Jer Mahon

Jer Mahon

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European Summer
Skradin
1 октября 2023 г., Хорватия ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We left the Heritage Hotel Kaštelet around 9am. It was a very blustery morning, and the strong gusts made riding a bit of a challenge. We continued along the scenic, but slower coastal route. Part way we veered off the highway and up the hillside. The track was narrow, and lots of tight turns up. The bulkieness of the BMW was again a challenge, but J managed the way up without much issue. The slope down was much more gradual, and provided great views of the coast.

We arrived in Omis, a bustling little town, then started our trek inland through an amazing steep sloped gorge. Winding our way up the switch backs, shortly found our way into quasi arid upper plateau area. A had proposed a couple places to stop for a late morning coffee, but it seems many places were either closed for the season, or on a Sunday. Ended up taking a water and snack break next to the Cetina river near the town of Blato na Cetini.

We followed the Cetini river valley for a bit, then criss-crossed the tolled highway a few times, and then winding our way deeper inland. Much of the landscape was rocky with low brush, and fairly open. A few sections were curvey, but others quite flat and straight, only obscured by the low brush. Almost at our destination in Skradin, but we were turned away due to a car rally race! The polite police officer provided some direction on an alternative route, but it would force us on to the toll highway.

We headed more west, towards the coast than expected and decided to enjoy a cold drink at a bar and take a break from the afternoon heat, 28C. It was a great patio with a cool ocean breeze and shade under some trees to park the bikes.

A thought he found an alternative route to bypass the tolled highway, but it ended up being a false lead; we each had to pay a grand total of €0.40 for the 8km section on highway 🤣 The detour added another 20km to the day of riding.

Skradin is a cute little touristy village tucked into a tight valley, and along a narrowing inlet. Once parked and settled in to our hotel rooms, went for a walk to explore the area, and see what the dinner options were. Settled on a burger restaurant. A ordered the chicken salad, D ordered the classic burger, and J had the "Wild Animal" burger (mix of wild boar and venison. Back at the hotel A and his dad played a few rounds of cribbage before calling it a night.Читать далее
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European Summer
Tucepi
30 сентября 2023 г., Хорватия ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Up early and the first guests to the breakfast bar. The coffee was terrible, and most of the spread was palatable 😕... Without further adieu, we set out heading northward, along the coastal route this time. There was a fair bit more traffic, and a lot of speed zone changes as we passed coastal towns and various intersections. Sadly, not a lot of pull outs to take photos, but we did get a great view of the old walled city of Dubrovnik and the harbour.

Skirting the edge of the city, and avoiding most of the daily congestion, we circled back up to the main bridge crossing the long narrow inlet just north of Dubrovnik. Continuing along the coast, we eventually made our way to Slano for a break and a good cup of coffee. Pulling in about 10am, we noticed a fair bit of activity as we looked for parking. We watched a procession head towards the Church. Apparently the Croats celebrate Saints, today was Jeronim, Jerko.

The shade and refreshing breeze near the water paired well with the delicious coffees. Before long we were back on the road, and headed towards the peninsula again. Above Zanton Doli was a tiny goat road which required going quite slow, but afforded a great view point! We passed the Ston, a neat fortress town, and then over the two kilometre bridge linking the Croatian coast; Bosnia-Herzgovenia has a narrow section of coastline for a port access to the Adriatic. Unfortunately, the signage wasn't too obvious, and we missed the pullout for a photo opportunity of the crossing... 📸😭

As we made our way over the mountain, we noticed a fruit stand to stop at. The display was impressive, but the fellow spoke very little English, maybe purposefully? We gathered a few items: mandarin oranges, dried figs, and pomegranate. The price seemed steep, but didn't want the hassle of negotiating. We soon realized that there were many, many more stands further along the road for miles after. The flat basin we passed through was definitely quite productive with various orchards and other agricultural production. Before long we were back to another slow and windy coastal road. Temperatures were in the late 20s and a bit on the warm side while wearing riding gear.

We arrived near our hotel, The Heritage Hotel Kaštelet. The key word is "near". There were no signs, so we pulled into the neighboring resort. She kindly called someone on the phone, and I waited. And waited. Finally a friendly lady arrived and said it was around the corner where we already had been. She walked ahead so we could meet her on our bikes at the parking location. As it turns out, the only access to the main entry of the historic hotel is the pedestrian oceanside walkway 😅. This was a first; needing to be escorted to the front desk of a hotel. The rooms were very nice.

An ocean swim was next at the smooth pebble beach! The water was calm and a very large swimming area cordoned off from boats. We wandered the beach front walk to the find a restaurant to enjoy dinner at. Sunset was spectacular over the ocean. The one we ended up selecting was serving its final night of the summer season. This was an entertaining process as many of the menu items were unavailable, such as all steaks... The beverages were cold, food hot and the service wonderful!Читать далее
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European Summer
Srebreno
29 сентября 2023 г., Хорватия ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
We headed down to the resort hotel's breakfast buffet first thing, past the harbour beach along the way. It was warm, quite tranquil and fresh out. The restaurant was quiet busy already, and it appeared we arrived as the first group was slowly ebbing out. Of course the automated coffee machines had a significant line. The buffet spread was pretty impressive.

By the time we finished with breakfast, packed, and arrived at the ferry, it was 10am. We just missed the boat, that leaves every hour, on the hour. Though it's not the schedule A had read online 😔. So we dismounted and waited in the shade, as the sun's ray's were roasting! It was only about a 15 minute trip across to Orebic, and in short order we were on the road again.

