2025-NC500

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• Thu 5th Jun

  Left Brighton at midday, lunch, again, at Clackett Lane service station on the M25.
  Dartford crossing was slow, about half an hour, so often far worse. Not too many holdups to our convenient, and very welcoming, Newark CL.
  The radio, often useful in passing the traffic jam holdups, has stopped working. It is really an absurd bit of kit, capable of doing 157 different things, 155 of which I don’t understand. Unfortunately, it seems playing Radio 4 is no longer allowed as an option. I suppose the upside is, it won’t play pop music either.
  Drove under leaden skies, much drizzle, and arrived to a drenching downpour. Typical motorhoming weather. Fortunately, the rain then stopped, and a warm dry but overcast evening.
  So far, the only thing we have found we forgot is the camera.
  Photo of our stopover from my iPad.

  

• Fri 6th Jun
  A lot of rain overnight, but an improving day, quite hot in the afternoon.
  Stuart had painters turn up, complete with four vehicles, so he asked us not to arrive before 5.00.
  Took the opportunity to make a short detour to Nostell, an NT house. When we arrived, realised we had been there before.
  Pictures follow from my iPhone.
  A convivial evening at Stuart’s, Marilyn there when we arrived, which culminated in too much port. Cannot be bad!
  Stuart lent me his camera, so that problem now solved.
• Nostell
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Sat 7th Jun

  Loaded motorhome with all Stuart and Marilyn’s stuff, and drove the 90 miles or so to Brian and Jane’s house, where we were treated to a wonderful lunch. Really nice to see them after such a long while. Thence the short distance to the motorhome hire place, and Stuart shown all the gizmo bits about the vehicle. Then drove the 20 miles or so to The Woods, our expensive campsite for the first night. Arrived without drama, Stuart following, driving such a vehicle for the first time.
  Parked up, after some faffing with Sue failing to read the site map, good practice for Stuart manoeuvring the vehicle. Then the chaotic business of them packing everything away. I think perhaps Marilyn was a little daunted by the task, wanting to leave everything in her suitcase, but eventually all done.
  Which paved the way for a fine bucolic evening, helped along by a light salad, all we wanted after the splendid lunch.
  

  View over the campsite to the hills beyond, and the grey and ominous clouds beyonder.

• Sun 8th Jun

  A wonderful scenic drive to our next stop at Dingwall, east of Inverness. Light cloud high in the sky gave us clear views, but nowhere to pull off the road, until we chanced upon a sign pointing to a car park, conveniently at lunch time.
  The car park.

  

  A bit muddy, but nice setting, the car park was called “Rumble Bridge Car park”.
  So we went down the hill to the bridge, and very dramatic it was.
  The rapids above the bridge.

  

  The river entering a subterranean tunnel below the bridge.

  

  And emerging much deeper the other side.

  

  We looked at the path going down to the river, and unanimously backed away…..
  Oh, and we couldn’t hear the bridge rumbling…..

  Our very quiet CL for the night, on an estate just outside Dingwall.

  

  We have now finally made it to the start of the NC 500.

• Mon 9th Jun

  First stop Dunrobin Castle. Surprisingly, nothing about its history, but a lot about the huge number of portraits adorning every room and passage, but an interesting tour round nonetheless, despite the surprisingly large numbers of people there.

  Started in the dining room.

  

  

  

  Must have a library, of course!

  

  And into the nursery…

  

   

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  Available until 10 Jul 2025

   

• Tue 10th Jun

  Whaligoe Steps, 365 steps carved into the cliff to access a long abandoned landing jetty for a fishing boat. The drizzle when we were there convinced us not to go down!

   

  Sinclair castle, last major use as a parliamentary stronghold during the civil war, but a subsequent family feud resulted in the roof being torn down. Been a ruin ever since.

   

   

  

  Duncansby Stacks. Not sure why they are pointed, all other stacks I have seen have been flat on top.

   

  

  Dunnett Head lighthouse, the most northerly point on mainland Britain, and an RSPB reserve. Spent some time watching Puffins flying in and out of the cliff below us.

  Carpet of white flowers on the moorland, and a very spectacular display

   

  

   

• Wed 11th Jun

  A short drive from our overnight CL to the Castle of Mey, longtime summer home of the Queen Mother.

  The front.

  

  The back.

