words by Williams

We’re in the shadow of Ben Nevis. The River Lochy is a swirling cascade of frothing peaty-brown water less than 100 metres from where we’re parked up, and in the field in front of Betsy half a dozen black cows are lying down lazily chewing the cud.

And we’re making plans for Nigel. Hurricane Nigel.

We’ve been practising after a day and a night of torrential rain and winds gusting to 48mph, and the imminent arrival of Hurricane Nigel this weekend, we’re glorying in day five of our 2023 Scottish adventure.

We’ve started off a bit like Leo McGuire’s Song by Billy Connolly on the road from Gretna Green to Skye. By the by, Butlin’s camp at Ayr, mentioned in the song is now the Haven Holiday Park where we stayed last year. 

So far, we’re measuring the trip in food. Saturday night was a just-in-time Chinese takeaway from the Princess Rose in Balloch (didn’t need the extra curry sauce). It was timely because they were shutting after the weekend for a big refurb and weren’t expecting to re-open until mid-December.

Sunday lunch was a carvery at the Queen of the Loch across the road. It’s a Marston’s pub in the new Marstons style (think Grazing Cow and Fallowfield in Telford). We stayed at the Woods Leisure site at Lomond Woods. It was one of the places we stopped on the Bye-bye Boris / RIP Yer Maj tour last year and was just as expected.

Monday was super-fresh fishcakes for Cal and a never-ending prawn salad for me in a pretty little basement cafe in Inverary on the way to North Ledaig Caravan Park near Oban. We went to Inverary after seeing Dame Judi Dench being interviewed in the gardens of Inverary Castle. We’re assuming she didn’t have to pay the exorbitant entrance fee. Anyway, she wasn’t there the day we went.

North Ledaig is a big open airy site with views over Ardmucknish Bay, which I think must be part of Loch Linnie.

Tuesday was fab fish and chips at The George chippy restaurant in Oban, Rick Stein went there when he had hair. We only discovered that because his picture’s on the wall in the loo. 

We went to Oban on the bus and sat chatting to a couple probably a little bit older than us in a 2007 motorhome they clearly love. They seem to be very good at travelling on a budget and were pointing out various places on the route where you can park up for little or nothing for a few hours or overnight.

He’s also very impressed about how tidy all the cemeteries seem to be. Maybe he’s planning ahead.

In Oban, Cal’s eyeing the weather and insists on buying very necessary waterproof trousers and an unnecessary scarf because it’s soft and lovely.

Wednesday was breakfast at ‘Spoons in Fort William. Well, it was open and it was starting to look like rain. 

Today was another brekkie, this time in the cafe at Ben Nevis Holiday Park (where the lovely staff nearly got the order right) because it was chucking it down and blowing a gale. I got bonus beans and Cal initially missed out on bacon for her pancakes and maple syrup, although she did get the extra mushrooms.

Heading up (nearly) the Isle of Skye tomorrow. No idea what’s cooking as yet. Apart from the hurricane that is…