No one is dead

Day three and no one is dead. Although, to be fair, we haven’t had any rain yet.

fab views

We started at a small, basic campsite south of Chester. For us it was a shake down. And, whilst the car and the roof box are brimming, we’ve been organised enough to make sure we can get stuff in some sort of order. However, we’re not there yet. I think we need a couple more iterations to get us completely sorted. Thankfully we’re both organised and have some tenacity. We will sort it.

Shake down

We popped into the Wirral to see C’s Godmum, a lovely elderly lady who, into her nineties, is as sharp as they come. She regaled us of stories as the ‘wife of’ a merchant seaman, accompanying her husband around the world on massive merchant ships. Fab. We could have stayed all day, but we left Liverpool promptly at 12.30 because I was keen to get to Scotland – and I was eqully keen to test our wild camping skills.

And we were fortunate. I randomly picked the road in the Lowlands alongside – and between – the Tallar and Megget reservoirs. We got there just before five and, whilst the Tallar reservoir provided no obvious wild camping spots, we climbed the pass between the two and immediately fell upon a gravel and grass area which was perfect. And it was. We pitched up, ate tortellini and a tomato sauce (I’m cooking), washed up, drank tea and wine, wrapped up well as Mts Sun went to bed, and marvelled at the views – which were perfect. There was no one on the road and we had the whole mountain to ourselves. It was a lovely moment. Sure, a few midges got the better of us (even dressed in our hat nets) and, as a result, we were in the tent, warm as toast by 8.30.

wild camping … is she happy?

I will amplify on our equipment as these blog emerge; such is my desire to make these posts as dull as possible. I have to say our sleeping bags, which are huge (Go Outdoors, Sleeping Pods, The Beast) are fabulous. And the sleeping mat, a double Hi Gear 7mm self-inflatable (also Go Outdoors), is also perfect – it’s like sleeping on a normal mattress. You just open the valves and it gently inflates, before you close the valves again. Our tent is a double pop up from Decathlon. So far so good, but we’ve yet to experience high winds or rain. That will be the test. And C has a normal pillow and I have a small US Army one which I picked up in Kabul. More to follow.

We rose early (this morning) still with the view and now with Mrs Sun doing her early morning stretches. We were packed up and away by 9.00 am and were walking in the hills off the Megget reservoir for a couple of hours at 9.30. Keen then to get into the Highlands, we headed for an Asda in Edinburgh before checking into the Caravan and Camping Club site at Perth – where, under a cloudless sky, the weather in Mediterranean warm.

walking in the hills again

And, as I said, no one is dead. I clearly can’t write C’s thoughts as you wouldn’t believe me, but I think, currently, we’re set fair. Inverness tomorrow, the starting point of the North Coast 500. Can’t wait.

For the record we’re 7/20 chapters down with the recording of Unsuspecting Hero. And, whilst I have the prologue of book 8 in my head, I have yet to pen a word. Am I worried? No. I’m too busy enjoying the views.

Stay safe everyone ….