The highway meandered for a bit following the flat coastline, but eventually headed up the steep hillside. What A thought was a view point we pulled in to was actually the parking area of Andričević Wine Shop. Took a couple of photos and bought a light red bottle of wine for later.

The peninsula definitely appeared drier, and more arid higher up the mountain sides, compared to Korcula. We passed a lot of vineyards and wineries as we rode too. Eventually we zig-zaged our way to the mainland where we made a quick fuel stop, and grabbed a cool drink, it was quiet warm out 🥵. Our route south towards the walled city of Dubrovnik took us higher in to the Dalmatian mountains, boasting some spectacular views of the coastline and area.

With such a narrow panhandle of land, we were never too far from the border with Bosnia and Herzegovinia. Finally winding our way down from the mountain roads, we arrived at our accommodations in Srebreno.

Checking in went smoothly, but maneuvering the bikes into the tight garage was a bit harrowing, especially since a couple of vehicles were parked haphazardly and there was slippery sand on polished concrete. The 2 bedroom apartment was a bit warm from the day's heat, so we cranked up the AC to chill it down.

J was adamant to go for a swim since we missed out the night before. It was just a short walk along the busy road to the beach, and the ocean water a very refreshing 18 or so degrees.

Once back at the in our room, we cleaned up and headed out for a dinner. It was starting to get darker out as the sun sets by 6:30. We chose a nearby restaurant that has a rooftop dining area with a view of the ocean on the horizon. We were rewarded with a spectacular view of the sunset.

The food was okay, but the server had a bit of an attitude... A had to go walk over and ask to get our bill and pay.... 😔Читать далее
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European Summer
Korčula
28 сентября 2023 г., Хорватия ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
An early start to the day as we needed pick up our rental motorcycles and make the ferry to the island Korcula. We arrived at the Hire-a-GS motorcycle office for 8:30, sign paperwork and transfer bags to the bike's storage. A got the Yamaha Tenere 700, D got the Honda Transalp 750, and J the BMW 850GSA. Upon our arrival at the ferry terminal we ended up loading the ferry late as their fuel fill took longer than expected.

The three hours ferry ride was enjoyable, and people watching was entertaining as always; especially one crew member that did anything but his job 🤣

Finally arrived in Vela Luka, famished as there was little of interest to eat on the boat, and no breakfast service 🍳😕. We settled on Bistro Beppo Cafe, a restaurant at the north end of the harbour. The place was waterfront, and had a quirky flair. The food was pretty good, but the homemade tortilla chips made from flour we crappy.

After lunch, did a quick ride up the hill to a nearby lookout, then headed east, and deeper into Korcula island. We zig-zagged from coast to coast as we made our way across the island. Loved the fregrance of the pine forests and a certain honey-like scent in spots. The roads were in good condition. Some of the route was single track, but we only passed a couple cars and it felt like we had it all to ourselves! The temperature was in the mid-20s, and sunbeams not too cooking.

Arrived at our accommodations near the city of Korcula late of the day. The sun had set by the time we had unpacked and settled in. A&J decided to walk to the old town in search of dinner, while D stayed back and relaxed. The evening was very warm and pleasant, with clear skies, and a full moon.

We noticed a memorial on the way, and although too dark to see, looked it up later. Apparently the Croatians have a lot of memorials around to pay tribute to all the lives lost fighting wars during the 20th century starting with World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungry empire, later fascism, and finally thier independence and the end of the Yugoslavic state.

We walked through the old town and around the Korcula fortress, settling on a restaurant near the harbour of the old fortification. It was one of the best restaurant meals we've had in the European travels!

https://www.korculainfo.com/walls/Читать далее
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European Summer
Splendid Split
27 сентября 2023 г., Хорватия ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Had a casual start to the day with A making coffee in our hotel room since we had the luxury of a kettle! A pleasant 10 minute walk to get the car from the charging station. Upon our return to the hotel we enjoyed the included plated breakfast in the restaurant. The server was very friendly and efficient despite being very busy. Just a few last minute checks and rearrangements with our luggage, and we were off to the airport ✈️

We squeezed in a stop first to drop off our recycling at the depot. The short commute to the airport and return of the rental car went smoothly. And without any hiccups in the terminal, we were on our way to Split, Croatia.

We arrived mid-afternoon, and the warm mid-20Cs air was a fabulous change from the cool days of Scotland. We took an Uber into the city center. The young driver was quiet friendly, and excited about life. He regaled us with his future plans and career prospects working at navigating large ocean vessels. We arrived at the accommodation apartment, greeted by A's Dad! He is joining us for the next stages of our adventures 🎉😁

The building was very utilitarian, probably built in the Soviet era, using steel doors and industrial-like steel enclosed closet elevators. We took a few moments to chill down, and then started to repack our belongings in preparation for the motorcycle tour. Before it got too late we headed out into the neighbourhood. Both A and J lucked out with a haircut at 7pm, as it had been quiet a while. Looking much more polished, we went searching for a restaurant.

The restaurant, Konoba Kod Joze, was excellent! The evening air was warm as we sat outside on the covered area. We thoroughly enjoyed our seafood choices 😋Читать далее
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European Summer
Juxtaposed Johnstone
26 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
After a restful sleep, a filling breakfast, and repacked baggage, we bid Uncle D and his gracious hospitality farewell. Another quick stop into Cairnbaan to visit with cousin B, and we were off towards Glasgow.

The drive south was heavenly in the Polestar 2. The weather was perfect. Effortless power to pass slow moving vehicles quickly in the short overtaking spots! Wee!

