416-422 : Dublin Days

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Clunegapyears

416 – Thursday 14th July 2016: Fionnualla and Family

A good run around the site. We left the campsite having explored nothing of Tollymore Park, but every now and again you need a down day. OK sized pitches with hard standing and a shower block. Chemical toilet and taps along the road sides for water, but no grey waste outlet! Knowing we were headed to the Republic of Ireland, we swapped wallets back to the Euro one … fortunately nearly 200 in it … worth more than when we got them!

We did a food shop, first Lidl and then Tesco, for the bits not available in Lidl – it does mean shopping takes a lot longer, but worth it on the purse! I had offered to cook for Fionnualla and Shaun – we last saw them February 2015 and Fionnualla cooked for us. Having purchased all the ingredients I then started prepping … in the Tesco Carpark! We checked to make sure we could not see a time limit on how long we stayed there, as we did not want another ‘outstaying your welcome’ fine as we did at Aldi in Bakewell! Choc mousse setting in fridge, mash done, mushrooms stuffed and chicken cacciatore done … means we can relax when we arrive.

We were a little later arriving than planned … I was driving and started to question where we were when I saw a sign to Dublin Docks and I knew that Malahide was further north! J caught navigational napping … in his home town!!! The rush hour and stop start to get back out meant that it was MOST DEFINITELY drink o’clock when we arrived.

Really lovely to spend time with the family, especially Fionnualla, who is a childhood friend of J’s … she is one of those special people.

417 – Friday 15th July 2016: And onto Camac Valley Campsite

No early start and no run … feeling too full of food and wine excesses from last night! Still managed to tuck into the breads, hams and cheeses that Fionnualla gave us for breaky. Brown soda bread .. yum yum. Daren’t buy any! She also directed us to a massive Tesco so I could buy a cake tin. I know, what on earth do I want with a cake tin in a motorhome, and I’m not really over fond of cake anyway (more a sticky sickly out or copious amounts of cheese person). Delia (J’s sister) and Liam were holding their annual family BBQ on Saturday and for once we were able to come … and I’d offered to bring some puds and …. toffee vodka. Fortunately, J had ground up the hard toffees and mixed them with the vodka whilst i’d down food prep yesterday … as there was none of bottle 1 left after Fionnualla and I had finished it off last night!

We attempted to visit Kilmainham Jail on the way to the campsite. But no chance … apparently you have to book ages in advance. No Plan B and J not feeling too good so we headed straight to Camc Valley Campsite. We’ve stayed here a number of times before … EUR 27, but this includes a fully serviced large pitch – love having water on tap … every time Chard did a ‘I’m empty’ gurgle, so easy just to put the hoze in and switch on the tap. We normally conserve water as music as we can … we got very liberal with it here!

418 – Saturday 16th July 2016: Family BBQ

How annoying … I was short cream for the ‘Passion Fruit and Marshmallow Sensation’ … the recipe book’s name not mine! So J, with his navigational skills back on form, cycled off to the nearest town 🙂

We had so much to carry … wine, toffee vodka, two puds and coats … so the trusty shopping trolley came in handy. The journey was NOT so handy! Bus 69 from the site into town: 15 mins late and then took an hour. Bus 145 out to Cabinteely … another hour. All told, door to door 2 hrs and 45 mins!

It was brilliant seeing all the family as the last time K saw them in Montecatini, Tuscany last August … J had flown home in October briefly for Jade’s christening and seen some bods then. Not able to face the nearly 3 hr repeat bus ride back, we splashed out and took a cab!

419 – Sunday 17th July 2016: Up the Dubs

Time to run and do pilates … been seriously slacking! Being Sunday, we had the choice of ONE bus, as they only travelled every 2 hours! The 1.15 it was. Someone should have told the driver though, as he did not arrive until 1.42! Once into town we followed the blue shirts up to Croke Park.

