Day 1527 recap of my day in Oban yesterday and a trip to church this morning!

I slept like a log.

Out for the count completely until Miss Khaleesi woke me with some licking at 4.30am and I have dozed on and off ever since. I was even too tired to make sure she wasn’t licking her scar, to be honest she doesn’t really anymore so I just mumbled a “Khaleesi, neh, neh” a few times, which is what she’s been trained for no. Come to think of it, it could be “nay, nay”. I have never thought of the spelling. 😂

No wonder I slept, really, it’s been a very busy weekend but one that I have loved so far.

It was so good to catch up with Helen and Mike yesterday. They have a lovely lodge in Oban Bay Holiday Park for a whole week.

As you may know, Oban is just one of my places, I love it sooooo much. It was a real treat to be able to show them around. We didn’t do half of what I had planned. 😂

As I said yesterday, the drive up was great and only took me two hours. I was there just after 9.30am.

We sat and admired the view from their lodge, which is just so lovely, with a wonderful Scotland flag flying in full view, which always improves a view.

We’ve been coming up to this campsite for years. We even had Mum, Dad and Nana visit us once in 2018. Special memories as that was one of the last times we spent with my Nana before she died.

It was lovely to see what Hoseasons have down with it, since they took it over a year or so ago. I do fear that they are looking to build right up into the hill which might turn it into a massive holiday park, but I suppose life brings change. You don’t always have to like it.

It’s currently so quiet and peaceful.

Their lodge is really beautiful with a lounge and kitchen are and a bedroom with en-suite… and a hot tub with a view!

We set off for an explore round the campsite after 11am. The sun was out for the first part of our walk.

I do not remember this lookout point AT ALL!!

To be fair, this was always the most salubrious of pitches and I don’t think I’d ever have walked in front of someone’s caravan to go looking. Now there are lodges here, it doesn’t feel as invasive. I also feel like they cut back some huge undergrowth! I wouldn’t have missed this! There’s a lovely view up here.

Also looking down towards the Kerrera ferry and the Puffin Dive School.

We took a walk to look for Highland Coos!

Found them but only one of them was close enough to be photogenic! They get fed at 4pm every day so expect Helen to accept the mission and get some fab photos through the week.

A wee bit too far away.

Such a beautiful location for a campsite. It’s a bit out of Oban but it’s within walking distance if you’re a walker.

We went down to see the old pier opposite the campsite, it’s looking a bit worse for wear.

Mike took our photo with the island of Kerrera in the background.

I went to take a pic of this yacht and thought the barbed wire added to the shot.

The colours here are just stunning. I am definitely a blue sky photographer!

We walked down the single track road to the Kerrera ferry.

Here it is!

Tell me you’re in Scotland without telling me you’re in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 .

Love a passing place sign.

I don’t know what it is but I’m so at peace in Oban and the highlands of Scotland. If we had the weather, I would never be anywhere else, yet it also would be horrifically overpopulated, as everyone else would want to live there too!

The clouds are starting to roll in.

Love this wee boat. Think I got it on the way back too.

Single track road.

Now at this point the weather clouded over and from a photo perspective, Oban bay doesn’t have the best light. I’ve run a few photos through my Lightroom app to get the best of them.

We popped into the Correyvreckan Wetherspoons on the quay for a quick lunch. Right next to CalMac’s Isle of Lewis, which was loading for Barra.

Spotted the Loch Frisa and the Clansman. Friday leaving for Mull the Isle of Mull just back from there.

The mighty Clansman just coming in from Colonsay.

The little boat tour heading out backwards. McCaigs Folly up on the dark skyline.

The Hebridean Isles heading out the Sound of Kerrera.

A close up with the tide out.

We walked through the town and went to the Oban Chocolate Company for a hot chocolate.

Then walked towards Dunollie.

I’ve had my eye on this house since I was a wee girl. I wish I could find a photo of the old house that used to be here. It was a kit built bungalow style house but it’s so close to Oban that I always felt it had the best view in the world. (Yes a bit dramatic maybe, but as I kid, I was in awe of its location). Then one visit and this had appeared!!!

It’s on a tiny island called Rudh-A-Chruidh (who knew until I looked it up!) built in 2014 it had an asking price of £950k.

One day…. 😂

We sat on a bench near the war memorial and watched the Majestic Line head out to see one by one. There must have been about 6 of them least between 3.30 and 4pm. Two of the are like cute Captain Pugwash ships.

