I have been planning a 2 night trip with my two girls to Scotland for a while with my new lavvu and stove. After a brief Q ad A on here and thanks to Barn Owls confirmation of location, I picked Loch Trool in the Galloway Forest as it was closest location, only a 4 hour drive from Leeds! I had planned it for the weekend before Christmas but due to the severe weather forecast I postponed the trip to the following weekend. That didn't work out either, so after another check of the weather, I left on New Years Eve.
We left Leeds that morning at 10am, and after 4 hours listening to the kids making up guessing games, and taking part, we arrived at Loch Trool. Now when we arrived I had hoped to park next to where I could camp, but the road was too much pot holed for my car, so I had to carry ALL our gear over 4 trips from the car park.
After a couple of hours, we were finally squared away and enjoying the warmth of the stove, had tea, and settled down for the night. Now during the night there was a very heavy period of rain that sounded like a thousand tap dancers on a tin roof, that woke two of us up; that was the point we discovered the dog had escaped. So armed with the waterproofs I prepared to just pop out and find her, unzipped the tent and a very sorrowful and wet spaniel creeped back in. After a few weird dreams and a few toilet visits the morning came around and breakfast prepared. The forecast was clear until lunchtime, which was to be followed by wind and rain, so I got on with gathering wood. I hadn't time the day before to wood gather, but I had brought some of them eco log things with me for that eventuality, and used them during the night.
Wood gathered, it was time to replenish the water supply. That was easy, collect from the stream from the side of the camp and filtered. Now Barn Owl had told me another forum member was working on a house nearby and that he had two labs, if that was you who waved when you walked past on the other side of the burn 'Hi'.
Now, this was when things started to change. The rain arrived with very gusty wind, I was getting uneasy that the wind might cause us problems during the night, as the tent pegs weren't holding in the sodden ground very well. Having talked with the kids we decided to pack and leave a day early. I believe I made the right choice as the rain was incessant and I was soaked, even through my waterproofs, and if the kids had become that wet I would have had issues with cold kids. As it happens, the dog had gone swimming in her coat, and because all her towels and coats were wet we couldn't dry her properly and she was shivering, another reason that made the decision to come home more sensible. By the time I had finished packing, the camping area was heavily waterlogged and ankle deep in water.
So apologies to Barn Owl, who I did say I would let him know when I was going as he might have called in, but I didn't because I knew my plans might change and I didn't want him going on a wild goose chase if I'd left early; which I did.
Any way a few piccys, that don't seem to be in any order.
We left Leeds that morning at 10am, and after 4 hours listening to the kids making up guessing games, and taking part, we arrived at Loch Trool. Now when we arrived I had hoped to park next to where I could camp, but the road was too much pot holed for my car, so I had to carry ALL our gear over 4 trips from the car park.
After a couple of hours, we were finally squared away and enjoying the warmth of the stove, had tea, and settled down for the night. Now during the night there was a very heavy period of rain that sounded like a thousand tap dancers on a tin roof, that woke two of us up; that was the point we discovered the dog had escaped. So armed with the waterproofs I prepared to just pop out and find her, unzipped the tent and a very sorrowful and wet spaniel creeped back in. After a few weird dreams and a few toilet visits the morning came around and breakfast prepared. The forecast was clear until lunchtime, which was to be followed by wind and rain, so I got on with gathering wood. I hadn't time the day before to wood gather, but I had brought some of them eco log things with me for that eventuality, and used them during the night.
Wood gathered, it was time to replenish the water supply. That was easy, collect from the stream from the side of the camp and filtered. Now Barn Owl had told me another forum member was working on a house nearby and that he had two labs, if that was you who waved when you walked past on the other side of the burn 'Hi'.
Now, this was when things started to change. The rain arrived with very gusty wind, I was getting uneasy that the wind might cause us problems during the night, as the tent pegs weren't holding in the sodden ground very well. Having talked with the kids we decided to pack and leave a day early. I believe I made the right choice as the rain was incessant and I was soaked, even through my waterproofs, and if the kids had become that wet I would have had issues with cold kids. As it happens, the dog had gone swimming in her coat, and because all her towels and coats were wet we couldn't dry her properly and she was shivering, another reason that made the decision to come home more sensible. By the time I had finished packing, the camping area was heavily waterlogged and ankle deep in water.
So apologies to Barn Owl, who I did say I would let him know when I was going as he might have called in, but I didn't because I knew my plans might change and I didn't want him going on a wild goose chase if I'd left early; which I did.
Any way a few piccys, that don't seem to be in any order.