The game went as predicted – The Dubs won by a healthy score – but Westmeath gave a really good showing – they will win major trophies very soon – all the best of luck to them – more competition is needed in Leinster… The game was enlivened by a streaker – male and a fine figure of a man! Liam was absent from his seat when the streaker hit the pitch and on his return was greeted with: You got your clothes back on quick!

Handbags at dawn … I had no idea that Gaellic Football descended so often into fisticuffs!

420 – Monday 18th July 2016: Dr in Bray

J: Monday we decided to have my regular health check – Delia kindly arranged for us to see her doctor in Bray. Everything is working as expected and reassuringly so… The beach looked inviting – we thought about a swim but the Irish Sea produced a windy reminder and we sailed back to Camac Valley. Very hot – the BBQ lighting apprentice – Mr James C recommenced his in-dentures by lighting the fire with his teeth – not to be recommended for small children or anybody! The Nicky, Jimmy and Ian magic dust again lit the evening air and I managed to not fire up the endangers dentures!

BBQ followed by firelog … not cold but comforting!

421 – Tuesday 19th July 2016: Grand Canal to Phoenix Park

J: Pilates of the Camac pirates…..I did my first real session! Very good and I immediately felt the benefits on my back and shoulder. We took the bikes down for the first time in weeks and Maps.Me guided us alone the Grand Canal to the city, where we picnicked in the Phoenix Park – the biggest City Park in Europe. We watched some boys and girls swimming in the canal but very sadly, some youths drowned there a few years ago.

Evening saw a BBQ – again! Chicken, Halloumi (always think of Mike, as he introduced us to this on the BBQ) and veg – loving aubergine on the BBQ too at the mo. Wine was partaken of but we realise again that we must cut down; its been a heavy booze week or so – tomorrow we will be teetotal – and I will try alcohol-free lager for the first time ever.

With the abundance of easily available water, warm drying weather and two perfectly positioned trees for a washing line, I’ve been hand washing most days … leaving just a couple of items that needed ironing! This does NOT happen often!

422 – Tuesday 20th July: Back into Northern Ireland

An early run – 3k at sensible slow speed – during the run, Amelia phoned and said she and Thomas and Holly would like to join us for some time on our travels! Beautiful! Amelia – you can have the van spare bed – it will be our treat and lovely to see youze all!!!

Craic in Irelands wild camping App was the fast track to Co Fermanagh via motorways that are not very exciting but at Euro 2.80 for a 50 mile trip – very acceptable indeed!

Quiet as in there’s only us by the shores of Lough Erne and OK views of the lakeside… but lots of lorries and traffic noise till the evening. The bridge just ahead of us is single track and there has been a squealing of HGV brakes as the driver did not slow before realising there was already a vehicle on the bridge! No running possibilities here as the road is just far too busy.

Settling down for the evening with alcohol-free beer that tastes absolutely like alcohol beer!! Helps to have lime cordial in it! Can I get a hangover from alcohol-free beer – no way!

And finally, a pic I pinched off Facebook of Maddy at her school’s leavers dinner.

409-415: No Mourning an Ard Orange in N.I.

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Clunegapyears

409 – Thursday 7th July 2016: Dead ‘Ard Going’

Who booked the 4.00 am crossing??? Our arrival in Belfast Lough was peaceful and calm – we stopped nearby at Groomsport harbour and slept for a few hours … We deserved a cooked breakfast for brunch and ate in sunshine on considerately provided benches. After the last few days of rain in Scotland, the sun was MOST welcome and K finally divested herself of her thermal underwear!

We drove around the Ard Peninsula, stopping at Donaghadee: pretty and boasting the oldest N Irish inn … we did not consume there, but instead had a homemade vanilla ice-cream sat over looking the boats. We’re on our ‘olidays in a new country! And the sun was shinning.

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Donaghadee.

We continue south to Portaferry with the intention of climbing the hill to a windmill to get the views of the fast moving tidal waters at the narrow sea opening. Not to be – carpark with a height barrier. Never mind, we’ll park in the town and see if we can see the first underwater hydro barrier … nope … height barriers again! We left, hugging the coast, which at the start was really rather narrow with few passing places. A kindly elderly gent reversed (zig zagged actually with his passenger giving verbal assistance through the use of her sun visor mirror!) back a way to let us through.

