Phil & Barbs "Lightning Tours.": June 2015

I’d only visited Scotland on three occasions, the first time in 1966 for the European Cup Winners Cup Final at Hampden park. Then about 10 years ago for the Wigan v Saints Challenge cup final at Murrayfield. The third occasion was when we hopped over the border to get our first motorhome about 3 years ago. A visit to the country was well over due.

First stop was just outside Edinburgh on the Caravan Club site. From there we visited the Forth Bridge. We then went to Loch Lomond and camped on the edge of the Loch. At this point we started to realise the remoteness of some of the sites and the lack of nearby pubs! Similarly the Caravan and Camping club site outside Oban was in a great location but again no pubs within walking distance.

Our next intended stop was Glencoe and we foolishly didn’t stop here but moved to our next location at Fort William. This was a great ACSI card site just outside the town and handy for a cycle ride down the beautiful Caledonian Canal. Surprisingly two nearby pubs but both unattractive.

Loch Ness was quite remote and barren. We stayed at the CCC site and on this occasion we had a nice nearby pub. As soon as we arrived we went off on a circular walk and passed the pub on the final leg, unfortunately we only had enough money with us for one pint each and had to watch all of the other drinkers enjoy tasty looking meals.

The CC site at Inverness was on a good bus route into the town and we used the opportunity to do a bit of shopping. Inverness was an ok place, positioned on a river with beautiful countryside surrounding it. The day we visited it rained for most of the day.

When we left Inverness we called in at Nairn for a Sunday morning coffee. We were quite surprised at how nice this town was. It had a nice beach with well manicured lawns along the waterfront. A place i would consider visiting again for a longer period.

Tarland was really suited to our needs. Lovely CCC site close to the town with two pubs within walking distance. The site offered a neat little handbook of nearby walks, the countryside around the town was lovely with the walks being not too strenuous.

The CC site at Perth was a bus ride from the town so again we went on a shopping trip there. It was a fairly attractive town that used to be the capital of the country. We overheard a woman say that there were 42 charity shops in the town and this comment therefore acted as catalyst to our days challenge....to visit them all!

After Perth we agreed to give Edinburgh a final shot. Out Challenge cup final weekend some years ago gave us the satisfaction of seeing Wigan beat saints in the final but our intended Sunday visit to the capitals great buildings and parks was curtailed when we spotted a TK Max on our way into the city. Precious time was spend scouring the rails for bargains, which meant that we cancelled the city trip and went back to the campsite to hitch up the caravan and head home.

This time we got into the city and had a full days tour. As you’ve probably heard us say on numerous occasions we aren’t great lovers of cities preferring the quietness of the countryside, however Edinburgh was fabulous.

Sunday 10 May start of our 2 week tour of Scotland. Pic. Of Forth Bridge, Edinburgh. In Oct. 1939 German dive bombers attacked a number of British warships in the area just behind where I am standing. It was the first air raid of WW2. Dads ship HMS Edinburgh was one of those attacked. He was severely injured receiving the last rites and heroin. After 6 months in hospital, a visit from the queen and a 'nervous breakdown' he was discharged and posted to HMS Prince of Wales only for that to be torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese!