We return home from Crete. The weather at home cranks up into heatwave mode. We get busy unpacking plus preparing for my visiting Offspring 2 and Grand-offspring 3, coming for a weekend. During this time, the jab I’ve had administered as a temporary measure to get me mobile, wears off- sadly, having been successful for all of one month. Nevertheless I decide to cope and hobble about the best I can- which I do. And it’s delightful to able to introduce my newest grandchild to the joys of the seaside and the discoveries of the garden because she’s only visited in the winter months before.

Once they’ve returned, we turn our thoughts towards another trip. I’ve resolved to make the best of my lack of mobility. We need to make a ‘tryout’ trip, following the depressing debacle of our last year’s French jaunt: [https://gracelessageing.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=8132&action=edit]. We’ve done what we could to ensure there will be no problems this time, by getting the garage to give the van a health check. But you never know!

For the tryout, we’re sticking to the UK and we fancy a visit to Cornwall, where we haven’t been for a long time. The heatwave has continued. We prep the van with our lightest bedding and stock the fridge with salad items, although we’ll eat out when opportunities crop up of course!

Cornwall is the most south westerly corner of the UK and should, by rights, have a mild and pleasant climate, although these days we can no longer expect weather to be predictable. We’re not travelling to Cornwall in one journey but will break it up by stopping over in Devon, which is between our county, Dorset and our destination. We’ll spend a couple of nights at Lydford, where there is a wonderful gorge, tended by the National Trust.

It’s a long, hot journey and in a reminder that our van is wearing out along with myself, the air-con has given up the ghost. This is not life threatening, however, as we can cope with the windows down and slugs of water along the way.

The site at Lydford is good, although sites in general have become much more expensive now. It’s still hot when we arrive and we’re led to a pitch quite a way from the showers etc but we do have a patch of much needed shade. There are only a few others- a Dutch motorhome with multiple dogs, a German motorhome and a couple of others. We’re on Dartmoor, an iconic part of Devon, and will be able to get a bus from the end of the road.

Once we’re installed, Husband goes for a reccy, to see how far the village is and where there might be a likely pub, which is not all that much of a chore for him because pubs are some of his favourite places! The good news is that there are two. The bad news is that I’m unlikely to get to either of them. Husband looks smug. He spotted a taxi service in the village. One of the pubs looks nicer than the other and is a little further away so a taxi is the answer. Sorted!

Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com