First Trip of 2019

This is the first tour of 2019. So, it is night 1/2019 living in my caravan! Now at Loch Ness Shores CCC Site in Foyers, on the bank of Loch Ness. A very reasonable £56.80 for 4 night, with power. Not bad for this site, which is regarded as one of the premium CCC Sites.

Left home around 0945, after negotiating the roadworks at the bottom of the lane behind the house. I got out by the skin of my teeth, as the track was being closed and dug up to repair a bad drain.

Used the Aberdeen bypass for the first time. Definitely will be my normal route to Inverness, it was excellent, quiet, and fast. The weather was also very mild. Bright all the way, and a remarkable 17c as I passed through Elgin. The Scottish record for February was also broken today, I think it was 18.3C in Aboyne!

It was a bit of work getting all the kit back in the van, and I thought I was being thorough on the last minute items. However. Disaster! For the first time EVER(!), I forgot to pack my sleeping bag and pillow!!

I stopped at a Tesco in Inverness (there are 4), and bought a duvet which was reduced to £6.50, and a hairy cushion, also reduced to £3! No duvet cover, or pillow case. This will be a 'one shot' arrangement.

I arrived at the site around 1430. It's a great site for dog walking with many good routes right from the site. Donald, the Warden, recognised my right away even though I hadn't been here since March 2016. He even remembered the spaniels, and my VW Campervan!

A touch cloudy, but very mild with light winds.

A bit of construction going on. Donald told me that the new building will house the reception and shop, which is in the existing building. The old building will then become a cafe. "We'll soon be feeding you too!" explained Donald.

I think the cafe will replace the Airstream takeaway at the gate.

After pitching, took the dogs for a quick run around the banks of the loch north of the site. This is the view looking up Loch Ness, with the Hydro Power Station on the right.

Good time to have a bit of a cool off.

Before sunset, we had a walk down to the Loch. Great views down Loch Ness.

This has been here for years. A very old 'bathing hut'.

This structure was originally a locked toilet provided for the use of canoeists doing the Great Glen. There used to be 5 camping pitches nearby. Now, however, the toilet is gone and the door has been removed, it's more like an information hut. The camping spots have also disappeared. Quite sad, this facility once appeared on BBC Out of Doors.

Further down the loch is a rather fine monument with some fancy detail.

We turned back inland, passing Foyers cemetery.

This site on the left, Lower Foyers on the right.

Two happy mutts!