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Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
  • 1 Planet 1 Bag
  • Marc Scheulin
  • 1 Planet 1 Bag
  • Marc Scheulin

Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1

Our 10 day rented caravan adventure around the Scottish Highlands. Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 31, 2024
    Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Getting our intro to the rvLearning and learningThe post office near Blair CastleBlair Atholl village, felt like a Hallmark movie set

    Pick Up

    May 31, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    RV in Scotland are really awesome. They are more compact than the US version in so many ways. Size is obvious, but the working parts are smarter also. Everything from the habitation entry (the door) to the toilet black water (a small tank that you carry or roll to the dump station), the bed (raised up to take advantage of the ceiling height provides huge storage below), screens (pull up like shades not permanently attached) and many more. We will take photos of all of these as we go along.

    Yes, the driver is on the right, gear shift (manual gearbox) and of course driving on the left are all expected and challenging, but Marc has done a great job driving us to our first night.

    Our first night at Blair Castle Caravan was a great choice and the little village of Blair Atholl is another level of precious.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Is this our rental rv? Asked MarcHighlands History for toddlers class is in sessionThe only light in the 1700s house is focused in the smoke from the fire1700 home with thatch roofShort stone wall and short door of the 1700 houseStep down into the house1900 village fabric shop1700 village this is the entire town1900 town with a recording of the psalm in Gaelic

    Highland Folk Living Museum

    June 1, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    A short hour drive from Blair Castle to Newtonmore and the Highlands Folk Living Museum. Three areas divided between the 1700’s, 1800’s and early 1900. Each area was made up of buildings restored and rebuilt from other areas of the Scottish Highlands.

    Amazing how similar to the U.S. were the villages from the 1800 and 1900 hundreds, but the village from the 1700’s was construction and history new to us.

    A costumed interpreter gave us the “toddler” version of Highland history. How clans and Lairds were hierarchically organized, how the village reflected that and most interesting how The Clearences (changing land usage from planted subsistence farming to massive open range cattle and sheep farming) affected the Highlands for the good and bad.

    Our history class lasted 30 minutes or more and to say we have a new appreciation for the Highlands, its people, clothes, and culture is an understatement.

    This info should help us into the rest of our drive about.

    Today we are pitched up at the High Range Caravan Park in Aviemore.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1

    Loch Ness

    June 2, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Our campsite was just a wee walk to Lock Ness bay, a small stream fed bay on Lock Ness. The trail meandered through a pasture and along the stream. I had the whole trail to myself, except for flowers, sheep and a swan.

    Travels with Marc    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    A "summer home" over looking the water falls
    Tree lined entrance to a cemetery.Saint Columba performed a blessing and this spring turned from toxic to the spring if Loch NessSeems the Olympic torch was here in 2012

    Invermoriston

    June 3, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    A tiny place at a crossroads. Saint Columba passed through this area spreading Christianity to the highlanders. We took a wee walk n in a forest and the River Moriston.

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Hiking trail up into the Highlands
    Trail back to camp, right cornerSteam flows over slabs of zebra graniteOld road and stone bridgeHorse training center

    Paths through the Highlands

    June 3, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    After we set up camp at Glenshiel, I went exploring the pathways around the camp. There is a hiking trail going up into the mountains. It follows a stream that has beautiful zebra colored granite stones. I found an old road going over the river on an old stone bridge. It must have been the road before the modern highway.
    This is mostly just a collection of nice pictures.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Hiding from the wind and reading
    From our campsiteSome of my least favorite flavors. But unique

    Glenshiel

    June 3, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 52 °F

    As we head west the mountains are taller (not sooo tall that you can’t see the top) and very green.

    Our drives between campsites is less than 2 hours but the roads a narrow and driving can be tiring.

    But the campgrounds are nice and quiet.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Dogs were very happy playing in the stream2house runes on the sea cliffModern farming

    Roads of Skye Island

    June 4, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    Driving in Scotland is hard. It’s not about driving on the left, it’s the narrow drive lanes, no shoulders and sudden road changes with little or no warning. That is the good roads.

    The other roads are just barely wide enough for the RV, but there is two way traffic with other RV’s, buses and semi-trucks coming head on. Need to coordinate passing in small wide spots along the road.

    The photos below are some taken during my driving breaks. All are nice distractions that help make the drive worthwhile.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    The water flows down from the mountain into the bog, and out into the stream1The water falls into the upper pool, then reappears lower down.Single track road.

    Fairy Pools - Pams Photos

    June 4, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 43 °F

    Early wake up. Brief 7:00am stop at Eileen Donan Castle and we had the parking lot to ourselves.

    Then drive across the bridge to the Isle of Skye.

    First stop was the Fairy Pools. An early start was a good idea as the road is single track. This is Scotlands answer to a two-lane road. Instead they build a one lane road and put layby’s (turn outs) every few meters on both sides, and traffic pulls into the layby to allow for passing. Likely easier in a car than in the motorhome, Marc handled it like a local.

    Then a mile and a half walk to the waterfalls and pools. The water is eerily crystal clear, and very cold. They say that the fairies pop round in the evening for a dip in these pools.

    It rained, then hailed, it was windy, then sunny, a typical day in Scotland for the three mile round trip.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1

    Bus Ride on a Single Track Road

    June 5, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 48 °F

    Today was a bus ride. From our Staffin campsite, around the far side of Skye to Portree.

