Midlands Donna Nook - who's been this year - parking question

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Paul
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Hi all, going to Donna Nook's been a dream of the wife's for a few years now but for one reason or another we've not been able to.

However, we are off next Thursday / Friday so should be less busy, but Im thinking of taking the camper and doing an overnight in the car park.

Now, it's all change this year, £4 parking not £2, (fiver at weekend) and it's the overspill carpark is now the main one. I don't mind paying for parking obviously my only real quesiton is if anyones been this year and if there's any height restrictions on the parking entrance?
 
Errrr, Donna Nook is in Lincolnshire. I appreciate that may be a major northwards trip for someone in leafy Kempston, Bedfordshire, but few others would agree with your "North of England" location tag. Lincolnshire is very much in the soft south.
 
Errrr, Donna Nook is in Lincolnshire. I appreciate that may be a major northwards trip for someone in leafy Kempston, Bedfordshire, but few others would agree with your "North of England" location tag. Lincolnshire is very much in the soft south.

Does it really matter if it's N,S,E or W ?

The OP asked about the carpark height restrictions, not the geographical positioning of Donna Nook:rolleyes:

FWIW, I used to Live in Yorkshire and often went to Lincolnshire…..It sure wasn't considered a "trip south"!

@Donnie Unfortunately I can't help with your question as it's 15 years since I left the UK and no doubt there has been a lot of changes… Sorry!
 
If it doesn't matter why are we obliged to put the tags on?

NO it doesn't matter. Nothing really matters. But you can either do things right or do them wrong. What's so hard about that?

You sound like that Dutchman who is trying to have his age legally changed. In fact why call the place Donna Nook? In future please refer to it as Boscome Heights. And there is no such thing as a car park. In future they are all to be called swamp marshes.

It doesn't matter if that's the wrong name. Guess I'm talking to remember of the Spinach generation.
 
If it doesn't matter why are we obliged to put the tags on?

NO it doesn't matter. Nothing really matters. But you can either do things right or do them wrong. What's so hard about that?

You sound like that Dutchman who is trying to have his age legally changed. In fact why call the place Donna Nook? In future please refer to it as Boscome Heights. And there is no such thing as a car park. In future they are all to be called swamp marshes.

It doesn't matter if that's the wrong name. Guess I'm talking to remember of the Spinach generation.

I'm all for doing things to the best of my ability, wether that be "correct" or not I have no idea as I'm not perfect and I don't do things to be correct in the eyes of others! ….Perhaps you consider that you are perfect….If so, then please fell free to offer some pointers, I'll read them with interest then probably bin them:D

Where I lived in Yorkshire basically placed Humberside and Lincolnshire predominantly East, for Paul it is North from his location, for someone else in Scotland for instance then it would be as you suggest ...South.

Fair enough we're obliged to put the tags on, but to what accuracy? ….Do we now need admin to set the boundaries of the UK that dictate N,S,E,W so that we are sure that we're heading in the right direction?.....Perhaps they'll supply us with compasses whilst they're at it!:rolleyes:

If the Dutchman chooses to change his age ( what that has to do with geography i have no idea:p) …..does that affect your life in some way? Is he hurting you in some way?...If not then let the guy live as he wishes instead of exopcting him or anyone else to live as you dictate!

Spinach generation…...You know me sooooooo well:p…...NOT!
 
If it doesn't matter why are we obliged to put the tags on?

NO it doesn't matter. Nothing really matters. But you can either do things right or do them wrong. What's so hard about that?

You sound like that Dutchman who is trying to have his age legally changed. In fact why call the place Donna Nook? In future please refer to it as Boscome Heights. And there is no such thing as a car park. In future they are all to be called swamp marshes.

It doesn't matter if that's the wrong name. Guess I'm talking to remember of the Spinach generation.

Wow! I'm not sure whether to ask who p*ssed in your chips or if you've had all your meds?

I've asked a simple question and you've replied with a pretty poor attitude I don't usually expect from members of this forum to be honest. If you cannot post civilly please refrain from posting at all eh?
 
Have you thought of Horsey? It’s s little closer than Donna Nook. Weekdays should be easier than a weekend for lower visitor numbers. More info here:

http://friendsofhorseyseals.co.uk/

Horsey is a little easier to describe as its definitely in the east! I always find the north/south divide thing funny. People who I work with who live in Lincoln all seem to think of themselves as northerners rather than southerners. Probably the funniest part of this thread was the description of Kempston as ‘leafy’. Not sure what people north of Bedfordshire think its like but it’s hard to describe North Bedfordshire as ‘leafy’. It isn’t exactly the Cotswolds!!
 
From where I live, far SW reaches of Cornwall every where is "up Country" :whistle:
 
LoL to be a pedant Lincolnshire is East Midlands and certainly not part of the south ;)

To the OP, again it has been a number of years since I have been, although motorhomes etc were present in the then main car park the trust was discouraging overnighting, back then the overspill car park was operated by the local farmer I believe, if that is still the case maybe try chatting them up.
 
