Strathspey Steam Railway

When we awoke it was still raining and we could hardly make out the tops of the mountains that had been clearly visible last night from our pitch though there we signs that it might get brighter! By the time we were ready to leave the sky had become a little lighter, we had a couple more showers on our way to Aviemore but after parking and buying our tickets for the Strathspey Steam Railway, we had no more rain for the rest of the day!

The engine pulling our train was quite young having being built in 1952 and renovated 40 years later. The carriages were mostly from the 1960's and included some rather nice 1st Class compartments being used for dining. As always on heritage railways, the staff were enthusiastic and friendly and very much in evidence was the 'Fat Controller' who was accompanying a photographer through the train taking short video clips and photographs to promote the railway.

The journey each way took about 45 minutes stopping at Boat of Garten and Broomhill, which apparently was the station used in the tv series Monarch of the Glen. The line followed the River Spey for most of its journey, a lovely river valley surrounded on one side by the Cairngorms.

On the return journey we feasted on their home made millionaires shortbread and fruit loaf, both of which were very tasty. Once back at Aviemore we took more photos and leaving the van in the station car park we explored the town which was full of outdoor clothing and equipment stores and cafés. We also found, much to our amazement, a butcher's shop open on a Sunday so we purchased some fresh local meat for meals tonight and tomorrow.

Then we made our way to what has transpired to be the most expensive camp site of our trip so far at £26.50! Still the woodland setting was very pretty and as we pitched a red squirrel ran across in front of the van and up a nearby tree. The facilities were also rather well appointed with a collection of individual, unisex mini bathrooms complete with washbasin, toilet and shower and lots of room and hooks.

After a cup of tea we decided it was time to take the cycles off the rack on the back of the van where they have been since we left London, primarily because we have rarely stopped anywhere for very long or got to a site early enough to spend time cycling in the vicinity, or it has been very wet or the terrain did not lend itself to cycle riding! I know that sounds like a lot of excuses but as we had arrived early at the campsite and there were several cycle tracks around us we set off on a circular route of about 7 miles.

We travelled through mixed woodland and heathland with great views of the Cairngorms then through a forest to the beautiful Loch an Eilein and returned to the campsite via an old logging road. We both got slightly damp as we had not expected to ford two streams and one was a bit deeper than the other and Lesley's cycle stopped in the middle of the second, deeper one and got a rather wet left foot!

We arrived back at the campsite having enjoyed this relatively short ride as it was our first of the year and in such lovely surroundings. We celebrated with mugs of hot chocolate and had hot showers to refresh ourselves and hopefully help alleviate any aches and pains from our unusual exertions!

We ate dinner, edited photos, blogged and read till bed, there being absolutely no tv signal nor any inclination to watch a dvd.

 

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Back on the mainland and heading in a southerly direction

We had a very leisurely breakfast then headed off to make a brief stop at John O' Groats. We had our photograph taken at the last road sign in mainland Britain and I was reminded of the one I had taken with my parents at Lands End when I was an older teenager. We browsed the eight sided first and last shop then got back in the van and set off in a generally southerly direction travelling across headlands and heathland close to the coast for much of the time with great sea views.

We stopped for fuel and provisions and carried on hoping to get to a caravan sales and spares company in order to purchase a replacement spindle for the hot tap in the bathroom but we arrived as the owner was leaving, they close such businesses quite early in Scotland, it was Saturday and only just 4 pm! Our repair will have to wait!

We continued South passing through very pretty countryside and arrived at the Caravan Club site in Grantown on Spey and noticed on our arrival that there was a steam railway nearby. We picked up a leaflet and determined that on Sunday we would spend some time pursuing our passion of riding on all of the heritage steam railways in Britain, and elsewhere when we come across them!

We ate the crab meat we had purchased in Kirkwall and prepared a stir fry for dinner, watched a dvd, as there was no tv signal available and went to bed, noting that it had been raining for most of the time following our arrival and during the night when one of us awoke we were aware of the sound of rain on the van roof.

 

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One final day on the Orkney Islands

We had a very good night's sleep, wild camping on Rousay overlooking the Eynhallow Sound with the Midhowe Brock and Cairn below us on the shoreline. We breakfasted then made our way to the pier to await our return ferry to Main Island. The crossing was very quick, we were one of just 3 vehicles on the boat and on arrival at Tingwall, we made our way along the North East coast to see the Broch of Gurness and compare it with the one we had viewed on Rousay.

