Autumn Soup, toasty van.

Hello hope your well, 

So this week has been all about food, well harvesting actually. We went down to the allotment after being away in Norfolk for nearly two weeks and how the squashes and pumpkins have started to show themselves. the pumpkin patch was just a mass of green leaves before but as the weather is changing we are starting to see orange and grey (crown prince pumpkin). Plus a crazy glut of courgettes.

Whilst in North Norfolk we went to Felbrig hall a national trust after a very stressful morning we just wanted some comfort so we went to our safety net, a warm bowl of soup and a chunky bit of bread. This soup was courgette and garlic and I admit I did pull a bit of a face but it smelt so good. It was amazing so tasty! ever since then its all I can think about so I found a recipe online and just gave it ago and I can tell you its all we have eaten for days that and roast red Kuri squash [yum,drools] I used this recipe I was to nervous to ask at the national trust for their one.

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-zucchini-1-32520 to make it vegan I just used sunflower spread instead and used vegan stock I had in. Tip :- to save faffing you can use frozen chopped onions I had fresh but if you love soup like me and you want it quick frozen wins. The only down side is that I haven't yet mastered making fresh soup in the camper van as I don't no how I would blend it, [bit chunky] so I batch make it and freeze it to take with us when we are in the van plus acts as a little ice block for our fridge without stealing space.

Nights in the van our getting colder but whilst away we also picked up a vintage patch work quilt and a recycled wool blanket [from national trust shop in Morston in Norfolk] which as the nights get a chill will be much appreciated, however the weather has been pretty warm so we are lovely and toasty in our little cabin on wheels. I love this time of year its so cosy in pig and although the real cold hasn't yet set in which will find me and Adam searching for a bed in a house of anyone who will let us; we get to get cosy and warm under our quilts with our fairy lights on and read books. Don't get us wrong the weather can be mean and sometimes we are lucky if our hands aren't to cold to hold a book out of the quilt but I wouldn't change it for the world every night is like sleeping in a tent you made in your bedroom as a kid.

How are others loving the change in weather and if anyone has some cheap tips on staying warm in the van do let us no!

Hope your having a good week everyone catch us up on

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WALKS CHIPPING CAMPDEN AND DOVERS HILL

Walk duration: 3 hours 

Distance:4 miles

Start point Chipping Campden

What to pack: A flask of tea, sandwiches, crisps your choice of flavor and some fruit preferably a banana as we find them to give us a lot of energy. and tea wait we mentioned tea but yes a lot of tea 

  

We love our walks, we feel like we get to see so much of the countryside and even some parts which most people are not fortunate enough to see.

We have decided to add to our blog a guide to some of the walks we do to give you an overview of the walk and if it sounds right for you. This will not be a step by step guide, but rather a first-hand experience of the highlights and history of the walk.

This walk can be found in the Collins ramblers short walks in the Cotswolds. page 65 walk number 13

The walk starts by telling you to park in chipping campden but we found that you can park in the National Trust car park in Dovers hill, if you are a member it's free parking all day.

We parked her in our van and started the walk from here.

Dovers hill is famous for being the sight of the original English Olympic games created by a local lawyer Robert Dover in 1612. The games included such sports as shin-kicking sword fighting and sledgehammer throwing. 

The games were created to bring all classes of society together even royalty would attend. The games are still played today but do not include some of the more violent games of the time, the games are held every year on the Friday after the spring break.

We loved this walk its a mixture of country roads and woodlands including some incredible views of the Cotswolds countryside.  The walk also includes Chipping Campden a small market town dating from the 14th century famous for its rich wool trade.

There are some hills in this walk but nothing too strenuous the last hill which takes you through a farm was very muddy and a little challenging but other than that the hills are manageable. The walk is easy to follow with plenty of public footpath signs in every field. Most of the terrain is dirt tracks and muddy fields with some roads. it's easy underfoot but we would recommend a good pair of walking boots on every walk.

Our favorite part of this walk has to be the woodlands on the edge of Weston Park. it was full of snowdrops and had streams running through the forest leading to a very tranquil field away from the busy market town.

There are a few times where you must walk on country roads but they are quiet and are not particularly very long. the only road that can be a little scary is the narrows as this is a busy road and there is not a path to walk on. it does however only last for a couple of minutes so you won't be on it for long.

