a few days of camping

Whilst the older kids are exploring Iceland with Scouts, Richard and I took James and Alistair camping. This was our first holiday with James and Alistair only and I was looking forward to it very much. It has been a while since we went camping without a group of friends and lots of children and I was not sure how it would feel to be just us, minus two children. As you might have thought, it was wonderful. My batteries are recharged and I don't mind going back to work.

We went to one of our all time favourite campsites, Solway View Caravan and Camping Site near Kirkcudbright in Dumfries & Galloway. If you ever come to this part of the world, I highly recommend you stay there. The pitches are enormous, they really are. There is so much space that it is difficult to decide where on it to place the tent and which way round. Each pitch has a wooden table and a fire pit, which is really useful. There is a large grassy area to play rounders or fly kites, a playground complete with rope swing and clean and warm shower/toilet blocks. There is also the cookhouse with a sofa and large table for rainy days. Did I mention the dog walking area? It is large and enclosed and has plenty to explore for the dogs. There is no campsite shop, which is a blessing as these generally stock piles of plastic rubbish the the children must have. It is a peaceful site in the middle of nowhere. I had no network reception which I normally love when camping but I did want to keep up with the Iceland adventure so had to walk down to the beach for updates. What a chore!

We spent a lot of time just sitting outside our tent, reading and knitting, or watching James and Alistair play with their new friends. They made friends easily and spent most of their waking hours on the playground or on their bikes, the also played football and flew their kite.

We explored the local beach (White Bay), a pleasant 15 minute walk from through farmland and woodlands.

White Bay and views from White Bay

We also visited the haunted cemetery and counted how many people were buried in each grave (plenty). I love the abundance of wildflowers and wildlife around the campsite, so much to see for those with a keen eye. Others see only nettles.

We visited Brighouse Bay beach, a large sandy beach. The water is far far away if the tide is out. It is also rather cold. James and Alistair built a sand boat and went on an adventure before sinking it wilfully.

Brighouse Bay

Some beaches remained nameless but beautiful all the same

James and Alistair went pony trekking. We picked the wettest day and the wettest hour on this wettest day. Even though, the boys liked it. I find these things a bit underwhelming, 15 minutes on a the back of a pony led by a teenager is not my idea of a great adventure. I fondly remembered 'proper' rides past, when I was still horse riding and wondered why I ever stopped horse riding. Money and time I guess, children possibly.

In the afternoon of that same wet day we visited the Cocoabean Factory. I had been to a 'chocolate factory' with Annie and Sam before, which involved rolling pre-made chocolates in different sprinkles (!) and was a bit wary of the workshop but it was so much better. James and Alistair really loved it and spent a good while playing around with melted chocolate. Then they exhausted themselves in the soft play that was part of the facilities (at no extra cost). We came away with chocolate dinosaurs, a wildly decorated chocolate bar each and marshmallow constructions. I bought myself a box of chocolates to enjoy later, when a sweet memory will be just the thing.

Our last visit was to Carrick Bay. The boys walked from the beach to the nearby island and low tide and I bet they felt like the Famous Five. I stayed behind and counted barnacles and enjoyed the sea breeze.

The Carrick Bay

The time flew by and we all had a wonderful time. No doubt we'll be back, hopefully rather sooner than later.

I hope you enjoyed your visit today. Thanks for visiting. xx