Back on the road again

Impressions of the Outer Hebrides from our Campervan Trip

‘Some travel writer [not me] wrote that May was the best time to visit the Outer Hebrides as there are no midges, so now it is our busiest time,’ a campsite owner told me. We were on the Atlantic coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and I furrowed my brow, wondering how tiny midges withstand the Hebridean winds. He nodded and smiled, telling me, ‘midges aren’t really a problem here.’

We were certainly not the only campervan travelling through all the islands of the Outer Hebrides in May but there rarely felt too many. Some commentators suggest that responsible motorhome owners should stay away from these islands but, to me, that doesn’t seem helpful. Many businesses and small, family-run campsites rely on seasonal visitors for income. We booked the ferry, willingly spent our money in the campsites and frequented cafes and local shops as we travelled from north to south through all the Outer Hebrides from Lewis to Barra.

Stornoway, the main town on Lewis, was buzzing when we visited. The sun was shining but the buzz was mainly because of the huge cruise ship moored at the deep sea terminal. This gave the town a thriving cosmopolitan air and we met a large French group in a cafe, Australians in the woodland around Lews Castle and Canadians pottering around the shops.

We were on the road early to have the Calanais Stones (sometimes referred to as Calanais I) to ourselves. They sit on a ridge and silhouetted against the sky they are visible from a distance. If seen from above these Neolithic stones form a Celtic cross shape with a circle and lines radiating in four directions. Walking among these old stones in the quiet was a special experience. We also visited Calanais II and III, from where we could see Calanais I on the horizon. Here we chatted to two visiting enthusiasts who were finding fertility links among the stones.

Wildlife. Travelling this far north gave us a longer spring season. Plants that were growing in north Lancashire in April were still flowering on the Outer Hebrides in May. The trees were just unfurling their leaves and the birds were nesting. The bird song was a backdrop to every day in the Outer Hebrides. After a week, you almost take for granted that the call of curlews. lapwings and oystercatchers will be there. Skylarks launched themselves high in the sky as we walked through machair and moorland and on North and South Uist we dropped off to sleep to the sound of corncrakes [and even saw some]. The long light evenings were perfect for strolling.

Shops & Eating Out. After Stornoway there are no large supermarkets on the islands but there are excellent shops that sell a good variety of fresh food and staples, important as we cook for ourselves most of the time. We stopped off in lots of cafes, including the outstanding Oystercatcher Bakery on North Uist that served the tastiest cinnamon buns and creamy baked cheesecake. On Benbecula we had delicious and creative vegetarian meals in the elegant Dark Island Hotel. Part of a group of three hotels on the Outer Hebrides.

Beaches were, of course, a constant feature of our trip through all the islands and each one was magnificent, from the small bays below cliffs to the long sweeps of sand. On a sunny day the white sandy beaches washed by clear turquoise water are a great place to walk and stunning photographs are easy to take. I particularly liked the stipes of colours in the sand between the rusty groynes on the beach on the north side of the tombolo that links Point to the rest of Lewis. There was some shelter on this beach from the dunes, but on the other side of the tombolo I was almost blown off my feet!

The north side of the tombolo to Point, Lewis

Walking. We walked most days, using the Walk Highlands App, but the best walk for scenery and variety was with friends who live on Lewis. They took us around the rocky headland from the Garenin Blackhouse village. We were lucky to have sunshine and I stopped to take in the stunning clifftop scenery and the blue sea as often as I could. We walked to the small modern lighthouse, by the ruins of Laimishader, one of the first townships on Lewis to be cleared in the 18th century, and along an established track where we added our footprints to the many that had walked there before.

The rugged coast from Garenin Blackhouse Village

In Morecambe we have a Time and Tide Bell and having read there was one of these on Lewis, we had to visit. Whereas in Morecambe, the bell sits on the side of the Stone Jetty and only rings at a high tide, On Lewis, the bell is in the waves of Bosta Beach [top photograph in the collection below]. It made an excellent perch for a pair of common terns. These Time and Tide Bells were designed by Marcus Vergette, to highlight the tides and our relationship to the sea. Morecambe Bay is transformed twice a day by the tides and the difference between the two can be as much as 10 metres. In the Outer Hebrides I noticed how the tides only differed by a few metres.

It is no surprise on this western edge of the UK that the weather changes quickly. While we were on the Isle of Barra, the most southerly of the Outer Hebrides, we had persistent rain one day and blue skies the next, all accompanied by the wind! The rain and accompanying low cloud meant that we weren’t able to see any planes landing at the beach runway. The sunshine meant that Vatersay, joined to Barra by a causeway, was the only island where we might have agreed there were too many motorhomes and campervans on the islands, as every parking space was crammed with vans. The Vatersay cafe had a car park with space but their sign said campervans were not allowed as their insurance did not cover them for vehicles with gas on board! Not something I’ve ever seen before. We left the crowds of Vatersay and wandered along a deserted beach on Barra.

My final impression is the most notable, it is the wind! We have plenty of breezy and stormy days in Morecambe but they didn’t prepare me for the Outer Hebrides, where the wind was an almost constant companion. Even when the sky was blue and the sun shone all day, we were still wrapped up in layers due to the wind. My face was the only part of my body that got a tan! My top tip would be visit the Outer Hebrides in May but take your February or March wardrobe!

Four Days on the Special Scottish Island of Islay

Thrift flowering on a beach near Port Ellen

When I think back to our trip to the Isle of Islay, I can still hear the murmuring of waves on a soft sandy beach and the joyful song of sea birds; I can still feel the warmth of the sun on my arms and the gentle heat of the sand under my toes and I can still smell the sharp air with a hint of alcohol.

Is it always sunny on Islay? Probably not, but on our spring campervan trip to this Scottish west-coast island we had sunshine and blue skies every day, so I could be forgiven for thinking this was normal! Seduced by the delightful weather we took every opportunity to kick off our shoes along deserted bays and scramble around the craggy coast of Islay. On an island seemingly powered by whisky, we did visit some distilleries too!

