Sting in the tail........

And everything had been going so well...................we pulled into the CC campsite near Scotch Corner, breaking the journey home into nice bits. A niceish drive on the A66 across the Penines which is getting very busy with heavy lorries and spoiling the views. We parked on our pitch but after going up on ramps on one side I discovered that the short cable was just 6 ins away from the hook-up and I couldn't be bothered to get the longer cable out so I thought the easiest solution was just to turn the van round. So I did and went up on the ramps on the other side.... and as I checked that everything was ok I noticed what I thought was a large piece of gravel stuck in the tread of the nearside front tyre and went to flick it out.......only it wasn't gravel but a very large piece of metal that was very firmly embedded. Rude words were said.This tyre was only purchased in January. The site wardens were very helpful with telephone nos. and yellow pages etc and we eventually contacted Kwik Fit Mobile. They seemed confident about locating a tyre for Tuesday - Wednesday and only wanted £208 - I paid £130 for it in Jan. But we were stuck as I wasn't going to drive anywhere with whatever it was sticking out of the tyre so paid up. However, they phoned back to say they had missed the deadline for Tuesday and the tyre wouldn't be delivered until wednesday and it might be 5pm so lets book you in for thursday. No...I'm going home,I have things to do, give me my money back I'm not sitting round for 3 days - especially since a local tyre place could get one for tuesday but couldn't come out to fit it. So I rang them to check and they confirmed Tues.by 2pm AND only £135 fitted so we booked it in. I was tinkering with the idea of driving (slowly) the 5 miles to them but rang the AA on the offchance that they would come and take the wheel off and take it down for me. They hummed and hawed for a while then declined on the basis that they didn't carry 4 tonne jacks. You don't actually need a 4 tonne jack to lift a 4 tonne van at one corner, just a 1.5 tonne jack and we carry a 2.5 tonne one that will lift either front or rear axle but they are jobsworths and elf&safety rules. And I checked this out with people who know. Oh and no, we don't have spare wheel, just a Fiat Compressor thingy. But they decided it be 'easier' to send a recovery wagon and transport us the 5 miles. So at 11.30 on Tuesday, Charlie from Darlington Car & Commercial Recovery rang to check our vital statistics and was switched on enough to ask the length of the rear overhang which is substantial and decided on a very long low-loader fro us ( see pic). He was quite brilliant as we have heard horrendous stories abroad of French,Italian and Spanish recovery firms who have caused more damage than the original problems ( have a camera handy is the word on the street) . Every move was double checked, everything was done by inches, extra ramps laid when the overhang still proved too great, exiting the site under the trees was assessed and re-routed when he thought the branches were too low and it could not have been done with more care and attention and in a very jovial manner. Even the Gf was impressed and demanded (as if I needed urging) that we slip our Last £10 into his top pocket after he had deposited us at the tyre place with equal care. NIce one, Charlie ; thank you. Halls Autos were also top notch, and as they had to use a 6ft extension bar to remove the last nut ( Woodbridge Tyres having overtightened them all last Jan ) it was apparent that I would never have been able to get the wheel off myself. The foreign object stuck in the tyre was the remains of a large nut that must have sheared off from something (I trust it wasn't us) and 3/4 in was embedded in the tyre too close to the sidewall for repairing. Whilst I cursed my luck at having to replace a hardly worn tyre at £135, I also thanked my lucky stars that I had moved the van and thereby noticed the problem. The thought of being in the outside lane of the A14 in the midst of all the freight lorries and having a tyre burst is the stuff of nightmares so the money is incidental.
In the end, only delayed by 4 hours and back home -IN ONE PIECE- at 6.30pm, unloaded by 7.15 and down to the Maybush for a slap up meal in the garden by 8pm. Thank you and goodnight.

