Crinan

A couple of weekends ago we spent a weekend at the Crinan Hotel. If you don't know Crinan is on the Argyll coast where Loch Crinan and the Crinan Canal meet. Arriving feels like you have reached the very end of the road and it is one of the most peaceful places you can imagine.

The hotel

Our room is the big bay on the first floor to the right. We had a 180 degree view of the Loch. www.crinanhotel.com

Our view

The hotel and canal

There is a picturesque walk along the tow path and through the forest, made even more beautiful by the autumn leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Campervan Holiday

Last week we hired a Campervan for a few days and set off for a mini-tour of Scotland. This was our site for the first night - Bunree Caravan Club just south of Fort William.

It was a bit chilly at night but lovely and sunny in the daytime.

This was early morning with low cloud on the hills

Our culinary skills were put to the test as we decided to try and cook all our meals in the van. The menu included tasty chicken curry, spicy beef noodles and macaroni cheese - as well as bacon sarnies for breakfast!

The next day we were off to Blair Atholl Caravan Site just north of Pitlochry.

We stopped off for a walk at Nevis Range Mountain Experience.

The site at Blair Atholl was huge - 290 pitches - but was surrounded by lovely parkland and woodland walks.

Blair Atholl Castle

Hercules Garden - a Georgian walled garden

Our final night was spent at Milarrochy Bay Campsite on the eastern side of Loch Lomond. Here we were fortunate to have a Loch-side pitch. 

A rather untidy campervan!

British Touring Cars Championship at Knockhill

We went to watch the Knockhill round of the British Touring Car Championship. Local man Gordon Shedden is leading the Championship and is from Dalgety Bay - 10 mins down the road from us.

Action at the first corner

Some of the Marshalls have extra padding for safety

One of the support races - Ginetta Junior Championship

Porsche Carrera Cup race

And a short video....

Applecross Peninsula

 In August we had a few days up on the west coast on the Applecross Peninsula - staying at the excellent Applecross Inn. They serve the most fantastic food, mostly locally caught seafood, and allow dogs - what more could we want!
The most direct way to Applecross is via the Bealach na Bà or 'Pass of the Cattle' with a rather ominous warning sign at the bottom. 

The road is single track and similar to a mountain pass in the alps.

The Subaru Impreza Owners club passed us on the way to the pass bringing back memories...... but we had our trusty Volvo estate now so we wiped a tear and carried on.

Up in to the mist on the top

Down the other side to Applecross Bay

The Applecross Inn

River Applecross

A walled garden with tearoom at Applecross House

Some flowers

Some more flowers

Applecross House

South of Applecross Bay are some 'Coral Beaches.' We've seen similar on Skye and they are not actually coral but are sunbleached algae. In the sun with the clear blue water they look almost tropical.

Applecross Bay 

The trip back down the Pass

On our way back home we stopped off at Plocton - a place close to the hearts of the Golding family after many wet camping trips here