SO WHAT DO I KNOW ...................

 

 

As winter sets in we are all faced with longer evenings perhaps exacerbated by various restrictions beyond our control and as a long term vanner I am no exception to the challenges (but also opportunities) this presents.

As regular readers will know I generally head south in winter where the days might be warmer but the nights can often be colder and the hours of daylight not hugely different, although if like me you are not a huge fan of the rain usable hours can be much greater.

However events have over the years occasionally conspired either to prevent me from getting away or necessitated a premature return but as with any challenge in life there are lessons to be learned and opportunities taken - my recent trips to the Outer Hebrides and South East England described in recent blogs are a testament to this.

Now though I am looking at a few months in the UK with unpredictable limitations but fairly predictable wind and rain - plus I hope some of those precious cold clear spells that make winter a very special time.

I earlier described myself as a long term vanner which to date means living largely in a van since selling up a smallholding in the Brecon Beacons in 2005 and since 2011 living what is to all intents and purposes almost full time on the road. In reality I do spend time in other settings - a combination of hotel treats, house sitting, a very precious fortnight in Cumbria each year and occasional nights in bothies, under canvas, bivvying or hostelling. Thus I do not have the status of full time that insurance companies tend to steer clear of and remain UK domiciled for tax, health care and financial proceedings - of which more later.

 Anyway to the Blog Title - WHAT DO I KNOW.........

Well after so many years OTR quite a bit thank you, mostly shaped by my own experiences but also knowledge gained from chatting with and observing others, reading blogs, watching vlogs and even reading books - how quaint.

 So with cosy evenings to fill and having passed a significant birthday in March - roll on 40, I feel I should offer my thoughts, hints, tips, opinions and warnings to the many people intrigued by if not actually contemplating a similar approach to life.

It has been my pleasure and privilege to speak at and listen to many excellent and occasionally well polished presentations at the annual Horizons Unlimited  events in the UK and abroad - sadly unable to take place this year so if you were there some of the following may be familiar.

    GET ON WITH IT........

OK.  There is a lot to cover but for now I will look at vehicle choice - if you are contemplating a vehicle read on but even if you already have one in your possession read on too and feel free to challenge me, add to the discussion and share your experiences...

 

Budget is a good starting place as it may be fixed, limited or uncertain and straight away we find the nub of the problem - everyone's is different and may, indeed should, include an element of costs beyond the initial purchase as there will almost certainly be things you will want to do or add to the vehicle you find to make it just right for you.

And that I believe should be your starting point - it is for you, it may well become your home so every irritation or defect will face you every day, similarly if something does the job well and makes daily life even better then you will have no regrets.

So take your time and really look at what you want your van for : when you will want to use it, where you hope to travel, whether or not you have access to another vehicle, what are your hobbies and interests, what possessions you cannot do without and so on.

Also consider your ability (or just willingness) to deal with any issues that might arise either on the mechanical side or the habitation side.

Unless you really do intend to cross the Ghobi Desert or are a winter sports enthusiast (seriously consider winter tyres, chains or LSD - the diff not the drug- for when you need them) then AWD adds to initial and running costs, mechanical complexity, weight and may limit the size of underslung water and waste tanks. I met a couple in Morocco in a Unimog with a Unimog trailer a few years ago and he estimated tyre wear was 20p/mile and the guys in the expedition trucks struggle (as in fact do most motorhomes) with the narrow lanes of say Cornwall or the Vercors. Use your van to get near to these places but then your legs, wheels or public transport to explore them - you will be fitter, the place nicer and the local economy more sustainable.

Height is an oft overlooked factor re tunnels and bridges, a high vehicle costs more on the ferries and French peage network, can limit access to carparks in city centres or be a physical issue on smaller ferries.

 Similarly length as despite (sometimes because of) Sat Nav everyone will have to do a U turn at some point and even with reversing cameras it can be a stressful experience in something that you are heavily invested in - and want to sleep in that night!.

