Eriba Man

 This is night No. 12/2020 living in my caravan. This is the second night at the CL at Geddes House near Nairn. Its an absolutely stunning place. The CL is in a former walled garden, but the existing walled garden is adjacent to the site and last night we took a walk through it (you're made welcome to explore). There are greenhouses, ponds, and specimen trees. This morning, we got up around 0600 and after breakfast, we headed to nearby Howford Bridge. I was here back in March and it has an excellent dog walk along the banks of the River Nairn. We walked into the town, and back again, taking around 90mins. On the way back, took the opportunity to have a look at another nearby CL, this being at Allanaha Farm. A real stripped back, all year round,  no power site but looked great for £5 a night. Definitely one for the future. After lunch, took a walk around the estate. The weather has again been very, very warm. Probably the mid 20's all day. Just as well I started the day with a ...

  This is night No. 11/2020 living in the caravan. Now pitched at a very nice CL, Geddes House, near Nairn in Moray. Finally, and at long last, I am finally able to do a bit of touring again. The restrictions due to the Covid crisis were eased quite a bit a few weeks back, but the sites were stowed out by those who 'must be first' to get a holiday. This is the first time I've stayed on a CL with a Puck, but I've planned to take my own toilet block with me on this trip, and it's very much a trial. I had literally just sold my Troll (in fact it went to a new home yesterday) and I had planned on using the Troll on this trip when I booked it. So, we were hitched up and off around 1000. A lot less faffing around with a Puck, that's for sure. Stopped to let the dogs have a good run at Bin Forest near Huntly. A regular stop on our trips north. Arrived at the site about 1400. A fine setting in an old walled garden. Sweating like a pig, set up the sun canopy and the toil...

Still in lockdown, and with the current guidance of 'remain local' for walks, I packed a lunch and with the dogs in the car, we headed up to the nearby Finella Forest. This is a massive wood and has a number of really good options for walking. I've never been to Smarts Cairn. It's a very old pile of rocks within a forested hill summit.  According to my GPS, it's about 4.5miles, 1263' of ascent, 1247' descent, and reaches a max hight of 1196'. A tough hilly root using rough mountain bike type tracks. ' Parked the car at the remote spot a mile or so from the Fettercairn Road. A distant Garvock Hill. Laurencekirk Slightly hazy, but could easily make out Craigowl in the Sidlaws above Dundee. The forest tracks gain a good bit of height. Left the main track onto a faint dirt track. This was a real steep grunt in amongst the trees. Looking back down. Finally spotted the pile of stones which forms Smarts Cairn. The national record of Scottish Heritage gives ...

This is night No. 10/2020 living in the caravan. This is also night No.5 for me and the dogs at Nairn C&CC Site on the outskirts of Nairn, by Delnies Wood. Slept fine, getting up about 0630. Took the dogs for a run around the woods, then after breakfast, we headed out the short drive around the back of the adjacent wood to a parking area I had spotted yesterday. A nice change of walk in the wood, which is surprisingly big for a forest enclosed by roads on all sides. Continued from here to walk at the beach near Kingsteps, a walk I'd done before when I was staying on a farm on nearby Druim Heath. Unfortunately, the short road between there and Nairn was closed for 9 weeks (!), so took a detour, past Druim, arriving at an empty carpark for the beach. This is the westerly end of the gigantic Culbin Forest, but does have a stunning beach, which like all the beaches here, seems to go on forever. A spaniel not enjoying his picture being taken. The tide was almost ful...

This is night No.9/2020 living in my caravan. Tonight will be our 4th night at the Nairn C&CC Site, just outside Nairn. Slept excellently, getting up just before 0700. Took the dogs round the wood next to the site, then after a shower and some breakfast, headed down to the beach at Hilton of Delnies. The weather is great, and we never saw anyone else at all on the 5 or so mile stretch of the beach that I could sea. Found a rather fine shell, I thought it may be a Disney Princess shell, but after checking I think it may be a Triplofusus papillosus? I'm a paid up member of Historic Scotland, and there app provides some inspiration for travels in any area. So, we left for the short drive to Ardclach to see the Bell Tower . An interesting memorial at the entrance to the site. A very commendable mission this person was on, folk going crazy here over a perfectly survivable virus should take a note of this work. A steep climb up a flight of steps to this grand...