We had not expected such a development as confronted us! This was more than a Broch; it was the remains of one of the largest fortified villages on Orkney with imposing outer walls and a ditch and numerous dwellings. Each house was similar in design to those we had seen at Skara Brae albeit there were a couple of thousand years between them.

Also found on the site when it was excavated was a house from Pictish times and on the causeway leading to the main entrance of the Broch, the stone lined grave of a Viking woman had been uncovered complete with grave goods. This was a massive and complex site and the interpretive drawings gave one a real sense of how it may have looked in around 1AD. It was interesting to note, however, the differences in cultures and especially the technology in use when comparing these Orcadians with Romans of the same era who very shortly found there way to the Southern shores of Britain!

We made a lunch stop in Kirkwall and had just enough time to visit the Earl's and Bishop's Palaces dating from between 12th to 17th centuries. It was a very quick tour but interesting to see the different building styles and especially the opulence of the Earl's Palace whose owner sadly fell out with the reigning monarch so did not get much chance to enjoy its luxuries!

We made our way to St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay, connected to the Main Island by the Churchill Barriers, in order to catch our return ferry to mainland Scotland. We had spent just 7 days on the Orkney Islands, they are so full of history and each one is very different. We only had the opportunity to visit 3 of the islands but think we may be back to spend more time here. The weather was generally good to us but cold most of the time and often cloudy and damp but the Islands also have no nasty biting insects, so that was a bonus, and the islanders are friendly and there is a lot of good produce at reasonable prices.

The crossing was smooth, we saw many more seabirds and basking great seals on the Island of Stroma and once landed we made our way to a Camping & Caravanning Listed Site which was reasonably priced but not so well situated, being near to a fairly busy main road. The facilities were clean but a bit 'Heath Robinsonish' and the owners, a friendly couple from East London who had spent time in both Hawaii and New Zealand before settling here.

We ate, watched a bit of tv and went to bed.

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The Island of Rousay

We had stayed at the Kirwall campsite because it was convenient for the ferries to the northern islands. After we had breakfasted we made the van ready intending to wild camp tonight on Rousay Island. We drove to Tingwall on the North Eastern coast of Main Island and awaited our ferry. It was small; only one other vehicle crossed with us along with a few foot passengers. The crossing was smooth and we landed just after midday at a tiny pier. We were bemused to see that no ropes were used to hold the ferry against the concrete ramp and pier, just the engine and boat ramp were used whilst we drove off the ferry and up onto the only main road that circumnavigates Rousay.

The Visitor Centre was closed! We later discovered the island ranger had met a couple from the ferry and was conducting a tour of the island. So we made our way towards the West and stopped at, Taversoe Tuick, the first of many cairns on the island but this one is rare because it is has two stories! The cairn was fully accessible to the public with a metal ladder in place to enable one to go from the upper to lower levels. It was amazing, so well built and different to others we had seen but no one seems to really know why this was built in this way with entrances on either side of the cairn to allow access to the two stories independently.

We drove onto a parking place for some lunch then motored on to the main event of the day. This involved a walk across fields full of sheep, down a fairly steep path to the sea.

Covered by a barn like structure is Midhowe Stalled Cairn, the largest known example in the UK. It is a remarkable place with useful, albeit brief information boards. A high level walkway has been constructed to allow visitors to view the cairn from above. When in use, it would have been covered in either cap stones or possibly a coloured clay like Maes Howe on the mainland. The size and complexity of the structure must have involved a large number of people who presumably all shared customs and beliefs.

Just beyond the cairn was the ramains of Midhowe Broch, a 1st century defensive tower, one of several built on the shores of Eynhallow Sound. The tower was constructed of two walls about 10 metres high and sub divided inside to provide a number of smaller rooms. The entrance was quite low but capable of being blocked with a stout door that would have barred entry to anyone. A defensive ditch and moat surrounded the Broch which was situated on something of a natural promontory.

Then we explored the remains of buildings along the shoreline, known as the Xxxx mile. For thousands of years people have inhabited this region and including the above there was evidence of dwellings from a Viking Hall through the medieval period up to the middle of the 19th century. A ruined church and cemetary were testament to the men and women who last worked the land with many head stones indicating folk had died in their 70's.

