I suppose the whole thing started when I was about 7.
In 1962, my parents took my brother, sister and I, on a caravan holiday from Suffolk where we live, to Liverpool to visit Dad's relations.
After that, every year for a fortnight, they'd hire a caravan from a local dealer, and we'd stop in a campsite in Cheshire, and dive through the Mersey Tunnel, or board the ferry, to get to Liverpool.
Anyway, the seed was sown. I wanted to become a caravanner!
Many moons later, I bought my first 'van! It was only a little Sprite 400, but it had an awning, and it was mine!
About 4 years ago, when I got Internet access, I joined two groups. One was The Ripper, but after Baz went slightly doolally, I moved to the Crypt. The other group was Clic, or Chat Line for Internet Campers.
One member of Clic was Allen Hughes. He, and his beloved Ann-Jean, and Mac the dog, spent from Easter to late September at Roundhill, in The New Forest. Then they'd hitch up and go back home to Yorkshire for the winter.
Allen would send e-mails from his caravan, telling us of the antics of his grandchildren, stories of his childhood, tales of friends old and new, and also ideas that would pop into his head. If anyone had a problem or query, he'd do his very best to help them.
Sadly, in 2001, Ann-Jean passed away.
Clic as a community was upset.
At the end of the 2002 season, after a short illness, Allen joined her.
Clic was devastated.
I was near Southampton in early summer of 2002, but I didn't think I had the time to visit Allen. How bitter I feel now for a wasted opportunity!
Late last year, one of the Clicer's suggested an Easter Roundhill meet.
This was looked upon with approval by all.
After a couple of hiccups, a list of potential attendees was drawn up, and the plans were made.
I booked in from the Thursday to the Tuesday, and made other plans to return in convoy with another Clicer.
Ruth, my wife, told me she couldn't get time off work, Katie needed to catch up with some school work, and Fiona doesn't like camping. So it looked like it was just young Adam and yours truly.
The week preceeding Easter was warm, dry and sunny, which boded well for our trip.
A couple of days before the off, I gave our 'van, an Elddis Cyclone, a final going over, and the day before, loaded up all the provisions for the trip.
I wanted to get away by 10 am, so I did the last few things and finally escaped at 12:30!
After a relatively uneventful journey, apart from the horrendous jams on the M25, I phoned Clicer John, and told him that I was just turning into the entrance, and there was a huge queue in front of me.
As we waited, a mature-ish gentleman ambled towards us, and introduced himself as John, and told us where he was parked.
Roundhill is a Forestry Commission site, situated just off the Brockenhurst road, about 3 miles away from Brockenhurst.
The site is approximately square, with each side measuring about a mile. There are 500 pitches, but parking is left up to the individual. This means that groups can park closer together, and those that wish to remain isolated can do so. The site is undulating, but there aren't any huge hills! There are toilet blocks, stand pipes for fresh water, chemical disposal points, and waste bins dotted around, but no showers or electric hook-ups.
There are two roads servicing the site, but no hard-standings. Bread and milk may be purchased from the wardens, and they offer an ice-pack freezing service, but that's your lot!
After we'd booked in, we followed John's directions. Clic were in two small areas separated by a bank of trees and gorse bushes. John and his good lady were parked more or less in the middle, with Clicers Nik and Sue to his left, and another John and Betty to their left. Gaynor and Graeme had their big Dodge van in the clearing on the other side of the bushes.
As I pitched, John and Nik helped level the 'van, and drop the legs.
Adam was quite upset that night; it was his first night away from Mum, so I promised that if he was still unhappy, we'd up sticks and go home on Sunday.
The day dawned bright and sunny, and immediately after breakfast, John came and tapped on the door. Presently, we were joined by Gaynor and Graeme. We adjourned to their van, a big American Dodge Ram, with a 5.7-litre V8!
We were alerted by another powerful rumble, and we watched a very clean Bedford CF pull an Avondale Kingfisher onto the pitch next door. Christine and Derrick hopped out. In turn, we helped them level their 'van, and erect the awning.
Having had a chat with Derrick, we ascertained that this Bedford had a very sweet Rover V8 propelling it!
After that, I was suddenly aware that I hadn't seen AJ for a while. He rode past on a bike. Which I thought was odd, as we'd left his bike in the garage.
I ambled over in the general direction that he'd gone in, and found Lindsey and her tribe. Apparently, Adam had helped them set their tent up! Great fun for AJ, and he's now in love with Sarah (who's 14!) and Sian (12). They and their brothers Steve (10) and Sam (9) just sort of adopted him!
I missed Batch and his family arriving. One moment there was a lump of empty field, and the next it was full of Bailey Ranger and Bradcot awning. Mrs Batch (Sharon) is really lovely, and as mad as the rest of us!! Their two, Sam and Sarah (it gets confusing!) joined in the antics with Linz's group, Adam, and a couple of other kids.
Batch's Ranger is 5 metres long, and the awning is 7 feet wide! This adds up to a huge area for entertaining in!
Also, seeming to just appear out of thin air, was Edd and Emma, with daughter Anya. Their Toyota Avensis had brought them and their ABI Jubilee Viceroy from the Midlands. Anya is 18 months old, and I don't think she stopped smiling all the time we were there!
That night, there was such fun in there (so I've heard!) which involved Gaynor, a can of squirty cream, and some lap dancing. I was trundling back to my own tin-tent with AJ, for an early night.
On the way back from the toilet block, Adam told me that he might just stay until Tuesday after all!
I was woken rudely at around 5:30am by a meandering bovine giving voice about 6 feet from where I was peacefully sleeping. I have never heard a cow sound like it! I'm damn sure it had swallowed a megaphone.
