Iona goes to Leicestershire

After the bad weather we were looking for somewhere fairly near with electric, just in case the sun failed to shine and charge the batteries. We found Hill Top caravan site. This is a small site with minimal facilities and very little walking options apart from the village of Thrussington but for £9 per night it was an easy decision.

Due to the bad weather there was a shortage of bulk LPG in our area, all the local garages had run out of supplies. I admit I was a bit worried because we only had about 9 Litres of gas onboard. I think this would have lasted the four days away but I was still a bit nervous. On the drive to the site were going to pass a petrol station that should have LPG but it seemed  a very compact site when I stopped there before in a car. I decided to try and get some LPG from there on the way to the site. Yes, they had some and although it was a bit tight getting between the pumps I managed it and then I was faced with a type of pump nozzle that I had not come across before. Luckily I had watched a video when I first got the system added to the van, so it turned out to be easy enough. Fifteen litres and £10 later we were on our way.

The site is on a slight slope so ramps on one side of Iona were required , the views over Leicestershire were worth the extra effort. We set up and apart from waving at the owner on his tractor it was very quiet. 

Day 2:

There was a light frost last night and we woke to bright sunshine. It looks like the site is used by people working in the area, our neighbours on both sides had left by 8.00am. Today we are going to walk into Thrussington to see if there are any footpaths and walks nearby.

The walk into Thrussington was only about a half mile , we carried on through the village past the village green , the delicatessen and a gastro pub.

We continued through the village and over the river Wreake towards Rearsby. We found a footpath that ran past a Convent and the church in Rearsby.

At the end of the path the road crossed a stream by a ford and a listed bridge; according to the plaque it was built by six men in nine days and cost £11 in 1714. Next to the ford is an old farm with classic buildings amd stables, and the remains of a hoist derrick on the apex of an old Barn.

We walked along the stream and turned to head back to Thrussington, passing over the level crossing and walking along the raised footpath across the flood plain. The fields either side of the road were divided by electric fences, these are part of a large dairy farm that sits on a hill overlooking the river. We visited the church where nearly all the grave headstones are made of slate and heavy carved. This was a wealthy community in the 1800s.

We left the church and walked back towards the village green, past the Red Lion pub that was closed. Sue went to look at the menu of the gastro pub but we eventually went into the delicatessen come bistro for a drink but we ended up ordering one of the specials, chicken, avocado and onion on sour dough bread. The meal was very good and well worth a visit if you are passing the village.

That was about the end of our walk, we arrived back at Iona and sat down to read and write these notes.Tonight we have fish curry with rice and naan bread.

Day 3:

Sunshine today, the last of the snow has nearly disappeared. We went for a walk along the lane but after a couple of miles it only lead us to the A46. There were no footpaths to the village so we had to turn around and walk back the same way. There was not a great deal to see apart from what looked a memorial but because it was the other side of a hedge it was difficult to see if there was any inscription.

Back to the motorhome for some lunch and then laze about for the afternoon. I managed to ask Michael from the campsite about the memorial and he told me that it was just one of the follies that the local farmer had erected. He has a collectition of stone sculptures on pillars around the edge of a paddock near his yard.

 Tonight Sue is cooking Chicken breasts stuffed we sundried tomatoes, spinach, mozzarella and Rochfort cheese, with chips and a salad.

Day 4:

Today we leave and return home but there is no rush because we are less than thirty miles from home. It has been great value at £9 per night and with the electric on a meter we only used £1 over the four days. 

Trip 3: 80.6 miles, 28.2 mpg, 33 mph, 2:24 hours