NW Scotland - Highlands & Cape Wrath in a Motorhome
Discussion
So, having journeyed up from Essex to Port Appin (just shy of Fort William) to my Uncle's a little over a week ago, together with my little girl and dog, the van was left parked up for a week whilst I flew to Berlin for a work event. I then journeyed back up on 26th - LHR to Glasgow and then a bus to Ballachulish and pick-up by my Uncle to his from there. A quick topup with water and I was ready to go the following morning. By this time I had covered just over 530miles
27th March 2017 - Port Appin - Applecross
Well, where to begin?! I'm so full of adrenaline (and tiredness) that it's difficult to focus, but I have to to ensure the day is recorded as it's been an epic start to the holiday.
I set off from North Shian this morning at 09:30 after a spot of grub for breakfast (bacon buttie with Stornaway Black Pudding - yum!!).
I'd agreed to meet a BMWLander member just outside Spean Bridge at midday, but in the interim I had to get to Fort William, pop to Morrisons for supplies, fill with diesel and top up the gas reserves. I had plenty of time for this and all was going well until I tried filling the fridge with the bought produce and ended up putting my finger through an egg, which typically went all over everything. Cue 10mins wasted trying to wash up everything which had come into contact with it!
Anyway, once filled up with derv and gas, I was on my way to the Commando Memorial, just outside Spean Bridge. It was there as I pulled into the car park that I saw the chap in question's gleaming 535i - as I started to pour over it, he came over and introduced himself. Finally great to put a face to a name. Thereafter a good 90mins spent chatting in the 22degs C sunshine(!) over some fresh bread, cold meats and finally, my Aunt's famous fully biscuit coated cheesecake.
Meet & greet over, I headed on my course to Applecross. I smiled as I headed towards Invergarry, after passing the "Great Glen Water Park" where I holidayed once as a mid-teen with my parents. And then headed uphill, up towards Glengarry. That was where I started stopping to take photos and seemingly never stopped! Always seemed to be another view which bewitched me!
From there I headed up to Kyle of Lochalsh and some properly scary roads. Nothing, however, was to prepare me for what I faced after heading through Strathcarron (beautiful little place), through Loch Carron (also beautiful by the side of the water) as I turned into the ominously signed road for Applecross - "Prohibited for vehicles weighing over 18t mgw" - fine, I thought. I'm "only" 4.6t. Then came "Road very narrow, singletrack only with passing places. Not suitable for Learner Drivers or Caravans". Hmmm. I'm neither of the above but never been on a road quite as clearly signed that it's a bit dodge.
Well...........nothing I've ever driven comes close. It starts out narrow, gets narrower. And when you think it can't get any narrower, it does.......AND has gradients I've never seen before, hairpin bends and sheer drops which make driving in the Pyrenees look like a walk in the park! But, but, views which had me shouting to myself - developing Tourettes! Over every summit there was another view to stun and amaze. Which had me pulling over and jumping out or just stopping and taking photos through the windscreen. Just epic. The pic below was with the van parked in 1st gear. No matter how hard I pulled on the handbrake, the gradient was just too steep for the handbrake to hold the van. The picture doesn't do it justice and can't get the depth and gradient involved. The Pyrennes was nothing compared to this!
But this is the view at the top!!
In all, the drive from North Shian took around 3.5hrs plus lunch with Peter. The last 20miles took me an hour! Thankfully I only met around 12 cars on this stretch, but each one of those was one too many. I can imagine in the summer it must be a lot worse and whilst I can recommend Applecross as one of the most beautiful places on earth, I'd suggest now is probably the right time of year - earlier and it's snowed in and cut off - later and it'll be full of traffic.
So, upon arrival in Applecross, I popped straight to the legendary Applecross Inn. A beautiful day with 15degs C outside and mist hanging over the strait between the mainland and Isle of Skye. So I pitched myself on a picnic bench outside with a pint of cold lager (McEwans - eurgh!) and a plate of very fine Haddock & Chips. Perfect antidote to a terrifying drive.
As I then contemplated where to overnight (not allowed to stay in Applecross Inn car park), I bumped into a couple who parked up next to me in their motorhome. They had dodged the route in that I took (too many scary stories heard) and had come in on the coast road from the north. They told me they had seen a spot which they felt was worthy of an overnight and it tied in with a bay I had seen on the map. I set off ahead of them and wasn't sure we were talking about the same spot. But sure enough, 10mins after I pulled up at this glorious little cove, they arrived in their 30yr old Autotrail. We joined a fella camping in his Yeti and a lady camping in her tent. We all had a brief chat, I then sat outside and watched the sun go down whilst sipping from a cold Warsteiner. As the sun headed over the horizon, the temperature plummeted, so it was inside to warm up, read a book and early to bed.
Today has been so amazing, I can't wait to see what else the week has to hold.
27th March 2017 - Port Appin - Applecross
Well, where to begin?! I'm so full of adrenaline (and tiredness) that it's difficult to focus, but I have to to ensure the day is recorded as it's been an epic start to the holiday.
I set off from North Shian this morning at 09:30 after a spot of grub for breakfast (bacon buttie with Stornaway Black Pudding - yum!!).
I'd agreed to meet a BMWLander member just outside Spean Bridge at midday, but in the interim I had to get to Fort William, pop to Morrisons for supplies, fill with diesel and top up the gas reserves. I had plenty of time for this and all was going well until I tried filling the fridge with the bought produce and ended up putting my finger through an egg, which typically went all over everything. Cue 10mins wasted trying to wash up everything which had come into contact with it!
Anyway, once filled up with derv and gas, I was on my way to the Commando Memorial, just outside Spean Bridge. It was there as I pulled into the car park that I saw the chap in question's gleaming 535i - as I started to pour over it, he came over and introduced himself. Finally great to put a face to a name. Thereafter a good 90mins spent chatting in the 22degs C sunshine(!) over some fresh bread, cold meats and finally, my Aunt's famous fully biscuit coated cheesecake.
Meet & greet over, I headed on my course to Applecross. I smiled as I headed towards Invergarry, after passing the "Great Glen Water Park" where I holidayed once as a mid-teen with my parents. And then headed uphill, up towards Glengarry. That was where I started stopping to take photos and seemingly never stopped! Always seemed to be another view which bewitched me!
From there I headed up to Kyle of Lochalsh and some properly scary roads. Nothing, however, was to prepare me for what I faced after heading through Strathcarron (beautiful little place), through Loch Carron (also beautiful by the side of the water) as I turned into the ominously signed road for Applecross - "Prohibited for vehicles weighing over 18t mgw" - fine, I thought. I'm "only" 4.6t. Then came "Road very narrow, singletrack only with passing places. Not suitable for Learner Drivers or Caravans". Hmmm. I'm neither of the above but never been on a road quite as clearly signed that it's a bit dodge.
