Final Day, part 1:
It was a novelty to wake up to the sound of seagulls (wood pigeons and cuckoos have been the norm so far) and after a sleepy slow start I blew the cobwebs away with a walk through the dunes to the beach. Then it was time for us to set off on the final leg. I’m amazed its come round- time has been strange and the days all over the place. I could keep on going (preferably with Ben in the passenger seat and not on the bike) and its nice to be reminded just how simple things can be away from home.
Ok, the roads on THIS leg of the trip have to win prize of ‘most dramatic and/or suitable for a car advert.’ The road hugged the coastline- high expanses of bright yellow gorse on one side, cliffs and sandy beaches dropping away to a remarkably blue sea on the other. I must have been a frustration to local traffic, driving slowly so I could take it all in and negotiate the tight bends. I did hop out at Dunrobin Castle.
It was ever so impressive to drive down the wide entrance, but £8.50 for a nose around? No! The entrance hall was impressive and there was a massive log fire, but I didn’t intend staying all that long. When the ticket chap announced ‘Falconry in 5 minutes’, I thought it was probably time to leave. At Berriebale the road dropped dramatically with escape lanes and then climbed at an equal steepness on the other side of the tiny village. As I climbed up the hairpin bend (reminiscent of Porlock Hill!), willing the van on, I kept my fingers crossed that Ben would make it down and up ok. He hasn’t got off and pushed so far, but this was a fair contender.
Once back up on top it was a little bleaker, especially as great misty clouds of rain swept in. Our proposed meeting point of Lantham was bleakest of all- barely a few houses, a graveyard, and an information centre…open June- September. Three cheers to the sat nav for directing me 3 miles further on to the village of Lybster and The Portland Hotel. I knew it would be further for Ben to travel but the Cullen Skink (yep, for the third time!) would be well worth it for him. It was probably the first time on the whole trip where I actually had time to get some work done and the surroundings were right for it. Stopping in laybys has meant that I’ve been restricted to my lap and the dashboard- ok for some tasks like reading, but not for editing my chapter. I wish I could work all on the screen, but instead I need reams of paper spread everywhere with my notes on. I definitely over-estimated the amount of time I’d have free- of course driving took up quite a lot (especially on smaller roads) and Ben is pretty quick at catching up!
It was a novelty to wake up to the sound of seagulls (wood pigeons and cuckoos have been the norm so far) and after a sleepy slow start I blew the cobwebs away with a walk through the dunes to the beach. Then it was time for us to set off on the final leg. I’m amazed its come round- time has been strange and the days all over the place. I could keep on going (preferably with Ben in the passenger seat and not on the bike) and its nice to be reminded just how simple things can be away from home.
Ok, the roads on THIS leg of the trip have to win prize of ‘most dramatic and/or suitable for a car advert.’ The road hugged the coastline- high expanses of bright yellow gorse on one side, cliffs and sandy beaches dropping away to a remarkably blue sea on the other. I must have been a frustration to local traffic, driving slowly so I could take it all in and negotiate the tight bends. I did hop out at Dunrobin Castle.
It was ever so impressive to drive down the wide entrance, but £8.50 for a nose around? No! The entrance hall was impressive and there was a massive log fire, but I didn’t intend staying all that long. When the ticket chap announced ‘Falconry in 5 minutes’, I thought it was probably time to leave. At Berriebale the road dropped dramatically with escape lanes and then climbed at an equal steepness on the other side of the tiny village. As I climbed up the hairpin bend (reminiscent of Porlock Hill!), willing the van on, I kept my fingers crossed that Ben would make it down and up ok. He hasn’t got off and pushed so far, but this was a fair contender.
Once back up on top it was a little bleaker, especially as great misty clouds of rain swept in. Our proposed meeting point of Lantham was bleakest of all- barely a few houses, a graveyard, and an information centre…open June- September. Three cheers to the sat nav for directing me 3 miles further on to the village of Lybster and The Portland Hotel. I knew it would be further for Ben to travel but the Cullen Skink (yep, for the third time!) would be well worth it for him. It was probably the first time on the whole trip where I actually had time to get some work done and the surroundings were right for it. Stopping in laybys has meant that I’ve been restricted to my lap and the dashboard- ok for some tasks like reading, but not for editing my chapter. I wish I could work all on the screen, but instead I need reams of paper spread everywhere with my notes on. I definitely over-estimated the amount of time I’d have free- of course driving took up quite a lot (especially on smaller roads) and Ben is pretty quick at catching up!
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