Walks and the outdoors - Swim Sky Breathe

March 27, 2022March 28, 2022

A Weekend in Norway

Norway is a country that has been on our bucket list from before we can remember. So when the opportunity came up to visit family living in Stavanger for the weekend, we were incredibly excited to go and visit the land of fjords, mountains and trolls.

We only had two days there to pack in as much as we could, and we knew that we wanted to see as much as possible of the wonderful landscapes for which Norway is famous. Here’s what we got up to.

Preikestolen

Any weekend in Stavanger should have a hike up to Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock, on the itinerary. The huge flat-topped 604m cliff, which juts out above the Lysefjord like a preacher’s pulpit, attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. The walk is not for the faint-hearted, especially in the winter months, and can be challenging in places. The reward at the end is breathtaking though, with spectacular views over the fjords.

We drove from Stavanger to Preikestolenhytta, the basecamp where the Preikestolen Trail begins. It’s about an hour’s drive from Stavanger, through the largest subsea road tunnel in the world, the 14 km Ryfylke tunnel. If you don’t have a car, you can also travel by boat from Stavanger to Oanes, then take a bus to Preikestolenhytta. Here you’ll find toilets, a shop, cafe, and a centre with guides who keep a beady eye on the walkers as they pass, stopping people who don’t have the correct footwear.

The walk starts off steeply then flattens out, following this pattern until the end. Despite the cold and ice, it was fairly busy for March, though the weather was unseasonably warm and dry for the area on the day.

From about halfway and upwards from there, there was a thick covering of snow. We had to tread extremely carefully – more than once, I put my foot down on some snow to find my boot disappearing up to my ankle! About halfway up there’s a lake with a boardwalk through it and frozen (though shallow) water on each side – I found this part a bit hard as I had to choose between walking in the snowy, icy middle of the walkway or the snow-free edges.

After a particularly tricky uphill section of the walk, some of which has metal railings for you to hang on to, we came to a part of the path where there was a steep sloping drop on one side. At this point my fear of heights became too much – I always know it’s time to stop when my legs feel a bit wobbly and my hands start to shake! I told Colin that I wouldn’t be able to go any further and waited for the others instead. I waited for about an hour in a flat area with large rocks to sit on while the others went on – it was no hardship as it was so still and beautiful.

Colin said later that I’d made the right decision as there were a couple more scary parts for those who aren’t great with heights, including a part where you have to hug the cliff to get round. However, there is also a hill path that you can take, which takes a little longer but avoids the cliff walk. So if you suffer from acrophobia, be aware of this before attempting Preikestolen and opt for the hill path.

My view while I waited for the others – not bad!

Everyone felt bad for me having to wait for them but I didn’t mind at all. Where I’d stopped was beautiful – the view was spectactular, the air still, and with my winter gear on I didn’t feel cold. It was heavenly just sitting looking out on the fjords with nothing else to do but watch and wait. It’s not often that you get the opportunity to just sit and be in nature, with no Wi-Fi or other distractions, and I relished every moment of it.

Colin writes:

I wasn’t happy about leaving Caroline, but I could see that she was safe, so we ventured on for that final kilometre to the famous jut of rock that is Preikestolen!

With the bulk of the steep bits out of the way, this last section was mostly on the flat, though it was these final sections that proved the most exciting … and dangerous. We encountered more of these easy-going paths meandering between frozen ponds and icy outcrops. But there were a couple of nerve-wracking sections of path where there was absolutely no room for error. At these short sections, as we inched along the narrow path it was all too evident that a slip here could have meant a fatal fall. Extreme care was required to make it to the majestic Preikestolen outcrop, where we rested and recovered for a few moments before stealing a series of selfies and stunning panoramic pics of the beautiful vista! It felt busy even then – a frozen but sunny Saturday in March – so in summer it must be mobbed. Time your visit well, and be just as careful on the descent. There were definitely a few bruised bums and egos on the way down!

Coming down was definitely more challenging than going up, but actually pretty good fun – in some parts we had to slide down, other parts weren’t possible without using your hands to hold on to trees, railings or the wall. There were plenty of friendly hikers who offered hands to travellers coming down which helped, but it wasn’t for the faint hearted or anyone unsteady on their feet. We stopped after the halfway point, once we could see the grass again, and had a picnic at a very pretty picnic spot with the forest to one side and the fjord in front of us.

The hike took us four hours, but can be done in two hours in the summer when there’s no snow and ice.

Olberg Beach

On our second day we decided to swap snowy mountains for the beach and headed to Olberg. It’s a lovely little harbour about half an hour southwest of Stavanger, with a sandy beach and rock climbing, as well as an ice cream shop that’s renowned in the area for its amazing ice creams – the queue was very long though, so we didn’t try them on this occasion.

The rock climbing was the highlight for the kids – safe enough to be done relatively unsupervised, with secret tunnels leading into creepy rooms carved inside the rocks, and even an abandoned building, an old fortification from World War II, overlooking the harbour to peer inside.

Down by the shore, the beach is perfect for swimming, if you can stand the cold. The water will be very, very cold – minus 5 – until around May so be warned. Olberg beach has some of the softest, finest sand I’ve seen in years – we wished we’d brought a picnic.

There’s free parking at the beach, and also a popular campsite. And on the way back into Stavanger you can stop at the Sverd i fjell monument, three huge swords in the ground to commemorate an ancient Viking battle fought on this site.

Norway was everything we thought it would be – stunning scenery, friendly people, and views that go on for miles. Our weekend in Stavanger only scratched the surface of what this beautiful country has to offer. We haven’t crossed it off the bucket list yet – we are definitely not finished with you, Norway, and will be back !

If you liked this article, read about our adventures in Scotland earlier this year.

March 8, 2022

Book Review – The Wild Remedy

The cover of The Wild Remedy by Emma Mitchell promises that this is a ‘beautiful, beautiful book’. And it is. I found this gem of a book in a charity shop. Reading it was a joy. A very personal nature diary, it chronicles the twelve months of the British year in nature, as experienced by Emma, an illustrator from Cambridgeshire.

It’s well evidenced that time in nature is good for your mental health. Whether that’s simply a walk in your local park, mindful forest bathing, or regular cold water swims, spending time outside is good for your soul. During the long monotonous days of lockdown, getting outside helped people to cope with the anxiety and stress brought on by the pandemic, with time spent in nature a real lifeline for many of us.

