Snow!

Passing hills so high there's snow on the tops, the West Highland Way is running alongside us. It would take me months to get fit enough to walk even part of it!

I was thinking about my desire to travel last night when I was tucked up in bed with the dog (only way to stop her doing terrier bounces with 4 pokey feet was to stuff her under the duvet). I love seeing new sights and fanastic scenery, but I'm really not keen on the driving thing. I get scared by the speed on the motorway, but going through big  towns would be worse. Maybe that's why I move house so much? I'd love to spend 6 months in a camper up here.

A future trip has to be on the train from Glasgow to Mallaig (look it up, fantastic!), then a boat over to Knoydart, which has no road access to the rest of the world.

Stopped for a doggy wee break at Glencoe, soo busy! We went in the opposite direction to everyone else (no surprise there then) and found amazing wild flowers and little waterfalls. Milkwort and deergrass I recognised, but have to look the others up. Florence was really excited at seeing new plants and now wants to move! Everyone we've met has been lovely and friendly, which helps.

We landed just outside Skye this afternoon, put the tent up and scarpered again. The Midge. Ouch. We pootled off to Plockton, where Hamish Macbeth was filmed all those years ago. I loved that programme!

Wonder if I'll get the doggy hot water bottle again tonight?

I'm on my way (Proclaimers)

Before we'd even got off the drive, The Proclaimers were belting out "I'm on my way". An hour later we were tucking into veggie breakfasts at the truckstop near Chirk, this is not going to be a healthy holiday.

Next stop Lancaster Canal - one we haven't been to before. Had a bit of a potter to stretch Millie's legs and a play on a park. It's a friday in half term and it was completely empty! No rain, where are the children??

Scotland - the third country in one day :) Millie's fourth country since she was picked up as a stray in Ireland in March. She goes bonkers when she sees another dog or a sheep, near pulls your arm off. Serious training needs to happen this holiday...

150000 miles on the clock, I love it when I see the clock change!

Set up camp at Moffat in the Southern Uplands then off to Tweedsmuir. The house C lived in is for sale - doubt we could afford it! Went up to Talla reservoir in the hills, and for a walk up to Fruid where we saw a derelict house which I'm sure we still couldn't afford!

Finally chips in Moffat and a photo of the ram in the square. Pooped now, next stop nearly Skye

One more sleep

Even though we've done some daft things over the past few years, we haven't been on a proper holiday for 5 years. On the spur of the moment I booked a caravan on South Uist in the beautiful Outer Hebrides for a couple of weeks, and then booked the ferries so we couldn't change our minds. Changing our minds is something we are expert in - we settle down for a bit, maybe a year, maybe a few months, then we think "but we could try..."

Anyway, we are off tomorrow and I have a list. I really must get round to packing, but writing is more interesting, and it's not quite last minute enough for me yet. Still need to book a couple of campsites for the journey up, 10 hours driving is too much for small child and small dog (and my aging bladder). Hoping for a stay in the Southern Uplands, which everyone drives past on the way to the Highlands. It is just beautiful and you often don't see a soul. We'll camp at Moffat and trundle off to Tweedsmuir where Colin lived for years. Then a site near Skye (bit costly for us on Skye itself), quick look at the Cuillins and then the ferry to Lochmaddy on North Uist, sailing from Uig. So excited!!

One of the great things about home education is being able to go away when it is quiet. We all love peace and wildlife. F is looking forward to looking for gannets and hearing a corncrake, I have wanted to see the flowery grasslands of the Machair (peculiar to the western seaboard) for so long. And C just wants a rest from cutting firewood for a living.We've had to shoehorn this trip in between F's dance exams in May and dance show in July. Lots of practice on the beach...

Anyway, washing machine has finished so back to sorting out what to take. 14 pairs of pants for 3 people is a lot of pants :)