Looking back and looking forwards

The only brand new caravan we ever bought was in 1976 - an ubiquitous Sprite Alpine. I'm still not sure how we managed to afford it. I seem to recall the sale of a bull was involved.

1976 is maybe remembered best as the "long hot Summer". But when we went on holiday in May it was still "cool late Spring". With two young children we wanted a seaside holiday and headed north toNew EnglandBay. It was as new and exciting for us as it was for the children (though we had both done a bit of camping when young). A house on wheels was different to a Guide tent.

The site obviously wasn't as developed as now - no toilet block or EHU. And Wi-Fi hadn't been invented. And as far as know we could just park up anywhere. We setup among the cleared Gorse bushes to the back of the site. We were perfectly self contained - a two ring burner and grill, PortaPotti and drop down sink, a water container with a tap to balance on the step, two buckets under the caravan (one to keep milk cool, and the other for nappies - no disposables then), dinette/bed at one end and single bed and flimsy bunk at the other.

Looking back at the few photographs we have it's interesting to see how formally we were dressed - even the children. They weren't our best clothes, but what we thought of as casual. And there's no photographs when we are not wearing at least a jumper.

The children loved it - wide open space and a safe place to play. 

And we didn't miss the shower block - a trip to the swimming pool at Girvan meant we could swim in warm water and then have a hot shower

Somehow we timed our holidays wrong that year - by we got away again (a CL on the west Cumbrian coast) - it was all over and we were into an early cold Autumn. But we ignored the weather and carried on in the small caravan for a long time; in time squeezing our third child into the bottom bunk. We caravanned all overEnglandandWalesbutNew England Baywas always our favourite site

Several years and different caravans (and tents) later we went back as a couple. Since then we have been almost every year, and looking at the old photographs realised we were pitching in almost the same place as 1976. We like the roomier pitches towards the back.

So having looked back, we are looking forward to this years holiday - forty years on atNew England Bayagain.

And here's a few of these photographs - from 1976, 2005, 2013 .There's years missing when we didn't take any (why not?). These are just of the site and I could inundate you with arty shots of exotic plants atLoganBotanical Gardens, the Mull of Galloway, Portpatrick, Port Logan etc. But enough's as good as a feast.