West Coast and back to England

The next part of the journey was for pure touring, just passing through places and stopping for the sights as we were taken by them. From Findhorn we headed Northwest to Achmelvich as directed by Johnathon and Ali, to find some of the extraordinary spectacular rugged coastline of the Scottish west coast. It was very rugged up there, bleak and windswept - although it is so far north they actually experience very little snow on account of the gulf stream, but do get incredible gales.


We stayed the night at the camp site there and Gerard and I did a couple of short walks, the girls refused – all done-in by accomplishing the Three Peaks... It was specky but not my type of country although Gerard liked its stark rocky outcrops that dominated the lay of the land.


From there it was only five miles up the road to Pamela's place and although she wasn't expecting us we figured it was too close to not go find her. Pamela lived down the road from Kiddam at Garwald, the 'big hoose'. It was a fantastic house with eight bedrooms, dining room, smoke room, laundry, living room, grand stairway and maids quarters, with bells in all the rooms that rang to the kitchen. Of course by then it was past its hey day but it was a great house to play in. Pamela's girls were our age but went to school at Michael Hall, the Steiner school in London, so we only saw them on the holidays. I have fond memories of those holidays!! We played great games of sardines - hiding was not hard!! In the summer we spent most of our days at the waterfall swimming and I remember one summer all the bigger kids put on Hamlet and performed it on the grand staircase. There was one New year that I remember the post man playing the fiddle as we jigged our way into the new year. Pamela was there at the beginning of Sameling when Trungkpa came to Eskadalemuir looking to build a Tibetan centre. He stayed with Pamela at Garwald. She was also a keen gardener and involved in karate with many top trainers staying to do karate 'retreats'. It was through Pamela and karate that we met Avner.


It had been nearly thirty years since I last saw her and I only knew which place she lived because Gordon told me she was way north at a place called Stoer. So we drove to the village asking for Pamela, and knocked on her door. She lives a hermits existence and to say she was bewildered is no understatement but we had an intense and enjoyable catch up before we pressed on. It was just another part of 'the history of Me' that I was able to share with my family.

From there we followed the coast road downish. We wild camped on a moor with peat bogs, at a bay at Applecross, we walked in the 54acres of Inverawe gardens, the Beiin Eigg Caledonia Forest, we stopped at the Eilean Donan Castle (which was gorgeous) where Highlanders was filmed but my most favourite place of all was Loch Hourn just down the road from Lower Sandaig (where the story of Ring of Bright Water took place) at Arnisdale. If there are places for everyone then I found mine.

We wild camped high on the head land looking over the tiny Hamlets of Arnisdale and Corran, the last on the road before the wilderness of the Loch and its surrounding mountains engulfed the remnants of civilisation. From there is was possible to see two more houses accessible only by boat far across the Loch. The Loch itself is tucked in off the Sound of Sleat in slow seclusion from the frenetic rhythm of the modern world. Small islands are dotted along its shores. Ancient deciduous forests of oak, beech and birch with the occasional Scots pine hug the coast and creep up the gullies of the rocky hillsides where every nook and niche offer another adventure, another world to be discovered. We wandered around the rocky shores of the headland on which we were camped, late into the evening, looking for special rocks and watching the fish leaping, the otters fishing. I could lose myself in discovering the trails and not-trails, pottering in a boat on the Loch, exploring the far shores and paths, the rocky beaches and if I had a sturdy pony then I could vanish far into the mountains, into the wild lands. It would be idyllic to rent a cottage for the summer, even for the winter, for although dark and windy the winter is snow and frost free. Maybe in my next life I will be the heiress to the Ainsdale Estate, the daughter of a Laird!!

It was good to spend another night with Gordie on the way back and so sad to say goodbye. He has been like family since I was just little.

Then we took a mammoth drive back to England to stay one more day with Rachel and see her home near Leeds. It is a very nice place so close to the canals and it is very exciting for her that she has made the decision to become a 'serious' writer at last.

Then another visit to Tom... we're nearly on the last stretch of the British leg... lots of good byes. All very sad. Ah well, maybe we will get to come again before the next twenty years pass... we dont have to many of those left in us these days!!

Camille


At Heaven (!!!!!) we went to a chai shop type tea hut . At the hut there where a million stags and dears. One of them was tame because the laird had fed him when he was feeding the cattle all winter. At shooting time they are going to paint him so the deerstalkers don't shoot him by mistake. I got to pat him (they call him Bin Ladin), he felt sort of strawy and grease was all over my hand.

Apart from his horns he was so cute. After heaven we went to Fort William (where Ben Nevis is) again. We went to an Op shop that whatever you buy the money goes to animals that need the vet but their owners can't afford it. I got a nice cream black and white top and Frances got a cool hat cap!!!! we also looked for bookshops and shoe shops but they were all shut. The next day,Monday, I could not find any shoes in Fort William so we left for Oban and there I bought some nice runners and Frances got a three pound pair of volley type things. We went to a sea life sanctuary and we saw these really pretty otters that posed for the camera we watched them play in the water and everything .

We also saw some really tiny sharks and I fed some of them. After the sharks we saw some seals but the otters were the best. We arrived at Gordans and cooked a delicious fish salad corn and potato dinner. For desert we had an apple pie m mmmmmmmm yummy yum yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The next day we left scotland WAWAWA!!!! I have to say UK is awesome !

RMS

ABBEY



Scotland was a very charming place full of moors and glens. It was a very good experience one that I will remember for the rest of my life. As we approached Carlisle we saw the sign saying 'Welcome to England'. That was the end of bonnie bonnie Scotland!

We drove four eight hours to Rachel's place and stayed the night. She read the opening chapter of the book called 'The Delilahs'. A very nice book 2be. Anyway she also read us a bit of another book that I can't remember it's name. She is writing both books. We went for a walk along the canal and saw REAL stables the ones with the name plaques on them and every thing! If I had to live in the city I would live there! Round the back of Rachel's there are thousands of paddocks busting with Gypsy cobs, Warmbloods and ponies of all shapes and sizes.

Today we drove to Leicester and will arrive in about five minutes.

Ok so we're here! We had a nice dinner and a great dessert (Tom made us the dessert) Vanilla Ice cream and marshmallows covered in chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I could have saved some for you all!!! But sadly it would have gone off! Then we watched a tribe show.... and fell asleep. I woke up and needed a shower! Abbey was in! GRRRRRRR! So I gave her what she deserves and got in trouble for it!!! ARGH! Then I had some scrambled eggs.

Write more soon

Frances