Hump back bridges, ferry ramps, tight bends and ever shrinking supermarket spaces should lead you to as short a vehicle as possible - bearing in mind that you may also want a bike or scooter on the back adding to the length of your rig and often capable of misleading your camera or sensors.

 

Personally I am a convert to diesel for many reasons - the generally improved MPG, lower price especially abroad and better availability in rural areas - although I appreciate modern petrol engines are squeezing quarts out of pint pots - and the relative simplicity and longevity of the diesel design - 500,000 HGVs in the UK alone must be right.....

Yes there are emission considerations but modern diesels are much improved and whilst we may be denied these choices within a decade I am sticking with it - for another very important reason to be discussed later. Cities that are banning diesels in their centres usually have excellent P&R facilities (3 cheers Canterbury), or as I often do, park or camp cheaply in a nearby regional town or village, hop on the bus or train, or cycle in as often the most environmentally conscious cities have the better provision for two wheeled travel and it gives you a handy way to flit between the various attractions.

I also feel diesel is a far safer fuel to be sitting on top of in the event of a shunt, when carrying spare cans and the engines are less prone to failure in wet conditions. As regards longevity my old Volkswagen T4 Short Wheel Base van had covered 345,000 miles on the original engine with no attention to the mechanics other than a new fuel pump operating spindle and was maintained mostly on the road by myself - a self taught grease monkey. 40 oil and filter changes from Norway to Christchurch (NZ not Dorset) over 12 years were I think a major factor in this - every 6000 miles plus air and diesel filters every 12,000. I am not a fan of these long life oils and whilst the current bus is every 10k miles and annoyingly due to the location of the filter impractical without a ramp I stick to it religiously and do the air and diesel filters myself every 10k miles as this combined with a premium diesel such as BP Ultimate or Shell V Power seems to have avoided injector issues. This fuel is also a consideration in another area - see later.

OK one downside - my small portable generator runs on unleaded so my spare can has petrol in it but over the years I have learnt never to go less than a quarter tank of full and there is now another consideration on this matter - see later. Generally I keep the tank full as there is less chance of condensation putting moisture in the filter and whilst there is a penalty in lugging 80kg of fuel around I feel the range of 600-650 miles is well worth having in reserve - something I know the adventure motorcyclists I have met envy and something that was a game changer in the Oz Outback.

 I do hope the Tesla Camper will match that.

Anyway back to the vehicle basics.

Again depending on your plans global availability of parts, brands familiar to mechanics in far flung places, tyres of an easily sourced size and the availability of dealers should you have a warranty to protect must be a consideration - the latter also applies to your conversion as many warranties require annual damp ingress surveys and habitation checks (an important safety issue anyway and ironically probably more important in a less used van).

An imported European conversion may use parts hard and/or expensive to source in the UK and also bear in mind that even some top notch conversions such as the VW California leave the main entry door on the dodgy side. Also the Europeans don't seem to like bacon or toast - surprisingly few have a grill - outrageous.

Good friends based in the UK elected to buy a LHD van as they travel mostly in Europe - a sound decision and worthy of consideration.

For me its RHD as that was the only option and very much a minor consideration despite extensive European mileage : I'm never in a hurry so rarely need to overtake and if the proverbial did hit the fan the suicide seat is usually empty.

So still focussing on the vehicle and mindful of the huge range of options here are some basics IMHO

 1) If you are going to do anything more than odd weekends and a couple of summer weeks out and about then get a high top van FULL STOP. This a far more important concern than the length for the following reasons - practicality when cooking, moving about, washing etc, storage, warmth and weather proofing. My good old T4 had a pop top for the first 6 years including two years full time in Oz and NZ, great for keeping cool but not so good in Tasmania's high country or en route through a wintry Europe to get to Southern Europe.

The fabrics do eventually deteriorate (even without the unwarranted assistance of a possum), need drying out if wet, can be noisy in high winds and need to be folded away carefully. Also whilst you can get roof racks to fit the actual elevating section I doubt it would be practical for say two heavy kayaks and having to offload the rack every time would be irksome and possibly an opportunity for theft.

