High up Teesdale, Cow Green Reservoir is at the heart of what is known as “England’s last great wilderness”. It is wild and woolly and extremely beautiful. The fells are home to a number of rare species and there are extensive prospects for walking.
The car parking area at the reservoir is split into a number of smaller car parks. When we were last there three vans were parked for the night but each of us had a separate area and plenty of privacy and peace.
Picnic tables, one temporary toilet, information boards and contributions box.
Surprisingly, we had both phone and Internet signals.
We bid farewell to the peace of Sweethope with some reluctance but had in prospect the excitement of a trip on the preservation railway in Alston, so left in good spirits – though not before we struggled to pay our dues. At Sweethope you pay when you go but we found a “Gone to Hexham” sign in the window. There were envelopes available to leave the money but no sign to tell us how much to pay. we rang the contact mobile number, determined the cost as £13, and left the cash.
As we approached Alston the Diversion signs were out. We knew the diversion from a previous encounter. It is a long and awkward one to go around and miss a few yards of street closure in the centre of Alston. We made a rapid decision to miss out the railway and head straight over to Teesdale.
Hot dog
It was chilly up at Cow Green and the weather was not terrific, though we kept dry when taking Nell for a walk. It was not sufficiently good to feel that we wanted to go ahead with the planned barbeque though. I made hot dogs in the van and we sat and watched the sun sink and the sky clear over from Cumbria.
On Wednesday we travelled down to York, where we stayed at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Rowntree Park site and the following day popped over to Pocklington for a couple of nights at The Mile farm shop.
The Mile Farm Shop
On Saturday we put a few miles on, making our way down to Cambridgeshire, where we stayed two nights at the National Trust’s camp site at Houghton Mill.
Houghton Mill
Tomorrow we leave Houghton and go to France. We will head for the Aire in Canterbury and park up there until it is time to go for our shuttle.
Cottages in Houghton
It is hard to believe that it is finally happening and that we truly are off to France after so much anticipation and planning.
