Gloucester Cathedral was another filming site for Harry Potter, some of the Hogwarts scenes were filmed here so we made a visit on our way to Studley to look at some more vans. Lunch was at the monkey Tree, a family restaurant quite reasonably priced.
The car yard in Studley had about 6 campervans ranging from ₤5000 to ₤14000.
Beige was the only color available in a hi top Talbot and the consensus was that it may be a bit of a tight squeeze for a 9 month journey, besides I had been out voted and the rest of the gang made up there minds on a pale blue ₤10000 van.
My name was mud for the trip back to Bradford as I had encouraged the gang to view a few more options before rushing into the first van they liked.

Glastonbury Tor was the aim of our next day via the van we were not able to view when the yard was closed, so we set off earlier, around 10 o’clock for Lyddon on Fosse. The van was in good order so we took it for a test run, it drove OK, it’s major weakness was it was petrol.
So off to Glastonbury for some lunch a climb to the top of the Tor. This was our first real experience of COLD, it was blowing like the clappers and I was so glad I had some shoes. Lunch was interesting as we watched the different people of Glastonbury, from your suited businessmen to the homeless, the hippies
And the witches. Glastonbury is known for being a place of Mystic charm as the Tor is supposed to be very spiritual and it also is strategically placed on a lay line.

Deb and I decided that Cointha and Daniel needed some down time. They had been so good and we felt that we could not keep dragging them around looking at vans, so we spent the day with Anthony as he showed us some of the finer points of Bradford before heading to the Castle Inn to meet some of his friends.
Learning to use a pottery wheel was the afternoons excitement as Anthony shared his skills in the art of making medieval pots. { Anhony spends time each year at a Manor called Kentwell where all the artists recreate life in the Victorian Era, the rules state that they must make all there own clothing in the traditional ways and colors, they must speak in traditional language and while there they use there crafts and make products or services as communities did in these times}. Cointha, Deb and I made bowls while Daniel made some cups. When we return we hope to fire them in Anthony’s home made wood fired kiln.

I had promised the gang that Sunday we would decide which van we would buy so we set off towards Bridgwater to view a van from a private seller. I had tried to contact some private sellers during the week who had advertised in a UK classified magazine called trade it but none of them bothered to answer there telephones.
We had options today Bridgwater, Chepstow inWales , Bristol and Swindon.

Bridgwater was a very dodgy Bedford van with a toggle switch for a 5th gear and some very choice décor that not even Deb could make look good.
Chepstow would not answer his phone.
Bristol was unavailable until Monday
Swindon was the best we had seen and reasonably priced soafter a test drive and a discussion with the gang, negotiations were begun. Not that you can negotiate with 3 heads sticking out of the door of the van yelling we’ll take it.
So we left a deposit and arranged to return Monday to pick up our brand new secondhand 1988 Fiat Ducato Auto Stratus 2.5 litre turbo diesel motor home.