Returning to the van up that very steep track we refreshed ourselves with a cup of tea then continued on our journey around the island. We stopped at a bay on the north western side and spotted a large number of grey seals hanging out on the exposed rocks whilst Arctic Terns and other sea birds flew overhead. We climbed up from the coast over a headland and down to the lowlands on the northern side of the island exploring the minor roads and finally came back to our starting point, the pier.

We were now actively looking for a place to camp overnight. There was a place near the old chapel and cemetery by the pier which looked possible. We retraced our steps around the island, this time in an anti clockwise direction. We spotted another potential site off the main road overlooking the sea backed by cliffs. Considered the bay where we had spotted the seals, but the ground looked a little soft for the weight of the van and finally headed off back to the car park overlooking Eynhallow Sound. It was a beautiful spot overlooking all that history with the Atlantic Sea beyond and low hills across the water. There was very little traffic. We had dinner, read and edited photos then went to bed after having had a lovely day on Rousay.

 

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Living in peace and harmony 5000 years ago!

The day dawned fairly bright and improved to the point where during the afternoon and evening we saw the sun, the sky was blue and clear with a delightful golden glow to end the day. After breakfast we readied the van to leave the Point of Ness Campsite and headed for Skara Brae, discovered after a violent storm on the edge of a cliff in the mid 19th century.

The Visitor Centre provided a very informative exhibition including many of the artefacts discovered during excavations and relayed both facts about the area and community as well as some conjecture. The biggest question being why was Skara Brae abandoned after so many years of continuous improvement?

It is a truly amazing place of small individual stone houses built into a midden with a central common passageway linking the houses together. Each house appears to be the same with a central hearth, a stone dresser opposite the entrance door which can be barred from inside, shelves in the walls and stone beds around the room.

The absence of a larger sized or more lavishly furnished dwelling, no evidence of weapons and no defensive wall or ditch suggests to archeologists that these people lived in harmony with one another and settled disagreements amicably. The proximity of this village to other settlements and the number of stone circles and cairns also suggests a large number of people living together in close proximity and sharing customs and beliefs. Indeed the building of the circles such as Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar would have needed a very large number of people devoted to the activity whilst the rest of the community farmed and fished. Together, these factors suggest that 5000 years ago the Orcadians lived in peace and harmony until, for whatever reason, the village was abandoned and folk started to be buried in individual graves and stone kists rather than communal cairns.

We spent ages just viewing the structures which have been uncovered and excavated back to their original ground level. After a refreshment break in the cafe we also then visited Skaill House which is open to the public during the summer. It's history goes back to the early 17th century when the bishop of Kirkwell moved here after leaving a much earlier brock situated elsewhere. The house was full of artefacts including clothes, pictures, furniture and souvenirs from foreign travels. It did not hold the same fascination for me as Skara Brae but it was interesting as it occupied its own place in the history of the island and as it is summertime, entrance is included in the ticket price for Skara Brae.

We travelled onto Kirkwall and the campsite via the Stones of Stenness as the sun was out and we wanted to retake a few photos that would reveal more than the greyness that had surrounded the site on Sunday when we visited.

After purchasing a few more items of food in readiness for our trip to Roundsay on Thursday, we arrived at the campsite, pitched the van and sat outside to enjoy the sunshine. We cooked some dinner, watched a bit of tv and went to bed even though it was still light outside!

 

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Orkney, the heart of Neolithic Britain

We woke early, breakfasted and left the site for our timed and guided tour of Maeshowe, the oldest Neolithic Tomb in the UK. The sky was very grey, it had rained quite hard whilst having breakfast so we donned waterproofs and wellies in preparation for getting soaked! As members of English Heritage we were able to purchase concessionary tickets at half price which was good news and we made our way quickly across the road to the Meashowe mound for the start of our tour.

The tour was over far too quickly then we made our way to the Ring of Brodgar where, after a cup of tea, we joined a free guided tour given by a world heritage site ranger. He was very knowledgeable and shared information with us about the local flora and fauna as well as the archeology associated with the Ring, the third largest in the UK.

