After the heatwave, the multi-country pet vet hustle, and four energetic days at the Adventure Bike Festival, we reset our roots and pointed our 2004 Hymer motorhome, Holly, north toward the Scottish border. What followed was a classic week of travel vlogging—complete with bizarre park-ups, unexpected roadside delights, breathtaking mountain passes, and a lesson in changing travel philosophies.

🗺️ The Evolution of Our Travel Philosophy

Over a decade ago, when our kids were teenagers, we packed up and moved to Costa Rica for a year. We didn’t settle in an expat bubble; we lived in a tiny village of forty homes where almost everyone was related and no one spoke English outside of school. Back then, our philosophy was simple: experience what it’s really like to live in a place.

Moving through Europe on a tight 90-day Schengen visa timeline, however, forced a transformation. Driving a large, older motorhome on narrow, unfamiliar roads caps our daily travel limit at roughly ninety minutes to two hours. Big cities like Rome require complex logistics, parking, and transit setups that simply swallow up precious time.

Our new philosophy? We seek out the quiet, out-of-the-way places that none of our friends or family back home will ever see. We trade crowded tourist monuments for rustic rural lanes, hidden local history, and unexpected encounters.

🐀 The Great “Rodents of Unusual Size” Retreat

Speaking of places no one we know will ever visit: enter Ilkeston. Billed on our parking app as a charming park-up alongside a pond filled with swans and ducks, it sounded delightful. The reality was a bit more… lively.

Upon arrival, the pond was indeed packed with hundreds of ducks, geese, and swans. But as Rodney walked Salsa for her evening break, Kasey looked out the bed window and noticed the ground literally moving. Poking out of burrows everywhere were massive rodents—true “Rodents of Unusual Size.” Having dealt with exactly one mouse earlier in San Marino, we weren’t eager to host an entire colony in Holly. Within minutes, Salsa finished her business, and we made a high-speed exit to a peaceful layby adjacent to a golf course driving range.

🏔️ Winnats Pass & Roadside Breakfasts

The following days rewarded us with sweeping views of the classic English countryside—rolling green hills divided by timeless stone wall fences. We parked up at Heather Hill Campground, enjoying cooler weather and observing the bustling hub of bicycle tourers and tent hikers.

A major highlight of this stretch was driving through Winnats Pass. Nestled between towering, lush green hills, this narrow pass felt breathtakingly dramatic. Navigating a full-sized motorhome up a single-lane road requires focus, but local drivers were courteous with passbys.

Further along near the town of Earby, we parked in a spacious layby with a lovely grass patch. To our delight, the morning brought an open roadside food trailer. Fresh breakfast sandwiches and a friendly chat with the local owner proved once again that spontaneous road decisions often yield the sweetest moments.

🏛️ Follies, Faux Ruins & Druid Temples

Our final excursions in England took us down narrow, hedge-lined lanes (giving Holly’s side mirrors a subtle trim along the way) to two remarkable sites:

• Hackfall Wood (Lovers’ Leap): After a quiet July 4th night accompanied by dramatic storm clouds, we hiked through lush woods to a 19th-century folly built around 1820 to mimic ancient ruins. While foliage has grown over the original valley view, the stone structure remains a peaceful time capsule.
• The Druid’s Temple: A fascinating 19th-century replica of Stonehenge featuring aligned stone pillars aligned to compass points, calendar stones, and walking paths dotted with woven nest baskets and cairns.

🍺 A Classic Pub Fail on the Border

Before crossing into Scotland, we aimed to end our English leg with a traditional pub park-up at The Swan in Newburn. Despite emailing ahead, the reality of a steep hill, tight single-lane access, and parked cars meant Holly simply couldn’t fit into the lot.

Adapting quickly, we located a spacious community lot nearby surrounded by local dog walkers and fellow campervans. We cooked a cozy meal inside, looked back on an unforgettable journey across England, and prepared for the next big chapter: Scotland!