A five-van CL, the Brahan Estate offers waste disposal and fresh water, peace and quiet and miles of walking.
Parking at Brahan is between the oak trees lining the drive
Parking is above the Ha-ha and under the old Oaks on a tree-lined drive. The pitches are undefined and there is masses of space in which to fit five units.
Plenty of space
The view across a barley field edged by trees with hills beyond is beautiful.
August 2017
Buzzards fly overhead, owls hoot in the night and shy deer visit from time to time. There is an arboretum to admire and a dog cemetery to visit. There are walks through woods and along the River Conon.
Motorhomes are welcome in Dunbeath. Toilets are close by and picnic tables available. Dog walking along the beach and river, extensive walks back up river on the other side of the A9. Shop up in the village.
Drive along to the harbour and keep on going past the spot where you think you should stop. There is a parking area beyond the ice house and behind the empty cottage below the cliff.
It is a popular and busy spot, with many cars coming and going so please park considerately.
Quiet. Poor radio signal, no phone or internet.
Please leave a donation in the box in the boat house collection box.
Last visit August 2017, last stayed September 2016
I have been remiss, I know but really you can have little conception of how hectic things have been. The important thing is that everything that needed to happen, happened. The passports arrived, Boatmail was organised, Post Office Redirection is in place, shock absorbers were fitted, the MOT was passed, Nell’s pet passport was updated, practically everything that we owned was sold, the house was entirely emptied, passage was booked and… we set off.
In fact we set off for Kirkwall last Monday, the 14th and stayed overnight at the Picky camp site. Vincent was MOT’d on Tuesday morning and passed with no advisories. Nell had her immunisations topped up an hour later and we set off for Stromness to see if we could book the afternoon boat. By supper time we were parked up at Sibster Forest.
Wednesday morning saw us set off for Dunbeath, where we planned to stop overnight at the harbour. We were nicely settled in when we realised that we really needed to do some forward bookings. There is no Internet and no phone signal at Dunbeath, so we drove off to Brora and went to stay on the CS there where we have stopped before. We did our planning and booking and then took ourselves off to Sid’s Spice for dinner.
Thursday morning took us to Beauly, where I traded in my camera kit at Ffordes. A heart-breaking moment but I really did need to get something smaller for the van and lighter for me to carry. I now have a mirrorless camera, an Olympus OM-D EM10 Mk II and four lenses to go with it. I haven’t done much with the camera yet due to the manual being on a disk and us not having been on a hookup at Brahan Estate, where we stayed for two nights.
Whilst in Beauly I had my Camping Haircut done. I am in need of a paper bag to put upon my head. We had breakfast at a Deli in the town, a place that deserves a special mention: Corner on the Square – worth seeking out if you are in the area. Good coffee and the cakes looked great but we confined ourselves to pancakes, bacon, banana and maple syrup.
Parking was easy in Beauly. We went straight to the Brae View car park, which is unmarked. We backed into the bushes, out of the way but it really was not busy at all. It would be suitable for overnighting and offers the possibility of entertainment as it faces onto the Shinty Club ground.
The Brahan Estate site was as peaceful and therapeutic as ever. It really is one of the very best sites that we have used to date.
Parking at Brahan is between the oak trees lining the drive
We dodged the showers and walked the dog by the river and I tested out the basic functions of the camera using the kit lens and full auto settings. Important that I get this right as this blog will depend on it!
Out with Nell by the River Conon
On Saturday I was disinclined to be dragged from my idyll and to drive into Inverness in the lashing rain in order to go shopping.
Halford’s came first, and some new speakers for Vincent as he had blown one. Then next door to Cotswold Outdoors for new walking shoes for the pair of us.
New Shoes
We also purchased some packing “cubes”, some head nets, a rain mac, Bridgedale socks and a collapsible kettle! More on these later.
COMPENDIUM FACT: Cotswold Outdoors offer a significant discount (15%) for holders of CMC or National Trust cards. This came in very handy indeed.
Tesco followed, as Tesco seems always to do so, and Argos, and then we settled at Culloden Moor for two nights, of which tonight is our second. For the first time this week we have the full trinity of EHU, Internet signal, and showers. also laundry facilities, though this is a matter that I struggle to be excited about.