We made a sight detour into Glasgow city center to return an item at a shop and explore a bit. The central business district looked pretty tired and shabby. Not to mention the horrific rush hour traffic jammed-up on the freeway causing a back log into down town... A managed to deftly navigate us away from the freeways and to our evening destination in Johnstone, just west of Paisley.

The Lynnhurst Hotel used to be an old Manor house and promotes their venue and lovely gardens for weddings. Unfortunately the hotel didn't have a charging station, so once we unpacked we drove a short distance to slow-charge overnight. For dinner we settled on an Italian restaurant on High Street. The two young servers were quiet entertaining to watch with their youthful exuberance. Service was quick, though not the highest quality food 🙊

We were excited to head to sleep. Our morning flight to Croatia will start the next chapter of the adventure ✈️🤗Читать далее
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Everything is so greeeeen! 😃 Beautiful scenery. [Pat]
02.10.2023ОтветитьПереводить
ПутешественникAnd it's green because it rains, often. But yes, very beautiful scenery.
03.10.2023ОтветитьПереводить
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European Summer
Cheerful Cairnbaan
25 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
All packed up, said our farewells, and on the road just after 9am. A decided a quick stop back at Grant's Bakery in Corbridge was in order! Bought a couple breakfast items, some desserts to share later, and coffees to go. Thankfully the Bakery was much quieter than the previous visit.

We cruised westards along A69 towards Carlisle, then north to Glasgow on the M74. We decided to stop in Glasgow to plug the car in for a little extra juice to get to Crinan. Uncle D was gracious enough to offer up his car charger overnight. A found a charging station in Strathclyde Country Park. Upon arrival discovered there were multiple types of charging stations and the cheaper rate was for the slower charger units😕. So we opted for the quick charge to get back on the road faster! ✳️

After a short walk along the Loch Strathclyde walking path we were off to Argyll. Zipping along the now familiar A82 route along Loch Lomond, and beyond.

We had a great visit with cousin B prior to arrival at Uncle D's! He prepared us a hearty beef stew along with home grown veggies (potatoes and beans). We contributed the artistic meringue that we had picked up at Grant's!Читать далее
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European Summer
Whimsical Wylam
24 сентября 2023 г., Англия ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
After a very gusty night, the clouds were no where in sight come morning. The bright start to the day left us excited for the adventures ahead. However, after a quick weather forecast check realized it was temporary, so decided to walk around Wylam and enjoy the local trails before the monsoon afternoon.

Once caffeinated and fed, walked through the garden and down the street to the local "Maker's Market". They had a nice little setup out in the courtyard, and more booths inside. We carried on along the Tyne River till we reached the footpath around the golf course.

DM was mentally savoring a bacon Bunty, so stopped in at the Close House Golf Course clubhouse. Unfortunately they don't do dropins on Sunday, so settled for just drinks. The sky was definitely getting darker and more menacing.

Our short walk was 7km long. As we neared the house, we could feel the odd rain drop. Once back at the house DM and HM settled into watching soccer while AM started to get dinner prepared. J&A's contribution was picking apples and making an apple blackberry crisp, as well as assisting with dinner preparation.

Supper consisted of a delicious beef and venison stew with Yorkshire pudding and garden fresh corn and beans!Читать далее
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European Summer
Rejuvenating Ridley
23 сентября 2023 г., Англия ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Had a very comfortable rest in a real bed after the many nights in the campervan! Nice and casual start to the day with a light breakfast and discussion for the day's activity options.

We settled on a walk in the forest near Ridley at the National Trust - Allen Banks and Staward Gorge. At one point we were regretting heading west as we were driving through a number of downpours🌦️. Luckily the rain cleared up as we neared our destination. 🌞

We pulled into a rock walled parking lot, that used to be the garden of the estate grounds. The rock wall had little built-in fire alcoves for when there used to be greenhouses. DM figured the 5km Plankey Mill loop would be an ideal walk. It was a both up and down hills and both sides of the river. Few people were out and about on the trails. Our canine companion loved the walk too.

On the way back to Wylam we stopped in Corbridge where we picked up a snack to go from Grant's Bakery. They have a very impressive display case offering artistic baked yummines!

We returned home to for the start of an afternoon of rugby matches. HM had a game that DM wanted to spectate, followed by the broadcasted rugby world series in the evening. A was busy with travel planning and J helped AM in the garden. After much persistence AM and J were able to remove a wire mesh bin that had been an annoyance for her since moving into this house a couple years ago.

HM graciously obliged a request to help make Laksa for dinner. The fresh, spicy, and fregrant soup was greatly appreciated by all. Many hours of rugby followed 'till everyone retired for the night. This also included wrestling the internet cable on the TV which was having "reception" issues 😱. Oh, technology 📶📺🤔.Читать далее
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European Summer
Poised Portobello Beach
22 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Had a busy and productive start to the day; up at 7, and on the road by 9ish. Headed to Glasgow to pick up the Polstar electric rental car 🏎️💨, then Edinburgh bound. Getting to the rental car location at the airport was fairly challenging until A decided to drive in to the rental return access with the vw campervan 👍. We got a few strange looks, but it was both effective and pragmatic. In short order we we off with J driving the Polstar, trying to maintain a close proximity on the congested freeways out of Glasgow.

The drive was pretty uneventful and quick. We reunited Gloria, the camper van, with her owners. Then decided to head over to the nearby beach of Portobello where we enjoyed a walk on the sandy beach nibbling on PBJ sandwiches.

