Month: July 2024

The delights and glories of Dumfries and Galloway

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I am currently sat at one of my most unusual park ups, watching the clouds around the lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway. This is the most southerly point of Scotland, and is our fifth park up.

My last day in the Lake District was a brilliant walk on St Bees Head, with views over to the Isle of Man and the Scottish coast. 

The following day I was there, meeting my sister for a 10 day adventure in this gorgeous area of Scotland. 

This is a little visited part of the country, people tend to head up to the better known parts of Loch Lomond and Skye, where we went a couple of years ago, and I will be returning to soon. However we had heard how lovely it was, and it is stunning. Forests and beaches and cute little towns, we love it.

Our first trip was to Rockcliffe, a small village with brilliant views of the peninsulas. Such gorgeous scenery and so many flowers.

We then went to the Galloway Forest, we have used two of the forest Park ups, under the Stay the Night scheme. This is where you can park in their car parks for £7 a night.

The first was at Dalbeattie, and the second at the end of Raider’s Road, a 9 mile drive through the forest with a stop off at the beautiful Otters Pools. Sadly no otters, but a gorgeous place.

We also had a little wander around Loch Ken.

Our other park ups have been a community one, and an animal sanctuary and rewinding project called Frugaldom. Jacky was very excited as she saw a badger.

The following morning we went to feed some deer at a small refuge  that was brilliant. They were so cute and friendly. 

We visited St Ninian’s Cave as well, the beach is full of such a variety of pebbles, they are fascinating.

The Mull of Galloway lighthouse is now owned by the community, as it is operated remotely, and they have a small exhibition including some excellent photography.  I bought a postcard of the lighthouse and dawn clouds one for my van, such an incredible sky!

We have been so lucky with the weather, look at these amazing blues.

There have been virtually no midges either, so that has been great. We are off to our last park up tonight, then on to a campsite for 4 nights for a bit of luxury. 

Jacky will then go south to Northumberland then home, while I continue to the north of Dumfries and Galloway for more adventures.

So I will see you all soon with more Scottish loveliness.  Until then, have fun, take care  stay safe and thanks for visiting.

Heading west

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I am spending a lot of time on the West Coast of both England and Scotland this summer, so my journey from Ellen’s was a brilliant scenic drive through my favourite Peak District and Yorkshire Dales, out to a little village, ‘where the fells meet the sea’.

I am staying at Ravenglass on a beautiful wooded site. No squirrels as yet sadly, but I have been feeding a very tame robin.

The drive in past the edge of Eskdale and Wasdale was just stunning, and the site is within walking distance of the Coastal Path along the estuary.

The village has lots of cute cottages, with lots of greenery.

There was also a very sobering display outside one from a local man who has collected beach plastic. A horrifying, and fascinating look into what has been discarded,  just look at all the lighters!

This area has been settled since Roman times, and is also famous for its miniature railway, once used to carry granite from Lakeland mines, and since 1960, preserved solely as a leisure railway. 

I was lucky enough to see one of the engines being turned, and visited the very well interpreted museum there.

The poster display on the platform was excellent, love the vintage styles here.

I have visited the Lake District many times before, but its beauty always amazes me. I had never been to Wast Water before though, the deepest lake, next to England’s highest mountain, Scafell.

I once climbed Scafell, as part of a charity event where we did Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis in a weekend. However that was about 30 years ago, with much younger knees, so I settled for a walk around the lake instead.

The weather has been really good, better than forecast, with only a little rain, and lots of chance to sit outside with a good book in the evenings, and look at the sun through the trees.

I am hugely glad to be here anyway, as in Spain they are having a heatwave and it’s been 44 degrees there!

So much nicer at 19 degrees with clouds and a fleece on!

I have one more full day here, then it is time to head to Scotland to meet up with my sister Jacky for a little explore of the coast of Dumfries and Galloway. So exciting 😀 Although I enjoyed last summer’s east coast adventures  the prospect of even more lakes, hills and mountains over the next few weeks makes my little heart very happy.

I shall see you soon, to share more of this western beauty. Until then have fun, take care, stay safe and thanks for visiting.

Wandering and pondering

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I have just finished my only re-enactment event for this year where the weather was kind, the company wonderful, and there were excellent bands to dance to. It was the 40th anniversary of the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival, and I am so glad it went well.

Before the festival I had a brief visit to Worcester to see my sister  and hear the happy news that my latest great neice arrived safely.  My sister will give her the little mouse I posted about last time. The baby’s name is Mia Poppy, which is so pretty!

I spent the following week at the lovely Blackmore Caravan and Camping Club site  at the foot of the Malvern Hills.