Well...........nothing I've ever driven comes close. It starts out narrow, gets narrower. And when you think it can't get any narrower, it does.......AND has gradients I've never seen before, hairpin bends and sheer drops which make driving in the Pyrenees look like a walk in the park! But, but, views which had me shouting to myself - developing Tourettes! Over every summit there was another view to stun and amaze. Which had me pulling over and jumping out or just stopping and taking photos through the windscreen. Just epic. The pic below was with the van parked in 1st gear. No matter how hard I pulled on the handbrake, the gradient was just too steep for the handbrake to hold the van. The picture doesn't do it justice and can't get the depth and gradient involved. The Pyrennes was nothing compared to this!
But this is the view at the top!!
In all, the drive from North Shian took around 3.5hrs plus lunch with Peter. The last 20miles took me an hour! Thankfully I only met around 12 cars on this stretch, but each one of those was one too many. I can imagine in the summer it must be a lot worse and whilst I can recommend Applecross as one of the most beautiful places on earth, I'd suggest now is probably the right time of year - earlier and it's snowed in and cut off - later and it'll be full of traffic.
So, upon arrival in Applecross, I popped straight to the legendary Applecross Inn. A beautiful day with 15degs C outside and mist hanging over the strait between the mainland and Isle of Skye. So I pitched myself on a picnic bench outside with a pint of cold lager (McEwans - eurgh!) and a plate of very fine Haddock & Chips. Perfect antidote to a terrifying drive.
As I then contemplated where to overnight (not allowed to stay in Applecross Inn car park), I bumped into a couple who parked up next to me in their motorhome. They had dodged the route in that I took (too many scary stories heard) and had come in on the coast road from the north. They told me they had seen a spot which they felt was worthy of an overnight and it tied in with a bay I had seen on the map. I set off ahead of them and wasn't sure we were talking about the same spot. But sure enough, 10mins after I pulled up at this glorious little cove, they arrived in their 30yr old Autotrail. We joined a fella camping in his Yeti and a lady camping in her tent. We all had a brief chat, I then sat outside and watched the sun go down whilst sipping from a cold Warsteiner. As the sun headed over the horizon, the temperature plummeted, so it was inside to warm up, read a book and early to bed.
Today has been so amazing, I can't wait to see what else the week has to hold.
28th March 2017 - Applecross to Durness (via. Lochinver & Achmelvic Beach) - photos still uploading....
Well, if I thought that yesterday was good, today trumped it - in many respects, but not all. What do I mean by that? Well, the driving didn't get any less spectacular and certainly there were surprises in abundance. But by the end of the day, what did become obvious was the fact I probably peaked a little early (stop sniggering at the back!) in terms of night-time pitches. I had three abortive stops for an overnight during the course of the evening - nothing quite measuring up to the first night at Sandy Bay. Anyway, more to this later.....
The problem with being on your own, as much as the benefit, is motivating yourself to do stuff. Anyway, I woke up at around 7am, laid in bed and read some more of my book whilst the heating was kicking in and the espresso was brewing on the stove. Once that was sunk, I dressed up in some warm gear (was only 6degs outside at this point of the morning) and walked down into Sandy Bay. It was hard work making my way over the gullies the water had carved into the soil before the beach but once down in the cove, the scale of the sand dune was evident and some more views of Skye revealed themselves since the haze and low lying clouds from the previous night had lifted.
Having spotted some rocks half way up the dune, I decided to dig deep and climb up the dune (which was pretty steep) and sit on one of the rocks.
It was hard work but worth it as the view over the top of the spit of land was breathtaking and opened up a whole new view up the west coast and across to Skye. Taking it all in and having time on my side, I decided to meditate on the rock for half an hour. Beautiful.
Being someone who hates not doing circular walks (i.e. hate doing the same leg there and back), I looked for a variation on the walk back to the van. The only way out which was not the same was by climbing to the top of the dune and scrambling up the rock-face to the road. After a long and hard slog to the top of the dune, I took a look at the rock face above me. Probably only about 10m up, but being a fairly health & safety conscious fella and a long way from help, I wondered whether this was the most prudent approach. I pondered and pondered and then thought "Blow it" (or words to that effect!) and gave it a go. You see I've spent my life ham-strung by fears of doing stuff wrong or hurting myself or my loved ones, but this trip is about finding myself as much as anything. And boy did it feel good when I scrambled up it and reached the road!
After walking back to the van (probably only a mile down the road), I cooked up some bacon and mashed an avocado into the baguette I had left over from yesterday and had a thoroughly lovely breakfast. After washing up and securing the van, I left at 09:40 - invigorated and ready for the day ahead.
I set out north on the road around the coast which eventually joins up with the main road to Ullapool just outside Torridon. Stunning scenary all the way around the coast. Many photos taken and constantly stopping and starting.
The road wasn't quite a slam-dunk easy, but certainly a huge improvement on yesterdays adventure over to Applecross. Picked up fuel just outside Torridon (another 38litres!! Haven't worked out my mpg scientifically yet, but it seems I am averaging around 18mpg - sometimes down to 15mpg. Most likely due to frequent gear changing, steep gradients and full load of water etc) as it pays to keep a fairly full tank given I don't know where I'm going to find the next fuel stop.
The target was then set for Lochinver. Some really nice A roads, sweeping up through valleys on the way to Ullapool.
It was then beginning to push on for lunchtime and I started to get hungry so around 13:00 I stopped by the side of the Loch approaching Ullapool. Beautiful view from a layby where I tucked into cheese and the perennial baguette from yesterday. Then disaster struck as, when opening the fridge door, said cheesecake made a bid for freedom and smashed all over the floor! Cue lots of swearing and picking out crumbs from all kinds of nooks and crannies. Gggggrrrr. Cheesecake wasted, I headed onwards.
Never been to Ullapool before so I figured it was a good chance to have a mooch around and stretch my legs. Looked for signs for bus parking (best bet with the motorhome) and quickly came upon Tesco at the back of town. Finding a couple of other Motorhome parked up, I went to fall into line. As I did so, another came into view - a lovely gold Hymer........in fact very similar to my Uncles. Wait - hang on, I recognise that number plate! Turns out it was him. We were due to meet at Durness on Weds but seems we stumbled upon each other early. He was just about to depart, but I popped inside to say hello - have a cuppa, play with my dog (who is being adopted by him) and have a chat to compare notes about the journey so far. Catch-up over, he headed off and I wandered into Ullapool. Pretty place, dominated by the ferry terminal. Collection of usual shops (Boots, Spa, Tesco, RBS etc), more Wool Mill shops than you can shake a stick at! And the shop I most need - an outdoors one. Left my body warmer at home and with the chilly wind, much needed. Half an hour and £200 down!!! I left with a body warmer, daypack and hydration sack for when I head out on the bike.
Back to the van and sights set for Lochinver - my overnight. Road towards there was good. Upon arriving at the outskirts, I found a turning for Achmelvic Beach. Now the original plan was to head to Lochinver and jump on the bike to do this last leg since Slim had mentioned how tricky the road was. However, after yesterday's experience into Applecross, nothing can put me off!!! So I turned off and went for it. A bit tricky at times as there was more traffic and also roadworks, which had furthered narrowed the road. But I got there and boy was it worth it!!!
