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18th July 2021 – The Final Voyage

Had an excellent nights sleep, and woke refreshed and ready for the long day ahead. Got showered and then started to pack the car. Once again, Ash did not join us for breakfast. I got the car packed, and after the usual faffing around we set off home at 10. The weather had been our friend for the entire trip, and today was no different, with the sun blazing away again. It was mid 20’s when we left, hit the 30’s by midday.

We went home via the Peak District, stopping off in Eyam, the famous Plague Village. We took a gentle stroll around the village, grabbing a bite to eat whilst there. The heat became intense, so we decided to call it a day and headed home. The drive back was very peaceful. All my passengers slept, with the Discovery’s climate control keeping us all nice and cool. It was eerily quiet, with just the whump-whump of the tyres, and the radio on so low all you could here was the clicking of hit-hat ‘s in the music, and the lisp of ‘s’s during any announcements. I could have very easily nodded off myself.

We had on pit stop, at Leicester Forest East Services, to get Ash some bread and milk before taking him home to his New Street apartment. I unpacked his stuff from the car, and we said our goodbyes before driving back to Lutterworth. We got home around 4. We got the car unpacked and collapsed. It had been a very long and busy 12 days away.

The following day, the third English Covid Lockdown was officially over.

AT 1.27 a.m. on Saturday 22nd October 2022, Ash eventually lost his battle against Pancreatic cancer. He has been our constant travelling companion for nigh on 2 decades, and has accompanied us to the four corners of the UK. This was the final ‘big’ trip we did together, and he, his green jacket and his camera will be sorely missed.

17th July 2021

We were up early, and I had a bad nights sleep. The room was very hot and stuffy, and the bed relatively small. I got myself washed & dressed, then packed the car up before having breakfast around eight thirty. Ash once again was not feeling great, so did not join us for breakfast. A disappointing breakfast, with disappointing service. I finished getting the car ready then waited for everyone else to get into gear. They knew the trip was coming to a close and everyone was a tad lethargic. We eventually set sail around 10 heading for our final hotel of the trip, The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

It was only a 2 hour drive, and we were parked up by midday. Despite our early arrival the hotel were kind enough to check us in early. We then went for a long walk around Harrogate, which included a great deal of shopping. We ate in a faux American Diner, having milkshakes and hot dogs. This was the perfect meal for such a blazing hot, around 30 degrees, day. We ended up spending over four hours exploring the town. This pretty much finished us off.

We went back to the hotel, had a beer or two then the other 3 went off for a nap while I got the car unpacked. I then propped up the bar until dinner time. We ate at half 8 and were asleep before 11.

16th July 2021

In terms of sightseeing this was one of the things I had most looked forward to, a visit to Hadrians Wall. We were all up earlier than usual, and I had the car loaded before breakfast. After some excellent food, we checked out and were on the road by half 8. I had pre-booked tickets for the Roman Army Museum, which was literally just up the road. Unfortunately I had purchased the wrong ones, they were for a sister site, however they were kind enough to let us in anyway. Whilst relatively small, it is a total treasure trove. Childhood memories of reading Asterix & Obelix came flooding back as I looked at shields, swords, and a whole array of Roman artifacts. When we exited via the giftshop, they were even selling Asterix books, so I purchased one along with a couple of maps.

Next, we moved on to a car park around the corner that had a path leading to Hadrians Wall. There was a little shop there where we got a drink and an ice cream,, as well as a map of the wall. From the car park there is an uphill climb to reach the actual wall. Shani & Erin gave up halfway, but Ash & I soldiered on eventually reaching the peak to see, and touch, a very decent section of the wall. You get such a fantastic sense of history when there, and develop a sympathy for the poor soldiers who were stationed there.

As we bade farewell to Scotland, we were supposed to take a leisurely drive through the North Pennines, however the Sat Nav took us over to Newcastle then down the A1M, which was inconveniently closed at Junction 62. This then took us on a 2 hour detour, in heavy traffic, through Durham. We eventually arrived at Walworth Castle Hotel at half past four. We had a beer then got unpacked. Shani was not well so went off to bed early. We had a massive, and very enjoyable, dinner, before also crashing out for the night.

