Road Trip Day 16 - Stoke-on-Trent, A day visiting the Pottery outlet stores

Mum and I have a deep fondness for our visits to Stoke-on-Trent, particularly for its pottery outlet stores. We were here last year as well, but this time, I discovered a couple of additional outlets for us to explore, and they certainly lived up to our expectations.

Our first stop took us to The World of Wedgwood, a place of significance since Wedgwood owns Royal Doulton, which happens to be the brand of our dinner set. What's fantastic about this place is their worldwide shipping option for anything you buy at the shop, and it comes with a flat fee, not to mention the exclusion of VAT. It's truly a great deal. Furthermore, considering that Fiskars now owns Wedgwood, I managed to purchase some excellent gardening pop-up bags that aren't available back home, along with some high-quality knives and cutting mats for my craft studio. All of this was included in the set shipping price. The icing on the cake was the additional £30 savings, thanks to the  exclusion of VAT.

Across the way, we made the delightful choice to indulge in an "Afternoon Tea" for our lunch. Wedgwood proved to be an excellent setting for our afternoon tea, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience of sipping tea and savouring the delectable treats.

As it turned out, we spent a delightful 2.5 hours at Wedgwood, making it a perfect start to our day. Following that, we made our way to Portmeirion Pottery, which also features Spode products. It was an amazing outlet stop, and I highly recommend visiting this store if you're in the area. Just keep in mind that they don't offer overseas shipping, so your suitcase might have a limited capacity if you're flying home!

Next on our itinerary were Middleton and Burleigh Potteries. These historic factories are still actively producing pottery in the traditional way right here in Stoke-on-Trent. They are responsible for crafting pottery for the royal family and esteemed brands like Fortnum and Masons, Crabtree and Evelyn, among others. We always enjoy visiting this location because every time we go, there's something new and appealing available at great prices. Today was no exception as they were having a clearance sale, and I managed to snag a large jug that was originally priced at £150 for just £20. I couldn't find anything wrong with it, so I was thrilled with the bargain.

Our last pottery stop was at Middleton Potteries. While we had a great time here, it wasn't inside the store but rather outside. There happened to be a football game on, which led to a shortage of parking spaces, and while going around the block we ended up driving through all the crowds outside the stadium. After three attempts to enter the shop, it seemed like fate had other plans, as it had closed by our third pass. It just wasn't meant to be this time!

Road Trip Day 15 - Mum's Birthday, Bakewell to Stoke-on-Trent

Our morning commenced in the picturesque town of Bakewell, and there was a special reason for our visit—it's Mum's 80th Birthday today! Bakewell had been on her bucket list for quite some time, particularly because one of her favorite treats is the Bakewell Tart. As we began our day, our first stop was at "The Bakewell Tart Shop," where I picked up a large Bakewell tart adorned with a heartfelt "Happy Birthday" message just for her.

Afterward, we made our way to a charming tea house to enjoy a delightful morning tea. To our pleasant surprise, they had a special dog menu for Sophie, and she indulged in a tasty salmon chew.

Bakewell unquestionably ranks among the most picturesque villages to explore. We spent a delightful hour or so taking in the village's beauty before setting our course towards Stoke-on-Trent, where we'll be spending the night.

We reached our campground around 3 pm and decided to take a short break. Sophie enjoyed a leisurely walk around the park, while I took care of the power and gas setup. After about an hour, Mum expressed her preference for Fish and Chips for dinner instead of dining out at a restaurant. So, we ventured into Cheadle to find a fish and chip shop. The return trip only took us 30 minutes, which wasn't too bad, and we also made a quick stop at Morrisons to pick up some supplies.

Here is a time-lapse video of our journey today:

Road Trip Day 14 - Skipton to Newtown (Derbyshire)

Today has been quite an extraordinary day. We departed from Skipton in the morning, journeying south on the M60, making a stop at my absolute favourite house in the UK—Lyme Park.

My initial visit to this magnificent estate dates back to the 90s when it served as the iconic Pemberley in the BBC's 1996 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Reflecting on this visit, I realised it must have been at least my fourth time here. I have an immense affection for this region, spanning Derbyshire and Cheshire, where the landscape never fails to take my breath away.

I had the pleasure of picking up a few items from the shop, always a pleasant experience. Mum, on the other hand, opted for a break and stayed with Sophie in the motorhome.

Our journey then led us to the charming area of Bakewell, though we decided to save the exploration of Bakewell itself for tomorrow. Here's a time-lapse capturing our day's adventure:

Road Trip Day 13 - Skipton Markets and Skipton

We were eagerly looking forward to the Skipton Markets, both of us reminiscing about our visits from years ago, recalling fond memories of strolling through the bustling stalls.

Since the markets didn't open until 10 am, it allowed for a later start to the day—something I could definitely get used to, I must say. Moreover, we had done some research and discovered a place nearby where Sophie could have her nails tended to. To make things convenient, we found a parking spot close to all the places we intended to explore.

Our first stop was Sophie's nail appointment, and we were pleasantly surprised by the lovely store and the groomers who instantly fell in love with Sophie. She behaved impeccably, and the grooming session was completed swiftly. With Sophie comfortably seated in her pram, we excitedly made our way to the markets, only to be met with a somewhat disappointing sight. There were hardly any stalls, to our chagrin—perhaps six at most, with two of them selling identical items, notably oversized dog beds that could easily accommodate 20 Sophies!

