Back to Banbury again..

Last weekend was a impromptu trip back to camping at Anita's in Banbury again. Having said the week before I would DEFINITELY NOT be going camping as far too much to do in the house etc, and off to Cornwall for easter it was only sensible to stay at home and sort the house out etc.

So I went camping instead.

Drove over Friday evening and met Smoky and Gumball. We bagged the corner of the packed field (no one but us as usual) and got the tents up before the last of the daylight went

Our gypo camp set up

Top left corner was our pitch

Not really sure whether we were allowed a raised firepit, so we hid it under the gazebo. Gumball recollected his stories of warming his feet on a previous trip, however the glue on his shoes came away. This resulted in the toes curling up, and should he ever need to play the part of santas helper he now has a nice pair of elf shoes ready

Saturday morning we got up and had a short walk on the darcy way again (runs alongside the campsite). Being avid botanists we hadn't a clue what the crop was growing all around us, Homers only concern was if it was edible

Walked over a few fields then we went 'off piste' to try the other fields out. Only to be met with 'no dogs' signs, so was a total waste of time. Got back on track and mooched back to awaiting horses and campsite

Next we took a trip to a furniture warehouse (don't ask, it was Gumballs idea). Played a few games of 'Which is the crappest piece of furniture' and find the cheapest soup spoons (smoky's idea) and that whiled away an hour

Moved on for lunch at Hook Norton. Smoky had found a 'lovely traditional pub with beams and brasses' etc (was a crap hole inside) and we ordered off the 'Deep fried Oil of the day Menu'. In fairness we should have been a bit dubious as there was a sign outside advertising for a chef, and the barmaid blew the dust off the menu she found behind the bar.

See it looks nice...

Gumball played safe with a jacket spud and festering tuna. Smoky had the cheese and leek bake (and later had cheese and leek sausages. Then for breakfast cheese and leek on toast. And lunch was cheese and leek pasties. There's nothing like variation on a veggie diet). I went for oil tanker fish and chips.

A coach party celebrating a 40th also rolled up at the same time (giving the illusion the pub was popular) A rather scary purple haired woman came over to pat Homer and Barley. Barley loved it, but Homer wasn't going to turn his back on her, she looked like an any port in the storm type

So with a belly full of lard we moved onto the Hook Norton brewery. Parked at the bottom of the hill (sorry Tillie, I need to invest in some ordnance survey maps for her, rather than standard road maps. Direction isn't an issue, contours are)

So here is Colditz the brewery

Wandered round the shop, and smoky got some booze (she might be a veggie but she is a pisshead as well)

Then went upstairs to the museum. Bit of a weird one this. A few models falling to bits that were donated (can just imagine the sigh of relief when they handed it over, thinking 'yayy got rid of that bloody junk')

And then you travel to the end of the building (it's not massive honest) and hit the twilight zone, where it all gets a bit strange. First off is horror film exhibit A, the Clarkes baby christening gown. Put the creeps up me and expected some dripping carcass to be wearing it as it crawled out of a well....

Then you get to Exhibit B

Evidently a 'Lovely example of a Triang pram from 1986 with a cute 'William' Doll'. The doll wasn't cute, it was creepy. And the notice further explained how the 12 year old 'Clarke' girl who owned the pram had tragically died...

Now I can understand that this is all a bit sad, but I am struggling to see what association with a bottle of 'Old Hooky 4.6% malt' a Triang pram and the demise of a local family has....

You them move onto the next part of the museum through a small door. Which is actually the exit (don't blink you will miss it)

On leaving the building there is a nice gold commemorative plaque on the wall. On further inspection it reads...'In Memory of David Clarke, a tragic short life....' ARGHHHHHH...let me out!!!

Gumball headed off home, while Smoky took me on a mystery Tour of errr...well nowhere really. It was Bloxham, but we drove straight through, then we headed to Cropredy, smoky led me to a carpark with a entrance about 3ft high which would have left Tillies room on the tarmac, so I headed back

More ale and piss taking round the campfire for the rest of the evening (sure I left my Colin Caterpillars behind as well, so if anyone finds them, they are mine)

Next day, nice lie in, messed around with Tillie and her awning

Avoided packing up as long as possible, then finally put everything away

Packed up and head to Farnboro, about a mile down the road and took the mutts for a bit of a walk at Farnboro Hall. After going down the sheer bank on our arses, we looked 10 ft across and saw the steps down

What can be better to a lab than loads of stagnant ponds

Had to avoid a few small children with their neurotic parents who thought our rabid dogs might harm little Milly Molly Mandy and her brother Timmy Tucky Whimper

Then back to the car through the woods

And time for a nice peaceful picnic at the top

Smoky was a lot more organised than me, managing the kettle, cups, plates, food, cake, stove and Ella. I struggled with Homer, Barley and a spotty handled knife

After Homer had barked at every passing human and dog for an hour, we packed up and made the journey home (supposed to be via a windmill, but think it blew away because we couldn't find it)

Cornwall next!