2nd December 2015 Last days in Yorkshire!

The weather for our last week has been terrible up here in Yorkshire with heavy rain and gusting winds. It has kept us holed up in the comfort of our van which is not a bad thing as it is warm and cosy.

We do not mind being confined to the van because we have plenty to do to keep us occupied what with our guitar/ukulele, language books, DVD’s and reading. For a while we have discussed the pro’s and con’s of a Kindle over a real book. We both agree that you cannot beat the feel of a real book in your hand but as space is limited in a motorhome you cannot store too many books. I decided to buy myself a Kindle a few months ago and absolutely love it for its compactness. I am currently reading Ken Follett, Century Trilogy and they are hefty books. I changed over to the Kindle after book one and I am sold. It is so light and versatile it can be held in one hand using your thumb to turn the page. It can be propped up in its case in landscape mode making it almost hands free. Also the e-books are now a lot cheaper and so easy to download. Angela has also been convinced so ordered one from Amazon on a Black Friday offer and it came a few days ago.

I have taken up running again to improve my fitness and to shift a few pounds and Angela has her own fitness regime. We do this three times a week and it is a something else to fill our time until we begin work again next March.

Apart from a few more visits into Skipton and Grassington for a bit of shopping followed by coffee and cake we decided to get one more walk in.

Saturday 28th Nov was a rainy day but we decided to go out and walk to Grass Wood a walk of about six miles starting from our van. We had our full waterproofs on so did not need to carry a rucksack. All I took was my camera and tripod in case the weather improved. We set out towards Grassington and after crossing the bridge spanning the River Wharfe (now receded) turned left and followed the river until we came to the edge of the woods. The weather now very heavy rain but we carried on into the woods seeking shelter from the canopy of the trees. As most of the leaves had fallen there was not much canopy but there were very large drips that covered us! We followed a path all the way up to the remains of an old fort before dropping down the other side onto a more defined path signposted Grassington. We came out of the woods and walked through open farmland to the safe haven and a roaring fire in The Foresters Arms. Here we stopped for a well deserved bowl of soup & sandwich washed down with a pint.

We were nice and cosy sat in the pub amongst other crazy walkers but at some point needed to head back to the van.

There is nothing worse than putting on soaking wet waterproofs and going back out in the wind and rain which we had to do in order to get home. After a nice hot shower we settled in for another cosy evening in the van.

No pictures to show as the camera did not come out of it’s waterproof case.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Poolsbrook Country Park

About Dean

Angela and I decided that there was more to life than working hard to keep up the payments on the mortgage, to pay the gas, electric, phone bills etc. etc. SO............ In 2008 we sold our house, I initially took a year off (Unpaid) and Angela handed in her notice! We bought a motorhome and set off for a year of travelling! This was the best thing we had done in our lives (Apart from getting married) and we have no regrets. During the year I managed to secure a redundancy package which felt very strange. Almost sad as I had worked for the same company for 19 years (BT). It was always our plan to have a whole year off before thinking about the 'W' word. We began applying to the Camping and Caravanning Club (CCC) for the position of Holiday site assistants in August 2009. After the interview, work experience and induction we were finally given a contract at the CCC site in Inverewe (Scotland). Our plan is to work through the summer in the UK then head to Europe to overwinter before coming back to work the following summer season. Hopefully these few words and our blog will inspire others to get off the hamsters wheel and see that there is more to live than having a house and material things. A cliche I know but this is not a rehearsal, life is too short!!! Since our first contract in Scotland we have worked a winter contract in Oxford (never again!) not Oxford but a winter contract. Hereford for two years, living in a yurt for one! And Cornwall. In between our working we have also travelled a bit. Hopefully this website will give you an insight into our alternative lifestyle. Get out there and live the dream!
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