Achmelvic itself is a dump. Honestly. Couldn't believe how many static caravans blighted the approach to the bay. But a short walk from the car park over some heathland rewarded me with one of the most spectacular sights I've ever witness - white (yes really) sand, blue, perfectly blue, almost turquoise water, set perfectly in a dreamlike bay. There weren't many people around so I had uninterrupted views of the beach and couldn't help myself but to head towards the water - drawn to it like a magnet. When I arrived at the waters edge, I just wanted to jump into it. But self preservation held me back given the strong cold wind against me was a fairly good indicator as to the temperature of the water. Just bliss.
I spent about an hour there just sitting on the rocks and climbing the headland around the bay. Unfortunately there was nowhere to pitch for the night, otherwise I'd have done so. So the search for a night spot was upon me. Back into Lochinver, it became obvious that there was nowhere I'd want to stay there. So it was back on the open road. I decided to head for Durness given it was only 30miles away. On the way back to the main road, I found a nice spot overlooking a Loch and some trees and islands.
Pulled over, sat down but realised soon enough I was both exposed versus the road and it would be neither completely peaceful nor particularly sensible. So back on the road. Then, around Kylesku, I thought I'd found a spot. But an ugly bridge was in the way and still didn't have the wow factor. By this time though, I was feeling very hungry. I battled on and headed towards Durness.
On the moors about 10miles south of Durness I found the most spectacular and haunting view. Pulled over and was convinced it was a spot for the night. I made some dinner (fried halloumi, tomato, coriander, spring onion, rocket, & balsamic glaze in a wrap) and contemplated the view. As the wind began to pick up, I considered how foolhardy it might be to pitch there if the wind picked up further during the night. So packed everything up and headed to Durness to find my Uncle. Well - I couldn't! So I ended up at the campsite on the cliffs overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Upside is I have an electric hookup which helps to conserve gas. And although only one or two other vans here - some security that others are around (this is in my head rather than a necessity).
A great but exhausting day. Tomorrow will be one for relaxing. I don't think I'll do anymore driving. But will spend the day walking, running and maybe cycling. I'll head to John O'Groats on Thursday.
Well, if I thought that yesterday was good, today trumped it - in many respects, but not all. What do I mean by that? Well, the driving didn't get any less spectacular and certainly there were surprises in abundance. But by the end of the day, what did become obvious was the fact I probably peaked a little early (stop sniggering at the back!) in terms of night-time pitches. I had three abortive stops for an overnight during the course of the evening - nothing quite measuring up to the first night at Sandy Bay. Anyway, more to this later.....
The problem with being on your own, as much as the benefit, is motivating yourself to do stuff. Anyway, I woke up at around 7am, laid in bed and read some more of my book whilst the heating was kicking in and the espresso was brewing on the stove. Once that was sunk, I dressed up in some warm gear (was only 6degs outside at this point of the morning) and walked down into Sandy Bay. It was hard work making my way over the gullies the water had carved into the soil before the beach but once down in the cove, the scale of the sand dune was evident and some more views of Skye revealed themselves since the haze and low lying clouds from the previous night had lifted.
Having spotted some rocks half way up the dune, I decided to dig deep and climb up the dune (which was pretty steep) and sit on one of the rocks.
It was hard work but worth it as the view over the top of the spit of land was breathtaking and opened up a whole new view up the west coast and across to Skye. Taking it all in and having time on my side, I decided to meditate on the rock for half an hour. Beautiful.
Being someone who hates not doing circular walks (i.e. hate doing the same leg there and back), I looked for a variation on the walk back to the van. The only way out which was not the same was by climbing to the top of the dune and scrambling up the rock-face to the road. After a long and hard slog to the top of the dune, I took a look at the rock face above me. Probably only about 10m up, but being a fairly health & safety conscious fella and a long way from help, I wondered whether this was the most prudent approach. I pondered and pondered and then thought "Blow it" (or words to that effect!) and gave it a go. You see I've spent my life ham-strung by fears of doing stuff wrong or hurting myself or my loved ones, but this trip is about finding myself as much as anything. And boy did it feel good when I scrambled up it and reached the road!
After walking back to the van (probably only a mile down the road), I cooked up some bacon and mashed an avocado into the baguette I had left over from yesterday and had a thoroughly lovely breakfast. After washing up and securing the van, I left at 09:40 - invigorated and ready for the day ahead.
I set out north on the road around the coast which eventually joins up with the main road to Ullapool just outside Torridon. Stunning scenary all the way around the coast. Many photos taken and constantly stopping and starting.
The road wasn't quite a slam-dunk easy, but certainly a huge improvement on yesterdays adventure over to Applecross. Picked up fuel just outside Torridon (another 38litres!! Haven't worked out my mpg scientifically yet, but it seems I am averaging around 18mpg - sometimes down to 15mpg. Most likely due to frequent gear changing, steep gradients and full load of water etc) as it pays to keep a fairly full tank given I don't know where I'm going to find the next fuel stop.
The target was then set for Lochinver. Some really nice A roads, sweeping up through valleys on the way to Ullapool.
It was then beginning to push on for lunchtime and I started to get hungry so around 13:00 I stopped by the side of the Loch approaching Ullapool. Beautiful view from a layby where I tucked into cheese and the perennial baguette from yesterday. Then disaster struck as, when opening the fridge door, said cheesecake made a bid for freedom and smashed all over the floor! Cue lots of swearing and picking out crumbs from all kinds of nooks and crannies. Gggggrrrr. Cheesecake wasted, I headed onwards.
Never been to Ullapool before so I figured it was a good chance to have a mooch around and stretch my legs. Looked for signs for bus parking (best bet with the motorhome) and quickly came upon Tesco at the back of town. Finding a couple of other Motorhome parked up, I went to fall into line. As I did so, another came into view - a lovely gold Hymer........in fact very similar to my Uncles. Wait - hang on, I recognise that number plate! Turns out it was him. We were due to meet at Durness on Weds but seems we stumbled upon each other early. He was just about to depart, but I popped inside to say hello - have a cuppa, play with my dog (who is being adopted by him) and have a chat to compare notes about the journey so far. Catch-up over, he headed off and I wandered into Ullapool. Pretty place, dominated by the ferry terminal. Collection of usual shops (Boots, Spa, Tesco, RBS etc), more Wool Mill shops than you can shake a stick at! And the shop I most need - an outdoors one. Left my body warmer at home and with the chilly wind, much needed. Half an hour and £200 down!!! I left with a body warmer, daypack and hydration sack for when I head out on the bike.
Back to the van and sights set for Lochinver - my overnight. Road towards there was good. Upon arriving at the outskirts, I found a turning for Achmelvic Beach. Now the original plan was to head to Lochinver and jump on the bike to do this last leg since Slim had mentioned how tricky the road was. However, after yesterday's experience into Applecross, nothing can put me off!!! So I turned off and went for it. A bit tricky at times as there was more traffic and also roadworks, which had furthered narrowed the road. But I got there and boy was it worth it!!!
Achmelvic itself is a dump. Honestly. Couldn't believe how many static caravans blighted the approach to the bay. But a short walk from the car park over some heathland rewarded me with one of the most spectacular sights I've ever witness - white (yes really) sand, blue, perfectly blue, almost turquoise water, set perfectly in a dreamlike bay. There weren't many people around so I had uninterrupted views of the beach and couldn't help myself but to head towards the water - drawn to it like a magnet. When I arrived at the waters edge, I just wanted to jump into it. But self preservation held me back given the strong cold wind against me was a fairly good indicator as to the temperature of the water. Just bliss.
