NC500 By Ambulance!

Due to Covid-19 we finally caved in and went to Scotland, and it wasn't awful*.

• Start: 04/09 at 126858 miles
• Finish: 13/09 at 128854 miles
• 1994 miles in 9 days, maths fans!
• *=Mostly.

246 miles

M6 Toll very exciting

Preston East Premier Inn - woo!

372 Miles

A mysterious reluctance to start, cleared up just as mysteriously. Some years later (2022) was found to be foreshadowing the the fuel pump having a moment.

Campsite: Bught caravan & camping site - very 1960's municipal facilities and frequented by large party of itinerant dog salesmen

Out for an evening meal in Inverness after a long day's driving. Walked in to Inverness to visit Black Isle brewery, drink on roof terrace whilst waiting for a table, then moved downstairs for pizza.

Start: 127476 - 40miles

The site of a famous battle:

Now home to a visitor centre and relics, I don't remember being blown away by this but then ancient battles aren't really my thing.

The ambulance mysteriously stalled when we came to leave, but a bit of checking over and it fired into life again and behaved for the rest of the trip - 2 years later the fuel pump fell over, TSD reckons this is how EFI pumps tend to go and the symptoms certainly fit. Can't grumble at this may years service out of a non-genuine pump that spends most of its time sitting round.

A small quaint fishing village that was home to a huge oil rig depot in the boom times, now home to a lot of oil rig decommissioning as well as wind turbine building due to the large deep bay. A very odd juxtaposition of ancient fishing cottages and a huge industrial operation across the water.

We camped at Fortrose bay – no facilities due to the time of year, a pretty good view from the pitch though:

Walked up to look for wildlife in Rosemarkie bay / Chanonry point (popular for bottlenose dolphins & grey seals), didn't see any but it was nice enough…

On the way back we got fish & chips from the golf club and ate them back at Alfie - because why cook on a camping stove when there's fish and chips available?

134 Miles

Weather

We visited Cromarty Brewing Co for a little light shopping…

Then headed back to the beach just to check on the dolphins - who were clearly busy somewhere else at the time.

The beach was nice enough though:

No sign of wildlife so have a dog:

Everyone turned up to look for wildlife:

Went to this place:

Then to this place

Camped at Windhaven cafe, camping & B&B

View from the back:

That's a million foot drop off the cliff.

Ridiculously windy all night, hung towels up over the door to keep it out. Truck was rocking, very glad of the X-lock!

80 Miles

Camped at Sango sands – can’t book

94 Miles

Camped at Ardmair

95 Miles

Russian Artic Convoy Museum

Sheildag bar & coastal kitchen

Sheildag camping – no facilities

103 Miles

Camped at Bunchrew

64 Miles

Oakwood camping & caravan

253 Miles

Holiday Inn Dumfries

343 Miles