Scotland September 2007
For years we have visited Scotland and it's always been the west side, Skye, the Outer Hebrides, Arran, Torridon, you name it. With good reason of course, the mountains, coastline and islands up there are stunning. The rain and the midges however are not and we thought we might investigate, what for us was undiscovered Scotland - the eastern side. So we packed the campervan and thought long and hard about whether or not to take the mountain bikes but as Sue was developing a cough, we didn't.
Click on any thumbnail picture to enter the gallery.
Saturday 1st September. Warm and sunny. We drove from home and up the A1 to Northumberland on our way to that enigmatic east coast. We stayed at a CCC campsite at Beadnell Bay just north of the village of the same name, see picture 1. In the evening we walked across the endless sweep of sands south of the village to the bird sanctuary where there were no birds. When we were here in spring of 2006 the were enormous numbers of nesting Terns, both common and little. Now the chicks have flown it's off on their holidays I suppose.
Sunday 2nd September.
Cloudy but sunny later. We drove to Berwick
upon Tweed which I always thought marked the border with Scotland.
No so however for after much squabbling and bloodshed it was conceded
to the English in 1482 after the Scottish wars of Independence. Perhaps
we arrived a little early or perhaps because it was sunday but the
place seemed deserted and just a little run down, particularly towards
the river where we were parked. There seemed to be a lot of closed
down and boarded up properties in a town where I would have expected
property developers to be jumping in before the boards went up. We
made a pleasant walk along the walls with the dog walkers with good
views out towards the lighthouse before dipping into the town past
the house where artist Lowry spent
many a holiday, to search for a coffee.
From Berwick we continued north to St.Abbs,
a town less old than the lady who bears its name, princess Abba of
Northumberland who was shipwrecked here on the headland in the year 630
something. Fortunately for my pocket the car park was full (£5)
and after some complicated turning manoeuvres we made our way back up
the hill where we parked for free at the NTS centre.
From here we did a walk along the cliffs (2) returning by some lanes
which dumped us back at the NTS centre and the campervan, There were
few birds but plenty of birdlimed ledges and rather windy but no rain.
We pressed on north and stayed at the CCC site at Barns Ness. Despite being sandwiched between a power station, a refuse pit, a cement works and accompanying quarry the site was very pleasant. A belt of trees obscured the undesirables and it was only minutes from the coast and lighthouse. Even the distant power station looked serene in the evening light. The warden suggested that we leave something to mark our pitch when we drove out next day so we left our ramps propped up and that was the last we saw of them. Thank's someone, only £20 for a new set.
Monday 3rd September
Warm and sunny but Sue's cough developing. Using Barns Ness as a base we visited NTS Inveresk gardens (3 & 4) not far from Edinburgh which were delightful and really peaceful and well kept. Next, NTS Newhailes house a Palladian rococo style wonder designed by James Smith in the early 18thC and later occupied by the better known Dalrymple family. Our guide explained that the house has been given a minimal renovation to keep it as it was with just enough restoration to maintain the integrity of the building. I think that I would have liked a bit more restoration, it all seemed just a bit shabby.
Looking for a little exercise we climbed the nearby North Berwick Law, 187m, one of many pointy volcanic plug peaks in the area, picture 5 is the view looking north towards the Forth of Firth from the summit. Squeezing in one last marvel we visited the NTS Preston Mill and Phantassie Doocot. The mill was quite interesting, and sort of worked, driven by a waterwheel much in need of some loving care and attention. See picture 6. The Doocot - well...
Tuesday 4th September.
Warm and sunny. A first visit to Edinburgh. Somewhat daunted by the idea of taking the campervan into the city we we drove to the park and ride at Newcraighall and took the 31 the Princes Street. Easy. As expected it was all very touristy, The Fringe having just finished, with more Japanese, Germans and Americans than there were Scots. (7) Edinburgh castle (£9) was good with lots of exhibitions (8), the National Gallery of Scotland could have taken up the rest of the day but eventually we dragged ourselves away down the Royal Mile to Holyrood house. Her Majesty was not in residence so we took an audio tour. I think that we were becoming over house and castled.
Wednesday 5th September
Warm and sunny. Back on the A1 again. Called in at Tantallon castle near North Berwick. Picture 9 shows the guano covered Bass rock, a major gannet colony through some of the ruins. The castle was originall the home of Douglas Earls of Angus, one of the most powerful baronial families in Scotland. Tantallon served as a noble fortification for more than three centuries and endured frequent sieges. It is now owned by Historic Scotland so we NT members had to pay but it was really well kept and interesting, well worth the £3.50.