15th July 2021

It was a leisurely start to the day – packing, showering, breakfast then loading the car. Poor old Ash was not feeling great again, so we took some toast to his room. By 10 a.m. we had checked out and were heading back into Edinburgh. We fluked it and managed to park in the same on-street spot that we had yesterday. We then spent a few hours exploring, heading more to the old town and checking out some whisky shops (£40,000 bottle of scotch, anyone?!). The weather remained good, hitting 25 degrees centigrade. By half 12 we had done what we needed to and set off south.

We headed out on the A71 rather than opting for the M74 hoping for a vaguely more picturesque route. It was indeed more scenic, yet considerably longer, clocking in at a good 3 hours We added a couple of stops along the way so we could all stretch our legs. Eventually we got to the Greenhead Hotel at about half four. This was one of the smaller hotels we used on this trip, clocking in at a mere 7 rooms, yet it was easily one of the most pleasant.

Once there we just relaxed for the remainder of the day. Ash had a nap, then we had a few drinks followed by a very good dinner. Our room was very smart, with a bath in the middle of the actual room. Erin made use of this! We then got the car unloaded and got a good nights sleep.

14th July 2021

A monster drive lay ahead. Clocking in at around 3 hours and 41 minutes (on paper), it was the longest single drive of the entire trip, bar the drive up which went from 3 drives to one thanks to the NHS (see Day 1). I was up before 8, having had a shocking nights sleep (or lack thereof). We got packed, showered and went for breakfast. As with dinner, not an enthralling meal. Ash missed it once again, as he was not feeling up to it. We finally set off at 20 past 10. To help keep me awake during this long drive, Shani and Erin promptly fell asleep. It was a scenic start as we passed by the southern tip of the Cairngorms, but this quickly turned into main roads and lots of traffic, which to date we had managed to avoid. We had a couple of stops, one of which was very notable indeed.

We found what must be one of the last remaining proper truck stops, the Ballinluig Motorgrill. Located on the A9, south of Pitlochry, it was the highlight of this particular drive. The ladies that ran it were not only the waitresses but also the chefs. They treated everyone as though they were at home, thoroughly mothering us all. The food was fantastic, and well priced. In all, a pure joy. We tanked up with fuel and set off for Edinburgh. We entered the city by crossing the new Forth Bridge, with the other two bridges in view, its an epic way to enter a city.

Like any major city, parking is a nightmare. After a bit of messing around we manage to find some free on-street parking. The car was too tall for the open pay & display car parks, thanks to the roof box. We then stretched our legs and had a stroll down Princes Street. For me this was a personal goal, as I got to see some of the places Fish sang about on his ‘Internal Exile’ album (& song) –  I Saw A Blue Umbrella in Princes Street Gardens, Heading Out West For The Lothian Road’. Seeing the gardens and the Lothian Road, the song ran through my head.

It was a blazing hot day, so some ice creams were in order. This was followed up by some shopping where I purchased a lead crystal Dram glass and a couple of maps. We dined in the very non-traditional 5 Guys before heading to our hotel, the Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club. This is a beautiful hotel, and has an amazing golf course attached to it. We did not play. Once checked in we chilled out, had a drink, and planned for day 9. Despite the long day and long drive, I didn’t hit the hay until just before midnight.

13th July 2021.

Having slept like a log, I was up at half 7. We got ready, and started packing the car. Ash did not feel great so skipped breakfast. The owner of the hotel heard about the cock up at the bar the previous night, and we also told her the reason for this trip. As a result, she very kindly gave Ash his room for free, having had a relative with a similar condition pass away. We refueled in Fort Augustus before setting off to our next destination.

The road down to Fort William was straight, and in comparison to other drives on this trip, was relatively short, coming in under an hour. As we were too early to check into the hotel, we headed straight for Ben Nevis. This was easier said than done. I imagine most of you would think it was easy to find a huge mountain like Ben Nevis, but it was not. We ended up taking an odd detour before finally arriving in the car park at the foot of said mountain. Sad to say it was an underwhelming ‘Is That It?’ feeling once in the car park. There was a small gift shop, and to be honest, we were not even sure we were in the right place. The gift shop had a couple of maps and touristy bits, again, not what you would expect from such a monumentally world famous attraction.

