Arrowtown

Arrowtown is a gorgous little place. A place to visit in any season, but has a reputation for stunning autumn colours, hence our April visit. We were not dissappointed. Nor were we disspointed with the great Lake District Museum, much bigger than it looks, with loads of interesting and well set up displays. It's history is the gold minning days and that history is important, preserved and intergral to any visit.

It also has a small number of shops, good places to eat, an historic chinese village settlement, short and longer walks. All pretty cool.

We wanted to spend the night, as previous trips where all day visits, the intention being a good mea, a bottle of wine and a wlak make to the camper. There is but one choice and given the stunning backdrop the campsite is a huge disappointment.

It is dull, unimagantive site. Regimental, concreted. Even the map of the site is depressing. You have to have an access card for the barrier for goodness sake, what is that all about. The staff I saw were realatively friendly, though when we arrived at 4pm we were unable to use the kitchen (closed) or the toilet/shower block (cleaning in progress) so that annoyed me. The point of paying to stay in these sites to have access these things - what if the gas had run out in the van and I needed tea, what if I needed the loo after our drive. I was slightly enraged as we walked into town. Actually I misread the opening hours of the kitchen and they weren't as bad as I first thought, though it was still closed at 4pm!

When we could use the shower room. you have to pay an extra dollar for a shower. Now these are flash sleek, new and clean I'll give them that, and yes there is underfloor heating, but I'm not that fussy. The showers are also quite powerful, so this place is probably worth a night, if you have sore aching muscles that need a good pummel, or if you have tangly, knotty hair that really needs power to get that conditoner worked through!

But on the whole I would say give it a miss. There is no soul, no atmoshphere, no style. You want an electical hook up, you don't need to be frog marched, squeezed in and lined up, which is kind of what it feels like. Campers are never as chatty at places like this either.

It was the only place I could find, to camp near enough to walk into town for what turned out to be a great meal, preceeded by wine in an absolutely fabulous little bar. I digress, maybe this was the night to try freedom camping. Maybe that is what people do and that is why there is a secirity barrier to stop sneeky folk using the facilities! Camping and campsites are very personal so each to their own. This is but my own humble opioion and I hated it.

Thankfully things were about to get a lot lot better.