Just back from Dartmouth

[viv]

We just had a wet and windy week in Dartmouth. We did though have a lovely stay and the campsite ' Little Cotton' was excellent. Special weekly rates for campers over a 'certain' age and really good value even without this. Immaculate site and a shuttle bus outside for the journey down hill to Dartmouth. Seems loads of people go back to this site year after year.

I had not realised Dartmouth was such a beautiful town. Loads to do in town, boat trips, local ferries to villages up river and to Agatha Christie estate (you have to ring the bell outside the pub in Dittisham and the ferry arrives) steam train, and open top bus trips, three cross river car and passenger ferries and public bus links to everywhere. A lively interesting place. Now first on my list for a holiday home when I win the lottery - Lyndhurst has been relegated to second choice. Living place rather than too commercial, not an amusement arcade in sight!!!!!

Scenic double decker bus around coast with spectacular views of coast and beaches at Slapton and Torcross.

Only problem was the wind and it was gale force so the Movelite awning only stayed up for one night and then we retired it to its bag for the rest of the week. People even took down their big awnings.

Anyway saw several Romahomes around and on the way home.

[Graham]

Hi Viv

Sounds like you and Terry had a great week, what a shame the weather wasn't up to much, hasn't it been an awful month, what happened to "flaming June"?

The campsite sounds brilliant, we have been to Dartmouth once for the day and thought what a lovely little place it was, I remember sitting outside a pub overlooking the harbour on a glorious day with a pint of real ale in my hand and thinking that life doesn't get much better than this.

Pity you didn't get much chance to try out your Movelite awning but better safe than sorry with those kind of winds it could have been a very expensive kite! ;D

Regards to you both

Graham

[Pauline]

Sounds an absolutely lovely trip Viv, despite the weather.

[wendy]

Sounds as if you had a good trip, Viv. Shame that you weren't able to enjoy your awning for longer, but at least you still have it intact.
While we were camped at Rosemarkie the wind was gale force and one motorvan awning was completely buckled and we took our little store tent down after one of the guy ropes snapped. It was also bending at ridiculous angles but the poles didn't break, thank goodness.

[moya]

Hi Viv,

Did you have any problems putting the awning up? Hope you didn't find it too difficult. Shame about the weather though.
Hopefully next time you use it the sun will be shining and you can enjoy using it more.
I have made a note of the campsite you stayed at as it sounds lovely and when we get time Dartmouth is on our list of places to visit.

[viv]

Hi all

The movelite was really easy to put up. We put in the poles and then Terry stood up underneath it and kind of moved it into position then we just put the pegs in on the guy ropes. I won't mention that we both thought the other one had pegged down the poles and that we did not realise this until the next morning!!!!!!!.

It was so windy though that we had to get it down quick and we had to leave it spread out in the van as it was wet, while we popped down again to Dartmouth for a pint.

Again everyone was helpful and a chap gave us assistance, likewise we had to help the couple next door as they also decided to dismantle their large awning - not an easy task in gales.

[djsooz]

Hi Viv,

Glad you had a good time in Dartmouth. I put up my movelite awning for the first time last weekend too. Found it quite easy - like a bendy pole tent really- but wasn't quite sure how to fit it to the van. I was left with more gaps than I would like between the awning and the van, but maybe I need to adjust it a little. A bit more practice required I think I fitted it to the awning channel above the door but it now seems obvious I have to fit it over the top of the van.

Anyway, I hope we all get better weather soon to put the awnings to the full test

Sooz

[viv]

Hi Sooz

We also did not know how to secure it to the van. The awning has a 'FLAP' bit that goes over the back of the van and you then pull the drawstring tight - we think, but the FLAP kept sliding off.

In the end Terry had the idea of tying spare guy ropes (there are two in the pack) into the little holes in the FLAP each side and pulling the rope over to the wing mirrors and tying around the mirrors. Worked a treat or would have done if the wind had not been so strong.

We did work out that the awning needs to be positioned a little to one side so that the door of van does not stress the fabric when it is open.

We also spent ages positioning the awning onto back of van as we set it up and then twigged that we just needed to get it roughly in place and then move the van into position. Easier than moving the awning once it was erected!!!!!!

We will get there in the end and it makes a lovely extension.

However we packed it up in such a hurry that we need to set it up again in the garden to get all the guy ropes etc back in place before we go out again.

[djsooz]

Hi Viv,

Thanks for the advice. Think I'll try Terry's trick with the guy ropes round the mirrors. I had used these guys to set up a porch, but we didn't keep that up long because of the weather When we fitted the flap over the van into the awning channel, pegged it and tightened the cord, it stayed up very well. But as I say the wee gaps we were left with could probably be resolved by putting the flap over the van roof. To be fair to movelite we were parked on a slope - had to use my 'chocs' for the first time to level the van.

I found that I didn't have to move the van to the awning though. Once you've put the poles into the wee rods, you can move it around a little bit at a time to the exact position that you want before pegging it down.

Anyway, thanks to your tips I'm sure I'll get a better fit on my next outing - two weeks holiday starting last week in July. Can't wait ;D Hope the weather improves for then and for everyone going to the bridgewater carnival.

Sooz.


Oops! Just realised the Bridgewater Carnival is in November. I hope to god its stopped raining by then.