There we are then. Up to date. At least as far as our latest adventure goes. I have not forgotten that there are older ones to document.
You may recall that when we were down south over the winter there was a slight argument with a large boulder, resulting in damage to that part of Vincent that I never knew how to name. Well, it turns out that it is called a bumper cover.
We bought some materials at a B&Q somewhere and eventually a repair was effected after we got home, having driven many miles with the thing held together with waterproof tape.
Unfortunately another wee accident recently not only ripped the original repair apart but did further damage. When research showed that the ugly plastic thing on the front actually hid a perfectly nice chrome bumper beneath, Mr Snail did the only sensible thing and discarded the offending material.
That was just one of the many tasks that he has been engaged in. I doubt that I can remember them all and no doubt he should probably write up this stuff himself in order to have an accurate record but here goes, I’ll do my best:
bumper cover removed
chrome bumper polished
trim from above the bumper removed, rejuvenated and awaiting replacing
new rear camera fitted, to work with GPS
old radio removed and
new radio fitted
new runners fitted to galley drawers
replaced broken cupholder with new one
issue with table leg resolved
bathroom doorknob fixed so it no longer falls off every five minutes
replaced broken sink drain
waterpump adjusted
passenger seat behind driver removed and
replaced with a cupboard unit sourced from our bathroom
reversing light replaced
replaced fiddly wee doorknobs wii’ summat to grab hold of
repaired ceiling fan
replaced dodgy outdoor locker handle
released sticking gas valve
repaired leaky air suspension
single power socket in glazed top cabinet aboved wardrobe replaced by a double. Cupboard now designated for electronics storage and safe recharging station.
moved thermostat to accommodate new cupboard unit
removed superfluous seatbelt mountings
The latest job is an attempt to resolve the radio interference caused by installing the solar panel. The manufacturers say that the issue is to do with the connecting cables and suggest shielding them with aluminium foil.
Tasks remaining:
Fit new front fog lights, when they arrive
Replace ducts on Eberspächer when they are delivered
Fit magnetic locks to drawers as required
Fit new wipers – awaiting vendor’s reply as they sent a mismatched pair.
?
The bathroom cupboard is providing a no-cost proof of concept. If things do not work out we can simply junk it on the way south. If it works well we may replace it with something a little more attractive and possibly with slightly more volume.
The van’s MOT is due in August but that is a little close to Le Depart so we will probably take Vincent over to Kirkwall a little earlier than necessary and will be booking that in fairly soon now.
Two door cupboard has one dividing shelf inside and a drawer above
So far I am liking the change with the seat out and cupboard in. We have not gained a great deal of space as the storage below the seat has gone and we can no longer access our bottle store in the seat arm. There is however some additional storage space and all of it is more accessible than the previous arrangement. The van feels more spacious too, with more room for manoeuvre on entering the habitation door.
Not exactly sure yet on how we will use the storage but current ideas include housing our toiletries in the top drawer now that they are displaced from what is now the charging cupboard. We may need to fit a few bottles of wine in the bottom… but mainly I think we shall have a shelf each for our clothes, freeing up the rear clockers for some kitchen items, spare bedding and a pair of camp chairs.
It has been decided; we leave Kippford tomorrow. Our ferry to Arran is booked for 07:00 hrs on Saturday and we have two nights booked at the Lochranza caravan site. We will linger in the Galloway Forest Park until Friday and then spend Friday night somewhere close to the ferry terminal.
It occurred to me last night that until now I have failed to post a photograph of our pitch here at Kippford.
Our home for the past winter
I took this one yesterday just before we took the tent down. It shows clearly why the pod failed to act as the driveaway awning that we intended; Vince is just too tall.
It is a spacious pitch. The EHU and water point is lurking behind the pod. Immediately to the left is the path to the facilities. Beyond that is the yard from which occasional banging noises are emitted. It was far less of an annoyance than we might have expected.
The building behind our pitch houses the groundsmen’s rest room, the cleaner’s closet and the two wet rooms. We didn’t have far to trot to the shower on a morning making it all the more frustrating to have to dress twice each morning.
