If alcohol free Carlsberg did days out…. Wow. We’ve had it all apart from scorching sunshine!!
We spent a while trying to decide what to do today. We were going to go to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Green today…. Entrance was £22.50 and I was worried that it wouldn’t take our attention for a whole day and yet, we would feel like we should stay…. I’m sure we may have missed a great day but we opted for a car, train and ferry trip to Dunoon! I have lived in Scotland all my life and I don’t think I’ve ever been to Dunoon.
So we took the dogs out first and then drove to Glengarnock train station.
We jumped on the train to Paisley Gilmour Street.
We changed there for Gourock.
When we got to Gourock we had to chose between the ferry to Dunoon at 1.05pm or Kilcreggan at 1.30pm. We chose Dunoon as it was earlier. We had some time to kill.
What hoves into view around the corner, as we wait?!?
The Waverley is heading to Dunoon just before us!!
Then we spotted this seal waiting around the fisherman. That’s the best photo I got!
Dunoon Pier is beautiful.
Lots of it is derelict.
This is our trip for the day!
We went for lunch at The Boat House in Dunoon. It was really lovely, a beautiful view doon the watter, as they say in Glasgow!
We then for a long walk through Dunoon to Kirk and then to Hunters Quay.
We sailed back with Western Ferries.
We were the only foot passengers
Then Helen screamed and was routed to the spot and couldn’t speak… she spotted the dolphins!!
We were very excited and almost missed getting off the Ferry!!
How lucky was I with the seagull?!?!
Last off the ferry!!
We then had a 50 minute walk back along the front in Gourock, to the train station… what pops up behind us?!?
How lucky were we!!??
So no blue sky but it’s been dry all day.
We’re on the train home now and have pre-ordered a chow mein!
We’ve marvelled at the view, the wildlife and all the buildings we have walked past.
We have chatted about anything and everything oh and had a good charity shop rummage!
Oooh I did not get the best sleep last night. I’m not sure why? I read until late to try to finish my book and maybe my head was buzzing?!?!
I’d actually had a fairly antsy evening, considering I’d had such a lovely day. I could not decide what I wanted to watch on tv. I started the Sixth Commandment on iPlayer but I couldn’t get into it. I needed something bright and cheerful rather than dark and intense.
I had the room all lit with candles as it had been such a dark afternoon.
These two were sitting at the top of the stairs when I sent them up to bed last night. Too cute. Please don’t make us go in our room mum… please can we come and sleep with you?!?
I didn’t feel the need to sleep with a herd of wildebeest!!
I didn’t get to sleep until about 1pm and woke again at 3 and finally at 6. I suppose I should be grateful I slept through the “5am alarm” which wakes me most days.
I dried up the last of the defrosting freezer and put the oven trays and shelves back in the oven. I forgot I’d cleaned all of them yesterday too. Well, I tried my best. I popped half in the sink and half in the bath with dishwasher salts. It’s amazing how much it lifts. I’m also very proud of my freshly defrosted freezer!!
I took the dogs out at 7.30am… no photos this morning as it’s very non descript weather. Hmmm that appears to not be a word?!? Who knew?!?
I did take these lovely flowers on the way into the village…. With the pylon in the background!
Gayle and I are heading to the Scottish Exhibition Centre for Scotland’s Trade Fair again…. Assuming this will be the autumn/winter collection….. oh jeez and probably Christmas!!! I never thought of that… how will I cope this early on?!?! 😂😂
Here we are, about to go in!!
So it was much smaller than the one in January. Only one small hall. I think we were both a little disappointed…. strangely there was virtually no Christmas stuff out either!!! I didn’t expect that. It was worth it for a couple of suppliers that Gayle got to meet though.
To be fair, all the gift shops will have had to order Christmas stuff months ago but I hadn’t realised that. We had a lovely wee day anyway and Gayle bought us a huge chunk of Red Velvet Cake and coffee.
The motorway was heaving when we left the centre of Glasgow so Gayle took me the scenic route through her old stomping ground, Renfrew and Paisley!!
I have never been to Renfrew. She gave me a wee tour with running commentary.
How pretty is the Town Hall?!? Very Bavarian I thought? Lovely flowers on the central reservation too.
One of things I want to do this next year is to go on tours where people take me around and show me the sights!!! Exactly what today was.