We halted at Scrabo Castle, just near Newtownards where we finally got a walk – up to this fine example of a lighthouse-style building with 360 degree views. A fine wild camp spot with BBQ topped tables … so we used them. We happily consumed the odd glass of vino with our BBQ, only later to see a sign warning that drinking in public risks a £500 fine … we’ve since seen a few of these public order signs up … seems strange when there’s BBQ facilities – aren’t a BBQ and Booze inseparable?

And really quiet – good sleep…

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Scrabo Tower: built by the tenants in memory of one of the Marquess of Londonderry … wonder how much say they had in the building?

410 – Friday 8th July 2016: Titanic

Titanic is a must see and we planned it as a train trip – from Bangor West. The weather was favourable – the exhibition is expensive but after 3 hours, it proved it’s good value. At £98 million build cost, they have to recover some money. The industrial history of Belfast itself started the tale – following the shipbuilding local industry to the Titanic build – a suspended cable car ride (James didn’t look down) – the maiden voyage and tragic loss – discovery and recovery of relics – perhaps more might have been included and the reasons for the ship failure – structural loss or design?

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The Nomadic ferried passengers on board.

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The grand staircase.

We overnighted in a lay-by near Mount Stewart which K had spotted on the Ard drive yesterday. A busy spot with people arriving with takeaways. The good souls put the rubbish in the bins, but then the seagulls pulled all the rubbish out! K went out with rubber gloves to do a bit of tidying … like to leave a free spot a little tidier than when we arrived.

411 – Saturday 9th July 2016: Mesmerising Mount Stewart

Running is supposed to be a way of life, but recent poor weather, laziness and some unsuitable locations meant we’ve got a bit stiff recently. However, we returned to it this morning, a slow plod along the coast and K did some Pilates.

The Aged P’s had said Mount Stewart was a must see, however, since their visit it has had major refurbishment, including opening up the main staircase and more rooms. You’ll need to come back, if you can fit it in you holiday schedule! The National Trust has bought up loads of furniture and other memorabilia from other Marquess of Londonderry property sales and created rooms with a lived in feel. They targeted the era of Lady Edith, who was married to the Maquess of Londonderry, also known as Lord Castlereagh – the politician. Edith moved almost permanently into Mount Stewart and set about making a home of the house. The gardens are absolutely incredible and we did a Gardener’s Tour … she designed the gardens as a solace due to Lord C’s numerous affaires! There is quite a gap between the main children and the last Mairi, was the product of a brief reconciliation!

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The house had really good room staff, including some youngsters. Part of the Italian Garden.

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The Spanish Garden.

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Edith was interested in the classics and there is a lot of symbolism in topiary, as well as some unusual sculpture that she commissioned … Spot the Dodo above!

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We overnighted with about 15 other vans at the Aire in Donaghadee – this was our view 🙂

412 – Sunday 10 July 2016: Boyler Table Battles

Leisurely start and we drove to Banbridge via Stormont, which the intention of walking the grounds … but no parking … a reoccurring theme? K managed to get a retina flash image of the long vista up to the parliament palace.

Families are everything! The Boylers are brilliant, our welcome outstanding, free drive accommodation, showers and use of washing machine – grand hospitality. James reprised his (famous?) football skills with Daniel who had the Boyle/O’Reilly/Clune ball/hand/eye coordination … the score was Daniel – a lot – James 0! The only thing was that it was on the table using Daniel’s supper … even Daniel knew it was little bit naughty!

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James and his neice, Mary-Kate.

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James should you really be teaching Daniel this?

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But Daniel learns fast!

413 – Monday 11th July: Orange Order March and Band

A first for James Clune – taking part in his first ever Orange Day Parade and proudly waving a Union flag! The family are aghast! Orange Day parades take place across Ulster on and around the 12th July to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne, when Prince William (Dutch and protestant) came over to the aid of the Irish and defeated King James of Scotland and England – Catholic. In the times of the ‘Troubles’, the marches were targets for local conflict and more trouble. K did check with the really helpful lady at the TIC … yes, really family friendly.

