Busy Driving Day, Stonehaven, Scotland
I nipped into the Tourist Information Office in Jedburgh this morning and asked about the rules around camping in our motorhome. I was told that the letter of the law says if you need keys for it (ie a car or motorhome) then it’s not wild camping. The Scottish wild camping rule that you can stay anywhere is only for tents. However if it doesn’t say no overnight parking, then chances are you’ll be OK – the worst would be to be asked to move along. After I got that cleared up, we had a quick tour of Jedburgh town then bid farewell to Doug and Helen, but not before another piece of Helen’s wonderful home-made shortbread.
Jedburgh Abbey
Last night’s pub, it looks so unassuming in daylight!
Helen & Doug – Thanks for being fantastic hosts!
Setting off just after midday we headed out on the Edinburgh Road (I love it that it’s not the road number people use around here when describing a road), and within twenty minutes we’d already made a detour. Our map showed a little red star under which is said Wallace Memorial. How could we refuse?
With a quarter of a mile to go the signposts lead Zagan to a steep narrow road, we flinched, turned around and parked up. There followed a ‘who fancies a quick run’ discussion; we were precariously parked so one of us had to stay with Zagan, and I ended up hot-footing it up the hill. Of course the quarter mile marker was just to the car park – but after a jog along a forest path I finally found William Wallace (aka Braveheart) stood looking out over the River Tweed.
William Wallace
We then drove north heading towards Aberdeen. Skipping around Edinburgh’s edge with Arthur’s Seat in the distance. Over the Forth Road Bridge, marvelling at the rail bridge and the new road bridge being built (good job we didn’t take that one by mistake).
The new fourth crossing.
Stopping only for a sarnie in a motorway services car park, we arrived just after 5pm in Stonehaven, our stop for the night. The tourist office closed at 5pm, so we drove around for a while until we found somewhere to stop, then went for a walk to see where the best place was.
Charlie loves a beach!
After a stroll right along the seafront, our chosen spot for the night is on the front right next to a camping and caravan club site. We haven’t got electric hook-up to watch the rugby, or access to their loos and showers, but we can hear the waves lapping on the beach! We’ve spent the money we’ve saved by not being in a campsite on a fish and chip supper from the award winning Bay Fish Bar; people were queueing out the door, and after we had eaten it we can see why!
Art sculptures along the shoreline – look very closely and Zagan is parked on the right
We’re both shattered now, so time to hit the sack. Tomorrow’s drive will be a much shorter hour run to see our friend Roger and his pooch Tom. Charlie is snoring already as he knows he’s in for some walking.
Ju x
Bonus pic – Five hours was a bit too much for Charlie ‘Are we nearly there yet?’
if you had stopped in Dunfermline before crossing bridge you would have seen wallaces mothers grave and grave of Robert the bruce..
Thought you may be interested my son David Price @eadondjp: 1st 2 welding gantries installed on the @NewForthBridge yesterday. Looking forward to inspecting
them next week http://t.co/WsDtmf26ai. I hope photo shows up correctly – another angle of the new bridge. He also mechanised the gantries on the Humber Bridge when the cables had to be inspected. The work was completed 18 months earlier than expected as he changed there design so they moved mechanically rather than manually. I hope you don’t mind me mentioning the above connection as, you can imagine, I am very proud of him.
What a good start to your adventure. Heading for Scotland has to be an eye opening choice. We’ve recently returned from driving the North Coast 500 and we are still talking about it. I’m looking forward to reading about and seeing the places you are going to visit.
Sounds like you’re having fun exploring Scotland. Do you have the Aurorawatch Ap on your phone to alert you to any increase in activity in the skies? You might get lucky. (Ps some of photos don’t fit on my smartphone – ok on laptop though). Have a great time Kath
Hi enjoying your blogs, Maxine