 Even that quick coffee en route is a joy in a high top and the times I have been unable to access places have been very few (0 cheers for Derby P&R that has a 2.2m barrier).

Incidentally on the old van I changed to a high roof and noticed no difference in fuel consumption as the bikes were then beneath the roof line reducing wind resistance and turbulence so that bike covers last far longer (3 cheers www.bagsandcoversdirect.co.uk ).

 

 

As mentioned earlier toll motorways can be more expensive - take the road less travelled and relax - and on ferries length often counts for more than height although there may be less choice at busy times for overheight vehicles - incidentally quick tip : if possible have a fold up bike rack and put the bikes inside for the crossing to reduce your overall length. Be warned that many companies use manufacturer's databases and ANPR ( great for speedy ticketless booking) and will know the true length of your vehicle - be fair or it might cost you quite a surcharge or even lose your sailing.

2) So you've gone diesel, high, 2WD what about length?

I see absolutely no point in a fixed bed on anything other than top end luxury rigs as the wasted space is just being dragged around. You can't store stuff on it if you want to go to bed later on, very few of the so called garages beneath will take bicycles etc. Many are elevated to try and improve this storage leaving limited headroom and over cab beds whilst fun for kids often require gymnastic skills to access.

A well designed conversion will have seating that makes up a bed in minutes with minimal infill cushions, struts, boards or other irritations. Ideally look for flexibility as it should be possible to have one or two singles or a good double which should avoid any misunderstandings if you take your best mate away for the weekend for a few beers. Incidentally a blog later on will deal with space saving ideas but here's one - for the last 15 years I have used two down 4 season bags zipped together inside a duvet cover with a fitted sheet that can all be rolled up in to a very tight bundle in seconds. These quality bags are then available for backpacking trips with silk liners and have never been washed and look (and smell) as good as new. The less than five minutes it takes to make and break the bed each day is a small price to pay for having a van that is only 5.2m or 17' long - hugely practical as my all day every day vehicle.

Beware the  quirks of converters - my van was marketed as a four berth but only had belted seats for three. Also those kids beds in the roof - when they grow out of their shoes it's bad enough but might they soon outgrow that cute little roofspace, then what?

 

 

 

3) I am aware that budget is a major consideration but again consider how and where you are intending to use your van, how you feel about wild camping and the costs of campsites these days.

A 'full timer' could easily run up a bill of over £7000 per annum if using a site every night, even in Europe so a few quid spent at the outset to reduce this might be an investment. Sadly due to thoughtless and selfish behaviour by people new, and even worse, old to vanning I think our already limited opportunities to camp off grid will be futher reduced but it is still possible and can provide some of the best experiences. Combine this with the ongoing closure of many public facilities, an understandable reluctance to use shared facilities even on sites as a result of Covid and the convenience (ha ha) of an onboard facility I would certainly say definitely have at least a portapotti although consider how close you are (or in fact want to be) when your significant other needs to open that door in the wee or worse small hours.

Again having managed for the first 12 years with neither loo nor shower I wouldn't be without either now and the independence is probably saving me £50 - £100 a week on site fees so that investment would soon be repaid.

Downsides are of course more water and gas used and the need to deal with waste roughly weekly but as I tend to take one night a week on site for other reasons - see later - this is not a problem.

4) Width varies - I am under 2.2m (the van that is) so rarely face issues and a sliding side door means you can enter or leave even in a tight spot  but generally bigger and longer will mean wider and those fancy mirrors are a fortune to replace. Again transverse fixed beds will mean a wider vehicle so avoid!

5) Ground clearance is one of the most overlooked considerations and of significance, particularly if you want to get off the beaten track. Again vehicle length will affect grounding, AWD  vehicles may have raised suspension but steps, underslung gas and water tanks, flimsy drainage valves and waste pipes can all add to the issue - check carefully what is there and how it might be damaged.

Anyway that's enough to be going on with - next time more factors to consider with the actual conversion and habitation options.

