While the rest of Britain was still counting and recounting votes (seriously guys…you need to sort out your election process!!), we were busy trundling up to Loch Lomond, dipping our toes into Glasgow on the way, but resisting the “temptation” to dive right in. It’s interesting driving around up here in Scotland, because it really is desolate but their seems to be some very nice houses and very nice cars. Not sure if most of the coin comes from textile, whisky, oil or finance. Someone might be able to answer that! That can be the question of the day.

Loch Lomond is very pretty and the colours lovely but even so, looking at the postcards, I can’t help but think that perhaps photoshop was invented in Scotland. To be fair though the contrast of bare rock against wild heather against different shades of conifers, makes for magical viewing. The area in these parts is known as The Trossachs National Park and it once straddled the kingdoms of three Celtic peoples….Scots, Picts and Britons. It is thought the name “Lomond” came from a Gaelic word meaning “beacon”. Perhaps warning beacons were lit from the very high point of Ben Lomond. Nevertheless, it was the place the infamous drover and outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor (made famous by another “local” Sir Walter Scott) called home. We walked some of the mountain but as it was getting late, we made it just to Sithean (or Fairy Hill). The Loch is 39km long and separates the lowlands from the highlands. It was on it’s banks at Cashel that we made camp (and I christened my teeny 2 second tent..it is BRILLIANT. Just needs heating!!)

Tip/lesson of the day: If possible, only camp out if the temp is above zero.

XXX