I've Found Narnia!!!

My Hubby and I are travelling the UK for a year and we have just enterd Scotland for Christmas and to try and see the Northern Lights... On our way to Fort William I have to say the trip through the hills (I was going to say mountain pass, but I'm sure someone will laugh and correct me!) was quite scary. Blizzards and icy roads, plus snowploughs constantly passing us in the wrong direction gave me great cause for concern. When we arrived at Fort William, we had nowhere to stay... (all campsites closed).

Blizzards whilst driving!

So as members of the Youth Hostel Association we decided to stay there for two nights and the place was FREEZING!!! Granted the view from our bedroom window was stunning, with trees, a stream and Ben Nevis right ahead, but I couldn't enjoy it because it was too cold to sit there. There was a wood burner in the dining room that wasn't working, so we turned a sofa around in the main lounge to face a radiator. As you may have guessed we were the only two guest staying there.

Loch Linnhe - Fort William

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the woodlands into the town. We walked along the enormous Loch Linnhe with a backdrop scenery of snow capped mountains and then went for a ride on the Ben Nevis Ski lift. We didn't go all the way to the top, but 650 metres above sea level in the middle of winter was far enough and cold enough for me thank you very much. Again the views were stunning.

Going Up Nevis on Gondala

On the second night three more guests arrived and they were bonkers mountain walkers, the kind you meet in all weathers walking the peaks of Britains great ranges and at all times. I couldn't sleep Saturday morning and so got up at 5 am to make a brew, only to find them suited and booted for a trek up Nevis. Crazy Mad people it doesn't get light up here until at least eight in the morning!!.

Now if you think I'm exaggerating at this weather thing , then think again. We set up Amethyst all ready to head off to Bearnock when we discovered that the water pipes had frozen. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if we had thought about it we would have kept the central heating on whilst freezing our butts off in a hostel, but we didn't and so now we are without water, a problem still not fixed!!!

Us on Nevis - Brrrr!!!

We then had another scary drive up to Bearnock, beautiful countryside, but the campsite was on an ice rink on a hill and we decided that we would forget that and move on to plan B - Inverness Caravan club site, which was also like an ice rink for campers. We were without water and generally a tad fed up, so a pub crawl around Inverness at night was just what the doctor ordered. And very enjoyable it was too. However, we did come up with a cracking good plan C and D. (It's amazing what a few drinks to relax the mind conjures up great ideas).

Next morning we got up, got a taxi to Inverness airport and hired a 4 by 4 beast of a car and decided to tour the Highlands and beyond staying at B & Bs for ten nights and leaving Amethyst safely at a Caravan club site in Inverness until after Christmas. We both feel much better about this and when you read next weeks blog about where I'm currently blogging from you'll understand why!!!! Dun Dun Derrr!!!!

Jess the Ness has her own tree... Awww.

Below: Festive Amethyst. 

 Almost forgot - We finally got into the christmas spirit by decorating the van.