Decided to take the more scenic, but longer route, south and closer to the coastline. Even on the grey day the sights were spectacular. Although we did drive through a few intense rain showers. We eventually found our way to Wylam to spend a couple days with family.

We enjoyed a thoughtful homemade made meal of roasted chicken and baked potatoes!Читать далее
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European Summer
Laudable Loch Lomond
21 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
We had a comfortable sleep at the Gelisla Hotel parking lot despite a nearby car alarming a few times 😑. Woke up to a mostly grey morning. We didn't hang about too long in Glenisla. After a quick breakfast of Scottish Butteries and coffee we were on our way south west. Enjoyed the sights along the meandering country roads, eventually passing along the famous Meikleour Beech Hedge; quite a stunning wall of greenery this time of year with all the leaves. Before long we were passing along Scone Palace, through Perth then Stirling, and finally west to Loch Lomond for the night.

We arrived at the Cashel Campsite mid afternoon. Once parked and setup decided to do a load of laundry, and plan our next adventure in Croatia. In the laundry room was probably the only powerpoint on site, great for charging up the laptop computer 💻👍.

With laundry done, enjoyed a late snack under the large tree at our campsite. Then the rains chased us to seek the shelter of the van. Eventually the rain passed and we were back under the tree savouring our appetizer, muscles in white wine. Then dinner was soy ginger marinated salmon, noodles and veggies 😜Читать далее
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European Summer
Captivating Cairngorms
20 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Despite the previous evening's yellow rain warning, we seemed to have been missed by the forecasted deluge. The little rain we did get petered out by early morning. We woke up to excitedly chirping birds and intense sun rays. Decided best enjoy the glorious morning on the chairs outside the camper. We hadn't yet planned out next two evening stays, so pursued the possibilities over coffee and porrage. By the time we packed up and were set to head south it was near noon and a glorious 20C out!

Our chosen destination was another boondock hotel experience, in Glenisla, roughly a 3 hour drive. J also included a few points along the way to explore the area and stretch the legs.

Our first stop was to see Drumin Castle, located in the Glenlivet Estate. The parking lot and initial start of the trail was quite soggy, but gradually opened up and ascended the hillside to the castle ruin, with a gorgeous view of the valley. At the top we ducked into the rock walled orchard area; many of the trees were loaded and ready for picking. The local school group will be collecting them to press. We explored and admired a portion of the intact castle keep before heading back to the van. Of course as this was the Glenlivet Estate, we did pass the famous Scotch distillery, just around the bend.

We passed a number of scotch distilleries en route, most we hadn't heard of. They are all part of The Malt Whiskey Trail. As we came upon Timintoul, we decided we need a few grocery items to get us by. It was a well stocked local shop with some new items for us to try. Oak Leaf wine! 🍷

Not too far down the road we pulled into a picnic area with a trail that lead to the old Lecht iron and manganese mine. The wind was definitely much more gusty here, so it was literally a brisk walk. 🤣 Afterwards we enjoyed a lite lunch in the van.

The next couple of stops were view points. The Corgarff view point had some interesting art features, and extremely turbulent wind with a distant brewing storm. The Devil's Elbow was much more placid, and boasted some amazing scenery.

On the road to Glenisla we passed a number of "castles", not in the Medieval sense, but more of a fortified manourhouse with embellished turrets. The closest castle to Glenisla being Forter Castle.

Once at the Glenisla Hotel, we enjoyed a couple of beers, we bought earlier in the day when passing near Tomintoul, and a salad. The hotel dinner was very hearty and delicious.Читать далее
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European Summer
Illustrious Inverness
19 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We were lucky to wake up a bit earlier than usual and see the sunrise. Unfortunately, we had to hang around Balintore longer than anticipated as we had a flat tire 😕. Our van hosts kindly called a local shop to come and change it for us due to insurance legalities 🙃

Finally off and on our way around 11, we headed for Inverness. Just on the outskirts of town we noticed a standing stone shrouded in a glass enclosure. It's one of a few standing stones carved by the Pictish tribes, this one dated around the 9th century.
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/balintor…
https://maps.app.goo.gl/nQa1PMQkAm3u3Q8z6

We detoured a bit west so we could experience Loch Ness in its mysterious glory. We passed through the cute country town of Beauly and then into Drumnadrichit. Drumnadrichit very much cashes in on the Loch Ness monster myth with Nessieland and the Lock Ness Centre. We had a quick walk around, then a van picnic and continued on to Inverness. Only mild road rage might have occurred with incompetent drivers going much, much slower than the legal road speed... 🤯 The road signs indicating this issue were not followed, as it instructs the slow to pull over to allow passing 🐇

Google maps deftly navigated us to the parking area near the river. We then enjoyed a casual walk 3km loop along the footpaths and bridges. The weather was only mildly threatening rain, and the trees sheltered us from the wind.

We headed to a campground just east of Inverness, near Elgin. Our late afternoon arrival left us plenty of daylight to get settled and clean up after a couple night's of boondocking. Nothing quite like a refreshing hot shower!Читать далее
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European Summer
Dunrobin Castle
18 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
We awoke to a wet and dreary morning. Thankfully we were toasty warm in the van with heat on full to take the damp chill out of the air. After a quick bowl of granola with coffee for breakfast, we headed further east. In short order, we found our way to John O' Groats, the most Northeastern settlement of "mainland" Britain. Its more of a tourist destination than a village perse due to the ferry bound for the Orkney Islands. Jan de Groot was given permission to operate in 1496 by King James IV, and the descendents ran the service till 1715.
https://www.ferryview.scot/the-ferryman#:~:text…!

