Week 39 - 7th to 13th July

Monday 7th - day 324

We had to go to Stirling today to refill the food cupboard, and petrol tank – so that will empty the bank account!!! On the way through Doune though we spotted a sign advertising an antique

centre, so we decided to take a peek; 2 hours later we emerged exhausted from our window shopping! Never have we been so surrounded by so many beautiful (and some times affordable) antique furniture and artefacts. We didn’t purchase but I suspect that we will go back!! This of course made us late for our visit to Stirling, but we enjoyed a leisurely recce of the town, stopping first to look at the enormous memorial to William Wallace, national hero, for his battles against the English, and a wander around the grounds of the castle, stopping to gaze up at a larger than life statue of Robert the Bruce first King of Scotland (we are beginning to get a sense of Scottish patriotism!) We stopped at that, deciding to go back to visit the jail another day.

Tuesday 8th - day 325

Today we have woken (early) to sunshine, a much welcome change in our weathery fortunes! We should really have packed our rucksacks and gone walking, but we decided to tour the west side of Lomond, so we packed the picnic box instead!
Our first stop was Luss, as I had a faint memory of an old harbour, but on arrival could only assume I was confusing it with somewhere else! Since my last visit though, Scottish Heritage had been instrumental in renovating a row of old cottages (felt a bit like Bibury) and they now were looking very buffed up with their brass knobs and knockers.
We drove on then down past the “Rest and Be Thankful” picnic area at the top of Glen Croe, and turned left for Lochgoilhead, where we planned to stretch our legs by the Loch.
Once we had extricated ourselves from a very loud American, who was very keen to give us his ancestral history from the 1200s, we set off down the road towards Inverlounin. We had not got very far before it started to rain, from blue sky to black in moments it was incredible, (we watched it travel across the loch, then heard it on the roofs before it hit us!) so we sheltered for a while, as we had no wet weather gear with us! then carried on. It seemed that it was going to clear up, but alas the heavens opened again – big time and we returned to the car looking like a couple of drowned rats!
By the time we got to Inverary we had dried out, so we pulled up outside the town, in a layby over looking the water and ate our lunch.
We were better prepared for our walk round Inverary, reaching for our anoraks despite the brilliant blue sky! However rain held off, at least we didn’t notice it while we visiting the Loch Fyne Whisky Shop. This was the shop that I had bought a bottle of Springbank for Chris last time I had been there with the kids. Chris was a dribbly mess of anticipation all the way round, pointing out a bottle of 50 year old Glenfarclas at £950, and fair swooning at the joy of all those single malts. Needless to say we bought another bottle of Springbank, as it would have been too cruel to ask him to leave without something in his hand, oh and he was inspired to buy Christmas pressies for Jmz and Dan – impressed or what!!
We finished our stroll round the town with a walk down the old pier, which we shared with a bunch of fishermen, then back to the car for our pot of tea and a bit of tiffin, before making the journey back to Aberfoyle in the early evening light, which stayed with us long enough for us to sit outside and have a Pimms, not bad eh!

Wednesday 9th - day 326

We have thoughts of walking locally today, so set off for the Dukes Pass with thoughts of parking up there and setting off. Because the landscape is so large here, mostly the routes are designed for long distance cycle rides, so finding circular walking routes is proving tricky round here, and in the end we arrived at Loch Katrine’s pier. So once there we decided to investigate/book ferry tickets and hire of a bike for Chris, so that we cycle the length of the loch later in the week, I’m really looking forward to this as it will be the best way to see more without getting into the car! We are beginning to think that we got rid of Chris’s bike too soon!
Once sorted we got back in the car to pursue our walk for today, but as if on purpose the heavens opened again and after 20 minutes we decided to visit Callander. I have fond memories of starting childhood holidays from there, but it somehow held few charms today. By late afternoon the rain had stopped and we were in need of some serious refreshment so we drove to Invertrossachs, had our tea and found a circular route, up through a managed pine forest to a lovely little loch, then back down along another path back down to Loch Venachar and back to the car by the water. We were looking hard for red squirrels al along the way, but instead saw a frog, a field mouse and a baby bird, which was sitting in the middle of the road looking like a bit of a pudding! We stood for a minute, he gazed up at us, and we gazed down at him, but he didn’t look like he intended to move anywhere, which might not have been a problem, but as two cars had passed us on the road earlier, we could not be certain he would be safe, so Chris started to make mother bird movements and eventually the little chappy flapped and waddled his way into the grass, leaving me quite unsure as to who looked the most endearing.