We had four days on the island. This was dictated by ferry availability, but it was about the right amount of time for us.

Walks on Islay

All the walks we followed were found on the must-have Walk Highlands app. Their website is free to use and the app is only a small cost. On the app you can download walks to navigate off-line and I can’t praise this tool enough. Here are links to the walks we enjoyed.

The Distilleries Coast Walk from Port Ellen, 6.25km (one-way). If you only do one walk, then this is the one. It passes three historical distilleries, finishing at Ardbeg which has a great cafe and bar. You can walk back or catch the bus back from Ardbeg to Port Ellen.

Port Ellen Standing Stones Loop, from Port Ellen, 5km. A short walk mostly on inland lanes that buzzed with insects when we were there.

Carraig Fhada and Singing Sands from near Port Ellen, 4.5km. An unusual lighthouse, a fine sandy beach and, in May, rocks festooned with pink thrift, what more do you need!

Laggan Point Circuit from Bowmore, 14km. After you have left the industrial buildings behind and reached the beach, this is a fantastic walk for bird watching and beach combing. We walked around stranded sea stacks and had our picnic lunch watching seabirds on a deserted stretch of coast.

Saligo Bay beach and arches from Saligo, 5.25km. A scenic and geologically interesting, stretch of beach with craggy rocks festooned with thrift and yellow bird’s-foot trefoil. This westerly coast is breezier than the sheltered parts of Islay.

RSPB Reserves

The Oa Nature Reserve is reached on a narrow and bumpy road where even 20mph felt too fast! There was plenty of parking on our evening visit. We walked up to the American memorial that remembers the dead from two ships that sank in World War One. Here the coastal cliffs are impressive and across the sea we could see Northern Ireland. We saw wild goats, a hare and a hen harrier, its wings and underbody catching the evening sunlight.

Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve is a contrast to The Oa. There are two marked trails, one through the woodland, with hides looking over the loch and marshes and another that climbs over the moorland, with views out to further islands. On our visit we encountered hordes of butterflies and various birds.

Other Sights

Kildalton Cross, an 8th century carved Celtic cross with early Christian images, is arresting for its intricacy and age. The drive there is along around 12km of quiet road that becomes narrower and bumpier as you get nearer to the cross and church. It was fine for our 5m long campervan and when you arrive, like us, you will be surprised how much parking there is, particularly as we had it all to ourselves.

The Round Church in Bowmore is intriguing and, as you will probably find yourself in Bowmore for shopping or a cafe stop during your trip, worth taking the time to see. There isn’t loads of parking in Bowmore but there are small car parks off School Lane and towards the harbour. We parked in a viewpoint parking area off the A846 towards Bridgend about 10 minutes walk from the main shopping street. The Round Church looks over the main street and you can’t miss it.

Distilleries – There are lots of these and most of them offer tours. The tours for the big Islay names, like Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Bowmore fill up quickly, so if you want to visit a particular favourite distillery book early! We visited Kilchoman Distillery, a fairly new farm distillery that also grows barley for their distillery. The tour had all the smells and colour of every distillery tour and was delivered by a knowledgeable and engaging guide. As we were driving we went away with two small bottles of different whiskies and souvenir whisky glasses.

Bottlenose dolphins. We were lucky to see a small pod of dolphins from the Port Charlotte campsite. Walking on the shore looking across Loch Indaal sea loch, we watched common terns, shelducks and greylags. As we walked back we spotted a dark shape in the water and hoped. Then it leapt out of the water and we knew it was a bottlenose dolphin! Soon, we were watching a small group of dolphins and most of the campsite had joined us to enjoy their antics.

The Ferry

We tried to book our ferry in February for our trip in May. This wasn’t early enough and we struggled to find a crossing that had space for even our small campervan. This should be easier when the larger boat is working this route, but I would still suggest booking as soon as timetables are available in December or January.

The crossing from Kennacraig on Kintyre to Port Askaig takes around two hours. The route to Port Ellen is about 20 minutes longer. On a good day, the views of Jura and the Paps of Jura are mesmerising.

Campsites

In 2026 there should be two campsites on Islay. We stayed at:

Port Mòr Campsite near Port Charlotte – this coastal site has a limited number of electric hook-up pitches that are soon booked by organised holidaymakers and many more grassy and unspecified non-electric pitches. There are facilities in the building and a cafe. It is open March till the end of November and has a great view over Loch Indaal.

Port Ellen Motorhome Parking in Port Ellen is a new facility that opens in 2026. We had a look at the almost finished site and it seems it will be a tidy small site in a lovely position close to the beach, shops and eateries of Port Ellen. The site has EHU pitches and toilets and showers.

In addition, an unofficial but very lovely place to park a campervan or motorhome is at the head of Loch Indaal on the north side between Bridgend and Bruichladdich.

Springtime along the River Lune

Looking across the River Lune from Glasson Dock

The warmest day of the year [so far] was forecast, so getting out for a walk felt like a priority. But we had necessary chores. We split up and while my partner visited the doctor, I went to the supermarket and organised our picnic. A few hours of the morning were lost but not the whole day.

Catching the bus to Lancaster [with our pensioners bus passes] we were soon on the noon bus to Glasson Dock, along with a bunch of other people. Two women chatted about the perils of long-haul holidays; one person skipped off the bus at the garden centre and a young mum jiggled her baby on her lap, pointing out sights along the way.

Glasson Dock is a small tucked-away Lancashire village between Lancaster and Fleetwood, with a tidal harbour that is still in use as a port. It opened in 1787, when boats could no longer navigate the River Lune to Lancaster.

