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vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

A few days grabbed

It's been awhile for one reason or another but......
My partner and I managed to get enough Motivation and a week free to scoot off in van.............

We found ourselves in Dunoon on the first night...........

On the Second night we ended up on the Mull of Kintyre........... we tried south of Campbeltown at a place called Southend but lots of No overnight parking and the only space we found next to the Cemetry was occupied.........
Back through Campbeltown out what's a single track to parking at the causway for Davaar island.....................

We spent the majority of the day in and around Campbeltown and Machrihanish............ But the weather was a little Scottish you could say

That Evening we found ourselves at Tayinloan again down a single track where you get the (Landing Craft) ferry for the isle of giha
We had a bite to eat along with a coffee and a bun in the Cafe........... Made inquiries about the Britstop there and decided to stay the night

Next day heading up the peninsula we had a quick stop in at Calmac Ferries Kennacraig to use their facilities and get a quick cuppa also to inquire about Hopscotch tickets to the Hebrides and what discounts us old foggies can get

Next we stopped at Tarbet Loch Fyne for a visit ......  As we discovered that we had just missed by hours my partners dad's old fishing boat in the Holy Loch as we'd passed on entering Dunoon.......
But it was now berthed in Tarbert for the traditional boat festival there

Next stop was Ardrishaig for a coffee

And a quick walk around the basin and a little way along the tow path at the start of the Crinan Canal

Sea lock and office for Canal

(5 mins after this was taken the exhaust back box parted company from the rest of the pipe)

we spent that night in a huge parking area about half mile from Tesco's in Oban "used apparently for the Highland Games ETC" (Mossfield Stadium Glen Cruitten Rd)

For what turned out to be our last night out we stopped off at a large off road side viewpoint about 15 miles north of Fort William (lay-by) on the banks of Loch Lochy at letter Finlay (stopped here many times ... just not over night and it got busyish with RV's?) .........
We Spent an hour or two at the ski lift (coffee) and in Fort william Morrisons.....
The rain was now unrelenting .......... We'd had Yellow rain warnings and it had on an off squallid showers and rained every night ........... Looking on the bright side "it kept the Midges away"...........
It was at this point with doctors appointments looming and other everyday life fast returning we decided to head homeward rather than be forced tommorrow anyway.........

During this journey is when I Dicovered issue number 2 ...... We stopped just off the A82  at Ardlui for a pee and a cuppa and it just so happend that the front of the van was over "a puddle" and I noticed a rainbow floating across it.......... I'd had my suspicions but it must be relatively small oil leak as I never seam to need to top up but has left a couple of tell tale signs but this was the first evidence on this trip and sure enough it was up to the full mark...........

So an oil leak ?, Back box parted company and an MOT due in next 4 weeks.........

This wee trip has given us a revival of the wanderlust after the every day norm rutt/Slog you seem too get into rather than make an effort and grab those few days when you can

Last edited by vaz2121 (2019-07-24 10:20:16)

Shakes

Member

From: Exeter

Registered: 2016-03-24

Posts: 126

Re: A few days grabbed

That's a nice road trip story and great looking van...interested in how you did the windows. If you're ever up near Oban again, Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan are worth a visit. I camped there on my first trip in Brenda (dispatch Hdi) some years ago, when she was still my courier van).

Shakes

Member

From: Exeter

Registered: 2016-03-24

Posts: 126

Re: A few days grabbed

Ah i see you're from Scotland so you probably already knew that lol

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: A few days grabbed

That's a nice road trip story and great looking van...interested in how you did the windows. If you're ever up near Oban again, Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan are worth a visit. I camped there on my first trip in Brenda (dispatch Hdi) some years ago, when she was still my courier van).

The van was converted New..... It did according to Citroen Sercice box start out lfe as a 815 Enterprise van....
The windows (non opening) appear to be those used in a WAV  or Combo van and then matt/satin black paint to line up with front doors appatures
I bought van 5 years ago almost 100% ready to roll (As far as I was concerned) just a couple jobs needing attention ...........
It had just been tested 2 days before purchase but had a coupple niggles like the wee plastic guide cup thingy had pushed in the pillar and the usual wind noise and surprisingly the only time it leaked (Monster Storm and noticeable)and after I'd replaced the plastic bucket guid in slide door was when we'd gone to my partners father's place out in Spain near the Portuguese border.......and the awning rail was a little loose and look as though awning had become stuck and it had been wrenched out (Maybe someone had driven away with it attached).......
I've replaced the rail but never took them up on the offer of an almost new awning at the time .................
Ive sinc fitted Sat nav, Dash cam {hard wired}, An LED Lightbar {little one to assist}, Basic GPS Tracker{So family know where we are}, a good few extra 12V Power points{USB included} and 4g MiFi  ................

As for Loch Awe etc I tended to spend time there many many moons ago Via the Oban-Iverraray road as a freind (Passing) worked on a fish farm on Loch Awe but still that's really handy to know of any nooks and crannies we've missed.............
We only really got the van because my Partner had fallen victim to some health issues (It's so true when I was told old age doesn't come on it own) that meant she was unable to spend any real time on the motor bike and tour (Includining her own little machine (we've still got them though})
My problem is that apart from the motorcycle touring thing I've spent and had the mind set since 1979 of parking up an artic (old habits die hard) and it's not so easy at times to think about sticking a little van behind a hedge when you've things preplanned sort of in your head............

Last edited by vaz2121 (2019-08-23 10:35:36)

Casper

Member

From: East Lothian

Registered: 2015-12-20

Posts: 2,180

Re: A few days grabbed

I just noticed yesterday Vaz. The site search for sites has an app. If you had it when at Mull you may have see the campsite near the airport and two wild camping spots further south. Unlike the sat nav what will only show POI's of main sites so may be a handy addition.

Last edited by Casper (2019-08-23 12:13:28)

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: A few days grabbed

I just noticed yesterday Vaz. The site search for sites has an app. If you had it when at Mull you may have see the campsite near the airport and two wild camping spots further south. Unlike the sat nav what will only show POI's of main sites so may be a handy addition.

I have an APP Park4night that Ill use but up around certain parts of west coast of Scotland can tend to be a little bare.........
Another app shouldn't go amiss........
Especially when across water if it covers there.........

And I'm tending to notice lot's more of "No Camping or Overnight Parking signs" and height barriers springing up.............

Still all was not lost I enjoyed it...............

Casper

Member

From: East Lothian

Registered: 2015-12-20

Posts: 2,180

Re: A few days grabbed

They probably depend on folk like us updating them with the wild camping and pub stop over spots. If this is the case then aye, probably best having more than one in the phone. When i go away needing the sat nav that gets updated before i go and so does the one in my phone.

We have barriers at the car parks on the beach front down the town. The furthest away does not have one but it does have a no overnight parking sign. Its been a well known wild camping spot for years despite the sign but i see a barrier going up soon. To much crap getting left behind what is a bit shit for the tidy people or anyone staying longer who will get tarred with the same brush. I pass the area when out with the dog and counted 18 campers last night. When this is your view why not

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.05729 … 6656?hl=en