I spent about an hour there just sitting on the rocks and climbing the headland around the bay. Unfortunately there was nowhere to pitch for the night, otherwise I'd have done so. So the search for a night spot was upon me. Back into Lochinver, it became obvious that there was nowhere I'd want to stay there. So it was back on the open road. I decided to head for Durness given it was only 30miles away. On the way back to the main road, I found a nice spot overlooking a Loch and some trees and islands.
Pulled over, sat down but realised soon enough I was both exposed versus the road and it would be neither completely peaceful nor particularly sensible. So back on the road. Then, around Kylesku, I thought I'd found a spot. But an ugly bridge was in the way and still didn't have the wow factor. By this time though, I was feeling very hungry. I battled on and headed towards Durness.
On the moors about 10miles south of Durness I found the most spectacular and haunting view. Pulled over and was convinced it was a spot for the night. I made some dinner (fried halloumi, tomato, coriander, spring onion, rocket, & balsamic glaze in a wrap) and contemplated the view. As the wind began to pick up, I considered how foolhardy it might be to pitch there if the wind picked up further during the night. So packed everything up and headed to Durness to find my Uncle. Well - I couldn't! So I ended up at the campsite on the cliffs overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Upside is I have an electric hookup which helps to conserve gas. And although only one or two other vans here - some security that others are around (this is in my head rather than a necessity).
A great but exhausting day. Tomorrow will be one for relaxing. I don't think I'll do anymore driving. But will spend the day walking, running and maybe cycling. I'll head to John O'Groats on Thursday.
29th March 2017 - Durness
Today's been a good day and just what the Dr ordered. The forecast rain didn't happen overnight, making for a very good sleep. I got up around 9am, read in bed whilst the heating kicked in and then made myself a cup of coffee and some breakfast. Just as I was doing so, I got a visit from the campsite owner, doing her rounds. Turns out that they have opened the site early due to the nice weather so I was being relieved of £12 for the pleasure of staying and having electric hookup - shame, I thought I was only paying £4 for the hookup and the overnight free until April, but it's still 50% of the cost in the SE, so I swallowed it. It had, after all, been a nice place to stop and was useful chance to use some facilities to service the van before I leave.
After uploading the "blog" onto BMWLander and reading Bryan1990's suggestion to check out Smoov caves, I decided to stick some warm clobber on and head out for a walk. It was blowing a hooley and pretty chilly as a result, but wrapped up with a good few layers, I was perfectly comfortable.
The caves were just over a mile from the campsite along the road. Up hill and down dale, it was really pretty following the coast and getting different views of the coves and bays along the way. Just as I was getting to the cliff top overlooking the caves, I heard my name hollered and it was my Uncle & Aunt heading from the opposite end of the coastal walk. He let my dog Tilly off her lead and she ran up to me with huge excitement in her eyes and we had a great big cuddle.
It turned out that they were parked another 2miles down the road but I hadn't driven far enough yesterday. No bother, we were all together and checked out the caves. Unfortunately they weren't open for river tours but we got a chance to at least see the opening and the first chamber, after which the rest was blocked off. We climbed up the coastal footpath and headed to the Smoo Cave Hotel where we warmed up with a cup of coffee, cheesecake and enjoyed a catch-up on our respective movements. I then left and headed back to Harry with the intention of packing him up and joining them at their parking spot.
On the way back I took a bit of a detour, hoping to get to the bay along the beach route. I ended up on some MoD land, which gave great views of Durness and the bay, but I almost pooped myself as a big green army truck came towards me and the sound of distant missile fire from the ships in the bay shook me. I did a very quick about turn and headed back to the campsite.
Back at Harry I emptied the chemical toilet, coiled up the electric hookup lead, removed the thermal windscreen cover and then drove him to pick up fresh water and drop my grey waste. I'd only used quarter of a tank of fresh water in the intervening 2.5 days, even with a couple of showers. But always good to drop and collect wherever you're afforded the opportunity. Tanks full, I set off on the hugely long 4mile drive to my Uncle's parking spot!! He'd made a big deal about how beautiful it was and I largely ignored it. But upon arriving, I could see why it's one of their favourite spots to park. Stunning! I manoeuvred Harry into position so that I had the view out of the window from the sofa and parked end to end with my Uncle's van. We had a quick chat over a cup of tea and then I retired to read some of my book.
After a couple of chapters, I wandered down onto the beach and walked as far as I could around the bay. I ended up getting cut off by the sea, so made my way back and bumped into Uncle again walking the dogs.
A bit of a play with them, I took Tilly up the coast road to where I finally found phone signal and called my daughter - listened to her update on the day, bid her goodnight and rushed back to Harry just as it started to pour with rain. We'd been really lucky up until that point, but by god did the heavens open!!!
Back at Harry I had a shower - a quick look at my Garmin watch proved I'd walked 10km today. It felt (and I smelled) like it! All freshened up, I had a chance to read another chapter of my book before heading to my Uncle's van for dinner. We had a superbly cooked dinner of pasta with red pepper, smoked salmon, marscapone and white wine sauce - mine washed down with copious amounts of Warsteiner. A good bit of chat later and at 10pm, I retired back to Harry and settled down to a night being soothed to sleep by the Atlantic Ocean and waves crashing onto the shore below.
The view from my bed.....
Just what I needed - no driving and just a day enjoying my surroundings.
Today's been a good day and just what the Dr ordered. The forecast rain didn't happen overnight, making for a very good sleep. I got up around 9am, read in bed whilst the heating kicked in and then made myself a cup of coffee and some breakfast. Just as I was doing so, I got a visit from the campsite owner, doing her rounds. Turns out that they have opened the site early due to the nice weather so I was being relieved of £12 for the pleasure of staying and having electric hookup - shame, I thought I was only paying £4 for the hookup and the overnight free until April, but it's still 50% of the cost in the SE, so I swallowed it. It had, after all, been a nice place to stop and was useful chance to use some facilities to service the van before I leave.
After uploading the "blog" onto BMWLander and reading Bryan1990's suggestion to check out Smoov caves, I decided to stick some warm clobber on and head out for a walk. It was blowing a hooley and pretty chilly as a result, but wrapped up with a good few layers, I was perfectly comfortable.
The caves were just over a mile from the campsite along the road. Up hill and down dale, it was really pretty following the coast and getting different views of the coves and bays along the way. Just as I was getting to the cliff top overlooking the caves, I heard my name hollered and it was my Uncle & Aunt heading from the opposite end of the coastal walk. He let my dog Tilly off her lead and she ran up to me with huge excitement in her eyes and we had a great big cuddle.
It turned out that they were parked another 2miles down the road but I hadn't driven far enough yesterday. No bother, we were all together and checked out the caves. Unfortunately they weren't open for river tours but we got a chance to at least see the opening and the first chamber, after which the rest was blocked off. We climbed up the coastal footpath and headed to the Smoo Cave Hotel where we warmed up with a cup of coffee, cheesecake and enjoyed a catch-up on our respective movements. I then left and headed back to Harry with the intention of packing him up and joining them at their parking spot.
