clear BUT not too loud. 

 The essential ingredients for the first cup of the day

and a read of the weekend papers 

A rare surviving Rood screen (although much restored) at South Pool church with much of its original painting from the 15th century

We forget that churches prior to the Reformation were a riot of colour and images 

 The dinette still needs her table made but the round one suffices for now

 If I say so myself (even if there's still more to do) I'm pretty pleased how she's turned out with very much the feel she must have had in 1953

Heading home - but there's always a last bit of washing up before we hitch-up. Next year we'll have the sinks back in !

Hope you've all had a good summer too.