A Year in a Motorhome - Travelling UK Coast - Scotland - Glasgow - Fort William - Week16 10 Years Ago

 MONDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2014 Week 16

So, my birthday weekend seems a million years away now despite only happening last weekend. I have only just managed to persuade Del to let me throw out the helium balloons that I kept head-butting in the motorhome all last week! It was most annoying.

We headed up to Glasgow and found our first really quiet and almost empty caravan club site. I guess people aren't mad enough to camp in Scotland during the winter, and right now they are, too. I swear we were staying in the middle of a hurricane!! 

With the wind, rain, thunder and lightning plus sub-zero temperatures, I did begin to wonder if Scotland at Christmas was such a good idea. Ed’s American Diner in Glasgow... Mmm, yum. Glasgow Shopping Centre at Christmas, lovely.

We did have a brief look around Glasgow city centre, but I was so cold and wet that I really wasn't enjoying myself at all. So I finished off my Christmas shopping in a nearby shopping centre and didn't venture out of the van again. I did manage to get quite a bit of editing to my book done, so I guess that's a small bonus.

Our next stop was Fort William, and 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 were closed).

Blizzards whilst driving! Loch Linnhe - Fort William.

So as members of the Youth Hostel Association, we decided to stay there for two nights and the place was FREEZING!!! Granted,, as members of the Youth Hostel Association, we decided to stay there for two nights, 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 guests staying there.

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. Us on Gondala—I look a bit worried because I was!! I'm not good with heights!

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 Britain’s great ranges at all times. I couldn't sleep Saturday morning, so I got up at 5 a.m. 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!

(Me looking a little anxious!)

Now, if you think I'm exaggerating about 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!

(Me on Ben Nevis! It was cold!)

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 it was delightful too. However, we did come up with a cracking good plan C and D. (It's amazing how a few drinks to relax the mind conjures up great ideas).

Us on Nevis - Brrrr!

The next morning, we got up, got a taxi to Inverness airport, 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 week’s blog about where I'm currently blogging from, you'll understand why!!!! Dun Dun Derrr!  

We just remembered. We finally got into the Christmas spirit by decorating the van. Oh, we have also set our phones to alert us for the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, which we are both eager to see. Del even found a compass app for his phone so we always know when we're facing north. (we have more chance of seeing if we are facing north). If anyone hears of a major solar flare, please text Facebook or Twitter. (in advance, please. Don't tell me after the horse has bolted the stable, ah thank you). And on to the Highlands. TTFN. xxx

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