Campsites,England #2of2

We went on to Salisbury and found the campsite outside the town, but there was no electricity, even for the office. The campsite in Salisbury was just an open field where someone had put up an office to collect the money, and some portable potties. But the Cathedral is splendid, with its magnificent spire, and nearby Stonehenge is unbelievably fascinating.

We located a campsite with electricity at Ripon, about 15 miles north of York. The man in the office asked if we were going into Ripon to see the “Wakeman,” then explained that for 1,100 years, without missing one night, at 9:00 PM a man blows a horn to tell the town-folks, all is OK. The Wakeman was dressed in a three cornered hat, brown overcoat with brass buttons, and he blows an old animal horn. Very Interesting.

We found a campsite in Nottingham, right in Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest. The only robber we met that night, was the man who charged $9 for the campsite — out of season at that, but with electricity. However, we really enjoyed visiting the remaining ruins of the bombed-out Cathedral in nearby Coventry. At the top of the steeple, we met a college professor who knew my Brother Johnny. Now that was amazing.

When we awoke in the campsite near Uncle Willie’s home in Stratford upon Avon, there was a huge spider web connecting the camper to a nearby tree. Wish there was some way to keep that beautiful sculpture. Our campsite was excellent, and it had electricity. Visited the Royal Shakespearean Theater, and many other places in the town. The next morning we visited Leslie, the daughter of a friend, her husband who was stationed at the US Air Base near here, and their baby who was just a few weeks old. Talked to them by phone to get directions to the base.

Drove to Cambridge and visited the College. Beautiful buildings, and an appealing town. Went up the tower of the Holy Trinity Church to look over the city. Then drove to the campsite near Harwick, close to the dock where we will catch the ferryboat in the morning. We saw a beautiful rainbow, reaching the ground at both ends, and at times it was a double rainbow. The next morning we were the first vehicle on the ferryboat from England to Holland — cost $100, for a seven hour trip. Advanced our clocks again, arrived at 6:45 PM.