Towards the end of April we decided to swap the Duetto we bought last November for a rather nice Fiat Trigano Tribute we had spotted. It was a slightly more spacious and had a nice feel to it. plus I could actually reach the pedals which means I can drive it. Unfortunately for us it needed some work doing before we could have it. Several weeks later, on 22nd May, we finally took possession but it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that we finally got a chance to take our Trudie on her maiden voyage. We didn’t want to go too far for our first outing so we thought the Peak District would be ideal since it’s on our doorstep. We also wanted something off grid as Paul wanted to test the leisure battery and try out the new Jackery portable power bank which can be charged up using the solar panels we bought a few years ago to use on that fateful Shell Island holiday. With all this in mind we knew exactly where we were going to go. Lathkill Wild Campsite is nothing more than a huge, slightly sloping, empty field in the middle of nowhere and the only facilities are a water tap, a couple of sinks for washing up, three toilets and a urinal in a partitioned shed and a chemical toilet waste disposal point. You just rock up for the night, pitch up and pay your dues when the owner comes around in the evening. We were discussing our potential getaway on our weekly Wigglie Wednesday to which Suzy said it sounded like just the place Darroch would like to go to test out his mobile power station; aka our old orange VW T4, which he has just finished fitting out; before they take Jude and Finners on holiday the following week. So, before we could blink we were being joined by the McLeans. 

Now, July doesn’t offer us much time to get away before the school holidays without offending someone due to the amount of bloody birthdays! As usual we chose to go Monday to Thursday to miss all the weekend warriors, entitled numpties and obnoxious and unruly children but that Monday was Danii’s birthday so we couldn’t set off until we had seen her. To be fair we weren’t too late setting off in the end and were soon meeting the McLeans at the local garage where we filled up with fuel. As we turned the first corner at the end of our street I felt like I was on the waltzers as my seat spun round. The swivel catch hadn’t clicked into place so I was spinning this way and that with every turn. I thought I had fixed it whilst we were in the garage but oh no, I hadn’t. I spent the whole journey spinning and twirling on that seat. By the time we arrived at the campsite I was decidedly giddy.

Paul had decided that, because it was the first time he had driven Trudie he would prefer to go down the M1 to Chesterfield rather than negotiate Sheffield. Off we went with Suzy and Darroch following close behind. Well I say close, but to Darroch anywhere within half a mile is close. Soon messages and phone calls were flying between the two vehicles. Which lane did they need to be in for the M18/M1 South junction? Which junction did they look for to come off the M1? How far back are you? As it happened all went to pot when we hit a traffic jam just before the Markham Vale exit where we needed to turn off. As we had been crawling along in the inside lane we were able to take the slip road as we drew level. we ended up having to pull over in the industrial estate whilst I phoned Suzy to let her know which exit to take. However, I was too late. They had somehow managed to close the gap between us so didn’t get the phone call until after they had gone sailing by. I told them to come off at the next exit and find somewhere on the A617 to pull over and wait for us. We rejoined the motorway, came off at the next junction and soon had them in our sights. Then came Chesterfield and the reason I do not like or trust google Maps, Apple Maps or any sat-nav. We were taken a very strange route skirting the town centre and taking us in a big circle through several residential areas to come out on the road I would have taken in the first place. After that we made pretty good time wending our way to Bakewell and negotiating the small roundabout followed by the sharp turn into the road to Monyash and arriving at the site around 3.30. Apart from two other motorhome at opposite ends of the field we had our pick of spots. We plumped for a fairly flatish area where, as fate would have it, Paul and I had pogged up on a previous visit when we had the T4. 

Our next job was to show Suzy and Darroch how to put the awning up. Much easier with the new electric pump. All four tubes were inflated in the time it used to take me to inflate one with the hand pump. Then came the fun part. They need to move it back so they could attach it to the van. And Darroch; or Paul; had forgotten to put the connecting strip in. They managed it somehow but moving the awning made it all collapse so we had to stand the tubes up again once it was in the right position. Then we noticed that because it had been packed away since last September there were kinks in the tubes. Fortunately with a bit of re-inflation they eventually straightened out.

We were finally set up and ready to put the kettle on and spark up the barbecue. Which is when we discovered we’d forgotten to put any cups in. Fortunately there were a couple of glasses we could use. After our supper I opened a bottle of wine and Suzy had a beer and we spent a pleasant evening chatting and watching the sun go down whilst Darroch tried to no avail to get his TV working.