It is a magical place, very atmospheric and surrounded by hills on all sides. Whilst the actual purpose of the Ring is not known as few artefacts have been recovered from the site, the structure and its proximity to other rings, cairns and the recently discovered foundations of a set of buildings on the Ness of Brodgar, suggest it was part of a very large complex built for some form of celebration and ritual.

We lunched in the car park in our van during which time the weather brightened so we made our way to the Bay of Markham hoping to see Puffins on the cliffs. We followed the footpath along the beach and up the hill of Markham Head and there we saw a Puffin sitting on a ledge amongst a number of other birds. The cliffs were also full of nesting Guillemots and Gulls.

Returning to the van in sunshine we travelled back to the campsite, pitched and set about cooking dinner together. Whilst we waited for the beef stew to cook we sat in the cab overlooking Hoy Sound which was much brighter than last night with the sun setting behind us over Stromness. Hopefully, Lesley will sleep better tonight and we do not have to rush to get up in the morning as we are fairly close to Skara Brae and our next campsite at Kirkwall.

 

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A chambered cairn, an Italian chapel and a 12th century cathedral

We had set an alarm so as to get up promptly and spend the day out and about as there is so much to see and do in the Orkneys. Our first stop was to the Tomb of the Eagles, a 5000 year old Neolithic chambered cairn discovered by a farmer on his land when he was looking for stones for building in 1958. Over time the cairn has been excavated and now covered to protect it from the elements but a large number of the artefacts found inside are on display in an associated interpretive centre run by enthusiastic members of the farmer's family. There are introductory talks to the cairn which are very informative and unusually one is allowed to handle some of the artefacts! These include skulls, beads, axe heads and others tools and ornaments.

Found much later on the same land is a Bronze Age Burnt Mound and building of indeterminant use but which contains a sophisticated water supply system fed by a local stream and an external fire pit which it is believed was used to heat stones that were then used in a large stone lined pit in the centre of the building which Los had a stone slab floor. So clearly time and effort was spent on constructing the building but archeologists are divided on its exact purpose but views range from a tannery to wool dying to a steam room.

Both structures are located amidst beautiful surroundings in fields on the edge of cliffs both filled with wild flowers and a wide range of birds who called incessantly throughout our visit. We spent nearly three hours in the centre, exploring the two buildings and walking the cliff top. It was possible to enter the cairn through the same low doorway used by Neolithic people for a period of about 800 years and to explore the numerous chambers where skulls, pottery and bones had been placed after excarnation or sky burial. Apparently, when found, the cairn contained the largest collection of Neolithic bones in Britain. The reason for this being referred to as the Tomb of the Eagles is because with some of the skulls, the talons and in a couple of cases, whole skeletons of sea eagles were found with them suggesting some spiritual association with these amazing birds who it seems may have been revered or possibly even feared.

The Bronze Age building was also very interesting and Lesley and I spent time speculating over its use and were amazed at how the stone floor was so carefully laid and had remained and that parts of the water management system were still in place. Walking the cliff top was also very pleasureable, we spotted a variety of seabirds and also, we think, skylarks.

We lunched at Skerries Bistro, a tasty selection of seafood platter and hot salmon quiche with salads with great sea views back towards mainland Scotland.

Next we travelled northwards to the Orkney Wine Company to sample and buy some of their fruit wines and liqueurs and Orkney Ice Cream for our evening dessert. Nearby was the Italian Chapel, constructed from two standard nissan huts during WWII by Italian prisoners of war. Wanting somewhere to celebrate mass which reminded them of home, a group of prisoners used scrap materials and concrete to create this amazing little chapel complete with a small bell tower and some wonderful painting inside, first to represent bricks and marble and then for the altar.

Then we motored onto Kirkwall in search of a tourist office to find some information about ferries to Sanday. We did eventually find the tourist centre but after it was closed, however, we did get a chance to look around the St Magnus Cathedral, "the Light in the North." It is a splendid red sandstone building with quite narrow aisles and simply decorated. During our short visit an orchestra of young Orcadian musicians were rehearsing for a concert that evening and playing Greig.

We wandered around the town a little to orientate ourselves and promised to return to explore more of it before we leave Orkney on Friday. We returned to our campsite, cooked a pasta meal followed by that ice cream then watched Hunger Games, partly on Amanda's recommendatio, on tv. I considered it to be better than the sequel which I watched on one of our many flights whilst touring Australia.