The views are definitely the highlight of this walk, spanning the countryside with views of the clent hills to the Malvern Hills. Plenty of spots for a good cup of tea and a spot of lunch whilst you take in the landscape.

We would recommend this walk as it is relatively easy and really shows what the Cotswolds has to offer. You find yourself wanting to see more of this beautiful part of the world. 

You can pick the Collins ramble guide up from most bookshops and even your local library which is where we got ours from but make sure they have it first by checking online 

We would rate this walk 7 out of 10 so it's definitely up there with walks you should do if you want to explore the countryside of the Cotswolds.

WINTER WITH THE VAN

So it's been 7 months since we first bought our 1984 1.9 VW t25 Piglet.

As we all know winter in the UK can be tough on our cars and vans, and this year was a really tough year. We have had snow, freezing temperatures and roads full of salt and potholes.

Just what you need when owning an old van.

Rust on these old vans is always a problem and believe us we have had our fair share already. We treated the rust a few months ago but unfortunately, some of it is coming back trough meaning we need to do it again and then eventually get some nice new shiny panels for pig.  

The van itself has been amazing, the engine runs beautifully "touch wood" and has been a trooper covering mile after mile with only a few problems such as our trigger wire needs replacing and oil light sensor needs a new wire.

After covering a large number of miles since we have owned the van and the 170,000 miles the van has done before we owned it the gears were starting to play up.

It started with not being able to get from first gear to second gear without feeling like you had just bench pressed a small car. and then a few days later piglet decided she liked third gear so much she wanted to stay there, luckily we got her home and started to find out the problem 

We started with the shifter and gear stick rebuilding the components with all new parts, cleaning and greasing until we were happy. After putting it all back together the gears are much more manageable, but could still be better so we plan to replace the gear linkages next.

The rest of the jobs are small but still adding up such as door handles need repairing some wires need looking at and we need to replace our pushrod tubes. But it all costs money and one thing we are not is rich, possibly because or money tree failed to grow.

But that won't stop us we make a list of jobs that need doing and then fix them in order of importance, hoping the engine holds out that bit longer for us. Other people buy clothes and food we just buy van parts.

But don't let this put you off, it certainly has not scared us off and in fact, has made us learn more about how to fix the van than anything else. We have been on some amazing adventures already this year and wild camping in some amazing locations waking up to a frosty morning with the sun pushing its way through the curtains and warming up the van slowly. 

And now spring is on the way were even being treated to some sunshine 

After seven months of ownership one thing, we can say is that we absolutely love Piglet. Even with all the problems and restoration, we would not trade her in for anything else. The freedom we get from the van is incredible, we can go anywhere we want and wake up in some remote and beautiful parts of the UK.

For the past few months, we have been keeping it close to home so we can get used to the van and find any problems, but know we are ready for the real adventures. So its time to get the fridge stocked, the gas ready, and the map in hand. Were off on our travels and can't wait to share them with you all, well that's if Piglet wants to as she can be stubborn sometimes 

happy adventures all 

WINTER WONDERLAND

This morning we awoke to a winter wonderland. everything was covered in a thick layer of snow.

Our first thoughts were to grab our walking boots and water proofs out of the back of piglet and head out into the countryside.

We do love a bit of snow and of course here in the midlands we hardly get any so this was a real rare treat 

Everything looked like a postcard, trees had snow and ice dangling from there branches like Christmas decorations, glistening away in the wind.

Gaps in the hedgerows revealed vast fields and hills in the distance covered completely in a white layer of snow.

Villages looked like they were straight out of a Christmas film, with log fires burning making the air smell like we had stepped into the past, inside people looked out onto the snow covered roads some making snowmen in there gardens.

We were now out in the countryside away from the villages and towns. Nobody around just us and nature, birds would swoop in front of us hiding among the hedgerows then fly onto the ground leaving small trails behind.

We moved a stray log next to the river and used our blanket to make ourselves a cosy seat. We had a warming cup of tea and enjoyed watching the snow fall around us

Today was a delight, getting to walk in the snow and see the fields and forest transformed into a snow covered landscape, another reason we love the seasons on this little island we call England.