ARRAN,AYR & GALLOWAY

16th-20th June

The pretty route ( not recommended by the Caravan Club but 'perfectly negotiable with care') up to CLAONAIG for the ferry to LOCHRANZA on the Isle of Arran. We intend to spend 5 days circumnavigating the Island and camp wherever as there are few campsites, and then cross back to the mainland from BRODICK to ARDROSSAN. No problem and 30 minutes and £97 later we are on Arran ( this is courtesy of a discounted Island Hopscotch Ticket No.5). As there are only 2 ferry ports (ie Lochranza & Brodick), I expected Lochranza to be a hive of civilisation and a decent urban conglomeration. We did stop at the ferry terminal and look around but we couldn't find any signs of the normal trappings of what passes for urban such as a bank (which we needed), a shop (which we didn't) or a pub (which would be nice) so we set off in a southerly (or anti-clockwise) direction.
The weather was perfect, the views stunning as the road follows the coast very closely, and the highway maintenance non existent....no thats not fair......they have repaired the roads-frequently-so frequently that the repairs on top of repairs make for a corrugated effect that rattles the teeth...and keeps the speeds down......as though the narrow,winding,hilly road was ever going to let me get into 3rd for too long. Anyway, a picnic lunch by seaside looking over to Kintyre,whence we had just come, and at BLACKWATERFOOT we found a Post Office dispensing cash (after waiting until 2pm) which replenished the cash stash. Deciding we ought to investigate the campsite situation, we studied the books and found a nice sounding site and rang to check availability. They took some time to confirm a pitch for 3 nights which I thought was just marketing, it being Wednesday, but it turned out to be quite small and mainly geared up for tents, with only 6 dedicated mhome/caravan pitches and when we arrived we were the largest thing by far. However, it was on the beach, had the most stunning views out to Ailsa Craig and was next door to a very nice pub-hotel-shop. This was KILDONAN and is very close to paradise. Our 3 nights turned into 5 nights as we couldn't imagine being anywhere else that was nicer. The site owner used to own the hotel and was a bit of a character and sorted our request for the extra 2 nights even though the place was heaving for the weekend as half of Glasgow descended for a camping/cycling/walking break. We had a great 5 days, out on the scooter, walking the hills, and having fun . Father's day lunch at the Kildonan Hotel next door, eating in the garden, great views and watching the gannets diving for fish. Ace spot.

21st.-25th.June

From BRODICK (which is a pleasant but unremarkable collection of houses and 3 shops) to ARDROSSAN ( which gave no reason to linger) and down the Ayrshire coast to CULZEAN CASTLE ( pronounced CULLANE) where we stopped 2 nights in the grounds at a Camping & Caravan Club site. Excellent site on the coast next to the grounds of the house which was a very enjoyable country park with great gardens well worth a visit and in which we spent a very enjoyable day. Left there on Wednesday morning, stopping at GIRVAN where I took the opportunity to join the MV Glorious on a trip to AILSA CRAIG, 10 miles off the coast and the secong largest colony of gannets in europe. It is also the origin of all the rock used to make curling stones. The weather was v.overcast and the sea v.rough. The Mv Glorious (crew 2, passengers 17 @ £20 ea) was like an old flat -bed truck, with Big Wullie and Dougal in the cabin in the front and thus shielded from the spray (unlike the rest of us ) as they bounced through the waves. The trip out took an hour, an hour circling the rock, 30 mins ashore and an hour back and I was very glad that I had taken the advice of nurse GoodFairy and taken a stugeron tablet - and I reckon I only just made it back in time. But the trip was well worth while. Not only millions of Gannets, but Kittiwakes, Fulmars,Guillemots, Black Guillemots, RazorBills and-joy of joys-PUFFINS. The big problem was actually getting good photos as the boat was pitching around so much in the swell and the birds were so numerous that it was difficult to know what to focus on - and they moved so fast esp. the puffins. The island(and lighthouse) is now uninhabited and an RSPB reserve and our boat owner is the only boat allowed to land - apart apparently from the 2 boatloads of marine commandos who suddenly appeared, all tooled up and ran ashore to do commando type things on the cliffs (without disturbing the birds ?!)
Onward down the coast, past STRANRAER to DRUMMORE where we stopped 3 nights at New England Bay (overlooking the SOLWAY FIRTH) and a CC campsite which is very good, large and landscaped into the dunes. Excellent day out on the scooter to the MULL OF GALLOWAY - the most southerly point of Scotland, with lighthouse another RSPB reserve worth a visit- and another day exploring the peninsular. Great botanic gardens at PORT LOGAN which was another picturesque ex-fishing village. Weather warm but cloudy

