Euan

January 2026

We walked out of the bothy in the snow! Managed to get all vehicles out of car park and off to their respective destinations. Euan's first taste of driving in snow but he got him and Ava back to Oban OK.
We had a quiet weekend at home get sorted for going back to work.
We aquired a small freezer for Euan and so John delivered it for him. Next day John was off to work, a long run down to Welford truckstop on the Sunday. Unfortuneately all the time gained by doing this was lost on the Monday when a brake chamber burst leaving me stranded for five hours!
A quiet day at home before another Sunday run down. Dinner at Tebay before parking up outside yard.
The following weekend was the big party in Berwick to celebrate Gillian's 60th birthday. We collected Euan & Ava from Broxden and took them back to Glasgow on the Sunday after feeding them an unlimited breakfast at the premier inn.
And that pretty much wraps up January, hoping the weather will improve as it has been very wet and cold most of the time.

February

Well the weather hasn't improved much. The month started with a family lunch in Kirkcaldy to celebrate Shetland Granny's 102nd birthday. We picked Euan up from Broxden on the way down so he could join us.
We had a quiet weekend at home, John sorted some bits in his lorry, and we got a couple of short walks in before the rain started.
John is still doing the odd computer job, set up a new laptop for a customer and then drove down on Sunday ready for work on Monday.
Rounded the month off with another quiet weekend at home.

March

Got the bikes out for the first time this year. Managed the usual 10km route OK.
John popped into Perth for a new waterproof jacket, for work, and some gloves. Drove down on Sunday and parked up outside yard, just in case I needed a jump start, again.
We saw an ad about Remake Scotland, and so popped across to Crieff to see what it was about, John has volunteered to help out on the IT support they offer. Managed to get the grass cut and cars washed before heading into lorry to sleep.
Rounded the month off sorting out a couple of Chromebooks for Aunty Margaret before another Sunday run down, all the way to Oswestry.

April

Easter hols - so John & Wendy went off to a couple of bothies, in the snow! We got the train to Corrour station and walked the rest. We stashed some coal & logs on the way, ready for the second night. Hard going in places but the bothy was fine once we got there. The next day was hard going, back to the stash and the up hill to the bothy. Not as warm and cosy as last nights but we survived. Long walk out, in the snow, back to Corrour station. Treated ourselves to dinner at Newtonmore truckstop before a short walk to a bothy.
A quieter weekend followed, sorting kit out, then a Sunday run down the road.
A quiet weekend at home, Euan home for a visit. Called in at Go Outdoors when we took him back to Glasgow.
Better weather meant we could get the bikes out again, a quick cycle into Gelder Shiel, we had the place to ourselves. Good bit of practice for our upcoming trip.

May

Bank holiday weekend - our rearranged trip to Beamish with Aunty Gillian. Good run down to Berwick and on to holiday cottage. It was cold wandering around Beamish on the Sunday. We were grateful for the fire in the holiday cottage. Good run back up the road on the Monday.
The big trip - Islay & Jura - on bicycles. We left the car at Kennacraig and got the ferry to Port Askaig, it should have been Port Ellen but Calmac changed it. This meant a 2 1/2 hour cycle, instead of 10 minute, but we managed. It was cool and breezy all week so we had a couple of days off from cycling. Definitely need to go back. Managed to get an earlier ferry at the end of the week and stayed in an excellent B&B in Tarbet before driving home on the Sunday.
Wendy treated us to a new BBQ / Pizza oven / griddle and so the quest for a gas bottle led us into Dundee since Perthshire caravans don't sell new bottles, only refills. Succesfully managed to cook on it, haven't tried pizzas yet.
John got the bank holiday Monday off so took himself off for a little adventure to Lochindorb castle, on an island. It was a bit breeezy and despite the castle walls still standing, there was not much shelter offered by them.
We rounded the month off with a visit from Euan, he had some work at Pitlochry and training at Grandtully.

June

We started the month with a rare visit to the cinema to see Powerballad. It was very good. We followed it up with a visit to the Taproom for pizza and beer before getting the bus home.
The following weekend John was at the repair hub in Crieff after which he went off on a recce for a new bothy. Found it, hard going, not helped by a film crew and an adventure game going on.
Euan's summer holidays started so John popped down to collect his kit from Glasgow, good run both ways. We managed a bike ride on the Sunday and cooked outdoors again.
Wendy and John made the trek into the new bothy. Some steep sections but well worth the effort. Only ten minutes quicker walking out. Cooked outdoors again, pizza this time. It worked but we think making our own bases will be better.

July

John had a lazy weekend at home watching British grand prix.
Back at repair hub again, constructive session. Off to a bothy again. Plan changed en route due to accident on the road to Fort William. Called in at Glen Duror instead. Had the place to myself.
Wendy & John walked into Glenbuck bothy, Hard going with an hour of uphill to start with. Excellent bothy, had the place to ourselves.
The big trip away began with us collecting the motorhome on the Saturday. Quick run down to Cairn Lodge for dinner then onto J45 truckstop for the night.
Sunday saw us meander down to Porthmadoch via Asda Queensferry and a slate mine. The tour was very interesting.
Monday was the heritage railway trip to Blaunau ffestiniog, going around a unique loop en route.
Tuesday we went to the Canal Boat Museum and Port Sunlight before heading to Burrs country park. John managed to blow the intercooler pipe on the van. Limped it onto site.
Wednesday we called out the RAC, couldn't get the part until next day. We walked into Bury and then got the train to Rawtenstall to visit the Temperance bar, very good selection of cordials etc.
Thursday was a bit of hanging around until RAC came back and fixed van. We then headed to the Tan Hill Inn, got the last parking space, good job we had booked a table for dinner.
Friday saw us trundle up to the Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange before parking up for the night near Kincardine.

August

And Saturday we returned the van, did some shopping and went home.

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