A great afternoon and evening … lots of marching bands followed by events in the recreation field. The Scottish Ulster dancing was brilliant: one girl said they practice for 3 hours a week plus competition time … it showed. Apparently in this part of Ulster there is more Scottish dancing than Irish, as they link back to their Scottish ancestors. A great band and a massive bonfire. The pallet suppliers must love this time of year as their sales go through the roof … most towns and villages had a towering stack of pallets all ready to go up in flames. The ones nearer Belfast were ludicrously tall … a few real leaning towers … fire risk?

This is for the family … J waving the Union Jack at an Orange Day festival!

414 – Tuesday 12th July 2016: Loyal Orange Order and Silent Valley

A good run through Kilkeel town before the marchers started – they started practising at 6:00 am today, so it was an early first cup of tea! This was the main march, with Loyal Orange Lodge bands from nearby towns all playing. Each band was followed by the members, all dressed in suits … quite a few suits were ill-fitting and obviously only come out on high days and holidays. The quality of the playing was superb. The sight of wheelchair bound soldiers of old with their medals on proud display brought tears to our eyes… The history is well known – we now appreciate it much more.

Back to the field of last night – just stalls designed to fleece all the kids of parents’ money and people picnicking, so we returned to Chard and had our lunch.

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The Lodges are pretty wealthy … a number had private plates and Kilkeel had a huge new Lodge building only built in 2015.

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Just caught this lady … loved her dress … could’ve done with it for the Queen’s Birthday celebration in May with Frances and Edward.

We planed to spend two nights up in the Mourne Mountains and do some walking. We started with Silent Valley; reservoirs that feed Belfast and County Down. A little dull walking along the reservoir, but then you turned a corner to that wall of the second reservoir. A walk to and up – and down – 300+ steps and the views from the top were pretty good.

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Mary-Kate had heard about cars being broken into in the Mourne Mountains over the holiday period, and K had read about trouble at an aire, so we booked into the Tallymore Park campsite for two nights. Being on site means a BBQ is mandatory … although the awning did come out to protect BBQ and us from the frequent downpours! Has our reader ever heard of a campsite where the rules included a ban on fire-logs on pain of instant expulsion from the site? The site is OK but a little tired but the price is reasonable. A few glasses of vino … don’t think a campsite can count as a public place and no house rule against alcohol. AND we dipped into the toffee vodka that K had made … following the recipe that George gave at the wildcamping Brin Highland gathering … pretty good, but you don’t need much of it!

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415 – Wednesday 13th July 2016: Sitting Pretty

Today we perambulated in the Olympic style (not!) and now taking it very slowly on a jobs/admin day. We heard this morning the tragic news of 23 deaths in Italy in a train crash…it makes us realise yet again how precious our lives are and how lucky lifestyle…thinking of those who died and the injured and survivors…

Another BBQ evening 🙂

409-412: Rain Nearly Stops Play

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Clunegapyears

409 – Sunday 3rd July 2016: Rain Stops Play

The heavens opened and the rain kept on coming. We had breakfast watching the muppet Irish man get out the awning on his motorhome and put chairs under. None of the group wanted to sit out, so the wife’s brother had to put them all away again. The muppet then wrapped the unwilling labrador in a padded coat and tied him up outside. He also, was unwilling to comply, and bolted back in side. Last night he’d left wife and niece in the downpour whilst he DROVE down to the toilet to empty their cassette (it must fill up at least daily with 5 of them and i don’t suppose they have a pee pee bottle!) … we offered them shelter but shed been told to save their prime pitch! At least he provided some form of entertainment, even if we felt sorry for the wife! I wanted to tell her to bin him, but J restrained me.

The grey skies and constant rain have started to get to me … I just need to see a blue sky for part of the day … is that too much to ask? But others have said it before me … when the sun does come out here, boy o boy, in’t it beautiful!

