Oop North.

   It's been a while since my last blog, mainly because I didn't take my laptop to anywhere we visited, and typing a blog on your phone is not fun.

  We had long planned to visit Durham, a place neither of had been to (childhood visits excepted), and decided to make a trip out of it. The plan so far is York, Durham, Alnwick, Hexham and Brough - two nights at each. We'll then decide whether to continue exploring or just head home.

  By chance, there seems to be a sporting theme to the trip. Not that we will be partaking of sport, but will be staying at various sporting venues. It came as a pleasant surprise then that our first stop is on the edge of a cricket green, and we can hear the thwack of leather on willow from the match going on.

  Tonight, and tomorrow night, we are in a brand new small site in a village called Dunnington, just a few miles from York. The cricket match has finished, and....it's now raining! We couldn't be bothered to cook tonight so a pizza is being delivered later.

  The drive up was easy and relaxed, the majority of it being on motorways. The surprising thing was that, apart from road signs, there was no indication that there were large towns close by. I got the occasional glimpse of urban density, but generally it was just open countryside.

  Tomorrow we are going to take the bus into York for a look around, so will have some photos for you then.

  As no trip is ever without its problem or two, we had ours early. The submersible pump in our fresh water tank had been a bit temperamental, so I ordered a new one and fitted it a couple of days ago. It worked perfectly, but didn't need to use it again until we got here and found it initially very slow to deliver to the taps. I eventually worked out that the new pump did not have a built in non return valve, so having pressurised the system, as soon as the taps were closed all the water was draining back into the tank. We still have water, but the pump has to work overtime to deliver to the tap. I've ordered a new pump to be delivered to our next stop, at Durham Rowing Club. It won't take too much time to fit, I hope.



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