Autosleeper Amethyst Motorhome - video tour

There is a link to follow of us having a look around the new motorhome last night with the children enjoying using it as a playground. Their favourite part appears to be getting the step to go in and out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbwW6rBToO0&list=UUzVEhLxbDSum400LOFyyXWw&index=1

This morning was the first time we actually did anything with the new home but it was still just a little trip down the road to Morrisons and to visit Joy. I found driving it fine and it seems to go well, albeit taking a little bit of time to pull away. Once going it pootles along nicely and the children really enjoyed the view from their seats behind due to the large windows and being up so high.

One minor setback was finding we'd need a new indicator bulb for the rear of the motorhome. It's just gone.

Gym and exercise post chest infection

Its been a month since I was at the gym and didn't I feel it this morning. Having been ill I have been unable to exercise which, given I was running and cycling every day, has been quite a shock to the system.

It is amazing how quickly you lose the easy comfort that goes with regular exercise but I am hoping that it is also amazing how quickly it can return.

I got on the treadmill and churned out 5km in 30 minutes and then jumped on the bike for a further 5km in just over 13 minutes. The nice thing is I feel ok terms of my chest and haven't coughed too much at all. It is my thighs which ache, the quads. We'll see how long they take to settle down.

Another very wet day, hence the gym rather than the glorious outdoors.

Noteworthy things:

• emailed Ian G as part of catch up
• agreed to proceed with work on the attic for loft conversion
• organised motorhome
• wet walk with Alison and Maisy to Remedy Oak golf course

Turning the motorhome round

It's been a very busy day with a trip to hospital for Alison's arm x ray, fixing Joy's gate and front door lock, deciding on the work to be done converting the loft into a large room with electric and heating and light, Maria's Parents' Evening and a first run in more than two weeks.

However, the part of the day which was worrying me most was getting the motorhome out of the drive. Having reversed in, it was actually quite straightforward getting out. I cut back the hedge even harder and determined on driving back in rather than reversing so that we could access the rear door which would help with getting in and out more easily.

It was also Alison's first opportunity to sit inside the moving vehicle and I am pelased to say she enjoyed the ride being higher and able to enjoy the view with great visisbility. After just a few yards I could see that having brought a few more items inside we would have to pull over and secure them. Just yards later I pulled over again as I saw one of the doors swinging open, the ative catch not having been activated correctly. It was helpful in reminding me how important it is going to be that we check everything thoroughly before driving.

It was  a trip of just a few miles and I was pleased we went through some narrow lanes without problems. It looks like driving the MH will be ok but the parking back at home is going to be more challenging.

I drove in but getting the angle right was not easy. It looks like I will have to go past the drive and turn round down the road before swinging inside. That will allow me to follow a straight line rather than have to manoeuvre the vehicle. In theory that means the gateway is wide enough. We will see.

Stornoway and back - plans for summer trip 2020

This is how it looks for the motorhome trip to Scotland. It is such a long way to Ullapool where we get the ferry for Stornoway, we have to break the journey into more manageable sections. This time we have three stops on the way up and a further three on the return leg. I am hopeful each of them is in a beautiful setting and allow us the opportunity to explore for a few hours after the driving is over for the day.

As ever, much will depend on the weather.

Day 1 - Matlock Middlehills Farm DE4 4HY 210 miles booked and paid (payment for shower) ref 6859

Day 2 - July Hawick Riverside Caravan Park TD9 8SY 209 miles booked and paid ref 2915978

Day 3 - Dalraddy Holiday Park Aviemore PH22 1QB 179 miles booked and paid ref 21661

Day 4 - Ullapool 88 miles

Ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway 1730 - 2000 booked and paid to collect tickets at office

Day 5 - Harris and back

Day 6 - Harris with overnight stay?

Day 7 - Return to Stornoway

Day 8 - Harris

Day 9 - Ferry to Ullapool

Drive from Ullapool to Glengoulandie Camping And Caravanning PH16 5NL 149 miles booked and paid

Day 10 - Waterfoot Caravan Park CA11 0JF 186 miles booked and paid ref DBM6467538

Day 11 - Poston Mill Country Holiday Park HR2 0SF 232 miles booked and paid ref KJ8ITM8R

Day 12 - Home 129 miles

Saturday afternoon in the motorhome

Like Spencer the other day, Evie and Amelia immediately gravitated toward the overhead cabin in the motorhome when they came over on Saturday. They, along with Maria, spent the whole afternoon inside enjoying the space.

We have an adaptor allowing us to hook up to the home electric which meant the van was lovely and warm. It was also time to start popping some of the camping items out for storage e.g. balance ramps, chemicals for toilet etc.

It is a little frustrating being too ill to get out for a trip yet but next weekend is a possibility.

Autosleeper Amethyst

We've just taken possession of our new motorhome, our first foray into this type of camping. Although we've become quite experienced campers with a lovely 4 person tent and plenty of accessories which have softened the edges when away for a few days, there is no doubt the prospect of arriving at a site with little setting up to do and the guarantee of being dry, warm, fed and enjoying more space is a welcome one.

The vehicle itself sleeps four and includes everything from cooker to fridge to shower and toilet. It's a 1999 model but has under 22000 miles on the clock, fewer than a 1000 in the past 5 years. The sellers, KPC Leisure, have serviced the home, replaced the windscreen, put on new tyres, replaced the leisure battery and sorted out all of the advisory actions from the MoT. It is good to have the ability to power the home from three sources, electric, gas and battery. For our needs, when we will be largely on sites offering electric hook up, it really is going to be fantastic and we are looking forward to our trips to Cornwall and Stornoway already. I would love to be able to get across to France for a brief tour as well.

Joseph and Spencer were immediately in the overhead cabin playing zombies whilst we have the task of giving the interior a deep clean. There is a bit of dust and a sense of dullness due to the grey weather in part but also the fact the home hasn't been used much in recent years. A few homely touches to personalise the thing will make a huge difference.

We were also able to get a bike rack fitted prior to picking the home up and it is so much more straightforward than with the car. We will need to take one of the bikes apart i.e. pop the wheels off and to pack it in the home as I don't want more than two on the rack with the risk of overloading. Once on site, the bikes will be massively important as you can't really drive the motorhome into towns to park up.

I was very proud of being to get the motorhome parked in the drive with a few mm to spare either side after trimming back the hedge somewhat.It's 2.2m wide, 2.9m high and 6.2m in length and it isn't till you get it in the drive you realise just how huge it is. However, if you're going to get four people staying in there with some comfort, the bigger the better I guess.