That being said, we decided to saunter up as far as we could. Due to Ash’s condition, we barely made it to the foothills. We called it a day and headed off to see whatever sights we could see in the vicinity. Luckily, we found one such place. The Glenfinnan Viaduct. This was used in the Harry Potter movies, as the train took the pupils to Hogwarts. Its an impressive piece of architecture, and there is plenty of parking and viewing areas to boot. Having taken in the views, we crossed the road for a stroll on the shore of Loch Shiel opposite the viaduct.

It was then back to The Moorings hotel in Fort William. This was a very odd place. The front was Olde Worlde, but the back was ultra modern. Once checked in and unpacked, Ash want to got exploring again. We drive for half an hour and found a waterfall in the middle of nowhere. These were the Eas Chia-Ag waterfalls. Surrounded by incredible forest, the water was crystal clear. There were people swimming in the pool at the base of the waterfall, and some sort of pumping station at the top. The climb to the top was a little steeper than anticipated, yet fun all the same.

We headed back to the hotel arriving around half 6. Had a very uninspiring dinner, and went to the room. An early night was had by all, and I was out for the count by half 10.

12th July 2021.

A 7.30 start, not wanting to waste a scrap of time whilst on Skye, we got packed, fed and out as quickly as possible. We headed straight down to Armadale Castle. It was an overcast morning but the sun was back out by the time we arrived at the Castle. Erin and I went to the gift shop before we went into the grounds, which was a novel approach, however it was the only way to buy entry tickets.

We meandered around the Castle ruins, and then decided to take a walk around the forest. This turned into a mile and a half trek, through, what turned out to be, a very hot and humid forest. There were also several art installations which were dotted around the lower part of this forest. Odd, but interesting. This also involved climbing up a very steep hill before crossing at the top and coming back down to the castle. The visit was rounded off with a well deserved drink at the café.

By 12.30 we were on our way back to the mainland, and to Fort Augustus. A magnificent drive, not witnessed by Shani and Erin who slept pretty much all of the way. It was about a two hour drive, and we only stopped once. Fort Augustus is on the southern tip of the famous Loch Ness. We were staying at one of the most incredible hotels of the trip – The Lovat Hotel & Restaurant. Once we had checked in, we went for a walk around the town and, as usual, did some souvenir shopping! Unfortunately, the restaurant and bar were closed in the hotel, so we ended up eating at one of the other local pubs. Good food and friendly folk abounded. This was followed by a stroll down the the shores of the Loch. An experience everyone should have at least once in their lives.

This long day did not end early, and we eventually turned in just before midnight. A long, but highly enjoyable, day.

11th July 2021

Another early start, and rallying the troops gets harder the further into the trip we get. They may have slowed down but I had a coast to coast drive to engage in. East to West, we were literally chopping across the waist of Scotland. It was also the drive I was most looking forward to, and as it turned out, correctly so. We were off to the Isle Of Skye. Even as I type this up, I am sipping a glass of Talisker whisky (that is not a joke, I actually am).

Fueled up in Inverness just to be safe, then started the epic drive down the entire length of Loch Ness. The landscape on the way down was incredible. Huge trees seemed to grow vertically out of an almost vertical slope, as the road had been carved out along the shore of this famous loch. We stopped multiple times, which made this 20 mile section of the trip go on seemingly forever. There was a visitor centre along the route but thanks to Covid it was shut. Luckily there was a village nearby who were more than happy to risk the plague and relive people of their tourist dollars. We stopped off once more near a small forest where everyone stretched their legs, before hitting Fort Augustus.

We had to double back slightly in order to head to the Isle of Skye but it was worth it to say we have driven the length of Loch Ness. The road to Skye was little short of magnificent. Seeing the bridge to Skye come into view was stunning. In fact, I am not sure why they didn’t film Lord Of The Rings here, as the entire journey had an almost mythical feel to it. Sweeping valleys, mountains, lush green foliage and clear, free flowing rivers and lochs. What’s not to like? The run from Fort Augustus to Broadford in Skye took about an hour and a half, and despite it looking a long way, and stopping relentlessly to enjoy the vista, we were at the hotel by 2 pm.