  

  Unfortunately photos inside not allowed. Many interesting and at times quirky stories about the castle’s most famous resident. We were taken round the living rooms and kitchens, upstairs, presumably bedrooms, not allowed.
  Then carried on westward across the top of Scotland, when we chanced upon a parking place next to the old road, and miles of bog.

  

  Moine house……..

  

  

  The view across the bog.

   

  

   

• Thu 12th Jun

  Continued across the top of Scotland, through absolutely breathtaking scenery, to Durness, on a warm sunny day, that developed into a warm sunny windy day.
  Our target here, Smoo cave. Sue and I have been before, but now has boat trip deeper into the cave.
  The entrance.

  

  Looking the other way, towards the sea.

  

  Inside the cave.

  

  After the, very short, boat trip.

  

  The intrepid explorers.

  

   

   

  After a visit to a craft commune, drove a short way south of Durness, to a lay-by for the night.

  

• Scenic drive

  Photos of our drive, courtesy of Marilyn, who wields a mean phone camera whilst driving. Oops, should say whilst passenger, Stuart driving.
  

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  > Sent from my iPhone

• Fri 13th Jun

  Drove south from our Durness stopover to Kylescu, and a carpark there. We were planning on dining at the Khlescu Hotel, but we were warned it was very overpriced, and the food was poor. Whilst we were contemplating what to do, a thunderstorm rolled in in quite spectacular fashion. A fair amount of thunder and lightning, some rain, and it then passed away. We decided to travel on to Lochinver, taking the scenic northern route, and to the recommended restaurants there. The first restaurant didn’t take dogs, the second we didn’t fancy, the third took dogs, looked excellent, but was closed for a private function. Back to the motorhomes and a risotto, dining out not to be….
  Spotted on the roadside….

  

• Fri 13th Jun
  Photos taken by Marilyn on her phone.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Sent from my iPhone

• Thurso to Durness
  Photos taken by Marilyn.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Sent from my iPhone

• Sat 14th Jun
  Drove from our overnight stop south of Durness to Ullapool. I was looking forward to spending the night here, but Marilyn and Stuart weren’t keen, but we did go for a walk round the town. And, how disappointing! All the wonderful restaurants that sold fresh local fish now all offered variations on burgers, clearly bog standard ordinary, and all the ethics, so obvious on our previous visits, now wiped away. Sadly taints the memory of several earlier enjoyable visits. So, we left, and went to Corrieshalloch Gorge, and an attractive walk through woodland, to view the river, gorge and waterfall.
  The rapids at the head of the gorge.
  

  A tributary tumbling in.
  

  The waterfall, viewed from a footbridge spanning the gorge.

  

  Looking the other way, down the gorge, again from the footbridge.

  

  The waterfall, viewed from a viewing platform, the bridge visible at the top of the photo.

  

  Subsequently parked up in a lay-by down the road, where we had our first major encounter with the fiercesome Scottish midges. Would rather have been in midge free Ullapool.

• Sun 15th Jan photos
  Marilyn’s daily photo update.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Sent from my iPhone

• Sun 15th Jan
  Left our midge infested overnight stop, and drove to Victoria Falls. Not as spectacular as the Victoria Falls I last saw around 50 years ago, but at least Queen Victoria did visit these falls. In 1877.
  

  View from the flat rock above the falls.

  

  Our next destination, Torriden, along a single track road. Over 200 cars came the other way, we found out subsequently after a heat of an extreme triathlon. Caused wonderful chaos, an entertaining way to spend a drizzly Sunday lunchtime!
  After a lunch stop there, drove the, far less busy, wonderfully scenic route to Applecross, and now booked in the inn there for a meal. Hopefully will be a splendidly bucolic end to a scenically stunning day.

• Tue 17th inside the train, video by Stewart
   

• Mon 17th Jun
  And a fine meal it was – of the standard we enjoyed in Ullapool prior to its recent incarceration. On the way back from the restaurant, we passed a large deer munching the grass verge beside the road, who was totally unfazed by our passing.
  The day was taken up with driving to Fort William, a very scenic and slow drive.
• Tue 17th Jun
  Managed to buy tickets for the “Jacobean Railway”. A 42 mile heritage railway trip to Mallaig, and back again. Time for an excellent lunch in Mallaig, an unexpected and very enjoyable day.

