Entries about anniversary

Stocking up a motorhome for the first time is a little like furnishing a new home: you need everything from salt and pepper, through toilet paper, towels, washing up liquid and potato peeler. Luckily (if I can use that word under the circumstances), we have a good supply of everything we need from my late father's house.

The time has come: Thor's Maiden Voyage. We have a plan, albeit rather loose.

A good initial test for Thor is the road leading up to the transmitter on the Mendips, a favourite place of mine for excellent views over the rolling countryside and airport beyond.

The narrow track - thankfully we don't meet any other vehicles

Not much around, only sheep

Bristol Airport at Lulsgate in the distance

My very good friend Lyn has provided us with home made bread pudding – David's favourite – on the occasion of our wedding anniversary.

On the way down the narrow lane, however, we meet a Land Rover with a trailer full if sheep. This small obstacle proves no problem for David – not that I expected it to.

Continuing on our way, we pop into Aldi in Bridgwater to buy some demerara sugar which I forgot to bring from home, before stopping for lunch at the National Trust property called Woodlands Hill.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Today is out 42nd wedding anniversary and I want to serve a special meal tonight. For dessert we are having milk chocolate, salted caramel and vanilla crème brulée with raspberries, which needs time to set; so I assemble it to the point of adding the sugar and leave it in the fridge before we leave here.

Our planned stop for the night is somewhere on the Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, and we check out a few of the car parks before settling on the one at the very far end of the road.

There are great views over the north coast of Devon from here.

The weather is glorious, with Thor acting as a windbreak, meaning we are able to sit outside for a drink. Or three.

We stay outside until the sun starts going down and it gets a little bit of chill in the air.

Time to prepare the anniversary feast.

The table is laid with one of my mum's tablecloths and proper cloth napkins, silver candleholders and a vase with... erm... bramble. I brought the vase, hoping for some wild flowers around, but this was the best David could do.

Steak, pepper sauce, roast potatoes, mushrooms, tenderstem broccoli, asparagus and sweetcorn, plus some decent red wine.

Time to put the finishing touches on the crème brulée. Everyone packs a blowtorch when going camping, right?

And so it is time to retire to our first night in Thor. We decide to make up two beds for the night, giving us both plenty of space and no-one has to crawl over the other one to go to the toilet in the night. The beds feel reasonably comfortable, despite the van being parked on a slight slope.

Goodnight.