Scotland the long way up

[autoswan]

Castle and gardens were very good in Alnwick today but no dogs allowed so went back to mh which we left in lidle just before huge column with lion on top and some around base after shop for some more bbq supplies. Then parked up in main carpark for castle and gardens near huge treehouse.

They filmed the castle for Harry potter films and had exhibit from Downton abbey tv thing ? The girls were impressed .
Left late afternoon and tide was on way in so save holy island and Bamburgh castle plus a lot more for a future trip.

Got to Berwick upon Tweed cc site ,a lovely view of thr harbour and out to sea, there is a train track just behind us but not bothered by it. Check out the town in morning before setting off to Edinburgh i was outvoted on the free stop at Musselburgh so its the cc site with showers and easy bus in to center?

 

[autoswan]

Berwick upon tweed was a nice fortified little town some shops for the girls to look in while I took the dogs on a nice walk around the outside of the walls, got a bit snookered by the sat nav finding the ample parking. Just after you cross the river bridge into the town, Turn into the B&M shop carpark just through the arches on left, there is a very big parking area to the rear of shop there.

Had a prety easy drive up to Edinburgh minor hold up with road works and didn't cross any bridge or traffic jams as I was expecting to ? Came around the city coastal route and eventually found Edinburgh cc site neat and tidy as expected and full up.

Mini bus return £6 on site and a good long day in Edinburgh the castle the mile, festival and Holly rood etc very good as usual , got the family tickets to see castles dotted around Scotland £60 lasts 5 days but craftily it only covers the castle not Hollyrood ! No bother though cos it covers Stirling and one or two others we may visit so will get the value out of it.

Booked a site just west of Stirling for tomorrow near a safari park so a couple of nights there before we head into the real country and highlands at last .

Just watching the one show live in Edinburgh on tv now, mist my chance to gurn on there

 

[autoswan]

We did Stirling castle and had a look at the Wallace monument nearby through binoculars, also an interesting cemetery next to the castle with some unusual stones and statues.
Stayed 6 miles up the road in a very nice site Blaire Drummond.
Then off west to another lovely site in Onich parked on edge of loch Linhe at Bunree cc site.
On our way to a site at Dunveagan on Sky. Kinloch campsite near the castle. After a break here in fort William to stock up and a look around.

 

[autoswan]

On way up to Skye stopped at a few view points the scenery is breathtaking, huge mountains all around and the stop at Eilaen Donan castle was great as usual though it has been commercialised quite a bit since our last stop here, but still a great stop off point before Skye bridge onto the Isle for some seriously good driving through the hills and mountains weaving from valley loch to the next.
Had a nice night at Kinloch bbq and star gazing till early hours no light pollution so an amazing sight. Then up the road to Dunveagan castle and gardens a great morning stroll and look around, came here last 15 year ago but wanted our wee lass to see the sights up here.
After lunch the heavens opened so instead of going back to Kinloch to walk around in the rain or be stuck inside I decided to head back to fort William to cut the trip back down to Glasgow in half.
Found a tidy little site just outside fort William lockey caravan park £22 ehu inc.
Now back in fort Williams big carpark for 3rd time in last few days while the girls have a look in the town before setting off to Strathclyde cc site for the night.


I'm doing this blog thing so I remember some details to fill in our ships log later, as I've done on previous trips to Europe etc, very useful for remembering stuff when back home.

 

[Langtoftlad]

It's also interesting to follow your route

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[autoswan]

Eventually made it to glasgown site after a few stops to walk and view the mountains and loch lomond. Roads are narrow bendy lanes coming north of lomond with big lorries one side and metal barriers the other so squeeky bum time in parts.

Lots of major road works on approach to the cc site here which caused confusion as we apprached. Site is adequate for a night but a lot of road and works noise till very late just nex to the site. Weve seen glasgow a couple of times before so be glad to get south away from the crowded roads here.

I was heading to blackpool but its around 200 miles so decided to divide the distance between here and home on saterday a bit more equally so will try to find somewher near penrith for tonight and stop on route if something catches our eye.

 

[bigtree]

For anyone wanting a nice site within easy reach of Glasgow try here,
Broken Link Removed

 

[autoswan]

Found a nice site flusco wood camp site in Penrith for the night after easy drive down the m74 and stops at Gretna and Penrith town. £24 with ehu and other stuff , good showers spacious with shower head you can take off mount unlike fixed cc ones.

Looks like were heading back to where it all started, for tonight at lady hayes site in Frodshom its en route down and the girls want a few things in the craft shop there so down the m6 we go and hope the traffics not to hectic !

 

[CWH]

flusco wood camp site in Penrith

It looks a lovely site, with the luxury of your own water tap & drain too, and I love underfloor heated showers.
Pity they have to spoil it with coin-operated hairdryers. But then if they don't charge, I suppose people just abuse them for drying hand-washed clothes etc - I've seen it happen.

Sounds as though you're having a great tour with loads of good memories

 

[autoswan]

Yes its been great just a pity we didnt have more time due to work going on longer than usual i normally stop when the kids do for summer but not possible this year also kids back in on 5th. So there are lots of places and reasons to do the NE again in the future

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[CWH]

You've been to some lovely places @autoswan , some of our favourite areas, so pleased that you've given us some useful tips for us about roads and sites to visit/ stay, thank you.

 

[autoswan]

Nice drive down m6 no congestion at all got here to laday Hayes early sorry I didn't go wandering on way now but thought traffic might be bad down this end and wanted to miss rush hour, but it was fine.
Timed it right here pitch prices drop from £26 to £18.50 a night from today 1st Sept.
Decided to head home tomorrow a day early to have a long day wandering the 175 miles back home stopping at a few places en route, leaves more time to build a bit more of the log cabin/ summer house in our garden for our daughter and us to play I mean use. Before work starts again at 100 mph soon after.

 

[autoswan]

York

Whitby

Alnwick


Edinburgh

 

[autoswan]

Stirling

Doune castle

 

[autoswan]

The highlands

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[autoswan]

Sky

 

[autoswan]

just a few

 

[CWH]

Gorgeous! thank you!
I always thing that pictures trigger memories - hope they do for you too