Windermere

Yesterday we followed the waters edge of many a Loch and today is similar.
We leave Onich shadowing lochs until we reach port town Oban. A very pretty seaside village where we do our best right at the start to upset the status quo by trying to drive up a narrow walkway.
Realizing the error of our ways quite quickly when some bollards appeared in front of us on the slope we reversed back down and turned down another narrow laneway for our getaway. Eventually we parked our car in town and made the walk up to McCaigs Tower ruins to take in the views of Oban port and back down again before taking a wander in the main area.
On the way to Oban and around Oban we have even had time to take a video call from Chloe & Anthony at Etihad to watch St Kilda v Essendon. You just know that isn't going to end well for someone. Chloe kept Phil up to date with the scores and he and Chloe were today's sad faces. A big difference to last week.
No time to dally today though so back into the silver streak (aka Astra).
We have then followed the length of Loch Lamond which has provided some stunning scenery and slow traffic. We pulled into Luss for an essential stop and snack. You find this place is quaint when you start to wander the streets. And, it has a smoke house - yum.
I now have local smoked salmon pate in the car. Can't wait to buy biscuits. I will be in a very happy place when we sit down to relax with the pate, biscuits and liqueur.
South of Glasgow I think we have discovered 'power central'. We have passed by possibly 150-200 wind turbines on the surrounding hills. Obviously a breezy neighborhood!
Eventually we arrived in Windermere in the Lakes District at 6.15 pm.
A big day behind the wheel for Mr Hands.
Scotland has now been left behind to discover more of England.
We found ourselves in a Spanish restaurant for dinner and enjoyed relaxing over tapas with sangria and beer.
What do you know, it started raining and we didn't take our waterproofs with us when we walked into town which meant a brisk walk home to minimise how wet we got. So much for relaxing, have to laugh!

Phil - Big drive today. 325 km. At the start I am on roads that are only wide enough for 2 horse drawn carts. I am sitting on an average 20 miles per hour, no passing lanes and slow locals who are on their way to church. I have lost track of the number of vehicles in front of me, who have nearly had a close encounter up their exhaust pipe.
Then I hit the motorways. Yippee, although the Astra needed another gear.
I was sitting on 74 mph, 118 kmp, the speed limit, and had a stack of cars passing me going at least 90-100 mph. Great road , 3 lanes wide each way, over 400 kms long. . This is what we need from Melbourne to Sydney.
Massive number of wind turbines all over the hills. Most I have ever seen. In Australia we are worried about the pink bellied, black bum parrot getting killed by the rotating blades. Looking at the pace they travel, if a bird gets hit by one, I would say it should have opened its bloody eyes.
Having a bit of trouble with the language. Once some one starts talking quickly, I am gone. It is all jumbled up, plus the accent just makes it all another language. So as much as I am trying, Wendy then takes me to a Spanish restaurant where the waitress has a major spanish accent, and I have no idea what she is saying. Mind you, she was not sure what I was saying either, so I got my own back.Читать далее