Culzean Castle

Well, today has been a very wet day. Complete opposite to sunny yesterday. The area we are in has been on the BBC Radio 2 traffic report. The A77 is flooded and is closed. Let's hope it's open again tomorrow.

We spent the day at the castle. The castle has been built on the side of a cliff and looks magnificent. We took a guided tour of the inside which was excellent and full of history, beauty and architecture. We didn't venture too far outside but there's 20miles of paths, a deer park and gardens.

Coast to Coast

We are back on the west coast having driven from Edinburgh through Glasgow (Glasgow is just a mass of complicated motorways and junctions). We are at Culzean Castle (silent Z) campsite near Ayr.

The weather has been pretty good today and tomorrow we'll be visiting the castle although my knee still hurts.

Tonight we'll be falling asleep to the sound of a couple of tawny owls. I can hear them now.

Edinburgh

We've been to Edinburgh before a few years ago but we skipped the castle. It was too expensive for the amount of time we wanted to spend there. This time we could get in for free (normally £16 each) with our English Heritage membership (sorry if that is sounding like a broken record).

Just like at Stirling Castle we had a guide who was very funny. We saw a few things including the Scottish crown jewels and the firing of the Clock Gun which goes off 6 days a week at 1pm.

In the whisky shop in the castle there is a bottle of single malt whisky from 1964 for sale for £3900! It's bottle 1 of 250.

We decided to hike up to Arthur's Seat which is a 250metre high hill which has great views of the city. It was a bit of a hike and Zoe's knee started hurting so I left her resting while I continued. It didn't take long. It was a moderate climb with steps. On the way down while climbing over rocks I tripped and fell forward. I twisted and landed on my back but I bashed my knee quite badly and got a few scratches and bruises on my hands caused as I tried to stop myself from falling. I think I was very lucky. It could have been a lot worse. Walking all the way back down was very painful. When we got back to Herman I tried to stop the swelling using frozen sausages.

Hopefully I should be able to drive Herman but I think pressing the clutch will be a bit painful.

Stirling Castle

We travelled to Edinburgh today. Driving from the west coast to the east coast took about 3 hours with some amazing scenery. It's very distracting, the scenery. There has been a few times where I've had wobbly moment after looking out the wrong window for too long.
On the way to Edinburgh we caught sight of Stirling Castle from the motorway and decided to check it out for a couple of hours. The entry fee was £13 each but we got in for free with our English Heritage membership.
The castle is well worth the visit. We had an excellent guide to show us around. He was very chatty and knew his history. They also have people in costume to give you more information about each room.

Oban

We've been to Oban before a few years ago but that was to catch the ferry to Mull. We thought it would nice to see what was Oban really like because all we did last time was sit in the car.
On the way to Oban we paid a visit to Dunstaffage Castle and the beautiful Stalker Castle which has been built on a small island (obviously the owners don't like neighbours).
In Oban we ate (I had haggis again), checked out McCaig Tower and the distillery (I had to buy a bottle of 14 year old single malt whisky).
We also did food shopping in Tesco. This may sound like a boring thing to write but we noticed that since Scotland has many many salmon farms in its many lochs the salmon that Tesco sells comes from Norway!

Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary

We've decided to head south towards Oban which is 27 minutes away. It was a tough decision because we wanted to head to either the Isle of Skye, Inverness (where there is a school of dolphins which you can watch from the shore) or the Cairngorms (where we have a chance to see eagles).
Taking the beautiful coastal road we visit the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary along the way. Here we got to see their resident common seal and their two Canadian otters which was great. They also have a massive aquarium with different types of fish, many endangered,  including sharks, dogfish, wolf fish, congar eels, cod and skate.

Glenfinnan

Today we drove to Glenfinnan which is where Bonny Prince Charlie returned from exile and gathered many clansman to claim back his right to be king against the English. A monument on the loch marks this event.
The Jacobite train also travels through here via the magnificent viaduct which was used in the Harry Potter films.
We also saw the light and heat of the sun. We had 269 seconds and many beautiful rainbows especially over the viaduct.

Glencoe

Today has been a wet day, all day. The sun and the mountains have been hidden behind a thick layer of cloud. The weather report said heavy rain and gales. We haven't had that yet but there is still time.

Waterproofs on, we go for a walk in the area and end up in the Glencoe Village Cafe. Their hot soup and a sandwich combo and the apple and pear pie with hot creamy custard are homemade and delicious.

