Loosey Goosey

We have just returned from the wilds of Northern Scotland. A place with no internet or phone signal. Today’s blog will be a two dayer. But first I need a shower!

 It was still raining when we woke up at Kyle of Tongue campsite, but the views were still tremendous. We pottered about having breakfast and tidying up. Chatting to all our mates. It seems most of the motor homes doing the NC500 anti clock tip up at the same places overnight. The tiny campervan with the baby. The A team campervan. The rolller team 785. The old couple in the old van. Et Al. We did the motorhome prep things. Fill with water, empty grey waste, but when Ian went to empty the toilet he failed miserably. Apparently only green and red toilets can be emptied at KOTCS, ours is blue! We’d have to be careful

The road to our next big town, Durness, was yet again spectacular. We found a lovely beach along the way, more pristine sands and big waves. Traigh Allt Chailgeag. Misty had great fun again.

Then we came to Smoo caves. Loads and loads of steps, up and down. Ian took Misty back to the van and we viewed alone.

Next, in the ‘centre’ of Durness we frolicked on Sango sands. 

We pulled up for some lunch in a lay-by on the Kyle of Durness

More spectacular scenery and amazing views followed until we reached Kylesku Bridge, our loosey gooosey choice for the night. It’s just a lay-by next to the bridge with no facilities, and no connection to the outside world. The bridge was opened by the queen in 1984. Before that a short ferry crossing saved you the 110 mile round trip. To be honest, not a lot of people use it. We had a short walk over the bridge to the ‘village’ of Kylesku, but the rain began in earnest so we returned to the van and hunkered down for the night. All was looking well with the leisure battery, 100% the display said. Great! Some time in the deep dark depths night a beeping woke us. The leisure battery was down to 0%, then all the systems shut down. Oh, well. Ian would sort it in the morning.

A few other vans had stayed overnight with us, including the old couple, and a Scots guy and his glamorous wife just trying out motorhoming. We feel they won’t be doing it again. 

Once we got the engine going we were able to start everything up again and put the bed away. No chance of a shower though so we set off smelly.

All this spectacular scenery almost, but not quite, gets boring. We were headed for Ullapool today, almost civilisation. We stopped for lunch at Knockan Crag, where Ian closed the door too forcefully and the trim came off. Luckily he managed to mend it with the bike tools. He also met some ladies from Buckie who had bought a motorhome themselves but only used it in England so far. 

We pulled into Ullapool smelly and hungry, but found a lovely cafe with dogs allowed for a big lunch. We then had a walk around the town, it’s a very quaint place, but very small. 

Our home for the night was the Ardmair holiday park. Right on the water front again. First two jobs were to empty the toilet and take a shower. As we cracked the wine to toast Michael Smith the sun was setting. Two people were paddle boarding on a becalmed sea, and someone had a barbecue going on the beach. A 4-1 win and a glass of wine in paradise. Can’t beat it