Caravan Site: Troutbeck Head Caravan Club Site

Area Visited: Penrith, Lake District

Date(s) visited site: 2nd - 5th April 2008

Number of Night(s) stopped on site: 2

Number of people: 4

Towcar Used: 2007 Ford Galaxy 2.0 TDCi Ghia

Caravan Used: 2005 Abbey Avantage SL

Distance towed on holiday: 186 miles

Notes from this trip: Not only being the first trip of the year but this was also our first time trying out our new tow car a 2007 Ford Galaxy 2.0 TDCi Ghia, the engine was a boon and pulled the van effortlessly for the just over 100 mile trip to Troutbeck. The car has lots of space in the interior with chairs for 7 adults that also fold flat for more storage. We specified the Ghia model which has plenty of toys to keep you amused such as rain sensitive windscreen wipers & Automatic headlights along with the very popular cruise control. With a hefty kerb weight and an engine with plenty of torque it’s capable of towing quite large caravans. We also visited Wast Water this trip and the views were truly breath taking of the sheer sided lake. We drove through hail-stones until reaching Wasdale Head at the top of the lake. Also this trip was the first time trying out our new Starcamp porch awning, we erected it in the dark as by the time we got pitched it was getting dark, even though it was our first time erecting the awning it only took 5 minutes and it withstood wind and snow all weekend!! This was the first time that we had been caravanning in the snow, and it felt really magical when the snow fell around the caravan. One thing we did break this weekend was the straps on our towing mirrors, but it was only three degrees Celsius when we hitched up!! We towed home in the snow but made it home safely before the real blizzards started.

Short Site Review: When we arrived at the site we drove around the site and chose our pitch, the site was very nicely laid out with most pitches having a good Lake District view. All of the pitches were well maintained and quite large; we pitched and then went for our water at one of the three very clean service points around the site. The toilet facilities were very clean and well maintained, the ladies were on the left hand side and the gents were on the right hand side with information displayed in the hallway between the two toilet sections, both toilet blocks were laid out the same. The site had a nice forest dog walk at the top of site which lead into the nearby Matterdale forest, at the end of the site dog walk very nice views can be seen from the gate. Also the Troutbeck head CC site features a very well kept game room with two pool tables, games machines and table football plus loads more information!! The wardens were friendly and helped with anything you needed; we will bare this site in mind to visit again.

Our outfit outside the reception of Troutbeck Head Caravan Club site.

A view of Was Water with our new towcar in the distance.

A donkey and its foal in a feild near Coniston, Lake District.

Our rig pitched on Troutbeck Head Caravan Club site before the snow arrived.

Our rig pitched on pitch No.126 on Troutbeck Head Caravan Club site the morning after the main snowfall.

All Photographs are Copyrighted to Matthew James Watson.
Copying and taking photographs is prohibited and is illegal under the copyright law.