Watercress... Evil stuff

 When you don’t know an area, it isn’t always easy to know where to stay.  There are fabulous campsites, but post lockdown many are full due to reduced capacity, the need to get away, and everyone is still in the UK not headed off to people’s usual destinations of France or Spain in their van. When you are in a van for weeks or possibly months, it isn’t financially viable to spend your whole time on a site, so we use an app called ‘Search for Sites’. It’s great, for under £6 a year you get access to a community led map and reviews on places to stay in a motorhome (I think there is camping and caravan info too, but we only look at the motorhome ones). It’s how we found the Stonehenge site (and the fabulous YouTube vanlifers ‘John and Mandy on Tour’ recommended it in one of their Vlogs).The app also led us to our next stopover. We’ve stayed in a few pub car parks on this journey, and so far have served us well. After almost week being off grid, a pub meal appeals, as do the ‘posh loo’s’ as they have come to be known in my head. 

We headed to our first choice, it had great reviews and looked about right for us distance wise, so off we went. The roads were a bit narrow, but Ian is getting better and better at squeezing us down a country lane, so we made it, in we go to the car park. It’s a tight turn, but we’re in. As is everyone else in the local area! A smallish car park, a sunny Sunday, another motorhome beat us to it and there is no chance. A small car would fit in the final space, but not a hope for us. That’s OK, we have a reversing camera, beeping sensors and Ian is a dab hand at getting Agy out of tight spots.  Well, he is, unless little old ladies are out for lunch in the car and determined to get the last spot in the car park. There is no way we can get out with them so close behind, she’s going to have to reverse. You’d think a big van with reversing lights on in a small space would click, wouldn’t you? It took a while… but it did, eventually, with a lot of me running around and behind Agy saying “ no, we won’t get through there” 

A quick search and we have another option. Winchester Park and Ride seems to allow overnight motorhomes and we can head into town for a look around. We’re soon there, but no! The rules have changed and a £70 fine for sleeping overnight. So off we go, searching for another spot – I update the app so others don’t try it and get caught out. I  then find another option. It looks hopeful, so The Bush Inn, Ovington, Arlesford is our destination.

You know how sometimes things happen for a reason? Well I’m sure this was one of those moments. We have 2 night to stop before we head for Southampton, which is why we were planning to stay at Stonehenge another night before getting closer, but this, this is a gem. A big flat car park; that helps when you are living in a van – when your cups/pans/ bed slide up or downhill, it isn’t great! A beautiful setting and the most amazing welcome from Carlos and the team. “Of course you can stay! No pressure to book a table, but if you want to eat, book in, we’re busy”. Now I know why. They were fully booked that night, so we thought we’d have lunch the next day before moving on. A few beers and wine later with some Haloumi fries just to be polite (who can resist a Haloumi fry??), we head back to Agy for, you guessed it a toasty!

The bar staff recommend that we head along the path beside the pub as it’s a beautiful walk. In fact it’s part of the Watercress way. It’s stunningly beautiful; all we can hear are birds and crickets, crystal clear water full of fish and nobody in sight. 

We do a loop through a nearby village where the church has a fabulous roof before heading back. 

For some reason, I have a picture of my brother in my head saying, “watercress, evil stuff”. Now I know either my brother or sister used to work near here, they are both a fair bit older than me, so were working by the time I got to senior school, and I know we used to go to Alverstoke to see one of them, I thought it was my sister, but it is my brother’s voice in my head. It doesn’t make sense and why is it evil? Turns out they both had work connections near here and the evil watercress? That’s my brothers story to tell, but it seems it was a childhood thing (well before my time) and nothing to do with him working near the watercress beds of Hampshire, suffice to say, he still doesn’t enjoy a watercress sandwich.