 

 

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Most northerly point of mainland Britain

By the time we awoke this morning, last night's wind had subsided and although it was a little cool, the sky was bright and there was evidence of blue sky. We breakfasted on warm cinnamon rolls, pain au raisin and juice, readied the van to leave the site and as we had time before our ferry to Orkney, we ventured out onto Dunnett Head.

 

This was a good choice as we saw lots of interesting birds including; Guiellemots, Fulmars, Great Skuas, Kittiwakes and Lesley spotted a Puffin. After just a short visit, we made our way to Gills Bay for the ferry to Orkney and crossed to St Margaret's Hope quite quickly spotting more birds en route including Razorbills and, we think, Arctic Skuas.

By the time we reached the Orkneys the dark clouds that had been following us dropped their light drizzle but within minutes of reaching our campsite at Pool Farm, the sky had brightened again and we were able to appreciate the view across to the East with fields and the sea beyond.

After some refreshment we set off to explore South Ronaldsay heading in a southerly direction right to the end of the road and a foot passenger only ferry that operates in summer time only from John o' Groats. We noted two potential overnight wild camping spots if required but are or one likely to need these in the North of the island during our time here.

We spotted more birds en route including Lapwings and stopped at one or two viewpoints to enjoy the island scenery and try to identify which of the many islands we could see from any one point. We travelled northwards across two of the Churchill Barriers built during the latter part of WWII by Italian prisoners of war to prevent German U boats from accessing the British Fleet at Scapa Flow.

We returned to the campsite to plan our next couple of days, Lesley cooked her famous chorizo stew and we edited photos, read and watched a little tv before retiring to bed, whilst being aware of the mid summer sky despite the cloud!

 

 

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Rugged isolation

I slept well, sadly Lesley did not, but each time I became semi conscious I could hear the sound of the sea on the beach below. It was a wee bit grey overhead when we finally decided to get up and too cold to eat outside the van so we breakfasted inside, readied the van to leave and were off on the final leg of our journey on the North and Western Highlands Tourist Route.

The scenery continued to change but always one was reminded of how isolated one could be as we crossed over moors with few signs of recent habitation, though there was a sprinkling of abandoned crofts, just like in parts of Ireland. There were still numerous lochs, heather and ferns abounded and some wonderful seascapes came into view as we rounded corners on our journey in a mostly north easterly direction. We stopped for refreshment on the Kyle of Tongue with a loch and mountains in one direction and the loch and sea in the other. Travelling on we crossed more peat bogs and moors and as we climbed past the Glen of Borgie I caught a glimpse of a Golden Eagle soaring, turning and getting ready to swoop down into the valley below then it and we were gone climbing upwards and turning into the next valley.

It is a beautiful landscape, so rugged, varied and with the clouds scudding across the sky and occasional glimpses of the sun shining on lochs and the sea. For most of the journey we were on an A road unlike those in the South which continued to be a single track with passing places until we were approaching Bettyhill. We travelled on, passing the nuclear power station at Dounreay, a strange white ball of a structure sitting amidst a range of other buildings against the backdrop of the blue green sea and a host of seabirds rising up in front of the van as we passed.

We stopped at Thurso to purchase a few provisions and to refuel in case getting diesel at a reasonable price on Orkney proved difficult and were told of the many opportunities for wild camping on the islands by someone who had spent the last month there. We only have 4 out of 7 nights booked in advance on Orkney so we may find ourselves wild camping if we can find suitable places and it feels safe to do so.

A little beyond Thurso, there is a wide shallow bay of sand with breaking waves and the huge outcrop of Dunnett Head. There is a Caravan Club site at Dunnett Bay and that is where we decided to spend the night and on arrival met another couple with an earlier Compass Calypso who told us of their adventures with their van. We had a snack, went for a walk on the beach, managing to get back before the rain that had been threatening for some time actually fell. We ate a dinner of grilled soy, lime and chilli salmon on a bed of mixed vegetable cous cous followed by cheese, biscuits, chutney and port, watched an episode of Foyles War from the variety of channels apparently available on our tv then went to bed.