The rain being well set in, we decided to head for a campsite – getting due for a shower .. the washing kind! Glen Nevis campsite it was. There’s the chance for a climb tomorrow if the weather improves. On arrival we did the laundry. Even paid for the tumble drier for most of it. I must look poor, as one kind chap gave me some 20 pence coins for the spinner for my bit of hand washing! The awning came out so we could dry it under … since the awning was out, out came the BBQ and a fire log. Nice.

410 – Monday 4th July 2016: Ben Nevis Rained Off

No break in the weather, so we lazed in bed. The ascent of Ben Nevis will have to wait till next summer. Too wet for a run … all this rain has played havoc with our running routine. I resorted to Pilates in the laundry room … it was dry and Radio 2 was being piped.

We found Lidl in Fort William and did a mega shop. My last fortnightly Lidl shop was £114, today’s was £117 … some pattern of consistency there. Morrisons for the remaining items and a full cooked breakfast 🙂 Tried square sausage and potato cake for the first time … not my fav!

By this time it was 3.00 p.m. … A short drive and we stayed in a lay-by along side Loch Lomond. We’d tucked up well into the hedgerow, but that did not stop a large flat bed thundering past us, inches from Chard’s panels. A gasp moment. It became apparent that it is normal for trucks and vans to use these lay-bys with in and outs as a way to pull over the let faster traffic past without reducing much speed. It did quieten down and we had a peaceful night.

411 – Tuesday 5th July 2016: National Maritime Museum – Irvine and Iamthegooddan

No run again as a busy road and no footpath. Grr!

We visited the Scottish National Maritime Museum in Irvine. The building was a ship yard from Glasgow, rebuilt stone by stone. Inside were some notable boats, such as one that was dropped over sea during WW2 for ditched pilots to climb into and another that was moored along the bomber routes … not much used except by a German who spent the rest of the war interred! Quite a lot of paddle steamers were made on the Clyde, including the Waverley which always does a week in Bristol. Clydebank was at the foremost of ship building technology, but the managers became complacent (lack of marketing and innovation) and were beset with strong and militant unions …. overseas competition killed ship building in the area.

A few other facts:

90% of the world’s freight still goes by water.
Singer sewing machine exported 36 million machines between 1885 and 1943 from its Clydebank factory. In the 1960s it employed 16,000 workers.

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Lots of massive pieces of machinery.

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The timber yard and ship building here had long gone leaving the area very run down, but the council built these houses and flats in the 1990’s in the old style, making the area really attractive.

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One of the few remaining WW2 air pilot rescue boats. As they had no engine, they were mostly used for target practice after the war. A tough of humour, the sign inside saying to relax, smoke the cigarettes and food, but not in the first day and hopefully you’ll be picked up soon!

Part of the ticket price was a guided tour around an old wrought iron cargo ship and a tenement flat built by the timber yard owner for his workers. Compared to the central Glasgow tenements, these were considered luxury. What made J and I chuckle was the gasps from the children on the tour at how people lived 100 years ago … and the similarities with our life!

live and sleep in the one room … we do that!
only bath about once a week and strip wash the rest of the time … us too!
clothes washing is done by hand and air dries … yep, most of the time and inside the ‘van if its wet!
no dishwasher … well, I have James!
and wait for it … they had a guzunder (chamber pot for night time) … yep … we have our pee pee pot!!!

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The main room where it all happens … bigger than Chard though, but we are only two people.

J with Irvine harbour.

We had pre-arranged to meet Dan, who we met in Sicily in December. He travels back home to Bonnie Scotland every summer and shivers until it is time for his next 6 months in Sicily. He’d given us a wealth of Scotland info, especially places, but we’ve not had time to explore them all this trip. We met in Troon, not in either of my guidebooks, but a solid town, a small beach and best of all … the BEST FISH AND CHIPS I’VE EVER TASTED. Dan and I had sole, with the lightest of batters and J had salmon fishcakes, with identifiable pieces of salmon. If anyone is in the area, this place is really worth a detour. We ate the lot, with Dan’s homemade tartare … and drank too much! He even laid on the sun for us … a superb viewpoint over the estuary watching the ships pass.

