Time Flies – Our First Month on the Road
It seems only days ago we set off, yet here we are at the end of the first month. We left our home in South Leicestershire the day after my last working day. Part plan, part circumstance — but mainly to avoid inertia after retirement.
Family shaped our first route. Two of our sons, working with Giffords’ Circus, were near Oxford, so we caught the show and said our goodbyes. From there we joined three more of our children in Skegness — rare to have so many together, and worth seizing. Memories made before we turned north.
Our target is Camusdarach Beach in the Scottish Highlands, where we’ll spend three weeks from late August. With weeks to play with, we’ve been meandering slowly north. Nomad life for us is a mix of off-grid stops — pub and farm shop car parks, with permission — and official sites for laundry and resets.
Through England
Hull was our first test, with a walk under the Humber Bridge and an overnight at the Half Moon pub in Skidby. A good Sunday roast, a quiet walk for Scylla, and two connections: Pip had visited here with her parents 45 years earlier, and ChatGPT (AI companion) suggested it this time.
We bypassed York for Boroughbridge, then stayed at Yolk Farm — yes, a chicken farm. In Knaresborough, we recharged on a Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) site beside the Nidd Gorge. Birdlife rewarded us: Kingfishers flashing, and a Dipper — my first sighting.
In Cumbria, we parked at the Plumgarths farm shop complex. The chocolate-malted sourdough from the artisan baker’s was half eaten as bread, half reborn as bread-and-butter pudding with chocolate orange ganache.
Into Scotland
Scotland welcomed us at New Abbey, beside the ruins of Sweetheart Abbey. Then came storm Floris — an amber warning for 70mph winds. We rode it out at Sandyhills, sheltered among the dunes. Luckily, Dumfries and Galloway were spared the worst.
The day after, I nearly ended the trip. Distracted, I poured fresh water into the fuel tank. £500 later, thanks to Fuel Doctor, we were back on the road — shaken but relieved.
Passport, paw, and progress
The Isle of Whithorn quay car park gave us a blustery but beautiful overnight stay.
From there to Stranraer, for the most important stop of the month: a utility site within reach of the ferry to Ballymena. Purposeful, focused — Scylla was about to receive her EU pet passport. Vet Mary and her team were wonderful. Objective achieved: Europe now lies open to us.
In the same week, Scylla cut her paw badly. A vet in Stranraer patched her up, and we shifted pace for a while. Such is the reality of travelling as a three-member crew.
Looking ahead
Our last Lowlands stop was Loch Lomond. We stayed on the East-side at Cashel, an idyllic spot that persuaded us to stay an extra day. That’s the freedom of nomadic life — plans bend easily when a place holds you.
Now, with the Highlands ahead and Scylla healing, we close our first month on the road. Europe waits in November. For now, the learning, the laughter, and the lessons are more than enough.
