In the middle of April 2007 I drove down to Esbjerg, Denmark, to catch the ferry to Harwich (as the Gothenburg-Newcastle ferry not longer sails) and then north into Scotland (with my 'new' caravan, a Cabby 532 DLX, also from 1987, if you must know :-).
This trip has been split into five parts: April, May parts 1 and 2, and June parts 1 and 2.
In this first part, I travelled from Eskilstuna to Esbjerg to catch ferry to Harwich, and then headed up to Lake Distict before heading along Scotland's Southwest coast.
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As the steam train wasn't to run for another few days it's was time to move on (16/5). I retraced my steps and headed south to Ballachulish and through Glen Coe, which was as lovely as last year, as was Rannoch Moor. The night was spent in Callander, where I did the Trossachs Trail: Loch Katrine with S/S Sir Walter Scott, Duke's Pass, Queen Elizabeth's Forrest Park, Doune and it's castle, and back to Callander.
Callander being expensive, I decided to move on (17/5) to Fife. I headed for my 'usual' pitch at Woodland Garden above Lower Largo, where I was met by 'I know you, don't I?' :-) Got a nice 'shot' of Bass Rock after shopping in Leven, otherwise nothing much really happened (i.e. time for some domestic work).
Friday (18/5) and I headed for Cupar...
Saturday (19/5) and the Fife Show is on in Cupar. (OK, OK... you can't see much of the show in the photo, but it was so green and nice... :-) So we went to soak up the atmosphere but ended up having tea and strawberry tarts at Cairnie, where they have built a brand new shop and tearoom.
On Sunday (20/5) I visited Glenrothes to do some shopping and have a closer look at the centre. Then, foolhardily, tried to locate Dogton Stone south of Glenrothes... Ended up taking a closer look at Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy. In the evening I got a look at Venus and the moon near each other in the sky.
Monday (21/5) and I headed for St. Andrews for a look at the cathedral and castle. After a 'fancy' lunch we had a quick tour of parts of the University with two graduates.
Time for a visit to Dunblane (22/5), where I had a closer look at
the interior
of the cathedral.
Found some interesting memorials and
gravestones in the churchyard.
('Remember man as you pass by;
As you are now [as?] once was I;
As I am now, so you must be;
Prepare therefore to follow me'
I also learnt that one can buy Doune and Dunblane Fling Pies for
50p and one gets a curry with the jazz
concert. :-)
Wednesday (23/5) and time for some shopping in Leven before a quick visit to Crail with it's harbour and museum. Spent the afternoon relaxing...
Thursday (24/5) and time for some relaxation...:-)
Friday (25/5) was for a tour down 'memory lane': Pitlochry via Newtyle, Alyth, Blairgowrie, Kirkmichael, and Moulin. Almost had a head-on with a timber lorry on the same bridge where we had an actual head-on in 1984 (just west of Enochdhu). Headed home was via Scone and Newburgh. Only got photos of clouds... (... but lots of recollections of old memories :-).
Saturday (26/5) and nothing much happened...
Sunday (27/5) and a quick tour of St. Andrews and the West Sands was done before tea in Cupar.
Monday (28/5) was used to get some value from my membership in
Historic Scotland. :-) Visited St. Finians
Chapel (not HS, but next to) and Aberdour
Castle with it's painted ceiling
(only found 14 years ago when paneling was removed).
(I was considering visiting Inchcolm Abbey,
but time ran out...)
Tuesday (29/5) and yet another day of relaxation...
Wednesday (30/5) and time to make a trip north again with caravan.
Set up my caravan in Fordoun (in the middle of nowhere) and headed
for lunch in Laurencekirk (not all that exiting). Kept on going
towards Arbroath and the abbey, which was toured in the rain. Got
to see a copy of the declaration of Arbroath.
Headed back north again to Brechin to look at the heritage railway,
Caledonian Railway, and Brechin cathedral
and round tower. While standing in St. Finian's Square the
sun came out.
(On the way to Arbroath, just south of Marykirk at the railway
bridge, I passed a road accident, where a small car lost it's
front wheel when hitting a larger car. Heading from Arbroath I
passed another road accident where a smaller car had turned over.)
Thursday (31/5) and a lovely sunny morning... Did some domestic work before heading for Edzell Castle and the Caterthuns. Ended up following parts of the Victorian Trail, and seeing things like the arch in Fettercairn (erected in commemoration of Queen Victorias visit), and heading up Glen Esk (and the road of 'bunny hell' - I've never seen so many killed bunnies...). Edzell Castle is interesting as is it's garden, more so in the summer when all the plants bloom I've been told. The Brown and the White Cathertuns are two stone age forts (and/or places of worship on top of two hill tops). The Brown Caterthun consists of only earthworks while the White Caterthun consists of earthworks and stones. From the top of them one gets a good view all around.
(So far I have taken more than 2000 photos during this travel, but I only share about 160 of then... as to not bore you too much. :-)
Continued in June, part 1
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