A Raleigh good Day, to visit Drake

It was a bit of a nightmare trip for us down from Burnham, we had planned to carefully monitor the RV’s LPG consumption and made all the usual checks, Mileage and full tanks. As usual for us something always pops up to throw a spanner in the works. 

We had been making good time sticking strictly to 50 mph as we cruised sedately down the M5 when suddenly up came the dreaded warning signs, ‘Road closed’. 

The A38 was closed just after the junction with the A380 due to a traffic accident. Which just happened to be our route to Plymouth and at first it seemed as if the signs were wrong as the traffic seemed to be flowing smoothly, until we hit the hill dropping down to the junction where in front of us it was wall to wall traffic.

Here the police directed us down onto the B3344 and as we passed one of the policemen smiled at us he probably knew what was in store for us as we headed through the tiny village of Chudliegh. 

What a nightmare it was trying to navigate a huge RV & trailer against oncoming traffic down very narrow roads and finding ourselves in tight situations. The delay not only cost us over an hour but it also threw the LPG monitoring we'd planned out the window, as it was stop start driving all the way.

Eventually we re-joined the A38 and made our way without any further problems to the Riverside Caravan Site on the outskirts of Plymouth. For any other RV drivers intending to use this stop over it's best not to follow the sat-nav's advice and turn off the A38 at the B3416, but go on to the next exit at the B3413 and use the Longbridge road past the entrance to the dry Ski Slope it’s far easier.

We quickly settled in onto our pitch and that evening made a quick visit to the sites restaurant for a well needed drink. 

The following day we nipped out to check out the nearest LPG refilling point, which the site warden said was the Esso Garage at the top of Eggbuckland Rd. 

Well it may have been an LPG filling station some years ago but now it’s a Tesco extra and no LPG in sight. 

Mike and I had originally intended to use the Texaco station in Saltash but the Tamar Bridge had huge traffic queues as it was being resurfaced, so I made a quick call to our friends to warn them who were arriving onsite the following day. 

Mike used the Lee Mills Calor depot to refuel with LPG on their way down which was not far from the caravan site and together we nipped back in our RV to refuel there as well, as it was the closest to us so now we are ready for the ferry.

Our diet went out of the window that night as Kay and I decided to enjoy a three course meal at the restaurant and a drink with our friends.

Today we used the Park & Ride next door to us and spent a day out visiting Plymouth. One of our first calls was the Mayflower steps where the founding fathers left to settle in the new world for our friend Nancy in the states. 

We visited the Hoe and the town centre where we had to get some bits and bobs for the ferry (like sea sick pills).

The Mayflower steps

Mayflower memorial

The seaward side of the steps

Plaque

More Plaques

As Kay visited her usual hot spot M&S, I waited outside while being entertained by one of the most talented guitarists I’d seen since I’d heard Mark Allen Play in Swansea.

Mark Alan played with a modern electric Fender, playing Santana and the like, but this chap Al Marconi played Spanish acoustic with a fusion of Mediterranean & Eastern style. I decided to buy one of his CD’s (Insomnia) as it was the perfect music to put us in the mood for Spain.

Drake Island

The fort

Monuments on the Hoe

The Hoe lighthouse

Now we are just sitting back and relaxing in the RV, as tomorrow we will need to get some fresh supplies for when we hit the road after our ferry crossing.

For once Kay didn't visit any of the local churches (of which there was many) to delve into the grave stones as there was a warning on the wall on the Hoe...see below

NO TOMB-STONING

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