It wasn’t long before we were all yawning and ready for bed. Ever since the last caravan we have chosen to sleep on the single bunks rather than faffing around making up the double bed and neither do we like sharing a double sleeping bag so this was going to be the make or break of our sleeping preferences. Although the layout was all but identical to the Duetto the passenger side bed; which is the one Paul prefers; was slightly narrower so we didn’t know how comfortable he would be. We had also brought the self inflating sleeping mats to put on top to make it a bit less lumpy than the cushions appeared to be. Once we had sorted his bed we turned our attention to mine. It should have been a simple task of removing the back rest cushions but we couldn’t figure out how it worked since removing the back cushions left an enormous gap . Mainly because they were attached to a filler cushion which slotted behind the seat cushions. Very strange. In the end we got a sharp knife out and cut the filler cushion off so we could slot the main cushion into the gap. It worked. Apart from Mabel lying on my feet for half the night before realising shed be cooler and more comfy on the driver’s seat and the feeling of sleeping on a slope; we’d also forgotten the levelling chocks; I had a fairly good night. Paul said the sleeping mat kept sliding off the bed so he hadn’t slept that well.

Tuesday dawned with not a cloud in the sky and it was going to be a hot one. We sat in the shade of the awning to have a very tasty brunch. Darroch passed the time by fiddling around with the small nuclear reactor he has in the back of the van while Suzy was on and off the phone to Jessie. I pottered about sorting out where things were going to live in the camper whilst Paul decided to remove the headrest from above the rear passenger seat. We’ve only had the thing a month and we’re already butchering it on our first outing. We used to moan when Mother and Dad did that sort of thing! Mind you, it has made a handy little footstool for me whilst we are driving. We spent the rest of the day mooching about and watching the cows in the patchwork of fields on the other side of the dale. It was quite intriguing how they mooooved from field to field. One minute they were in one place and the next it was like someone had fired a starting pistol and they all headed into another field. Throughout the day Darroch would alternate working on their van with standing and watching the cows. It was a bit like bird watching but with cows. The two little tents that had arrived yesterday evening had packed up and gone so, as we had he field to ourselves,Paul took Mabel off her lead and let her have a good run around chasing her Tonka tyre. Well, until she decided to follow Suzy to the toilets and wouldn’t come back.

Once again we sat in the evening sun and enjoyed our chicken wraps and salad for dinner followed by wine, beer and bed. Paul dispensed with the self inflating mattress and woke up the next day saying he’d had the best sleep he’d had in a long time.

Wednesday was another clear and cloudless day and it was already roasting by 8.00. Suzy and Darroch were leaving as they had to be home to have Jude and Fin.  We started to pack away the awning, much easier with the new pump as it sucks every last bit of air from the tubes which make it easier to roll up. It only took just over half an hour. By which time we were all ready for a cuppa. It was so hot that we were all huddled into the narrow strip of shade cast by the T4, sipped on our drinks and partook in a little cow watching. The McLeans set off just after 12.30 and made very good time home. 

As the field was once again empty bar us and one other Motorhome tucked away out of sight Paul let Mabel have another good off lead run. This time she didn’t run off. Whilst Paul had a snooze I read my book, which I don’t often do in an afternoon as I always feel like I should be doing something more constructive, like housework. I also got my proper camera out and had a play with altering the exposure and the playing with aperture and shutter priority settings. Took loads of photos but not many keepers, but that was the point of the exercise. Also set up my phone on a tripod and had a play with the camera remote on my watch to take a couple of selfies. We had a nice chicken salad for dinner and another bottle of wine. I took Mabel for a bit of a walk up the lane to see if I could get a nice sunset pic but the lay of the land wasn’t very conducive. We had a slightly better nights sleep as Paul had found some pieces of wood to use as levelling chocks.  

Thursday and it was our turn to pack up and head for home. By 10am we really were the only ones left on the site so once again Mabel was given a good off lead run before we set off. I have to say she is so good whilst we are driving, just settles herself down and doesn’t move. And there’s none of that whining and crying that Alfie and Fudge used to do. it’s going to be a pleasure taking her away with us. This time we took our usual route through Sheffield and onto Parkway. Much easier, shorter and quicker. 

I have to say, having spent a few days in her, she feels right for us where the Duetto didn’t quite. I am really looking forward to getting away in our Trudie The Tribute a lot more this summer.