412 – Wednesday 6th July 2016: Culzean Castle

No run – by the time we got up, the rain had started … again. As we said goodbye to Dan, who we plan to meet up with when we cross back to Scotland from Belfast in August, he told us he’d read that one of our compatriots from the wild camping.co.uk Highland Gathering mid June had lost his van to an engine fire. We’d met Pat again at Helmsdale Harbour … he was doing the North Coast 500 too, but generally a bit slower than us. He’s OK but the van is a write off. The frightening thing is that he’d had a fire extinguisher on board, but it was not man enough to kill the fire. Checking ours!

We really enjoyed Culzean Castle (pronounced Cullain). Robert Adams was given carte blanche to rebuild and then rebuild again the castle. A later extension was done in his style and it is remarkable that the Victorians did not rip it all out and go Gothic. It has been seriously renovated … millions of £s … and nearly bankrupt the Scottish National Trust. It is their second most visited property.

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The Game Keeper arrived to feed the Red deer to bring them to the fence for the visitors. The velvet on the stags’ antlers could be harvested as a Chinese aphrodisiac! In some places, you are not allowed to pick up the cast antlers, as the stags will eat them to gain enough calcium to grow new ones. The fawns of Red and Roe deer are always spotty to act as camophlage, whereas Fallow deer remain spotty … didn’t we learn a lot!

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Robert Adams design … a ruined arch leading to the viaduct and thence to the new side entrance of the castle.

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Orangery, castle and then the stables. The Adams Home Farm, further away, was also in the same style.

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View of the viaduct.

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Part of the interior … the Earl had mustered a local army in case Napoleon invaded … wall decoration is a much better use.

We overnighted within 5 mins of Cairnryan, with another 3 motorhomes. Just as I was cooking supper, the Port Police came around … I’m sure he reported all the number plates over his radio … but I did go and ask if we were OK to stop the night here. He assured me we’d be safe :). J reckons he was checking for illegal immigrants. With the 4.00 am crossing tomorrow, we were in bed before 9.00 (unheard of), but then woken at 10.00 by Maddy! She rang from Aya Nappa to say she and ‘Nig’ had arrived and it was bloody hot! Cheers for that information!

407-408: Getting Wet!

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Clunegapyears

407 – Friday 1st July 2016: Deer & Gardens

Has our reader ever seen deer doing Pilates? Honest – K and the little ‘dears’ were boogying on the beach – to a rendition of – ‘Pilates of the Carideen’ !!!

The doe and her two young grazed for ages opposite the carpark. K pilates’d here and the carried on grazing. At one point two cocked their heads on one side, pricked their ears and gazed at me as if I were doing something never seen before … possibly not!?

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This one caused the car park to jam, by grazing here.

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When the rain did cease, we were rewarded again with more lumps and bumps.

Sandstone on quartz … millions of years old.

Inverewe Gardens – no deer in sight this time. Wonderfully disorganised organised planting, Last of the many varieties of Rhododendron – pure art all around. Osgood MacKenzie (had to type this, as love his name), inherited the estate, planted Scots Pine to protect his garden and started planting in the 1860s. Free to us, as we used our Italian National Trust equivalent again. The rain pretty much held off and we wandered the many paths, trying to avoid the Germans and some Dutch. Honestly, Germany in particular, must be empty as there are so many here.

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A couple of unusual plants in the Africa section…

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… this one looked plastic.

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View from the gardens over the bay and hills.

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Trunks that caught my eye!…

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A fine specimen of a trunk; one sporting a rough bark of a beard! A slight incident with a half shaved beard this morning, when the battery died.

We stopped for a wander around Gairloch in the rain and found another charming bookshop come cafe (Margaret and Shirley had also recommended this). The Mountain cafe roasts their own coffee and the bookshop stocked an amazing selection of tombs from walking and climbing to latest fiction and mindfulness … we could have left with a wheelbarrow full.

