It feels like a while since I last posted and there’s been a few things going on…
I took a last minute drive down to see Mum and got caught out by the weather being much warmer in Yorkshire having dressed for the cold of the Scottish Borders 😆
I had a WhatsApp video call with brother Chris whilst I was with Mum… a bit less successful than last time as he was finding it difficult to hold up his phone for too long… but, it was good to speak to him anyway ❤️
Mum was doing ok – when I left her in the lounge with other residents at the end of my visit, I noticed she was quick to purloin the cake the snoozing lady next to her had left on her table… 😂 Mum having seemingly forgotten she’d already had my homemade lemon drizzle cake plus her own bit of Swiss roll off the tea trolley when it came round! What can I say… Mum likes cake & it’s sort of reassuring to know some things don’t change! 😂
After a challenging journey with detours off the M6 and along some Cumbrian country lanes, we had a visit from our friends Jane & Dave which was great. I can’t believe we have known these guys since meeting them in Goa back in 2003… & still enjoy each other’s company!!! 😆😆😆
A trip to the garden centre, the Langholm show and, of course, an Indian meal at the Punjabi Grill in Hawick (great food, reasonably priced!), we had a fantastic weekend with them & hope they liked our new home!
Pics from the Langholm show where, in the Champion of Champions category, we were rooting for the chicken (bottom left!)
even though the horse won…
Although we saw no feral goats when we drove up and over Newcastleton / Langholm Moors, we did see red deer along the Hermitage valley & a red squirrel much nearer to the Holm, just before the Hermitage Bridge (or Smiddy Brig as it’s locally known, so called, as the oldest native of the village told me, because it’s where the Smiddy (Blacksmith’s) workshop used to be… obvs!)… which was nice!
We have also celebrated Pete’s 72nd birthday with a birthday morning at home & a long-ish drive north for our Outer Hebridean holiday on the Isle of Lewis!
Taking the scenic route towards Edinburgh up the A701 from J15 off the A74(M) (well worth it for the scenery as well as a comfort stop & coffee at the Wee Crook near Tweedsmuir), we eventually stopped near Newtownmore in the Highlands for the night (approximately 210 miles / 4.5 hours into our journey) & enjoyed a nice meal at the Letterbox restaurant in the village where Pete, being a fish & chips connoisseur, thought it was the best batter he’s ever had! 😆
Next morning, after a wee Scottish breakfast at the Sugarbowl in Kingussie to further fortify us, we set out on the final push to Ullapool… a further 100 miles / 2-hours through the Highlands (beautiful as ever – see pic)… where we stayed a final night on the mainland in a nice, comfy B & B before getting the 2.5 hour ferry crossing to the Western Isles…
The ferry crossing The Minch (the stretch of water separating the Scottish Mainland & Inner Hebrides from the Outer ones) was fine… it was a little wobbly in places, but we saw lots of dolphins darting through the waves & it passed quickly. We were soon in Stornoway’s Tesco picking up supplies for the week along with many of our fellow passengers!
Waiting for our ferry crossing from Ullapool in the Highlands to Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides
Another short 11-mile drive from one side of the island to the other, and we were soon looking out at the distant view of the Atlantic from our cottage in Barvas.
The cottage is pretty big for the two of us and could take up to 6 people but it’s warm & cozy now that we’ve worked out the heating… the weather is a little on the wild side (rain & wind) but we’re up for a few bracing walks along the beautiful beaches that can apparently be found here… but more of that next time once we’ve had the chance to explore!
The weather forecast for our week on Lewis doesn’t look that great but what d’ya expect this far north in October? 😆
Until next time friends… Bye the noo!
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