Autumn Meet 2023

Devizes and Cirencester meet

A total of 22 IH vans attended the first part of the Autumn Meet at Devizes Camping and Caravanning Club site.

It was good to meet up with other members, both long-standing and a few new faces. This is a popular site, next to the Kennet and Avon canal for walks, a pub very near to site and a nearby bus stop for trips to Devizes, Melksham, Bath, to name but a few places accessible by bus. As the stay coincided with Halloween, quite a few vans were decorated with pumpkins, lanterns and a few cobwebs were also in evidence – even adorning Lyn’s leggings!

Fortunately the weather was kind to us for a Monday late afternoon ‘Welcome Drinks’ get together.

We all enjoyed catching up with where everyone has been since the last meet at Malvern in August. Over the next few days members took advantage of any dry spells to catch the bus into Bath or Devizes, walk along the nearby canal visiting the Caen Hill Locks not too far from site.

Pizzas from the visiting Woodland Pizza Kitchen van were enjoyed by quite a few of us on Tuesday evening. Amanda and her staff were very efficient with our tasty pre-ordered pizzas. The weather was miserable but her swift hand out of pizzas meant we didn’t have to linger for long in the rain outside the pizza van getting cold and wet!

The group meal at the nearby pub ‘The Three Magpies’ was on Wednesday evening. Forty three members enjoyed a lovely meal. The food was very good, serving staff were very organised and friendly and a good evening was had by all. Torches came in very handy for the walk back in the dark! We can highly recommend the pub if staying at the site in future.

On Thursday quite a few members went off on the bus to the Devizes market. They enjoyed looking around the market as well as eating lunch in a variety of the local pubs/cafes .

Friday morning saw almost everyone packing up to leave. Quite a few vans moved on to Cirencester Park Caravan and Motorhome Club site where we were joined by one or two new vans. The Caravan and Motorhome Club don’t allow areas on site to be reserved for groups but all in all most vans were grouped fairly close by.

After getting settled on site quite a few members walked through Bathurst Estate Park into the town. It is a lovely walk through the estate grounds, especially as this route avoids the main roads.

Friday’s late afternoon weather was kind enough that members could group together to chat and catch up outside Kath and Lance’s van on their generous, large pitch. The answers to the quizzes were given and the winners awarded prizes. The winners of identifying the TV character and show pictures were Jill and Dave. The winners of the quiz were Tom and Marion.

Saturday was a good day for members to walk into Cirencester centre where there was an outdoor market taking place in the square. There are quite a range of shops and cafe’s in the town as well as an indoor craft market in the Corn Hall.

Sunday should have been a good day, weather wise, but unfortunately the good weather in the morning didn’t last. Luckily it did improve again later in the afternoon. Horace and Margaret kindly invited everyone to enjoy mulled wine outside their van. This was a welcome treat in the cold weather! Mince pies were kindly provided by Jill and Dave, cake from Lyn and Neville as well as a selection of other nibbles.

Monday morning saw the departure of almost everyone, some to other locations, others returning home. Lyn and Neville decided to stay on as they like Cirencester so much, probably enjoying the peace and quiet for the extra night!