Testing the drive away tent.

On Friday 26th of September we took Tallulah to the Lincolnshire showground for the Motorhome show.  It was a bright, sunny day and we did a round trip of  81 miles.

We had a list of a few more things that we wanted so that she would be fully equipped for all eventualities.  We were particularly hoping to be able to get a good price deal on a satellite navigation system and a Vango drive away tent.

We had been to a few places and looked at the drive away tents and decided that the Vango Airbeam was the one we were after.   In the event we were able to get an excellent deal on it saving ourselves around a hundred pounds.  Over the course of the day we also got great deals on a Snooper Sat Nav especially for motorhomes so it has a comprehensive database of camp sites etc. 

We also purchased a MIFI unit to enable us to get Internet wherever we are (In theory)!  Several other bits and bobs were purchased such as a travel mug for Simon so he can have tea whilst driving.  

We came home tired but happy with our purchases. 

The following day we were keen to try out the awning but it was a case of finding somewhere suitable to do it.

In the end we chose a campsite from the camping and caravanning club book and gave them a ring to see if we could just go for the afternoon to test our tent.  They were more than happy to agree. 

The site was Sissons Farm  at Peakirk near Peterborough.  A round trip of just 36 miles.  We arrived about 3pm and stayed all afternoon.  It was warm and sunny so very pleasant.  I entertained myself testing out the new MIFI thingumy to use the Internet and indulged myself in a glass of the red stuff.   I was also entertained by Simon getting to grips with the tent!

The tent is a drive away Vango Airbeam which attaches to the side of our van via a strip that threads into a channel on the van awning and then threads through a gusset thing on the tent, if that makes sense?  I think the strip things are called figures of 8.  Of course they come in different sizes and we had been sold a 6mm x 4mm and we actually need a 6mm x 6mm.  This meant that we couldn't actually attach it to Tallulah!  

In theory the tent should be very fast to erect as it works on a system of air beams that are blown up with a pump and once up it is then pegged down for extra security although that is not necessary.   In practise it took a fair bit longer than the quoted 10 minutes but to be fair to Simon it was the first time and it took a while to realise that we had the wrong figure of eights.

Here are some photos of the process.

Unpacking.  The van awning is half out in readiness.

The puzzle of those pesky wrong size strips.

Laying it out ready for pumping.

It's a fun game!

Getting there,

More high jinks behind the fly screen. 

Done except for the fact it isn't attached to the van!

It was a shame not to be able to see it fully attached to Tallulah but it couldn't be helped.  We just need to change the fixing kit thing for the correct size.  (3 months on we have yet to do that)!  All in all we were very pleased with it and it will be easier to erect with experience.  

We wanted the tent so that we would have somewhere to sit outside but under cover so that we would not have to be confined to Tallulah in the event of rain.  Also we need a space where we can wash and dry a muddy dog before it goes back in Tallulah.  We don't want her covered in paw prints.  Although we are never going to be able to take Loulou with us we do plan to have other dogs in the future and part of the dream is to have them along with us. 

We didn't want a separate tent so when we heard about these drive away ones we knew it was what we needed.  You simply detach the fixing kit and zip up the back and off you go leaving your tent behind.  When you return you simply line the van up with the tent reattach the fixings and voila an en suite tent again!  

Expect to see many photos of it in the future.

Sissons Farm is a very small and quiet site, basically consisting of a field with a washroom block and a few electric hook ups. It takes 5 caravans and 10 tents.  There was no one else there when we visited. It is a good spot if you like peace.    

 

Check it out here:  Sissons Farm.

Jilly

Foxton Locks. Market Harborough.

Monday 15th September 2014.  Foxton Locks.   

Mileage start 14208.  Finish 14305 = 97 miles.

Woo hoo, our second day trip of the weekend.  Once again it was quite warm and sunny so we decided that we would visit Foxton Locks.  They are a pretty iconic sight and I have seen lots of photos and wanted to visit for a while.  I can tell you it is well worth it.

Of course the first thing to do on arriving at any destination is to park up and get the kettle on!

 

Foxton Locks are a series of Locks on the Grand Union Canal. It is a staircase of 10 locks which is still in full use today to get the canal boats up and down a steep hill.  There is also the remains of the original inclined Plane Boat lift which is huge.

You can find out much more about the locks by visiting the website: Foxton Locks

Here are some of the days photos.

These were taken at the bottom where the Leicester Line and Harborough arm meet.

The Foxton Locks are the largest flight of staircase locks on the English canal system.  Work begun on them in 1810 and they opened in 1814

Here you can see the gate at the very bottom of the staircase.

This is about halfway up and we were lucky enough to be able to watch several boats negotiating the locks.  The staircase is in actual fact 2 staircases of 5 locks each as there is a kind of passing basin halfway up.  It takes around an hour for a narrow boat to either ascend or descend. 

 

 

The guy in the blue is the lock keeper.   You can see that this is comimg up to the half way point and that basin where the boats can pass  and also pause to wait their turn if it is busy.

We were lucky to actually see how it all works when 2 boats pass each other.  One going up and one going down.

In these photos you can see the side ponds where the water circulates around keeping the locks at their right levels.

Phew!  Finally we reached the top lock and the final gate.  It is quite a steep walk.  Having got there we decided to follow the trail which takes you along the canal a little way and then over a bridge to descend down the hill on the other side of the ponds.  

Someone thinks that the notice does not apply to them!

The trail takes you through a willow grove to a lookout point where you can see the old inclined Plane Boat lift.  Well the remains of it anyway!

 

 Someone thought that a shot of my behind would be amusing!

 

 

Apparently there are plans to restore the old inclined Plane lift even though it went into disuse after just 10 years because it was not economical. 

Foxton Locks was a brilliant day out and reminded us of the fun we had on our first narrow boat holiday back in 2011.  We did negotiate a few locks and even did a tidal crossing but we didn't encounter anything like this.

We both really like locks.  Simon is fascinated by the engineering skills that went into making them.  I am just in awe of such huge structures. There are several other staircase locks in the UK and this has whetted our appetite to visit more.  Hopefully in 2015 Tallulah will take us to see some. 

Jilly