Friday 26th – Sunday 28th September, 2025 – Southampton to Ã…lesund Despite not being wholly convinced by the whole “let’s go on a cruise” hype, we found ourselves handing over our car to the parking people at Southampton, dropping our luggage off with the baggage handlers, and embarking on Cunard‘s newest ship, Queen Anne, ready…
Tag: Travel
Travel 2025 – France – Day 1 to Day 4 (London to Epernay, Epernay to Lyon, Lyon to St. Remy de Provence)
And so to France. It all started a little before Christmas with a conversation with our friend A. Recently widowed, and keen to find her feet travelling again, she said she missed the south of France, where we had spent quite a lot of time together back when I worked for various companies in Sophia-Antipolis…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 14/Day 15 (Shieldaig to Hawnby, Hawnby to Home)
Friday 11th/Saturday 12th October, 2024 – Sheildaig, Aviemore, Hawnby, Home Distance driven: 429.0 miles/177.0 milesTime at the wheel: 7 hours 38 minutes/3 hours 15 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 (but then we hardly expected to) And so we left Scotland and completed the leg of the NC500 to Inverness, skimming by the edge of the city….
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 13 (Gairloch to Shieldaig)
Thursday 10th October, 2024 – Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Lochcarron, Strome Ferry, Applecross, Sheildaig Distance driven: 110.0 milesTime at the wheel: 3 hours 43 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 After the storms that rolled through overnight, the temperature had dropped significantly and there was snow visible on the higher ground. The weather was still wildly variable, with sudden…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 12 (Around Gairloch)
Wednesday 9th October, 2024 – Gairloch, Inverewe, Badachro Distance driven: 36.0 milesTime at the wheel: 1 hour 14 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 After the previous day, Wednesday started out looking like it would be an easy day without much in the way of driving. The initial plan was to go a few miles in one…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 11 (Lochinver to Gairloch)
Tuesday 8th October, 2024 – Lochinver to Gairloch Distance driven: 86.0 milesTime at the wheel: 2 hours 26 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 (Normal service has resumed) We’d done two nights at the Old Coach House (Cosy Highland Fireside Escape) so again it was time to move on to our next two-night stop. First, though, we…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 10 (Around Lochinver)
Monday 7th October, 2024 – Lochinver, Ardvreck Castle, Ullapool, Drumbeg, Clashnessie, Clachtoll, Lochinver Distance driven: 89.0 milesTime at the wheel: 2 hours 39 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 (Looks like we’d had our quota) After a good night’s sleep we decided to set off to explore Ullapool and possibly add another loop of spectacular driving, time…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 4 (Around Inverness)Â
Tuesday 1st October, 2024 – Inverness, Culloden Distance driven: 19.0 milesTime at the wheel: 40 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 After a lot of mileage the previous day it was very pleasant to start the day with a leisurely 20-minute drive to Culloden and the battlefield centre, which is run by the Scottish National Trust. As…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 3 (Tebay to Inverness)
Monday 30th September, 2024 – Windermere, Tebay Distance driven: 301.0 miles,Time at the wheel: 5 hours 56 minutesHeiland coos spotted: 0 And so finally to Scotland. But not before a very good breakfast at the Westmorland Hotel. We’d had a good night’s sleep and been well fed before getting on our way (after wrangling the…
Travel 2024 – North Coast 500 – Day 2 (Yorkshire to Cumbria)
Sunday 29th September, 2024 – Windermere, Tebay Distance driven: 158.0 miles, Time at the wheel: 2 hours 48 minutes Heiland coos spotted: 0 Sunday morning started damp, but seemed to be improving as we repacked the car (something of a trial and error process at this stage), and headed out from Nunnington after a light…
Smtfhw's Travels 
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