There are a number of reasons to visit Glasson Dock. The Quayside Cafe is a favourite of ours that serves excellent hearty food. Another fabulous local business is the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse shop and deli and we often pop in for some of their smoked cheeses. Pottering around the harbour looking at the boats whiles away time and the mobile food van is popular with bikers and cyclists. On this warm spring day the cafe was closed and we were focussing on some exercise, with a walk of about 10km along the footpath and cycle route that follows the River Lune back to Lancaster.

The path firstly winds around the salt marshes to Conder Green, where The Stork Hotel provides refreshments and you can pick up the old railwayline to Lancaster. We spotted groups of geese on the grass and a couple of redshank in the mud. The tide was mid-way between the morning low tide and high tide as we grabbed a bench overlooking the river to enjoy our lunch. We watched an easy-to-spot brilliant-white egret wading through the slowly filling tidal channels of the salt marsh, its feathers fluffed up by the blow-drying breeze. A heron flew unhurriedly overhead as we opened our flask, binoculars to hand.

The old railwayline is easy gravel walking. It is mostly lined with trees and in summer’s full leaf they limit the view of the river, but in early spring only the fresh hawthorne leaves are emerging and we could see across the river to Sunderland Point. Bluebells were already flowering in one stretch of woodland and the exuberant bird song filled my heart with joy.

After the rows of solar panels soaking up the sun we passed wet meadows where a lapwing wheeled across the river and landed, an oystercatcher close on its heels [if birds have heels]. Early butterflies fluttered across the path between flowers.

At Aldcliffe Hall Lane we left the cycle route for the path that runs along the dyke. We had a bird’s-eye view over the pools and we searched for a water rail as we’ve been lucky to glimpse one here before. No water rail but pairs of mallards and tufted ducks bobbed on the ponds and a moorhen appeared to half fly and half walk on water in a scurry. The wing beats of two swans had us craning our necks upwards to watch them fly over before landing with elegant splashes.

Blackthorn bushes were festooned with dense white flowers, competing for attention with the bright yellow of the gorse bushes. On this section of the path an optical illusion always makes me think we are heading straight for the Golden Ball Hotel, known locally as Snatchems. The pub is actually on the opposite bank of the Lune but the low river stays hidden from sight until the last disappointing moment. In my dreams there would be a bell by the path that would summon a skipper from the pub who would leap in the ferry and row across for a few pence.

There has been an inn here for hundreds of years and stories about how it gained the nickname ‘Snatchems’ float around the internet. One suggests it comes from Thatchems but the more colourful is that men were snatched from the pub and taken to a ship a few sailors short of a full crew. Imagine sobering up and finding yourself on the high seas!

On the opposite bank the grassed over refuse tip comes next and there are always horses grazing here. In the bright sun we both did a double take at a string of horses, all static on the curved horizon, at first glance they looked like cut-outs of horses.

By the time we neared the wharf of Lancaster the high tide had turned and the river was running full. Many of the quayside houses have been preserved and we stopped to look at the 18th century Old Customs House on St George’s Quay, built in the Palladian style with columns and portico. This building is now the Lancaster Maritime Museum and we intend to visit it one day!

We stopped at The Three Mariners Arms, claiming to be the oldest pub in Lancaster and dating back to the 15th century. It is tucked away, almost hidden by new flats and its outdoor seating was perfect for a springtime swift half before the bus home.

Findhorn Bay Holiday Park: Perfect Days

The villages along the Moray Firth in northeast Scotland are some of my favourite parts of the UK. One of these villages, Findhorn, we had visited before but never stayed at; it turned out to be an outstanding place for a few days camping. Findhorn sits on a sheltered bay at the end of the road, the village and harbour tucked into a corner of Findhorn Bay, where the river of the same name widens before reaching the sea. Just north of the village, the sea ebbs and flows onto a long sandy beach, lined with dunes and forest.

Findhorn has been a village for centuries, storms occasionally forcing it to uproot and today you stroll around its third location. The village is known for the Ecovillage and spiritual organisation that emerged from a small group moving to the Holiday Park here in the 1960s.

Findhorn combines history, location and landscape to make a perfect place for a holiday.

Findhorn Holiday Park

For us, the first essential is a good campsite and the one in Findhorn suited us well. The campsite has a circle of touring pitches with EHU, as well as pitches for tents. Everyone has use of luxurious modern individual bathrooms with good hot showers that were always clean. The touring area is separate from the static caravans and small lodges. There are washing up sinks, a laundry, wi-fi and the usual disposal points.

The Phoenix Shop is only a short walk from the pitches and sells a wide range of food and gifts. When we were there we had a voucher to save money in the shop and made good use of this on a shopping spree. The cafe is also not far away.

Walking from Findhorn

The Neighbourhood [1-6km or more]- The first thing I wanted to do once we had pitched up and had a brew was walk around some of the interesting community buildings and ecohouses. We wandered on paths through Wlkies Wood and among the sandy heath of gorse and low dunes to the beach. You can make this walk as long or as short as you wish, incorporating the village and harbour if you want to walk further.

The sand dunes between the campsite and the beach

To Burghead and Back [23km] – On a sunny morning with a May chill in the air, we walked to Burghead, the next village along the bay, and back. On the way out we followed the good path above the beach around the Kinross RAF site and then through pine woodland, stopping to watch yellow hammers in the trees, the sea beyond. We met few other walkers until we were near the Roseisle Beach car park. The view across the bay to Burghead, highlighted by the sunshine, is unbeatable. In Burghead we walked around the harbour and found the memorial to the wartime Shetland Bus, some personnel of which operated from Burghead. We walked up to the head, where the distinctive white former coastguard lookout sits [closed when we were there] and looked across the Moray Firth. On the way back we followed the shore, a shorter route and the sunshine encouraged us to take off our shoes and paddle through the surf. Groups of herring gulls and solo oystercatchers were on the beach and sand martins nested on the sandy bank below the forest.

