European Summer

Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Scotland, England, Faroe Islands, Germany and more!
Prides, motorcycling, hiking, running, scuba, and more! Leggi altro

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European Summer
2
Delightful Durham
24 agosto 2023, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Had a relaxing start to the day with A working on his puzzle, and J pacifying Spike with lap cuddles. She's the most vocal cat we've ever heard! Today planned to visit cousins in Wylam mid-afternoon, so decided to make a day of it: a stop and explore Durham on the way.

Our first stop was slightly north of Durham, in Sacriston, to pick up locally roasted coffee from Durham Coffee Roasters! Their industrial warehouse shop is nicely done up. Multiple roasting machines, lounge area, coffee machines and a large selection of coffee! Needing to stock up for a few weeks, we couldn't turn down the deal on three small bags 🛍️

We then returned to Durham to explore the historical downtown area near the Castle and Cathedral. We wandered down High Street and found Durham Gin Distillery, sampling a few of thier products. The staff member was very helpful, including generously offering samples 🤪 we supported local and purchased some delicious spirits to enjoy later 🍸

Eventually found our way over to the Cathedral. The interior was quite spectacular between the gilding, the grandiose pillars, and layers of history. This is a very revered location due to St Cuthbert's shrine and the Venerable Bede's tomb.

Before we left Durham we stopped into a pastry shop to grab treats for tea with the relatives.

We arrived in Wylam just a little passed four. After a quick walk around the garden, we enjoyed a casual visit over tea and pastries in the courtyard ☺️ of their 10th century country home. It was formally a monks summer retreat, but now lives on as a few private dwellings with spectacular gardens.Leggi altro
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ah Durham- man I miss it! Loving following your trip [Elinor Morrissey]
25/08/23RispostaTradurre
Viaggiatore Who won?
17/09/23RispostaTradurre
ViaggiatoreJ did!
17/09/23RispostaTradurre
0 mi piace
European Summer
2
Classy Cally
25 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Another travel day! Got the day started with a 7km run setting out on the usual local trails. Once things were tidied and packed up, we were off to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Our route took us along A689 through the North Pennines (AONB - Area of Natural Beauty) as we traversed through Northumberia and into Cumberia. Earlier on we saw a number of signs posted for a fair in Walsingham, that we did pass through. Apparently the Agricultural Fair is one of the oldest in Britain, or maybe a local claim to fame. 🤷‍♂️

The route followed various valleys, sometimes paralleling a creek, and sometimes through denser forest. Mostly, the hillsides were open and carved up by rock walls (fences) and dotted with sheep or cattle. As we drove further in to the nature reserve we climed higher into the moors, covered in blooming purple heather, and dappled in sun and intermittent showers.

We passed through a number of quaint villages where the buildings were mostly made of rough or chiseled rock with slate tile roofs; a big change from the red brick in Yorkshire and eastern Durham county. Driving through the market town of Stanhope, we passed the Stanhope Castle, built in the 18th Century, that is now a hotel! https://stanhopecastle.co.uk/

And just a bit farther up the road we passed the Kilnhope Lead Mining Museum. https://killhope.org.uk/

We took a number of slower side roads to enjoy the scenery, and avoid the congested motorway exchanges as we got closer to Scotland. Our first stop in Scotland was in Annan at the Annandale Distillery. The distillery was only recently revived in 2014, but was originally built in the 1830s, only to be abandoned in the early 1900s. Too many delicious choices in the store. We shyed away from the top, triple digit option 😲Thankfully they had a wee sampler pack of six flavours.
https://www.annandaledistillery.com/

We finally arrived at our evening accommodation, The Cally Palace Hotel. Originally called Cally House, it was initially built in 1766 for James Murray. The hotel has warm personality including gently creaking floors, thick walls, and the Bow Lounge with its magnificent gilt cuppola ceiling. We enjoyed the pool area, though it is certainly in need of a refresh past the 90s!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cally_PalaceLeggi altro
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Viaggiatore Oreo cookie cows!
30/08/23RispostaTradurre
ViaggiatoreOmg! That's where they come from 🍪😛
31/08/23RispostaTradurre
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European Summer
Authentic Ashfield
26 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Started our day with a run along a local forest road near the hotel. It was a bright and fresh start to the day. The gravel road we were following eventually turned into an over grown path where we startled a deer grazing deep in the forest.

