Sunday 9th – Sunday 16th October

It is soooo looong since I’ve been to Swanage; after much indecisive dithering, I made a last minute booking for the motorhome and me to relax, chill and, importantly, catch up on this blog; I am so far behind!

Sunday 9th October

As always, packing takes me longer than I think and I didn’t set off until 11.30 am. With a stop at Winchester services for lunch, I arrived at The Caravan & Motorhome Club at Haycraft, near Swanage https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/england/southern-england/dorset/haycraft-club-campsite/ around 4.30pm.

I like to be on the ‘upper deck’ of the site but it was already full. However, I have a large pitch backing on to the trees on the ‘lower deck’. You get limited sunshine down here but less wind!

I connected to the electric, switched the fridge on and guess what! It’s not working (again). I really should’ve had it looked into after Norfolk, but it was a quick turnaround and I thought it would be OK. Switching on and off twenty times does not help. I tried a couple of mobile caravan engineers – they did not ring back.

What to do …. a week without a fridge or return home? I settled on managing without a fridge.

Using a large picnic bag with a zipped lid, I placed it outside on my folding step. I organised my lovely supply of M&S goodies into ‘eat quickly’ or ‘might be alright later’ piles. I put my milk in a bucket of cold water, just like we used to do at Guide Camp. I just hoped that no little critters would come to nibble at my food! Good job I didn’t get a pitch in the sun!

Miles – 174 miles

Monday 10th October

Margaret, (my brother’s mother-in-law) is staying in Southbourne so I sent her a lengthy WhatsApp suggesting we meet up half way, perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday, giving her some detailed travel options. Margaret replied in quick order saying she was actually on a bus on her way to Swanage right now; she hadn’t planned it, it just sort of happened!

So, a new plan! I whizzed around getting ready and then walked ‘a bit quickly’ up the very, very steep hill to the bus stop on the top of the road. I had confused myself and arrived at the bus stop at the time Google Maps had suggested I leave the site! Ah well, time to take in the view and get my breath back.

My Purbeck Breezer bus (Route 40) arrived at Swanage station 10 minutes before Margaret’s Purbeck Breezer bus (Route 50) – amazing!

Just time to have a quick look on the platform at the Swanage Railway steam train. https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk

Margaret and I strolled through the town and found ourselves a table in the new restaurant which has opened in the old buildings on Swanage Pier. The 1859 Pier Café & Bistro https://www.swanagepiertrust.com/cafe. We had a really nice light lunch and lots of goss.

Such glorious weather. After lunch a stroll along the pier and time for a selfie!

We had such a lovely time, the more so I think as it was so unexpected. Margaret came on my bus on the way back, making a full circle of Poole Harbour. I was back at the motorhome by 4.30pm, she didn’t get back to her flat until early evening! Brilliant day.

Lovely view of me and my shadow across Swanage Bay on the way back down the steep hill to the site.

Tuesday 11th October

I spent the day in my motorhome catching up (a bit) with my blog. I was working on the 5-parts of our epic trip to France and Spain earlier in the year. There was also time for knitting, podcasting and Radio 4.

Wednesday 12th October

Today a cycle ride into Corfe Castle. It is best to avoid the main road, just cross over it and ride along Sandy Hill Lane, running along the bottom of Nine Barrow Down.

Leaving my bike at the station, I bought a couple of bits in the village store and asked where they would recommend for a nice coffee. They were right, The Pink Goat is definitely the place to go. https://www.thepinkgoat.co.uk. The lunches looked delicious too.

I popped into the tiny Corfe Castle Town Trust Museum https://corfecastletowntrust.co.uk/the-museum/ – really interesting and great vintage photos on the above link.

Before returning for my bike, I spent a while on the platform at Corfe Castle as a steam train was on its way.

I went into the old signal box and met a volunteer who had, randomly, just returned from a weekend in the next village to where I live! I got to pull a signal lever just like my Grandad used to do.

I visited the museum just off the platform for the first time. Corfe Castle station …. A lovely interlude.

At rather short notice because I came at the last minute and even then didn’t let her know, my ‘oldest’ friend Sheila, who lives in Dorset, couldn’t meet up in the day time but came to the motorhome for the evening – and she brought dinner!

She stayed the night so we could talk more …….. and we talked …….. a lot! What a lovely catch-up. There is no photographic evidence of this encounter whatsoever …….. too busy talking!

Thursday 13th October

I spent the day in my motorhome catching up (a bit) with my blog. Still working on the 5-parts of our epic trip to France and Spain earlier in the year. Knitting, podcasting and Radio 4.

Friday 14th October

As above.

Saturday 15th October

Today a train ride from Harmans Cross into Swanage. The station now has a rather modern electronic screen displaying the departures and advertising a Christmas treat.

On Swanage seafront there was some confusion as to ‘buses being on diversion’ so, rather than walk back to the station, I walked along the seafront and picked up a bus on the Ulwell Road. Later it appeared that the diversion signs just hadn’t been taken down and I needn’t have walked that far.

I got off the Purbeck Breezer bus at Knoll Beach, had lunch at the NT café and a short stroll along the beach to view my favourite Old Harry Rocks. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/studland-bay

Sunday 16th October

Time to go home – most of the France/Spain trip is blogged; I had a lovely time both with Margaret and Sheila and having some chill time on my own. I’ve watched an awful lot of West Wing episodes into the early hours. Brilliant!

I managed to eat all my lovely M&S Food in a sort of order before it went off without a fridge, hardly wasting anything. Later, it turned out the fridge was pretty sick to the cost of well over £500 – ouch!

Miles = 171 miles

Total mileage = 345 miles