Findhorn Harbour [Around 5km]- Walking to the village from the campsite you are soon following the river, with houses to your right. We sauntered, taking in the views from the stone piers across the water to Culbin Forest. We admired the boats and the old fishing village’s stone buildings. There are refreshment options and we ate ice-creams sitting on a bench overlooking the sheltered harbour. In summer a short ferry leaves here and crosses the river mouth to the vast Culbin Forest. Reaching the sands, we walked around the shingle spit of land that has formed in the mouth of Findhorn Bay. This hook-shaped land builds as the waves shift the sand and shingle, always drifting and progressing west. Heading east along the sandy beach dotted with stones and lined with colourful beach huts these were dwarfed by the vast sky. In the sea a seal surfaced and its whiskery head watched us. We left the beach for a track and grassy path through dunes and sandy heath packed with flowering gorse and made our way through the eco-community houses to our campervan.

A Short Drive Away

Brodie Castle – If you want to take your campervan out for a drive, Brodie Castle is about 15 minutes drive away. When we are in this area we like to stop at Brodie Countryfare cafe and shop for coffee or lunch first. There is parking at the castle and you can visit the sprawling pink building [it is run by the National Trust for Scotland]. We prefer to stay outdoors and explore the grounds. The stroll down the tree-lined avenue to the pond gives you ample opportunity to snap a photograph of the castle. There are shady tree-lined paths around the pond and chances to see the ducks and swans. Back at the castle there is plenty to see in the gardens, with traditional planting and the Playful Garden, which is as much fun as it sounds! No doubt designed for children, no adult can resist messing about on the giant white rabbit.

Burghead – If you didn’t walk there [see above] then drive and spend time enjoying this village that is full of character and stories. There is parking near the harbour on Station Road. A short detour on your drive would take in Roseisle Country Park where you can walk through the tall trees of the forest to the beach and appreciate the view to Burghead.

Forres & Nelson’s Tower – About 10 minutes drive from Findhorn is Forres and as you approach the town you might spot Nelson’s Tower on the top of Cluny Hill. There are a number of car parks in Forres, including the one on High Street and it is just a 15-minute hike uphill through the trees to this 21-metre-high octagonal structure built in the 19th century to commemorate Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. The tower is often open to visitors in the afternoons and after climbing the 96 steps you can enjoy a view over the town. Afterwards, take some time to explore the pleasant town centre, finding the Tolbooth and the mercat cross

Other Overnight Options

Findhorn West Beach allows campervans to overnight for a charge. Places must be pre-booked and there are toilets.

The End of Reading Written Journalism?

Spending time getting lost in the story of a good novel is never time wasted. I also learn while reading non-fiction books about nature, people, walking and places. Reading punctuates my day and is my comfortable time. In between these reading episodes I read newspapers [yes, we still buy a paper at least once a week] and magazines and on my phone or the laptop I read blogs, newsletters and substacks that interest me.

I also write. Occasionally I write on this blog and I write a reducing number of magazine articles. The latter are illustrated with photographs I take and spend time editing. While there doesn’t seem any evidence that books will disappear, some are suggesting that written newsletters and blogs will soon be history.

I was reading James Marriott’s substack article recently. In this he refers to an article by Derek Thompson from October 2025, where he asserts that everything is now television. The suggestion is that many would rather watch a YouTube video than read an article. We may all recognise how Social Media has lost its social side of keeping up with friends and seeing their photographs and is now dominated by people watching videos from people they don’t know. Apparently, even podcasts have become visual entertainment these days and audio-only podcasts are becoming obsolete. And now there are infinite numbers of AI generated videos to watch!

When Derek Thompson writes that everything is now television, he explains:

When I say “everything is turning into television,” what I mean is that disparate forms of media and entertainment are converging on one thing: the continuous flow of episodic video.

He is concerned that we have lost our ability to be on our own, read a paragraph and think about what it means.

I love watching television and listening to the radio but I find I don’t have the patience to sit through non-professional videos, even on subjects I am interested in. I find even short videos move too slowly , have too much repetition and too many words that aren’t really needed. I could read the content of a 10-minute video in a much shorter time and not be distracted with moving images of the speaker and the background. But it seems I am out-of-step with the rest of the country.

And don’t get me started on the joy of looking in detail at a well-composed photograph!

Search on the internet and there are plenty of articles and podcasts discussing whether we are seeing the end of written journalism. But we aren’t there yet. I receive a lot of written blogs and substacks every week. I read these ideas and thoughts at my own pace and find inspiration and curiosity in the words of others. I hope written pieces like this will continue as long as I am on this planet.

According to WordPress this is a three-minute read. If you have read this far, thank you and well done!

2025 Spending Reviewed: The Financial Independence Experiment is Over

In 2017 we jumped off a cliff. We left our jobs and, having no income, lived off our savings, hoping they would last nine years. Gradually, since 2020, various pensions have begun to pay out and we have started to relax, as it became clear the experiment was going to be succesful. In 2025, for the first time our income was more than our spending, an event we haven’t seen since our nine-to-five days of 2016. And this exciting event happened before I became eligible for my state pension which came in at the end of 2025. Apart from my occasional travel writing earnings, our income is now predictable.

Although our income might be considered low by many standards, after having nothing it seems like a fortune and I no longer consider our spending frugal. Those living on the state pension alone are the pensioners who are the real shoestring retirees.

My review of our spending for 2025 will just give some highlights. We are still a couple living in the northwest of England and our spending is very much individual and flawed.

Here is how our budget breaks down:

Essentials – total £9,599 [29% of total spending]

Food – £4,675 [2024 £4,970] – We seem to have bucked the national trend and spent less on our supermarket shop in 2025. Maybe this is my canny use of the savings available in the Lidl App?

Utilities, insurance & phones for a 2-bed 57.2 sq mtrs [615.7 sq feet] bungalow – £4,156 [2024 £4,131] – Not much change here either!

Our health – £768 [2024 £736] – Specs and dentists and some over-the-couter meds soon add up.