The book is written in diary form, and starts in October, when the leaves are beginning to fall and the migrant thrushes arrive. Emma’s wonderful observations of the minutiae of the nature that surrounds us – whether it’s a tiny goldcrest flitting in the woods, a nightingale singing overhead, or some snake’s head fritillaries blooming in spring – reminded me of how wonderful it is to be surrounded by nature and simply notice what’s around me. My knowledge of flora and fauna isn’t as extensive as Emma’s, but I’ve resolved to improve it after reading this book and observing her joy at simply spotting a particular species of bird or a flower in bloom. She describes a murmuration of starlings;

“Tens of thousands of birds are behaving like a living liquid. My mind reels at the complexity of the mathematics and silent communication required for this astonishing behaviour… Writhing limbs of birds, coordinated by their brains’ responses to one another’s flightpaths, protrude then recede from its edge as it seems to crawl like an aerial amoeba.”

Emma’s honesty about her mental health, which suffers greatly during the winter months, means that The Wild Remedy is raw in places and difficult to read. Her mood plummets as the nights grow longer and the temperature falls, reaching its lowest point in March, often a point in the year when it can feel like the darkness and cold have gone on forever and will never end. It’s taking simple pleasure in nature that help to lift her mood, from a bird feeder that brings blue tits and sparrows to her garden and the sight of young meadowsweet leaves in the woods.

Emma’s descriptions of the wildlife she sees around her are brought to life by her drawings that appear throughout the book; pencil sketches and watercolours that reproduce in careful detail the nature that she encounters on her walks.

You can buy The Wild Remedy here, new or second hand.

March 1, 2022March 1, 2022

Exploring Scotland in February

This February half term, we headed north to stay with family in Doune. Doune is a beautiful village in Perthshire, about an hour north of Edinburgh and Glasgow. It’s also where Colin grew up, and where we were married, as well as the place where Colin’s parents still live, so holds a very special place in our hearts. Its location in Perthshire means that it’s also perfectly positioned to explore the wilds of Scotland from, and although exploring Scotland in February isn’t necessarily the warmest time to do it. we decided that we’d take the time to go and see some parts of Scotland we’ve always wanted to know better.

View across Loch Awe from St Conan’s Kirk

On the driest day of our holiday, we headed north to Loch Awe. Loch Awe is the third largest freshwater loch in Scotland, as well as being the longest Scottish loch. We’ve driven up its eastern edge more times than I can count on our way to Oban, but never stopped to explore. This time, we decided to stop in Loch Awe village to explore St Conan’s Kirk and its beautiful views across the Loch.

St Conan’s was originally built as a chapel of ease by the Campbell family for those who could not easily reach the parish church. Amongst other things it houses a fragment of bone from Robert the Bruce, and a beautiful stained glass window from South Leith Church. There was a touching tribute to a member of the Campbell family who’d fallen in the Crimea after stopping to give water to a wounded enemy, and the wooden beams in the cloisers are thought to have come from two Royal Navy battleships. Our favourite part was the grounds though, with carefully tended gardens and incredible views across the water. If you’re headed up to the Highlands any time soon, do take time to stop and look around this beautiful building.

Our original plan was to go for a swim in Loch Awe, but the one spot we saw on the south edge of the loch was occupied by fishermen so we decided to leave swimming for another day. The best place to swim in Loch Awe is on its east side, at Dalavich, which is on our list for next time.

After Loch Awe we headed south down the A819 to the shores of Loch Fyne and Inveraray. There’s plenty to do here, including visiting the Inveraray Jail and the castle when it’s open, as well as visiting the shops, cafes and restaurants (though sadly the chip shop was not vegan friendly as the chips were fried in beef dripping :()

We headed past the castle – seat of Clan Campbell and the Duke of Argyll – to make our way up the hill to the Dun na Cuaiche Watchtower, passing over an ornate bridge (we played Pooh Sticks on it on the way back!) and trees that were planted by Queen Victoria. It’s not a big hill at 248m, and not too steep. The hike takes you through beautiful woodland, and you don’t have to walk far before glimpsing stunning views across the Argyll hills. Regular arrow signs tell you that you’re on the right path as you wind round the hill to the top to take in the watchtower. As we came out of the woods and drizzle, we were greeted by the sight of a perfect rainbow.

The tower was built as a folly in 1756 rather than an actual watchtower, and has stood the test of time for almost three hundred years, despite having been struck by lightning several times. We stopped to rest inside the tower and take in the breath-taking panorama across Loch Fyne and Inveraray, with the castle in the foreground. This is an easy, scenic walk, and you can reward yourself with a hot meal down at the bottom in the George Hotel with its roaring fires and vegan friendly menu.

The next day, despite the snow and rain and slightly achy legs from the previous day’s walk, we decided to go up Ben A’an. Ben A’an is like a miniature mountain – at 1512 feet it’s only roughly half the size of the smallest munro – but it’s steep at the beginning and end, with a fairly flat part in the middle. We’d climbed it for the first time back in 2020, just before lockdown, so I was excited by the opportunity to do it again.

The climb up Ben A’an starts at the car park across the road, and I won’t lie….it starts off hard! Climbing up some steep steps and past a sheer drop to the river on your right, it’s wise to take your time and pace yourself if you don’t want to tire yourself out. The middle of the climb offers some respite, and you can see the peak of the mountain ahead of you as you cross little streams and enjoy some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery with the Trossachs in front of you. You’ll need your energy for the last third of the walk, which is steep and feels a bit relentless, but absolutely worth it as you swing left for the final steps to the peak and the vista of Loch Katrine.

Even on a cold day in February, the mountain was busy, so be aware that it gets even busier in summer – worth bearing in mind as there are parts of the ascent that only admit one person at a time. Though it’s always good to have an excuse to have a little rest while you’re waiting for someone to pass!

You can read more of our Scottish adventures here.

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021

2021 Review – A look back at the year we didn’t see coming …

Like most of us, we went into 2021 feeling hopeful that we were coming to the end of the pandemic, that with the introduction of vaccinations we’d all be out of the woods soon and back to normal life by maybe … Spring? Summer at the latest, anyway.

As we all know, it didn’t quite turn out like that. You don’t need us to rehash the last twelve months – we all know how it went. Yet despite the restrictions and gloom and ups and downs, we managed to make 2021 a year that we’re saying goodbye to with some memories that make us smile. We’ve climbed hills and mountains, cycled along green country lanes, swum in the sea at both ends of the country, watched dolphins burst out of the water so they were almost close enough to touch, and eaten lots and lots of delicious (plant-based) food.

