The slow journey towards Blighty !!

Thursday 6 July

We bade farewell to our buddies Mags & Brian who move on near to Cherbourg where they return to Dublin on Saturday. Au Revoir chums !!

We spend the day recuperating from the onslaught of the Irish and to give our ears and livers a rest. Jane spent the day sunning herself whilst I kept in the shade as much as I can. ( I’m such a delicate flower you see !! )

We eat up some of the various cheeses we invariably buy when in France. Most of it comes back to the UK with us where it sits in the fridge for weeks

Not much to tell you about today really as we’ve done flap all except chill out

Friday 7 July

Pretty much the same as yesterday really. Just spent the day chilling in between eating and reading. I didn’t drink much today as I’ve got an upset tummy ( Aahh bless him !! )

Game of Boules anyone ??

We tidied up and put away the awning and groundsheet and chairs before calling it a night to enable us to get a reasonable start tomorrow on our onward journey northwards

Saturday 8 July

We left Chartres and drove up to one of our favourite places in France, Lyons La Foret. A beautiful village with an old centre and market place and the cafes and bars have tables in the middle of everything.

We manage to get here after stopping twice to attempt to fill up with Diesel. One place had a canopy above the pumps of only 2.2 metres (No chuffing chance !!) and the other one, the pump didn’t seem to be working. On the 3rd occasion I finally managed to fill up ok but on getting back into the cab, the Satnav decided to pack up. Luckily Mrs Copilot is very adept at reading a map so very soon we were in our favoured destination.

We had decided to stop here for 2 nights to allow us to have a last minute chill out before the big push back home. We chose the campsite rather than the aire for a change so we could use their showers etc. There is a bar/takeaway as well as lots of kids playtoys and bouncy castle.

We pitched up and had a walk into the village for a couple of beers before returning to “Cis” and had a nice goats cheese salad for dinner. The weather today has been hot but we ended with a thunderstorm after a couple of smaller showers.

Last chance for Leffe !!

Sunday 9 July

We decided to forgo breakfast today and again returned to the village centre. We had a beautiful 3 course meal which although gorgeous rendered us that full that we had to weeble our way back to the campsite. Luckily it was all downhill. We remained on site reading outside where it was cloudy but still warm until time for bed.

I’m like Dog *#’^. Get everywhere man !!

Monday 10 July

The final day of the trip and we head off to Bergues which is about 20 minute drive away from Dunkirk car ferry back to Dover. Luckily Sally Satnav decides to come back to life.

We stop off for a fill up of the old vino and beer at the Hypermarche in Abbeville which should last us a while (2 weeks at least !!) and a final top up of Diesel to see us back home to Nottingham.

On arrival at Bergues we eat some more of the French cheese we have been amassing as apparently we are going on a diet when we return (Yeah right !!) And we need to get rid of it.

We sit around reading and then after dinner have a walk around the old town which is very interesting and behind an ancient wall. On returning we try to get some shut-eye thinking we will need our earplugs because of vans coming and going. Surprisingly it was very quiet

Not going to fit “Cis” through there!!

Tuesday 11 July

We woke up nice and early and managed to get the 8.00 ferry instead of the 10.00 which should get us home around 1.15.

On the ferry we had breakfast to keep hunger well at bay before our last stage of the journey.

As seems to be a common theme for this trip, on setting off up the M20 motorway we see that there is a severe delay where it joins the M25. We do a detour and move onto the M2 motorway which still meets up with the M25 but nearer to the Dartford crossing.

Further along as we are travelling up the A1 we see signs saying it is closed at Grantham where we are due to leave it. I ask Mrs Map reader to suss me another route and we go via Oakham and Melton Mowbray arriving at 1.35 only about 20 minutes later than expected

That’s it for this trip. Hope you enjoyed reading about it.Check our next adventure soon

Cheers P & J xx