The money we spend on the essentials above are, in theory, the minimum we need to survive.

Experiences

Holidays [still our favourite spending line] – £8,783, [2024 £7,358] – We pushed the boat out and had a cycling trip to southern Poland in 2025, taking trains across Europe. We have also been away in our campervan in the UK and stayed in hotels occasionally.

Restaurants & cafes – £3,661, [2024 £3,554] – Not a lot of change, we still like watching the world go by over a coffee.

Running the campervan [servicing & insurance etc] – £2,634 [2024 £1,975] – A campervan continues to be a luxury but one we love and we don’t have a car. This total does include £1,400 for a new lithium leisure battery for our campervan and a new van battery.

Diesel for the above ‘van – £888 [2024 £1,076 ] – We have travelled fewer miles and diesel has reduced in price.

Tickets for concerts, football & attractions – £1,029 [2024 £1,081] – This includes films, rock concerts and U3A classes.

Public transport costs – £1,190 [2024 £1,017] – Cycling and walking are our first choice for getting around, with the bus and train next. We now both have a bus pass and, even with the capped bus fares, these will save us around £500 a year.

Other Spending

Along with the above we spent money on maintaining our house, clothes and gifts and charities.

TOTAL SPENDING FOR 2025 – £33,024 [2024 – £33,840]

I am pleased that our spending in 2025 was similar to 2024 and below our £35,500 budget, even with the splash-out holiday to Poland.

This total doesn’t include the cost of installing a heat pump this summer, an amazing bit of kit that is keeping us warm all day and is using about a third of the energy of our gas boiler. The whole heat pump story might be a separate blog post!

Let me know in the comments below how your budget matched your spending in 2024 and your hopes for 2025.

Campervan Touring Around the Vendée & Coastal Loire-Atlantique

Heading north into the heart of the Vendée we were sure we would find cooler weather but the storm was a surprise. My smile faded when the receptionist insisted that we walk around the campsite to find a pitch. Peering outside, lightning was flashing, thunder was rolling and rain poured in sheets and I really would have preferred to take the ‘van around the large site. But keen to get the kettle on, we set off, sheltering in the sanitary blocks when the storm was in full force. The weather wasn’t conducive to finding the ideal pitch but I eventually returned dripping to reception with a number.

The rain had spring cleaned the Vendée and the next day we hiked around the nearby Lac du Jaunay on easy-to-follow paths that undulated around the reservoir’s wooded valley. The birds sang their bestsellers, fresh-scented flowers perfumed the air and buzzards soared above our heads. Passing a shuttered chateau we rested on a rocky outcrop overlooking the water and watched a group slowly glide around our headland on inflated float tubes, languorously combining fishing with eating sandwiches.

We are not even beginner-level table tennis players but always have a couple of paddles and balls in the Blue Bus as European campsites often have outdoor ping-pong tables. Spotting one in the field near our pitch we wandered across, quickly giving up playing seriously as the breeze repeatedly whipped the ball across the table top into the long grass! We giggled as time after time one of us raced to retrieve the ball!

As well as walking, we cycled from the campsite to the winding trail around Coëx that led along the shore of a small reservoir to open fields where hares lolloped and pools where egrets silently strutted. Another route took us back to the banks of Lac du Jaunay and a shallow inlet where a nursery of mallard ducklings stayed close to mum. Hearing a clamour of bird calls we searched the surrounding trees and spotted a noisy group of cormorants shuffling and fidgeting among the branches. Climbing out of the valley we cycled up a shady sunken track and stumbled on an unusual pilgrimage chapel near Martinet. La Chapelle de Garreau has an ornate outdoor ringing chamber on a balcony below the bell tower. Inside were colourful abstract stained glass windows and paintings celebrating a local legend that Mary was seen here washing clothes in the River Jaunay.

From Lac du Jaunay we cycled up a sunken track

After the pastoral calm of the Vendée interior, La Plaine sur Mer on the Côte de Jade had a breezy buzz. Geared up for active holidays, we explored the area around Saint-Gildas Point on foot and bikes. From small harbours and long sandy beaches where red poppies danced in the breeze we reached Saint-Gildas Point, a boating paradise that reverberated with flapping sails and clanking chains. We ambled around the jumble of concrete bunkers, remnants of the Second World War German occupation, and looking north across the mouth of the River Loire we could see the huge port of Saint-Nazaire and towards Batz-sur-Mer.

Beyond the point the landscape changes as the coastal path meanders around sheltered coves and bigger waves attract surfers. We passed wooden shacks perched on stilts above the sea reached by slatted pontoons. Fishermen apparently suspend a net from poles on these pêcheries to catch plaice. A series of information boards showed how artists have interpreted these picturesque views over the centuries and we admired the shoreline houses from Victorian turreted mansions with balconies to modernist concrete and glass and cute bungalows with shutters. The sea was the brightest blue and clusters of yellow flowers clung to the rocks. We sat on a promontory watching terns diving in the sea and at La Grande Plage in Préfailles we kicked off our sandals and crossed the gritty sand to paddle in the cool Atlantic water.

Red poppies danced in the breeze near La Plaine sur Mer

A network of inland farm tracks took us south of La Plaine sur Mer to a natural area of coastal moorland that slopes down to the sea cliffs and contrasts with the built-up seaside. Butterflies sweep among the abundant thistles and gorse bushes and the aroma of sweet-smelling grass after haymaking hung in the air. We followed sandy paths under wind-gnarled trees to secluded beaches where families played and found our own isolated viewpoint for a picnic

Crossing the impressive bridge that arches over the River Loire at Saint-Nazaire we reached Batz-sur-Mer, where friends of ours live. The seaside towns of Batz-sur-Mer and Le Croisic were once craggy islands and are now chic resorts, popular with Parisians in search of cooler climes in summer. The beaches are beautiful and the lively towns abound with stylish shops.

