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First trip of 2026

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 Normally, my first trip of the year would be my annual spring pilgrimage to Morvich in Kintail, but I was really itching to get away in my other caravan, a Hymer Nova 390, to give it a good run up and also check many of the fixes and repairs I’d done over the winter, following the seasonal trip in Markinch. A good trip with mixed weather, a few days really wet, and some dry. Stayed here many times, and even on an autumn seasonal pitch, and one thing about this area is that all my favourite walks were quite muddy. This involved extra work, having the 2 dogs. Took trips to all my favourite haunts. One of the finest is the walk around the Haining in Selkirk. A former grand estate now open to the public, it has some great walking. One of the walks around the pond includes passing the home of the original Dandy Dinmont Terrier! Another lovely walk is above Scott’s Viwepoint on the road to Dryburgh Abbey. The drone provided some great shots of the incredible landscape, featuring the Eil...
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When Land Rover meets Eriba.

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  I had the misfortune during my last trip to experience a broken roof clip, one of the front of the two clips used to keep the pop top secured down. This is how I solved the issue. Firstly, I’ll describe what happened. I was on my way south to Northumberland and just south of Edinburgh, I glanced in the mirror and noticed the front of the pop top was lifting. I pulled into the next parking place and discovered that the short ‘hook’ end of the roof clip had broken off, releasing its hold on the pop top. As a temporary fix, I turned the clip around using the longer grip side as the ‘hook’. I continued very cautiously with no further issue until I arrived at the campsite around an hour later. To get me home, I repaired the broken clip in a very ‘belt and braces’ manner. I glued the broken part back on with gorilla glue, I then bent a spoon handle to the shape of the clip and glued that on, I then reinforced it with T’Rex tape, and finally wrapped the grip end with paracord! I right o...
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First night away in 2025

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  Thursday, the 20th of March 2025 was the first day of touring for the 2025 Season. I originally planned to start on the 21st, but with the great weather (and the prospect of a longer drive with no stop), I booked a night at a CL just outside Nairn in the Highlands. I've stayed here a few times before, Allanaha Farm . I'm lucky enough to own two caravans. In addition to my regular Eriba Triton, I also bought a Hymer Nova 390 SL which I bought last August mainly for using on Seasonal Pitches. I used it on a Seasonal Pitch last winter in Melrose, and I am planning an autumn pitch this year in Fife. Unlike the Eriba, it is more suited to longer stays with it's headroom, heating system and hot water. The pop top design of the Eriba would also not be ideal for wet winter use. In order to keep the van in good running order and to make sure everything functions I decided that for stays of seven nights or longer in one place, I'd take the Hymer, and for Touring, I'd take t...
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400 miles around Scotland

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  This trip was planned to be my last 'touring' trip in my Triton for 2024, although not the last of living in the caravan as a autumn/winter seasonal pitch awaits just shortly. So, it was myself, my Triton, and my two Spaniels, Bonnie and Hamish. The weather was forecast to be pretty dry and I couldn't really make up my mind as to which site or sites I should stay at. I therefore simply planned a circuit around some areas I really enjoy visiting. I would probably have stayed in Nairn, but unfortunately I read reports that the floor had collapsed in on one of the 'portacabin' style toilet blocks which had been introduced a few years (yes, years) ago when the existing toilet block suffered a fallen roof! So, Craigellachie by Speyside was my chosen substitute. The site is actually nearer Archiestown than Craigellachie, but it's a nice location. The facilities are a bit dated, but interesting as it's on the site of a former POW camp and the toilet block is a bu...
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