It’s sunny now that I’m home but still really windy. I’ve tried to sit outside to write this but had to come in when the sun went behind a cloud.
This next one really spoke to me. “The dark tunnel of changes leads to the light of possibility”.
During everything I went through, as awful as it was, I always knew I would be ok. I always knew things would work out, I knew I wouldn’t lose the house, I knew it would eventually be ok.
This calm of the last week has been so lovely. I am truly grateful for every day. I’m not wishing it to be over, or wishing for the next day. I’m happy and content in my own head. Yes I want to sell the van and look for my next thing, yes I’m looking forward to my holiday but I am not wishing my life away.
I’ve said it before but I am so grateful to have had that wake up call. I stopped fighting for a life I had outgrown. I sat in Gran’s chair and went through some pretty dark times but it was all worth it to find this version of me.
So here’s your Sunday reminder that we can take anything life throws at us.
It’s a beautiful morning. There’s not a breath on the Clyde.
Craig ran me to the Glasgow Science Centre for 9.30am and picked me back up in Ayr at 6.30pm. In that time I have sailed the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde down to Largs for 12.10pm, Ayr and Girvan for 4.10pm and out around Ailsa Craig. A very crude map….
A bucket list item ticked for me today. Big time!!
I didn’t feel good when I woke up this morning but the day had had the desired effect. This is what makes me happy. This is what gives me a buzz. Travelling and exploring and not having to drive.
I have had the most amazing time. I have gazillions of photos to sort through so I’m going to make this very quick and just show you a few for now as I’m shattered! It’s 8pm already. (Reading this back over, I did way more than I was planning!!)
This photo makes me laugh… I have the tallest husband in the world 😂 I look tiny!
The Waverley is pushed around to turn the opposite way on the Clyde. It’s literally shunted.
Craig stayed and took some photos from the dock.
Sailing under the Erskine Bridge.
Passing Dumbarton Rock.
We had dolphins riding the bow at this point and I got a fab video which I shared on The Rambling Sloth FB page. The last time I tried to add a video to WordPress it hung for days so I not risking it!!
Ailsa Craig is the tiny blob of an island on the horizon.
Leaving Largs.
Arriving in Ayr where a million people got on!!
Arriving in Girvan.
The RNLI lifeboat danced around beside us for a while!
Setting sail for Ailsa Craig.
I am so pleased we got to sail right around. The photos of the Waverley sailing round would have been pretty special. That’s the only negative to being IN her… you don’t get photos OF her.
Never mind the island. Look at that sky!!
I obviously have loads more photos but will work through them another day.
I met some lovely ladies. Another blogger Dawn-Marie than I’m going to follow and a girl called Sarah. You’re never alone when you’re on your own.
I’ve had the most amazing day. Honestly out of this world. Sadly I’ve been FREEZING for most of it as I opted for the summer wardrobe and unpacked the hat, gloves and warm hoodie… but nothing would get me sitting indoors!!
Sarah spotted this rabbit in the clouds!
Looking towards the Heads of Ayr.
Craig took some fab photos from the dock.
Where’s Julesie, just like where’s Wally!!! Look how busy the ship is?!?
Hint I’m waving!
Vision in turquoise…
A wonderful day. This is what life is all about. 🚢♥️
I slept like a log last night. No wonder as we just didn’t stop yesterday and we’ve had way more of the same today.
It’s 8.30 and we are still not home yet so I will make this quick. We have had another amazing day and have been on the go since 7.30am!! We left the house at 8.30 and headed to Weymss Bay for the 10.05 ferry. A little bit of parking panic but otherwise all good!
We decided to walk all the way to Mount Stuart on Bute. It’s a stunning gothic style design inside. I’ll talk way more about it tomorrow.
It is a very, very, very long walk!! Not to be recommended, it took us about an hour and half… I’ve done 24,394 steps so far!!
And finally the sun came out. Woo hoo!
We had a wander around Rothesay after a bus trip back. yes bus trip woo hoo!
I bought a replacement Highland Cow for Helens grandson!!
Back in Weymss Bay station. It’s still so Victorian.
Then we headed down through Largs for a chippy tea.
And finally to my special place in Portencross where we are sitting now.
There are loads more photos to follow on another day!