On the way back I took a bit of a detour, hoping to get to the bay along the beach route. I ended up on some MoD land, which gave great views of Durness and the bay, but I almost pooped myself as a big green army truck came towards me and the sound of distant missile fire from the ships in the bay shook me. I did a very quick about turn and headed back to the campsite.
Back at Harry I emptied the chemical toilet, coiled up the electric hookup lead, removed the thermal windscreen cover and then drove him to pick up fresh water and drop my grey waste. I'd only used quarter of a tank of fresh water in the intervening 2.5 days, even with a couple of showers. But always good to drop and collect wherever you're afforded the opportunity. Tanks full, I set off on the hugely long 4mile drive to my Uncle's parking spot!! He'd made a big deal about how beautiful it was and I largely ignored it. But upon arriving, I could see why it's one of their favourite spots to park. Stunning! I manoeuvred Harry into position so that I had the view out of the window from the sofa and parked end to end with my Uncle's van. We had a quick chat over a cup of tea and then I retired to read some of my book.
After a couple of chapters, I wandered down onto the beach and walked as far as I could around the bay. I ended up getting cut off by the sea, so made my way back and bumped into Uncle again walking the dogs.
A bit of a play with them, I took Tilly up the coast road to where I finally found phone signal and called my daughter - listened to her update on the day, bid her goodnight and rushed back to Harry just as it started to pour with rain. We'd been really lucky up until that point, but by god did the heavens open!!!
Back at Harry I had a shower - a quick look at my Garmin watch proved I'd walked 10km today. It felt (and I smelled) like it! All freshened up, I had a chance to read another chapter of my book before heading to my Uncle's van for dinner. We had a superbly cooked dinner of pasta with red pepper, smoked salmon, marscapone and white wine sauce - mine washed down with copious amounts of Warsteiner. A good bit of chat later and at 10pm, I retired back to Harry and settled down to a night being soothed to sleep by the Atlantic Ocean and waves crashing onto the shore below.
The view from my bed.....
Just what I needed - no driving and just a day enjoying my surroundings.
30th March 2017 - Durness - Achnahaird Beach
Is now a good time to confess to a heinous crime...........? I've come all this way, but not brought a map!!!!!
ops:
What I hadn't appreciated was just how much I'd be bowled over by what I was experiencing. In some ways the trip was about ticking a box and, as such, the daily point-to-point was the rationale for the trip, so sticking a known destination into the Satnav each morning was really the only plan I came with. Yesterday, however, taught me a valuable lesson. Motorhomes aren't just for driving but for stopping and facilitating excursions or relaxation. As such, it's rather put the cat amongst the pigeons in terms of where to head today.
I love Durness, I really do. There's something so awe-inspiring about the ruggedness of the coast. Yet at the same time, there's a friendliness to it too. It feels like you can walk wherever you like and even the cliffs don't "feel" too frightening. I certainly wouldn't take them in vain and obviously treat them with respect, but there's so much space for you to find your own way rather than tread the same path as others. Perhaps a metaphor for life? Who knows. But I could easily have stayed another night.
That said, I've got a long way to head back and what Durness and Applecross have taught me is that I love the sea. I love living by it. So after lots of time deliberating last night on whether I should go to John O'Groats just to see "the sign" or whether I should head markedly south, I decided to stick with the coastal theme a little longer. Not having a map made this difficult, so my goal this morning was to get back to Applecross, which I loved so much on Monday.
Setting off was difficult. What I haven't mentioned so far is that Tilly (my faithful Labrador companion) had been travelling with my Uncle rather than with me as planned. Shortly before setting off back up to Scotland, it became obvious that she would have to be rehomed. Not my decision but one I had to bear witness to. Tilly therefore had been on "probation" with my Uncle to see how she managed in his van and also alongside his other Labrador, who is now a bit aged. Sadly for me but luckily for Tilly, everything went well, so this morning was the morning I was dreading - saying goodbye to my wonderful dog. I've only had her 6 months but the bond we have is so strong. Luckily she's very flexible and loving - adores my Uncle and the feeling is mutual. But this morning she knew something was up and spent a good half an hour over coffee glued to my side, licking me, nuzzling me and staring into my eyes. It was heartbreaking saying goodbye, but it's for the best for her, I will get to see her throughout her life and she will be having a lovely time with two people who have all the time in the world to love, cherish and care for her. They have two wonderful homes, both with acres of land and situated in the countryside, so can give her everything she needs and more. But my god does it hurt right now.
Goodbyes said, I resigned myself to a longish drive. Picked up some expensive fuel from Durness but on the flip side calculated my mpg for the last topup was around 22.5mpg, which is much more like it. I'm now no longer worrying that there is something wrong with him!!
Following the roads south, I kept seeing signs for viewpoints but couldn't really be bothered. It was only when pulling into a layby to take in the view over Kylesku that I found an info board which mentioned somewhere called "Achiltibuie".
It was listed as somewhere to see on the Geopark Trail. Looking at the map, it looked like it could be just the kind of coastline which gets me excited, so I set the Satnav and headed off there.
Yet again, another single track road with passing places. This time not too narrow but hellishly bumpy and poorly surfaced - all the time the weather closing in also.
As the skies turned grey and the clouds almost reached the deck, the landscape became relatively uninspiring and I couldn't help think that I'd been spoilt by the sunny days earlier in the week.
That said, I was rewarded with perseverance when just 2 miles outside of Achiltibuie, on my right hand side a bay was just visible through the murk. I jumped out of the van quickly to look at a map set by the side of the road and spotted a car park by this bay. I headed for it.
Well, it was worth it in spades. I don't quite have the vocabulary to describe what I found and even in the murk, the impressiveness of the bay I came across is indescribable. The sand extends up the valley for about a 1.5miles before opening out and meeting the sea. And where it does meet the see you have a wonderful, wide arc of sweeping sand, interrupted only by fingers of rock poking out of the headland to reach into the sea. All this surrounded by hills and headland undisturbed by time or man. Nothing visible for miles other than sea, sky, mountains, peat and rocks. As I sit hear typing this, all I can hear is the sound of my breath, the wind gently rocking the van, birds tweeting and the roar of water hitting the beach below.
As soon as I arrived, I knew this would be where I would spend the rest of the day. It is simply breathtaking and other-worldly. There is no other way to describe just how blissful it is to have this whole place to myself and seemingly feel like I'm the only person who has ever been here.
After lunch sitting on the sofa looking at the bay, I donned on my gear and headed out to the beach. About half a mile from the car park, I walked across the peatbogs, scrambled down the cliffs into the coves and then out onto the vast, windswept beach. After walking up and down marvelling at the size of it, I climbed back up onto the spits of cliff top and found a stone almost perfectly shaped to a small chair. I then sat cross-legged for an hour just watching the waves and the seagulls perform aerobatics over the, now, turquoise sea before dive-bombing their prey.