We were fortunate the rain let up and we were able to explore the area a bit. Decided to walk along the shore trail till it became too impassable before returning to the "Brewery" to buy some local beer for later. The so called Brewery was more of a visitor center and gift shop. Apparently the building was the last house in the area to be built in the traditional fashion; roughly early 1700s.

As we headed south the rain returned. J had identified a number of potential stops along the way, but the rain was very intense, so we kept going...

As we neared the village of Golspie, we could see a very ornate structure in the distance. Turns out it was a Dunrobin Castle, belonging to the Duke of Sutherland. We pulled in decided to do the tour around the property. Our first stop was the gardens as there was a falconery demonstration underway. A was able to get some good footage, while J got buzzed a few times as the bird zipped about showing off for its trainer. Highly food motivated. We then stopped by the grounds museum sporting a collection of safari trophies, taxidermy regional wildlife, and various historical relics and items. Lastly before the grounds closed for the day, we walked through the castle and all its diverse rooms and living quarters. We were lucky that there weren't any tour buses, and had it all to ourselves! It helped give a feeling of how grand and excess a castle is with it's endless rooms.

Our destination for the evening was an Inn located in the seaside village of Balintore. We enjoyed a hearty pubstyle meal and a pint. They welcome travellers to overnight in their car park along the beach across the way.Читать далее
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European Summer
Gone and Dunnet
17 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
Another brilliant sunny morning. Had an amazing view with the sun streaming in, and the local herd of cows were munching along the road. Once we had our first cup of coffee in hand, made from ground beans we purchased on the Isle Skye, we headed to the beach. The sun was warm, breeze light, and sand soft; quite the start of a new day!

Back at the camper A made porrage, and more coffee, that we enjoyed in the morning sun. After a quick clean up and shower, we were on our way. About half an hour down the road J found the Borgie Millennium Forest and River walk. Although the sun had disappeared behind the bank of clouds that moved in, it was still pleasant out. The Millennium trail spiraled inwards with inscribed rocks along the way naming the various trees in Gaelic. Apparently the Pict tribes that journeyed over from Ireland brought Gaelic life to northern Scotland, roughly 200AD.

We carried on steadily eastward making a slight detour to Strathy Point Lighthouse. It was at this point when it started to slightly drizzle. Unfortunately it wasn't much of a view point, and more of a surf'n turf parking lot; lobster traps on one side and cattle corrals on the other. We eventually found a nice view point nearby, and enjoyed smoked mackerel, brie, and crackers for lunch.

The desolate seeming Moor landscspe eventually gave way to lush partioned agricultural land. One industrial complex stood out along the way. Turns out it was the Dourney Nuclear plant and Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment. Just down the road we made a quick stop in Thurso, and carried on to the Dunnet headland. We hadn't yet planned our evening stay, so kept our eyes open for possibilities. We did pass a campground near Dunnet beach, as well as some boondocking pads on the way to the headland.

Finally arriving at Dunnet head, we could see the lighthouse that was originally established in 1831, as well as some wartime era relic buildings on a backdrop of the Orkney Islands. Dunnet head is the most northern point of "Mainland Britain".

On the way down we backed into one of the open areas for the night. Not too long after, another campervan joined us.Читать далее
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European Summer
Highlands High Life
16 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Woke up to sun streaming in around the window covers. Loch na Bruthaich was like glass with the only damper for enjoying some time outside being the fresh bloom of Midges... After some coffee, and crumpets A toasted up, we were on our way; a much earlier start than pervious mornings. Just a short distance down the road was our first stop for the day, a spectacular view point in Drumbeg overseeing Loch a' Chairn Bhain.

We wove our way around the narrow valleys, blind rock crops, and steep inclines & declines. Although, I think their road grading system is inflated as the posted 25% seemed more like 12% in Canada 😂 Eventually we merged onto the A894, that wasn't much more than the track we came from, but at least it had two lanes for a while👍

A quick stop in Kylesku to stretch the legs and for A to search for our evening destination. The Kylesku Bridge opened in 1984, and prior to that it was a ferry. Not too far down the road was the town of Scoutie, boasting some magnificent coves with sandy beaches.

For our lunch we drove to Balnakeil Beach. We were amazed at how many stunning beaches the North end of Scotland has. A heated up a can of smoke haddock chowder (purchased in Torridon) and served with grilled cheese sandwiches, or are they called toasties here? We couldn't help but enjoy a slow walk on such a amazing beach after our lunch. Just down the road passed Durness were three more breathtaking sandy beaches!

As we drove north on the east side of Loch Eriboll J noticed a strange structure on a narrow peninsula. Turns out it was the Ard Neakie Lime Kilns and quarry built in 1870.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ard-neackie…

We finally reached Bayview Camp Ground just northwest of a gorgeous sandy inlet near Tongue (wonder what they are known for...) The camp ground was fairly empty upon our arrival around 430. A was quick to set up the camp chairs to enjoy the view in the warm sun rays.

For dinner A whipped out the instant light single-use BBQ to grill up an amazing lamb steak and veggies.Читать далее
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The North West, my favourite part of Scotland. [Alison]
20.09.2023ОтветитьПереводить
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European Summer
Beaches & Moors
15 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
A grey and calm start to the day compared to the previous day's wind gusts.

