Travelodge Dumfries

We left a cold and frosty Cumbria packed to the beams with luggage. Not a a space to squeeze aanother thing in. Looking at the back seat of the car, the only thing missing seems to be the kitchen sink. In the boot however Tessie, our collie dog, having the boot to herself, is very comfortable. Our destination is the self catering cottage in Rockfield ...

... campsite with only 4 caravans and a tiny room with toilet. No shower after the day I've just had? I'd just finished putting up the tent when a woman arrived saying, 'You can't camp here'.
Just what I needed. She did, however, let me camp in the field next door for free. I must have looked quite silly as I pulled out the pegs and carried the whole tent along the lane to the next field. I was past caring.

529 miles.

... br>It got to the stage where I had to ring my bell as I approached any sheep, as it appears they need extra time to panic before making stupid decisions. One ran out right in front of me and we both had to screech on the brakes, skidding towards one another. Not sure who was more scared. Others ran for ages along the road in front of me, not realising all they had to do was move to the side or stop. One sheep was ...

Woke up just after sunrise….had a coffee and watched the sea….so calm and another clear day on the way!

Left early and headed out to Duart point to see Duart Castle, but the car was making strange noises so didn't stick around too long and decided to take the next available ferry over to the main land.

So, took the ferry (45 min) to Oban and looked for a garage. None open!

So decided to drive ...

... dear sister. They have served me well during this tour, as well as the SIC hoodie I got in Carlisle. They keep me warm when the night is cold. On Monday I made photo editing and wrote to the travel blog, sitting at a restaurant with free wi-fi and power to the laptop. The days fly and I am way back in these postings. But I try to make some french notes day to day, otherwise I will forget. It was a bit late when I got to the Three Tuns, but ...

... many new friends in each place they visit. They appreciate more to play in small venues, were the audience is close. Unofficial. It is easier to brake the barrier between the band and the audience in a smaller venue. While computing someone played Sepultura and Dead Embryonic Cells from the jukebox - this can not be a bad place, I thought. One of my very favourite songs is played :D And the bus had to be parked in the harbour, a 10 minute walk from Three Tuns ...

... so we drove on until we found a campsite. We pitched our tent at Burgh-on-Sand in a farm. The lady who ran it said that the next morning she would follow us to Bowness-on-Solway, drop our car off, and as she had an equestrian event in Perth, she would drop us off in Carlisle. Bonus Day 6 Start - Finish Carlisle - Bowness-on-Solway Distance - 25 Kilometres After being dropped off, it took us an hour before we could find the track ...

... Europe, decided that it might be fun to drive around Scotland in the middle of Winter. On came December, and Hamlin flew into London from Belgium, and we picked up our transportation slash accommodation for the next two weeks. A Volkswagen Golf Stationwagon. After seeing a few sights around London with Penny, another of the Contiki alumni, we headed the eight hours up the M6 to the Scotland border ...

... and the first bit of the farmhouse was built in the 14th century. On the Saturday we drove along the Queensway and also through the forest along the little goat track which was recommended to us by the local tourist info girl and she also said we would might get a flat.....guess what we did. Along the Queensway we climbed up to Murray's monume nt and also up to a waterfall. We also saw ...

... where some of the most famous battles have been fought. I went to see the William Wallace (aka Braveheart to the fans) Monument which is a towering museum at the top of a hill overlooking Stirling and, on a clear day, with views all the way to Glen Coe. It tells the story of this famous Scot's fight to protect Freedom above all. There is a clear view of Stirling Bridge which the English crossed in single file while the Scots waited on the ...