Our friends live near to the campsite and we were soon sitting in their sunny garden catching up over drinks. Our friends are impeccable hosts and that evening they surpassed expectations. Collecting us in their open-top car we enjoyed an evening of French elegance and taste, beginning with cocktails at a beach bar. Sitting with a ritzy cocktail, a view of the sea and my toes in the warm sand I was living the high life. We ate in a restaurant overlooking Le Croisic’s harbour where we were welcomed with glasses of pink fizz and an appetiser that got the taste buds working overtime. The owners were expecting two vegetarians and they had prepared a delicious menu that pleased every sense. Our main meal, a creamy risotto with roasted vegetable garnishes, was a triumph of colour, flavour and artistry served in a classy black bowl. It was so perfect I savoured every mouthful and didn’t want it to end.

The next day we drove north through Brittany to Saint-Malo with a campervan full of deliciously warm memories of France and friends.

Saint-Gildas Point is a boating paradise

We stayed at:

Camping RCN La Ferme du Latois – near the village of Coëx, this is a large, peaceful and green campsite with ponds and trees.

We also stayed in two (very different) campsites from the Flower Campings group.

Flower Camping La Guichardière – near to La Plaine-sur-Mer and the sea, a well-run site with hedged pitches.
Flowers Camping Les Paludiers – we use this site because of its proximity to our friends but it is a bit tired. It is a rambling and sandy site that is popular but the facilities need refurbishment.

Glengoulandie Camping & Dùn Coillich Community Land

Blossom on fruit trees in the community woodland

From our pitch I was easily distracted from learning French on Duolingo as a dipper flew along the burn below us and disappeared under the bridge where hardy campers walked to the camping field. Further distractions came with the evening insects, as the acrobatic wheeling of sandmartins around our campervan was so much more interesting than language learning!

This was Glengoulandie, a glen in the hills between Loch Tay in the south and Loch Tummel in the north and about 15 minutes drive from the small town of Aberfeldy. Here, if all this avian activity becomes boring [never!] you can always move your attention to the herd of farmed deer on the hillside.

At Glengoulandie we were camping in a hope-filled future. Back in 2001 when a local upland farm came on the market, the community saw land that was overgrazed with limited biodiversity and wanted to manage it better. Today this land is owned and managed by a community land trust. The centre of the land is the hill across the burn from our pitch, Dùn Coillich, at 572m high. Planting and natural regeneration on and around this hill over the past two decades has already created attractive native woodland and the wildlife has followed. This positive story is being repeated in many other communities in Scotland and carries the burden of my hopefulness.

On our first evening we made the most of dry weather and took a short walk through the deer park, contouring around the slopes of Dùn Coillich and down to the burn. As we strolled our first cuckoo of the year called from the woodland.

The next day we had planned a longer walk up the hill but the drizzle and low cloud led to a rethink and we enjoyed being lazy in the shelter of our campervan.

By the afternoon, we were ready to stretch our legs and, togged up in waterproofs, we set off on the marked paths around the community land, first following the red route and then the green and white path after climbing the short link path. This was a total of around five kilometres.

This red route follows an old path above the gorge of the tumbling waters of the Allt Mor, taking us through regenerating woodland of birch and rowan and thickets of sweet-smelling bog myrtle.

Climbing up to the green and white route we were walking through the heart of Dùn Coillich. Even on a damp day the landscape was beautiful and the peace enveloping . The route to the summit branches off from this path but the low cloud put us off climbing higher. Instead, we continued back towards our campervan and reaching the burn we walked on winding paths through delightful lush planted woodland and climbed up to the road to reach the campsite.

The regenerating woodland on the community land made Glengoulandie a special place to visit and offers a vision for the future of Scottish landscapes. I am sure we will be back to climb the hill.

The campsite

Glengoulandie Camping and Caravanning is a small site, so don’t all rush there at once! If you like quiet campsites with a laid back feel this will suit you. It has just a few campervan pitches, some static caravans, cabins and space for tents, so with or without a campervan you can stay in this special place. You’ll receive a warm welcome and enjoy hot showers, with adjustable temperature settings. The campsite has a cafe and sells a few essentials but there are no pubs or shops within walking distance.

On our pitch on the Glengoulandie campsite

Following the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders

Looking back to the River Tweed near Peebles

Looking below me and taking in the view in to the steep-sided hollow of The Devil’s Beef Tub I was aware we weren’t far from the source of the River Tweed. The ridge we were following over Annanhead Hill and Great Hill is a dividing line, a watershed. To the south and Moffat I could see the valley of the River Annan as it flows west to the Solway. To the north of the ridge the Tweed flows east to the North Sea. I peered over the trees and grassy lumps and bumps but the young Tweed was still hidden.

The River Tweed runs for 156 kms from the hills above Moffat to Berwick-on-Tweed in England, near the Scottish border. The river flows through the borderlands and some suggest its name comes from an old word for border but this name is also closely associated with a woven woollen fabric. Tweed is often in herringbone or hounds tooth check patterns and has been used for years for coats and jackets.

Moffat

From the high ridge above the unforgettably named Devil’s Beef Tub we descended through restored woodland. Since 2009 The Borders Forest Trust have been bringing back the native woodland, wetlands and heathlands around Corehead, restoring the Ettrick Forest. This already flourishing woodland was delightful walking, with the hillside to ourselves we hiked through varied montane scrub and wildflower meadows, joined by butterflies and bird song. We reached the road at Ericstane from where the walking was long but easy back to Moffat, where we were camping.

When in Moffat we always visit Cafe Ariete, a tradition that began some thirty years ago when we lived in Preston and Moffat was the perfect distance for our first brew stop on any trip north. In all this time the cafe has hardly changed, the coffee is excellent and the breakfasts, lunches and cakes are all tasty and served with a smile. Cafe Ariete is always worth the short detour off the M74!