 

 

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The most Westerly village in mainland Britain

As I write this entry, I am sitting in the cab of Cally with Lesley on the edge of a cliff overlooking a small bay with fine sand, rocks and waves breaking on the beach several metres below us at the campsite in Durness which the local tourist office claims is the most westerly village in mainland Britain.

The day began with clear blue skies and warm sunshine boasting mid twenty degrees by late morning. We had a leisurely breakfast outside, got the van ready to depart and were on the road by late morning skirting the Western reaches of Easter Ross travelling through glens, past lochs, pasture land and low mountains that typify the North Western Highlands and soon found ourselves at Ullapool where we stopped for refreshment overlooking the harbour and loch along which we had just driven.

As we sat enjoying our snack, clouds began to form over the surrounding mountains and towards the end of our brief exploration of the town there was moisture in the air so we continued in a northerly direction into Sutherland. The land changed quite dramatically and reminded us of parts of Western Ireland, especially Connemara. We began to cross moors with small burns cutting their way through towards inland lochs and revealing the peat that in places had been cut, presumably to provide fuel.

We stopped briefly at Elphin to visit the tiniest of craft markets then continued on our way occasionally catching glimpses of the sea as we wound our way across Western Sutherland. A novel experience during the latter part of our journey was that despite the A838 being a major road, for several miles between Rhiconich and Durness, it was a single lane carriageway with passing places crossing what appears to be a peat bog.

At Durness we found the campsite someone in Dingwall had mentioned to us as we left and was also identified by the satnav. It was situated on a cliff top with great views out to sea and as the site office was closed we followed the instructions on the door indicating one should find a pitch and then call I to the office to register and pay when they opened at 1730. Whilst waiting we sat in the cab, it was rather damp and windy outside at this point, but enjoyed the view with a cup of hot chocolate and a coconut pyramid.

At the appointed time we paid our site fee and as the weather had improved we went for a walk along the headland, down onto the beach and explored the tiny village claiming to be the most westerly in Britain.

Lesley cooked a tasty and warming meal of liver and bacon with a very tasty gravy followed by raspberries, flaked chocolate and creme fraiché, all very delicious. Then we spent time sitting in the cab, listening to music and watching the seascape before us. An idealic existence!

 

 

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Ben Nevis and Westeross

We awoke to more blue skies and sunshine which was something of a surprise, enjoyed breakfast overlooking Glencoe for the last time and readied ourselves to leave the site by midday. All was going well till I tried to wind in the awning and to my great surprise the handle broke at the pivot on which all the weight to turn the mechanism is applied! Now what to do?

It is late morning and many folk have already left for their days activities. I eventually find another motor home owner still on site and with a similar awning who kindly lends me his winding handle and all is well, though until we can source a replacement handle we will not be able to use the awning! The kind couple had just bought their motorhome, having had a converted ambulance some 30 years ago, confessed to being on the waterways of Britain as their first love but wth so many restrictions and working locks becoming harder work they had decided to try out being back on the road again.

We finally leave the site having had a very pleasant few days and head for the Ben Nevis Centre where several gondola wait to whisk folk up to the Restaurant and, in winter, the ski centre that connects to many chair and button lifts to take folk even higher up the mountain to various ski runs.

At this time of year there is much use of the mountain by adventurous bike riders and those wishing to walk either up or down one of the signposted footpaths. There are also a couple of shorter walks to viewpoints to the West and East. We chose the shorter one traversing the slopes of Ben Nevis to the West and after a mile were rewarded with amazing views over a number of mountains and glens, including back towards Fort William and SW towards the route we took on the steam train to Mallaig yesterday.

We spent some time just enjoying the views, took photos them retraced our steps back towards the cable car terminus and restaurant for some refreshment taken on the terrace overlooking the South and East. We took the cable car back to the car park and at Cally we considered how far we wanted to drive and located a camp site at Dingwall that was about 90 minutes away.

The drive provided more amazing views of several loughs, valleys, mountains and pine forests as the road ran alongside the banks of loughs for about two thirds of the journey. We crossed and recrossed them at locks on the Caledonian Canal that allows boats to cross large parts of Scotland. Whilst very pretty, the winding roads made the journey longer than the overall distance would suggest.

