We’ve not really got up to much at New Years for a while, and had no plans, so thought about sneaking off to see in the new year in the van. We discussed Scotland, Norfolk and a couple of other ideas, but left it, as you do and in the end KB booked us in at Butt Farm near Beverley, somewhere I’d heard of before, that he found through Cool Camping.

He reckons it cost us 25 nicker including EHU for the night, and at about an hour away from home ideal for a cheeky sneak.

We loaded up in a quite lackadaisical manner (I’ve had gin) over Sunday evening and Monday morning. The most taxing part was the need to scrub copious amounts of Avebury/Pony Club/Cresswell Crags muck off the van floor.

Departure was just before noon, with the plan of lunching in South Cave at the Fox & Coney, if still open, it being a good while since last venturing over there.

Pub was not too busy and we had a most enjoyable lunch and libation before finding the farm.

We’d had a text en route to say which pitch to aim for and found it with no bother. V.rural and about 6 or 7 other units for neighbours. Of course the offspring felt the immediate need to go screeching and racing about, but it was a wee bit breezy and felt chilly after the sweltering heating in the pub.

3.5 minutes of effort to spin the front seats, pop the roof and plug in and we were sorted.

I took a constitutional to appraise the facilities. I shall be making a full report to mother as follows:

• 2 showers, information about patience for the hot water
• 
• 2 Johns, clean and smaart
• 
• Tinsel on the mirrors
• 
• A small step for chiddlers to reach the sink and an unexpected step in the entrance, to be rembered when I’ve had some Champagne later
• A bench, for when it all becomes too much
• Dog bum hooks, thus –

The site is quite small, some hard standing pitches, some grass which was a bit soggy, a couple of shepherds hut type gypsy caravans and all very tidy.

I kind of liked the way you had to drive over a bridge to get to the farm. Made the kids pull faces in case there was a troll hiding underneath!

After all the manoeuvring on our Stonehenge trip to get a satisfactory spot it was v. pleasing to note how level the pitch was

After feeling distinctly brussened from the pub lunch, tea time was a mug shot scenario and we made up the beds early and settled down.

[To be continued]

We were testing the latest wifi solution, both to keep the anklebiterz quiet with a bit of kindle time and to allow the adults to play on social media. Previously we’ve relied on public free or paid wifi in inconvenient hotspots, looked into and refused pricey motorhome wifi set ups and had a reasonably successful dongle type box with pay as you go sim, which was only partially successful as we used it abroad and had a palaver logging in each time.

We’ve now both changed our mobile contracts and KB has a ludicrously huge amount of data, which is being shared out via hotspot to various kindles and tablet.

It worked really well, we enjoyed Worlds Strongest Man together and then had movie night watching Prince Caspian. We sent the monsters to bed and watched the Last Leg and the Hootenanny over a bottle of champagne.

I went out to let the new year in at midnight and enjoyed watching the fireworks for a while, despite seeing 4 or 5 displays from the field it was still very quiet.

We retired to sleep pretty soon after midnight, and enjoyed a comfortable, warm and best of all undisturbed sleep until ten to eight! Both children quiet and in their own bed all night was a novelty and a very pleasant occurrence.

We had to check out by 12 so took our time, and enjoyed a quiet morning and good brekkie:

Had a chat to the neighbours…

Rather than return home, we decided to head for the sea. Hornsea was nearest, about 20 minutes off, we found a parking spot right outside the chippy and took off for a stride about.

As is usual on the east coast it was ruddy parky and after chucking stones in the water and Madame chasing waves, and of course getting half the North Sea down her welly, we adjourned for a nosh up.

I’m not sure if Sullivans was the only chippy open, but folks were queuing halfway up the road. After a bit of whining from the eldest, and pigeon spotting from the smallest it was our turn. We collected our order and headed over to sit on the front to scoff.

It was surprisingly tasty, even KB commented on the good chips. The infants felt the cold, so after enjoying some unsuspecting passers-by getting a good soaking when the waves whooshed up the wall, we headed for home, with a good snooze with my new trtl neck pillow en route.

If all goes to plan, we should have 7 new capers in the offing for 2019, and it should be a great year for adventures.