Our route took us more east than north. Our first stop was at the Gruinard Bay view point, which was gorgeous, and where we quickly discovered a fresh batch of midges 😱 (like No-see-ums, but more intense). Not too far down the road we stopped at another view point over looking Little Loch Broom. Apparently this was a filming location for the movie Shell, released 2012.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2088893/

Our next stop was at the Lael Forest Garden where the likes of Archibald Menzies and David Douglas collected seeds from around the world and planted over 200 tree species. It was quiet spectacular to walk the paths and see such a variety of trees spanning from Norway to Japan, and beyond. Many of the larger ones like the Douglas and Noble Fir, and California Redwood were planted in the 1800s. Apparently Archibald was served Monkey Puzzle seeds for dessert while visiting Chile.
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/lael-for…

After the walk in the woods we found our way to Ullapool, a quaint seaside town. Once parked on Shore Street, we stayed in the Van to enjoy a busker playing on the promenade. A found a fish monger nearby where we bought some lemon sole fillets and huge scallops to go with a pasta dinner. Of course we took the scenic somewhat coastal and mountainous route near the "Summer Isles". Not a lot to choose from regarding camp sites around here, so found a quiet pullout near a small fresh Loch. Just a short walk was a stoney beach to enjoy the last rays of the day. Two other campers joined us at the location for the night.Читать далее
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European Summer
🎶Big Sand, I know your are the one🎶
14 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
Although up early, we were one of the last to leave to camp ground 🤣 The sun was shining, but the wind was gusting savagely. A picked a few more blackberries to add to the morning porrage.

Our trek along the single-track coastal route was quite relaxing and very picturesque. Traffic was light, but lots of cyclists. Immediately to the west were the Isles of Raasay and Rona, with the Isle of Skye in the background.

Eventually we reconnected with the main dual track road. We took a slight detour into the village of Torridon and bought a few things from their adorable General Store, including some Scottish chowder, local brews, and a local cucumber. The lady even sold us a 1/4 bag of ice for our beverages, as that's all that would fit in our freezer. 👍

The landscape was quite varied along the way from wind-swept open Heather moors to dense&damp pockets of birch and other deciduous trees. We also passed through drier areas covered in both tall and stunted Scots Pine. Much of the Beinn Eighe nature reserve near Loch Maree is being revitalized, but sadly the gorgeous Scots Pines were milled for ammunition box, of all things, during WWII. However, efforts are being made to repopulate the forests with Scots Pine again!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beinn_Eighe

The weather was varied on the drive, from bright sun to torrential down pours! After returning to van from a short hike, the clouds opened up; fastest wiper-speed fun. We saw a lot of rainbows!

Another quick stop near Gairloch, and we found ourself on what appeared to be an easy walk to see the Flowerdale waterfalls, after almost 3km in and a steep hike, J found them high in the mountain moors. Once back at the car, it was a short drive to the ocean front dunes Big Sands camp ground for the night. With a restaurant on site, we did takeout fish and chips, and a grilled veggies pizza. Funny, the veggies weren't actually grilled 🤣 It was all delicious! We enjoyed a fabulous sunset, enduring the very gusty winds! The slight rocking of the van reminded us of sleeping roadside a few nights prior 🙃Читать далее
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European Summer
Applecross Away!
13 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
We had a wonderful sleep near the ocean in Glennbrittle, and woke up feeling well rested. Luckily we were able to enjoy the sun the day before as it was overcast and cool out.

Started the day off with our usual coffee, and J made up a pot of porridge. We couldn't resist getting some fresh baked goodies and a pack of their roasted coffee beans for the road. Finally all packed up, and on the road by 11am. Our next destination set, we headed east, and farewell to the Isle of Skye.

Before long we turned off the main road and were heading north around Loch Carron. The road was twisty and rough, eventually narrowing down to a single track lane. By 1pm we stopped for a wonderful seafood lunch at Kishorn Seafood Bar.

Our next leg of the journey was over the pass to Applecross, Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle). Lots of signage warning larger motorhome and vehicles towing trailers to use the bypass route; again, all single track, with multiple pull outs for passing. The last few twists and hairpins were very tight! Weeee!

As impressive as the climb over the pass was, the views on the descent were equally impressive. Not surprising, there were road cyclists at the summit 👏!

We were early enough to beat the rush for campsites. Once in place, and set up, we went for a short walk to explore the village. On the way back we picked a handful of blackberries that were so rype most melted as they were picked. Dinner was chicken stirfry, rice and salad. We then enjoyed a cozy evening in the camper as the rains and winds thrash about outside. We lowered our pop-up as usual to minimize the sway.Читать далее
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European Summer
Westward to Skye
12 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
An early start to the day, and a fairly restless sleep due to the close proximity of the highway. Traffic was light in the middle of the night, but the draft from the bigger vehicles shook the camper. We camped a short distance from the fog veiled Loch Voili River, which was quite refreshing to splash on our faces. A made a couple cups of coffee, and we were on the road again.

Our route took us north and west where we continued along till turning on to A82, passing various lochs, through the Rannoch Moor, and down through Glencoe. It was quite a spectacularly bright morning, interspersed with fog.

The A82 took us pretty much due north, passing through Fort William, and up along the Caledonian Canal to Invergarry; very reminiscent for J when he travelled the area with his Grandmother last fall.

Turning on to A87, we headed more westward. A had chosen a campground near Applecross, but due to our proximity to Skye, we decided to travel there instead. J found a restaurant for lunch in Kyleakin, just across the Skye Bridge. We had just beat the rush to order as a tourist bus unloaded right after. The cafeteria style eatry was very quick with getting the orders out, the food was decent too.

