A sun lit dream come true.
We’re Recently returned from a terrific experience with White Horse Gypsy Caravans. On arrival, the antique gypsy bow-top vardo looked very welcoming and was parked in a idyllic part of Wiltshire. We had arrived early, so transferred our luggage to the vardo and went for a walk across the field and looked around inside and out of the ancient church nearby. We walked back and made a cup of tea in the vardo.
Polly arrived home and was very welcoming and open, explaining that her cottage bathroom was ours to use around the clock. She introduced us to her dear little dogs 'Bobbin' and 'Button'. What characters!
The vardo was exactly as we expected; compact, clean and tidy. The first late afternoon, evening and night spent camped in Polly’s garden gave us time to get used to what would be our home for a while. We ate at the nearby 'The Barge Inn - Honeystreet', which Polly had booked earlier. We had an early night.
Next morning, after a good cooked breakfast in the vardo we heard the clip-clop of hooves approaching. Then we saw him; Ned the white Vanner. What a hansom muscular beast he was. It was love at first sight. Polly introduced us to both Ned and Ruth our groom who had led 'Ned' from his meadow, by head collar and lead. Between us we groomed and harnessed Ned. Ruth applied copious amounts of insect repellent to Ned. I then led him to the vardo and backed him in between the shafts. After some advice from Ruth, on what commands to use for Ned, with Ruth walking ahead, we set off for 'The Mill Stream' pub for lunch and a rest for Ned. Both Ruth and Ned work very hard. Ned never putting a foot wrong and varying his own speed to suit the terrain, he knew the route well. We loved him more each minute.
In spite of being constantly plagued with horse flies, Ned proved to be a powerful, hansom, gentle and a very intelligent horse. Our groom Ruth proved to be a calm friendly and a very capable and safe-pair-of-hands, with her horse and horse-driving experiences, knowledge of the area and traffic-management skills; she is second to none.
After lunch we set off for 'Dingly Dell' rear of the 'The Seven Stars Inn - Bottlesford' pub; a little piece of heaven. We had a star-lit log campfire, evening meal and a hearty campfire breakfast. There was plenty of good grazing and fresh water, for Ned, and shelter when he wanted it. There were tented loos and a tented hot shower for us.
Early afternoon I groomed Ned and turned the vardo around just in time for Ruth to return. We applied more insect repellant to Ned and harnessed him, hitched him to the vardo and set-off for Polly’s garden. After giving him a gentle cold hose down, we said a sad farewell to both Ruth and Ned. We had a pleasant lengthy chat with Polly, then after a wash, brush-up and change, went to the 'Seven Stars Inn' pub for our evening meal, which was very nice. We had an early night and after saying farewell to Polly, had breakfast at the 'Honey Street Mill café', then set off home.
We will be returning. Thank you Polly, Ruth and Ned. What an adventure!
—Terence and Viv
Date of experience: June 2023
Date of experience: June 2023