Well...on the road at last.

We left London on the 2nd September and headed north. 

First stop was Oxfordshire to see some dear relatives and say good-bye, It was a sad farewell.....

Then onwards to Great Malvern to stay with Nina lovely homemade pizza and as always fine hospitality!..topped the tanks with Spring Water straight from the source! Quick jaunt around town for some other supplies etc....

Next stop - Ulswater in the Lakes District. Stunning views, beautiful fresh air....plenty of trouble for the kids to get into!

We took a walk into the town which was about 15 minutes or so and wandered around, found a place to rent a little sailing boat and went out for an hour or so...was lovely and  all our sailing skills returned like riding a bike!

Well was all lovely until we lost any semblance of wind and had to tiller all the way back to port!!!

Next day was a big drive to Glasgow.

Dotty's first boo boo....flat tyre.....Chris managed to change it and we were both amazed at the genius design of the jack and the spare tyre casing! Even for a 20 year old car it all made such sense!!

Glasgow:  Stayed with another friend and had "the best curry in Glasgow" and then off to a little gathering of souls and some good music!

Saturday was a big walk into the city to find some other supplies and take in the Glaswegian architecture! Moaning kids who stayed up to late cut the day short but we found all that we needed and managed to get in a trip to the theatre to see the Gruffalo! Unexpected Gruffalo encounter!

Drive then onto Oban and camped up before being chauffeured into town by some hospitable friends of friends for  a lovely meal and some good conversation.

Monday was a little wander around Oban, nice little town, stop off at the Whisky Shop for a nip to stash in Dotty's cupboard!! Also Procurement of a Fishing rod, much to Flynn's delight!

Next stop the Isle of Mull... a ferry ride away and then a very exciting drive on a single track road to a very beautiful yet possibly the most wind torn campsite ever! 

The kids were in heaven, sand castles on the beach, a spot of fishing...no luck...and then warm showers!!

We woke after a very windy and wet night to a very low tide which meant foot access to some of the rocky outcrops off the shore. the kids and Chris wandered out for an hour or so while I sorted out for departure! 

Another ferry ride out to Iona, quaint little island with a turbulent history, monks, nuns, vikings....very interesting....

then off on one of the most stunning drives I have ever been on...absolutely gorgeous coastline, beautiful scenes, WOW....really really amazing...highly recommended....then camping near Calgary bay in a free campsite....Free camping is a legal right in Scotland so long as the land owner approves, there are some places that request no camping but otherwise you can pretty much pull up wherever...very cool.

Short drive the next day with some more beautiful views and down the hill to Balamory...well Tobermory really, spotted some coloured houses! Stocked up on supplies again and then ferry back to Mainland....more driving!  

 Priority today was to find a campsite with Laundry facilities as we had no clean knickers!! Tick...3 loads of washing later!! kids returned from the beach covered in sand once again....!! Still no luck with the fishing....may have lost my touch!!

Now on the road to Loch Ness for some monster spotting!!

So far so good....Dotty is a champion....kids are fine if they are entertained, they don't like to sit and drive...Flynn I am realising, has more energy than one small boy should be allowed....

Chris and I could both use a good nights sleep...the beds while functional are not really posturepaedic! 

Everything else plodding along swimmingly!!

Hope all is well where ever you are!!

Lots of love

Beth!