Eriba Man

This is night No.104/2019 living in my caravan. It's also our second night at Loch Ness Shores C&CC Site near Foyers on the banks of Loch Ness. Last night was a very cold night. When I got up to take the dogs out at 0700, the van was covered in ice, and it was -4C. I reckon it must have got a bit lower than that. However, I slept sound and was toasty warm in the van. After breakfast, got some warm clothes on and headed a couple of miles north, past Boleskine House, to Farigaig Forest. I've walked here many times previously, it has some great way marked trails. A fine forest. The path we followed, a bark topped affair, was covered in fungi. A bit of a sweaty grunt up to the viewpoint high in the forest. Amazing views up Loch Ness. I've taken this photo before, it's the screen saver on my iPad! A zoomed shot of Urquhart Castle further up the north side of the Loch. Looking across to the rocky hill of Fasnagruig. It was the locati...

This is night No.103/2019. We're pitched at the Loch Ness Shores C&CC Site at Foyers on the south side of Loch Ness. My Troll has been laid up for the winter, and I was kindly offered the use of a Puck during the winter. This saves me having to lug all the soft furnishings, mattress, and seating back into the Troll, not forgetting that it also has a cover fitted. The Puck is identical to the one I previously owned, my first Eriba and my first caravan. These caravans are small and don't have a washroom, so during the winter it's essential to use a site with the facilities. There aren't a lot of sites open through the winter, and I was torn between 4. Oban, Melrose, Newcastleton, or Foyers. I've been to Foyers many times and it's a great site for walking and for dogs, so opted for here. Around a 4 hr drive from home. Stopped on the way at Bin Forest just outside Huntly. A good opportunity to give the dogs a decent walk and to break the journey. ...

My daughter pointed out to me that (when going by my posts) she can never really tell when my trips have ended and I have returned home. It's a reasonable observation, and for that reason I'm going to attempt to give a bit of a summary of the trips I do, or a 'reflection' on where I've been once I've returned home. I would rate this most recent trip to Foyers as 'excellent'. The weather was excellent, walking was great, and the area is as good as I remember it. The highlights? The walking is excellent straight from the site. I found a new route which I followed twice, that being the walk through the Mains of Foyers, through the forest, into Upper Foyers, and back to the site down past the Falls. I also walked many times in one of my favourite forests, Inverfarigaig. The weather was also superb, very mild for February and the first time in many years that I've toured so early. The site was also superb, and had a great welcome from Donald an...

This is night No 5/2019 living in my caravan. It's also my 5th night at Loch Ness Shores CCC Site in Foyers. I wasn't intending to stay tonight, but the weather has been great and the dog walking excellent, so decided another night wouldn't do any harm! After a early morning (0630) walk, and breakfast, we headed for another quick walk along the banks of the Loch. No wind and the water was like a Mill Pond. Again, another very mild day although a bit cloudier than of late. Later in the morning, I wanted to walk the circuit from here, up the hilly forest south of the site to Upper Foyers, then back down by the Falls. The derelict Foyers Mains Farm. This is where the owner of this site farmed and (I believe) still owns. A very historic looking building. The adjacent Dovecot is also in ruins, it's roof having collapsed. Quite a sad sight. We continued up through the forest on the shoulder of Creag Bhreac. A stiff walk! Nice views back over Lo...

This is night No. 4/2019 living in my caravan. This is my 4th night at the Loch Ness Shores CCC Site in Foyers. Got up to another fine day at just after 0600. It was a good bit colder last night, not quite freezing, but must have been close to it. Took the dogs out a wander on the banks of the Loch before their (and my) breakfast. As the sun rose, there was a mist, but it was promising to be a fine day. The site is very quiet. On the lower part of the site, as I write, I am the only outfit here. After breakfast, I fancied a walk up and around the Foyers Hydro Station and through a very old Hazel Wood. This is the old, derelict, bridge upstream from the lower bridge across the river. Fine views out to the mouth of the river as it enters Loch Ness. A zoomed shot where I could just make out Urquhart Castle. The Foyers Power Station. The banks near the site. Still some mist up on the hillside at Upper Foyers. The white building was once the Foyers Hot...