Nevertheless, we made the most of our visit by exploring the charming shops along the High Street. We also stumbled upon a delightful covered side lane adorned with local stores, and our day took a sweet turn when we came across a charming cake shop known as "The Cake'ole."

What a selection of cakes they had too.

Mum had some fruit toast with jam, and I had a scone with jam and clotted cream

The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to leisurely window shopping. I found myself tempted by some exquisite curtain fabric that would be perfect for our dining room back home. 

Afterward, we made our way back to the campground. During the journey, I couldn't resist the urge to capture a photograph of the mesmerising fountain nestled within the beautiful Bolton Abbey park—truly a sight to behold.

Tonight, we had a delightful time with Sophie, enjoying her reaction as she savoured the Venison Chews I had brought all the way from New Zealand. Later in the evening, she attempted to snuggle up behind Mum, but it quickly became apparent that there simply wasn't enough room for her adorable antics.

Road Trip Day 12 - Carlisle to Skipton

We decided on a late start today, with all the driving over the past few days today I needed a bit of a sleep in. We have plans to pop in and see a couple of friends just south of Carlisle, do the drive was only 15 mins away.

It was lovely to drop in and see Jean and Michael, and have the tour around their new home, I even got to take a photo of mum and them together in their lounge

We had a wonderful morning tea and it was time to head off.  They had mentioned about stopping in at Tebay Service Stop on our way south, it was good timing to as we arrived at Tebay just on lunchtime.  The place was really busy but it didn't take us long to get some lunch and there was plenty of places to sit and eat.  When we got seated they had a card on the table with explained their story and that they have a TV show about the place on Channel 4 which explains the business and people's comments in the line about "seeing this place on TV last weekend".

Around 1 pm, we hit the road again, facing another two hours of driving ahead. As we passed through Skipton, we decided to save the visit to the markets for tomorrow and headed straight to our designated campground. However, when we reached the road leading to the campground, a sign boldly proclaimed that it was closed. Panic set in momentarily as we wondered about our next steps. In a stroke of resourcefulness, I activated the detour feature on the SatNav, which led us on a 20-minute detour to the other end of the road, only to discover that it too was closed. As we ventured down a nearby lane, hope dwindled as we realised that it was blocked at this end. With no other option, we executed a U-turn and retraced our path.

Eventually, we located the campsite, checked in, and settled into our designated spot. However, as I went around the back of the motorhome to connect the electrical hookup, I made an unexpected discovery—a part of the bumper was hanging off! Yes, you heard that right. This afternoon turned out to be quite an eventful one. While it appeared that the bumper had been detached before, I couldn't recall hitting anything recently. Fortunately, the campground staff kindly provided me with some duct tape, and I managed to secure the bumper in place for the remainder of our trip.

Time for a quiet night in and early to bed I think.

Road Trip Day 11 - Fort William to Gretna Green

Today is our last day in this remarkable country, it's time to bid farewell to Scotland. To make the most of our departure, we're taking the scenic drive that will guide us southward, taking us on a journey through the rolling hills, picturesque villages, and Loch Lomond. It's a fitting way to soak in the beauty of Scotland one last time before crossing the border and continuing our adventures south.

Our morning began with a picturesque drive alongside the enchanting Loch Lomond, a truly stunning route that served as a fond farewell to the Highlands of Scotland. Afterwards, we hit the motorways en route to Glasgow. I must confess, the shift from the winding back roads to the smooth, efficient motorways was a welcome change of pace.

Next on my agenda was a visit to the Tunnock's Factory and Bakery, a long-awaited item on my bucket list to share with Mike. However, it seemed fate had other plans (it must have known Mike wasn't with me), as both the factory and the original bakery on the high street were closed during our visit. Nevertheless, I couldn't resist capturing a few photographs to commemorate the moment, even if it was blowing a gale.

Our next destination was the outlet shops, and off to Gretna Green and Gretna, we went. It was just an hour and a half's drive, and we arrived, parked, and were eager to explore the shops. The outlet was bustling with activity, and we took our time browsing through the various stores. While we didn't go on a shopping spree, I did manage to find a couple of items at Next. Mum couldn't resist a visit to the Cadbury's shop, and I also indulged in a couple of Lindt Chocolate balls from the Lindt store.

It was getting pretty late in the day, so its time to go and find our campground for the night, Green Acres Caravan Park in Hacker just out side of Carlisle.  This means we cross the border back into England, farewell Scotland and thanks for keeping us safe and entertained for the last 2 and a bit weeks.....I'll be back!!

Road Trip Day 10 - Wick > Fort William

Indeed, your travel itinerary has covered quite a few miles over the past few days, and it seems that today will be no exception. Departing from the campground at the early hour of 7:30 am, you were treated to a beautiful sunrise over the river. Such beauty and a perfect way to start a day of adventure and exploration. 

Our first stop of the day, located about 1.5 hours away in Tain, brought us to ASDA with great diesel prices at only 153.7. This is quite a significant difference from the prices we encountered in Wick and John O'Groats, where fuel costs were notably higher at 167.5.   From there we head South along Loch Ness, to Fort William.  It's started raining again so no good photos of Nessies today, but I did manage to get a photo of Neptunes Staircase just out of Fort William

Here is a photo of it from the air (borrowed from the inter-web)

After our stop at Neptunes Staircase, we decided to grab a late lunch at M&S before making our way to the campground for check-in. The weather was starting to take a turn for the worse, and it looked like the conditions wouldn't be very favourable for going up Ben Nevis. So we opted for a change of plans, and have a restful afternoon in the motorhome watching the Formula 1 and do some blogging.