2015/1 Over the Sea to Skye

Well here we go again for another year of travelling in Stan. Decided to head north this year instead of the usual run for France and the warmer weather. Only 4 days at sister Maureen’s checking Stan, fitting an 80W solar panel which charges both house and engine batteries – some swearing and many many climbs onto the roof – but all good, works really well. Stan clean next, kippers for breakfast, fish from Maureen’ neighbour, a beer (or 2) at the Dolphin pub on the waterfront, great family lunch in Tunbridge Wells, food stock up and we are away.

Spent a few days catching up with old friends and family on our way north. John and Gloria Holmes(ex flatmate of David’s from post uni days), Pete and Moira Mason from Lesotho days, Graham and Jane Lynch-Watson (David’s cousin), Nic and Diana Hodge from Cairo days and finally nephew Stephen and Shona McArdle in Durham. A great time to catch up and lots of reminiscing and wonderful hospitality from all our hosts. Lots of old videos from Cairo when the children were all very young. Good stuff. Also made good use of our NZ Historic Places trust card on our way north – get free entry to all National Trust and English Heritage sites.

Onwards and northwards. Visited Cragside, the house and gardens of William Armstrong the great mechanical inventor/entrepreneur and his friend Joseph Swan who invented the incandescent light bulb (same time as Edison).  The weather starting to cool down as we moved north. Little did we realise how this would continue. A couple of days in Edinburgh – stayed in a Caravan Club campsite on the coast just out of town. Caught the double decker bus into town each day – being Kiwis we still get excited about double-decker buses. Gave us a good tour round town before we even got there. A good walking tour, a few pubs chosen from Stephen and Shona’s pub walks guide, no museums (done them all before). Glasgow was even more whistle-stop. Did a hop on hop off bus tour. Was good. Gave us a feel for the place and we did hop off at a fantastic transport museum on the river.

Next onto Knockengorrach World Cielidh in the Galloway Hills, for 3 days. (A sort of Gaelic inspired music festival – see the internet)). A bit of a whimsical decision – but so glad that we did. Great music – well most of it – some was for people much younger than us. Real foot tapping fiddle and pipe stuff. Found ourselves bopping around at 1 or 2 in the morning – not 5am when the music stopped. David went on a whisky bender with a couple of friendly locals. Starting with Rob’s 2 bottle hip flask, then their bottle, then David’s bottle. Was impressive consumption. Have to say he held up pretty well – a bit of a snooze and he was away again – must be all the practice. Joanna stuck to beer. The weather was OK, mostly rained at night so we just waded around in mud during the day. One day was beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headed north , spending a few hours with one of Nick’s friends, Tarrant, who works in a bird park – birds of prey, just north of Glasgow. Had a very interesting few hours, watching displays and even getting to handle the birds. They are all conservationists – the birds are rescued or unable to be released into the wild again for various reasons, so is used as a way to educate people about the way they can be conserved in the wild.

Have been in The Highlands and Islands now for the last week or so. The weather has not been kind to us but we have made the most of getting out and about between the squalls or howling gales – you can’t call them showers. Encountered hail and sleet on our 500 metre climb up to Coire Lagan(a little lake), yesterday. We are becoming stoical, like the Scots, just put our hoods on and carry on. We first noticed it in Edinburgh. It would start raining, we would fuss about with umbrellas while the locals just carried on.

Visited Balmaha on Loch Lomond – climbed Conic Hill in the sunshine! A howling gale (called a breeze in Scotland), could hardly stand at the top, but the sun shone the whole way.

Drove the coastal route around Argyll visiting gardens( rhododendrons in bloom) and a wonderful fish restaurant that was recommended by one of David’s whisky drinking mates (the HIP flask Rob). We stop in all the towns, Oban, Fort William, there’s not usually much to do but visit the souvenir shops and pubs. Warm sock shopping occupied us for a while, but have that sorted now with warm toes. It really is the great outdoors that has the great appeal up here. Great walking, beautiful beaches, cute little fishing villages.

From Fort William we visited Glencoe and Glennevis. A break in the cloud gave us a view of Ben Nevis, but we were frustrated in our wish to walk there. It didn’t stop the locals of course, but it really is hard for us to get our stuff dry! Moved on around the coast towards Skye, but got diverted by another of Rob’s  recommended seafood restaurants at a tiny place – Glenuig. What a find. It is a delightful spot – a sort of marshy bay with shaggy sheep all around, a smokehouse right there and the inn. Had a meal, whiled away a few hours at the bar and slept in the carpark, about 2 metres from the water. Bliss.  Continued up this beautiful coast a few km to Arisaig and a day to the islands of Eigg and Muck – wish we had time for more island hops.

Finally we arrived on Skye.. caught the ferry from Mallaig. Have quickly discovered that if you get off the beaten track, Skye doesn’t disappoint. Had some clear weather and seen the tops of the Cuillan Hills! Even climbed them a bit – Coire Lagan. A windy, narrow road to Elgol with a precipitous drop at the end to the village. We were a bit worried that Stan might not make it back up the hill and we would end our days at Elgol, but we made it. Wonderful campsites by the water, buffeting in the wind and rain, marvelling at the hikers in their tiny tents. Loving our heater in the evening but getting up in the morning not so great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farmers here don’t have to shear their sheep but let it drop off – those sheep who do it following the calendar already on the way, those sheep more intelligent wait for the Summer and have not started.  The weather has been terrible – the locals still say the best month is  May, statistically the month with the lowest rainfall – but statistics !!!  However we have done most of what we wanted although the walks have been shorter than usual.  On Skye David just had to make a ‘Tasting’ tour of the Talisker distillery, sampling 6 of their best including the 25 year old ($500 a bottle).

A long trip back to Hastings via the Great Canal, Inverness and Culloden, a night by the riverside pub at Aviemore. Continued our Historic Placed membership with visits to Hadrian’s Wall and Kenilworth Castle. We are becoming so cultured. It is along haul back to Hastings but the weather got warmer as we headed south and have spent the last 2 days enjoying the sunshine and preparing for our trip to France with Joanna’s sister Sally.