After a quick stretch and shower we made it down for the buffet breakfast. A delicious spread it was 😋

By eleven we were on our way, heading along the rolling Galloway Costal route as we traversed northwest towards Crinan. Eventually we headed inland to cross the hills into the more rugged terrain of Ayrshire, where we stopped to stretch our legs in the coastal village of Girvan. More inland travel took us on a route to skirt Glasgow, and into the multitude of Lochs making up Argyll & Bute.

Late afternoon we arrived in Crinan at Great-Uncle-D's. We then all headed east over to Ashfield for a wonderful social evening, and amazing home cooked dinner.Leggi altro
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European Summer
1
Cozy Crinan
27 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
It was a much more casual start to the day, and a hearty traditional scottish oatmeal breakfast. Not as sunny as the previous day, but calm and warm out. Decided it was perfect weather for a boat trip around to Loch Sween!

It was close to noon by the time we had everything ready and head out of the harbour. Great Uncle D was thoroughly in his happy place behind the helm. He plotted the course over to Lussa Bay on the Isle of Jura. We dropped anchor and savoured a simple picnic in the quiet shallow sandy bay. A even spotted a buck with an impressive rack. Before long we were heading across the way towards Loch Sween.

As we rounded the point into Loch Sween, we were greeted by a herd of cattle cooling their feet in the ocean. We also noticed a fishing boat darting around checking their equipment for the daily catch. Before long we were passing the ruins of Castle Sween, apparently one of the oldest built in Scotland.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Sween

We soon arrived back at Ashfield where we had left a vehicle the night before for our return journey. We were met at the dock, and graciously offered tea and treats.

Back home Great Uncle D made us a scrumptious dinner of stuffed fish cakes, home grown beans and freshly dug potatoes! Lovely wines to enjoy too. A splash of scotch for a night cap 🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore ❤️
02/09/23RispostaTradurre
2 mi piace
European Summer
Picturesque Pitlochry
28 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
We enjoyed another delightful breakfast with Great Uncle-D, then tried to help him with troubleshooting an issue with his solar voltaic energy system. We weren't able to fix anything, but we did help verify a couple of items to look into.

In short order we rearranged our luggage, leaving the motorcycle gear behind, and freeing up space for the items we need in the Faroes.

For our route to Pitlochry, we decided to avoid the busier narrow coastal roads, and take the middle road just passed Kilmartin. The road was single track with multiple passing areas, luckily we only needed to stop for a few oncoming vehicles. The drive north was quite relaxing with stunning views of Loch Awe and surroundings hills. Large sections had been logged, but lots of pockets of old Oak groves dotted the way. You know it's a wet area when thick moss is growing on the Oak, which has ferns growing from the moss too...

Eventually we reached the A85 just east of Tynuilt. Heading further east, passing along the northern end of Loch Awe, we came upon a gorgeous old church. St Conan's Kirk was only built in the 1880s and expanded in the early 1900s. The exterior architecture appeared more Medieval, and apparently it's interior is quite eclectic in a multitude of styles.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Conan's…

Continuing on, we eventually passed through the town of Kenmore at the top end of Loch Tay. The sun was magnificent, so we stopped for a walk across the single track multi-arch stone bridge. Another quick stop just up the road in Aberfeldy to get a few grocery items. The town was very orderly, and the buildings were either rough or blocked stone. We also passed the Dewar's Distillery as we left the town.

Finally arriving in Pitlochry we settled into our hostel room. It was quite unique and colourful, literally. This is our first hostel stay this trip. We were motivated by the amazingly high prices for last minute bookings in this tourist area. We benefited from the use of the kitchen area too 😋

Needing to stretch the legs after a long day of driving, we went for a walk to explore town, stumbling upon a marching bagpipe band! Turns out they have a Highland Night every Monday during the summer. We paid our admission for the 1.5hr show, hoping to win a bottle of scotch with our lucky number in the Program. A hotdog snack tied us over until a later dinner. The bagpipe marching band won third place in the World Championships this year! What a treat! We were entertained with a variety of dances, folk songs, and of course bagpipe music. We weren't the lucky winners of the bottle, but enjoyed supporting their club.
https://thevale.org/highland-nights/

