Jacqui & Neil PM
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Decided to stop on the coast checked into Hemsby Long Beach Park, real throwback to the 50s. Â Statics, Bungalows, pitches caravans tents all mixed up in the so called Bush Estate. Â But right on the beach.
Only stayed one night long enough.
A tour round the North Coast 500 route, starting in Dingwall and ending at Loch Lomond, took just over 2 weeks, setting off 4th September and arriving home 20th September.
Travelled from Wick up the east coast stopping at John O’Groats for the obligatory photo. Â Saw a guy who had literally just finished a cycle from Lands End. Â Bought a couple of sweat shirts and learnt that we had missed the Northern Lights, apparently a great display from about 11pm the night before.
Dunnet Bay, is by the beach so had a play using wetsuit to a have a swim in the Norwegian Sea. Â Geza ate a fresh Jelly fish and stung his throat and stomach in the end we rang the vet who said just give him milk and let him eat the grass if he wants he should improve but if worsens then to call again, thankfully he improved.
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Touring site at Wick.
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Awoke on the Rome’s drive, had cereal in the van then a 2nd breakfast inside, tea and toast. Alison has won a literary prize for a short story and is now trying to get published.
Left about 11am, intending to head towards Inverness via Aviemore, we ended up stopping at Blair Atholl visitor centre for coffee and cake. Sped past Aviemore and headed towards Fort George spent some hours wandering around the fort, entrance price i8.50 per person the dog was free. They were setting up for an event with stands being erected and groups of people practicing sword dancing and a Pipe band.
Decided to head towards Dingwall across the estuary from Inverness, rang the site to check and then arrived at 5pm, small site, bit dated and right by a railtrack and a river/canal, they gave a big pitch but it was in the shade.
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Left early on Friday the 4th September, trying to get past Oxford the plan was to stay at Perth tonight and then head on up to Inverness the next day. Not really bothered to look too closely at a map till the day before and booked Perth site Old Scone Palace a CC&C site.
We made very good time and stoping at Tebay services for a Burger, stretch legs and walk Geza. We arrived at the site around 5pm, the weather had been a a bit overcast on the way up and was threatening rain. Turns out the sites is based alongside the Perth racecourse and the River Tay. It turns out that you can purchase a day ticket from the site for the river, could quite happily spent a couple of days at this site.
Had a wander around the race course and BBQ’d some food the skies did open up and pured water but the awning protected us enough to not suffer too much.
Travelled the length of England for a week, 1 Show, 2 rests, 1 Meet and 1 Rally
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Left Glentrool mid morning arriving at the Ayr site are about 2pm. Alistair and Julie had already arrived and setup.  The site is within walking distance of the Town and located in the University or College area, near the river.  Certainly not going to win any prizes for being picturesque but if you want to be near the town then it works.
Left Flusco Woods at about 11am Monday 17th Aug, having dumped all our grey waste.
It was only about 100 miles to the next stop of Glentrool Camping and Caravan Site, it is right on the edge of the Galloway forest and part of the Dark Skies initiative, so we hope to get  clear skies tonight and decent star maybe some more meteors if we are lucky.
The site has some statics, tent area and level hard standing for vans, each has electric and there is a drive over Motorhome point with drinking water available.
The facilities are very good even a Bothy (hut with Microwave and Electric Kettle) for the tents, the toilets and washing area is clean and modern, piped music. Â There is a dog walk (not long), ponies and a pond, small shop and wifi, which is ok. Â TV reception and Radio is nil.
Left the Myrtle Mates, Malvern on the Sunday 16th at about 11:00, Eric and Julia went first then ourselves, I think Paul and Cathy planned on enjoying the sun for a couple of hours and then heading off, the rest were staying on till Monday.  Drove 214 miles to Flusco Woods, apart from a slow down on the M6 around Cheshire J18 the traffic was easy but a bit slow.  Stopped at Stafford services was OK but as with all on a Sunday a bit crowded.
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We picked Flusco because it was roughly the right distance easy to find and had EHU showers and water, it is a well run site but hardstanding gravel pitches each with water EHU and a drain, we drove on to get the door on the best side but that meant the drain pipe would not reach, but best to empty in the morning anyway. Â I am not sure if any of the pitches at Flusco are level and we did need to use the levelling ramps, we are getting much better at it, but cold not get it spot on level.
Toilet, shower, washing facilities are all good and TV reception fine, there was site wifi which worked well.
Both of us took advantage of the showers very hot though.
Flusco caters for van and caravans no tent camping it seemed, there is a fantastic dog walk area, massive.  They also have a number of Park Homes where the views of the Lake District are stunning and if you coulod get one at the front would be good, they do seem to keep building another row in front prices appeared to be 80 to 125k, and they do not seem to sell very quickly.
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