 

 

SOUTH BY SOUTH EAST

After the highly successful trip to the Outer Hebrides we returned south and I then headed to my base near Sennybridge to change maps and clothing in anticipation of cooler weather.

I headed across to Bristol for a catch up with friends before briefly dropping in to Frome to plan the walks and rides for the forthcoming weekend with Pete.

Finally I headed to the area known loosely as Cranborne Chase and parked up at the Cashmoor Inn that allowed overnight stays, found via the Park4Night app.

 After a quiet night I set off on the bike for a day of exploring an area unknown to me despite having lived within an hour for three years whilst training forty years ago and then in Bristol for ten years again little over an hour away. Following numerous tracks, trails bridle paths, RUPPS and BOATS I stitched together a very enjoyable ride including the impressive Badbury Rings hillfort and the old WW2 airfield at Tarrant Rushton then heading towards Salisbury before returning along Ackling Dyke, an old Roman road, for a second night at the pub.

A good walk the following day saw me passing through the Rushmore Park Estate at Tollard Royal and checking out the Win Green parking area for an overnight with the guys from Bristol before moving on to another P4N stop at the Rainbow on the lake at Steeple Langford

I'd forgotten a water hose so nipped in to Wilton garden centre for a very useful compact 10m hosereel that uses a microbore pipe that will not kink unlike lay flat and collapsible hoses. In Salisbury I went to the Tesco store to book a flu jab as my GP in Brecon had run out, picked up some touch up paint and bumper stops to prevent bike handlebars catching the tailgate paintwork and then headed back to Win Green to meet Pete in time for a walk back through Rushmore again. Sunny weather and autumn colours combined with extensive views to make for a grand afternoon.

After dusk Nick and Bill arrived for the night and we walked out to the trig point for superb star gazing and the longest shooting star any of us had ever seen.

 

Win Green

 The following morning we set off along the Ox Drove track towards Salisbury, added a loop towards Downton and then cut back past Salisbury race course for a ridge track all the way back to the start. There is a vast choice of tracks in the area and I will certainly be back to explore further.

Nick and Bill headed home leaving Pete and I to enjoy another quiet night before on the Sunday  walking from Bradbury Rings and eventually moving on to a small certificated site for the night as I was in need of water and hook up. The simple field based site amongst woodland was idyllic and allowed us to start a ride in to the New Forest on the Monday without moving the vans. Pigs were hoovering up the acorns on the roadside edges as we crossed heathland, deciduous woodland, some coniferous plantations and various trails in yet another area that I will return to in the near future.

On Tuesday I had booked to visit the Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop which whilst almost deserted gave me a fascinating insight in to the history of this oft overlooked sector of the British Army.

 

Perhaps the display I found most thought provoking was the home made IRA mortar fashioned out of a Calor Gas cylinder - such devious/deviant tactics made helicopter transport of troops essential as it did many years later in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Nearby I stayed the night up a narrow track near Figsbury Ring, one of the area's many hillforts, and right on the boundary of Porton Down. A speedy and efficient appointment at Tesco saw me duly jabbed and the cupboards filled before I headed down to the Solent and parked up in Lee on Solent for a ride along the coast to Warsash where the small passenger ferry links with Hamble. Further down at Gosport I stayed on another P4N recommendation where the council allow overnight stays for £10/24 hours. From there I walked round to Gillicker fort enjoying the maritime traffic including a cargo ship delivering a wind turbine blade, the IoW hovercraft, the Queen Victoria heading to Weymouth for a Covid enforced winter at anchor, assorted car transporters and freighters and rather poignantly the Brittany Ferries ferry heading across to Cherbourg that perhaps in different times I might have actually been on.

A windsurfer was enjoying the last of the light as I settled in for a quiet night.

 

 

 

First thing the following day I was on the bike to the Gosport ferry terminal where I left it locked up, took the short hop across to Portsmouth with good views of our two new aircraft carriers and spent a day mesmerised by the Mary Rose Museum. The sheer volume of artefacts, information and displays was a credit to the team behind this remarkable project but I was still unprepared for the sheer size of the actual ship's hull that has been recovered, preserved and is now presented for all to see. It is a visit to be recommended but does need a full day to itself.

