We set out on a damp, bleak Saturday morning and already the ghost of Inveraray was beginning to haunt us. As we drove the 90 miles to "Forget-me-not" Holiday Park the weather worsened and the rain started. Being stewards we arrived early, so early in fact that the site was not officially opened for the day and Chas White, who had arrived the night before, had to let us in! We were of course followed in by 2 other Dandys whose intrepid owners had also set out at some ungodly hour of the morning. Fortunately our assistant stewards for this rally Don & Oona Parker had also arrived the night before and they saw to the refreshments and pitching arrangements while we got ourselves organised. Much of the rest of the day was spent pitching units and helping owners sort out the usual niggly problems their Dandys seem to throw up at rallies, which was quite welcome as with the constant rain we would have just sat in the Dandy otherwise.

 Sunday saw the weather clear, though there was still a touch of wind. We held the 'welcome meet' in the morning to explain the various activities planned, the quiz, and some of the surrounding attractions. On Monday we ventured from the site and after deciding Alnwick castle wasn't worth the waiting in the queue we took the road south and spent a very pleasant afternoon at Wallington Hall, though to be fair we would have needed the whole day to see it all. We spent as long as we could there but soon we were winging it back to the site, as we had all agreed to meet up in the site restaurant for our evening meal. The company was as usual excellent but the snails in this establishment were not in the food so much as making the stuff. It was lovely when it came but what a time it took!

 By now we had got a taste for some of the National Trust properties so on Tuesday we headed to Cragside House a day would be enough to see round this and it's grounds! Ever been had! It could take a week to see round all the grounds. The house was amazing, built as the ideal home of it's day many of the items would still be considered luxuries today. Add that to the architecture, period design and general decoration and it stands out as a place to visit. As we returned to the site the weather turned to showery rain. By the time dinner was had the weather had improved and everybody joined in to watch the 8 first round matches in the boules competition, the last ones nearly requiring torches to finish them.

Wednesday was fairly leisurely with only a couple of members arriving to join the rally. The 'Holy Island' and Lindisfarne was our destination on the Thursday. A trip round the castle and the winery were in order but the tide required us to leave before the causeway was flooded as we didn't fancy being stranded until late.

A visit to this area would not be complete without a visit to Hadrian’s Wall, so we visited 'Homestead Fort' on the Friday. It was very interesting how it had changed during the Roman occupation and finally been colonised when they left. It was a lovely evening and that allowed us all to have a chat and complete another couple of rounds of the boules competition, somehow my playing partner Janet and I managed to reach the final! Saturday was tinged with sadness as it was our last full day at a rally this year and many people were taking down awnings ready for a quick get away the next morning. We had the boules final, which Janet and I won (many commiserations to Luke Abbott and John Hilton who also played very well), and we had the flag meet where we had the raffle and handed out the prizes for the various competitions.

 Despite the wet start it has been an excellent week, but as they say all good things have to come to an end. Roll on 2006.

Tom