Around 4 years ago now four of us stayed at a smallholding on the west side of Loch Eriboll for seven weeks to undertake geological mapping for our degree on the Moine Thrust. For the other two gents we were with it was hell, there was no internet, certainly no signal and it didn’t get dark until well… it didn’t. For myself and the other girl we were with, now my partner and girlfriend, it has sparked a long term love affair with the Highlands.
I honestly don’t know what it is about the Highlands that I love so much, the scenery, the people, the way of life? There is something special and almost magical about it and if I got the opportunity I would move there in a flash.
Sadly, nice views don’t pay bills, but what they do offer is a 18 day holiday (we fiddled the Easter bank holidays and got 18 days holiday from 9…. Work smarter not harder….). So the plan is to head up to Scotland and do the ‘North Coast 500’ route, or at least some of it.
The plan is at the moment to leave home in the Cotswolds around 4am and drive straight up to Inverness in campaign mode, hoping to be there by mid-afternoon / early evening. There is two of us, we both drive hundreds of miles a week for work so I think we can do it. We will stay here the night and spend the next day here too to let our spines recover!
Then comes the hard choice, left or right out of Inver. My initial thought was right, do the east coast first – no offence to the east coast – but I am a remote moorland and mountain guy – Save the best west coast for last…. Just like the roast potatoes! But the more I think about it, the more I am thinking left. Let’s head up the west coast, do what we enjoy, spend our time there then if we run short of time and ‘skip out’ the east coast we won’t feel so sad. Anyway, that’s a decision for another day.
We are in no rush; the route means nothing to us other than easy way of explaining to people where we are going. The plan is to drive as little as possible and see as much as possible. If that means we don’t complete it we don’t complete it….. We can save it for next year’s holiday!
This is our first ‘overlanding’ (if you can really call it that!!) trip in our Defender 110 Station Wagon. When we bought her the idea was to make what I can only describe as a ‘soft overlander’ or ‘weekend warrior’ landrover. Maintaining all the functionality and everyday use of a 5 seat station wagon, but also have the ability to put a clean pair of underwear and a pair of socks in the back and off we go for an impromptu weekend off in Wales or wherever takes our fancy!
I suddenly realised the other day how fast the trip away is coming so have panicked and started buying equipment for the vehicle, were quire lucky that were both avid mountaineers so have a ton of camping equipment – the difference is our equipment is aimed as lightweight one pot means whereas now we are slowly converting over to comfort and practicality instead. I imagen this is a process that will take several years, well it will, its funding dependant!
Nerveless it is surprising what little treats you can find hidden away on ebay – second hand (some look new) two ring gas burner stoves for less than a meal out. We managed to get a stack of ‘Bean Stalk Kitchen’ table thingy’s a year ago when the Scouts were throwing them out… lick of paint and there good as new.
I honestly don’t know what it is about the Highlands that I love so much, the scenery, the people, the way of life? There is something special and almost magical about it and if I got the opportunity I would move there in a flash.
Sadly, nice views don’t pay bills, but what they do offer is a 18 day holiday (we fiddled the Easter bank holidays and got 18 days holiday from 9…. Work smarter not harder….). So the plan is to head up to Scotland and do the ‘North Coast 500’ route, or at least some of it.
The plan is at the moment to leave home in the Cotswolds around 4am and drive straight up to Inverness in campaign mode, hoping to be there by mid-afternoon / early evening. There is two of us, we both drive hundreds of miles a week for work so I think we can do it. We will stay here the night and spend the next day here too to let our spines recover!
Then comes the hard choice, left or right out of Inver. My initial thought was right, do the east coast first – no offence to the east coast – but I am a remote moorland and mountain guy – Save the best west coast for last…. Just like the roast potatoes! But the more I think about it, the more I am thinking left. Let’s head up the west coast, do what we enjoy, spend our time there then if we run short of time and ‘skip out’ the east coast we won’t feel so sad. Anyway, that’s a decision for another day.
We are in no rush; the route means nothing to us other than easy way of explaining to people where we are going. The plan is to drive as little as possible and see as much as possible. If that means we don’t complete it we don’t complete it….. We can save it for next year’s holiday!
This is our first ‘overlanding’ (if you can really call it that!!) trip in our Defender 110 Station Wagon. When we bought her the idea was to make what I can only describe as a ‘soft overlander’ or ‘weekend warrior’ landrover. Maintaining all the functionality and everyday use of a 5 seat station wagon, but also have the ability to put a clean pair of underwear and a pair of socks in the back and off we go for an impromptu weekend off in Wales or wherever takes our fancy!
I suddenly realised the other day how fast the trip away is coming so have panicked and started buying equipment for the vehicle, were quire lucky that were both avid mountaineers so have a ton of camping equipment – the difference is our equipment is aimed as lightweight one pot means whereas now we are slowly converting over to comfort and practicality instead. I imagen this is a process that will take several years, well it will, its funding dependant!
Nerveless it is surprising what little treats you can find hidden away on ebay – second hand (some look new) two ring gas burner stoves for less than a meal out. We managed to get a stack of ‘Bean Stalk Kitchen’ table thingy’s a year ago when the Scouts were throwing them out… lick of paint and there good as new.
