Back to Basics

I was very fortunate recently to be invited with one of my cub leaders to attend the Back to Basics Scout
Camp for our group.

Camped in the middle of the woods, gathering firewood to feed the camp fire and lots of free time to enjoy the experience. We all learnt about knife safety and sharpening, together with starting a fire without matches to light the mud ovens that had been prepared for the 4 roast chickens. 

The leaders, some who were just sleeping in hammocks strung between the trees shared their immense knowledge showing the scouts how to use an axe safely and making a makeshift bivvy to stay in for the night.

I opted from my new Vango Hurricane 300 over my usual Karsten as I purchased this solely for the cub/scout camps. We also took a tarp just in case the weather turned, but luckily it was too cold for rain!

All in all a thoroughly knowledgeable weekend and looking forward to many more! 

Dog Control

So after our great Easter break I fired up my work computer - 212 unread emails - great!. Mostly spam although the filters are set really high, and a few good leads for our business so something to get my teeth into straight away.

At the end of 2012, we had a new member join our family - Bella the rescue Weimaraner. She's absolutely beautiful and as gentle as can be - great with the children, but oh boy can she pull. As you know, we have just spent Easter in Norfolk (where coincidentally there was an abundance of Weimaraner's),  but one of the other owners was using a Halti collar to control theirs. Having chatted for a while we moved on amazed at the claims of this other owner in respect of this canine head collar.

Needless to say, this morning I purchased one for Bella and we proceeded to go for a walk. The result was instant. She did fight a little once it was first attached - pawing etc... but she soon realised it was there to stay until she was over the field and could run. Couldn't believe how something so simple could have such an effect. Worth every penny.

Anyway, we were lucky that the Grandparents looked after the children for the afternoon - Think they had missed them over Easter, so we collected them in the early evening and whilst driving home was presented with this fantastic sunset.

Going to be a cold night!

Journey Home

Having had a great weekend at Clippesby Hall and the surrounding area we packed up in the sunshine (typically best day) hitched up and were away within 2 hours. It was really good to see clear roads ahead especially as the sat nav also reported no delays.

On the way home, we thought we'd treat ourselves to a McDonald's but alas, there was no way on this planet I was going to be able to park so we just continued home and completed the entire journey home in under 2 hours. 

What I was also impressed with, was the fact that I had only used 3/4 tank of diesel towing the caravan  for 4 hours in total and travelling around the area for 4 days whilst on holiday - result!

The house felt extremely large on arrival and it's wasn't long before Suzie was looking at another site to book!

Easter Monday

This is traditionally the day in which we join everyone else on the roads trying to wind our way home - sitting in traffic, bored of I-Spy and all generally fed up. Not this time.

We booked an additional night so enjoyed watching everyone else pack up and leave allowing us to have the whole camping field to share between ourselves and one other tent. Out came the football's, aerobie and rocket launcher and a great late morning was had by all. We then had a quick trip to a local camping and chop - stocked up on more equipment as you do, some vital and some just because... we all do it! and headed back for a bite to eat for lunch. 

Games galore filled the afternoon together with exercising the dogs - mainly chasing the balls being thrown for them. We then proceeded down to reception to challenge the on-site 18 hole crazy golf course before heading to the campsite pub for another great meal as the sun was setting. 

A perfect ending to a great few days away

Sea Palling - Norfolk

Again, another great day for us to visit a blustery beach with the dogs, but this time we headed further North than yesterday to Sea Palling.

Only a 20 minute journey from our base at Clippesby, but if you follow the coast road, it is a very pleasant one.

Similar to Winterton-on-Sea, you can park at the end, and walk over the dunes to the beach. There is also a fish and chip takeaway and restaurant, together with an Ice Cream come small family fun arcade, the 2p slot machine sort... not all singing and dancing and expensive!

As we walked along the beach it was quite evident that this was the place to be to spot coastal birds. There were plenty of 'twitchers' about some on the beach others up high on the dunes all with their telephoto lenses.

After the dogs had had their fun and the children were worn out from the dunes, we headed for fish and chips. They were fantastic - Suzie had the haddock whilst the children and I had the scampi - no complaints - well only one; being charged 10p per sachet of tomato ketchup when you spend over £20.00 on a take away, although we did 'eat in'.

A quick play on the 2p arcade games, Ice Cream and we were headed back for the campsite where my son informed me football was our afternoon activity.