I eventually got back to sleep.
Eventually, after brekkie, we venture forth. This is when I was accosted by several Clicers all wanting to know where I was the previous night, and had I heard about the squirty cream/lap dancing?
There was going to be another get together tonight, bad behaviour compulsory.
Actually there would be two get togethers, one was the barbeque, and the second was a gathering to raise a glass in honour of Allen.
Partway through the day, a Fiat Punto bearing two Northface tents and three mad Irish backpackers appeared! It was Sooosssaaannn, hubby Philip, and beautiful daughter Katie. The tents were set up in moments, and Sooosssaaannn produced a rather large drinking vessel!
More surprising was the fact that wine bottles kept topping it up!
Surprising because Sooosssaaann was supposed to have been on the wagon!
At around 6, everyone congregated near to 'Allen's Glade' and had a barbeque, but the weather was cold and windy, so we retired to Batch's awning.
At a few minutes before 9, all the Clicers, braved the elements, and toasted the memory of Allen and other Clicers gone to that great camp-site in the sky.
Then back to The Batch's Arms for more drunken revelry!!
Adam helped me home, I made the beds up, got him into his sleeping bag, sat on the bed, and broke it!!
At about 4 am, I was really thankful that we'd got a Porta-Potti!! That Becks contains a vast amount of vitamin P!!
After we'd got dressed, I looked to see what damage I'd done to the 'van. When making the bed up for the night, the table is unhooked from the wall bracket, the leg folds up, and the table top is slid into two grooves, one along each front edge of the seat. Some manufacturers prefer a wooden batten, routed into an 'L' shape, but, on our Elddis, these are plastic, and along one side, 2 of the 3 feet of plastic has cracked!
Gaynor called earlyish on, and gave AJ a nice Easter Egg, so we went out and delivered those that we'd brought. I did wonder if we were going to be held responsible for making the kids sick, but everything seemed OK.....
I gave Katie an Egg, and she told me she'd love me forever!
We went into Lyndhurst to see if the caravan shop could offer anything to effect even a temporary repair. Sadly, nothing doing. It's a lovely shop to browse in though!
To cheer ourselves up a little, AJ and I went to Beaulieu. I was a little disappointed with the lack of commercial vehicles on display, and the vehicles that were there seemed cramped.
AJ seemed to enjoy himself, and had a go on most of the rides!
If you've never been to Beaulieu and want to, the Volvo display with the crash test dummies is hilarious!
Arrived back on site, Sian came galloping over and handed AJ a cereal bowl full of mini-eggs and a couple of Creme Eggs. They'd had an Easter Egg hunt while we were out, and they'd saved a share for Adam!
At around 6:30 we all headed for Batch's awning and gave more of the booze a bit of a seeing-to!
By half past one, I decided to go home! Adam helped me again!
AJ was a little down today; Edd is leaving for home in the morning, and Batch is going after lunch.
Surprise!! Howard Harbert has arrived! He tried to get into Roundhill, but was told it was full, so he went to another site about 10 miles away.
He's got a VW Transporter camper that he imported from Germany.
We help Edd pack up, and pull the ABI around so he can hitch up. After many hugs with Anya and Emma, we shake hands and they glide off.
Later that afternoon, we also help Batch dangle the Bailey on his Volvo. Again, hugs and kisses with the ladies, and we all wave them off.
I'm suddenly aware that we haven't seen much of Susie Pooh today. It's getting on for tea-time, and she hasn't done vertical yet!
Adam and I have tea at ours, as Linz feeds her brood, we'll go back for a while later. We're leaving in the morning, so I decide to drink coffee. Linz is also leaving, so she decides to leave the alcohol alone.
Howard turns up, and we manage a nearly adult conversation!
The Crypt was discussed reasonably heavily, and at around 10, we say goodnight.
AJ is really unhappy because we're going home. He's told both Sarah's and Sian that he loves them, and they've all got each others mobile numbers!
I've found two more campers that knew Allen, and had a chat with them.
I've emptied the Porta-Potti and the waste tank for the last time. We've moved everything that can fall down, and it's time to lift legs.
I heave the Xantia into reverse and get the ball under the hitch-head.
Wind up the legs and drop the jockey wheel, so that the ball engages. Hook on the breakaway cable and plug in the 12N and 12S. A quick check to see that all the tail-lights are performing as they should, and ready to go.
Finally remember to stick the towing mirrors on!
We walk around the site, saying goodbye to all our new friends, and promising to be back next year.
A relatively uneventful journey home, and smiles, hugs and kisses from the family Cuddles!
After a chat with Mrs Cuddles, I decide that there's a bit of work to do on the Cyclone, and I could spend quite a lot of time and money on it.
But do I want to?
In monetary terms, it isn't worth an awful lot, and I could spend £300 on new upholstery and curtains. That would add about 50 quid to it's price!
In realistic terms, it's dry, and it tows well. Yes, I could put some new tyres on it, overhaul the hitch-head, service the corner-steadies and replace the jockeywheel. In fact I need to replace the jockeywheel, as the tyre has disintegrated! I could replace the fridge and the heater too, but the old ones are still serviceable. At the end of the day, all this work wouldn't make it worth any more.
We've more or less decided to look for something a little newer. We may be offered a trade-in value on the Elddis, but I feel we'd be better off selling privately.
I'm now looking for either a Sprite Musketeer, ABI Marauder, Avondale Leda, or even a Monza. I'd love a Bailey, but we can't run to one YET!!
We WILL be having an awning, and some outdoor furniture, and a radio in it!