Grey Mare’s Tail, a waterfall with a 60m drop, is about 20 minutes drive from Moffat. There are two National Trust car parks at the foot of the cascade and from there you can take the short walk to view the falls. We wanted to do more and climbed the steep well-made path above the series of waterfalls. Eventually, the path levels out and meanders through a hummocky landscape to the hidden shore of Loch Skeen, a mountain loch surrounded by crags.

This trip had been planned to follow the River Tweed and we picked it up on the road to Peebles, stopping at Dawyck Botanic Gardens, one of four botanic gardens in Scotland, including Edinburgh. The woodland garden of Dwyck climbs the hillside from the River Tweed floodplain. The landscaping has created a network of sinuous paths among the trees and along the stream, dotted with sculptures and information boards about plant collectors and notable trees. It is a joyful place to visit and worked well on a sunshine and showery day; we could run back to the cafe when dark clouds loomed or shelter under a huge redwood. In September the autumn crocuses were flamboyant and there were early signs of leaves turning.

Peebles & Innerleithen

We had planned this trip after stopping in Peebles briefly last year. It seemed such a lovely small town we wanted to get to know it better. The next morning we parked by the river and walked into the town, filling our bags with goodies, including Selkirk Bannock, from the bakery, browsing the charity shops and enjoying coffee in one of the many cafes.

Our circular walk from Peebles along the River Tweed was only six kilometres long but packed in so much, including natters with friendly locals! From the riverside path we spotted a kingfisher and dippers and had views of Neidpath Castle. On the opposite bank we joined centuries of walkers crossing the hump-backed Old Manor Bridge and climbed uphill, stopping to enjoy the views over the Tweed valley. Our descent through the shady lushness of South Park Wood eventually took us to the old railwayline and back to Peebles.

A little further downstream is the small town of Innerleithen, a spa town and former woollen mill centre. We explored the lovely town and its history and were surprised to meet a local with a grumpy dislike of Peebles! Climbing Pirn Hill [apparently known locally as Windy Knowe], we found a set of stone cairns topped with carved tablets on the Iron Age hillfort site. The view over the town and the Tweed valley is well worth the exertion and I can confirm, it is windy!

Back in the warmth of the valley, we made our way to Innerleithen’s St Ronan’s Wells. The elegant and colourful 19th century pavillion is unmissable on the hillside. In the past two Scottish writers provided advertising for the health-giving properties of the local springs. Robert Burns wrote about the spa during his 18th century travels and Walter Scott’s novel St Ronan’s Well in 1823 encouraged literary tourism. Behind the pavillion we found an idyllic community garden. Full of flowers and herbs, insects and butterflies, with a trickling spring running through it, the garden has winding paths, seating areas and the love that created it seeps from every leaf.

Selkirk

Selkirk is a hilly town that sits on Ettrick Water, a tributary of the Tweed. It is a thigh busting walk from the campsite at the leisure centre to the town, but worth it for the good and ethically-sourced coffee from Three Hills Coffee on the main street.

The sun was shining and we planned to complete the Three Bretheren Walk, a classic hike near Selkirk. However, the small car park was packed by the time we arrived. Checking our trusty Walk Highlands app we drove the short distance to Bowhill Estate. The Duchess’s Drive route on the Bowhill Estate was designed for showing off the land to visitors, ascending through woodland to the open moorland. Although on good tracks, the walk was more exhausting than we expected but full of variety and good views across the lumpy Borders countryside. We returned to the car park by the ruins of Newark Tower, whose white stones were bleached by the sun.

Melrose

We picked up the River Tweed again at Abbotsford, the home of the writer Walter Scott. The large rambling house looks interesting to visit but we concentrated on walking up to Cauldshiels Loch, returning along the bank of the secluded Faldonside Loch before completing our circuit on a woodland path along the River Tweed.

In Melrose we visited the abbey, although due to works being carried out we could only walk around the outside, admiring the red sandstone that blushes when caught by the evening sun. Nearby are two National Trust gardens, Harmony House and Priorwood and, keeping an eye on the weather as showers were heading our way, we sauntered through these two walled gardens. They were both well-stocked and interesting, still full of colour and scents even in mid-September. Priorwood Garden also has an orchard and a stall selling produce from the gardens.

We had planned to spend some time at Berwick-on-Tweed, completing our trip along the River Tweed. However, stuff at home unexpectedly got in the way and Melrose was as far as we got. Until next time!

Faldonside Loch near Abbotsford through the trees

Walking details

Unless otherwise noted, the walks can be found on the Walk Highlands website and app.

The full Devil’s Beef Tub circuit from Moffat is 22.5 km with 521m of ascent. We used a taxi [Moffat Taxis] to get us to the Devil’s Beef Tub viewpoint on the A701 [£10] and walked along the ridge and back to Moffat, reducing the exertion to approximately 15.25 km of walking and only 230m of ascent while retaining lots of interest.

Grey Mare’s Tail and Loch Skeen in the Moffat hills, this 4.5 km walk with 278m of ascent climbs past the series of waterfalls and on to Loch Skeen that is overlooked by craggy hills.

Neidpath Castle and the Tweed walk from Peebles is 6.25 km long with just 89m of ascent. Kingsmeadows car park in Peebles is a large car park and has motorhome spaces.

Pirn Hill Fort Trail in Innerleithen is 2.5 km long with 79m of ascent. Parking is available in a roadside parking area near the entrance to the paths.

The Duchess’s Drive, Bowhill is 11.25 km and 339m of ascent on easy to follow tracks and lanes. There is good parking on the Bowhill Estate for a small charge. The walk is through woodland and across moorland and on lanes by Newark Castle.

Abbotsford has a leaflet of walks you can download, with routes from 2 to 10 km. The Cauldshiels Loch walk is 6.5 km long and takes about two hours from the car park. It was mostly easy to follow, although we did resort to our OS maps as we descended to the River Tweed.