 

 

 

Back at Gosport it was another lovely sunset and a quiet night with just two other vans for company. 

 Moving on I stayed the night above Goodwood Racecourse in the Sussex downs ready to visit the Weald and Downland Museum of Rural Life, an impressive collection of old houses, workshops and other rural buildings carefully rebuilt on a large 40 acre site. In a corner a large barn and adjacent work area are the set for the Repair Shop which was filming its Christmas Special.

 

It wasn't far then to move on to Amberley Museum which focusses more on transport and machinery as well as rural skills and yet again it was a very worth while visit with displays covering public transport, power and telephone communications, rural skills, lime manufacture, brick making and quarrying. The old chalk mine had been used in the Bond film 'A View to a Kill' doubling up as a gold mine above San Francisco and seeing the demise of Grace Jones.

Some of the quarry wagons are still painted in the green of the evil Zorin whose Z symbol is also visible. I took a night on another small certificated site and was grateful for the shelter of the tree belt as a storm blew through. There was no hook up but my small genny purred quietly outside to reinvigorate the leisure battery and provide hot water. The following morning water and waste were dealt with before I continued eastwards.

A walk up to Chanctonbury Ring on a grey afternoon offered great views but I decided to stay in an empty car park at Cissbury ring with the genny running again to give me an idea of its fuel consumption - around half a litre an hour. Later on a large 4x4 pick up with the BiMobil camper pod attached to the tray arrived so I killed the genny for the night and slept soundly as the heavens emptied.The following day was a much brighter affair so I nipped up to the summit for good views to the IoW, Brighton and inland towards London.

Hastings was an interesting place with its castle and priory after which I moved on to the surprisingly busy Birling Gap at the eastern end of the Seven Sisters Country Park.

The eponymous cliffs were a truly spectacular site and I walked beneath them on the shingle beach before heading over the tops for a view of Beachy Head at sunset. The Beachy Head pub allowed overnight camping so I booked for an excellent meal, a couple of welcome pints and the paper in a comfortable environment - all credit to Vintage Inns for this initiative. As van numbers increase I hope even more rural pubs follow their lead as it would be a welcome boost to their trade and ease pressure on  campsites.

Arriving at Dungeness on a stormy day was surreal as it bore more than a passing resemblance to the barren west coast of North Lewis with single storey houses squatting low on a windswept coastal strip.

I overnighted further east but returned on the bike the following day to see more and take a few photos.

The broody nuclear power station sits behind a shingle bank with the old and new lighthouses close by whilst pulled up above the high water mark were numerous fishing boats.

 Laundry was done in Deal as I passed through in wet and windy weather choosing again to stay on a small site for water and power before heading to Canterbury.

 

 Here again all credit to the local authority who have dedicated a section of the P&R to motorhomes for a few pounds a night with a free bus in to the city and water and waste available. Alongside is the Kent Drive In cinema - not something I have seen before and I question the idea of two showings with over 150 cars at each sat with their engines running for two or more hours at a time...

Anyway it did not disturb me and I enjoyed the cathedral the following day. The sense of history attached is brought home by the tombs of Archbishops, the various chapels, the cloisters and the superb stonework both inside and out. The old streets of the mediaeval centre were interesting to explore and I had a quiet night at the P&R with perhaps half a dozen other vans staying.

 

 

More unsettled weather saw me moving on to the Isle of Sheppey staying high on a shingle bank that offered parking between Minster and Sheerness with good views over the Thames estuary. That night 45mph winds blew constantly but the van was warm and dry and the shipping provided much interest.

News of the second English lockdown began to filter through so I decided a retreat to Wales that was about to exit its local fire break might be sensible in due course. Thus a Tesco at Sheerness saw my supplies replenished and whilst I waited to see if a friend needed a lift out of London I moved on to near Chatham only to find the historic dockyards had closed the previous day for the winter season.

