Crowborough Spring 2019
IHOC Spring Meet 2019
held at
Crowborough Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Lyn and Neville Pither were the volunteer organisers of the annual Spring IHOC Meet, this year held at Crowborough. They both worked hard to organise the meet and suggest suitable excursions from the site, they had even made a brief visit to France recently so our evening “Get Togethers” were well supplied with wine. The site meeting room enabled us all to gather socially in a warm dry place to share our experiences and travel tips. This year we once again welcomed new members to the group and we hope that Richard and Bronwen from Nottinghamshire and Joan from Surrey enjoyed meeting fellow IHers and will join us again in the future. We also welcomed Mr & Mrs Simpson, who have recently bought an IH van and had travelled thirty miles across to Crowborough to introduce themselves and join the club.
The town of Crowborough, provided an excellent base for us all with links to a great variety of interesting locations, some of which were easily accessible by the regular bus service which stopped very close to the site. The town is famous as home to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for many years and there is a statue to him close to the centre crossroads in the town. The campsite was in a very peaceful location close to a leisure centre for any sports enthusiasts.
Adjacent to the centre and campsite was an outdoor exercise circuit and a few adventurous members could not resist a go. Local supermarkets provided us with any items we had forgotten to bring with us or required urgently. The weather was not the best we have experienced during our Spring Meets, with misty mornings and a cool temperature at times but it didn’t prevent us exploring the local area.
By using the buses it was easy to visit Tunbidge Wells, where The Pantiles, a famous colonnade and the site of the well which gives the town its name is located. Plus at the top of the town is the main shopping area of the town and the Wetherspoons which occupies the interesting building, once the town’s Opera House. 
Some of the group ventured on the steam train from Tunbridge for a trip along the Spa Valley railway to Eridge where they found a good traditional pub which enhanced the afternoon for the train travellers.
Lewes and Brighton were also visited by members of our group using the local bus service. Several owners took their vans off site to enable them to visit Hever Castle which was a half hour drive away.
A very enjoyable excursion, a very interesting castle and the extensive grounds and ornamental gardens easily occupied a day. The “Pooh Sticks” bridge in the nearby Ashdown Forest was a highlight for some of the group
As the campsite is on the edge of the urban area there was easy access to a woodland walk. A small group followed a well marked five mile route from the site, through adjacent woodland and through open farm fields and passing some very attractive country oast houses, several of which had interesting weather vanes.
Crowborough had a Wetherspoons’ pub, only a very short walk from site, which had a small room that we were able to use to socialise in comfort on the Friday evening. 
On one of the sessions at the club site meeting room we enjoyed the thrill of horse racing as Keith organised a sweep stake on the Grand National and Jill and David Draper won the kitty.
A quiz based on names of model cars devised by Ray and Judy was won by Kath and Lance.
The five days passed very quickly with such a variety of activities and places to visit in the area but always it is very enjoyable to meet up with fellow IHers for a few days. Thank you again to Lyn and Neville for organising the meet and we look forward to the next IHOC gathering where ever that might be! All suggestions for future venues are welcome so as you travel this year do post your favourite locations on the IHOC website.