Phil and Dee's Travels: 10/26/24

A proper wild camp!

After a disappointing wild camp at Glen Trool with our close neighbour, we found the best place we have stayed at so far at Cairnsmore Fleet National Nature Reserve. In the middle of nowhere up a very long single track road we stayed at an idyllic spot next to a stream and old Viaduct - so peaceful!

Lovely view from Muy

With Purdy knackered from the previous days walks we left her in the truck while we went on the 'Mountain End' hike - it was very boggy in places but a great walk. When we got back, the sun came out and we had a lovely few hours next to the river chilling and drying out wet trousers, shoes and socks.

Muy is the white dot!

The Mull and Forest of Galloway

After Storm Ashley we went to the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse where we had previously stayed during the lead up to the Scottish referendum. We remember a couple having a huge argument about which way to vote! This time we were able to climb up inside the lighthouse and maybe stay overnight again.

The silhouette of a Lurcher

The car park is very exposed and the wind was getting stronger so with Muy being so high we were getting battered about again so we left at nine and found another much more sheltered place to stay - New England Bay.

Sunrise at New England Bay

Scotland - yes, Logan Botanic Gardens!

We headed to Loch Trool - in the Galloway Forest - so we could do a hike in the morning and visit Bruce's Stone that commemorates Robert the Bruce's first victory over an English army in 1307. Even though there was loads of space, we had a "juum" - our name for a campervan with a sliding door - park right next to us - like a sheep - WTF!

Wild Goat Park

The Eye at Black Loch

A bumpy crossing

We returned to the mainland via a Catamaran (on loan to Calmac from Pentland Ferries in Orkney) to Troon and it was a very 'bumpy' crossing - so said one of the leading hands. We would call it rough! We sat in the "dog lounge" and could not move as we would have fallen over! Purdy took it all in her stride!

The original ferry was being repaired and had been temporarily replaced by a much smaller version so the Cameraman was an addition to help keep up with the demands. However, this ferry would not take campervans or motorhomes due to their rear overhangs regularly scraping on the dock but luckily we were ok in the truck.

We were all glad to reach dry land where we headed south along the coast to Culzean for the night so we could visit the castle the following day. This was a lovely day and the calm before the Storm Ashley. We had visited the castle briefly before last year but this year had more time to explore the grounds and also to take a guided tour inside.

Nessie must be on holiday!

Our next stop had to be sheltered from the 70 mph winds forecast from Storm Ashley for two nights and one day. We found a lovely small site in a couple's garden near to the Red Kit Feeding Centre, where we parked next to their garage! What we didn’t realise was that they also fed the Red Kites and we saw them overhead and also swooping in the following day to take some food from the garden, almost coming into our kitchen window - literally!

After a relatively good, sheltered stay we left via a forest road over the hills coming out at the pretty town of Gatehouse of Fleet.