However a walk around the extensive marshlands and bird reserve at Cliffe more than made up for it with much of interest at sea, sand and shingle extraction on land and the old Cliffe fort slowly losing its battle with subsidence and regrowth. This area had once been eyed as an alternative to expansion at Heathrow but this now seems unlikely. The RSPB guy seemed happy to lock me in to the large car park overnight which suited me fine and by 09.30 the following morning I embarked on a trouble free journey west and back in to Wales.

Restrictions here ease tomorrow so I will begin a round of bothy inspections, yesterday Jan and I had a very satisfactory day above Abergavenny dealing with a disgusting pile of rubbish left by irresponsible visitors. Huge thanks to her for the assistance and a place to lie low for a couple of days and to Crad and Dawn over at Sennybridge for the same.

A selection of pics sit here.

Moving On

So several months further on and after many changes at various levels it is time to restart the blog.

Life is different for all of us but I still have a passion for travel and have adapted to the new circumstances that prevail and as always prefer to look to the future rather than dwell on the past, mindful that when I do look back over the last 15 years of van life that it has been a rich and varied experience.

With international travel restricted I decided to revisit parts of the UK and explore hitherto unknown areas so in early September headed north initially to Skipton where Craven District Council have an enlightened and welcome approach to camper vans, allowing overnight stays in designated bays of the central car park.

The ticket machine had a mind of its own and resolutely failed to issue the desired motorhome ticket and I ended up with a £15 ticket that entitled me to seven consecutive parking sessions. This I interpreted as allowing me to stay three nights plus the relevant day periods, longer than originally intended but with a flexible schedule I took advantage of the adjacent Leeds to Liverpool canal and cycled back towards Saltaire that afternoon.

A full day took me over the Peninnes towards Burnley with a good pub lunch at Foulridge near the tunnel. The towpath is rough in places so more suited to a mountain bike than tourer but offered fine views on a sunny day.

Another day long excursion took me over Embsay Moor on a superb bridle path before dropping in to Cracoe and passing through Wharfedale past Bolton Abbey to Ilkley with another good lunch at Burnsall where staff and customers were getting used to the new methods of ordering and paying for food. A climb over Ilkley Moor put me back on to the canal for a return to Skipton and the final night of an unexpected but very enjoyable stay there.

I met an old friend in the Forest of Bowland for a good walk above Slaidburn and stayed the night on the quiet road over towards Ingleton.

Moving north again I enjoyed a good walk in the Howgills with extensive views across to the Lakeland fells before finding a quiet spot for the night in the countryside south of Appleby in Wesmorland.

 

 

Dufton provided the starting point for the excellent High Cup Nick, a deeply incised valley with the hard rock of the great Whin Sill key to the formation of this remarkable feature. It was a stunning day and as the village car park was empty on my return I stayed the night and enjoyed a quick pint at The Stag before a quiet and cosy night in.

 

 With a few days in hand before I met up with Mandy I decided to explore some of the Seven Stanes mountain bike trails in Southern Scotland and the Borders so headed initially to Newcastleton NE of Carlisle. I'd managed to get a gas bottle exchanged in Longtown - the huge increase in camper and caravan use in the UK had created a national shortage - and enjoyed a good days ride before settling down for the night on the remote road over to Langholm in a thick fog.

North of Langholm just off the A7 I stayed on a small certificated site for the night to avail myself of the usual services and left for another Stanes location : Glentress near Peebles  and tackled the rewarding red route before staying the night at Innerleithin a few miles east which is one of Forestry and Land Scotland's excellent stay the night locations.

On leaving the following morning I detected a rattle in the exhaust and spotted a cracked joint which would require attention fairly soon. However it did not prevent me from meeting Mandy and her brother for a night at the superb Kelpies near Falkirk and the following day I arranged for ATS at Stirling to take a look. The parts would take a few days to arrive which put paid to our plans to meet up with our friends in Dumfries and Galloway so we decided to return to Glentress and Innerleithin for a good walk, a mountain bike ride and a great route along the Tweed Valley to Selkirk again staying at the stay the night facility.

