We bought our first caravan when we lived in Devon in the early 1990s.

It was a second-hand Bailey Maestro L, dating from 1982 and was already over ten years old when we bought it, but it was a lovely wee van.....well cared for by its previous owners and was just right as a "starter" van for us.

 

Here it is hitched up to the ubiquitous company car of the time (1994) - a Vauxhall Cavalier. We were on our way to the Isle of Wight for a two week stay at "The Orchards" site, and we were awaiting the ferry to take us "overseas" for the first time!

The weather was glorious throughout our fortnight (thankfully as we didn't have an awning in those days. We visited "The Needles" (see photos), Osborne House as well as numerous other sites. The caravan site had its own heated outdoor pool...great for cooling off, and as Lauren had still not started full-time schooling, things were still quiet enough for us.

 
Waiting for the ferry
  

 
Lauren at "The Needles"
Me and Kim on board the boat bound for "The Needles"
  
At "The Orchards"

 

Of course we gradually started using the van at other times of the year.

One wet, cold April weekend in the Blackdown Hills springs to mind. As the van had no heating or hot water, we had mains electrics installed and heated the van using a low wattage fan heater, but it stayed pretty cold!!

One of our favourite spots was Yeatheridge Farm in Devon. A lovely farm site literally miles from any large-ish settlement. Despite this the site has a pool and a flume, pony trekking and lots for kids to do. The farm donkey was a particular favourite of Lauren's and it used to wander about the site enjoying the attention.

 

  
Lauren and the donkey at Yeatheridge
 

However there came a time when we wanted to move to a slightly younger van and we said a sad farewell to our Bailey, thinking that we had seen the last of it. But not a bit of it! The van popped up just around the corner when a family there bought it from the local dealer. It carried on, no doubt giving them many weeks of pleasure until they sold it in 2000 when the van was approaching its eighteenth birthday.

We still see Bailey Maestros of this vintage on our travels and they always remind us of this little van. We had tremendous pleasure with it as did our parents when they used it despite the fact that it had very few of the modern conveniences we take for granted in newer caravans. It had:

  • No hot water
  • No heating
  • No cassette toilet (we used a Porta Potti)
  • No electricity (until we installed it)
  • No oven (we used to take a wee microwave away with us)

But it had bags of charm!

 
Lauren and our Bailey
  

© Ron Miller 2003