Luckily we found an Indian restaurant that was still serving, for our later than expected dinner. It was scrumptious!Leggi altro
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I bet the bagpipes was entertaining. Did it bring back any memories? I recall you learning to play in high school. [Barbara Mahon]
08/09/23RispostaTradurre
1 mi piace
European Summer
Bold Ben Vrackie
29 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Another fresh and beautifully sunny morning. Decided to do our stride repeat running training after our first coffee. Our training session took us back to the recreation grounds were we watched the Highland Night. The perimeter trail was perfect for the interval sprinting 🏃💨

On the way back to the hostel, we stopped into the visitor center to obtain local hiking information. The fellow happily provided a few helpful suggestions.

With breakfast done, we geared up to tackle Ben Vrackie, a somewhat intermediate hike with lots of elevation gain; 840m to be exact. It was close to noon by the time we walked to the trailhead from the hostel in town, and very warm. By midway it was starting to cloud over, and at the top the wind was gusting and a wall of rain was headed our way ☔🙃 The friendly lady we swapped photography services with at the top is Australian, and will be on the same flight to the Faroe Islands on Thursday with us! Small world 🌍😀

While still dry, we found shelter from the wind for a quick lunch snack before descending the trail steps. The rain came upon us like a wave, and eventually ebbed into a splattering of sun and cloud. Maybe that's what the locals mean when they say "it's a bit scottish out"... A little of everything happening in succession. J was glad he grabbed his new rainproof jacket. While A was warm, he was looking pretty damp, but with a constant breeze we were dry by the time we reached the bottom.

We decided to take a right at the lake and loop around for the return trip. The detour route took us along a narrow and fairly muddy track through the Heather. Along the way J spotted blueberries amongst the Heather; very tasty and perfectly tart.

Still needing a few more items for dinner, we stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hostel. For dinner, A made a very tasty stir-fry. After the extensive day's activities we decided on a quiet night in.Leggi altro
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European Summer
1
Fabulous Faskally
30 agosto 2023, Scozia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Once dosed with a cup of coffee ☕ we headed for the local trails along the river for our "easy run." We found our way back to the Pitlochry event grounds, but continued on over the suspension bridge to the west side of River Tummel. We first passed the large Pitlochry Festival theatre, and soon afterwards the fish ladders and dam. The trail meandered along the reservoir, then up near the A9, towards Inverness. Before long we crossed another pedestrian bridge. The forested trail wove through the Faskally forest, a section of the Tay forest park. We did a couple loops around the divergent trails, and back along the forested pond. Eventually we emerged into a more cultivated area, and ran along the River Gerry before looping back towards Pitlochry. We finally reached the hostel 13km and an hour and a bit later😀

After freshening up, and a simple but hearty breakfast we headed out to explore the local shops. We decided to buy some food items in case prices in the Faroes are nuts!

Later, we stopped for dinner at The Auld Smitty. It was a magical sunny evening and the patio was full. One of the sunny tables on the grass area had two empty seats at the picnic table. A asked if we could join the ladies. They were happy to share as they were departing soon after a half-pint.

The theatre was our destination for the evening production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." The theatrical production was very well done. They had a very dynamic stage setup on a rotary platform for quick scene changes. Neither of us had seen the play and found it was a very dark and violent show.Leggi altro
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Aw, your tales of Scotland are making me "homesick" :) So glad to see you're getting nice sunny days! [Katherine]
02/09/23RispostaTradurre
💕 [Barbara Mahon]
08/09/23Risposta
0 mi piace
European Summer
1
Modest Miðvágur
31 agosto 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
We woke up early to finalize our packing in preparation for our flight to the Faroe Islands. After a quick tidying of the room, and a bit of reshuffling to optimize the 23kg checked bag limit, we were on our way.

The drive to Edinburgh was quite leasurely and quick. The sun was out yet again, and the landscape vibrant. The ease of our day just seemed too easy... J had read about flight delay issues over the Bank Holiday weekend due to a glitch with the UK Air Traffic control system, but we hadn't been prepared for the organized chaos that ensued at the Edinburgh airport. While walking to the terminal we saw quiet a long line extending a fair distance out the door and down the walkway. Apparently the security screening system had a failure of some sort, and was causing quite the back up with processing.