2021 Review - An Lochan Uaine — Colin swimming in An Lochan Uaine

2021 Review: Favourite swim

CAROLINE : Hard to chooose, but my favourite was probably a swim in a little loch near Aviemore called Loch Vaa. It was a beautiful, hot August day and the water was at least 12 degrees and felt wonderful in the hot sun. We both did handstands and swam as the children played on the shore. A perfect Scottish swim. I also had a lovely swim on my birthday in October in Loch Lubnaig. First thing in the morning, the water was as chilly and clear as you’d expect on a late autumn morning in Scotland. – the best way to start a birthday, and a new year of my life.

COLIN: I doubt I’m alone when I say that choosing a top swim is a challenge! Selecting the one that got away is, sadly, somewhat easier.

The swim that escaped me was the Ullswater Chill Swim, a seven-mile summertime epic from Glenridding to Pooley Bridge. Two weeks before the event I was struck down with Covid. Despite being at peak fitness, with regular winter swims and longer training swims behind me, overnight I went from a strong swimmer capable of swimming several sea miles to a weak swimmer who couldn’t bear the cold and who struggled to do 100m. It was a real blow, and while I’m still not back to the level of swim-fit I was in June I’ve high hopes for 2022!

So while the big Chill Swim escaped me, there were a plenty of other cracking swims during 2021. A night swim down the River Cam under a full moon. A freezing Loch Morlich dip with my sister. My first ice kilometre and other numb, fun swims with the Wardie Shiver Club. A roasting splashabout in Loch Vaa with my wife, kids and cousins and their families. A swoosh down the River Teith. The Fairy Pools with my son.

But with Wardie Bay on my doorstep until our move down south, it’s hardly surprising three of my favourite swims hail from there. In February, plummeting temperatures froze the sand and saw sea water turn to icy slush on the shore. On one particular day, big easterly winds brought in some serious waves, the remnants of a huge storm out to sea. The water was challenging 3.8C. My friends Lachlan, Christa and Tine and I went in anyway. Too stormy even for the surfers, we bounced about in the icy waves; gleeful, high, joyous. Massive grins and numb fingers.

2021 Review - ice swimming at Wardie Bay — Brrrrrrrilliant swimming at Wardie Bay last winter.

Another top swim was with my friend Sam, when we swam from Wardie Bay to Newhaven Harbour and back for the first time. At around 2.8k there and back, it’s not a particularly long swim, but it was the first time I’d done it and there was a real pleasure in kicking off the harbour wall for the return leg, and experiencing the changing currents and flow for this great bay swim. He and I swam it a few times and I can’t wait to give it another go.

My third Wardie Swim was one of my last. A fond farewell swim with many of the fine folk, all of them friends, who we’d had the pleasure of swimming with over the past few years. Family aside, that’s what I miss most about leaving Scotland.

As much as these were all swimming highlights, my favourite swim of the year wasn’t about pushing the distance or braving the cold. It was jumping off rocks into a Trossachs loch with my friends George and Jen. I was still recovering from Covid – the week before a 100m swim had proved exhausting – so we’d opted for a splashabout instead. We cycled for a few km along bike trails to a hidden cliff overlooking a deep part of a wee Scottish loch. I struggled on the bike ride, and was nervous about the cold, remnants of Covid still making themselves felt. After a short scramble over brush, moss and heather, we came to this fantastic wall of rocky slabs reaching out into the water, the highest about two metres. Again and again we jumped off into the deep lack loch water. Diving down. Climbing out. Jumping off again. Splashing. Laughing. It was the best. Adrenalin and wellbeing flowed through me. I felt restored, physically and mentally.

2021 Review: Favourite camping holiday

Both of us had the same choice here – our camping holiday in Aviemore at Dalraddy in June!

CAROLINE :This was the second time we’d camped here, and for good reason – it’s such a perfect little campsite that has everything you could ask for. There’s plenty of space for each pitch, clean and modern showers and loos, picnic tables, a choice of electric hook up and of course an incredible location right in the Cairngorms with everything it offers on your doorstep. We camped here with family, with room for our campervan, tent and gazebo on our pitch, and their three bedroom tent on theirs. The site is huge but feels very safe, so children can roam around freely, playing football and hide and seek till the sun goes down. There’s even a shop that sells basics and a cafe with vegan food!

2021 Review - Dalraddy Campsite — Dalraddy Campsite

COLIN: It’s such a brilliant location, and while the facilities can be a bit or the basic side, I much prefer this to more sanitised sites. Loved the freedom it gave our kids, but also the proximity to so many activities and experiences. Bike hire and mountain biking. Gorge-walking and tree-climbing. Wild swimming and forest bathing. I can’t wait to go back and explore more.

2021 Review: Favourite walk

We’ve had lots of walks in Scotland and England this year, in all weathers, up mountains, along meandering quiet rivers, across spectacular cliffs and around deep blue lochs.

CAROLINE: My favourite was our walk up the Fyrish Monument, near Dingwall, in late July during a family holiday in the Black Isle. It was a beautiful day with the sun splitting the skies when we climbed. This was both wonderful and slightly tiresome as the heat beat down on our backs as we emerged from the forest. The blue skies made views from the top even more spectacular, and once we’d taken in the great sweep of the Cromarty Firth and dark, looming Ben Wyvis, we admired the monument, built in 1783 by the local laird to provide employment for the locals. You can read more about our holiday in the Black Isle here.

2021 Review - Walking to the Fyrish Monument — The Fyrish Monument

COLIN: In October we enjoyed a big family gathering near Aviemore for my Auntie’s 70th. On the Saturday, as various folk went off on restorative bike rides, explores, walks or just endless games of hide and seek, Caroline and I, joined by one of our kids, took a hike up Meall a’ Bhuachaille, a cracking but serious Corbett that is famous for its views. With the path easy to follow, and the weather perfect, we easily made the exposed summit, although somewhat out of breath. Most of my Scottish hillwalking memories are of grey clouds and horizontal rain; Meall a’ Bhuachaille more than made up for it. There is a stunning panoramic view from the top, from the nearby Northern Corries of the Cairngorm range, over to Loch Morlich then reaching out to a stunning serrated skyline that wraps all around you.

