EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

RosaBernicia

MrsPorridge said:

We stop at campsites as I prefer the security - I don't like just parking in laybys or car parks.  Yes, I have heard that the NC500 was horrendous this year with so many people  Whilst we haven't done the actual 500 we have done those roads on motorbike (in our younger days) and also by car.  Some the of roads are quite narrow and I wouldn't be happy going down them in the motorhome!

I live in Cornwall so am only too well aware of tourists.

I was astonished at seeing someone trying to get a giant motorhome round the Golden Road on Harris a few years back.  It's steep, it has sharp wiggly corners and there's often a 2ft drop off the tarmac... I am careful in the car and my MPV size van, really wouldn't fancy trying to keep all the wheels of anything bigger on the road!  

NC500 by bike sounds truly awesome! 

EssexHebridean

Rosa I’m a pretty confident driver, have done the Golden Road once in the car and decided that was it ticked off, and I probably didn’t need to repeat the experience!! The mind boggles at the idea of anyone doing it in something motorhome sized! 

I’ve driven a decent chunk of the NC500 route thanks to the road rally I did back in 2004…started at John O Groats and headed directly west, pretty much! Great experience and would really love to do the rest of it. One day… 

It’s an interesting one re weather. The worst we’ve had in terms of just being very grey, wet and windy was October a few years ago. September last year was warm enough for swimming in the sea. May and June are usually very good - early June 2012 we had basically a week of sandals/shorts weather which is pretty rare over there. December is often not cold (we walked on Christmas Day a couple of years ago without coats, and fleeces unzipped) but when you get a proper storm in a December/January it tends to be a pretty hairy experience. We’ve had plenty of winter days where we’ve decided that driving is a no, but none where we’ve not at least ventured out for a walk at some stage. March and April can be a total mix - you could get anything. The only months now we’ve not been are February, July, and November I think - research has definitely been done! The coldest we’ve experiences was very early January last year when it was absolutely bitter, and actually colder than it would have been at home, which is unusual. (At the moment it is 2°C warmer there than at home, for example). Very much a place that lends truth to the phrase about there being no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing! 

beanielou

I loved Skye 

savingholmes

The furthest I've been is Skye. It's beautiful up that direction. Never braved the OH. Always sounded cold and wet - but I think that was from listening to the radio weather reports... 

CRANKY40

My great, great grandmother was born on Iona which is Inner Hebrides. My sister and I haven't quite worked out how we're going to manage it but we definitely want to visit. We want to go to Inverness too where my gran was sent after the Glasgow slum clearances (when mothers were only allowed to keep one child, the rest were fostered out).

I've been up as far as Glenmallan and Arrochar whilst dropping the late MrC off at big grey ships but I'd really like to go and spend some time exploring. 

savingholmes

CRANKY40 said:

We want to go to Inverness too where my gran was sent after the Glasgow slum clearances (when mothers were only allowed to keep one child, the rest were fostered out).

That sounds horrific to have happened - for both your gran and great gran... Glad things have moved on.

Staffordia

All this talk about Islands makes me want to get the maps out and start planning Motorhome trips!  I'm pretty sure that if we didn't have responsibilities my wife and I would take off for months at a time. 

Hopefully 2022 will see us exploring again. 

EssexHebridean

CRANKY40 said:

My great, great grandmother was born on Iona which is Inner Hebrides. My sister and I haven't quite worked out how we're going to manage it but we definitely want to visit. We want to go to Inverness too where my gran was sent after the Glasgow slum clearances (when mothers were only allowed to keep one child, the rest were fostered out).

I've been up as far as Glenmallan and Arrochar whilst dropping the late MrC off at big grey ships but I'd really like to go and spend some time exploring. 

Iona is a relatively easy journey in many ways - train to Oban, ferry to Mull, another ferry to Iona if I remember rightly. Of course the logistics of actually getting to the point where you’re in a position that to get on the train can be complex! I love Inverness - but what a barbaric way  that was to treat people, as SH says thank goodness we’ve taken giant steps forward from that sort of thing. 

Staffordia you sound like us - we LOVE planning adventures!  

EssexHebridean

Just looking back at my plan from yesterday and I’ve ticked off everything from yesterday and today so that’s not bad. 

Plan for tomorrow looks something like:
- MrEH at Barbers first thing
- T’s for food shop, plus some present items
- Charity shops - to drop off and buy
- pop into another shop while we’re that side of town for a present for Mum
- I’m taking Mum on an errand in the afternoon 
- MrEH is going to make the cake

Couple of useful bits of post today - T’s vouchers which will get us £4 off a £30 spend tomorrow, and a bit of marketing blurb from the co-op that tells us we have £13.85 on our card, so that will bring a shopping bill down while we’re away. That last also made me eat another frog - I’ve always been unable to register my card online with them, so can’t use the app. Tried it again this evening and it went straight through, so we’ll have access to the coupons on the app while we’re away too - bonus! 

Present wise I’d really like to get some more bits for Dad, but not sure what. I’m about there for MrEH, and I can get Mum sorted pretty easily now I think. I’ve told MrEH that he is sorting the niece and nephews this year, as they are after all his brothers kids, it’s as easy as Am@z0n credits for each, but what’s the betting I end up doing it in the end? 😬🙄  All in all I’m feeling almost organised though…very strange! 

Cheery_Daff

Glad you're nearly sorted! 

I confess I leave Mr Cheery's nephews and niece (and great nephew and niece 😮) to him. They do usually get a present even if it's not remotely what I would have chosen! Last year I did end up buying them all, since someone we know had opened a toy shop which then got flooded after a few days, so I bought all kids presents in one go from them - but we ended up not seeing them anyway because of Covid. None of us exchanged presents at all so I think they'll just get last year's presents this year...

I'm not even thinking about presents or plans til after I've finished work next Thursday 🙄