We cautiously entered the departure hall for check in, but our kiosk wasn't open yet. When it opened we were third in line. Surprisingly the security line seemed longer than it was as A timed the full waiting and screening process to be 46 minutes. We even reacquainted with L, from Australia, whome we met in Pitlochry on top of Ben Vrackie mountain.

Due to various baggage and other terminal delays our flight was 30 minutes late leaving. The flight north was a quick 1.25hrs and uneventful; always a good thing when flying. Getting through customs was just as speedy, the agent didn't even say a peep 😶. We grabbed some beer and wine from the duty free area, then off to fetch the rental car. A comfortable Honda CRV for six days 🚙👍

Miðvágur was just a short drive down the road from the airport, and our accommodation easily located on the main road through town. Once settled, we decided a short walk around town was needed. On our way back we stopped at one of the local grocery stores to get a couple things for dinner. The accommodation was clean, but very minimalistic, however, the kitchen was abysmally stocked. It was furnished from randomly selected second hand stores, a few things matched, and very few were even useful... 🤣

Dinner was a scrumptious beef and rice stirfy 😋

Being on the main road we were entertained by a local teen or two in the early eve. Ripping up and down the main strip on scooters with vocal exhausts: revving the throttle on and off 🛵 💨 🔛📴🔛📴🔛📴Leggi altro
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Interesting --- I had to look this up. [Barbara Mahon]
08/09/23RispostaTradurre
1 mi piace
European Summer
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Glorious Gásadalur
1 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Another fabulous morning: caffeination, morning run, breakfast!

A recalled seeing a trail posted near by, so we headed there for the run. The trail head wasn't well marked, but we eventually found it. Initially the trail was steep, but eventually leveled out a bit. This time the ground was a lot more uneven and rocky, and occasionally we were observed by curious sheep chewing a cud.

Finally got organized around noon, and headed off to explore the northwest portion of Vágur Island. Drove past the airport, and through a couple villages, then stopped for cattle on the road, and finally finding our way to the trail head leading over a steep mountainside. Apparently this "trail" was the main route used to walk between Gásadalur and Bøur; with the village of Gásadalur finally being accessible by road in 2004 when the tunnel was drilled. A ferry had been used previously, but the village isn't easily accessible by sea.

The weather was prefect for the adventure with a high cloud ceiling and periodic sun bursting through. On the way up we passed a number of grazing sheep, all quite diverse in their markings and wool texture. At the peak we ran into a couple from Sweden, otherwise, no one else on the trail. The short section down to Gásadalur was steep with zig-zagging switch backs all the way. After a quick picnic, we returned to the car the way we came.

Our next stop was through the tunnel to the village of Gásadalur, where many visit to see the gorgeous Múlafossur Waterfall. Once parked we followed along the fenced path to explore around the village and see the falls.

On the way back we pulled in to see the "Nix" sculpture on Lake Leitisvatn, then to the other grocery store. Here we found a large chunk of locally raised salmon to go with dinner. It is processed within a few hours of harvest and then frozen. It was amazing taste with good juicy oils.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Beautiful vista's.....so nice
05/09/23RispostaTradurre
Viaggiatore Are you bundled up because season changing or is this normal temp for the area?
06/09/23RispostaTradurre
ViaggiatoreSeasons don't vary too much up here. Though at 62°, their winter isn't like our house 🥶. It's the norm this time of year, tough it is getting cooler... 🙃
06/09/23RispostaTradurre
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European Summer
1
Genuine Gjógv
2 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
After an enjoyable stay in Midvagur, it was time to pack up and move on to Gjogv for a couple nights. We stopped just down the road in Sandavágur to hike and see the "Witch's Finger", a spire of rock that jut up from the ocean.

We found a place to park and set off to find the trail. Part of the adventure is trying to comprehend the published instructions... 🤓 We did make a "wrong turn" and followed the rocky edge near the ocean before turning around and walking further up the road. As it was a pretty gray day, with low clouds and a splattering of rain, we weren't able to see the fingers ☁️😕

On the way back we noticed a finish line set up with a bright digital clock timer display near the church. We remembered there was a road running half marathon ending there.