Few wild camping spots in Gairloch, so we moved on a few km up the road. We’d just parked up and were congratulating ourselves on another fine night time pitch, when Nick pitched up. He’s doing the North Coast 500 on his bike in the opposite direction to us. As we chatted and marvelled at his 60 mile ride that day, we admired the view. He joined us for a few bevvies in Chardonnay … I happen to mention that I’d bought Maddy’s wet suite up with me, but not had the courage to test the icy waters. Nick (sadly) did not hold back … we’d both go for a dip – tomorrow at 10.00! All night I dreamt I was swimming and boating around loch after loch, lost, with no money or phone signal, trying to get back to James. I think I must have been quite concerned at the impending drenching!

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Our night time viewpoint over Loch Bad … not BAD at all!

408 – Saturday 2nd July 2016: A Tad Too Much Water

K ran early – wearing her ‘halo’ firmly on her head….. minor hangovers? Not she! K and Nick (our delightful visitor of last evening) braved the ’n-icey’ temperatures of Lough ‘Good” for what they claimed was a triathlon swim, but actually was a ‘miniathlon’ dunking! It was actually not as BAD as predicted. Both Nick and K felt very virtuous. I wonder who it was that stayed shore side and took pix?!

Idyllic – Loch Bad.

The temperature is NOT so idyllic! Thank goodness for the borrow of Maddy’s wet suit.

Come on in, the water’s lovely! Or is that a Nick grimace?

Hangovers cured. We did it!

We had thought about a walk around Beinn Eighe, near Kinlockewe. We even stopped at the Visitor Centre, but we made a bad weather call and we justified within 5 mins. One drenching a day is more than sufficient.

We drove onto Torridon and had a 3 mile amble through a National Trust for Scotland Deer park. A very welcome lunch stop of cheese toasties and a shared bowl of chunky chips. Oh so tasty!

Torridon Bay.

The scenery just keeps on coming.

A vantage point over Loch Torridon.

On to Sheilag and again a most popular wild camping site overlooking the sea… common land that is used as a campground with an honesty box for donations. Again lovely views. We were politely asked to move forward by motorhome novices (3 adults, 2 children and a large dog in a Rental motorhome – rather them than me!), so they could have the same vantage point. We ended having to get out the Chocks to get level. And then they went and moved away from us anyway – I won’t hold the fact that they’re Irish – County Cavan and Donegal, against them!

If the rain eases, we may venture to the local Pub to see Germany v Italy. (We talk quietly about Iceland v England…).

Our perch of a pitch over Sheildaig.

405-406: Just Gorge-ous

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Clunegapyears

405 – Wednesday 29th June 2016: K Bendz it Like Beckham on the Beach!

We retraced our steps slightly to go north and then west along the B869 – we’d been warned that the top part of this road was not suitable to us with our 8 metres, but we understood it to be very scenic. Initially we were disappointed – the road was a bit hedged in. But it did open up and the rocky lumps and bumps were again magnificent. Dan, our Scottish friend from Sicily, described the terrain as being a bit like a moonscape – it is. We stopped at Clachtoll and went for a wander on the sandy beach. Lots of jelly fish on the sand, which J told me were Portuguese Man of War … I doubted his word and later googled it … nothing like! And he said it soooo convincingly!

Now reader, listen up…. Did youze know that my lovely K plays footie for England? It may strain belief but she was a late call up by Roy Hodgson. Sadly not in time to save the day against Iceland – but she practised assiduously on the beach in their new training camp – in the Highlands. She’s obviously a ‘shoe in’ for the next World Cup. She lined up the found tennis ball – straightened her aim, avoided the jelly fish – and bending the ball like Beckham – scored an unerring Wayne-like goal!

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Clachtoll Beach – it would be a perfect spot for boogie boarding, if only the sun would stay out! Yes, I have wet suit and board, as yet unused!

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J’s Portuguese man of war!!! It was all of 8 cm!