    About 35 miles on road, but 2 hours on the road. The drivers are impressive. One time to make it to a lay-by passing zone, the driver backed up his bus about 100 yards. Downhill, on a curve. Everyone on the bus clapped.

    It was nice to see things from high up on the bus and good for Marc as he could finally take the passenger role and see things.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Museum shows typical village of 1800

    Ruins of stone structures are everywhere

    June 5, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 50 °F

    Skye island is peppered everywhere with abandoned stone structures. Around 1800, the island had subsistence tenant farm villages everywhere. Then the landlord changed land use from farming to sheep. The tenant farms were not needed and all the farmers were asked to leave the land. Scottish history calls this time period “The Clearances”. These stone structures is what remains from the past abandoned economy of 1800.

    Many of these people emigrated to Canada, America and other British Commonwealth countries.

    Today, the economy is sheep and tourists. Most of the land is empty bogs, pasture and mountains.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Walking to the beach
    The trail back to campsiteIs this an ancient road?View of Staffin from campsiteStairs to bottom of dock at low tideDock at low tideLargest city on Skye

    Marc’s view of Skye lands

    June 5, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 50 °F

    No driving today. I was able to sit back, looking out the side windows at the ocean, green-scape and mountains. Someone else was struggling with the roads of Skye.

    This post is mostly random photos of the landscape and other beautiful and interesting things on our adventure today.

    After our bus trip, Pam and I took what we thought would be a simple 30 minute walk to the beach. Well, no travel on Skye is simple. After washing our socks crossing a bog, we found ourselves on a steep trail paved with rough stones. We are wondering if it is an ancient trail? We can’t imagine anyone putting in the effort to pave this trail in modern times.

    Travels with Marc    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
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    Staffin to Ben Nevis

    June 6, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    Tonight we are camping at the base of Ben Nevis at 1,345meters (4,413 feet) the tallest mountain in Scotland. Today it has snow on its cap! In June!

    The drive started with a stop at Kilt Rock and waterfall. Compared with other stops in Skye, all we had to do is stop in the parking lot and there we were.

    Then drive 3 hours (a new driving record for Marc) to our campsite.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1

    This is the Firkin Point!

    June 7, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    All my life I’ve tried to get people to get to the Firkin Point. Today it finally happened!

    Should be no surprise, the Firkin Point is Dangerous. If not very careful, you can get into very deep waters!

    The Adventurers will find more than just one Firkin Point:
    Firkin Point A: Green Pasture leads to deep waters.
    Firkin Point B: Life can be a picnic if you stay on point.
    Firkin Point C: This is the long road less traveled.

    This is Marc’s trip to The Firkin Point!    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Lifeboat house from the dock

    Luss, 19th century town on Loch Lomond

    June 7, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 52 °F

    The town of Luss has been renovated to look like a town from the turn of the century in 1900. It’s very popular with the tourists. Many buses and vans bring tourists to the 3-5 different boats the explore Loch Lomond from here.

    Our campground was a short 15 minute walk up the beach from Luss. This gave us the joy of slowly exploring the town after the tour buses had gone.

    Travels with Marc    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Blackout shade on windshieldBlackout shades on side windowsBlackout or bug screen on skylightRoomy beds and tons of storageSee the sink!Sink folds out of the way of showerLow step, trash can, blackout, bug screenBlack water cassetteHappy Camper

    Things in our rented rv that make sense

    June 7, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 48 °F

    We’ve owned RVs in the states but none of them have these options.

    1. Sunshade for the front window that rolls up from the dash.
    2. Side shades for the windows that are built in and fan up.
    3. Bathroom sink that folds down
    4. Toilet paper that rolls up when you close the lid.
    5. Trashcan built into the door.
    6. Screen door that rolls up
    7. Black out shades that pull up from all windows
    8. Screens that pull up from all windows
    9. The bed is built 4 steps up. This makes the rear access truck space HUGE!
    10. Easy open skylight with screen and blackout shades
    11. Cassette toilet (basically a small black water tank). To empty you carry it to the restroom where the sites have what amounts to a large toilet. Open the top of the cassette and turn it over into the “toilet” and flush it away. Rise off the cassette and carry it back. There aren’t black water holding tanks in the rv.
    12. Most campground have very flat spots. Called pitches made of granite rocks and surrounded by grass. Most are also elevated above the surrounding ground. Mostly done as the ground here is Scotland is usually very wet.
    13. Site restrooms and showers are very clean and very nice.
    14. In the shower block area is also the cassette dumping place and an area where you can wash your dishes. And usually a laundry room.
    15. Grey water is dumped straight from the rv into an area drain. There are no black/grey water pipes to move around.    Read more

  • Caravan - Yr 1, Home 3.1
    Laundry at a gas stationWallace monument in Stirling

    House 3 and 3.1 Scotland ending

    June 8, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 55 °F

    Scotland is a great place to visit. It’s different than the U.S. but not so different that it’s all strange. It’s just enough to keep you on your toes.

    The weather was generally nice with a bit of rain tossed in to remind us we were way, way, way north, as if the sunsetting at 10:30pm wasn’t enough.

    During our stay our friends Donna and Jim caught up with us on their adventure back to the states from Ecuador.

    We met up with family Shirley and Lee and “golfed” St. Andrews.

    We had 2 meetups with Facebook friends from our Go With Less group.

    We had a great time and we would recommend it to everyone.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 9, 2024
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