Thursday 10th - day 327

We had planned to return to Stirling today as according to the weather forecast we are in for torrential down pours today, but it seems that they happened in the night, and today was dry if lacking in sunlight.
But we went anyway, via the antiques centre were we had nearly lost all our dribble earlier in the week, we were trying to make a purchase for our keepsake drawer, but it would appear that there was still too much choice, and I suspect that we may return if we ever get a home of our own, to make some serious purchases, like tables, chairs, lights, hat stands etc, so again we left in a daze!
On arrival at Stirling, we had a spot of lunch first, in the Portcullis just by the castle, and then made our way to the “Jail”. We were asked if we needed concession tickets, (I presume they meant for Chris) but we told them that we were gap year students and they let us in for student rates, plus a further 10% off because Chris flashed his heritage card at them!! (even though it was English!!)
The visit was a bit of a whirl wind tour, led by an actor who kept changing coats and playing different parts. At one point he needed a model to demonstrate the techniques for capitol punishment, and he cast his eye over the audience until his eyes fell on Chris, he looked no further, and in a moment Chris was sat on the stool in front of us all, awaiting some nasty fate, but after waving a branding iron and a rope around for a little while Chris was free to go. He played his part well I think, nodding at the right bits and looking suitably cowed at others, well I’d have given him his equity card.
The tour was only a short one, and told us a lot about reform, but little about a prisoners day (other than the modern day routines explained in an exhibition, in another part of the jail) but it was thoroughly enjoyable no the less.
We left there for a wander round town, and of course a cuppa, before returning to the caravan to make sure that my bike is working ready for our cycle ride tomorrow – can’t wait.

Friday 11th - day 328

Despite the forecast the weather has been good to us today, not exactly sunny, but enough UV rays to burn Chris’s bons!
With three alarms we managed to be up by 8am, and were present, correct, and fully equipped by 10.15. I have to make note of this for all cynics who don’t think that we can get anywhere on time – we did, and it has been documented!
The cruise on the Sir Walter Scott was set to last 45 minutes chugging down the Loch Katrine to Stronachlachar, but 10 minutes in – as we headed towards the bank - the Skipper calmly reported a mechanical failure so we made our way back to pier! The steering was fixed by the time we had reached land, so we did a turn about and carried on, getting to Stronachlachar just in time for hot chocolate – well it had been chilly out on the loch. Once refreshed we set off on our trusty two wheeled steads and headed for home. The journey was 14 miles of gently undulating roads, with the occasional steep climb, and the views were spectacular. We had packed a picnic, but were making such good progress that we were nearly back at the pier before stopping for lunch. We stopped at a bench before the last corner and sat and ate watching other walkers and cyclists coming and going along the road, all enjoying this beautiful place. Finaly a quick wander round Aberfoyle, and we were back at the van by 5pm, the earliest ever, in time for a little snooze before dinner. The day ended well with a phone call from Tim, just back from Argentina.

Saturday 12th - day 329

We have had a lovely day today, not going anywhere! We have spent the day sorting out the camp sites in Ireland and ferries etc. We had planned to go out n the evening to the folk night at the Lade Inn in Callander, but we were feeling too lazy by the evening, and just stayed put and enjoyed being “at home”, and not a little relieved to have sorted Ireland out!

Sunday 13th - day 330

After such a lazy day yesterday, we needed to relieve our squashed buttocks and stretch our legs. The weather is definitely trying to improve so we packed our picnic box, and drove just beyond Aberfoyle to David Marshall Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth Forest, a popular walking and cycling spot. At first we were not sure whether it had been a good idea, as it felt like most of Glasgow (and possibly the Netherlands and Germany!!) were there sitting in chairs by their cars, lounging on the park benches or picnicking at tables – all “getting away from it all”!
Anyway we found a bench that didn’t quite meet any one else’s gaze, and tried to pretend that we could hear the birds!
After lunch we popped into the visitor centre for a map of their trails to guide us round the rabbit warren of little paths available to us, before setting off. With binoculars in hand, and the eager anticipation of red squirrel spotting we waded past the masses on the 20 minutes round the waterfall trail, but soon left the madding crowd behind, and had the paths almost to ourselves (except for eager cyclists and a few fellow walkers). Soon after we had settled into the quietness, we were, (for several moments) a little confused by a loud whirring above our heads, and as we looked up saw people sailing through the sky like monkeys, then we remembered the queue outside “Go Ape” up at the Lodge, where a bunch of excited folk, were waiting to be strapped up in harnesses to a pulley system that sung them through the trees, and over to an adventure playground of more rope swings, walkways and nets. It all looked fabulous fun, but we ere on another adventure!
The hunt for new birds and red squirrels was on, but after 5 miles of happy wandering all we had managed to spy were these wonderful toadstools and some magnificent scenery!