On the way back we spot 3 red deer crossing the path in front of us and one of them got quite close (6 metres is close). That's another Scottish species ticked off the list.

The Scottish Highlands

Today we've headed for the Scottish Highlands. The journey is a 2 hour drive but it took us a lot longer due to having to stop every so often to admire the fantastic scenery.

We are staying at the Glencoe campsite about 10 miles south of Fort William.

Walk to Ben Lomond

A bit of weird day today weather wise. The wind has picked up and it brings with it sunshine, rain, more sun followed by more rain. But it's so predictable because you can see the weather as it comes across the loch.
So, with this weather in mind we put on our waterproofs and walked towards Ben Lomond along the West Highland Way. The path hugs the lock's coastline so we kept a look out for otters. No otters but we did see a red squirrel (that's one off the list to see) and many swallows which must mean it's still summer!
We were too tired to go up Ben Lomond. Instead we headed back along the easier, flatter road. We must have done 6 or 7 miles by the time we arrived back at the campsite.

West Highland Way

As I write this the sun is setting over Loch Lomond, the rain has stopped and the midges are eating my face. It's worth it though as you can see from the photo.

Today we cycled into the nearest village called Balmaha using the West Highland Way which is a 95mile path from Glasgow to Fort William.

While in Balmaha we ate in the Oak Tree Inn where I had the haggis panini. I've not had haggis before and this panini was delicious. Then we went into the visitors centre with a few questions about the wildlife. Long story, short. We are very unlikely to see otters or osprey. We should see Golden eagles up mountains. Grey squirrels are being wiped out by pine martins. And we should also be able to see crossbills and red squirrels in the forests.

So, fingers crossed and binoculars out

Additional; the sun has set and the bats are out. Simply fantastic

Loch Lomond

We've arrived at Loch Lomond. We have a pitch right on the waters edge and the view was amazing until the mist and rain came in. I still managed to do a spot of fishing though.

First Stop Carlisle

We are back on the road again with Herman and this time we are touring Scotland. We've been to Scotland before in a rental where we went to the Cairngorms and Edinburgh but this time we are heading for the west side, the Highlands and maybe an island. We have no plans unlike the other trips. We are going to go where the mood (or weather) takes us.
The only destinations we have planned for is a campsite in Carlisle to break up the driving and a campsite on the shores of Lock Lomond.
So far it's been uneventful. We've driven up the boring and long  M40 and M6. We did it in 5 hours and there was no traffic. The last time we did the drive there were a lot of road works which simply did my head in for every 20 miles there was a 50mph limit and only two lanes.

Trying the Deep Sky Camera in The New Forest

At the last minute we decided to go to the New Forest in Herman. The weather forecast was to be good, the best weather we will have had for many weeks because of all the rain we've had. So, it'd be a good opportunity to take the telescope & try out my new deep sky camera.

I thought I'd go just before sunset because that would give time to setup in day light (to see what I am doing) & practise on the sun, moon and maybe even the planet Mercury. But clouds got in the way and I realised that I'd have use a polar mount (that's when the scope starts off pointing at the pole star) due to the restricted movement caused by the large camera.

Setup of the pole mount was simple (never tried it before) and star  alignment was really good (new batteries also helps). It was at this point when trying to focus on the star Vega that I realised that the electronic focuser wasn't working.

So, no photos were taken but at least I got some practice in and saw a clear sky for once.

Star Gazing at an Observatory

Today we decided to take a short trip to the Branscombe mill, old bakery and forge where we watched a blacksmith making stuff. I thought that was very interesting.

The most thrilling part was getting there. Yes, you guessed it more narrow roads where the hedge rows on either side of the road brush against Hermans sides but this time we also had the steep gradients. At one point Herman couldn't continue because the wheels just span on the wet road. It was touch and go.

Getting back on proper roads and unclenching teeth and buttocks we headed for Lyme Regis where we found the parking fees very civilized (£1.70 for all day). Being the fossil capital of the UK we had to do some fossil hunting. We found loads but they were all too large to pick up.

When we got back to the campsite the sun had come out. After a fab meal of chorizo and bean stew and locally baked bread I cycled to the Norman Lockyer Observatory which is about a mile away.

The observatory has 5 fixed large telescopes including an 11 inch reflector (opened this year by Queen guitarist and astronomer Brian May) and a 150 year old 6 inch refractor. The observatory also has a planetarium which was amazing to see.