26th-27th. June

A short drive to KIPPFORD, a very pleasant site with terrific walks in the surrounding hills with great views over the SOLWAY FIRTH where we spent a great couple of days getting some good exercise interspersed with watching England get thrashed by Germany, Murray progress to the 2nd week in Wimbledon,Hamilton & Button get 2nd & 3rd in Valencia and listening to England go 3-0 up in the 5-series one day matches against Australia (for which we have tickets for the final game at Lords on July 2nd. This site has terrific holiday homes (norwegian log cabins) with superb views and beautifully landscaped. We may have to buy one when we stop touring as this part of Scotland is v.scenic and unspoilt.

Culture Note 1....avoid Gatehouse of Fleet.....nowhere near as interesting as its name
Culture Note 2....If you think David Coulthard is a legend, then you may be tempted to visit his birthplace, TWYNHOLME, where his father has established a museum dedicated to his son together with the PitStop Diner. The shed is packed with pictures,cars,helmets ,trophies and not worth the £4 .....especially as you can see everything from the diner whilst having a cup of coffee. The Diner's management have to be the most miserable uncommunicative couple it has ever been my misfortune to encounter and I reget the £2.45 we spent on coffee. We were the only customers at 11.30 on a Saturday and trying to engage them in conversation regarding DC was worse than blood from stones and is why I then refused to part with said £4 to look closely at the interesting shed of memorabilia. If DC's dad reads this, get shot of those two, they're costing you money getting you a bad name.

MULL of KINTYRE..Great Place, shame about the song

15th june

After INVERARY we were going to just drive down to LOCHGILPHEAD and stay there for a night or two but on inspection the town seemed to offer little to detain us so we headed for the Kintyre peninsular. Great views after TARBERT, a pretty little town where we stocked up at the Co-op and arrived early afternoon at TAYINLOAN where the Great Sea Views Campsite book assured us of a site on the beach with superb views - and as usual they were quite right. Point Sands Caravan Park is a cracking site opposite the Isle of Gigha (pronounced Gee-ah) with Jura and Islay as a backdrop. The management has only recently assumed responsiblity after the long time manager retired and 'his' mother persuaded them to move back home (from Suffolk) and run the park. They are making lots of improvements apparently ( according to our neighbours) and our welcome was the best I have ever encountered on a site. They will soon need to spend money on the facilities, which is in the pipeline for next year they told me,but the views really are stupendous and you only have to step out of the van onto the beach. And the sunsets are magnificent as of course you are facing due west. On recommendation, we took the scooter the mile down the road to the village where we caught the ferry to GIGHA, a 25 minute trip (£23.70 return for 2 +scooter). The Island is owned by the community and was the first community buy-out in 2002 when it was purchased from the then landowner..It is 6 miles long by 1 mile wide and its main claim to fame is ACHAMORE gardens (Originally conceived by Sir John Horlicks of the hot milk drink) which the community restored with a 3 year project in 2005 and which are a riot of rhododendrons and azaleas and well worth the visit. We had taken a picnic and spent a lovely day in glorious sunshine exploring the whole island. It came pretty close to being the Perfect Day !

So 2 nights Tayinloan (£18 a night) and then round the peninsular to CARRADALE via CAMPBELTOWN where we again revitalled at a TESCO (a Metro, so nearly civilisation). Diverted off for the afternoon to SOUTHEND at the bottom of Kintyre where we found the caves that St. Colomba used when he landed here en route to IONA from Ireland complete with an impression of his footprint in the rock. Verily a miracle they all cried.

