Pebbledash

We left Bamburgh yesterday, but not before taking the boys for a walk along the beach ...

These guys were checking out the 6 inch surf ... they need a trip down under to some real surf!

Off we went heading north.  We hadn't been travelling long when I had to pass about 20 parked cars.  Just as we were near the end a Volvo 4WD came the other way at speed and tried to pass....not a bloody chance so we sat bumper to bumper with the old boy going off waving his arms around!  I just sat there smiling at him, in the end he had to back up.  It was fun.

We carried on up the A1 towards bonnie Scotland.  I was quite surprised that a lot of the A1 is just a 2 way road.

Our destination was the mighty Falkirk Wheel ...

 

There were a few boats going through it so we watched it in action ...

We took a walk to the top portal and went for a walk along the towpath through a tunnel and checked out the first staircase lock (which was manned by two grumpy lock keepers).

On the way back a narrowboat came out of the wheel and headed towards us putting out a big wave!  Just as he passed us he smashed into the bank with first the bow then he put the tiller hard over so the stern gave the concrete bank a big smack.  His Missus was standing on the bow shouting at him to slow down!  I have never seen a steerer so out of control as this guy.  No pics as the battery on the camera had gone flat.

Back at the van we started to check out places to moor up for the night. We could have stayed overnight at the wheel but it was £10.00 just to park and no facilities and no pub close by!  We found a pub on the net just outside of Falkirk, but once we got there it was well and truly closed down.

It was only early evening so we decided to head for Anstruther on the recommendation of George (the new owner of Caxton).   He reckoned they served the best fish and chips in the world!

It was only and hour and a half's drive, so with Bombo navigating off we went.

"Check that out" he barked as we rounded a bend!

The Forth rail and road bridges ...

That is the problem navigating with Tom Tom, you never know what is around the next corner, as in amazing views like this!

Plus with Bombo map reading the map he doesn't tell me anything, mainly because he is a dog and he can't really talk!

It was a lovely drive in beautiful sunshine. We arrived in Anstruther and parked up for the night in the coach parking underneath the sign that said 'no motorhomes / camping overnight'! 

It is a lovely little village, with a pretty little harbour and still some working fishing boats ...

We had a couple of pints in the local pub, while chatting to the locals ... pity we didn't understand a word they said though!

We now were hungry so bought fish and chips from the world famous Fish Bar ...

We were a little concerned as next door was the 'Chest Heart and Stroke shop'....was it a sign?

We needn't have been concerned the fish and chips were truly outstanding.  I wonder why they are so good....decent fish, good clean oil etc?


Today we actually got up early, as in 7.30 am, just in case a load of tourist coaches arrived early. We actually enjoyed it and went for a walk around the deserted harbour with the dogs.  We then moved the van onto the high street and had a lovely greasy, unhealthy breakfast (square sausages seem to be all the go) at a local cafe before we set off for the day.

We decided we would head for Braemar today in the Cairngorm mountains and sit out the predicted storm named after my laptop 'Big Bertha'.

As we were driving north we were getting updates on the weather from 'team Hardcore'(The Aston Marina close group of friends) who are now scattered all over the English waterways.  We were enjoying very pleasant weather all the way.

We passed over another mega bridge, the Tay bridge, on the way into Dundee...

A bit further across was the Tay rail bridge.

It was a lovely winding road through the Cairngorms ...

We are now parked up in a Caravan Club site in Braemar, where we arrived at Midday and it has been pouring with rain ever since.  A nice day to chill after a few days driving.

Thoughts on Scotland so far:

They love pebble-dash houses.

There are not as many pubs as I thought there would be.

There are a lot of gingers about.....not that there is anything wrong with that.