Chapel Lane Caravan Club Site, Wythall, Birmingham, Warickshire, B47 6JX
 
You'd never guess who we bumped into at Strensham Services as we made our way northbound up the M5, none other than rock legend Tina Turner. We parked up next to her, in the caravans and lorry parking area, where she was making beans on toast for herself in the kitchen of her Sterling Europa. Penny wise Tina, refused to pay the exorbitant prices of the Service Station Cafe, and after using their facilities, was preparing herself a little snack. Imagine our further surprise, when we found out that she too was heading to the caravan club site, at Chapel Lane, Birmingham. So after she had finished her meal, wound up her rear steadies, we followed in convoy, up to Birmingham. The site was only a few minutes away from the M42, and even though we were following Tina, I would have found the site easily following the instructions in The Caravan Club Site Directory. After we got booked in, pitched up etc. Tina came round for a chat. She was a regular at the site, enjoying the peace and quiet it offered, set in a rural location, though only a few miles from the convenience of the motorway. She was taking a break after a grueling summer season at Weston-Super-Mare, then carrying on further north to spend a few weeks in her UK home at Grimsby, before the opening of her next show during the illumination period, at the North Pier, Blackpool, supporting comedy legends Cannon and Ball.
  
The next couple we bumped into were Jennifer Lopez and fiancée Ben Affleck. It was their first time on a Caravan Club Site, being members of the Caravan and Camping Club, but they were suitably impressed with the cleanliness of the facilities, size of pitches and also, as Ben pointed out, the wardens had done an excellent job keeping the tubs and hanging baskets so colourful and lush, considering the summer heatwave we had just experienced. The couple were in the area, checking out suitable places for their honeymoon. I suggested we drive into the centre of Birmingham and have a stroll around the newly developed canal area, and we had a pleasant evening, enjoying pints of Stella, in one of the many cosmopolitan bars overlooking the canals. On the way back to the site, we called in at a nearby Tescos, where Ben bought some minted lamb chops for a barbeque and a few cans of Mackesons Stout for Jennifer, her favourite tipple. As we continued to chat around the barbeque, on that balmy summer evening Jennifer told us that she was somewhat giddy, as the museum of vintage buses, located next door to the caravan site was to have an opening day tomorrow, and being the vintage bus enthusiast that she was, she expressed doubts that she would be able to sleep properly owing to the excitement.
  
  Our final visitor to the caravan, pictured above, was Dame Edna Everage. We did have plans to move on home after our month away, but we couldn't let Edna down, so we booked on for another night. Edna too was pleasantly surprised with the location of the site, though not the most picturesque site she had ever stayed on, it was extremely handy for all the attractions of Birmingham. She joined us the following day when we visited the birthplace of Shakespeare, when we had a gorgeous day at the beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon, only 15 miles from the site. She couldn't believe how the Caravan Club Sites had come on since she was a member, and was even able to email her bridesmaid Madge, from the sites own internet booth.

Though we only planned to stay a couple of days on this site, using it as a convenient stop off on the way back from Cornwall and Devon, despite having nearly a month away, we booked another night, as Birmingham and its surrounding area has so much to offer. We had a wonderful time, and met some wonderful celebrities. I am sure we will be returning to this site.