shuvonshuvoff motorhome adventures

I set off from Loch Ness to head to Southern Scotland with the intention of finding somewhere to wild camp by Loch Lomond. I felt it was time as I had been on the road now since last September and I had not given it a go. I had plenty of gas, water, food and the leisure battery was charged up so I was well prepared. Once again I was treated to the most breathtaking scenery as I drove for hours along the edge of Loch Ness, through Fort William and past Loch Leven.  Then through the Highlands of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The ski resort was open to go up at Glen Coe but there was not enough snow for a good ski so I decided against it. Hopefully when I come back up to Scotland at the end of the year to do the NS500 I will get a chance to do some skiing. But it is very hit and miss with snow conditions. I just kept stopping and taking in my surroundings because they were so beautiful. The beauty of having the motorhome is that I could also make myself a cup of tea and wander...

When I finally got to the edge of Loch Ness I was so pleased with the location of the campsite, it was nestled on the edge of the Loch. An added bonus was that it is very echo friendly and there was hardly anyone else on the site. The staff were also very friendly and welcoming. I arrived a bit early because reviews I had read said that it is difficult to find, and knowing just how bad my sense of direction is at the best of times, I gave myself plenty of time to get lost. But the signage was spot on and it took me straight to the site. The rules at most of the sites are strict about when you can get onto sites and when you have to leave them. I was not allowed on this one until two o clock, even though there was no one else waiting, so they showed me into their new cafe and gave me a free cup of coffee. Chatting to the ladies who work in the cafe I said that I would not have wanted to navigate the narrow road along the Loch to the campsite in high season because it would be so ...

I was told that the biggest sled dog competition in Britain was due to take place during my stay in the Cairngorms. Apparently it is held at this time of year to guarantee snow for the event but that has not been the case for the last few years, and it looked like this year was not going to be any different. I was intrigued as to how they would run the event with all the Huskies and sleighs and no snow. As I approached the start line there were crowds of people and teams of huskies in vans and tied up all over a big field. Many of the dogs were barking and eager to get on with the competition. The races featured teams of two to eight dogs, had there been snow they would have pulled their musher on a sled, but as there was no snow the musher used a three wheel rig that looked like a tricycle without a seat. I have to say I was underwhelmed with what I saw. There was no real excitement despite the valiant efforts of the compere to drum up enthusiasm. It was all a bit sad i...