2021 Review - Ryvoan Bothy — The Ryvoan Bothy on the way down Meall a’Bhuachaille.

After sugared almonds and rehydration at the top, it was time to get going. In general, I much prefer a steep ascent over the repetitive strain of a steep and winding descent, and Meall a’ Bhuachaille was unforgiving in this sense. An old climbing injury to my ankle means every step down jars, so by the time we were on the flat track back through beautiful woodland I was limping quite badly. But as we passed the stunning green An Lochan Uaine, a firm favourite and another top swim spot, spirits were lifted and aches eased when we bumped into a group of swimmers from Edinburgh! It was a tremendous coincidence and lovely especially to see Christine, Tanya and Susie, who I’d regularly swum with at Wardie Bay for the past few years.

2021 Review: Favourite recipe

As always, we’ve made and eaten so much delicious plant-based food in 2021. and there were definitely a few standouts. Our vegan jambalaya with sausage, rice and red wine was a definite crowd pleaser, easy to make, and brilliant for camping. I loved our lemon spaghetti with chickpeas and sage from our new garden – best enjoyed alfresco in the sunshine. And the Edgy Veg’s lobster rolls made with hearts of palm are out of this world!

2021 Review - Vegan Jambalaya — Vegan jambalaya

COLIN: As much as I loved Caroline’s campsite Peanut Butter Curry (it’s now a camping staple), one of my favourites is her Vegan Smoked Salmon Blinis with Sour Cream. Utterly delicious and a real treat! I love seeing folks’ reactions when you tell them the “salmon” is actually made from marinaded carrot! It’s a doddle to make; just needs a bit of planning. And the vegan goat curry from London-based vegan Caribbean takeaway Jam Delish at the Vegan Campout in September was out of this world.

2021 Review: Favourite moment

CAROLINE: We’re really lucky to have lots of wonderful 2021 moments to choose from. Standing on Chanonry Point shivering as we waited for a pod of dolphins appear and the excitement as a mother and her baby burst out of the water was one. Sitting around a campfire with family, playing twenty questions under the stars and eating marshmallows was another. And jumping into the cool Cam on a baking 30 degrees day in Cambridge was one more.

COLIN: Getting Covid was the low point of 2021. It knocked my fitness, but also hit my motivation. I’d given up coaching in Edinburgh, and had hoped to quickly reprise in Cambridge. Being ill within days of moving sapped all my motivation, which in turn led to a gloomy spiral that sapped my swimming and coaching mojo. So returning to swim coaching has been a massive thrill for me, especially as it’s at such a wonderful location, the historic Jesus Green Lido, the UK’s longest outdoor pool. One of the great things about coaching is being able to see, week on week, a swimmer’s improvement as you work with them. It’s incredibly rewarding, and I hope it’ll continue and indeed grow in 2022.

The other top moment of the past year was when our big family all got together. Grandparents and parents, kids and cousins, brothers and sisters, aunties and uncles, it was a joy to have (almost) everyone all in one place. It felt like a major victory against lockdown and all the restrictions and setbacks we’ve all had to bear. We hope you also had a similar happy experience with your families and/or friends.

As we go into 2022, we’re full of hope and excitement – hope that this year will be a little easier for all of us, and excitement about all of the things we can do, despite the C word. Happy new year!

November 5, 2021November 6, 2021

Hostelling in the Cairngorms in Autumn

We were lucky enough to spend the weekend in the Cairngorms, in celebration of Colin’s auntie Sheila’s 70th birthday. As tourism season in the Highlands was coming to an end, auntie had booked the entire Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel for the festivities, which saw hordes of family from all corners of the UK and beyond descending on Glenmore one wet Friday in October.

Although time was short and we only had two nights and a full day, we made sure that we packed plenty in, including swimming in Loch Morlich, climbing a mountain, eating enough chilli and pizza to sink a ship and even bumping into some friends at a quiet lochan high up in the mountains!

Where we stayed
We stayed at the Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel – seven miles from Aviemore and just a two minute walk from the shores of Loch Morlich. It offers a range of rooms, from singles, twins and doubles to dormitories, with clean, modern showers and a large kitchen. There’s also a refectory, a conservatory with spectacular views of the mountains to enjoy over breakfast, and a large living room with a pool table.

What we did
As well as ceilidhing the night away, eating our body weight in pizza, catching up over coffee and French toast made by Colin, and enjoying a few games of pool, we wanted to make the most of the stunning surroundings of the hostel.

Loch Morlich is one of our favourite Scottish lochs, where we’ve spent summers kayaking and swimming and winters walking round the beautiful Rothiemurchus forest that fringes the loch …. and swimming! It’s just across the road from the hostel, and with its wide golden sandy beach, views of the majestic Cairngorms and still, clear waters, it would have been rude not to (although I did just watch from the shore!) The temperature was a brisk 6.5 degrees, so no one stayed in for long. There were also paddle boarders and kayaks on the loch, undeterred by the chilly temperatures and rain.

Meall a’ Bhuachaille is a four hour circuit from the foot of the hostel, through pretty woodland and then on to the slopes of the 543m high mountain, leading to incredible views across to Loch Morlich and the Cairngorms. The last ten minutes of the ascent are steep, with steps instead of a path for much of it, so you’ll definitely feel you’ve earned a rest at the top. We sat in the sheltered cairn and replenished our energy with some sugared almonds from House of Bruar, where we’d stopped on the way up the road to Aviemore.

The way down leads you past an Lochan Uaine, where to our delight we encountered the Wardie Bay wild swimmers of Edinburgh, who’d taken a trip up to the Cairngorms for the weekend and had just enjoyed a dip in the green lochan. We also passed the Ryvoan bothy, which was kitted out for walkers with a fireplace, candles, table and cooking equipment – the hiker we met there looked very cosy enjoying some biscuits while his socks dried outside!

What we ate
We all sat down to dinner on the Friday night in the large refectory, where Colin’s cousin Jenny was a total superstar and made three types of chilli, including this vegan chilli. She kindly shared the recipe, which serves 4.

Ingredients

1 stick celery, chopped

1 large white onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped

2 tbsp tomato puree

Splash of balsamic vinegar

1 tsp veg stock

2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 tins kidney beans

2 tins black beans

1-2 tsp chilli flakes depending on how spicy you like your chilli!

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Lime to season

Method

Heat a tbsp oil in a large wok and fry the onions over a medium heat for five minutes.

Add the garlic and spices and fry for another minute, then add the tomatoes, vinegar, beans, celery, stock and nutritional yeast.

Bring the mixture to the boil then leave to simmer on a low heat for 40 minutes.

