Waltham Chase Caravan Club

A fine week-end helped us to celebrate Sid & Eve’s 50th Wedding Anniversary,  a buffet and drinks kept us all going until the bowling at Cobham Sports and Social Club. The automated bowling makes it much easier for us, but knocking the pins down is still tricky! Thanks must go to Chris and Lynda for sorting out the meals and the bowling.

Having trouble locating some photos at the moment, but will add them later if I can find them!

Although we were the Rally Officers for this Rally, there is not much to report, as it was a fairly short week-end. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but thanks to Dave Sales we had the use of Two canopies to keep us sheltered, for our Evening Meal and Coffee morning.

Included in this Blog are Two photos, one of the Rally Field, and one of the Sunrise on Saturday morning at Selsey, for those who might have missed it!

Sunrise at Selsey

Rally Field

We had a fine week, interrupted by the occasional shower of rain! Eight units enjoyed the fine views from the rally field, with a further unit camped up the road.

Four members were celebrating reaching their 70th Birthdays, whilst I had a smaller celebration for reaching 60! There were drinks and cakes to mark the events.

I cannot list all the excursions that the members enjoyed, but I was very impressed with the local nature reserve at Seaton.

I have included some photos below, if anyone wants to add to these just pass them on to me. (Mac)

Rally Field

Bruce Arms

Milky Way from Rally Field

A couple of photos below from our trips around Devon

Boat at Branscombe Beach

Brentor Church on the edge of Dartmoor

The Devils Cauldron, Lydford Gorge

The Rally was blessed with wall to wall sunshine for Thursday and Friday, although we paid the price for this good weather with  a terrific thunderstorm early on Saturday morning. A few photos below as proof.

On Saturday the “Nomads” returned from their epic journey around the UK, Just in time for our Evening BBQ. Thanks to Dave Sales, we had the use of Two Canopy’s, which gave us plenty of room for our supper. After we had eaten Mo had organised a Raffle, which raised funds for the club.

On Sunday Sid took most of the group  on a walk into Corfe Village for some refreshment. Another BBQ was arranged for the Evening.

After the coffee morning on Monday the pensioners got their bus passes out and had a day out in Swanage. Sadly Monica and I had to return home. If any one has anything else they wish to add to this Blog, please let me know.

Below are a few photos from in and around the site.

It will be three years come June since we were last at Limmer Pond Nursery, Aldingbourne. And like then we went to The Prince of Wales, Woodgate for our Friday night dinner.
This year we were joined by past members Sue, Mark and Karen who made our party 13 strong. It was therefore strange to be greeted by the landlady with “You only booked for ten.” A figure the rally officer didn’t recognize, more especially as the pub had asked for the meal order by the previous Tuesday – which was for 13 main courses! Most pubs would welcome some additional customers, for which there was ample room.
Having said that it is a delight to get a home made meal in a pub and the chicken pie at £9.50 was a delight. The young ladies serving were charming which made up for our strange welcome.
We put the Event Canopy to good use erecting it on Saturday to accommodate the six tables easily and keep us out of the northerly wind. It was also useful for the coffee morning on Tuesday, when there were spots of rain.
The site owner was unaware of Natural England’s change of policy regarding more than one rally being held on the same site, provided they are carefully delineated. May be other site owners are equally unaware for the rule change.

Thanks to Steve Webb for contributing this months Blog Entry

This Easter saw us returning to the Golden Swan at Wilcot. Most people will remember last years rally at this site for one reason, MUD!

Thankfully this year the ground conditions could not have been more different, with all six of our vans on the rally field, with views over Pewsey Vale.

The Golden Swan looked after us very well, with good food and fine ale! Also allowing us to use their function room when ever we needed it.

Below are some photos of Pewsey Vale taken a few miles from the site. Also there is a Timelapse video of the Rally field.

It was a hell of a “craik”

The excuse for the “craik” was to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Any couple that survives the vicissitudes of half a century of married life deserves a good party and there was one for Ian and Maureen at the Stockbridge rally, a site that was visited by the club many moons ago.
The 15 members present crowded into the new shelter to enjoy bubbly and cakes on the September Saturday afternoon. Sparkling wine – thanks to Ian and a cake with a montage of photos in icing, including the wedding day photo and a recent photo (spot the difference) plus a message to Mo and Ian congratulating them.
The shelter came into its own as the aptly named Fairview Farm had a fantastic view to the North East, which is just where the wind was blowing from. But members could fit snugly around the walls like so many North American Indians at a pow-wow in a tepee.
The idea of a barbeque was side-lined. No one was hungry. Now roll on Ian and Mo’s diamond wedding. However, it will not be at Fairview Farm, the farmer is plowing up the field!

Thanks go to Steve Webb for supplying photos and report for this rally.

Sadly no write up for the September Rally as we were on Holiday in Scotland

Nine vans attended our last rally of the season at Merley Court, with fine weather in charge all week-end. We arrived to late on Friday to join in with the Pub meal.

On Saturday evening we all got together for a skittles and supper at Cobham Sports and Social Club. The club had upgraded the skittle alley to a electro/mechanical/computerised system. This made it much easier for scoring, and the replacement of the skittles! Although the skittles did not fall any easier!! Pete and Ron tied for the booby prize, with Pete eventually claiming the prize. The picture below shows Pete’s booby proudly displayed outside his Caravan.

At the coffee morning on Sunday, we all helped Dave celebrate his Birthday with some cake.

Thats the end of another season, but there is Christmas and Skittles just round the corner.

Another visit to this popular site, although our week-end got of to a wet start.

Nine caravans attended this rally.

I cannot list all the activities that the members got up to, but on the first Sunday a Cream Tea was enjoyed by all on site. Supplied by Eve and Lynda.

Here are a few views from the site including BBQ time.

Thanks to David and Jane the group enjoyed a cider tasting and cream tea at the Yew Tree Inn, Peterstow.

After Rons bedtime I captured this image of Derek and Pams Caravan.

Monday morning provided us with Coffee, blue skies, and some sort of group/tree hug!!