Once on the island, we didn’t stop. We dumped our stuff at the hotel and then headed over to the western side of the Island to see the Fairy Pools. Had a good mooch around and then came back to Broadford, with the realisation dawning on us that maybe one night here would not be enough. Ash had a kip, we went to the local shop for beer and sweets. Both essential for happy travels! We once again ate at the hotel (as we had done every night so far, for sake of ease). Despite being exhausted, sleep did not arrive until midnight. We all slept like logs.

As a footnote to this, it was also the Wimbledon Men’s Single’s final (Djokovic won) and the final of Euro 2020 – England v Italy. Italy won, however it went to penalties and I got told off for yelling out in the restaurant whilst having dinner, despite the fact the place was deserted.

10th July 2021.

A good nights sleep was followed by an amazing breakfast. Will I ever tire of Haggis? Doubtful. I decided to load the bulk of the car up before showering, as the weather was so warm, I was undoing the good of said shower. After breakfast we got the rest of the bits loaded into the car then went for a stroll, in the hope of seeing some Red Squirrels. There was a large forest just down the road from the hotel. It was supposed to be rammed full of these squirrels. There were none in sight! This was a theme that was to plague us during our entire trip. We saw one red squirrel, and it was unfortunately intertwined with tyre rubber and tarmac (not our doing, I hasten to say). After an hour or so, we strolled back to the car, by way of an Art Gallery.

The next leg of the trip was just a short hop up to Inverness. The drive looked boring, A9 all the way pretty much, so we did our usual, and went off-piste. Somewhere along the way we came across an amazingly large bridge, crossing an equally large river. We access this via a narrow grassy track, which also had us exit across an old, low, rickety wooden bridge some yards downstream from the new monstrosity that carried a main road.

Our ultimate destination that day was the Bunchrew House Hotel. A pink castle just to the west of Inverness located on the shores of the Beauly Firth. It has a glorious long driveway, leading to a graveled courtyard. The only place I managed to fly the drone, footage to be added here once uploaded. We had spotted a large toyshop in Inverness on the way through, so Erin and I went and treated ourselves! Back at the hotel we had a stroll and explored the shore and grounds. This was an amazing place, great rooms, friendly staff, just let down slightly by an overbearing Maitre D’ (and a bloody long wait for food, which is unexpected in a 16 bedroom hotel).  It was a good chance to unwind a little after the manic driving of the last couple of days. Fed, then bed by 11.30. Tomorrow is another long day of driving.

9th July 2021.

It was an early start, prompted mainly by a bad nights sleep. Everyone was up, packed and fed in short order and we were on the road by half 9. Bidding goodbye to the Killin Hotel, we set off with 4 waypoints in line before our next destination, the hope being that we took in as much of the Cairngorms as was possible during the 3 and a half hour drive. The first of these stops was a Tummel Bridge. We visited the Queens View at Loch Tummel. This is a ‘Bucket List’ view and one that, if you ever get the chance, you should go to without hesitation.

Having picked up our now slackend jaws after gazing at the beauty of Loch Tummel, we headed off to Braemar, stopping off at Pitlochry for fuel. The drive through the Cairngorms is hard to put into non-cliched words. Driving through clouds at 600 meters above sea level was a personal favourite of mine. The biggest issue I had as a driver was continually having to stop for photo opportunities. You also need to keep your wits about you, as some of the roads are less than wide. This was aptly demonstrated when an HGV truck decided to take the back roads, causing chaos and causing me to leave a chunk of alloy wheel embedded in the side of a hill as I rock crawled around him.

Our next stop was the Bridge Of Brown which is just outside the Glenlivet Estate. I was unable to visit the distillery there due to time constraints and whinging passengers, so we carried on to our destination – The Boat Of Garten, where we were staying at the Boat Inn hotel. If nothing, Scotland has some incredibly colourfully named towns and villages. The hotel, despite outward appearances, was good. We ate and then slept early ready for tomorrow.