We finally arrived at the campsite about 1915, were quickly shown to our pitch and cooked a sauce and vegetables to go with the lamb pie we purchased at the Westmoreland Farm Shop. It was all very yummy and whilst Lesley stayed in the van, I ventured down to the Firth of Cromerty to see if I could catch a glimpse of an Osprey as the site manager had told us they are to be seen at various times of the day. I was not lucky on this occasion but did get some photos of the Firth in interesting light.

 

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The Jacobite Express

If yesterday was considered good then today was outstanding as the sun shone and it was warm. We breakfasted outside, readied the van is if to leave the site because we needed to drive the 18 miles to Fort William for the Jacobite Express to Mallaig.

We set off earlier than planned which allowed us to do a little food shopping once we found a really cheap all day car park suitable for motorhomes at just £2! Then we wandered into the town, browsed a few shops, photographed St Agnus Church then made our way back to the railway station.

We had allocated seats for both out/inbound journeys and were far enough away from the engine to be able to see it on bends and take some photos though one had to be careful as it sped along much faster than the heritage trains we are used to travelling on and there was considerable danger of getting one's head knocked off by passing branches and signs!

The views were stupendous, travelling through glens, alongside loughs, past many mountains including Ben Nevis and the Neptune Flight of locks on the Caledonian Canal. We travelled slowly over the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by its appearance in Harry Potter films then stopped at the station of the same name long enough for a visit to their small museum containing many photographs explaining the building of the railway to Mallaig including the viaduct which was one of the first major concrete structures of the 19th century designed by McAlpine.

We travelled on arriving at Mallaig in the late afternoon with time to explore the port, marina and small town. We luckily spotted a couple of sealions frolicking near to one of the trawlers and several quite large jelly fish! We enjoyed some light refreshment overlooking the port and for the first time I had heather ale based on an ancient recipe which was light, smooth and delicious!

The return journey was as interesting with the early evening summer light and heat creating a mist over the many islands opposite the mainland and bathing the glens in a golden glow. More photo opportunities presented themselves but we were soon back at Fort William. We returned to the campsite travelling mostly alongside Loughs Linnie and Leven with the sun behind us providing another photo opportunity as we approached Glencoe.

Back at the campsite we enjoyed a supper of Scottish Crumpets, more like small pancakes, one filled with bacon and cheese accompanied by more of that spicy beetroot relish we purchased at the Westmoreland Farm Shop and another with raspberry jam and crem fraiché. It was all very tasty!

We relaxed inside the van, keeping away from the wee flying beasties, listened to music, read and edited photos before turning in, whilst outside at 2300, it was still light!

 

 

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Glencoe

For some unknown reason we both slept quite late, some campers were preparing to leave and the day appeared overcast but warm and we could see the tops of the mountains around us. We were assured later by one of the assistant camp wardens that this was a 'good' day weather wise.

We breakfasted el fresco enjoying the mountain views. Once tidied we made our way to the Glencoe Visitor Centre just a few minutes walk from the campsite. We resisted joining the Scottish version of the National Trust, even though it is cheaper than the English version and includes access to all properties in the UK. The Exhibition was informative and covered all aspects of the Glen from its geology, through events in its history including the 1692 massacre by English troops of the chieftain and family of the Macdonald Clan, those who have climbed its many mountains and flora and fauna.

We were also lucky enough to catch a performance by two men dressed in 18th century Scottish costumes who told us about the lives and customs of clansmen including their weaponry, attitudes to strangers and traditional dress. They were witty and informative and very careful not to get involved in any discussions about the massacre for which the glen is so infamous.

We enjoyed a refreshment break at the centre's cafe and made use of the free wifi then set off to walk part of the woodland trail and into the village of Glencoe. The woodland was full of birdsong and wild flowers and the buzzing of bees and provided a number of photographic opportunities.

We reached the village and traversed the small high street with its single shop, but useful for buying some custard to accompany tonight's Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, a church, a museum and a number of guest houses, mostly with no vacancies to the River Coe and its ancient bridge. Then we followed signs to the Massacre Memorial; a somber place.

We tried to find the footpath at end of the road to lead us back towards the camp site but a sign indicated it was private land so we crossed a field and climbed a gate, yes even me and found ourselves back on the main road and the path back through the woods to the camp site.

We enjoyed some tea and toasted plum bread and the scenery and began to think about where we were going next. Later, Lesley cooked a tasty dinner of fish cakes followed by that Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding and custard and then we spent some time reading and editing photos whilst it slowly darkened outside but even at 2230 it was still light!

