There has been a lot of new things to get used to since we started living in our motorhome full time but definitely one of the oddest things has been the staring.
We first noticed this strange phenomena when we used to arrive at the well-manicured club sites. As we’d pull up to our parking spot, curtains twitched in caravans, heads popped out from awnings and groups of gathered friends would turn in our direction.
Now thankfully we’ve always been pretty good at the parking bit through a combination of my driving and Sally’s directing, and I couldn’t help but notice that the watching faces would melt away with a hint of disappointment.
Later, when we’re on a pitch it can genuinely be like that old VW advert where the guy stares at the price so hard he walks into a lamp post.
People walk past, staring, often open mouthed at Beatrix whilst we’ve noticed passing groups will often nudge each other and point.
Now this feels a little weird when we’re sitting in the window but even when I wave at them, the staring continues and without any sign of embarrassment.
It’s even weirder when the weather’s good and we’re sat outside as we actually make eye contact and hear their conversations.
“That’s really big isn’t it”
“I wonder how they got that in here?”
“How much space do they need for two people?”
“What licence do you need to drive that?”
“Is that a bus or a motorhome?”
Now, to be fair to the starers, A class – bus style, motorhomes do tend to stick out and maybe our 3.5m height catches the eye more than our 9m length so I concede we are a bit on he larger side in the UK.
The staring is less common on the continent where motorhomes are ubiquitous and it’s also less common on the smaller UK sites we tend to frequent nowadays perhaps as they’re often quieter.
Anyway, we’ve become sort of immune to it over the last two years and don’t tend to notice it anymore but this week at the Coniston Club Site, over a sunny bank holiday weekend as we parked next to the lake access, there were a lot of stares.
Excited as soon as we park up, we break out the kayak and test out our new wheels to get it down to the Coniston water. After a couple of practice runs, we’ve got the team work down and I reckon we look like seasoned mariners…. well at least we’re able to paddle up the lake as far as the coffee and cake shop which feels like a win.
We seem to have brought the glorious weather with us and it encourages us to take on the Old Man of Coniston, which dominates the view from our campsite.
It never looks too high from the lake but when we add in the walk to and from the campsite, our planned 5 hour hike is actually closer to 7. But who cares. We brought a picnic and these are glorious long, sunny days as we approach June.
On the way down, we’re flagging a bit but come across a lucratively placed Ice Cream Van which gives us just enough energy to make it back to camp for a well-deserved pint and glass of wine. Ooooh, there’ll be some aching feet tonight.
We stay at Coniston for 9 days and I think this is the first time I’ve ever been to the lakes and not seen a single drop of rain.
The extra time gives us opportunity to do some shopping in Ambleside, walk along the river at our favourite spot in Elterwater and kayak everyday.
The weekend comes around and it’s a bank holiday. We’ve never seen the lake side campsites so busy. The club site is fully booked and by the lake extra fields have been opened up and it looks like a music festival as there are hundreds of people and tents with flags and dogs, barbeques and kids. It’s mad.
The lake is also super busy but we have our last paddle dodging swimmers and SUP’s along with seemingly every floating product from the Decathlon range.
So it’s time for us to head on. Opting to travel on non-working days so as to avoid the big slate lorries that rumble up and down the tiny B roads, we join the throng of campers who are leaving on the Monday.
Our next stop is Scotland!
Thanks for reading. Sally, Toby and Merlin
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