Eriba Man

This is night No 40/2018 staying in my caravan. I'm staying for my second night at the Garlieston C&MC Site in Dumfries and Galloway. Garlieston is a quiet seaside village. The Village Shop has shut (there is a petrol station up the road with essentials), but it has a nice little pub, The Harbour Inn, which is a busy little place. Haven't been in there, but I've walked past a few times. The harbour was once a busy port on the Liverpool to Glasgow line, and during the war this area was important in the development of the WWII floating docks and harbours, such as the Mulberry Dock and the 'Swiss Roll'. There is a picture of the 'Swiss Roll' on the information board, and it looks a horrendously scary bit of kit! Like a load of sleepers wired together, rolled out and floated, and then the army could drive over it from the boat onto the beach. It is a great are for dog walking. Last night, around 2030 I intended just to take the dogs out for a quick '...

Night No.39/2018 staying in my caravan. I'm now at Garlieston C&MC Site in Dumfries and Galloway. 3 nights for me, the van, and the mutts (free) at £51.30. A bit pricier than I'm used to, but it is a Bank Holiday Weekend. I've been here a few times before. I've been here in both my campervans, and my Puck. It's a cracking site and offers some great variety of walking with the dogs. Beaches, coastal walks, forests, it's got most types. I got up, as usual, about 0600. My body clock is so predictable. Even when I've been 'beasting' it up the hills or laying about doing nothing, I'm always up at 0600! It was a pack up day, so after the dog walk it was a case of emptying tanks, tidying kit away, disconnecting the van, hitching up, walking the dogs again, then heading on the road. I left Coniston about 0830. Fairly long drive, taking me a shade under 4hrs including short breaks. Nothing much to note apart from a person just outside Grasmere...

This is night No 38/2018 staying in my caravan. My 4th and final night in Coniston Coppice C&MC Site near Coniston in the Lake District. Yet again, woke to stunning weather around 0600. Took the dogs for a quick walk round the top of the site on a lovely sunny morning. I had my mind on another nearby Wainwright, but unlike yesterdays hills (oops, fells), this one isn't such a honeypot. Quite a low 1040', but a hill with a lot of character according to my guidebook. Left the site around 0830. It was already 16C and clear blue skies. I used my reciprocal benefits of the NTS membership and parked at the NT Carpark at St Marys Glen. The walk takes you round the stunning Yew Tree Tarn, a man made reservoir and now a NT property. The walk makes it way through a lovely waterside wood. Lot's of scented plants. Incidentally, this was a dog's off lead stretch and it was great to let them have a blast. I didn't meet anyone else on the way up, ...

This is night No 37/2018 staying in my caravan. This is my 3rd night at Coniston Coppice C&MC Site near Coniston. Got up around 0600, and took the dogs along towards Torver on a short path which runs towards Torver. A good chance to let them off the lead for at least a wee while. This day was fantastic from the outset. This post will be a bit 'heavy' on the pictures, but it's worth it. The weather was great from when I got up, and having got my first Wainwright Guide, I was determined to get into the hills and give them a go. I left the site around 0715 and headed up an incredibly steep road out of Coniston to what's known as Walna Scar Road. A rough car park, and already a few cars there. It's a very popular walking spot for tourists (like me). I was heading for the Old Man of Coniston. Followed the (non tourist) route heading north on the Quarry Route detailed in my guidebook. A steady gradient until it starts heading up through old quarries towa...