Enjoy with a squeeze of lime, rice and tortillas and our vegan soured cream.

On Saturday night, thirty pizzas from Cheese and Tomatin were ordered in and eaten for dinner, post ceilidh snacks, and breakfast the next day!

Already dreaming of our next trip to this wonderful part of Scotland!

If you liked this, check out our post about a week in the Black Isle.

October 6, 2021October 22, 2021

Autumn Self-Care and Mindful Practices

There are so many things we both love about autumn. There’s that first moment of autumn – usually around the beginning of September – when you step outside, take a breath, and inhale something crisp, clear and cold – and know that summer is over and autumn is here. Autumn always seem to arrive so suddenly, rather than the gradual transition that happens between other seasons. You start to notice the leaves slowly turning red, and gold, and see them drifting down from the trees and onto the pavement and beneath your feet. And you watch the birds as they make their way south – a feat that never seems less incredible, no matter how many autumns pass.

It also feels like a time of new beginnings – new term at school and university, the reminder of stiff new school uniforms, pencil cases full of sharp pencils, new things to learn and new people to know.

I love these words from Ali Smith about autumn –

“November again. It’s more winter than autumn. That’s not mist. It’s fog. The sycamore seeds hit the glass in the wind like – no, not like anything else, like sycamore seeds hitting window glass. There’ve been a couple of windy nights. The leaves are stuck to the ground with the wet. The ones on the paving are yellow and rotting, wanwood, leafmeal. One is so stuck that when it eventually peels away, its leafshape left behind, shadow of a leaf, will last on the pavement till next spring. The furniture in the garden is rusting. They’ve forgotten to put it away for the winter. The trees are revealing their structures. There’s the catch of fire in the air. All the souls are out marauding. But there are roses, there are still roses. In the damp and the cold, on a bush that looks done, there’s a wide-open rose, still. Look at the colour of it.”

Autumn, like every season, is a time for self-care. We’ve put together some ideas for connecting with yourself and the world around you over the next few months.

Don’t hibernate – embrace the outdoors. It’s so tempting when autumn starts to wrap yourself up in warm clothes and hibernate in your home until spring, avoiding the cold and darkness. But next time you look out of the window and think it’s too cold, rainy or dark to go out, try going against your instincts, throwing on some waterproofs, and stepping out into the autumn weather. Letting the wind and rain and cold flow over you rather than cringing away from it is something I learned to do when I took up winter swimming, Enjoy the feeling of being alive, in your body, in autumn. As the rain lashes your face and the wind whips at your hair, take time to be in the moment and focus on the here and now, pushing away any doubts and worries that might be troubling you and just letting nature wash over you.

Take up a craft like knitting or crochet. I was lucky enough to be taught to knit by my wonderful Granny, who was a complete knitting guru and always on hand to fix my mistakes. But if you don’t have someone to teach you, there are zillions of YouTube videos that will show you how, from the most basic stitches and beyond. Knitting has seen me through more than one life crisis – I started off with scarves and progressed to toys and random items (our home is filled with knitted crabs, bananas and strawberries!). Taking time to make things is such a mindful way to spend time, as your attention is focused on your creation. Your mind slows right down as you lose yourself to the rhythm of each stitch – it’s truly meditative. And if you want to know how to knit a prawn, you know where to find me 🙂

Forage for food. Early autumn is the perfect time to forage as there’s such an abundance of berries, herbs, nuts and fungi. Take a bag with you, and some secateurs or kitchen scissors, and visit your nearest green area to see what you can find – even urban parks often have hidden treasures, so you don’t need to go all the way out into the countryside – you might even be surprised at what you find in your own garden! An app like Seek is a great way of identifying what’s edible and what isn’t – take extra care with berries and mushrooms and the wrong type will make you feel pretty unwell. The Woodland Trust has a guide to what to forage month by month – just remember to only take what you need as you don’t want to upset the balance of the ecosystem your’e foraging in.

Bake something. Now that you’ve foraged all of that wonderful food, think about making a cake or some bread with your free, fresh ingredients. Try making our vegan breakfast bake with apples or Running on Real Food’s vegan blackberry crumble – or for something totally different, make some vitamin-packed nettle bread.

Embrace the change of autumn by making some resolutions. Yes, January is usually the time to make resolutions – but as F.Scott Fitzgerald once said, life starts all over again once it gets crisp in the fall. Maybe now is the time to try to give up a bad habit that you’ve never managed to lose in January, start a new sport (winter swimming is a brilliant one!) or promising yourself you’ll set aside a few minutes every day for self-care, such as yoga or a mindfulness meditation. Always set intentions with an open mindset – it’s ok not to achieve them, and there are no rules apart from the ones that you make for yourself about how long you give yourself to get there, or how many times you allow yourself to try.

Try this outdoor mindfulness exercise. Go and sit somewhere really quiet, maybe a bench in your local park, or in your garden if you have one. Just sit in silence for a moment and connect with your breathing, bringing awareness to your feet on the ground, finding a comfortable posture. Close your eyes and focus first on what you can hear – the sound of the wind, water running nearby, dogs barking, leaves crackling underfoot. You’ll notice that some of these sounds are constant, while others fade away. Then move on to what you can smell – perhaps the scent of a bonfire, the earthy smell of the leaves, the fir trees beside you. Open your eyes slowly and focus on what you can see – the beautiful colours of autumn, the leaves on the ground, the wind rustling the leaves left on the trees. And finally, choose something to pick up and hold – a nut fallen from a tree, or maybe a particularly crisp leaf on the ground. Notice the shape and colour object, running your hands over it and noticing the texture – is it wet, or dry? Hot or cold? Smooth or bumpy? If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the moment and enjoy this time you’ve given yourself to be fully immersed in the moment of where you are now.

If you liked this post, read our post about a good night’s sleep.

August 10, 2021September 12, 2021

A Holiday in the Black Isle – Dolphins, Kayaks and Nessie!

We were lucky enough to have a week’s holiday in the Black Isle this July. The Black Isle isn’t actually an island – or black – but an isthmus just north of Inverness in Scotland, surrounded by water on three sides. It takes its name from the deep dark woodland that used to cover it. Before our holiday, we’d driven through it but never actually spent time there, and were keen to fit as much as possible into our week. It’s a beautiful part of Scotland, and virtually midge free, which is a huge bonus if you’ve ever spent a holiday in Scotland plagued by midges!

If you’re thinking about visiting this wonderful part of Scotland, here are some outdoor things you might like to do.