Behind that building is the roadside perimeter of the site. Traffic noise has not been an issue.
The site clings to the side of a steep hill and is beautifully landscaped and thoughtfully laid out. None of my photos from the top of the hill really show the nature of the slope. I always meant to document a walk up the hill but somehow it never happened.
All the staff here are lovely and so is the site owner, who generally stops to speak when seen. I would not hesitate to recommend the site but unfortunately they are ceasing the touring part of the business.
The pics from yesterday’s tootle:
One last time to the top of the hill but the air was hazy and the views not at their best
The Bellamy Butterfly Bar – the site holds a Bellamy Conservation AwardPink cameliaWhite camelia? It wasn’t fragrant, so not a Gardenia I think… but what do I know.
Primroses in abundancethe largest, I think, of many white Pieris around the site. This bsh has been full of bees in the past few days and the buzz is audible from a distanceI can see this Silver Birch from my seat in the van and often st and watch it move in the breeze. There are usually a number f wood pigeons sitting n the top of this tree but when I took this a Chaffinch had the top perch. Click for bigness and you might just spot himA remnant of 2016We have had some frosts as this Camelia shows
I had hoped very much that the Magnolias would flower before we left. The buds are just showing colour now but I will certainly not see the blooms.
Magnolias are almost there but not quite just yet
The Azaleas and Rhododendrons haven’t made it in any number yet either. I am disappointed to be missing them but we have plans to visit Inverewe on our way home so maybe I shall see a good show when we get there.
We needed to be at Mainsgill, only a minute or two down the A66 for 10:00 am. After a largely sleepless night and the loss of an hour’s opportunity for sleep due to the change to BST we were quite reluctant to leave our beds but did manage to shower and dress and still be on station before the Family L arrived.
It was our first visit to Mainsgill and we were surprised by the chaos, even having read the criticisms to be found on review sites. It is truly a strange way to run a restaurant (I shall leave it at that.) It is a very busy little business and clearly thriving but we found it less appealing than other similar establishments that we have visited.
After our family breakfast we shopped for provisions for a simple supper to be eaten once we arrived home at Kippford, said goodbye to the Family L and then turned Vincent’s head towards Barnard Castle (which was heaving) and thence onward to the upper dale.
We had an outline plan to go home over the tops via Alston and to call in at Lambley Viaduct on our way to walk the dog. I had concerns that on this brilliantly sunny and unnaturally warm Mothering Sunday the small car park there would be full and Nell would not get her exercise. I suggested that we stop at Bowlees, and give her a run there “just in case.”
The Tees just below Middleton
Well, it turned out that not only Barney but also Middleton-in-Teesdale and the entirety of Upper Teesdale was heaving with people, cars and motorcycles. Bowlees was choked, with no hope of parking Vincent anywhere at all. The High Force Hotel was very busy with bare-armed folks supping beer in the sun.
We drove on to Cow Green Reservoir, which being so vast could never be crowded – though it was busier than I have ever seen it. Not that I have been there recently…
Vincent at Cow Green
There were tears. Of joy, maybe. Just the sheer pleasure of being in this high place in the clean air and listening to Skylarks and Lapwings. Or maybe a pang of something else. I was last here on the 9th of December, in 1978. How can I be so precise about a date so long ago? Well, I delivered my beautiful boy about 14 hours after a family walk around the reservoir that day. That kind of thing tends to stick. Unlike the family.
I managed to take a lot of very poor photographs at Cow Green. A bit of forward planning might have been useful, along with a wide angle lens, a tripod and a polarising filter.
We had a wonderful walk, though not a long one as we had quite some driving left to do.
We had one more stop at Carlisle in order to pick up Leffe for supper and a coffee to boost our reserves – arriving back at Kippford just after 5pm, with the sun still shining.
Unfortunately all that sun has brought out my skin sensitivity and I am suffering the usual painful itch. I also woke with a terrible headache from the excess of sun… I seem to have posted our sun hats home!
A false Spring it may have been but we did have the most wonderful weekend in the early season sun, driving through some of the best scenery that England has to offer.
