23 July - Langsett

Another week, another trip whose start depended on the arrival of a delivery. In January of this year, just before we set out for Spain, one of Bertie's LED lights (in a set of four around the main skylight in the middle of his ceiling) started flickering. I contacted some Spanish motorhome/caravan shops and enquired about a replacement, but none could help. In fact, the only places I could find that sold the unit we wanted was Brownhill Motorhomes in the English Midlands, or a supplier in Germany. So, we got through that trip without using that set of lights.

It was a few days before we set out for Scotland in April that I next thought about that light, and with time not on our side, I went for the expensive option: I bought an identical replacement from Brownhills (£24, with a £2.30 discount applied!!). I duly fitted it the day that we travelled, and that very night one of the other identical lights started flickering. Harrumph. 

I then promptly forgot about the issue until we came to use Bertie again last week, whereupon I spent an inordinate amount of time searching for an appropriate spec of LED disc, so that I could replace just the bit of the unit that had failed, rather than needing to replace the whole thing. I eventually bought two different ones from China (£1 each, delivered to the UK), but also sent an enquiry off to a company called Aten Lighting. They confirmed that they still offered a (not mentioned on their website) repair service and could supply and fit new LED discs for £4 each. I bit their hand off (although only figuratively, as soldering in a new disc with one hand could be tricky). I sent them (two failed units plus two good ones that would likely fail soon) off in the post on Friday, and got a Royal Mail tracking message that they would be back with me by Wednesday. Excellent service by Aten Lighting. 

Our Postie quite reliably arrives between noon and 2pm, so we had everything packed into Bertie and ready to go by noon. Then we sat and stared out the window willing Postie to appear. This is like watching a kettle. By quarter to three I was convinced we just weren't getting a delivery, when suddenly he appeared. Five minutes later all replacement lights were fitted and off we went.

Where was Bertie? He spent the night at small campsite just above Langsett Reservoir in S Yorkshire, at a cost of £25 for a grass pitch without electricity.

Weather: Showery later on.

Mick had been on some strong painkillers for his back for a few days by now, so I was still in charge of driving. Given that this was less than a week ago, and that I did the driving, I have no recollection as to how the journey went, which probably indicates that it went smoothly. 

I do remember that as we drove up the steep lane to the campsite and got our first glimpse of it, my first statement was 'that looks a bit slopey'. 

So, we paid £25 for a grass pitch on a field so slopey that even our ramps couldn't get us level, without electricity, and with a very rustic unisex toilet trailer. I have no problem at all with basic campsites, as long as they're at the right price and, based on others we have stayed on lately, this one was very much not charging appropriately.

Camped in front of us was a family (mum, dad, teenage daughter) whose kit looked rather basic and inadequate. We hoped the weather was going to prove to be benign overnight, as their tents didn't look like they could stand up to even mild wind or rain, and they didn't look to have any sort of insulation to sleep on.

By the time we went to bed, rain was pattering down...