Dolphin watching at Chanonry Point. Chanonry Point, jutting out into the Moray Firth, is one of the best places in the UK to spot dolphins. When we arrived on a slightly drizzly Tuesday morning, there was a large group of people on the beach, some of whom had been waiting for hours. We decided to give ourselves an hour waiting on the beach, to see if the pod of dolphins that make a regular appearance to feed close to the shore might decide to show themselves. And we weren’t disappointed – just before our hour was up, two bottlenose dolphins swam towards the shore, and stopped only about three metres away from the shoreline. It was absolutely enchanting watching them jump and play in the water, and we felt that we’d witnessed something very special. The best time to see them is on a rising tide, which is around one hour after low tide. It’s really difficult to get parked at Chanonry Point, as the car park is very small and a LOT of people turn up there every day. If it’s possible for you to do, try to park in nearby Fortrose, or get a bus from Inverness to Fortrose – it’s one mile from Chanonry Point, and you can walk the rest of the way.

Sylvia Duckworth / *Dolphins at Chanonry Point.*

If dolphin watching makes you feel like a dip in the sea yourself, just along from Chanonry Point is Rosemarkie Beach, where we spent an afternoon kayaking and swimming. Facing out onto the Moray Firth, this wide sandy beach is fringed by woodland and has tennis courts, a play area and the Rosemarkie Beach Cafe (which has vegan options, including vegan ice cream) – everything you need for a perfect day at the Scottish seaside.

Ecoventu res run wildlife watching tours in the Moray Firth, including a two hour trip to see the bottlenose dolphins of the Firth. There’s no guarantee you’ll spot them, but you’ll be in safe hands as local Sarah takes you out on the Saorsa on a trip that’s designed to minimise impact on the surrounding wildlife.

Poyntzfield Herb Nursery is also worth a visit. They have been growing herbs organically and biodynamically since 1976 and offer an opportunity to buy over 400 varieties of plants and seeds from a local, agro-ecological producer. Open from March to September.

On the second day of our holiday, our munro loving cousin suggested an ‘easy, four mile walk’ up to the Fyrish Monument near Dingwall. Built by Sir Hector Munro in 1782 on Fyrish Hill in order to provide employment for the locals, the monument is certainly a four mile walk, but ‘easy’ was probably an exaggeration to get everyone off their feet and up a hill! Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful walk, though the upward part is steep in places and the ground isn’t the smoothest – so wear decent boots and take plenty of water. It’s worth the effort though – after emerging from the still green forest, you’re rewarded at the top with stunning views of the Moray Firth to your left and the Cairngorm mountains to your right.

The Fairy Glen is another Black Isle highlight, and it looks just as beautiful as you’d expect from the name. A 25 minute gentle walk from Rosemarkie takes you through woodland and past burbling streams to this magical glen with its beautiful waterfalls and abundance of local wildlife – if you’re lucky, you might see a heron or buzzard at this RSPB reserve.

**Upper waterfall, Fairy Glen, Rosemarkie**
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Rob Farrow – geograph.org.uk/p/6078698

Loch Ness isn’t actually in the Black Isle, but a 40 minute drive away – it seemed rude not to visit the UK’s top wild swimming spot while we were in the area. After a visit to Nessieland in Drumnadrochit – and I’m still not really sure what to say about that as it was such a bizarre experience, so go and check it out for yourself – we headed to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. If you’re visiting Loch Ness, after getting your fix of history at the castle, choose your spot to take the plunge in the waters, which are icy in winter and tepid on the hot July day we were there. Fort Augustus is a popular spot to swim from -and if you’re feeling tempted to do some serious swimming, there’s a charity relay swim in Loch Ness next year to raise money for Aspire. As always with wild swimming, do take extra care – Loch Ness is hundreds of feet deep in places, and the water can get very cold.

There are plenty of campsites and B&Bs in and around Inverness. Black Isle Yurts have beautiful individually built and fully furnished yurts in private woodland with stoves, beds with duvets and pillows, and gas cookers. Fortrose Bay Campsite has stunning views over the Moray Firth, offers electric hook up and welcomes well behaved dogs, and you can eat your breakfast on the beach – you might even spot some dolphins if you’re lucky. And Loch Ness Glamping located just down the road in Glen Urquhart has tent pitches and hobbit houses where you’ll wake up to the sound of the river and birds and surrounded by bluebells, willow herb, foxgloves, daffodils, gorse, broom and any number of less well known Highland wild flowers.. There are BBQs for every hobbit house, and a children’s play area – bliss!

If you liked this, check out our guide to camping in Shieldaig in the Scottish Highlands.

June 7, 2021June 8, 2021

A Camping Weekend In Aviemore

Aviemore, in the heart of the Cairngorms and the Scottish Highlands, is one of our favourite places in the world to camp. It’s easy to get to by motorway, train or even plane from Inverness, breathtakingly beautiful and absolutely full of things to do – if you’re here for a weekend, the hardest thing is creating an itinerary, as there’s so much choice! It’s also a great year-round destination with snow sports and other winter activities in the colder months. A camping weekend in Aviemore is one of my favourite things in life. If you haven’t been, we hope this guide will help you plan your holiday there.

Where To Stay

We stayed at Dalraddy Holiday Park which has grass pitches, electric hook up and pitches for camper vans, as well as chalets and caravans to rent. The pitches are really generous and the site didn’t feel crowded at all when we were there. There’s a shop and a big clean shower block, plus separate smaller WC/shower blocks around the site, as well as a children’s play area. It’s well situated outside Aviemore to be within easy reach of the town.

Other places to stay are –

Glenmore Campsite – camping in the forest, with direct access to the beaches of Loch Morlich.

Badaguish Outdoor Centre with summer campsite, wigwams and lodges.

What To Do

There are so many things to do in Aviemore, it’s impossible to list them all, so here’s a selection of the activities that we’ve done ourselves.

Gorge walking. We did this with G2 Outdoor. I was quite nervous beforehand as I’m not great with heights, and I knew there were some small heights in the course. I ended up absolutely loving it though! G2 provide all the kit – a wetsuit, buoyancy aid and crash helmet, plus harness and ropes. Once you’re all kitted up you’re taken off to the river for an hour long gorge walking experience. This involves walking up the river (wear your oldest trainers that you don’t mind getting wet and dirty), scrambling and using ropes to get from one level to the next, with the opportunity to slide down waterfalls and into plunge pools. It’s cold, wet and a bit scary at times but amazing fun – I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Zip wire. Another activity that G2 offer, it won’t surprise you to learn that I sat this one out. However, our kids (and adults) said it was the best thing they did all weekend. For anyone who isn’t scared of heights, zipping through the beautiful pine forest on the Alvie Estate is probably hard to top. There are various options depending on how high you want to go and how independent you’re feeling – there’s even a night trek. Aimed at 8 year olds and up, our group of kids and adults did the 2km course of 14 zip wires which starts off relatively gently and builds up to a 550m finale through the trees.