Looking at camping options on Skye we settled on a beach front campground on the southside on the island. The trek in was quite an adventure with very busy and narrow roads. The final stretch was a very bumpy and rough single track with multiple passing spots. Along the way we noticed a couple with a flat tire, and offered to help. They took us up on the offer as they weren't sure where the jack needed to go. J got on it, and had the spare installed in short order.

Finally reached the end of the road where we were to camp for the night. The sun was still shining brightly, and a line up of caravans and tenters eagerly waiting for a spot too. After setting up on the grass near the beach, decided on a refreshing dip in the ocean. The tide was midway out, and surprisingly the water was slightly warmer than that near Torshavn; J though maybe 8C. It took A a bit more time to coax himself into the water.

After the swim, a hot shower followed, then dinner. Particularly hot, as there was only one button for the water without ability to adjust temperature 💦🥵. Decided to make the most of the remaining sun rays, and went for a short walk on a nearby trail. Once dinner dishes were cleaned up, we settled in for the night.Читать далее
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European Summer
2
Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park
11 сентября 2023 г., Шотландия ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
As we had packed the majority of our bags the night before, we had a pretty chill morning. However, we had to be out of the accommodation by 10am. M&C were gracious to offer us a ride to the airport as they were on the same flight. We left our luggage in the car, and went off to explore more of Tórshavn. We finally found the bakery C had told us about and picked up some tasty treats 😋.

We reconvened at 12:30pm to leave for the airport. We were a few minutes early and explored the cemetery, which for a country with very few trees, was the most wooded one I've ever seen.

This time when we took the mountain ridge road, we could see the views previously veiled in fog. This view included a bright rainbow 🌈😍. Once at the airport we were quick to drop off the luggage and pass through security. It had a similar feel to passing through Victoria, BC airport.

Without much adou, we were headed back to Edinburgh. Soon after our arrival R picked us up as we were renting their camper van for the week to travel the Scottish North Coast roads. Once loaded up, we were off, heading west to start the tour. Other than a stop in Falkirk for some provisions, we carried on till nightfall. Unfortunately the camp ground we planned for the night closed hours earlier, so we opted to sleep in a pullout to rest for the night. 😴 The lulling of lorries all night long was an unexpected start to the trip 😔.Читать далее
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Путешественник Handsome as ever!!!!
17.09.2023ОтветитьПереводить
ПутешественникAnd probably cheeky too
17.09.2023ОтветитьПереводить
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European Summer
Rest & Recovery
10 сентября 2023 г., Фарерские острова ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
As you can image, we woke up a bit stiff and sore. ☺️ Figured the best thing was a morning ocean dip and sauna. The flatmates were barely functional, so decided to take the free city bus over to the cove. While waiting another running participant joined us, and we discussed the previous day's adventure.

Not that the Faroes ever get really warm, but it was pleasant out. A mildly warm breeze and sun were very welcoming once we emerged from the chilly ocean water. Spent the next hour socializing with the other runners in between ocean dips and sauna sittings. C arrived and we were able to get a ride back in to town with him. We stopped at a highly recommended bakery. It was the one we discovered a few days earlier, but hadn't sampled. The cinnamon bun was a bit boring as we had guessed, but the rhubarb bun devine 😋

The rest of the day was pretty chill and relaxed, including future travel planning. Around 6pm we headed down to the awards ceremony, and were amazed to hear one of the runners completed the ultra marathon (53km) in 7:33 hours 🫨. We stayed for a short while afterwards savoring a $20cad pint of local beer and socializing before heading back to the flat to pack luggage.

The race results were published that night. We were number 20 & 21 in our event! Looking at age categories we were 8th & 9th in the over 40 😃. Guess all the training and Zermatt event helped 👍Читать далее
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European Summer
Triumphant Tjørnuvik 🥇🎉🏃💨
9 сентября 2023 г., Фарерские острова ⋅ 🌬 11 °C
Half Marathon Trail Race Day!

We were up at the usual time to check and repack our required running kit before heading off to catch our bus. The half marathon "trail" started in village of Saksun. We arrived just after 10 on the shuttle bus, but the race wasn't until 11. It was cool, overcast, and a light mist rain.

Considering this was the third year of the running festival, its seemed pretty disorganized and chaotic. They had to individually scan our timing chip numbers with a mobile phone, one at a time... In any case, we were 6 minutes late passing the start. But the minutes don't matter too much for an event such as this.

The first 3km or so was on the road, before turning off onto a somewhat packed trail. Eventually that trail stopped, and we were slogging through streams, patches of boggy terrain, and rough grassy fields. Another short section of road running, then the climb began. It wasn't terriblely steep, but a continuous angling upwards of varying degrees. We did get a few moments of sun while manoeuvring around rocks and such. But eventually this gave way to strong winds, light driving rain, and fog!

At about the 19 km mark our "trail" joined the established trail for a typically hike between Saksun and Tjørnuvik. However, with all the rain, and the number of people running on the trail, it was pretty treacherous footing due to the slick mud. 😭

The sun finally came out again once we crested the last ridge. We slowed down somewhat to ensure good footing and avoid falling or rolling an ankle. The final 2km was much steeper, and the trail more of a mud slip and slide... After three and a half hours of running/bouncing/trekking we arrived at the finish line & unscathed!

The hot salmon soup was a welcoming end, along with a thoughtfully packed beer in our drop bag. We caught the 4pm bus back to Torshavn and enjoyed a hot shower, and a few hours of rest.

Later that evening there was the After Party. We made an appearance, but didn't stay long. We enjoyed a live performance by a local artist, Jazzy Gold, that had a similar vibe to India Arie, loungie RnB.

