This was an adventure! In fact I loved, loved, loved it, even with a little bit of rain and cold. 😍
You see, the thing is, I’m making plans, and I like to get on with things. My retirement will be here before I know it and it’s time to put some things in place. One of those plans was to buy a little place abroad and disappear into the sunset. However, there is a slight problem in that, for various reasons, I can’t decide where I want to be just yet. There are lots of places I could live but I’m not sure I can make my mind up right now.
I still have this long list of places in my head that I want to visit. There is a little bit of me that knows that the itch to travel will not go away, because I’m too inquisitive and have such a thirst for knowledge and discovery of different cultures and countries…………….they fascinate me. I still want to be able to go to all those places.
My Plan B was to have a campervan until I’m ready to hang my hat in one place…………………………… so that’s the route I’ve decided to go down for now. That brings its own dilemmas like what make of van, what size of van, what do I want the inside like, do I want a full bathroom, what seating layout, what kind of bed, how much storage, what fuel, what gearbox…………………the list is endless.
Now this is where Margot comes in! “Who is Margot?” I hear you say. Well……………………….Margot is a 4 year old Citroen Relay converted panel van I hired from a lovely couple in Manchester who were brave enough to allow myself (aka Dora the Explorer) to go on a road trip in their van. And oh boy…………………what fun I had. And I’m going to tell you all about it……………….where I went in Margot, what she was like and what I did and didn’t like about her.
You see, these things cost quite a bit of money…………………..and I don’t want to make a huge costly mistake. So I thought “Hire a van and see if you like it!”. I wasn’t even sure I could sleep in the middle of nowhere in a van and feel safe. When the boys were little I took them on many camping adventures, but with two adventurous boys, just two years between them in age, by the time it got to the end of the day I could have dropped to sleep stood up. But at 54, sleep does not come as easy as it did then.
I thought that if I hired Margot, as well as seeing if I liked van life, it would also give me an idea as to the right size of van for me and what I wanted it to have in it, because I’m only doing this once, so I want it to be just right.
So where did I go in her…………………………………..I went to Yorkshire of course! It’s a bit like when you are little and you and your mates want to try camping in a tent for the first time so you camp in the back of someone’s garden or the field next door to home! 😆 I thought, “I’ll just go to Yorkshire, and then if I really don’t like it I can pull up on the driveway and get in my own bed at home.” 🤣
But it did not come to that………………….I loved it.
So what was she like? She was like a cosy little cottage on wheels. The thing is, I don’t want anything fancy, I’m not that materialistic ……… and I am trying to simplify my life and declutter, but I want everything that I need. When I go off I want to go off for quite a while…………….sometimes weeks, maybe a month or two. Sometimes in the UK, sometimes further afield in Europe. So I soon realised that my original plan of having a VW Campervan was not going to work. As much as I love them it would be too small for long term off-grid adventures.
For a start, I want to be able to stand up and walk around in it without having to pop a roof up. I also don’t want to have to assemble my bed every night for weeks on end, or have to fold my bed away when I want to get to the kitchenette. I’d like a fixed bed with a proper sprung mattress that I can just collapse into at the end of the day’s adventures…………………….one that stays in place all the time. I’d also like a full kitchen with a hob, oven and fridge/freezer because I like to cook and experiment with local food from markets etc.
However I don’t want a really expensive motorhome with a sterile interior like the inside of a caravan and loads of gadgets I’m not going to use. That wouldn’t be homely enough, and it would be far too big. I want something small enough to not restrict where I go, that I can park in a city and drive around in as if it were a normal vehicle. I don’t want something the size of a lorry, I would not have the confidence to drive it and it would not be cosy enough.
I picked Margot up quite late in the day so I headed straight over to the city of York where I had an art course the following day. I used the ‘Park4Night’ app to find a village on the outskirts of the city, out in the countryside, with a pub within walking distance. I can recommend this app, it was really good and I used it on all 3 nights. People with campers highlight on a map, and rate places they have found to park their vans, and this is all displayed in the app. There are proper campsites, places in the middle of nowhere, places with views, and everything inbetween……………..no matter what sort of place you want it will be on there. I didn’t want a busy campsite, it’s not my thing. I wanted a park up in the countryside, with a nice view, but ideally within walking distance of a pub with a roaring log fire! I don’t want much do I! 🤣
So, to cut a long story short, I found a patch of land just outside the lovely little village of Nether Poppleton and pulled the van up. It said on the app that there was room for 3 vans, but there was only Margot there! There was a tinkling stream nearby, a lovely little view out of the van, and the Lord Nelson pub with a very welcoming set of locals, a good hand pulled beer selection, roaring log fire and a delicious tapas menu. That was me sorted for the night. I had a lovely dinner, half a Black Sheep beer, got all warm and toasty in front of the pub fire , wandered back to the van, made myself a cuppa (Yorkshire tea of course) and read my book for a while.
Let me give you a little look at the sleeping arrangements. Margot has a full sized fixed double bed at the back with a proper sprung mattress ………………….. perfect………………………..I slept like a log and did not wake up once in the night.
I wasn’t too cold either. Now don’t get me wrong there was no silk and lace negligee ………………. I had a full pair of satin PJ’s on, my fluffy socks and my sheepskin slippers! There’s nothing passionate about camping in a van, in Yorkshire, in October! 😆 The priority is to keep warm. However, Margot does have a 12V heater on board which works really well and keeps the van very warm as she is all wood clad and insulated.
I woke to a cold and wet morning the next morning but the sun was at least shining. Breakfast was served………………..bran flakes, a chopped banana and a cup of tea, as I was pushed for time, as I needed to be at my art course early (which I’ll tell you about another time).
This is when I discovered my first possible improvement to Margot. Toilet and shower facilities. First of all, toilet……………………….she only has a porta potty. It’s like a little commode that you pull out of a drawer, lift up, and sit on in the middle of the van………………….so you have to like an audience and be pretty familiar with who you are travelling with. It’s a little bit like going to the toilet outside. Whilst I had no issues having a wee I just would not be able to bring myself to do anything else on a porta potty even though it had a chemical cassette, it must be the Princess in me. 🤭 However, McDonalds to the rescue. You are never too far from a 24 hour McDonalds these days and they do have their uses occasionally ……………………………I pulled up, bought a coffee and used their freshly cleaned toilet facilities.
Fast forward to later that day. Art course completed and I decided to be brave and go to North Yorkshire, a little more remote, and have a couple of nights in beautiful Wharfedale and Wensleydale in two of my favourite Yorkshire villages. I’d spotted on the app a lovely parking lot in the beautiful village of Kettlewell. It was an area of land at the side of the River Wharfe behind a farm. They had a little honesty box – £2 per night per van – a bargain, plus £3 to leave it there all the next day which I wanted to, because I wanted to go off exploring on foot. There was room for around 10 vans and there were around 5 already there when I got there.
Now you’ll soon realise that this is quickly turning into a gastronomic tour of Yorkshire. Although Margot does have a cooker, and I plan to use the cooker in my van, I only used the kettle in Margot. There is such fine food in Yorkshire that it’s a shame not to try it…………….. and there is nothing I like more than a cosy Yorkshire pub on a damp dark evening.
I got out of the van and was quite glad I had neighbours. It was Halloween night and I emerged to an eerie moon shining through the trees and two lit pumpkins staring at me. The couple in the van opposite were in their van and watching TV and gave me a wave so I felt a little reassured. I have to be honest, I’ve always been a little bit scared of the dark.
I wandered into the pretty village and found both the Blue Bell Inn and and the Racehorses Hotel open. I opted for the Blue Bell as it looked a little more lively, had a roaring log fire, extensive menu and a lovely Wharfedale Brewery dark ale on tap.
What did I opt for. Whitby Scampi, side salad, fries and home made tartare sauce. It was delicious. I left with a rosy glow after half a beer, a plate full of Scampi and an hour in front of the fire.
Another thing to bear in mind though is that life in a campervan may not be for you if you like to have your fancy clothes on and makeup all of the time. You will notice on all of the photos I look a little au naturel. Life in a van is about going back to basics and enjoying the simple things in life. I went for four whole days without a shower, hair wash or my make up……………………..I look gradually more unkempt as the trip progresses. 😂 I can testify though that thanks to a pack of Pampers baby wipes I did smell quite good throughout the trip as there are alternative ways of freshening up without a shower and I don’t do dirty. However, this lifestyle can be a little bit of a problem for me as I am 50% Princess…………….I like my dresses and makeup……………………….although I’m equally happy without.
My van will have to have a shower and a proper toilet in it because I run, hike and get dirty. I cannot go on the road for weeks without these, and I realised that after just 4 days and 3 nights in Margot. But that was the whole point of the hire………….to see what I liked and what I didn’t. I will also take a little bit of makeup and some nice clothes when I go off in my van because whilst I love the spontaneity and freedom of being in the van and going to places that you can’t go and stay in without a van, I do know that every so often the Princess in me will need a treat night or two. I don’t think I’d spend more than a couple of weeks in it before I parked it up and spent a night or two in a hotel or bed and breakfast…………………..but that’s the beauty of it………………….you can do what you want, when you want. This confirmed for me that Margot was about the right size, as from the outside she’s just like a normal panel van. I would not be comfortable parking up and leaving a luxurious huge motorhome. I’m wanting something a little smaller and more rustic and homely.