Tree trekking. We did this at Rothiemurchus at the Treezone. The course takes about 1.5 hours to complete with a zip slide at the end and is a bit tamer than the G2 zip slide so good for younger kids – the minimum age is eight. The course starts off at five metres, with the larger Buzzard course progressing to heights of fifteen metres as the obstacles become trickier to negotiate. Treezone costs £30 for adults and £23 for under 18s.

An Lochan Uaine. Also known as the Green Lochan, you can cycle or walk up to this breathtaking loch which gets its green colour from reflected light from the forest (though local legend says that it’s because pixies wash their clothes in it!) It’s absolutely possible to swim in the lochan – we’d been warned about the leeches, but fortunately didn’t come across any. You can also wild camp on the beach, though it does get busy during the day with tourists – just remember to leave no trace and leave this beautiful spot exactly as you found it.

Loch Morlich is a short ten minute drive from Aviemore with breathtaking views of the mountains and fringed by lush green woods. There’s a watersports centre where you can hire kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and bikes. We cycled around the loch first with our mountain bikes that we’d hired from In Your Element in Rothiemurchus, with regular stops to take in the incredible views, then took to the water for a swim and kayak. Be warned though – it gets incredibly busy on sunny days and in high season, so get there before 9am to get a spot in the car park.

Loch Insh Outdoor Centre. We spent an idyllic day on the loch here. Hire your wetsuits or bring your own, then enjoy the loch on kayaks, canoes, pedalos, windsurfing boards and rigs, and paddleboards, all of which you can hire at the centre. Or just go for a swim! There’s a cafe and seating by the loch where you can relax once you’ve had your fill of all the loch has to offer. If the sun’s shining, plan a day here – just a short drive from Aviemore.

Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail. This walk really is a hidden treasure in the heart of the Caledonian forest. Frank Bruce was a dyslexic Scottish sculptor who left school at 13 to go and work in a timber mill. He created sculptures out of the natural environment, with themes of human behaviour, relationships, and Scottish culture. The trail takes you past a number of his sculptures, some of them which are nestled amongst the leaves and bracken of the forest, others standing many feet tall in the glades. ‘Two Patriots’ depicts man’s lust for war as another face carved into a tree looks on in horror. The works are decaying though, just as the artist intended, so don’t wait too long before going to see them. Once you’ve completed the trail, it’s a short walk to the banks of the river Feshie, where you can jump from the rocks into its clear rushing waters, or just watch with a picnic from the side. To get to the trail, from Aviemore drive toward Cairngorm Mountain on the B970 and turn right just before the Rothiemurchus Centre, signposted to Coylumbridge. After Feshie Bridge there’s a car park on the right, then a short walk to the sculptures.

Hiking up Cairngorm Mountain. Cairngorm Mountain Scotland run a number of guided walks up the mountain, or you can make your own way up the various routes. We walked from the car park, a short drive from Aviemore, up to the Coire An Lochean cliffs where we were rewarded with the most incredible views. We did it in summer – and were attached by a swarm of midges, so don’t even attempt this in the summer months without some midge repellent – but it’s equally beautiful in the winter, though a little more care needs to be taken.

Where To Eat

If you’re looking to eat out while in Aviemore, and you’re vegan like us, there aren’t any vegan only places. However, you still have plenty of options.

The Old Bridge Inn and Rooms offer several vegan options, including soup, quinoa cakes, panzanella salad and sorbet. The Highland Line near the station in Aviemore also has some great vegan choices, including a T.LT (tofu, lettuce and tomato) and vegan burger. There’s a large Tesco in town which has plenty of sandwiches, salads, cakes and vegan options, as well as a Costa. And just out of town, the Rothiemurchus farm shop and deli has a wide range of delicious fresh food, including a number of fresh vegan meals, snacks and ingredients. Pizzariach does great takeaway pizzas, though unfortunately there aren’t vegan options but they do have gluten free pizzas.

More info on visiting Aviemore is here.

If you liked this, read about our camping weekend in Shieldaig in the Highlands.

March 11, 2021

Four Walks Around Edinburgh

Like everyone else in the UK and further afield, we’ve been very restricted about where we can go in recent months. And like most people, we’ve become a little bit tired of the same old walks and have been making an effort to discover new places to go to change it up a bit. Here are four walks in nature around Edinburgh, from ascending an extinct volcano,: stunning lochs; beautiful clear rivers, and even some modern art along the way.

They’re also a lovely way to enjoy Edinburgh if you’re visiting later on in the year.

Water of Leith

The Water of Leith walk and cycleway runs for twelve miles through the heart of Edinburgh.

A favourite route starts at the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art. From the car park behind the Modern One building, take the steps down to a little bridge over the Water of Leith. There you’ll see one of Anthony Gormley’s famous 6 Times Installations – life size casts of the artist’s body – in the water. From here, keep the river on your left until you reach a bridge that takes you over to the other bank and through picture-postcard Dean Village with its houses dating back to the 17th century. Carry on up the river until you reach Stockbridge, where you can step back into the city, or retrace your steps back to the Gallery along the river.

Getting there – You can walk to the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art from the city centre, or catch bus 37 from South Bridge and get off at the Gallery.

6 Times by Anthony Gormley in the Water of Leith

Pentlands Regional Park at Flotterstone

The Pentlands Regional Park covers a huge area with several walks, but this one is particularly scenic – rolling hills, rivers, reservoirs, and even an ancient Roman fort!

Fields of sheep and turnips on the way to the reservoir on a beautiful February day

Start at Flotterstone car park, which lies just south of the city bypass. There’s a cafe and loo there should you need them. Follow the Glencorse burn along a fairly flat road for twenty minutes until you reach the picturesque reservoir with a wooded island in its centre and drowned chapel that you can sometimes see if it’s been very dry. Take the right path (signposted) for Glencorse View and Castle Law. This path gives you amazing views over the reservoir. From there, you can continue along to Castle Law farm and detour to see the Roman fort – a detailed guide to the walk is here.