With energy levels rock bottom, we enjoyed a restful sleep!Читать далее
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European Summer
Old Hoyvik Cove - cold & hot!
8 сентября 2023 г., Фарерские острова ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
Today we made it over to the Old Hoyvik Cove for a brisk morning dip. M&C clearly had an eventful night out, and weren't up quite as early as the day before, but this time we were able to get a ride with them. It appeared we arrived just as the earlier group was leaving. And this time they had the wood-fired sauna and hot tub running! Just as we were working up the nerve to jump in, we were warned by a local that it is best to slowly lower yourself in to avoid shock and muscle tightness. Despite that fact, most were leaping off the concrete Pier in to the chilly depths.

J went first, casually stepping down the ladder into the water, but facing forward so it was easier to glide in. Although the water was cold, it was surprisingly warmer than anticipated, about 6C. Warmer feeling than swimming in some of the lakes back home! A followed soon after, but didn't stay in as long, but who can blame him. The wind wasn't blowing too hard, and the ambient temperature was about 12C. That said, warming up in the sauna was quite nice. We did this routine 3️⃣ times.

Returning to the flat, we cleaned up and had breakfast, then headed off to do our volunteer shift for the festival. We arrived by 1:30 for the briefing, then started to process participants by checking thier mandatory kit: trail runners, rain jacket, warm hand and head wear, etc.. We did this until 9:30pm! A went out to grab us take-out dinner; he found a great Thai place!Читать далее
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European Summer
Touring Tórshavn
7 сентября 2023 г., Фарерские острова ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
The morning festival event was a dip in the ocean. We toyed with the idea of going, but came to realize it was actually a 40 minute walk versus the advertised 20 minute walk to the cove. M&C were planning to go and we were to join them... there was a communication hiccup, and they left without us🤔. So we just stayed to chill, and enjoy our coffee, while A looked in to our next steps of the journey. The hot tub and sauna weren't ready as planned, so it was serendipitous.

By 10am all four of us headed to the nearby cafe to join in a 10km trail run around Tórshavn. It was a sizeable group that convened, with pretty decent weather, and it surprisingly warm out. The run was meant to be at a leisurely pace, so we had the breath to chat with other runners along the trail.

Back at the flat, we had a delicious breakfast of fruit and avocado toast. M&C took off to see a waterfall at the north end of Streymoy island. We decided to stay local and walk around Tórshavn. Our main destination was the mall with the mobility shop to verify the SIM account balance, since the web site kept giving an error. On the way we came upon a walking path along a stream. It took us on a bit of a detour, but was nice to walk in a forest finally.

As the weather was still dry decided to meandered around town once finished at the mall. We noticed a faint chemical aroma in the air that just keeping getting stronger. It was similar to a smell we noticed while staying in Klaksvik. Come to find out they were injecting a resin in to the sewer pipes, and setting with steam... Not the healthiest procedure 🤢

On the walk J was having a craving for cinnamon buns, so went in search of a Bakery, or something similar. Sadly we didn't end up find anything. We did stop by the old Skansin fort, initially built in the 16th century, by the Tórshavn harbour. Then walked back to the accommodation through Reyn, the cities oldest district.

https://guidetofaroeislands.fo/travel-faroe-isl…

The evening social event planned was a pub crawl run of 7km. We figured the 11km run in the morning was sufficient. So after dinner we headed to a different pub social gathering. Compared to the night before it was very quiet. We savoured a $20cad pint each 🫠. It was supposed to be a early night, but ended up getting back until closer to 11, after a walk in pouring rain☔🙃Читать далее
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European Summer
Tunnels to Tórshavn
6 сентября 2023 г., Фарерские острова ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
Met the day with low clouds and mist rain. As the morning progressed thicker cloud and fog rolled in. Today we had to check out of our Airbnb in Klaksvik to head to Tórshavn. Decided to drive to the most Northshore road access we could.

The island of Bordoy is quite mountainous, so required us to traverse via a couple tunnels. That said the tunnels were traffic controlled single lane, and very narrow. Thankfully we arrived just in time before the lights changed, which occurs every 15 minutes due counter flow.

We crossed between Bordoy and Vidoy Island through Hvannasund over a built up Causeway. Another tunnel took us through the mountain to the village of Vidareidi. Thankfully it was clear here as the clouds and fog were trapped on the other side of the mountain! We then headed back on the scenic loop towards Hvannasund and onwards to Tórshavn. Retracing the route we had taken previous days while heading eastwards, decided to take the mountain road over to Tórshavn, but sadly the sights were shrouded in dense cloud...

The visibility didn't changed much as we descended into town, but we were welcomed with the sound of distant fog horns. We were still early for checking in to our next accomodations, so had a cheese and crackers snack by the harbour front. Delicious smoked Cheddar hand imported from the UK!

Before long we met up with M&C, our London roommates for the next few days while attending the Atjan Festival. Once stettled, we left to pick up a few groceries and drop off our rental car on the other side of town.

After a quick dinner of mashed potatoes, sauté veggies, and fried dumplings, we headed out for the festival evening social. The bar was just a short walk from our accommodations, and spanned over three levels. Each level was eccentricly decorated, quite small and fairly tight when occupied.

We met others from Austria and Norway. After a pint on the middle level we decended to the slightly cooler and less noisy first floor. This area was not busy and we were entertained with a fantastic chat with the bartender. Lots of local stories, including his father and grandfather building church organs.Читать далее
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