Tomorrow we are booked on the afternoon Jacobite Train from Fort William to Mallaig, reputedly one of June most beautiful rail journeys in the world and certainly made famous by its connection to Harry Potter films!

 

 

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Onwards to Scotland

Friday dawned grey and Lesley had not slept well. However, we eventually breakfasted sufficiently to keep us going for quite a long period, said our goodbyes to James and Anne and headed for the border but not before stopping at the Westmoreland Farm Shops just above junction 38 on the M6 to stock up on locally produced foods including a super lamb pie, pickle, bacon, ox cheek and a duck and plum sausage.

Back on the road we passed Gretna Green and eventually crossed the border into Scotland. It had only taken 5 days since leaving London but then we had not been in a hurry and visited friends no family en route which was a real bonus of coming North.

We camped at Barbeth Farm, a Caravan Club CL for £10 including electric. Having previously contacted my cousin Alison we had been invited to dinner and had promised to provide a dessert so we motored onto Kirkintilloch and purchased individual lemon tarts then back to the campsite to freshen up and await our taxi.

We had a lovely evening with Alison and Gen, the food was delicious, as both of them are foodies and enjoy cooking. Gen had prepared a prawn and langoustine ravioli in a seafood bisque, Alison cooked fillet steaks to perfection accompanied by asparagus and a creme de cassis sauce and we provided lemon tarts with a warm strawberry salad in a balsamic jus with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. All were accompanied by a selection of wines and constant chatter about our trip to Oz and their planned trip to China with some discussion of Scotland's proposed independence! Time flew and our taxi came to whisk us back to the campsite.

We slept very well, awoke to an overcast sky but it brightened sufficiently for us to have breakfast el fresco. Once packed we set off, buying some of the cheapest diesel ever at £1.33 but with an extra 5p off per litre if you bought two soft drinks!

The sat nav did its usual thing of cutting corners and finding one or two rather narrow roads but most of the time we travelled on good A roads and were being surrounded by ever higher ground with cloud topped mountains and U shaped valleys and eventually we passed a sign welcoming us to the highlands!

Just before this we made a lunch stop at Loch Lubnaig where many years ago, when our children were quite young, we had spent a very pleasant week in a wooden Forestry Commission cabin during the summer half term. It had snowed on the penultimate day, in June, but this did not stop us getting out and about and I recall we went to Hags Castle and the Transport Museum in Glasgow, so clearly it was a proper holiday.

We stopped several times for photo opportunities but eventually arrived in Glencoe, a spectacular gorge with high mountains on each side, a river running through with waterfalls and tinged with snow and cloud topped.

The Camping & Caravan Club Site is next to the Glencoe Visitor Centre and we have decided to stay for three nights. It has a wonderful location and we have views all around from our pitch. We partook of pre-dinner drinks whilst dinner was prepared outside and cooked in the Remoska.

 

 

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The Lancaster environs

Having visited with Anne and James previously we had seen something of this historic city so after a very leisurely breakfast we took a trip to Glasson Dock where the Lancaster Canal links to the sea via the River Lune. The canal basin was quite busy no full of boats including a few narrow boats and several larger vessels were moored. The dock which used to be a hive of activity in the 18/19th centuries.

The visit concluded with a browse and shopping opportunity in the Port of Lancaster Smoke House where a varied display of goods tempted me to make a few purchases including some tasty looking garlic and herb smoked mackerel which will make a very acceptable unch or starter with salad or perhaps some pickled beetroot.

We returned home for a smorgasbord lunch including local pork pies and ham and a French inspired lager shandy! Once replete we once more ventured out but northwards to Arnside. By now the sun was shining and we enjoyed a walk along the beach and back enjoying both the company and the scenery. It is such a pretty area with the Lake District providing a backdrop to the North.

We continued along the road that took us through Silverdale with views of Morecambe Bay and onto Tewitfield near Carnforth where we dined in the Longlands Hotel. It was an interesting menu with well flavoured food and my lamb chops on a bed of Mediteranean vegetables with feta and a beetroot purée was succulent and three of us had the spicy pear tarte tatin for dessert!

Returning home we continued to chat but everyone was feeling tired so we all went to bed after a nightcap.

 

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