Day 20 was mainly a sit in the car and motor north East across Scotland. Our destination was 291 miles that took us around Glasgow to Stirling and up the west side of the Cairngorms. It was a day of two halves weather wise. We started out on cold and wet weather.
By the time we got to our lovely campsite at Findochty as few miles east of Buckie it was 22C and patchy blue skies.
We passed through parts of Scotland I had never visited. It was probably best not to have done it in a 3 metre high camper van but oh well. We passed through Callander which is lovely and I wished we had time to stop. It was a picture perfect little place. The A84 turns onto the A827 at Killin and runs along the west shore of the Majestic Loch Tay before we struck north on the B8019. I should have known by the B it was going to be narrow and twisty. Thus it was but oh the views.
And the logging trucks hurtling the other way. I still have both wing mirrors. I was too kind to a lot of cars coming the other way trying to get over as much as possible on my side of the road occasionally flinging mud up under my nearside wheels. The cars coming the other way seemed to make no attempt to slow down or move over so I adopted the hard nasty approach and held my line. I am simply too nice. The van is now covered in mud, dirt and dead flies. We continued. The village of Fortingall could be lifted straight from the Cotswolds.
After 7 ½ hours we arrived at our camp for the next two nights. Right outside the campsite is the Red Admiral pub. It would have been desperately rude to travel the best part of 300 miles and not support a local business. So we did. And I was glad of it. The dust of the road was heavy in the throat. A cold pint of local brew was just what the doctor ordered.
Tomorrow will be a special day. Debbies Great Grandfather and his son, her Grandfather both came from Buckie and we are going to see what we can find. In addition we will visit Culloden battlefield.
Todays Distance: 291 miles
Total Distance: 1989 miles.
Woodend Wanderer 