Onwards and upwards, round Edinburgh on the A720, onto the M8, up to the Forth Bridge and some horrendous road works. Eventually we filtered through and made it to Perth where we called in at the Branklin gardens which had some impressive collections of alpines. Campervans should avoid the car-park - we only just made it in and ours is only a van conversion. Out was easier provided no one parks opposite the entrance. Use the coach park off the main road. We camped at the pleasant CCC campsite at Scone, famous for its house which we somehow managed to miss.
Thursday 6th September
Warm and sunny again but Sue's cough not much better.
From Perth we drove along the A90 to Dundee,
famous for its cake amongst other things then on the A92 to Arbroath where
all parking seemed to be free and we found an excellent spot right on
the harbour side. It's a pleasant little town with a nice harbour and
the smell of smoke houses. We walked onto Seaton cliffs (11) which surprisingly
had a surfaced path for the first mile and a half. A minor turn for the
worse took us up Seaton Den, a tree filled ravine but eventually we made
Auchmithie, a very quiet village.
From here the path disappeared and despite encouragement from various
information boards we found ourselves trekking along wheat and potato
field edges which came right up to the cliff edge rather than paths.
Eventually we gave up and returned along the cliff tops. Nice cliffs
of red sandstone but poor unprotectable climbing rock. Picture 10 one
of Arbroath's famous smoke houses and 11, Seaton cliffs. Guess what we
had for dinner.
Camped at Seaton Mains £15. A slightly strange site that seemed more interested in selling statics than having a touring site. Nice lighting in the evening as a bank of clouds moved in, see 13.
Friday 7th September.
Hot and sunny. Left Seaton Mains, called in Morrisons
then headed out towards Montrose where
there is a remarkable basin connected to the sea. The basin is about
4 sq miles and would appear to make a natural tidal power generator though
it might upset the birds in the bird sanctuary. We visited the NTS House
of Dun which was much better than I expected.
The gardens were beautiful and we were guided round the house which had
been owned by the Erskine family since the 17th C by a delightful young
lady.
In the afternoon we headed for Stonehaven and
the slightly provocatively named Queen Elizabeth Caravan Park where we
spent a couple of nights. A bit touristy and kiss me quick, famous, apparently
for the deep fried mars bar it did give access to the North
Sea Trail. Having obtained pamphlets and maps from the tourist office
we had great hopes for this path, visualising it to be something like
the Cornish one. The grand plan is for the path to
completely circle the north sea and to include Belgium, Holland, Denmark
and Norway. Well, we only sampled a few miles of it but we found it disappointing,
very little followed the cliff edges and some stretches seemed to follow
busy roads.
Saturday 8th September.
cloudy but brightened later. Walked from the campsite at Stonehaven to Dunnottar castle, taking the long variations along the clff edge. Nice castle (£5) but nothing like as good as Tantallon though the setting was perhaps a little more dramatic (just). Tried to continue along the cliff edge but the terrain became increasingly tussocky and we gave up at a jutting peninsula. Good view of a cave entrance with Stock? doves. Also, yellow thistles, what are they?
Sunday 9th September.
Left Stonehaven to visit George and Isabel Dixon at friends of Sue near Ballater. Sue's cough becoming worse and chesty. We had been invited to lunch and being too early we visited Crathes Castle in nearby Banchory. Seat of the ancient family of Burnett of Leys, this 16thC tower house is now owned by the NTS. Some old houses are cold and inhospitable inside with huge pompous rooms, this was different and I almost felt that I could move in here. (Fat chance!). As well as the house there were some lovely gardens which, despite the late summer were still showing lots of colour. See 15 and 16.
Isabel is George's mother and is a sprightly 98. When Sue's parents were alive they met some 30-odd years ago while holidaying in the Lake District and Sue has remained in touch ever since. George worked for the Foreign Office and seemed to have been in a variety of posts all over the world. We had an excellent dinner and chatted for several hours. Camped at the campsite at Ballater.
Monday 10th September.
Woke to find everything grey and drizzling so we opted to go home, Sue's cough being no better she wants to visit the doctor. Heading home the weather gradually improved until it was beautiful sunshine with the hills clear as a bell as far as the eye could see. We wobbled then diverted to the CCC campsite at Rowardennan on Loch Lomond, hoping to climb the Ben next day. Glorious evening.
Tuesday 11th September.
Heavy drizzle and low cloud, back to plan A and home