Arty shot before Helen the wrecking ball, knocked all 3 of us down!! We were all crouched down here in a row!

3 craws sat upon a bench! Dunollie Castle above the lighthouse.

We headed back along into town. The tide is in now but still no blue sky.

Loch Striven loading for Lismore.

It’s such a beautiful road through the trees.

Helen trying to wreck another photo opportunity 😂😂

The Kerrera ferry slip now under the high tide. They are going over there today… could I be any more envious?!?! 😂

I left at 6pm after a lovely day with great friends.

Sadly there had been a bad accident on the Glencoe A82 which meant that all the traffic north was diverted to Oban on the A85. I met a huge queue at Connel Bridge but got these lovely shots from the car.

I then drove past 5 miles of traffic which was queuing to get up and over the bridge. I felt so sorry for them all but I had a straight run home and was back to Craigie and the puppers by 8.30pm.

We had walked 21k steps!!

So today we went to church to see our friend and neighbour, Holly, be ordained as an Elder of the local Beith Parish Church.

After the service we went straight for a food shopping, (as you do!) came home and let the dogs out and were invited to a celebration in the pub, next door, this afternoon.

We were there until 4pm when the sun finally came out. I think we have a few good days of weather coming.

We’re sitting outside in the garden now. Khaleesi is in the shade under a tree and I’m enjoying some heat in the sunshine.

It’s been a really busy weekend. I’ll be back to work for a rest.

I’m so grateful I no longer have the Sunday afternoon dread of going to work. Those days are long gone. I do need to get planning my next adventure though.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1366 rail trip from Oban through Glasgow to Glengarnock 🚉

And relax.

The best wee overnight break.

Currently sitting on the 12.11 from Oban to Glasgow Queen Street… only typing when we go through a high banked section of the track. I’m not missing a minute.

I had a lovely sleep in my wee single bed. My knee was agony and woke me at 11.22pm. I’d been asleep since 9ish… but after that it really settled and has been fine ever since.

You’ll be pleased to know I’ve done my exercises twice and they really help strengthen my leg. Why is it though when we have exercises to do it seems like such a chore?!? A real “ugh” moment….They are designed to help the pain. Get over it Julesie.

I couldn’t decide exactly what to do this morning and was keen to get the ferry over to Mull and straight back but I was waiting to see if the conditions were right.

Do I stay in the hotel until 10am checkout? Do I get the ferry and risk missing the 12.11? Do I plan for the 16.11? So many decisions.

I decide to head back up to McCaigs Folly (Tower) for first light so that I could see sunrise…. As you do.

Up at 7 showered, packed up and ready for the off. Back up that huge hill almost in the dark!

As you can see I stood there for ages! It was bitterly cold and one guy came up during a run, said hi, stretched, said goodbye and ran off…. I had the place to myself.

Ok so… next decision… the ferry. Headed down to the terminal to ask their advice….

It appears that this ferry… the departing one…. was my only hope of a sail to Mull at back before 12.

That’s my decision made then. I’ll no be doing that! 🙄😆 I must have got it completely wrong when I looked up the ferry times this week. To be fair it was pretty choppy and the Loch Frisa doesn’t look like there is too much outer deck so it may not have done what I was hoping it would do.

As I walked aimlessly through the harbour, I met Luana, the Brazilian girl I’d met yesterday. She was heading for the bus to Fort William but suggested Pulpit Hill. I remembered mum and dad had climbed it before.

Now I should say here that Tracey, my Canadian (insomniac 😆) friend, was fully involved in my morning again. She obviously never sleeps! She told me it was a 23 minute walk… so off I go.

It’s a hike but what a view… looking directly over to McCaig’s Folly that I just left!

Looking over to Kerrera, with Mull in the distance to the left and Lismore in the distance to the right.

Zoomed in on the harbour and train station. The train is in already.

Then I met a lovely local couple walking their blind spaniel… which basically means, she who has not spoken much this weekend, chewed their ear off with chat! It was lovely to make them laugh. In that 10 minutes of chat, we really connected.

They suggested Hinba Coffee Shop… so off down the hill I go.

At the same time Tracey has already recommended Hinba, as it gets the best reviews online 😂😂😂 Tracey has also come up with another walk to Oban Hydropathic Santorium ruins 😂😂 but I need a heat up.

It’s lovely!! I have a Guatemalan coffee and a slice of Tiffan cake.

