What a summer! It started off, as soon as school broke up, with a Highlands family adventure. A road trip of joy and all things scamping. Taking in places we have fallen in love with long before and introducing the children. A pilgramage to a land of beauty, awe and midges.
We started off at London Euston. Excitement building at the thought of getting on the Caledonian Sleeper. "Sleep"er would be more appropriate! Two rooms, two sets of bunks, minute toilet (and I defy anyone to use the shower!), but lots of fun. I thought it would be a steady perambulation from London to Inverness, but that train motors and bumps and groans and shudders and screeches. But then morning comes and you open the blinds. No more chuntering about lack of sleep. For there, rich in colour, draped in mist, just in touching distance are the beautiful mountains of the Cairngorms. Glorious. All is forgiven. You sit back and sigh (ignoring the fact you are wedged between ladder and sink and you can no longer feel your thighs).
After a breakfast of avocado and poached egg, we disembark at Inverness and pick up the Camping Scamping wheels for the next leg of the Highlands family adventure!
Cross country to a tiny village called Inverasdale, on the banks of Loch Ewe. Home for the next three nights. Before we unpacked, we headed out for our first beach trip to Firemore Beach. We had it to ourselves. Windy and drizzling, the white sands and crystal waters hinted at the the promise of things to come.
Off to Gairloch to find ruins of roundhouses in the hills above, to visit the charming Gairloch Museum (amazing cakes!) and, to our delight, watching dolphins in the bay - what a treat!
Then, the real purpose of this leg of the trip. Mellon Udrigle. I came here some years ago and it transfixed me, stopped my heart, and my eyes greedily tried to take on the majesty of what they were seeing. White sands, crystal clear water, almost 360 degrees of mountains. Utter perfection. 20 years ago I had it to myself, now the RVers have discovered the gem and line the dunes. We got there early though and had the beach to ourselves for a little time before everyone woke up.
It is the singular, most spectacular place I have ever been. And suspect ever will.
Off to Strathcarron now and a converted ticket office for the next two nights. What a fabulous little find - I am obsessed with these ticket office doors and we looked out right onto the train station (which still has 3-4 train through a day).
Eilean Donan Castle is iconic and a must. A lot busier than when we were last here but lots to see and explore.
The next day brings the second reason we have plotted this route for our Highland family adventure. The glorious Plockton. 17 years ago Mr Camping Scamping got down on one knee at Duncraig station (a request train stop overlooking Plockton) and asked Mrs Camping Scamping to marry him. She squealed, said yes and the rest, as they say, is history. We had to revisit now that Team CampingScamping has grown to 4. We arrived early for a boat ride with Calum to see some seals (guaranteed or your money back!) and pootle around the bay. A delightful couple of hours, a mooch around the pretty village and then a walk to Duncraig Castle followed by a exploration of Coral Beach. We returned to Plockton to reenact our engagement day tea of a fish supper on the harbour - although this time swapping the bottle of champagne for an irn bru!
Your eyes will never see anything so pretty as Plockton
Reluctantly we say goodbye, via a bloom filled afternoon at Attadale Gardens, happy in the knowledge that our adventure was not yet over. Onwards to Loch Lomond! Paddle boarding with Loch Lomond Leisure and glorious sunsets awaited. It did not disappoint! Delicious dinner overlooking the Loch at the Duck Bay Marina brought this leg of the Highlands family adventure to an end.
Time to say goodbye to the mountains and head over to our final two destinations - the mighty and resplendent Edinburgh with a quick jaunt over to North Berwick to catch up with friends and go kayaking and sea fishing. What a brilliant end to a throughly scamping adventure!
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