We carried on driving east, and into the tolled sub-sea tunnel that links Vagur and Streymoy islands. Once we emerged on Streymoy, we took a detour to explore the town of Vestmanna. Along the way A found a view point to stop at for a picnic. It was at this point the wind and rain picked up, so we stayed in the car to eat 🚙🥪😋

Vestmanna is a fairly large town, and spread out along the shore line. We did a quick tour of the town by car, and made a couple stops for local beer and snacks before heading out. The government liquor store was very minimal and drab 😏

Retracing our way back but turning east instead through another tunnel. We followed along a very wide open valley to the coast line again. As we rounded a bend by Hvalvic, we noticed a water fall with a torrent of water falling from the heavy rains! Impressive!

We eventually came to the bridge and crossed over to Eysturoy Island, and heading north along the coast before heading east to Gjogv. The single lane road boasted some amazing views, but were pretty obscured by the heavy rain. We were a bit confused by the large sign indicating a road closure, but realize it was seasonal between October to May due to snow. Onwards!

The town of Gjogv was very quaint and built up close together along the narrow valley leading to the ocean. We arrived at our accommodations around 5, and decided to have a quick walk around before dinner. Thankfully the rains had stopped, but a few of the exposed areas were quite muddy.

Our room was very minimalistic, but comfortable. The dinning area was simple, but had an air of sophistication. The premium priced menu was simple as well, so we went with a couple of salads to start, and A ordered the Lamb chops while J ordered the Halibut and risotto. It was a surprise to see the Lamb served with a separate bowl of French fries rather than roasted potatoes and some vegetables...Leggi altro
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Beautiful. [Barbara Mahon]
08/09/23RispostaTradurre
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Stunning Slættaratindur
3 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
After filling up on a wonderful breakfast spread at the hotel, we decided to head out for a hike. We drove back up the road about 13 minutes before finding the parking for the trailhead up Slættaratindur. Apparently Slættaratindur is the highest peak in the Faroe Islands at 840m, however, we "only" accended 584m from trail head to the summit.

It was very windy and gusty at the start of the hike. About mid-way it started to lightly rain. The footing wasn't too bad and we accended a mostly vertical trajectory before eventually leveling off a bit. The wind was getting increasingly stronger until we managed to get around the point on to the backside of the ridge. It was a bit disappointing that the clouds hung so tightly to the peak, but it was still neat to be at the top of it all. Surprisingly, the top was very flat with quite a bit of open area. As we descended, we were pelted with driving rain, and despite the rain gear, got wet. Our footing on the way down was a lot more slippy with the rain sodden pathway.

Decided to return to our room in Gjogv to dry off and warm up. But by mid-afternoon we were being teased out of our room with filtered sunlight. At this point the local trail seemed a perfect option to trek. Of course, no sooner had we made it part way up, the rains returned 😕. Luckily the rain didn't last long, leaving a mostly sunny clear sky; but the wind gusts remained which helped to dry us off while we walked. We did our best to follow the map the hotel provided us, but there was very little indication of the path, so we navigated with the few visible landmarks. We succeeded in getting to the end of the trail and seeing the rock where they used to harvest sea birds 🐦 🍽️. On the walk back a large bird, maybe a great skua, buzzed us many times flying straight at us and very low 🦤

Made it back to the hotel by late afternoon, then cleaned up and headed to Ljosa for dinner at Rose's Cafe and Restaurant. The drive back along the single track road was stunning with the sun illuminating rock crops and hillsides. Why didn't it appear during our earlier trek to the summit? The ocean was quiet turbulent and the wind was dispursing the crashing wave's spray.

The restaurant was very cozy, and the proprietor was very friendly and welcoming. Apparently we got the best seat in the house with great views of the coastline. Dinner was very delicious, and much better than the hotel restaurant in Gjogv; J went with the daily catch and A ordered the spicy hamburger with a side salad.

The drive back to Gjogv was just as spectacular with the sun still shining in its pre-sunset brilliance.Leggi altro
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What amazing landscapes! Really, really cool. 😃 [Pat]
11/09/23RispostaTradurre
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European Summer
Kaleidoscopic Klaksvik
4 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Enjoyed our final breakfast spread at the hotel in Gjogv before checking out, and then headed east to the North Islands. The day was looking to be a gorgeous one. Would have been nice if the pervious day weather had been as stable on our hikes...