So back to CAMPBELTOWN and on to the CC site at CARRADALE which I had booked in advance for 5 nights in order to lay claim to a pitch on the front overlooking the beach. An excellent site (£16 a night) with lots of rhododendrons making little bays and terrific views accross the bay to ARRAN and AILSA CRAIG. We had some lovely walks along the bays and headlands and went back to CAMPBELTOWN (14 miles) on the scooter to explore. This was a mistake as the town is grim, decaying and mainly closed down and is very disappointing. However we did go on to explore The MULL of KINTYRE which is close to SOUTHEND but 7 miles up and down what the Rough Guide called a 'tortuous' track. The scooter struggled in places, sometimes first gear but the views are wonderful and we had another gloriously sunny day for it. THe views to Ireland are stunning as the ANTRIM coast is only 12 miles away and of course is where the Giants Causeway can be seen. So far the weather has been very favourable with only one mostly iffy day but everything does look so much different with the blue sky and sun shining.

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The story so far

May was spent spending money like water as we sorted ourselves out after the winter away but also was a pleasant month of enjoyable breaks. The boiler was eventually fixed, a new Tracking device fitted to the van along with a new water pump and Tv monitor (both under warranty) which necessitated 2 trips up to Great Yarmouth and a bit of getting stroppy when having arrived at the dealers the second time and waited 2 hours for the monitor to be fitted I was told that "we're very sorry but we haven't actually got a monitor to fit as it's still on order". As I began to express my opinion of their service department in a loud voice they decided to follow my advice and pinch one from a new van just as I was beginning to enjoy myself. Since the van will be 3 years old in July and out of warranty, I doubt that I shallbe troubling Simpsons of Great Yarmouth again.
WE had a great weekend with Paddington and North Dakota mainly watching the twins win rugby tournaments, although getting to bottom of several bottles of wine seemed a secondary occupation. I then had successive boys' weekends away, firstly with Julian and Dave Brown (whom I may have to adopt, he's such a
nice boy) in Belgium as we watched the 1000km of Spa, a cracking race and then a weekend in London with Brucie at Twickenham for the Rugby World Sevens (where my 3 course picnic and Brucie's production of 3 litres of wine from the bottom of his rucksack brought admiring comments from the youngsters around us paying £4 a pint and eating inedible burgers). In between this frivolity, the GF racked up another year in the age stakes and on the basis of turning 65 tried to paint me into a corner by demanding a dog or a diamond which is why I am somewhat poorer than I was although I shall save on dogfood in the long run. Finally, in the course of having a new carpet fitted in the lounge I managed to split my head open when crawling under our home to lay the old carpet underneath to make crawling about more pleasant (?). This required the attention of the emergency services who were very efficient and glued the bits of my head back together with no apparent (yet) consequences.
Globally,the cost of diesel rises as BP attempts to pollute the Gulf of Mexico with crude oil instead of sending it somewhere to be refined, the value of my pension funds plummet as the companies begin to calculate how little they can get away with paying out to me in August and in response to Justin's vitriolic diatribes on the Japanese political system on his Blog, yet another Prime Minister calls it a day and North Korea senses an opportunity for a pre-emptive strikes whilst the Pacicfic Rim is otherwise engaged....

So we left home on Friday 28th May......

To WELLINGTON COUNTRY PARK, between Fleet and Reading where we stayed for 9 days looking after Charlie whilst Katharine and Julian re-enacted scenes from 3 Men in a Boat as they cruised the Thames from Chertsey to Benson.....a journey by road that takes an hour and a half max.....However we had a great time although 8 days in an adventure park made me appreciate the full horror of Groundhog Day. But the weather was good and Charlie was exceptionally well behaved and was still talking to us at the end so it was most successfull.
Left on Sunday 6th June and drove northwards to Scotland. Stopped at a farm CL in INGLEWHITE we have used twice before when heading north which is quite delightful -£9 a night - and then a campsite at INVERARY for 2 nights on the banks of LOCH FYNNE. An excellent lunch at the GEORGE HOTEL in INVERARY which has been in the same family for 6 generations where I had Loch Fynne Mussels and a bowl of the BEST chips I have ever tasted and the GF waxed lyrical over the local smoked Haddock.