I chill, warm and charge my phone. Then order a decaf gingerbread latte. Heaven.

I still have time to kill so wander around taking even more photos before my crazy kind gets me first in the queue for the twins so I can pick my seat on the left side, get a window and a charger. I know, I know…. But it pays off. I’m first on the train 🚆 😂

Tracey must finally be asleep!

I’m on the other side on the way down so I can catch everything I missed on the way up! It’s also freezing… all the way!!

These next photos are all out the window of the train!

First glimpses of Loch Lomond.

Inveruglas power station.

Tarbert and Loch Lomond.

Think this river is in Dumbarton.

I have honestly had the best time.

I’m shattered but so grateful that Craig doesn’t mind me doing this. He had to work yesterday and he’s had some quality doggo time. I know I’ll go back to bed full of dog hair.

I get to do all the crazy things I want to do, I don’t have to worry about anyone else, I can just do my thing.

It’s 3.10pm and I’m still on the train, about 20 minutes out from Glasgow Queen Street station. I should be home for 5 at the latest.

What a lovely weekend.

This…my Sundays always used to be this… gut-wrenching stress…. Not any more ♥️

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1365 rail trip to Oban!! 🚆🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I could sit about all weekend.

I could have had a lie in.

I could do the hoovering.

I could get out in the garden…

Or I could rail trip!!

I only decided this yesterday though I’d been thinking about it all week.

The alarm went off at 5.40am but I was awake a fair bit before that.

My train is at 7.10am from Glengarnock to Glasgow Central, walk from Glasgow Central to Queens Street then train to Oban.

Why?!?

I’m determined not to be bored like I was in the Christmas holidays. I want to get out and about and I have always wanted to travel to Oban by train just to see where the line goes.

It’s dark when we leave the house, Craig drops me at Glengarnock train station. 🚉

My friend Tracey in Canada 🇨🇦 is with me the whole way 😂 albeit in FB messenger. She is as excited as I am!!

The first train is only a half hour and then I have to walk across Glasgow. It’s almost sunrise.

The colours are lovely against the sky and the wet on the ground.

Tracey is online, in Vancouver, trying to look up what platform my train is going from!! It was lovely to have someone following my every move from such a difference. It made me even more excited!!

I break all the rules and head through for the train before the platform is announced. 😂😂 The Trainline app has already told me it’s platform 2 and there’s a queue forming.

Which side of the train to sit on?!? Oh my god they are putting seat tickets on the seats, folk have booked seats, who knew, why didn’t I do that?!? 😂

I get on the train and pick the left hand side of the carriage. I get a table, an electric socket and a window seat! Absolutely no need for the extra thinking a minute ago.

What you do forget on your solo relaxation trip is that there are lots of other people involved in your journey. I should have brought my headphones!

This is a breathtaking train journey. I’m already so very glad that I got the train. None of my photos will do it justice. I can highly recommend it.

This is the sunrise over the Clyde. Remember all of these are taken from a moving train so not the best.

The train leaves Glasgow and out through Dalmuir, Dumbarton. Helensburgh, Garelochhead and out towards Arrochar.

This is the Cobbler which rises above Arrochar.

This was the bit of the journey I was least familiar with.

The main road to Oban takes you up the side of Loch Lomond and the train goes up the side of the loch further west.

It was beautiful to see that countryside from so high up. The railway on the side of the hill.

Looking down into Arrochar.

Spotted in Ardlui… a train with a Heilan’ coo!!

The train is formed of 4 carriages. The front two split off in Crianlarich and head to Oban. The back 2 will head up to Fort William and onto Mallaig arriving 13.28. Must do that one day too.

This is Kilchurn cancel on the backs of Loch Awe.

Passing over the railway bridge beside Kilchurn.

The railway then runs right along the banks of Loch Awe. It’s really beautiful and especially on such a sunny day.

It’s done exactly what I wanted it to do, it’s let me see Scotland from a different angle. Places that I’ve driven through for years look very different from the track half way up the mountain!

I got into Oban and 11.25 and this is my hotel.

It’s only £39.60 for a single room and yes, you get what you pay for. Sadly it’s a bit run down but the room is clean and it has a wee single bed!

The skyline shows McCaig’s Tower or McCaig’s Folly as it’s known…. I head up there later. I had a good wander round all the shops, got checked in early and got a sea view room at no extra cost… then walked out to Dunollie. Love this bench!

Sat here for a while and spoke to Craigie.

