Rally Report from Deaf Camping & Caravanning Club North (DCCCN) – April 2023

 

Thursday 6th / Friday 7th April till Bank Holiday Monday 10th April 2023
The first rally of the year 2023 for the DCCC North was held for a long Easter weekend,
starting Thursday (Some on Friday) at the Braids Caravan Park.

 

Friday 7th April
Many of us went out for the day, some to Dumfries by bus to explore more about Robert Burns’
poetry, others walked around Gretna and Greta Green to explore about Blacksmiths and Marriage venue
place and some others stayed at the campsite for the day, relaxing in the warming up sun.

England Scotland Border at the Old Toll Bar Cafe
Built in 1830 as `First & last House in Scotland` is perfect for shopping for a bite to eat.

Gretna Green
The world famous Gretna Green wedding venue and was long
famous as the goal of running away secretly to get married
English eloping couples seeking hasty marriage.

Dumfries
A centre for contemporary visual arts and crafts, a confectionery shop, a bustling farmers’ market,
a Palladian mansion, lovely red-hued sandstone bridges.
Perhaps most well known for its many associations with Robert Burns, who lived here
in the 1790s, and tells the story of Burns’ last years in the town.

Evening
In the evening, we met up in Gretna Social Club across the road
but at a distance for drinks and chat all evening.

Saturday 8th April
On an another day of leisure, as many shops are open for business, many went to Gretna Outlet (Caledonia Park)
Retail Park but went to the first house/café (Old Toll Bar – the first house built in 1830, once you touched
the land of Scotland) for a delicious lunch.

Caledonia Park – Gretna Outlet
Shopping outlet village with more 40 shops from a range of Sports and Outdoor brands
including Nike, Adidas and Berghaus to top designer brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren,
BOSS and Kate Spade New York, Next and Marks & Spencer.

Evening
In the evening, we met up again in Gretna Social Club and had a game of “True or False”.
A team of 4 people won, but one person team (Iain Smith, a true Scottish Man) was runner-up by one point behind,
so, Iain should have won in the first place, but the rules say otherwise!!). Many believed that the width of
Australia is much smaller than the diameter of the full moon which is in fact “False”, many couldn’t image that.
(i.e., Diameter of the Full Moon reads 2,113 miles and Australia, from West Coast to East Coast reads 2,485 miles).

 

Sunday 11th April

Walk Rambers
On Sunday was a day of either being lazy or exercising by walking around part of Dumfries and Galloway. We
met up at the Flag for 11am and walked along the border of Scottish and English for part of the way and
stopped at the same Old Toll Bar for lunch, and continuing walking towards the Gretna Green/Blacksmith
to explore before returning to Gretna Inn for our hearty ‘Sunday Roast’ Meal.

Socialising evening
Others who didn’t join the walk are able to join us and had meal together,
many stayed behind in the evening to watch the football on Sky TV and
eventually met up again at Gretna Social Club for one last night together.

Bank Holiday Monday 10th April
Today was a day of departure.
Photos and final briefing was taken by the flag.

 

More photos
Click here to browse more photos of
2023 DCCCN Rally No.01 – Gretna, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
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Reported by
Deaf Camping & Caravanning Club North
Paul Winterhalter