A return to the Kelpies gave us a memorable ride along the Union Canal towards Edinburgh before we dropped down to the Forth Crossings and cycled over to North Queensferry to get a superb view of the famous Forth Bridge. Our return along the south shore of the Forth to Grangemouth took us through the grounds of Hopetoun House and past Blackness Castle with the oil refinery looking surreal as the skies darkened.

 

The exhaust was done as arranged despite the wrong part being supplied initially - magically the correct one arrived within half an hour which begs the question as to why I had had to wait 5 days initially.

Anyway Mandy had enjoyed an archery session in local woods with her brother and we set off north with the van full for water, food gas and fuel but needing a laundrette as local ones were closed. The garage at Lix near Killin had a self service machine so we loaded up and popped down to see the Falls. Unfortunately on our return the machine had been faulty and the wash failed - we tried the other one only to find it too was faulty and sat for an hour whilst it whirred its way through the programme.

Our base for the night was another stay the night location at the start of the route up Ben Lui after which we returned to the Green Welly service area for a working washing machine before exploring Glen Orchy and watching some kayakers on the falls.

That night we met Pete and Jan at another stay the night spot further down Glen Lochy - it was good to see old friends after so long and we enjoyed a socially distanced catch up.

A glorious day saw us head back to Tyndrum, park at Bridge of Orchy and walk over to Loch Dochard - lunch by the river and a break at the Loch gave us a long but enjoyable day in perfect conditions.

 

 

Friday saw us going our separate ways as we gave Jan a lift to Oban for the ferry to Barra and Pete headed off in search of more Corbetts Loch Arkaig way.

 

 

Oban was bathed in sunshine and busy but not crowded as we passed a couple of spare hours - Jan had kindly bought fresh crab sandwiches but lost hers to a sneaky seagull - before boarding the CalMac ferry for a superb 5 hour crossing. Porpoise tracked the boat as we passed through the Sound of Mull and the Skye Cuillin dominated the skyline as we crossed the Sea of The Hebrides.

After disembarking we drove the couple of miles round to Vatersay using the short causeway and were soon parked up near the Community Centre at Siar Beach.

A local crofter collected £5 as a contribution to the upkeep of the facilities before we walked down to the beach for a perfect sunset.

On the Saturday we were up early to walk over to the abandoned village and return to the van in time to meet Jan with her hire bike. We then set off to ride round Barra, having lunch at Barra airport as a flight took off from the beach and returning to Castlebay in time to catch the fish and chip van that evening. It had been a superb day but as we set off  back to the van a sea fog drifted in creating an eerie atmosphere. Vatersay was still in the sun so we enjoyed another quiet night.

We returned to a beach near the airport for lunch before catching the afternoon ferry to South Uist and camping by Smercleit beach in breezy conditions - a walk on to Orasay before the tide covered the causeway was followed by a quiet night lulled to sleep by the sounds of the sea.

 

From Smercleit we followed miles of sandy but firm tracks through the dunes running parallel to the coast and reached Drimsdale before returning in to a stiff headwind along the island's only real road. The winds were heralding the arrival of a storm so on the Tuesday we crossed to Benbecula on one causeway and to North Uist on another to take a pitch at the Carinish campsite which as a result of Covid guidance was taking self contained vans only. We sat out the bad weather with Scrabble and reading and hoped Jan in her tent was warm and safe back on Barra.

 

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny so wet set off to do a circuit of North Uist passing some lovely traditional black houses, a charming folly and covering a total of 57 miles. The eastern side of the island seemed to be more water than land and we had lunch at a beach that looked to be a perfect overnight stop near Hosta. A second night on the site saw us filled up with water and power as we headed off to Lochmaddy to book our ferry over to Harris, visit the museum and gallery and enjoy a coffee on the decking overlooking the harbour. Back at Hosta we spent time on the beach before another great sunset.

 

We stayed a second night but moved up in to the dunes for the perfect spot and enjoyed a day on the beach before a windy night but with stunning views.