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The lumps and bumps across the B road.

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More lumps humps and bumps … worth the minor detour.

As an extra warm up, we had a healthy breakfast (run out of Stornoway back pudding so muesli and smoothie it was!), mosied up to Achinnes bookshop, coffee and cake – Brexit discussion with the owners and fellow guests. The business has been for sale for a couple of years … uncertainty over independence and now over Brexit.

Falls of Kirkaig was our target. Only an hour to the falls – have we used the word ’stunning’ already? We walked on a little further to get a different view of the ‘anthill’, mount Suilven. The sun truly came out and we shed layers … K down to her thermal vest!

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The falls of Kirkaig.

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The left hand bump is the anthill, Mt Suilvan. From here you can see it has a tail.

Back from the mountain, our journey found the (again) most amazing wild camping site by the shores of a lock at Knockan Crag. This was where in 1859 the theory of ‘thrust faults’ was developed by James Nichol, who mapped the age of the rocks in the area … to work out how older rocks could be nearer the surface. We sat for hours watching the light change across the mountains … free entertainment. Free toilets, free 360-D views – and a not quite free gin – of the Rose Rock variety…. Slainte, people…

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Part of the impressive visitor display at Knockan Crag, carved with the name and the age of each type of rock and its position.

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These men actually talked and explained how they came to work out the thrust theory. They’ve aged well!

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We weren’t the motorhomers to take advantage of the views for the night.

406 – Thursday 30th 2016: Ullapool, Falls of Measach and Gruinard Bay

The Aran sweater was put to good use today – summer? A Highland summer and actually not that cold, really? K is sporting long johns and waterproof trousers (three leg layers and 4 top!) in addition to the vest!

Ullapool in the soft rain, guess what – coffee and calory-free cakes, honest Injun – Jim? It’s summer but not as we know it – Spock! Not much here really, but a Tescos, so we re-stocked on fruit and veg.

Ullapool … a lot of tourist shops selling shortbread and fleeces, coffee shops and a harbour to the islands.

We fell for the Falls of Measach – not over the side though. Sheer? Indiana Jones would have had a field day here… On the bridge over the gorge, you really got a sense of how steep it is …. Mr vertiginous Clune kept to the middle, whilst K hung over taking pix.

The incredibly narrow gorge.

The Falls falling, as is their wont.

Onto Gruinard Bay…Oh and by the way – my lovely Lady K – drove on the left hand side of the road today! “A sinestra” – and I haven’t told you, by the way….? It’s only been two months since on year of on the left driving! On the beach, K chatted to three generations of family, whilst the youngest filled her hands with newly washed rocks. The family had moved up here three years ago and not regretted it for an instant. Our latest plan is … when and if we ever tire of full-timing, we’ll sell one of the Bristol houses and buy up here. Stunning scenery, open space where you can breathe and low density of population. Perhaps a B&B – with the North Coast 500 increasing in popularity, we’re told B&Bs are in short supply. How hard can it be to change bedding and knock out a full Scottish each summer morning. To avoid SAD, we’d bolt south in Europe each winter. Good plan?

We drove onto Mellon Udringle, which is possibly one of the prettiest beaches we’ve seen. The couple from the beach conversation arrived with their dog and, incredibly kindly, gave us a local newspaper / magazine … they are trying to sell the area to us. A persistent message is that the Highlands need people to live here.

A bracing walk around the headland. We would have stayed overnight in the car park, but we like to obey the “No Overnight parking” signs and so we wended our way back to the Gruinard Bay parking, where we were soon joined by a panel van of 3 Germans, two of whom seem to chain smoke … sympathies for the third! My beach contacts had told me that the low tide will reveal several hundred metres of sand …. low tide is 10.40 … wonder if we’ll make a late evening stroll out to the rocks across the sands?

Oh, we do like to be by the seaside!!!

Gruinard Bay.

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Mellon Udringle Beach … this pix does not show how azure the sea is. Big mountains on the horizon.

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Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels

Category Archives: UK Tour 2016