The lease for the CAMC site at Baltic Wharf was extended into July a few weeks ago, and I managed to secure a reservation for Friday and Saturday nights. I also managed to procure a ticket for a great Thin Lizzy tribute act – Limehouse Lizzy – performing at the O2 Academy.

There was drama on the journey to Bristol when the Tyre pressure warnings sounded just before joining the M5. One of the front tyres was 6 psi lower than it should be, so we detoured to a local tyre centre.

They stripped down the wheel, replaced the valve, but couldn’t find any issues with the tyre itself. At this point, I made a mental note to reset the Tyre pressure monitoring system after switching the wheels front to back…

No charge for their services as they couldn’t find a problem, so a big recommendation to Pro Tyre, near the M5 services, Exeter.

This unwanted distraction meant that we didn’t incur the wrath of the CAMC wardens at Bristol by arriving before the 1pm opening time.

We had booked a pitch with awning, which was a mistake because the best pitches alongside the harbour are all non-awning. And, of course, our campervan doesn’t even have a proper awning!

Later in the afternoon, we headed into Bristol City centre, where we ate at “Three Brothers Burgers”. A popular haunt on the side of the river and next to the street party scene “King Street”.

Highlight of the day was the tribute band “Limehouse Lizzy”. As a teenager in the 70s, I remember the album “Jailbreak” being a firm favourite in the 6th form common room.

What a cracking setlist:

Limehouse Lizzy were supported by the AC/DC tribute band Sin City – they put in a good performance of hits from the Bon Scott era, but there are more accomplished AC/DC tribute acts out there.

After a late night, we slept long into Saturday morning, which was fine, because it was a very wet affair. As we walked along the harbour / wharf we encountered a steam train ferrying passengers along the sidings. We had seen the railway lines previously but never imagined they were still in use!

We had already decided that we needed to find some indoor entertainment and had booked tickets to watch the film “The Salt Path”.

Great film, close to capacity audience, showing at a wonderful community location – The Watershed. After the film we visited Bansky’s “Well Hung Lover”.

The rain continued into the evening and it was a wet walk / bus journey back to the campsite, passing “Gaol Ferry Bridge” (aka “Bear Bridge”). A local artist has planted two sculptures there – a teddy bear sitting on a swing and a child wearing a dunce hat.

Sunday morning and we woke to a flurry of activity taking place just outside the campsite at Bristol Harbour. Organised by Bristol Rotary club, this “boat racing” event – Dragon Boat Racing – is competed for by some 36 teams and takes the entire day.

We only had time to watch a couple of races before we headed off on the short journey to Cheddar Gorge, where we would spend one night at the Cheddar Caravan and Motorhome club site.

Cheddar gorge is a limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills. It’s a lovely rural location, so it was disappointing to see that over-tourism and over-commercialistion has turned it into some kind of “Blackpool in the countryside”.

We decided that the gorge wasn’t for us and headed off on a cirular walk around Cheddar Reservoir.

Monday, we returned back to East Devon.