The short crossing to Leverburgh gave us plenty of time to set off from the port and ride over to the pretty church at Rodel before following some of the Golden Road (so called as it had been hugely expensive to build in such difficult terrain). The bikes gave us the freedom to be nosy and we took various side tracks to quiet hamlets and remote crofts such as Quidnish and Aird Mhighe with some good views of seals basking on the rocks.

A night above Luskentyre bay was fine and allowed us to complete the rest of the Golden Road passing more crofts, hamlets and a few very stylish new build properties before we moved down to park by the stunning Luskentyre bay with its vast expanse of golden sands at low tide.

Before moving on we cycled round to the new Community Centre at Borve which has motorhome facilities and then drove to Tarbert and round to Miabhaig for a walk to the eagle observatory further up the glen. 

No luck on that front but we met the keeper with a freshly shot stag in his truck and enjoyed a quiet night with a couple of other vans further down the road.

Tuesday saw us setting off for a tough day starting with the climb back over to Tarbet where a new Calmac ferry terminal is being built and a new whisky distillery is waiting for their first product to mature. We took the road out to Scalpay reached by a substantial bridge and eventually saw signs out to the lighthouse reached by a rideable track. This was an impressive spot with superb views, an eye catching array of buildings and an honesty box for very welcome teas and coffees. The return to Miabhaig ended with a fast descent back to the van but still no sign of the elusive eagles.

Wednesday the 30th of September saw us heading over to Rhenigidale for a coast walk past an old croft to a secluded beach and the start or end of the postmans's walk back to the Scalpay road. A solitary seal watched us as we enjoyed views across to the northern tip of Skye. On Great Bernera we stayed the night at Bostadh with its ancient village and neatly kept cemetery with a sunset enjoyed from a slightly chilly vantage point facing Flodda - as October was approaching we were very aware that life on these windswept islands would be hard work now for many months.

Round on the Valtos peninsula we parked above the beach for the night with a few surfers and on the Thursday took the coastal road to the dead end at Mealasta where during WW2 several hundred troops had been stationed to man the military observation posts. It was a remote place and a brief shower had us sheltering under a solitary boat hull for lunch before we returned north and dropped off to beautiful Mangersta beach. There were some very impresssive eco builds there that blended well in to the scenery and one owner had a quirky sense of humour judging by some of the art installations. Returning to Valtos we were rewarded with an eagle soaring overhead and passed through the gorge delighted to have at last seen such a magnificent bird.

The first day of October saw us setting off on the bikes again but heavy rain persuaded us to turn back, seeking shelter in a small bothy for lunch before a superb rainbow heralded brighter skies. We drove to the closed community campsite for a tank of water before then returning down the Mealasta road to walk the cliff tops, visit a natural arch and admire the impressive sea stacks.

After another memorable night I took laundry down to the store and did a shop whilst Mandy enjoyed the beach and a walk through the valley to meet me. The weather was grey and showery but we still enjoyed visiting the old Norse kiln and mill, a broch and the Callanish stones before spending a very stormy night at the Butt of Lewis lighthouse. 

Stornoway on a Sunday is very quiet as no shops or services open so we were soon away for our final night up at Tolsta where we walked on a huge beach before visiting the Bridge to Nowhere, cleared some mindless litter from the car park and headed round to Stornoway on the Monday morning for a couple of hours before our journey to Ullapool. This was a calm crossing with another sighting of porpoise or dolphin and a visit from the coastguard helicopter adding to the excitement.

From Ullapool we drove to south of Inverness for the night and arrived back in Sauchie in time for another archery session. 

Having been so impressed by High Cup Nic we returned to Dufton for the night, enjoyed a superb lamb pie in The Stag and then walked up to see the remarkable feature on a windy but dry day.

The final night of this relatively short but fun packed trip was spent in Skipton to break the journey and all was well when we returned to Sheffield.

Since then I have been off again but will reveal the details of that trip in the next post.

More than enough photos from this trip can be found here.