Base Camp Journal: Bourton-on-the-Water
With most the Caravan Club sites being fully booked at the moment (travel restrictions and all that), options are quite limited. When we found a place available near Bourton-on-the-Water, we just had to reserve a pitch there: I hadn't visited the town in decades, but I remember it as the kind of pretty location Robby would really fall in love with. His summary of the four days on the way back: 'It was a nice drive there, it's a nice drive back, and it was nice while we were there.'
The caravan site doesn't have much in the way of facilities. It's very basic, in fact. There is no shower or bathroom block, and no facilities beyond the electricity points and water stations.
Also, the nearest convenience store is the Co-Operative, 4.9 miles away. Takeaway and restaurant options are limited, unless you're prepared to drive to Cheltenham.
All that aside, it's dead cheap to reserve a pitch, and our stay there turned out more pleasant that we imagined when the weather improved and we started fraternising with the other caravan owners. Robby liked it so much we'll likely be returning next year.
The Swift Base Camp doesn't have an air conditioning system, but I think we came up with the perfect solution, just in case there was another heatwave. We bought and tested a Chillmax Air unit (£30, in Asda), and it seems pretty effective in an area the size of Bertha.
The Village
The village has a definite character to it. In contrast to most cities, where things are constantly being modernised, the buildings in this town are valued and very well maintained. Nothing much had changed since I first came here as a small child. Apparently this area was central to the Civil War between Cromwell and the Royalists.
On one side of the river, there is a string of very nice little shops, and on the other side a row of half a dozen independent pubs. Close to the village centre are the model village and the Motor Museum.
No restrictions were being enforced like they are in Wales. We can go anywhere without being masked up or needing to provide contact details, though I sometimes do out of courtesy. We were able to just walk into The Kingsbridge Inn, order a pint and relax, without messing about with forms and smartphone apps.
The village is serene and romantic after ~20:00. The Kingsbridge Inn was full when we arrived early one evening. Another pub - the name I can't recall - was advertising itself as 'COVID safe', with a list of restrictions and whatnot on the board by the entrance. Most people opted for other places that were more welcoming, convenient and relaxed.
We ended up in The Duke of Wellington, a very loveable pub where nice meals are served by friendly staff.
After that, we explored the town centre for another hour or so, taking pics along the way, and then returned to The Kingsbridge Inn for another pint.
The Motor Museum
This can be found in the centre of the village, near the war memorial. Admission for Robby and myself was around £13. The place was much bigger than I remember it, and there were plenty of things to see. Some of the cars - the Jaguar and the Ford Zephyr especially - are in mint condition and they're beautiful.
I took a load of photographs, but they don't come close to seeing the vehicles up close. A lot of the exhibits are over a century old, including two caravans that are made entirely of woodand didn't look too comfortable inside by today's standard.