Fri 6th
We set off at 0950 and arrived at Cleugh Head Farm in Cumbria at 2.30, it was a good trip but there were quite a few roadworks. We were the only people on the site which was a Caravan Club CL at a farm, no electric but a toilet.
After we set up and had a bit of a rest we went to find the “Belted Will” a pub near Brampton where we had had a good meal last year. We had a good meal but Rich was disappointed because they did not have pork chops. It rained for most of the night
Miles travelled 189 Site fees £9
Sat 7th
We were up and away by 0850 and it was a much nicer day, sunny and bright, the scenery was lovely along the A701. We arrived at the Royal Highland Showground and had trouble finding where the rally was, a car park attendant helped us in the end, saved us going round for a third time. We were there about 11.45.
After setting up and having lunch we got the park & ride bus into Edinburgh, sussing things out for Mon night. The city was heaving with people as the Fringe and Festival were going on, it was very difficult to get about and there were street performers every where. We made our way up to the castle and had a look at the stands set up for the Tattoo, then we walked back down the Royal Mile and found a bar to get a drink. We then found our way to Waverly to see where we needed to go for the late bus on Mon.
When we got back to the van we were amazed to find that pitched next to us were Pat and Bernard who we had met in Spain, we sat in the sun and chatted to them for a while then I got tea, I managed to leave a plastic potato masher in the oven and it got welded round the shelves and burners! When the sun went down it got quite cool so we went into Pat & Bernard’s van and had a drink and chatted.
Miles travelled 114 Site fees £6 x 3 = £18
Sun 8th
It rained a lot in the night but cleared up a bit by morning. After breakfast we drove to the Caravan Club site to meet Joyce and David, another couple that we had met in Portugal, we had arranged to meet them. We sat in their van and had a drink and a catch up then decided to go to se the Falkirk Wheel, it was a lovely sunny day so we sat with a snack and a drink watching a falconry display for a while then walked along the canal for a while before going back to our van. We later went for a Chinese meal, not brilliant, and took Joyce and David back to their site.
Mon 9th
Wet overnight again. Decided to go to the Edinburgh waterfront at Leith and look round the Royal Yacht Britannia, when we got there we had difficulty finding it as we had to go through a large shopping mall to get to it. It was very impressive though but the Royal apartments were quite small with mostly what looked like utilitarian furniture, it was fitted out in 1953. As we left the heavens opened and we had to make a run for it, we were lucky enough to find a car park where the pay meters were out of order.
We had a bit of a rest then went for the bus into the city. We found the “Wetherspoons” where we had agreed to meet Joyce & David and were an hour early! It was very busy and noisy but we got a drink and hung around till we managed to bag a table. When J & D came we ordered a meal, Richie’s steak was awful but the others fine so they changed it for him. We then walked up to the castle, as we approached the crowd got thicker and thicker and we were just shuffling along, luckily David & I managed to arrange a place to meet after the show before we got parted by the crush, they were on the opposite stand to us. The show was very good, there was a brief scud of rain but it soon passed. It took ages to get out of the stand and to where we were meeting J&D, in fact Dave came back to meet us as they were being moved on by the police for lingering too long, we made our way down the Royal Mile, very slowly it was just a solid mass of people, and caught the bus back to Inglestone and we then took J&D back to their site and said goodbye, it had been nice to catch up with them, it was well after 12 when we got in.
Mon 10th
We had breakfast and packed up then went for a coffee and natter with Pat & Bernard; it had been nice to meet them again.
We set off at 10.30 and found an Asda for fuel, it was in Coatbridge and was huge, you had to go over a bridge from the car park, took a bit of sussing out. We arrived at South Wittliesburn farm at 1.30, it is a Caravan Club CL just above Largs in a lovely glen it seemed very busy and we were put on the car park.
It was a warm, sunny afternoon so we sat out and enjoyed the sun until tea time. We were able to hook up to a satellite dish and watch television.
Miles travelled 80 Fuel £70
Wed 11th
We were woken early by cars on the gravel, people from some of the caravans going to work, went back to sleep and got up quite late. About mid morning we went into Largs and had a walk round, I bought some shoes, it was cool and very breezy; it is a small town but has a ferry terminal and a steamer doing trips.
We stopped for lunch at a pub then went back to the car and drove along the coast road as far as Greenock, it was too cool to get out so went back to the site, we drove up past the site and carried on over the hill for miles, very bleak but picturesque, we ended up at a visitor centre for the Greenock Cut which was a system for bringing clean water to Greenock in the 18th century, very interesting, also found out that James Watt & Tate & Lyle were from Greenock. Back to van for tea and TV did not work tonight.
Site fees £12.50 x 2 £25
A nice site with electric hook up and shower and toilet which were adequate.
Thurs 12th
A nice, sunny morning we drove to a site near Portpatrick, a small CL. When we arrived we couldn’t find anyone about so another camper told us to set up and he would be around sometime. We set up on the edge of the field overlooking the sea, a beautiful spot, it was bright but windy, and there were various breeds of sheep and cattle in the fields. After a bit of lunch we drove to Portpatrick and had a walk around, again it was very windy but dry and sunny, we spotted a cormorant entangled with fishing line and reported it to the harbourmaster, he said he would try to get to it.
Back for tea and bed.
Miles travelled 94
Fri 13th
Another dry but sunny, windy day, after breakfast we drove to the Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland, on the way we called at the site of Kirkmadrine Stones, we thought it would be a stone circle but it was actually the earliest Christian stones and they were displayed in a small church.
We carried on and stopped at Sandhead, which was beautiful, then on to the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway,
after a look at the seabird colony there we carried on to Port Logan where we had a nice meal. Back at site I finally managed to track down the owner and pay him
The site was in a lovely spot and had shower and toilet which were adequate.
Site fees £8.5 x 2 = £17
Sat 14th
Woke up to a beautiful sunny, calm morning, after breakfast we packed up , hooked up and were away for 10.10. We called at Lidl in Stranraer and Rich bought a storage box then on to Asda Carlisle where we got some lunch and fuel and decided to head for home where we arrived at 5.15.
Miles travelled 305 Fuel £52
Total miles 782
Total site fees £69