Getting there – by car to the Flotterstone Inn EH26 0PP, or catch the 102 bus from Edinburgh bus station towards Dumfries and get off at the Flotterstone Inn.

Harlaw Reservoir

The Harlaw reservoir walk also takes in the Pentlands Regional Park from the other side. Start this walk at the Harlaw Visitor Centre car park .

This is a lovely walk around Harlaw Reservoir that we love doing all year round – parts of it take you through woods that are filled with ditches that the kids have fun jumping across (though you can walk round them if you prefer!) It’s also possible to swim in the reservoir, though watch out for people fishing.

Start the walk at the Harlaw House car park, with its short walk along to Harlaw House. Harlaw House was originally built as a waterkeeper’s cottage after the reservoir was built in 1848, and is now a visitor information centre. On the way, there’s a beautiful gated Wildlife Garden, which a lovely place to sit and have a picnic. From there, you can choose whether to take a clockwise or anti-clockwise loop round the reservoir. Walk through the shaded woods and jump across the ditches, enjoy the views of the Pentlands hills from the path, or follow the banks of the reservoir.

Getting there – By car to Harlaw House EH14 7AS, or by bus 44 from Edinburgh to Balerno.

Arthur’s Seat

You can’t have a guide to walks in Edinburgh without including Arthur’s Seat. We love to walk up it on Christmas Eve, as a way of tiring the kids out, but it’s spectacular all through the year. Watching the sun rise from the top is an essential Edinburgh experience, and the views over the city and the Forth from this extinct volcano are breathtaking.

There are various routes up to the top of Arthur’s Seat. This one is of moderate difficulty – there are steeper routes, but we like this one as it’s manageable for the kids. Start at the Holyrood Palace car park and follow the red paved path. You’ll come to a corner – take the left path which heads towards the ruins of St Anthony’s Chapel. From there you can follow the line of cliffs up to the peak, or the path along the bottom of the cliffs. They both lead to the top. There are some quite steep climbs on this walk, but the views from the summit will reward your effort.

You can find more detail about routes up Arthur’s Seat here.

Getting there – Walk to the bottom of the Royal Mile towards the Scottish Parliament – you’ll see the foot of Arthur’s Seat once you turn the corner from the Royal Mile.

If you like these walks and want to go further afield, try the De’ils Cauldron Walk in Comrie for waterfalls and spectacular views.

October 12, 2020December 2, 2020

Camping Adventures in Ardnamurchan

We spent a wonderful weekend this September camping in Ardnamurchan in the western Scottish Highlands. I’ve lived in Scotland most of my life, and consider myself to be fairly well travelled in my own country – but had never visited the Ardnamurchan peninsula until last weekend. All I really knew about it was that there was a lighthouse there, a distillery where Colin has a cask of whisky, and that it was very remote.

We set off one Friday in September to spend two nights with family at the Ardnamurchan Campsite , situated just outside the pretty, remote village of Kilchoan

From Edinburgh, right on the other side of Scotland, it took us five hours to get to the campsite. Once you get off the motorway at Stirling, the journey is just a joy, with incredible scenery as you drive through the Trossachs and the lonely moors of Glencoe within the shadow of Buchaille Etive Mor. We stopped at the Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum, where you can go to the loo and buy some fresh food in the cafe or some gifts and outdoor clothes if you feel inclined! There’s also a great cafe across the road at the Real Food Cafe – my vegan chickpea curry with chips was delicious, and you can order in advance on their website and pick the food up in the car park. Or, ten minutes on there are some incredible places to stop at Glencoe if you fancy eating your takeaway in one of the most scenic and iconic places in Scotland!

We stopped again at Ardgour for the five minute car ferry journey to Corran on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, then on to the single track winding road to the campsite. The views of mountains, lochs and beaches are breathtaking, but do pack a travel sickness pill for anyone who suffers from motion sickness as it’s a VERY winding road.

Playing pass the pigs by the camper van!

The site itself is pretty basic and no frills but has everything a camper could need. There’s a toilet and shower block – though I should warn you that if you don’t like creepy crawlies, it could be an issue as there are quite a few daddy long legs spiders who’ve made the block their home. They won’t touch you, but our kids weren’t fans. There’s also a washing up block with sinks and a washing machine.

Outside the blocks there’s a small communal area with seating and I think there’s one inside for use in non pandemic times too. There are sites for tents, motorhomes and vans with electric hook up, and the boundary of the site is a beautiful beach. There’s also free WiFi, and dogs are welcome. Campfires are allowed, and we spent evenings toasting marshmallows, listening to the sound of the sea and gazing at constellations in the clear dark sky – Jupiter and Saturn were visible, it was so clear! Waking up to the sound of the waves lapping at the shore nearby was pretty special, too.

You’re spoilt for choice with things to do in the area. On the Friday evening we headed to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse and the most westerly point of the UK mainland to see a spectacular sunset as we were buffeted by the winds coming in off the ocean. The lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the world designed in an “Egyptian’ style – it’s automatically operated now, but fully operational.

There are also a number of beautiful beaches – we spent an afternoon at Sanna Bay, which we had almost to ourselves. It’s a perfect expanse of white sand and clear blue sea, and we spent a few lovely hours kayaking, swimming, sunbathing and jumping off the sand dunes. Geologically, it’s a fascinating place to visit too, as it’s part of a concentric circle of volcanos, with plenty of wildlife to see as well.

Paddle boarding and kayaking at Sanna Bay

Another day we took the CalMac ferry from Kilchoan to Tobermory on nearby Mull. We were foot passengers, but you can also choose to take the car – though be warned that if the pandemic is still live if you take the car on the ferry, you won’t be allowed to leave your car for the 40 minute journey to enjoy the beautiful views from the top of the ferry across to the Small Isles. We spent a few hours in Tobermory doing a treasure trail that we’d downloaded in advance – a great way to see the town and learn about its history – while Colin visited the distillery.

On our last day we climbed Ben Hiant, the highest point on the peninsula, and from where the sun rose each morning from the campsite. It’s not a particularly challenging hill at 528m, and the views at the top are breathtaking – across to the inner Hebridean islands and the mainland. It took us just under 3 hours to get to the top and back down.

You can book your pitch at the campsite here – they do get busy throughout the season, so make sure you book well in advance. Do go and explore this remote, unspoilt corner of Scotland – it’s been on our to visit list for years, and I only wish we hadn’t waited so long!