Noticed the majority of the buildings were painted black with grass roofs. Found out traditional Faroeses architecture used tar on the exterior to help trap heat inside with the doors being an colour.

Decided to take a more leisurely pace and explore the islands as we made our way to Klaksvik. Our first stop was the nearby Gongutúrur / Hvithamar Trailhead. We opted not to hike the steeper section, just out to the view point. The start of the trail was very soggy from the pervious day's rain percolating down the hillsides.

Our next stop on the island of Eysturoy was in the village of Oyndarfjørður where J had located an easy historical trail through a saddle between Oyndarfjørður and Elduvik villages. Onwards we drove to Fuglafjørður where A had spotted a large ship on the beach, so decided to explored a small section of the harbour. There was even a small strip of black-grey sandy beach we walked along. Realizing how gorgeous the weather was A suggested we check into our next accommodation as it was located next to the ocean.

We left Eysturoy through another tolled under ocean tunnel to the Island of Bordoy, and right into Klaksvik. The larger town of Klaksvik straddles a slender bridge of land creating a narrow valley surrounded by ocean and mountains.

Once settled in, and partially unpacked, we enjoyed the ebb and flow of the ocean over the rocky beach, and wafts of brine and seaweed scented air. Before it got too late decided an easy run was needed, and to explore some of the area.

Taking advantage of our wonderful kitchen, A made another locally procured salmon dinner, and enjoyed local Brews. A also made an Asian Noodle coleslaw salad using a conehead cabbage we found in the grocery store; forgot to get vinegar, so used sweet pickle🥒 brine instead. It was delicious 😋Leggi altro
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1 mi piace
European Summer
Serene Skard
5 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Woke up to such a peaceful and calm day. Although mostly cloudy out, the sun did peak through here and there, and barely a breeze. On occasion we could hear the squeal of women who came down to have a brisk morning swim in the ocean.

J made a hearty pot of oatmeal. After spending the better part of the day relaxing and enjoying the sounds and view of the ocean, decided to go and explore. A found a hike near by to an abandoned village, Skard. Quiet a sad story of love and lose that caused the villagers to leave thier home, roughly a century ago...

We arrived at the trailhead around 2pm, and trekked through the sloped fields along the fjord coastline. A had read that it was a 6km total trip, inclusive of the high pass to the village on the other side of Kunoy Island. But, we found that was not the case and hiked the 6km just to get to the village of Skarð 😨 We navagated the multiple runoff crossings, and two and a quarter hours later we finally arrived. The area was both serene and rugged with walls a rock, grass and moss covered slopes, and the muffled noise of sheep grazing.

After enjoying a picnic beer and light snack, we made our way back to the car. We also counted all the water crossings, 140! Stopping briefly at one of the grocery stores, we picked up a frozen seafood mix to go with our pasta dinner.Leggi altro
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Tunnels to Tórshavn
6 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌬 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.Leggi altro
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Touring Tórshavn
7 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌬 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☔🙃Leggi altro
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Old Hoyvik Cove - cold & hot!
8 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌬 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!Leggi altro
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Triumphant Tjørnuvik 🥇🎉🏃💨
9 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ 🌬 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!Leggi altro
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Rest & Recovery
10 settembre 2023, Isole Faroe ⋅ ☁️ 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 👍Leggi altro
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2
Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park
11 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ ⛅ 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 😔.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Handsome as ever!!!!
17/09/23RispostaTradurre
ViaggiatoreAnd probably cheeky too
17/09/23RispostaTradurre
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Westward to Skye
12 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☀️ 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.Leggi altro
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Applecross Away!
13 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 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.Leggi altro
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🎶Big Sand, I know your are the one🎶
14 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ 🌬 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 🙃Leggi altro
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Beaches & Moors
15 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 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.Leggi altro
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Highlands High Life
16 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ ☀️ 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.Leggi altro
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The North West, my favourite part of Scotland. [Alison]
20/09/23RispostaTradurre
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Gone and Dunnet
17 settembre 2023, Scozia ⋅ 🌬 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.Leggi altro
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