This is a place like no other. Real life seems a million miles away and I feel like I want to spend the rest of my days having experiences like this. It's sort of incompatible with my current life. Or is it? This week is causing me to think about everything. At the moment everything seems to be falling apart - I've lost my marriage, I don't live with my daughter, I've lost my dog and after news from work yesterday informing me my bonus has been halved, I could end up loosing my house in the longer term too.
But somehow, being here gives me hope. I'm not sure what it is that I've found here, but it has profoundly affected me. Maybe it might become clearer over the next few days. But for the moment, this is my new favourite place on earth.
Is now a good time to confess to a heinous crime...........? I've come all this way, but not brought a map!!!!!
ops:What I hadn't appreciated was just how much I'd be bowled over by what I was experiencing. In some ways the trip was about ticking a box and, as such, the daily point-to-point was the rationale for the trip, so sticking a known destination into the Satnav each morning was really the only plan I came with. Yesterday, however, taught me a valuable lesson. Motorhomes aren't just for driving but for stopping and facilitating excursions or relaxation. As such, it's rather put the cat amongst the pigeons in terms of where to head today.
I love Durness, I really do. There's something so awe-inspiring about the ruggedness of the coast. Yet at the same time, there's a friendliness to it too. It feels like you can walk wherever you like and even the cliffs don't "feel" too frightening. I certainly wouldn't take them in vain and obviously treat them with respect, but there's so much space for you to find your own way rather than tread the same path as others. Perhaps a metaphor for life? Who knows. But I could easily have stayed another night.
That said, I've got a long way to head back and what Durness and Applecross have taught me is that I love the sea. I love living by it. So after lots of time deliberating last night on whether I should go to John O'Groats just to see "the sign" or whether I should head markedly south, I decided to stick with the coastal theme a little longer. Not having a map made this difficult, so my goal this morning was to get back to Applecross, which I loved so much on Monday.
Setting off was difficult. What I haven't mentioned so far is that Tilly (my faithful Labrador companion) had been travelling with my Uncle rather than with me as planned. Shortly before setting off back up to Scotland, it became obvious that she would have to be rehomed. Not my decision but one I had to bear witness to. Tilly therefore had been on "probation" with my Uncle to see how she managed in his van and also alongside his other Labrador, who is now a bit aged. Sadly for me but luckily for Tilly, everything went well, so this morning was the morning I was dreading - saying goodbye to my wonderful dog. I've only had her 6 months but the bond we have is so strong. Luckily she's very flexible and loving - adores my Uncle and the feeling is mutual. But this morning she knew something was up and spent a good half an hour over coffee glued to my side, licking me, nuzzling me and staring into my eyes. It was heartbreaking saying goodbye, but it's for the best for her, I will get to see her throughout her life and she will be having a lovely time with two people who have all the time in the world to love, cherish and care for her. They have two wonderful homes, both with acres of land and situated in the countryside, so can give her everything she needs and more. But my god does it hurt right now.
Goodbyes said, I resigned myself to a longish drive. Picked up some expensive fuel from Durness but on the flip side calculated my mpg for the last topup was around 22.5mpg, which is much more like it. I'm now no longer worrying that there is something wrong with him!!
Following the roads south, I kept seeing signs for viewpoints but couldn't really be bothered. It was only when pulling into a layby to take in the view over Kylesku that I found an info board which mentioned somewhere called "Achiltibuie".
It was listed as somewhere to see on the Geopark Trail. Looking at the map, it looked like it could be just the kind of coastline which gets me excited, so I set the Satnav and headed off there.
Yet again, another single track road with passing places. This time not too narrow but hellishly bumpy and poorly surfaced - all the time the weather closing in also.
As the skies turned grey and the clouds almost reached the deck, the landscape became relatively uninspiring and I couldn't help think that I'd been spoilt by the sunny days earlier in the week.
That said, I was rewarded with perseverance when just 2 miles outside of Achiltibuie, on my right hand side a bay was just visible through the murk. I jumped out of the van quickly to look at a map set by the side of the road and spotted a car park by this bay. I headed for it.
Well, it was worth it in spades. I don't quite have the vocabulary to describe what I found and even in the murk, the impressiveness of the bay I came across is indescribable. The sand extends up the valley for about a 1.5miles before opening out and meeting the sea. And where it does meet the see you have a wonderful, wide arc of sweeping sand, interrupted only by fingers of rock poking out of the headland to reach into the sea. All this surrounded by hills and headland undisturbed by time or man. Nothing visible for miles other than sea, sky, mountains, peat and rocks. As I sit hear typing this, all I can hear is the sound of my breath, the wind gently rocking the van, birds tweeting and the roar of water hitting the beach below.
As soon as I arrived, I knew this would be where I would spend the rest of the day. It is simply breathtaking and other-worldly. There is no other way to describe just how blissful it is to have this whole place to myself and seemingly feel like I'm the only person who has ever been here.
After lunch sitting on the sofa looking at the bay, I donned on my gear and headed out to the beach. About half a mile from the car park, I walked across the peatbogs, scrambled down the cliffs into the coves and then out onto the vast, windswept beach. After walking up and down marvelling at the size of it, I climbed back up onto the spits of cliff top and found a stone almost perfectly shaped to a small chair. I then sat cross-legged for an hour just watching the waves and the seagulls perform aerobatics over the, now, turquoise sea before dive-bombing their prey.
This is a place like no other. Real life seems a million miles away and I feel like I want to spend the rest of my days having experiences like this. It's sort of incompatible with my current life. Or is it? This week is causing me to think about everything. At the moment everything seems to be falling apart - I've lost my marriage, I don't live with my daughter, I've lost my dog and after news from work yesterday informing me my bonus has been halved, I could end up loosing my house in the longer term too.
But somehow, being here gives me hope. I'm not sure what it is that I've found here, but it has profoundly affected me. Maybe it might become clearer over the next few days. But for the moment, this is my new favourite place on earth.
[B]31st March 2017 - Achnahaird Beach - Glen Etive
[/B]
I didn't want to leave Achnahaird today. Could've stayed forever. Particularly being greeted with this view upon waking.....
But all good things must come to an end and with Bradford calling on Saturday, I've got time against me. I've not really got a clue where I'm going. Part of me thinks I should get as far South as possible, the other part of me intends to continue enjoying the Highlands of Scotland. There's no doubt about it, I'm still a long way north and as much as I could push myself to get back towards Glasgow, there is now a ban on wild camping around the Trossachs, so either stay in the Highlands or head to the Borders (and by comparison from what I've seen in the last week, everything south of Glasgow is boring!). With still no idea in mind but a yearning to see my Uncle, Aunt and Dog (can't explain why), I was unsure whether I was heading for theirs or somewhere else - perhaps Inverary on the cost?
Anyway, I set off reluctantly and quickly settled into a nice cruise. I set Harry's cruise control at a steady 50mph once I hit the "main" road and settled into a rhythm. Once I got to Ullapool I took the road across to Inverness, which then runs down to Fort William. It seems a bit of a zig-zag if you look at a map, but it's the most expeditious route since it's "main road" as opposed to single lane stuff and twisty - the likes of which I did on the way north. Everything was fine until Inverness and then I picked up traffic all down the side of Loch Ness. Some stunning views but my heart wasn't in it and therefore no real stopping to take photos other than the cheeky one I took below after slowing to a standstill when traffic permitted...
