The rain came eventually

We made the decision to ‘wild camp’ for a couple of days, having spent the first three weeks in the 5-unit-only certified sites and locations of the two big UK clubs: Caravan and Motorhome, and Caravan and Camping. And we headed for the coast.

Girvan lighthouse

Our first stop was Girvan, right by the sea, in a beach car park. You know when you get somewhere whether or not you’re going to feel safe. We have stayed in some pretty rough spots, but there is an imaginary line you draw in your head. Say in a car park in Italy when you’re not quite sure, but you need to get your head down. Then I leave the keys in the ignition, make sure Doris has an escape route and we sleep lightly. But we have never been threatened, nor has anyone (touch wood) tried to break into our van. I know of people where that has happened – usually youths slapping on the motorhome’s side – but the incidences are small. And there are a lot of vans wild camping out there across Europe.

it felt safe …

Anyhow, Girvan felt safe, and it was. It had rained most of the day and it continued to rain as we parked up. As a result we didn’t get out of Doris – and I think our bodies enjoyed the respite. The forecast told us it was going to be a stormy weekend with localised flooding, so we were keen to make sure we parked somewhere which wouldn’t flood. By the sea is normally a good spot (notwithstanding Boscastle, clearly). 

However the next day was calm and before breakfast we walked down the beach the two miles to the town’s harbour, and then headed for the Mull of Galloway, the anvil-shaped peninsula off Scotland’s southern coast. And Mrs Sun shone. Inland Ayr seemed dodgy, but apart from a brisk wind, it was lovely. We stopped for lunch, beachside, I went for a run, and then we headed down to the southern lighthouse for another night’s stopover. 

Doris is big. Not huge. Just big. And, typically (and we’ve done a few), the road to the lighthouse was single track with passing places. As we got within sight of the end I thought the carpark looked too full for Doris to turn around in, but C was feeling adventurous … and we made it. And there was plenty of room. There had been some internet discussion about whether we could stay there – but there were no signs saying we couldn’t, and in Scotland that means you can. So we did. And it was lovely. And windy. But we were not alone – there were five other vans with us – and it was cosy being buffeted about.

windier than it looks

We moved on Saturday to a beachside carpark at Ardwell where we were met by ‘no overnight parking’ signs, and a row of campervans. I asked one of the crew of the likelihood of being asked to move on and was told ‘no’. So we parked up, put on our walking gear and did 8 miles coast-to-coast (east to west). It was fab. Mrs Sun was kind, the views fabulous, and we had a picnic sitting in a cove – we saw no one. And that’s the thing about this part of Scotland. It looks and feels like Cornwall … but there’s no one here. Today we cycled from Ardwell to Portpatrick (coast-to-coast; 25 miles) and, even though I couldn’t see much through the sheeting rain, the same must be said. It’s idyllic, as is Cornwall. But here you have it to yourself.

just like Cornwall?

Typical of our recent luck, the rain stopped briefly when we got to the lovely harbour village of Portpatrick and we found a picnic bench and enjoyed the views, which were fab.

the rain eventually caught up with us …

It’s still raining as I type this as we plan our next move. Probably off the peninsula and back into the forest? Who knows? And that’s the beauty of travelling in a van.   

Stay safe everyone.