This is more a plug to the staff at Bellingham Camping and Caravanning Club. What incredible people they are! A few nights ago, our charger of leisure battery failed, which just showed itself as the vehicle not charging. David (one of the wardens) helped us hugely – enabling us to establish that actually the vehicle was charging but it was just the leisure battery that was not. Our plugs, hob and pump – to a degree – were still working fine. We could continue our holiday as planned. They said that “having no heating was an emergency” and we could wake them at any time should our heating fail. We are lucky that Alde heating is super efficient and almost too warm at times. We have not had an issue and, again, the reality check is the lady choosing to sleep under canvas in the snow.

This morning we awoke to a heavy sky but none of the aforementioned snow. Fast forward 10 minutes and the snow was falling heavily. Under the command “mobilise mobilise” we packed down the van, washed up, emptied tanks and were on the road within an hour. If the battery was working as planned we would have stayed but it was imperative that we left Bellingham before the snow fell much more.

On leaving, David gave us up-to-date road traffic advice. The roads were pretty clear. This was welcomed news. We had continual snow to Whetherby and witnessed our first ever snow plough in action but it didn’t hinder our homeward journey. The van has given us an insight into yet another corner of the UK: one we may not have seen without it. Now, the only question is, where to go next?