After categorically missing [USER=77]@Peter[/USER] in Spean Bridge as it happens, I pushed on to Fort William. I felt there was an outside chance of seeing my Uncle as he'd have to have gone through and perhaps stopped for some shopping, but it seems I missed him. I took the opportunity to fill with gas at the BP garage and diesel at Morrisons (cheapest of the trip!), parked up, had a grotty McDonalds to cheer myself up (it didn't) and went to Lidl to pick up some supplies. By this time the weather had properly closed in and it was torrential rain. With still no idea of where to go but thinking popping by Appin would be a bit stalkerish, I headed further on. Glencoe has always been one of my favourite routes and then something chimed in my mind about my Aunt telling me Glen Etive was beautiful - it's off the main road and plenty of lovely places to stop for the night.
Well, the rain was lashing and wind blowing, but that's part of the charm of that area IMO. I headed down this single track road, which ran alongside the river which feeds into Loch Etive (which then opens out to Oban).
The rain had set the stream in full flow; fed by the waterfalls off the mountains & hills surrounding. There was something prehistoric about the combination of wind, rain and rocks being battered by water. I found a spot to park near a waterfall and pitched up for the afternoon/evening.
After donning on my waterproofs to hike up the hill to talk to my daughter on the phone (only place there was mobile signal), I hung up my wet weather gear in the shower cubicle and settled down with a cup of coffee and my book. As evening approached, my now familiar routine is to have a pre-dinner shower, get changed into clean clothes and have a pre-dinner drink around 6pm. The weather had broken and the sun was appearing over the fells.
I popped on a few layers, opened the rear cargo bay and pulled out a collapsible chair. I plonked myself down with a view across the Glen, watching deer feast in the fields opposite.
A couple of cold tins of Stella later and it was time (and temperature) to crawl back in the van, have some dinner, read some more book and head to bed for an early night. A long drive tomorrow.
By the time I headed to bed, I felt a real sense of order coming to my mind. Being out here amongst nature gives you some real relief from day-to-day calamity and really clears the mind and gives you some space to think. I feel like I've got my priorities and goals straight today. No mobile signal and internet helps too!
[/B]
I didn't want to leave Achnahaird today. Could've stayed forever. Particularly being greeted with this view upon waking.....
But all good things must come to an end and with Bradford calling on Saturday, I've got time against me. I've not really got a clue where I'm going. Part of me thinks I should get as far South as possible, the other part of me intends to continue enjoying the Highlands of Scotland. There's no doubt about it, I'm still a long way north and as much as I could push myself to get back towards Glasgow, there is now a ban on wild camping around the Trossachs, so either stay in the Highlands or head to the Borders (and by comparison from what I've seen in the last week, everything south of Glasgow is boring!). With still no idea in mind but a yearning to see my Uncle, Aunt and Dog (can't explain why), I was unsure whether I was heading for theirs or somewhere else - perhaps Inverary on the cost?
Anyway, I set off reluctantly and quickly settled into a nice cruise. I set Harry's cruise control at a steady 50mph once I hit the "main" road and settled into a rhythm. Once I got to Ullapool I took the road across to Inverness, which then runs down to Fort William. It seems a bit of a zig-zag if you look at a map, but it's the most expeditious route since it's "main road" as opposed to single lane stuff and twisty - the likes of which I did on the way north. Everything was fine until Inverness and then I picked up traffic all down the side of Loch Ness. Some stunning views but my heart wasn't in it and therefore no real stopping to take photos other than the cheeky one I took below after slowing to a standstill when traffic permitted...
After categorically missing [USER=77]@Peter[/USER] in Spean Bridge as it happens, I pushed on to Fort William. I felt there was an outside chance of seeing my Uncle as he'd have to have gone through and perhaps stopped for some shopping, but it seems I missed him. I took the opportunity to fill with gas at the BP garage and diesel at Morrisons (cheapest of the trip!), parked up, had a grotty McDonalds to cheer myself up (it didn't) and went to Lidl to pick up some supplies. By this time the weather had properly closed in and it was torrential rain. With still no idea of where to go but thinking popping by Appin would be a bit stalkerish, I headed further on. Glencoe has always been one of my favourite routes and then something chimed in my mind about my Aunt telling me Glen Etive was beautiful - it's off the main road and plenty of lovely places to stop for the night.
Well, the rain was lashing and wind blowing, but that's part of the charm of that area IMO. I headed down this single track road, which ran alongside the river which feeds into Loch Etive (which then opens out to Oban).
The rain had set the stream in full flow; fed by the waterfalls off the mountains & hills surrounding. There was something prehistoric about the combination of wind, rain and rocks being battered by water. I found a spot to park near a waterfall and pitched up for the afternoon/evening.
After donning on my waterproofs to hike up the hill to talk to my daughter on the phone (only place there was mobile signal), I hung up my wet weather gear in the shower cubicle and settled down with a cup of coffee and my book. As evening approached, my now familiar routine is to have a pre-dinner shower, get changed into clean clothes and have a pre-dinner drink around 6pm. The weather had broken and the sun was appearing over the fells.
I popped on a few layers, opened the rear cargo bay and pulled out a collapsible chair. I plonked myself down with a view across the Glen, watching deer feast in the fields opposite.
A couple of cold tins of Stella later and it was time (and temperature) to crawl back in the van, have some dinner, read some more book and head to bed for an early night. A long drive tomorrow.
By the time I headed to bed, I felt a real sense of order coming to my mind. Being out here amongst nature gives you some real relief from day-to-day calamity and really clears the mind and gives you some space to think. I feel like I've got my priorities and goals straight today. No mobile signal and internet helps too!
1st April 2017 - Glen Etive - Cleckheaton (Bradford)
Nothing really to report here other than the fact it was a REALLY long drive. It takes about 60-90mins from Glencoe to Glasgow - a well trodden route for me over the years of visiting Scotland but the first time I've done Tyndrum to Tarbet alongside Loch Lomond in the van. I don't think I'll do it again. Going up there a fortnight ago, I headed up over Arrochar and Inverary to Oban and north. But this route around Loch Lomond, as pretty as it is, is full of idiots. The road narrows fairly considerably around the north part of the Loch. But it's not buses and lorries you have to worry about, as you might expect, but Peugeot 107 drivers who believe their cars are 2.5m wide!!
I had more near misses in that stretch of road with small cars than I'd had the whole holiday.
Anyway, by the time I got to Glasgow I was tired. And then realised I still had another >4.5hrs to Bradford. Once on the motorway going south, I set the Cruise Control to 60mph (according to satnav) and just pummelled through the miles. I stopped at Johnstonebridge services (and got annoyed by cars parking in the motorhome & caravan spaces)
and kept on plugging away south. Thankfully, as every so often happens when I'm running, I got into a bit of a meditative state where I was fully alert but the miles kept piling by and thoughts kept fleeting through my mind and problem solving seemed to occur. I don't know whether I've just given myself more space over the last few days to think a bit more, cleared my head or truly found something a bit deeper inside me, but over the next 200miles, I got a bit more perspective on my house and what the future may hold.