Headed along back into Oban and up the very steep hill to the Tower.

Caledonian McBrayne’s Lord of the Isles is heading into dock.

I spend a good hour in and around the tower.

Once the group of tourists leave… it’s just me and silence…. And this….

I took a selfie and unbeknown to me I would get chatting to the girl who just walked in and we went shopping together with another girl she’d just met. The joys of solo travel, you hook up with like minded people. She’s staying in the Youth Hostel for £20 a night.

We put the world to rights! She headed off to the cinema while I went to pick up Fish and Chips to take back to the hotel. Heading back now.

The sky is amazing.

I’ve had a lovely day. I love it when the silence is deafening in my head. I’ve been singing random songs to myself all day.

Oban is my happy place. I’m loving the wee mini adventure.

Craig will be enjoying watching all the football news without me nagging!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1084 Scotland you did us proud today. Just stunning ☀️🕶️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I need to find a better describing word than Wow. It seems so underrated when I use it so often. But wow….. what an amazing day so far and it’s only 2pm.

I slept really well. The warmth, the cathartic sound of the diesel heater or the progesterone induced sleep did the trick. The diesel heater was on all night and it was a bit warm at one point, but I did wake up to ice on the inside of the windows, despite that.

I looked for Aurora at 2.30am but decided I was far too chicken to go out on my own in the pitch black. Not sure why I’m scared of the dark?!? Will need an Aurora buddy to go Northern lights tracking!

At 6.30am the sky was turning a pinky blue shade. The sun didn’t actually come up over the Pap of Glencoe for a while after that. The light was stunning as it hit some of the mountains.

I had taken my running gear and was desperate to go for an early morning dog jog sans dog! I mean, who even am I these days?!? Do I need to rebrand The Rambling Sloth as The Jogging Photographer?!?! 😂 doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?!?

I have no idea how I am going to sort through the gazillion photos I have taken today.

I ran from the Invercoe campsite down to Glencoe and then back up to the Glencoe Lochan again. Running felt good.

This mornings mood was all about reflection. Not a ripple in the sea or the Lochan. Everything was a reflection.

I am in my element. I am blown away but the beauty I see. I even giggle to myself, have a look around to see if anyone else is there… and go hug a tree!!!!

I ran right around the Lochan and back down to the campsite.

There were even a couple of wildlife shots!

I was out for about an hour and a half. It was bitterly cold. Even the seaweed was frosty but it was so exhilarating.

I feel an excitement bubbling through my veins…..all the time….. I have found something that makes me truly happy. A husband who is happy to let me go away, if he doesn’t want to and a real passion for writing and taking photos of beautiful nature. I could not have picked a better few days to come away. I have been so full of joy for two days, it’s so lovely.

This is the view from the van. Honestly it’s out of this world.

I had a shower… forgot deodorant but that doesn’t seem to have been as issue for me today. It’s so beautiful but FREEZING!!

I made myself a decaf coffee and headed down to the water.

I sat on a rock and watched the word stand still for a while. My bum got very numb on the cold rock but the sun is warm.

I got Abbie all packed up and put everything away in its place before heading down to Oban.

I can’t explain my connection to Oban, this little coastal town by the sea. Craig thinks that I picked up dads love of a CalMac ferry here and that’s why I love it so much.

It’s such a transient town. So many people are headed out to the islands. There are lots of English accents here today. Think there’s a coach tour in. I love nothing more than siting watching the ferries coming into port and heading out again.

I can see 3 as I sit on a bench by the sea, writing this.

Ok they’re dots on the horizon but I know they are there 😆

As soon as I got to Oban I headed to the Oban Chocolate Company. I was going to say you can visit Oban without going there… of course you can… but it’s a very decadent treat! I broke my 17.5 hour fast with a delicious rich oat milk hot chocolate with a little pot luck of choccie goodies to go with it.

I then had a wander round the harbour and a couple of shops before sitting down at the water to write. And breathe in the sea air.

It’s 2.30pm and I really need to make a move to head home. Craig’s had a lovely day in the sun too. Think it’s maybe warmer at home than it is here.

I feel like I have had the best form of reset. I’ve been SO lucky with the weather and I’m so pleased that I came this far. I might not get away in the van until the end of June now.

Right.

Moving.

Back to the van.

Of course I had to stop on the way. It was the most beautiful drive down. I stopped at Inveruglas as there are stunning views of Loch and Ben Lomond.