Scerne

We are treating ourselves to a two day break at a small, seaside agriturismo site for €5 a night. Vomano Vechio has no drinking water or grey waste emptying and if you need to empty your toilet cassette, there are two, limited capacity plastic tanks you can use for €2. However, we can be self sufficient for a short time and we haven't come for the facilities, we've come for the quiet seaside location and to support the enterprise of the owner and farmer who sells his fruit and vegetables on site.

Now that we've reached the east coast, many of the sights look familiar as we find ourselves retracing some of our 2017 route. In fact, we even use the van services at Porto Potenza Picena; a place we stopped at for a few nights almost 3 years ago.

The road following the Adriatic is a tourist magnet, although at this time if year the Go Karts tracks, campsites, apartment blocks, boat parks, car parks, eateries, waterparks, multi use games areas are all virtually empty or closed. The locals make the most of this seasonal lull, and we see strollers, speed walkers, joggers, dog walkers and cyclists enjoying this sunny Saturday morning.

Taking a stoney track leading from a car park at the end of a lane, we arrived at our little campsite at the same time as another motorhome. They slid back the large metal framed wooden gate, allowing us both entry to the empty field and within a few minutes the owner arrived. He motioned for us to park in a plot with lush green clover but headed out soon after. Unfortunately there wasn't any produce for sale but we had enough food with us to last.

Despite being able to hear the crash of waves on the pebble beach, we didn't have a view of the sea. This wasn't a problem because the fence and tall hedge gaves us privacy from passers by and when the sky was clear enough we could see beautiful snow capped mountain peaks through the windscreen.

It is a relaxing spot which we had all to ourselves on the second night. Will fished, had several swims and while the weather was warm and dry we sat out, recharging our energy.

When we saw the owner again, we asked how much our stay would be. He shrugged good naturedly. He wouldn't have asked for payment but eventually accepted €10.Read more