Venturing out...?

[Mel]

hoping to take the van to South wales this coming weekend (14/2). Travelling from near Derby. Given the weather, is it sensible? The weather here in the East Mids has been not as bad as in other places so it is to tricky to judge. We (meaning OH) is an experienced tower and we have a stable unit, sensibly loaded and with iDC (the winterhoff version of ATC).
what do you reckon?
mel

 

[GrahamDerby]

If your thinking of Saundersfoot/Tenby i would stay at home. My son lives there and today said its unbelievable, very high winds and heavy rain. On Saturday he had to help his friend try and keep the roof on his barn. At Amroth its washed the sea defence away, and thats a large bank of heavy stone . If you do go , good luck.

 

[DeliDave_]

Dont know about Wales Mel but we are hoping to visit Rivendale at the end of the month using our Woosie booking that we could not make.Hoping its dryish as we havent a 4wd
Good luck with your plans

 

[Mel]

Thanks Graham, but not as far West as that, Cardiff.
Dave, you should be alright here. I think that derbyshire has got off lightly, so far at least, and Rivendale, being in a quarry, is quite sheltered.
mel

 

[Beachball]

Hi Mel

Have a nice time (A boat might have been better) we were in mid wales a week back and the rivers were all flooded
Regards to you

 

[otherclive]

Our son lives at Kenfig near Porthcawl and they have had some severe winds and rain and he says that the ground conditions are waterlogged in areas where he would normally walk without any problems in winter.

 

[Parksy]

After heavy rain earlier there's a snowstorm in progress here in the West Midlands, big flakes!
If you do go don't forget your thermals

 

[starlightdj]

Hi Mel,

i cant comment on south wales but on friday we are heading from liverpool up to Berwick Upon Tweed (Northumberland) for the kids half term.
Snow is forecast to add to the fun.

Take your journey easy and just check with the site thats all ok their end before you set off and enjoy.

Safe travelling
Cheers
John

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Mel,
I think Starlights penultimate sentence is the best advice, Check with your destination site, as they are in the best position to know what the site is currently like, and what weather is expected.

I have several friends who reside in different parts of wales, and three who live on the coast have seen dreadful and one at Borth (Mid Wales) has been evacuated two times. I personally would not contemplate towing to any SW or Welsh destination until the threat of heavy rain and flooding has diminished quite a bit. Not only do I not want to get into any trouble, but I wouldn't want to burden the local services any more than they already are.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Hi Mel
If you are in the CC then Tredegar House in Newport is open all year and is mostly (if not all by now) hard standing. Easy access off the motorway and easy trip to Cardiff. The site is very sheltered (but watch out for falling branches) and sloping, but pitches are level. Suggest if you go there then pitch on the higher side, slightly more traffic noise from the A48 but likely to be drier. Drop me an email if you come and perhaps we could meet up.

 

[emmerson]

Mel, I'm in S Wales,near Abergavenny, and have been back and forth to Cowbridge and Cardiff itself twice this week already, and I'm going back to Cowbridge tomorrow. I've neither had nor seen any problems. Where are you planning to go to?
I'd endorse the Tredegar House suggestion, as it is so easy to access, whatever the weather.

 

[Mel]

Thanks everyone for words of advice. Emmerson and WC; we have been to Tredegar house a couple of times and do rate it as a site. This time we are planning to stay at Acorn park near Llantwit major as this is handier for visiting my SIL. Not been there before, but plan to ring the site on Thursday to check that they are OK. There are no flood warnings in place for that bit of Wales. My main concern is the journey down and towing if it is windy. The weather forecast seems to vary depending on which website you go on. So far tomorrow (Weds) is awful but better by friday according to the BBC weather website. Will probably make the decision at the last minute!!
mel

 

[emmerson]

Mel, if you're still there, today its blowing a hooligan and torrential rain here in Wales.We even aborted our dog walk for the first time I can remember in 25 years we've lived here!
If you do travel, go safe.

Emmerson

 

[Surfer]

Thanks everyone for words of advice. Emmerson and WC; we have been to Tredegar house a couple of times and do rate it as a site. This time we are planning to stay at Acorn park near Llantwit major as this is handier for visiting my SIL. Not been there before, but plan to ring the site on Thursday to check that they are OK. There are no flood warnings in place for that bit of Wales. My main concern is the journey down and towing if it is windy. The weather forecast seems to vary depending on which website you go on. So far tomorrow (Weds) is awful but better by friday according to the BBC weather website. Will probably make the decision at the last minute!!
mel

We stayed on that site many years ago and found it very enjoyable. Most of the site seemed to be taken up with seasonal caravans.

 

[otherclive]

92mph recorded at Mumbles just along the coast from Llantwit.

 

[Dustydog]

Can't beat O Clive's but 81 mph gusts, and torrential rainfall at Cricklade.
We plan to drive to North Devon on friday, across the Somerset Levels , M5. May have to postpone but don't want to disappoint my 88 yrs mum.

 

[otherclive]

Can't beat O Clive's but 81 mph gusts, and torrential rainfall at Cricklade.
We plan to drive to North Devon on friday, across the Somerset Levels , M5. May have to postpone but don't want to disappoint my 88 yrs mum.

I am in Wessex 4x4,Response who have been providing assistance in the Levels. Not sure which route you plan to take over the Levels but any that drop down such as the A361 are either flooded or subject to intermittent flooding. The higher level road from Street to Bridgwater is okay but is quite congested even if you join the M5 before Bridgwater. Roads through north and west Wilts are also subject to intermittent floods and some are carrying far more traffic as more rural roads are closed. I'd take the M4/5 right through.

 

[Mel]

Decision made, not taking the van. Weather forecast is for Gale force winds across the south tomorrow. Hey ho; some folks are up to their knees is water and sewage so I'm not going to moan.
Will still go down to SILs birthday bash but stay in a hostelry of some sort. Safe journey to anyone else travelling.
mel

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

We stayed on that site many years ago and found it very enjoyable. Most of the site seemed to be taken up with seasonal caravans.

Was that in the days when Newport council owned the site, before the CC took it over? I don't believe there are seasonals there now.

 

[emmerson]

WC, I suspect Surfer is refering to the Acorn site, not Tredegar Park, which I thought was new built for the CC?

 

[Surfer]

WC, I suspect Surfer is refering to the Acorn site, not Tredegar Park, which I thought was new built for the CC?

Correct and thanks for pointing that out.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

WC, I suspect Surfer is refering to the Acorn site, not Tredegar Park, which I thought was new built for the CC?

The CC took over the Tredegar House caravan site 15 years ago from the local council. The current late night arrival area was the tent camping field extension to the caravan site when council owned it. After purchase, the CC brought the whole site up to its current standard, including a new tent area to the far right after going through the barrier.

 

[emmerson]

Cheers WC. I have used the site a couple of times, but its only 15 miles from home, so not one of our regulars.Nice place though.

 

[Dustydog]

Change of plan. Postponed yesterday and today's journeys. Will travel to North Devon tomorrow, solo. High winds are supposed to have subsided by then.

 

[otherclive]

Good decision. Just come down A46 Gloucester to Bath heavy squalls windy and a lot of free surface water stretching almost across the road even on apparently level high level part of the route. Don't forget water levels in the Somerset Levels is still rising. Street to Bridgwater still okay then off to M5 just before Bridgwater. Enjoy an I eventful trip.