Today’s Mileage: 234
Total Mileage: 1000
On the Car Stereo:
Live Radio: BBC Radio Cumbria: Caroline Robertson | BBC Radio Scotland: Lunchtime Live; The Afternoon Show with Janice Forsyth
Spotify: Playlist of Scottish music
Keswick to Oban
After the long drive I slept well last night. My stay in Keswick was only a short one, not much time to hang around as I need to get in to Scotland – then I can do some proper sight-seeing.
Before leaving I did have enough time to walk around the lake – Derwentwater. Then it was a case of getting on the road and heading towards Scotland.
Useful tip: Cairn Lodge Services on the M74 near Douglas in South Lanarkshire, is owned by the same company as Tebay and Gloucester Services. Smaller but otherwise the same,
My first proper stop though was Balloch, at the Southern end of Loch Lomond. I had a walk around the country park there and sat outside eating the lunch I’d bought at Cairn Lodge Services (a drink and a sandwich).
Past Balloch the route to Oban becomes a bit more scenic and a little slower; I particularly like the A85 past Crianlarich.
In Oban I am staying in a hotel overlooking the bay with a view over to Kerrera opposite. Last time I stayed here I didn’t have a Sea view. What a difference it makes!!
Dinner tonight was paid for by the government – with Eat Out to Help Out I got 1 main (haggis stuffed chicken), 1 side, and 2 drinks, for just £7.50. After dinner I walked up to McCaig’s Tower, to enjoy the excellent view over Oban Bay, with Kerrera and the Isle of Mull visible in the background. I had intended to do the tower tomorrow, but then I watched the weather forecast and squeezed it in at Sunset tonight.
In to the Highlands tomorrow – driving up past Fort William and Loch Ness – to stay for 2 nights at Strathpeffer…and on Wednesday the intention is to make it to John o’Groats.
FH.