  

  
• Tue 17th pictures
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Sent from my iPhone

• Wed 18th Jun

  Stuart and Marilyn decided to drive round Kintyre, spend the night there, and return their hired motorhome on Thursday, two days early, because Marilyn need to be ready for a walking holiday on Monday. We felt it was too much driving, and likely too many midges, so ambled out of Fort William to Dunstaffnage Castle.

  A shortish distance further on, we visited Bonawe, a charcoal fired blast furnace. Not much to photograph, but interesting display boards. A huge amount of charcoal was require, obtained by coppicing the surrounding trees. Iron ore was imported from Cumbria, and at Bonawe there was huge supply of trees for charcoal, and a river, diverted to drive a waterwheel, which operated bellows to blow air into the furnace. It operated for over 100 years, and it’s heyday was during the Napoleonic Wars, increasing the demand for iron.

  

  After that, a seldom open NT property, Moirlanich Longhouse, was open, occupied by tenant farmers for six generations, until 1968, when the last occupant died. Small but interesting, and a fascinating glimpse into a way of life now gone.

• Wed 18 plus
  
• We’d 18 pics
  The Tin Bothy

  
  
  
  

   In a display hut (labelled “The Tin Bothy”), carefully removed layers of wallpaper, the earlier ones on the left cloth.

  

  

• Thu 19 pics
  Holmwood House, in an attractive oasis of calm in the chaos of Glasgow. Pictures a bit blurry, I think because I dropped my iPhone in a Bolognese sauce…….

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Thu 19th Jan
  Left our overnight stop at Killin, drove into Glasgow, aiming for a Waitrose store, nice and easy. Met our first traffic jams since leaving Berwick upon Tweed 12 days ago. And encountered our first hot weather, have been hearing about it for the rest of the country. Northern Scotland cool or cold, and wet. Who would have thought?
  Anyway, Waitrose car park was under cover, no chance of getting in. After some difficulty managed to find a place to stop. A very friendly chap came up, asking, I think, about the motorhome. Goodness, he had a strong accent! Couldn’t understand more than a few words. Found an organic shop (hurrah), and a Sainsburys with an accessible carpark nearby. Worked well when we finally fought our way through the traffic, and the organic shop was excellent.
  Then a drama, internet not working, but I remembered seeing overnight parking at Glasgow Science Centre. SatNav sent us to the wrong side of the Clyde, found our way back with organic maps (doesn’t use data), but then an enormous queue to a set of lights that only allowed about 5 cars a time. Took ages, but finally we are now happily ensconced in the Science Centre carpark, ready for a foray into Glasgow town centre tomorrow. Never been here before, always wanted to come, especially to see the Renee Mackintosh Art College. Missed it by two fires. Oh well!
  Found that taking the sim out of the HUAWEI router, and putting it in the iPad works a treat. Don’t understand……also don’t understand why my iPad thinks HUAWEI deserves capitals……..
• Fri 20 pics
  Glasgow Cathedral

  
  
  
  
  

  

  The decorative floor of the Chapter House.

  

  

  A part of the cathedral, not finished until several hundred years later. Quite a surprise, white airy and bright.

  
• CL
  This is our CL after leaving Glasgow.

  
  
• Sat 21st Jun

  The day of The Long Drive. Travelling down the M6, encountered a holdup, moving slowly, all vehicles moving into the outside lane, and it became obvious there had been a crash. Couldn’t see much because of a tall van in front of us, but then a police car arrived, and all traffic was stopped. Then another police car, two fire engines, two traffic control vehicles and an ambulance. Seemed like an endless wait, probably about 40 minutes. As we drove past (only the outside lane in use), lots of skid marks, a car pointing the wrong way, and another car on its roof. Pretty sure no serious injuries.

  After passing on, literally thousands of motorbikes going the other way. Found out subsequently, it was a celebration for one of the hairy bikers who died a year or two ago. Crowds of people on all the bridges over the motorway, watching and waving.

  Eventually made it to Annettes, and a very pleasant evening.

• Sun 22nd Jun

  A fairly early start, down to Brighton and home, a hot unpack of the motorhome, and a garden full of weeds. The M25 shelved all horrors in observance of it being a Sunday.

  For reasons beyond me, it seems the whole diary has been repeated below. So, the end is in the middle. Well, that makes a change.