Many people had brought their own kit, most of it very expensive. They'd setup their telescopes with cameras and laptops connected and then sat in the auditorium and controlled the telescopes from there using WiFi and a big screen. I'd like to be able to do that from inside Herman when we're out camping, in the warm with a mug of tea. Having said that sitting inside, in the warm, staring at a large screen with 4 different telescope views didn't beat being outside, in the cold, viewing Saturn, or Hercules Globular Cluster, or the Ring Nebula with your own eye aided by mirrors and lenses. You would see more detail and colour with the cameras and computers but the sense of magic and wonder had gone. For example, the other day when we were in Looe I spent an evening taking photos of Saturn. It was only when I shut the telescope and laptop down that I got the wow factor having looked up at sky and seeing the amazing stars of the summer months with the Milky Way stretching to the horizon.

It was a great place to meet people and talk about astronomy and telescopes.

Sidmouth, Devon

We've moved on again. This is our last campsite. Our holiday is drawing to a close. This time we are in Sidmouth, Devon. I chose this place because there is an Observatory less than a mile from the campsite.
It's been raining all day and the chances of seeing anything at night is looking slim.

The Pirates of Polperro

Today we went to Polperro. It's another pretty fishing town with a harbour and narrow streets. To be honest there's not much there really. There are lots of places to eat; pasty shops, ice cream palours and cafes.  But there are probably too many art and craft shops. You know, those shops selling stuff to hang on your wall or to sit on your mantle piece. Oh, and there's a cave.

I think the real problem with Polperro and the reason for my negativity is the car parking. We've spent a small fortune in Cornwall on car parking but the parking in Polperro is just highway robbery. To park your car costs £4 for 3 hours. That's more expensive than parking in London. However, to park a camper costs £7.50 for 3 hours. Pirates are alive and well in Polperro! A lot of campers, including Herman, will fit into a car parking space and there were a couple of very large cars there too. So why the difference in price? Not only that, but you get to feel like a segregated second class citizen because you have to park right at the back of this massive car park miles from the pay booth and the entrance. It just made me feel that we were being ripped off and just didn't want to spend any money. We'd also liked to have had a meal in Polperro but didn't have the time either.

Today was also Zoe's birthday and I got her those Croc's shoes. She's been wanting a pair for a while and we found a shop in Looe selling them the other day. I also got a pair for myself. Well, I didn't want to miss out.

Coastal Walk to Looe

Whenever we have nice weather Zoe always says, "oh, it's like being in a different country". Today was definitely like being in a different country. First of all the sun has been blazing all day long with not a cloud in the sky. Second, walking along the coast into Looe felt like a hike along the Cinque Terre in Tuscany, Italy with its steep climbs, cliff side houses and spectacular views.

Looe is a beautiful harbour town with a beach, narrow streets and lots of places to eat and drink. We had a light lunch in "The Coffee Shop" which was really delicious.

Just found out that Herman is live on the campsite webcam

Looe

New campsite today. This time we are in Looe, on the south coast of Cornwall. We've got a great view of Looe Bay with Looe Island and the sun has been out for most of the day.

Getting here was somewhat entertaining. First, we stopped off at Lanhydrock which is a very impressive Victorian stately house and gardens. And second, the campsite is situated down some very narrow roads with a sign that says "Road Ends Ahead"! Luckily, we didn't meet much traffic but we still had to change our underwear when we arrived.

St. Michael's Mount

The weather has been so much better today. The sun was out for most of the day and no wind. In other words a great day to visit St. Michael's Mount which is right on our doorstep.

The tide was out so we were able to walk to the island via the causeway. The island has a small community of cottages, a chapel, gardens, a harbour, restaurants and a castle. A family still live in the castle but you can still visit it and go inside.

By the time we wanted to leave the tide had come back in and we had to take a short ride on one of the ferries to take us back to shore.

This is when we spotted a seal just bobbing along not 20 metres from where we were standing.

Returning back to the campsite we had another BBQ and Zoe volunteered to wash Herman. And a pretty good job she did too even though it took her 14 buckets of water!

Herman's Coastal Tour

St. Ives was todays destination which is another pretty coastal town. It's full of pasty shops, art galleries, bakeries & sea gulls.

Afterwards, we took Herman on a tour of the north coastal road to St. Just. Amazing, twisty, narrow roads which I think I did on my motorbike many years ago. I was driving so there was no wetting of knickers at the sight of the 556 bus coming the other way. This road had some really nice views. You couldn't see much of the coast but the surrounding countryside was amazing.

