Purbeck Life.

The Beginning.

In August 1994 my wife and I set off from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex for a new life, at the time we had no idea where we were going to finally settle but we decided to head to Dorset.

We had purchased everything we needed to travel and camp out, but arriving in Weymouth at 4pm to be greeted by torrential rain finding somewhere to stay was a priority, and being before the Internet had taken off we were left with little choice but to go from place to place searching for a room.

We eventually found one at the Cumberland Hotel , only for 1 night though but it allowed us to have a rest and explore the area. I had been to Weymouth in 1990 for a week so I already had an idea of the place.

The following day we started our search for somewhere to stay for a few days while we decided on a plan, this was not easy, it was the 5th August, Holiday season and Weymouth was packed but we did eventually find a bedsit on the Seafront, it was not exactly what we had in mind but needs must so off we trooped.

1 room with a double bed no cooking facilities and a toilet behind a curtain was not exactly how we envisaged our great get away, it sufficed though and we ate out at the Ming Wah nearly every day but we could not carry on this way.

We started searching for places a little further afield and came across the Durdle Door Holiday Park where a quick phone called confirmed they just had enough space for us and our two man tent, getting there was going to be fun though.

With no car and no public transport to such places we had to get a taxi, £20 later we had arrived.

We spoke to the office when we arrived and enquired about any vans that maybe available but there were none so we set off and pitched out tent in an area near the entrance under the pine trees, only to finish and be told a van had become available if we wanted it.

Tent and everything repacked we set off to the office to pick up the keys to the van and went looking for it. A typical mobile home of the time, comfortable and provided all the basics you needed, there was an onsite shop as well as a bar/pub.

We moved each week for 3 weeks and decided we may as well just buy a home on site if one was available as we were spending a small fortune on the van as well as food, taxi's and other things.

We now owned our own van on site, next we needed some transport and a trip into Poole to have a look and see what was available, returning home in a Silver Granada 2.8i Ghia X.