I’ve just realised I’ve not shown you what she’s like on the inside other than the bed. She’s basically like a little house, very rustic and Scandinavian in style, all wooden cladded and insulated. At the opposite side from the bed is the living area and kitchen. There are two comfy padded seats each side of a pull out table and a fully tiled kitchen complete with gas hob, sink, lighting, lots of cupboards and storage, and cosy curtains to keep it all private at night. There’s plenty of room to stand up and walk around and go about your normal business. She also has a big, pull out awning on the side in case you are somewhere hot and sunny……………………no need for that on a Yorkshire October day though! 😆
There’s also lots of storage under the bed at the back for camping stuff, suitcases, walking gear and it goes back a long way so you could even get bikes under there too.
I had another lovely night’s sleep next to the river and woke up to another damp day. However, the forecast was good so I decided to go with my original plan to leave the van and go exploring one of my favourite Yorkshire Dales, Wharfedale, on foot. I had planned a circular walk from Kettlewell, where the van was parked, over the fields alongside the river to the small village of Starbotton, and then back along the top of the valley to Kettlewell. So time to share some photos now and you’ll see why it’s one of my favourite places, even on a rather dull day.
The path meanders alongside the river.
It goes along little farm tracks and between buildings.
I love walking in Yorkshire on days like this, because the skies are fantastic. It can’t decide whether to be sunny or rainy so you get fast moving clouds floating across the sky.
And every now and then the sunshine pokes its way through.
In this part of Yorkshire there are endless rolling green hills, livestock, miles and miles of dry stone walls and huge skies.
I love being out here whatever the weather.
I particularly like Autumn as there are so many colours. The green of the grass, blue of the sky, and the multitude of different shades of brown, gold and orange of the turning leaves. The sun shining through the clouds projects movement onto the fields as they float by, and the skeletons of the bare trees stand stark still in the fields waiting for the warmer weather.
By the time I got to the Fox and Hounds pub in Starbotton I was quite cold. As if by magic I got there 5 minutes after it had opened and the fire was already ablaze. I got myself settled in front of it to peruse the lunch menu…………..I was a little hungry. The menu is extensive. You can have a full dinner or a sandwich. But guess what I saw on the menu…………………. Fish and Chip Sandwich! Now you can’t get much more Yorkshire than that! It was amazing. It was a piece of lovely battered North Sea Cod, served in a brioche bun with a side of home made chunky chips. It did have a little side salad if anyone is worried about my 5 a day. 😆 With a pot of Yorkshire Tea, some salt and vinegar for my chips and a dollop of tartare sauce for my fish it was a sandwich to die for! Ten out of ten for the Fox and Hounds, Fish and Chip sandwich.
I then proceeded to wander back across to the other side of the river and the big climb up to the top of the valley side. I’d decided to take the high path back to Kettlewell, to take advantage of the sweeping views down into Wharfedale.
The views were lovely, all the way along the valley to Kettlewell.
When I returned I found the ‘&then Tasting Deli and Cafe’ open. I popped in for one of their delicious ‘Fat Rascals’ and a coffee, which prompted me to dig my recipe out and make some once I got home, which I did and shared with you in my last post.
Then I discovered something quite amazing which solved my dilemma as to what to do for dinner, as I only needed a snack after my huge Fish & Chip sandwich. Parked in the entrance to the parking lot behind the farm was this………………….
Yes, ‘The Heritage Meat Hut’. Basically they are a family run farm specialising in native British breeds of cow, sheep and pig and their aim is to produce the highest quality meat products. As an offshoot they have the ‘Heritage Meat Hut’ which is pulled all around North Yorkshire by a cute, vintage, yellow Massey Ferguson tractor. So there is was………………a truck full of meats, pies, sausage rolls and joints of meat.
So what did I choose…………………………………well it had to be a Pork Pie didn’t it! Another British staple. You can get Pork Pies all over the UK and I know I’m biased but the Yorkshire Pork Pies are the best. 😆 A pork pie is a British pie. It is chopped pork and pork fat, this is then surrounded by jellied pork stock and is then encased in hot water crust pastry. They are usually served cold at room temperature. In Yorkshire we also like to eat them hot with mushy peas and gravy. I was just having mine at room temperature with a cup of tea. But this wasn’t any old Pork Pie………………..this was a special one…………………..it was topped with caramelised red onion chutney and wensleydale cheese. 😍
Oh wow it was good. But I wasn’t too greedy. I only had half………………..saving the other half for the day after……………….and having an apple for dessert just to balance things out.