Have you thought of Horsey? It’s s little closer than Donna Nook. Weekdays should be easier than a weekend for lower visitor numbers. More info here:

http://friendsofhorseyseals.co.uk/

Thanks for this, I'd forgotten about Horsey to be honest and just had a good read of the site, unfortunately (or perhaps more appropriately, thankfully) the section on access to the seals is a kicker, not for me but for the wife. Achilles tendon surgery a couple of years ago followed by a diabetic foot ulcer rules out a 25 minute walk to get there one way and the steep path the short 10 minute way. Though I could be tempted to go alone there one other day I have to admit.

LoL to be a pedant Lincolnshire is East Midlands and certainly not part of the south ;)

To the OP, again it has been a number of years since I have been, although motorhomes etc were present in the then main car park the trust was discouraging overnighting, back then the overspill car park was operated by the local farmer I believe, if that is still the case maybe try chatting them up.

Thanks Phil, I'll change the location (nearly worried it will attract someone else to argue the point though LOL) Yes, the farmers field thats the overspill carpark this year is the main car park apparantly and is up from £2 to £4 a day (fiver at weekends) but I have no quibble with that at all. Ive messaged the donna nook warden re overnights as I just cannot seem to find a way to contact the farmer. I guess the only way would be to ask on the day and if he says no then I just make sure i have a plan B.
 
I live in Lincolnshire and visit Donna Nook every year, I believe there’s a height barrier at the entrance but it’s one of those things if it doesn’t affect you you don’t really take much notice! There must be somewhere nearby you could pull up for the night, there are lots of quiet roads leading to other beach carparks where I’ve seen horse boxes, which I guess are similar in height.

Donna Nook is more northern in latitude to Sheffield, central Manchester and Liverpool, all of which would consider themselves northern, not that it matters.
 
We visit Horsey most years as it's close by.

Thanks for this, I'd forgotten about Horsey to be honest and just had a good read of the site, unfortunately (or perhaps more appropriately, thankfully) the section on access to the seals is a kicker, not for me but for the wife. Achilles tendon surgery a couple of years ago followed by a diabetic foot ulcer rules out a 25 minute walk to get there one way and the steep path the short 10 minute way. Though I could be tempted to go alone there one other day I have to admit.

I've never been to Donna Nook but looking on Streetview it does look like a much flatter dune bank so perhaps that is a better option?

I think the Friends are being cautious in their descriptions - I imagine to limit disappointment from people who have mobility limits and can't climb the dunes.

If you approach from The Nelson pub it's about a mile along a farm track, then you have a climb the wooden stairs up the dune to the viewing area.
Pub's nice ;) but if you're not able to make the walk that's not much help.

If you park at the Beach car park you can walk to the same main viewing point, that's about a mile too.
From the beach car park you can also get to the closer walkway and we've seen plenty of seals and pups there. We usually go up to both but that is a fairly long walk and quite a lot of time.
In both cases you have to climb up the dunes so if that's the limit then that would rule you out.

Hopefully this link will work. https://goo.gl/maps/vbdP7hvETa32
The first viewing area goes from the 2nd path/2nd breakwater to the 3rd path/3rd walk way - you should be able to identify the square top of the pill box they mention.
You can also scope out the Beach Car Park using Streetview and see the dunes.

Hope you get your trip sorted as it's really great to see the Seals up close.

Here's a handful of pictures I've taken there
https://flic.kr/s/aHskHJfque
 
Now that is interesting, soon as you said the Nelson something twigged, Im sure Ive had a pint in there a few years ago when we'd visited Aldeburgh! Googling the interior confirms it and now my memory remembers the steep path which she did in fact manage back then, albeit with some help! OK, well maybe Horsey is back on the agenda, but its the overnighting to sort now.
 
Great - I don't know how The Nelson would be about overnighting - IIRC they do allow camping during their beer festival. Again Streetview shows you their parking
, there are also spaces behind the pub.
Horsey gets absolutely rammed over the Christmas break and the surrounding weekends. Its a bit calmer in the week.
The beach car park is a fair bit further on. It's pay and display but during the pup excitement they have staff on site for the parking contractor and an overspill in the fields a bit further up the track so you'd need to check out how they might be about an overnight stay.

The Friends site suggests they've had 20 odd pups as of the 8th so there'll be something to see from now on.
 
Great - I don't know how The Nelson would be about overnighting - IIRC they do allow camping during their beer festival. Again Streetview shows you their parking
, there are also spaces behind the pub.
Horsey gets absolutely rammed over the Christmas break and the surrounding weekends. Its a bit calmer in the week.
The beach car park is a fair bit further on. It's pay and display but during the pup excitement they have staff on site for the parking contractor and an overspill in the fields a bit further up the track so you'd need to check out how they might be about an overnight stay.

The Friends site suggests they've had 20 odd pups as of the 8th so there'll be something to see from now on.


Well, it's done! There's a website for motorhomes / campervans at http://wildcamping.moonfruit.com/home/4563550201 which shows both wildcamp spots but also a network of pubs that are happy to put up with you, the assumption being that you get your pitch for free and you buy something from them, guess what?

We're gonna be able to stay at the Nelson Heads car park overnight and we've booked a table for 2 for a meal Thursday evening too :) My god Im looking forward to this!
 
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