Where we stayed

Moffat Camping & Caravanning Club Site – a good and level site only a few minutes walk from the town.

Tweedside Caravan Park at Innerleithen – this site on the edge of Innerleithen has a small touring area, surrounded by static caravans.

Selkirk Victoria Campsite – on the edge of Selkirk, the pitches are marked out on the tarmac car park at the community-run leisure centre. Campers have keycode access to move the height barrier and access to the three shower rooms and a wash-up sink.

Lilliardsedge Holiday Park – in the countryside between St Boswells and Jedburgh, this is a large site with many statics and a tidy touring area of hardstanding pitches. The site has a restaurant and golf course.

Melrose Caravan and Motorhome Club site – A level site in the town of Melrose and just a few minutes walk from the abbey.

Cycling along the Shady Banks of The Marais Poitevin in France

We had been pottering around France for over a month and crispy baguettes, pungent cheeses and fruity plonk had become our new normal. Our French, while decades away from word-perfect, improved daily and we were firmly in the campervan relaxation groove. But southwest France was sweltering and heading north to escape the heat was the only sensible thing to do. Beyond meeting friends in a couple of weeks time in Batz-sur-Mer on the rugged coast north of the Loire estuary we had no plan. Sitting by the River Vienne in Confolens we opened the road map and turned the pages, tracing possibilities with suntanned fingers.

Confolens

A rough route north hatched we climbed on our bikes to explore from our riverside campsite. Negotiating the narrow streets of Confolens we found medieval timber-framed houses, views over its red roofs from a stone gateway and traces of the walls. We crossed the arched 13^th century bridge and pedalled along the Vienne to Saint-Germain-de-Confolens where a ruined castle perches above the picturesque village. After climbing up to the castle for the panoramic view we chose a shady wobbly table at the hip riverside bar and toasted the sunshine with a heady glass of Pineau.

The Vendée, on France’s Atlantic coast, is loved for its miles of sandy beaches with a rolling green hinterland. It stretches from almost the River Loire in the north to the edges of the Marais Poitevin in the south and the latter was our first stop. The Magné campsite near Niort, on the edge of the Marais Poitevin, has spacious pitches, good facilities and was almost perfect. Morning bread was the only thing missing but an immaculate patisserie was just a few minutes cycle ride away. My pre-breakfast trips to the bakery were effortless but also agonising as it was jam-packed with temptation and I drooled over the lavish display of cakes every morning.

Cycling Around Coulon

The Marais Poitevin is a verdant arcadia, criss-crossed with waterways that divide forestry and meadows. With tracks and lanes joining villages of traditional cottages it offers blissful pedalling and, for less than the cost of a pastry, you can buy a useful map showing waymarked cycling circuits. The path alongside the canalised Sèvre Niortaise from Magné to Coulon was a good introduction to the natural treasurers of the area. Reaching tourist-welcoming Coulon’s whitewashed riverside buildings with rustic shutters we wound through the streets to the main square and people watched over a coffee.

From Coulon we snaked along lanes and tracks through countryside where storks moved stealthily across mown fields and kites wheeled behind combine harvesters. Between Coulon and Irleau is a raft of waterways only accessible via tracks and dinky arched bridges. This landscape has been managed for agriculture for centuries and the aquatic labyrinth of conches, or narrow channels, only accessible by kayak or a local flat-bottomed boat, drains into the Sèvre Niortaise. I had to stop myself photographing every view along a stream luxuriantly overhung with trees or a boat tethered to the bank alongside an isolated cottage, as each seemed better than the last. We cycled on dazzling white tracks between meadows and unhurriedly watched a herd of drowsy cows. Cattle egrets prowled around their soft bulky bodies, occasionally stopping and appearing to look deep into the vast depths of a cow’s eye.

An Unexpected Hill

I had expected a fen-like flat landscape but somehow we always found a hill. North of Coulon on the Number Seven Circuit the green waymarkers were camouflaged among the green roadside vegetation and we were soon on the wrong lane. Backtracking, we honed our detection skills at junctions as we hunted among bushes for the signs. Climbing a gravel track in the heavy heat of the afternoon, golden wheat rippled in a breath of wind as we sweated by like slow versions of hill-climbing Tour de France cyclists. Stopping at the summit we could see across the sweep of the Marais Poitevin to the tower blocks of Niort. Descending to the Sèvre Niortaise we envied the young people frolicking in the cool water after school and watched a working boat negotiating a lock before tackling the pleasant stretch of towpath back to Magné’s handsome lifting bridge and attractive tree-lined square overlooked by a squat stone church.

On Sunday morning Magné’s square bustled with a lively second-hand clothes market and we joined the shoppers looking for vintage bargains. Later that day in Coulon we ate our picnic on a shady bench by the river, next to the easels of a group of artists. While the painters enjoyed their long and convivial French lunch we discreetly admired their artistic impressions of the view.

Whatever Floats Your Boat

On our last day in the Marais Poitevin we put together our own greatest hits, joining up our favourite paths in an ultimate cycle ride. Our first stop was for coffee in La Garette, a wall-to-wall attractive village where houses with sun-bleached shutters jumble together along the main street. Our genial waiter wanted to practice his English and we gamely struggled to identify the words among his strong accent, but were grateful when he was distracted by a couple arriving on a flat-bottomed boat with a guide wearing a hat festooned with flowers.

By the afternoon the heat was smothering as we hugged the shady paths lined with pollarded trees and fragrant flowers, finding any excuse to rest. At La Sotterie we crossed the Sèvre Niortaise and followed it back to Coulon where groups of school children in matching baseball hats were chattering as they climbed into boats. I noticed the flower-hat guide paddling sedately by, not even breaking a sweat.

Once the Marais Poitevin has seduced you, you won’t want to leave and will certainly return, or maybe that is just me!

We stayed at Camping Le Martin Pecheur. This is a small French basic site, just a short distance from the town.