The weather was really good, despite one wet night, where sadly my trusty Vango tent in the picture above leaked.  It has served me well for 3 seasons but has had to be replaced by a lovely new larger one, which I have named Eugenia. 

I spent most of the first afternoon making Katy look pretty, with her new bunting, cushion, and the blue campervan tin.

I spent a lot of time just relaxing in the sun and reading, the views from the site were great, so it was lovely just to sit and think. I did have a drive to one of the many quarries in the area, Gullet Quarry, and a walk in the woods.

I also tested my OS app on a full route of footpaths around the campsite, which worked brilliantly.  The views of the Malverns were gorgeous, and there were so many wildflowers.

I really appreciate the diversity that the different climate here in the UK brings. The little roses smelt wonderful.

I ended the walk at the local Catholic church  with a very lovely door and entrance porch.

I am doing some writing on the road, and it is nice to have wanders like this to think through plot lines and possible developments.  Much of my travels this summer will be this type of walking with planned trips to coasts, lochs and waterfalls.

I leave for the Lake District tomorrow, so hopefully will have some lovely views to share soon. Weather forecast is variable but I love moody clouds anyway! Until next time have fun  take care,

Yarn witchcraft

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For many, many years I have been trying to learn to crochet. I have been taught by some of the best people I know, including my lovely daughter, Ellen, who is a superb crocheter, and watched You Tube videos, read books, and done everything I can to get it to sink in. I have had some limited success with double crochet, and after Ellen was here in January managed to make some flowers for bunting, but I didn’t really understand what I was doing, or what it should look like.

However, the crafting gods have been very kind, and worked their magic, or witchcraft, as one friend recently commented on Instagram, and it has finally sunk in. I can do all this wonderful stuff, chaining, treble crochet, making incredible things out of wool. It has all clicked in my little brain and I am so happy!!!

I started with finishing off some little rosebuds that I had made with Ellen. I have a pattern for these from a book I’ve owned for many years, and found following the written and instructions and the diagram relatively easy.

So I thought that I would give granny squares a go, as I have wanted to make them for years. I found a simple pattern and followed a video on You Tube, not sure which one now as I didn’t save it, and ta da, there they were!

I’m not sure what I will use these for, so just did six. I may put them together as a little pouch when I get back in October. I have a black crochet style handbag that I love so thought that I’d try and find something I could use to make another more colourful version.

The first thing I tried was the Flower Hexagon from Emma C Makes. I have been following her for a while on Instagram and she has just released this tutorial. Although I loved doing it, in some variegated perle that I bought here in Spain and with a 2mm hook, it is still a little big for what I wanted. It finished to about 4 inches across so I will probably use it for a coaster in Katy.

The next two pieces were also from Emma C Makes, a small hexagon, which was really quick to do, and very pretty, and a tiny granny square, both made out of perle with a 2mm hook.

I have decided to go with the squares as they will be easier to make a bag with. I have lots of perle in different colours, and think I need about 40 for each side as they are 1 inch across. It is a perfect vanlife project as it takes up so little room!

There is a long tradition of crochet here in Spain, and they sell lots of wonderful perle to do it with. I will possibly do some bigger projects with wool as well, but you know how I love making small things!

Recently there have been some great public crochet projects here, we always have lovely sunshades as the lace days we visit, and the towns have had collaborative Christmas trees as well. We went to our local town, San Fulgencio, the other week to see the beautiful crochet sunflowers they have installed by the town square. They look so gorgeous, especially next to the outlines of the palm trees.

I have also finished two little animals from Julie again at Little Cotton Rabbits, using the textured dress and the dungarees patterns as well. The mouse is for a new family member expected this month, and the fox for my friend Sue’s first grandchild. Meet Fenella Fox and Miranda Mouse, my 31st and 32nd of Julie’s wonderful animal patterns.

I love the little flowers on her headband and shoes, I think they are from the New York trimmings I bought last year.

I have also finished a project bag for use in Katy, this was a re-make using a van applique that I made into a cushion but it got very faded and damaged so I repurposed it. I love the van fabric that I have had in my stash for years.

It has been a quiet few weeks here, mainly crafting, beach and pool, but we have had one trip out to the nearby city of Elda, in the mountains, for their Moors and Christians parade. It was a wonderful spectacle as always, with some of the most elaborate costumes I have seen. I love the attention to detail so that the back always looks as spectacular as the front. We saw the Moorish part of the parade, so the costumes were especially flamboyant.

The crowd were also dressed in gorgeous embroidered waistcoats, trousers and leather boots.

I am leaving in a couple of days to be reunited with Katy, so my next post will be coming to you from a campsite somewhere in the south of England, Wi-Fi dependant of course. I am on the road for three months, and have the most wonderful adventures planned so am very excited! Until next time, have fun, take care, stay safe and thanks for visiting.