Today, we head to Portland Bill. But before we doo, its cool down time. The heater in our campervan goes from 1 to 10. Overnight, even in the coldest weather, Level 2 is usually enough. The last few days have been mild, so Level 1 has sufficed.
It is still a mystery then, why oh why we left it on Level 4.
I awake at 4.30, hot and irritated by the heater clicking, which it does sometimes. Not very loud, but in the dead of night, in a field with zero sound, it is incredibly annoying!!
This morning was pack up time. The worst part about camping, so it was all hands to the pump.
It was an unwelcoming misty start to the day, and as a result, the drive away awning was dripping.
Impossible to get dry in 90 minutes, so we made the decision to wrap it up and worry about it when we get home.
Visiting Portland Bill
We made the 11 am check out time with no time to spare. Portland Bill was on the agenda for today. After the rigmarole of packing up, breakfast now seems an eternity away. Caffeine was calling.
A quick Google and we found a place called Billy Winters, WHAT A FIND! This place was soo cool, so funky, so…so, well so beachy.
It is a proper beachside shack. Old guitars adorned the wall. What appears to be an unused stereo sits in the corner. The orange, blue, and green decor gives it a surfers vibe.
A long wooden bar is a busy place. It’s chalkboard menu lists draught and bottled beers alongside cocktails.
It is a wide but shallow establishment and appears to be fully focused on the view out to sea. Hard to tell, but I guess it sits about 30 inside. Outside, a further 15 or so picnic type tables sit alone, waiting for the better weather.
Weather that doesn’t involve a chilled wind whipping in from the sea. As a result, the visitors to Billy Winters make the most of the chilled out vibes indoors.
Cool tunes provide a comfortable hum in the background. Stealers Wheels and The Kooks are a couple of the bands on offer.
I could sit here for hours, but a restless 4-year-old and the beach is demanding our attention.
After 20 minutes and some convincing, we encourage Max back to the camper van. He seems impervious to the wind and cold.
Oh to be 4 again!
Time to be Visiting Portland Bill
Portland Bill is our next stop. Being February, and the weather as it is, parking is not an issue.
The wind continues to batter us.
Mist and fog is hanging around and is deemed thick enough for the Lighthouse Fog Horn to push out a blast every 30 seconds or so.
The sea is crashing against the rocks, but it doesn’t stop us. Max and I venture down for a closer look, while mummy stays on the safer ground.
With a 2 hour drive home, we decided a big lunch now, and snacks for tea would be the order of the day.
So we wander back to the Lobster Pot. A casual restaurant that while not plush or posh, was clean and tidy. It serves us what we need.
The one disappointment being they had a supplier problem. This meant Suzanne’s craving of a Crab Sandwich goes unfulfilled.
With full tummies, we amble back to the caravan, for the drive home.
As always, we have all enjoyed our campervan break. We have visited Weymouth, and West Bay. Had fun around the campervan, and best of all, we have been able to spend some time together.
We pile into Dibby, and set off for the drive home. Already planning our next short trip away.