Before I knew it, I was at Manchester and a stop for fuel was in order. It had been just over 300miles (Fort William) where I last fuelled up, so Harry had done exceptionally well. He'd have made it to Bradford but what with the long slog up the M62 and potential for traffic, I didn't want to risk it.
Full with fuel, I was soon at my Cousins, parked up in the parking bays opposite her house (across 3!
), a lovely catch-up, dinner and off to bed in Harry.
Nothing really to report here other than the fact it was a REALLY long drive. It takes about 60-90mins from Glencoe to Glasgow - a well trodden route for me over the years of visiting Scotland but the first time I've done Tyndrum to Tarbet alongside Loch Lomond in the van. I don't think I'll do it again. Going up there a fortnight ago, I headed up over Arrochar and Inverary to Oban and north. But this route around Loch Lomond, as pretty as it is, is full of idiots. The road narrows fairly considerably around the north part of the Loch. But it's not buses and lorries you have to worry about, as you might expect, but Peugeot 107 drivers who believe their cars are 2.5m wide!!
I had more near misses in that stretch of road with small cars than I'd had the whole holiday.Anyway, by the time I got to Glasgow I was tired. And then realised I still had another >4.5hrs to Bradford. Once on the motorway going south, I set the Cruise Control to 60mph (according to satnav) and just pummelled through the miles. I stopped at Johnstonebridge services (and got annoyed by cars parking in the motorhome & caravan spaces)
and kept on plugging away south. Thankfully, as every so often happens when I'm running, I got into a bit of a meditative state where I was fully alert but the miles kept piling by and thoughts kept fleeting through my mind and problem solving seemed to occur. I don't know whether I've just given myself more space over the last few days to think a bit more, cleared my head or truly found something a bit deeper inside me, but over the next 200miles, I got a bit more perspective on my house and what the future may hold.Before I knew it, I was at Manchester and a stop for fuel was in order. It had been just over 300miles (Fort William) where I last fuelled up, so Harry had done exceptionally well. He'd have made it to Bradford but what with the long slog up the M62 and potential for traffic, I didn't want to risk it.
Full with fuel, I was soon at my Cousins, parked up in the parking bays opposite her house (across 3!
), a lovely catch-up, dinner and off to bed in Harry.2nd April 2017 - Cleckheaton - Saffron Walden, Essex
The time had come - last leg of the journey and, following a bacon roll and cup of coffee courtesy of my cousin, I hit the road early.
I settled Harry into his 60mph cruise and he ticked along perfectly. The beauty of this speed is that you're faster than the trucks, so every now and again get some overtaking action. But you don't bother any cars and you just leave them to get on each others nerves and get stressed. It's amazing what you witness from high up in the cab and with the benefit of "distance" from all the shenanigans. It's so cathartic (and not that much slower overall), that I'm considering even driving the 530d at that speed. The amount of times I was overtaking by cars twice during the 200mile journey!!!!!
I didn't stop and just ploughed on. 3hrs 15mins later I was back at the farm, parked up, plugging in Harry and congratulating him for a job well done.
In summary, some stats:
9 days driving in total but 7 days from setting out from Appin
1,702 miles
£1.20 per day in gas
375litres of fuel = c. £456
Average 20.6mpg - Worst 14mpg & Best 26mpg (overall figure would've been better had I have done 60mph on the way up and not 70mph!)
Toilet empties - 3 (probably only needed 2)
Fresh Water - c. 200litres used
Grey Water - one drop at Penrith & one at Durness
Campite Fees - £29 (one night in Penrith, one at Durness)
Total Cost - £496
Harry didn't miss a beat. Didn't even use any oil. I couldn't fault him for the entire trip and was my consummate companion. He was comfy, quiet-ish and provided me with a safe, dry, warm retreat, night after night and facilitated some amazing memories by allowing me to stay at places I'd never have been able to without a tent or camper.
As you can probably tell, I loved the trip. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who loves the outdoors. My only negative was cramming too much mileage into too little time. But I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. My new favourite place in the world! (y)
The time had come - last leg of the journey and, following a bacon roll and cup of coffee courtesy of my cousin, I hit the road early.
I settled Harry into his 60mph cruise and he ticked along perfectly. The beauty of this speed is that you're faster than the trucks, so every now and again get some overtaking action. But you don't bother any cars and you just leave them to get on each others nerves and get stressed. It's amazing what you witness from high up in the cab and with the benefit of "distance" from all the shenanigans. It's so cathartic (and not that much slower overall), that I'm considering even driving the 530d at that speed. The amount of times I was overtaking by cars twice during the 200mile journey!!!!!
I didn't stop and just ploughed on. 3hrs 15mins later I was back at the farm, parked up, plugging in Harry and congratulating him for a job well done.
In summary, some stats:
9 days driving in total but 7 days from setting out from Appin
1,702 miles
£1.20 per day in gas
375litres of fuel = c. £456
Average 20.6mpg - Worst 14mpg & Best 26mpg (overall figure would've been better had I have done 60mph on the way up and not 70mph!)
Toilet empties - 3 (probably only needed 2)
Fresh Water - c. 200litres used
Grey Water - one drop at Penrith & one at Durness
Campite Fees - £29 (one night in Penrith, one at Durness)
Total Cost - £496
Harry didn't miss a beat. Didn't even use any oil. I couldn't fault him for the entire trip and was my consummate companion. He was comfy, quiet-ish and provided me with a safe, dry, warm retreat, night after night and facilitated some amazing memories by allowing me to stay at places I'd never have been able to without a tent or camper.
As you can probably tell, I loved the trip. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who loves the outdoors. My only negative was cramming too much mileage into too little time. But I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. My new favourite place in the world! (y)
Fantastic read 
I was in Scotland a couple of weeks ago in our motorhome and the road around Loch Lomond is indeed tricky. I had my mirror folded in by a co-op lorry who I met as he cut a corner. We only ventured as far north as Fort William and stayed on a CC site. Not as exciting as wild camping but it was our first visit to the area. Absolutely loved it though and we can't wait to return and travel further north.
I was in Scotland a couple of weeks ago in our motorhome and the road around Loch Lomond is indeed tricky. I had my mirror folded in by a co-op lorry who I met as he cut a corner. We only ventured as far north as Fort William and stayed on a CC site. Not as exciting as wild camping but it was our first visit to the area. Absolutely loved it though and we can't wait to return and travel further north.
It's fixable... said:
Spuffington, do you use the storage site down Bowsers Lane? I used to keep my caravan there...
I didn't even know there was one. I use RJB Commercials for my servicing, next to Garret Transportation but never knew there was storage down there. I don't need it though as I have a good bit of land upon which the motorhome is kept.
No, afraid not, it's on the A894 - here.......
https://www.google.de/maps/@58.2163223,-4.9983238,...
I did drive past Stac Pollaidh though and a couple I bumped into in Achnahaird had just scrambled up it.
https://www.google.de/maps/@58.2163223,-4.9983238,...
I did drive past Stac Pollaidh though and a couple I bumped into in Achnahaird had just scrambled up it.
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