Wiki History
The Domesday Book (1086) records that Palling comprised nine villagers and fourteen smallholders. There were 20 acres (81,000 m2) of meadow, 14 wild mares, two cobs, 23 pigs and 71 sheep with a total value of £4.00. It was surrounded by areas of salt marsh

Winterton-on-Sea - Norfolk

Great weather to start the day off, so we wrapped up warm and headed North East from Clippesby Hall to Winterton-on-sea. This is a small seaside village with a great beach. You can park right at the end by the beach - £4.00 all day or £1.00 per hour which was great as we only wanted to walk the dogs.

The wind had a real chill but having seen that the cafe by the car park was open we knew we could treat ourselves to a hot chocolate afterwards.

There is plenty of erosion along this stretch of coast, but that only lends itself to some fantastic sand dunes to play in. Our children had immense fun running down and climbing back up, together with playing hide and seek!

This was the view from the top of the dunes looking back to Winterton Lighthouse as the clouds started to roll in.

Wiki Info:

A Lighthouse has been known to have stood in this location since the 17th century This first lighthouse was constructed between 1616 and 1618. This lighthouse was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in 1687 and had an octagonal tower. This lighthouse was privately owned by the Turner family. The owners were entitled to a penny for every ton for every ship that sailed within the light. The lighthouse can be seen clearly on Faden’s large-scale map (at one inch to the mile) of the county of Norfolk of 1779.

Horsey Corner and Beach

We awoke to snow flurries - Great!!!, but thankfully it had been snowing the previous week at home so we were well prepared for cold weather - indeed we had the caravan as opposed to our trusted tent.

Once we were all up and fed - we headed for Horsey Beach, a firm favourite of ours and the dogs. You have to go 'off road' from Horsey corner, but it's well worth it as you can park at the end near the beach - no facilities though!

You can often see seals in the sea and on the beach here so take care with your dogs as they will attack other animals.

The Nelson Arms public house is not too far away on the way back to the campsite. A great pub with good food and ale all wrapped up in a pet friendly atmosphere. Always worth a visit and hasn't disappointed in the past 3 years. It's a busy pub, so book if you want to eat!

Once back at the campsite, our afternoon was fun filled for the children, who enjoyed the parks and zip wires as well as the BMX track that circles the site. We'll get to the crazy golf and other activities another day!

Wiki Info.

The coast next to the village, known as Horsey Dunes, is a major wildlife site. Grey Seals on Horsey Beach. During the months of December and January the colony heads on to the beach to give birth to seal pups. Creating a beautiful local attraction for many wildlife enthusiasts.

Annual Easter Trip

So today we have been to the School Easter Assembly - packed as usual but managed to get a seat - this is the first I have been. so am somewhat of an assembly virgin.I thought the whole performance was great until both my children started getting upset as they were led off stage back to class.

As soon as it had finished both my wife and I headed home and started packing for the Easter Break - hitching up the new to us (but old) caravan and heading for Clippesby Hall in Norfolk. We've been there a few years now at Easter and simply love it!

Collecting the children from school hitched up, we travelled for 2 hours without hassle to our destination - set up relatively quickly - not as quick as our Karsten Tent! but hey ho....we'll improve and settled down having played a few games on the cold camping field.

Thetford Forest CCC Site

We'll we started 2013 off a little different to most other years. Our first outing to Thetford Camping and Caravanning Site was in a Caravan; yes, a tin tent instead of our trusted Karsten Tent.

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Before getting too excited...it's 25 years old, but clean and tidy; in need of some TLC and what's more was
within our budget! We purchased it in October solely for the use of extending our camping season with the children over the winter months up to and probably including Easter. So with snow being forecast we hitched up and headed to Suffolk for a forest adventure.

The site was great - typical CCC site - Immaculate facilities and really friendly staff who you couldn't help but like. Although the site was not at all busy. Why would it be, second week in January with snow on the way, there were a handful of hardy tin tenter's who were braving the elements all in the sense of adventure.

The location of the site is great, with a forest linked to the rear of the campsite - great for dog walks and the children making camps. It is about a 10 minute drive to the Brandon Visitors centre... the main area for the Thetford Forest and well worth a visit. They have some great mountain bike routes to challenge all levels, together with a great 'free' adventure play area and the Go Ape team also have their high wire adventures which you can pay for.

Wiki Info:
Thetford Forest was created after the First World War to provide a strategic reserve of timber, since the country had lost so many oaks and other slow-growing trees as a consequence of the war's demands. It is managed by the Forestry Commission.