We didn't stop in St. Just because we missed the car park but instead we went to Mousehole which is on the south coast near Penzance. This coastal town must have the narrowest streets in the world but it also has a bus service which has to do a 3-point turn when it arrives at the harbour.

The weather has been getting better. The wind isn't so strong, the sun has kindly appeared and we managed to have a BBQ.

Lands End

Today was a chore day. We had to do shopping and laundry and we did both in Penzance.

Lunch in Penzance was a bit of a disaster. We ordered and 45 mins later we still hadn't been served so we walked out and went and had a delicious (proper) Cornish pasty instead.

In the afternoon we ended up at Lands End. It was so windy there you could almost lean against it. At least it wasn't raining. We saw a few people who had just arrived or were just setting off for John O'Groats (874 miles away in Scotland).

Our campsite is a 5 minute walk from the coast and St. Michael's Mount which is an island that you can walk to when the tide is out. It's also a great place to watch the kite surfers riding the waves and getting some air.

Pendennis Castle

We moved on again today. This time we headed for Penzance but before that we took a detour to Pendennis Castle in Falmouth.

The castle was built in 1540 by King Henry 8 to defend against a French or Spanish invasion. We got in for free with our English Heritage membership that ran out in March. Interesting place with guns & cannons but we thought that the smaller Mawes Castle (also by Henry 8) on the opposite side of the Falmouth estuary was better with more detail and an audio tour.

There was also a exhibition of cartoons drawn by George Butterworth who was on the Nazi hit list for taking the piss out of Hitler during World War 2.

The weather has been the worst so far. Windy, cold and heavy rain at times but that didn't put some guy off eating his Mr Whippy ice cream.

Fastest Bus in the Galaxy

Today we decided to walk the coastal path to the Bedruthan Steps which is a famous beauty spot of a small group of islands along the coast. The weather was very different from the last few days and we got wet a few times.

We managed to catch the 556 bus back to the campsite and what a ride it was. The Millennium Falcon had nothing on this bus. Single track, narrow, twist roads at what seemed like light speed. Cars and Land Rovers jumping out of the way. And the driver? Well, he was learning the route. He'd only just started the job a few days ago. He was previously a rally car driver.

It was a great way of seeing the Cornish coast.

Padstow in Shorts

Wow, it was hot today. Forecast was clear and thunder in the afternoon. So wrong. Today I've been in shorts (with my lillie white legs) and factor 25 sun block. We spent the morning just being lethargic and relaxing while in the afternoon we went to Padstow which is a fishing town famous for the celebrity chef Rick Stein.

This beautiful town is full of places to eat with more pasty shops (including three in a row down one small narrow street) than you'll ever need and only out numbered by ice cream parlours.

We needed to buy bread and the only place selling proper bread (it was late in the day for fresh bread) was Rick Stein's bakers. In fact, he has a number of shops and restaurants in Padstow. In one shop you can buy his beer, his wine, his ice cream, his pasties, his fish, his veg, his salt and his BBQ charcoal!

We are now back at the campsite and it has gone a little cloudy. Maybe that thunder is coming after all.

Port Isaac

Moving on today we head towards Tregurrian, north Cornwall.

The weather was sunny and warm. Perfect for sight seeing. We stop off at Port Isaac which is a beautiful historic fishing village with small, narrow streets.

Lunch was fantastic. We ate in Cup Cakes, a small tea room and we both had the locally caught crab tarts.

Zoe did all the driving and not being used to the narrow, twisty roads she almost ended up wetting herself but we made it to the campsite in one piece.

Saved by a Smart Phone

We are now on another holiday in Herman our motorhome. We are going to be touring Cornwall but for a couple of nights we are staying in the Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

Today was our first full day and it hasn't stopped raining since we woke up. So we decided to head out into the Park and see it from the driver's seat, as it were.

We ended up in Postbridge, had a great lunch at the East Dart Hotel when the weather started to clear a bit. After buying a guided walk we set off on 4 mile hike up a Tor (hill with jagged rocks).

The route  was simple but somehow we still managed to go the wrong way and get lost! Looking at the map in the guide didn't help because we'd gone on too far before we had realised we'd gone the wrong way. So, we didn't know where we were.

We could walk back the way we came but that seemed a long way. I took out my smart phone hoping to use its GPS and the map application but it needs a phone signal to work and I didn't have that. Instead I fired up the compass application and using that and the guide map I managed to figure out where we were and get us back on the right track. We had walked over a kilometre in the wrong direction.

Herman in Dartmoor

Zoe in the rain on Bellever Tor