It was time to move on for my final night in Margot. I decided to go to my other favourite Yorkshire Dale, Wensleydale. I found a spot on the app which it said was really quiet. I drove off and parked her up in a layby next to a nature reserve just as the sun started to set. However, I was miles from the nearest village, it had got dark really quickly, there was no-one around and it was only 5pm. I started to get a little bit scared! I don’t know why, but it just didn’t feel right………………. I felt vulnerable……………………..but that’s the beauty of having a home on wheels…………………………I just put the keys in the ignition and moved on. I needed the outskirts of a village where I was on my own, but not, if you know what I mean.
So I pulled up in a layby just outside the beautiful little village of Hawdraw. It was dark and quiet but at least I was in sight of the village and a short walk from a warm pub……………….this time the Green Dragon Inn……………………another pub with a roaring log fire, good selection of beer and extensive menu. I didn’t eat there, but the food did look really good. If you like waterfalls, one of the most famous waterfalls in Yorkshire, Hawdraw Force, is at the back of the pub. It is England’s largest single drop waterfall.
I had another lovely sleep in the van and woke to such a nice surprise. It was dark when I’d parked up so I hadn’t really seen the views. I woke to a sunny morning, blue sky and a lovely view down the road from the back of the van.
Through the side door of the van were rolling hills and the farmer was herding and feeding his sheep. He gave me a big wave as I opened up the van to let in the morning sunlight. In the other direction was the village.
My little adventure in Margot was coming to an end as I had to take her back later that day. I had become quite attached to her. I just had time to call in the pretty market towns of Hawes and Aysgarth on the way to drop her back off in Manchester.
Hawes is a lovely village. It is famous for being the home of Wensleydale cheese, a white crumbly cheese from Yorkshire, which in my opinion is the only cheese to serve with Christmas or fruit cake. You can actually visit the dairy and learn all about its production and see it in action. The village is a mecca for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. It has the river Ure flowing through it ……………. and I mean literally through it, in waterfalls, right next to the houses! Following a night of heavy rain it is quite spectacular to see the river crashing through the village.
We get lots of rain in Yorkshire so it’s no surprise that we have lots of amazing waterfalls. Some of the most amazing are in the nearby village of Aysgarth. Aysgarth Falls are quite spectacular after heavy rain and today was no exception. They are three, stepped waterfalls, one after the other, on the River Ure. The photos really don’t do it justice because for me, half the beauty of a waterfall is in the sound which I can’t encapsulate here.
It was time to head back to take Margot home after what was a thoroughly enjoyable adventure. I returned her via Ribblehead viaduct, another little Yorkshire wonder with it’s 24 arches spanning 400 meters.
Just one final surprise in store to round off the weekend…………………………………..a double rainbow!
So did I like van life? A resounding “Yes!” It’s definitely for me. Not full time because I like my little treats from time to time, and I also like to relax at home in the cosy spaces I’ve created in my house. But there is something special about being able to go where you want, when you want and having that freedom and flexibility. You can travel at exactly your pace, moving on when you’ve had enough of somewhere and staying longer when you find a special place. There is something special too about simplified living……………………you have everything you need, and nothing you don’t, which just leads to a calmer less cluttered space and mind, a slower pace of life and lots of time for reflection. There’s also the option to go off-grid and find that solitude and really get away from the chaotic world we live in.
I can see from spending time in Margot though how important it is to get your van just right for you. There are things that Margot had that I can do without, but there are also things that Margot didn’t have which I definitely can’t do without, so my advice to anyone thinking of going down this road is hire first! It’s an excellent way to come up with your ideal van design.
So my planning has been keeping me busy. I’ve wheedled 15 van convertors down to a shortlist of around 5 who I am in regular contact with as I try and cut the list down to the final 2 to take it through to the design stage and start talking detail. It’s going to be a panel van conversion in a very rustic and simple Scandinavian style, featuring lots of oak or ash, natural materials and some lovely textiles and fabrics. The only downside is that the best convertors obviously book quite a way ahead. But I’m in no desperate rush. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I’d rather wait for the right outcome than rush and not end up with what I want. So realistically I’m thinking that I might not have a van until 2027…………………………………..plenty of time for me to think of a name for it, choose my fabrics and plan some routes! So watch this space…………………….I’ll give you some updates on the process in due course……………………………….I’m quite looking forward to going ‘On Tour’! 😆