After leaving York we headed for Carsington water. A site near a big lake which I was hoping to bike or walk around while we were there. The site is set above the lake on a small hill and is in a pine forest. All very nice but the pine needles get everywhere.

The site was not very busy when I arrived and I parked up, then realised I was close to the play area. Ok I thought it’s the end of the kids holidays that’s why it’s quiet. I was wrong.

The next day more family’s came and that meant more kids. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind kids but I hate the screaming and shouting. Maybe I am just getting old. It will be fine I said to Nikki we are out in the day and we’re only here for a few days. We survived although only the last two days were silent. The clocks going back helped.

We went for a walk from the site to the visitor centre. We were hoping for blue skies but it was all Misty. So Misty we could not see the other side of the lake but in a strange sort of way it was nice.

The visitor centre was really interesting and there is a small island off the lake you can walk to. As it was Halloween it had a theme and they had made a great effort to entertain the kids for Halloween.

On the island were some sculptures which had holes in so you looked at the view through them to get a different perspective. These were probably really good when they were first built but since then the trees and bushes have all grown up so the view from most of them is a waste of time. I found one which was good and made a nice photo.

The next day I planned on biking around the lake which is 8 miles around, I would have gone around twice or more to make it a nice ride. But my plan was scuppered due to 10k run and a half marathon going on around the lake so I still went out on my bike but up in the hills and back roads avoiding all the runners and traffic.

Out and about I came across a pub with an unusual name. I do like pub names and often wonder how they got their name. This one made me chuckle.

Our friends Kevin and Sheryl were staying on a site about ten miles away and originally came from this area so know it very well. They told us some nice places to visit but we would have needed to be in the area for a few weeks to see them all. It is a lovely area though and we will be back.

Chatsworth house is not far away and Kevin said there is a lovely farm shop there. Chatsworth house is a very famous royal house but at £35 each to go in we gave it a miss. But we did go to the farm shop and managed to spend nearly fifty pounds.

Kevin and Sheryl picked us up one morning and we went off for a tour of the area. They showed us where they used to live etc and the little surrounding villages where Kevin worked as a local policeman. Now when ever we meet up with them it normally involves an early doors pint. The pub just five minutes from where they were staying was the choice this day. And another funny name for a pub.

All too soon we had to leave the campsite and move on to a CL about two and a half hours away. A CL is a small five pitch campsite. The reason for us choosing this one was we had to take the camper to have the heating fluid changed in Wellingborough. And this was about 40 minutes away. But that meant we had to leave at 7am to get there to avoid the main traffic. We could have stayed at the place that was doing it so I messed up there. Unusual for me I know.

We were at the CL for two days so had a drive out on the second day to a viaduct I had found while doing my research.

The Harringworth viaduct is the longest masonry viaduct in the U.K. It is 1275 yards long which is actually 1.166 km. It has 82 arches, some 60m high and each arch has a 40 ft, 12 metre span.

It is built with 20 million bricks, no I didn’t count them. 20,000 cubic yards of concrete, 19,000 feet of cubic stone. Some brickwork is lime so 37,543 cubic yards of lime, 5,826 cubic yards of barrow lime which is used in the concrete and mortar. The first brick was laid in March 1876. I bet you never knew that.

After we left the viaduct we came across a lovely old town called Uppingham so had to park up and have a stroll around. Some lovely old buildings and a lot of well to do people. I loved the old bakery.

The next day we got up early and headed for Wellingborough to get the heating fluid changed. We were last there five years ago and the staff are so professional. A real old school service which sadly you don’t get at a lot of places now. We left there just before midday and headed for Grafham water where friends run a campsite.

Again the campsite is near a huge lake which sadly I have not had time to get around on my bike or walk so that’s another reason to come back here. This site was built on what was once a hunting estate for the Oliver Cromwell family.

It’s a small village and again has some lovely old houses but a real community feel. So much so it has a small village shop which is like a prefab shed and next to it looking more like a shed is the village pub. Not so much a funny name on this one, Grafham trout just a funny building. Of course you have to support the local community while you’re there and how could we walk to see the pub and not go in. It’s impossible. And if it was closed that would be bad research on my behalf. A couple of drinks was had to support the local community.

We also went to visit Nikki’s sister Jo from this site and had a nice time catching up with her and her son Ben. She lives in a modern house but a few minutes walk from the front door is a small lake and nice walk.

So today is our last day here. The site is empty as it’s the end of season. We are just chilling out and tomorrow we head off to Winchester. It will be a three hour trip involving mostly motorways including the M25 which I hope is flowing well.