I should just end by saying that I’ve had the best few days with Helen. She’s been sent to me to remind me to giggle and laugh way more (yes Craig I know, as you always say to me!!) She’s shown me that it’s easy to spend that much time with someone else. We’ve just settled into a giggly, comfortable life these last few days. It’s been a really, really special time. 💜
Everyone should spend time with a Helen! will miss her though will be found sitting in silence for a while… 😂😘
Could not wake up this morning at all. My plan was to go a dog jog but honestly, bed wouldn’t let me go!! Work was busy. Sat outside with Ellison at lunch and was home for just after 4.30…. Blog in one para again!!
So last Thursday we decided to book a 14 hour bus trip with Bus Iceland 🇮🇸. We had a hire car, with Craig as the only driver, but just felt that kind of drive was far too much in one day. Despite the extra cost, it felt right to let the driver take the strain and for us to sit back and enjoy the trip.
Now this trip was not for the faint hearted. At 14.5 hours, it was a very long day. It also converted into a whopping £386 for us both to go….. but it was honestly worth every single penny and we would highly recommend it.
We did have a fair palaver booking it through Get Your Guide. They had been recommended to us as the booking platform but what works perfectly for someone, I guess doesn’t work for all. We couldn’t get the Get Your Guide app to allow collection from our hotel. Calling them took over an hour to get finally booked. My recommendation would be to book directly through Bus Iceland but that’s with hindsight.
We were collected just after 7am from our hotel. I think everyone in Reykjavik is told 7am so you just have to wait your turn. From that point on, everything was just perfect.
Here’s the overview of the trip.
Probably the equivalent of us having a day out in Yorkshire… which you just wouldn’t do in a day!!
We left a dry Reykjavik and headed straight into a super misty Reykjanesfólkvangur volcanic range.
Remember the majority of these photos are taking from a moving bus!
There are several stops along the way. We are all reminded to “use the bathroom” at every stop. They are usually about 1 hour 15 to 2 hours apart at most. Each rest stop is like a very well stocked service station with everything you could wish to buy. It has freshly cooked food, coffee, cakes, you name it. Not like ours with fast food joints.
Our lovely guide, Mia, is French but can pronounce the Icelandic names like a local. Without her commentary we would never learned half of what we did…. Well any of it really.
We drive though Selfoss which is one of the only land locked cities on Iceland. This bridge over the river was only built about 1891 I think. Before then you took your ice in your hands crossing in such a fat flow… not the best pic!
We pass right under Eyjafjallajökull which is the volcano that brought world flights to a standstill during its eruption in 2010.
She tells us about farmers who move back home, with trepidation, a year after the eruption, to find their crops had doubled in size due to the ash.
We drove on to Vik which is at the foot of the Katla Volcanic range. No one wants a permanent house here as Katla has 10 active craters and when Katla blows, Vik will be right in the firing line. I do wonder how house insurance works there!
The big issue is that the volcanic eruption will melt the huge glacier cap and Vik will be right in the flood plain. It was a sobering thought.
Icewear is a huge Icelandic brand with all things very expensive and outdoorsy. This massive store is based in Vik.
All of a sudden the mist clears and the sun comes out.
There are lots of glacial rivers. Many are heavily silted and some are quite crystal clear.
Then we near closer to the glaciers and you can see them in the distance from the bus. We must pass about 10 along the way until we get to the Glacier Lagoon.
We are headed to Vatnajökul National Park.
Its breathtaking. I’ve only ever been close to a glacier once before in New Zealand in 2005.
We head to Diamond Beach first. It’s a purely blank Sandy beach, from all the volcanic activity but the Glacier breaks off into a lagoon which was only formed in 1930 and has continued to grow with the amount of melting ice. These icebergs break off and flow down into the sea.
The strong artic tides push the ice back up onto the beach and the small pieces look like diamonds.
Here we are looking back up into Jökulsárlón.
I cannot put into words how awesome this place is. That’s a hugely underrated word. It literally is out of this world.
An amphibious boat tour was included in the trip. There are speedboats following each boat trip. Constantly on the lookout for falling ice and making sure no one falls overboard. It’s really quite dramatic.
We were here for a total of 1.5 hours before making the return trip back to Reykjavik, with different stops.
So I think this is maybe more photos than WordPress can cope with so I’m going to stop this one here and continue another day.
The Rambling Sloth 🦥 