Scotland in “summer” - a short travelblog

[Duvel]

Ahh … Loch Lomond. Pretty much every German knows the melody of the namesake song it its most popular form by Runrig. However, the German version is the club anthem of the soccer club 1. FC Köln (that has a cult following), its lyrics sung in the local dialect of Cologne by the even more popular band Die Höhner …

 

We headed to Truss, on the western shore of Loch Lomond to take a cruise and explore the little islands in the lake itself. The weather was changing rapidly and the scenery looked very different with the changing patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After returning to shore we drove further north into the highlands. The weather deteriorated with every mile … This was the last picture before it started pouring.

 

 

We arrived at Glencoe National Park around 17.00h and the first time we had to assemble our tent was in the pouring rain. I got the feeling that the family was not up to a minimalistic meal from the camping stove, so I took them to Glencoe town and we went into the only restaurant open.

 

 

 

It was crammed. After a relaxing drink at the bar, we got our table …

 

 

Mr. Duvel: Fried Stornoway black pudding …

 

 

Mrs. Duvel: Roasted salmon (very moist) with veggies …

 

 

Little Duvel: Ribs ! 

 

 

Followed by the “rib flash” 🤗

 

 

 

It rained the whole night. Truly enjoyful when the Guiness forces you to a biobreak (and the toilet being like 500 m away …).

 

 

[Anna N]

That child knows how to enjoy his food. I just love him.  

[rotuts]

@Duvel 

 

when I read above 

 

that you went w the ' Camping Equipment '

 

( high end of course , Thats the point  Next Year , the Coast of Spain ? )

 

and other Insight :

 

I thought , well , this is going to be a learning Experience 

 

and , well ,, really good stuff was now available

 

in the future , for the S of Spain !

 

Im sure you've planning now , and for the Future 

 

good for you 

 

and both the Style of the New Tent 

 

and some Good Eats locally.

 

how many days left in Scotland ?

 

how many ore Tent Days ?

 

is there an Over/Under on this ?

 

I might chip in .

 

in jest 

 

a vacation that will be remembered !

 

excellent.

[Duvel]

Ok, let me fill you in on our “equipment”:

 

The latest fashion are tents with inflatable beams. You attach a special pump and basically inflate the sceletal structure (I amsure there is a better English term for that) and the tent builds itself. Pretty cool. Disassembling is equally quick, but rest assured you won‘t get it back into its back …

 

The tent withstands days of ceaseless rain. Guess how I know 🤭

 

Even better than the tent are the air mattresses. I was dreading sleeping on those, remembering the uncomfortable ones of my childhood. Boulderdash. Technology in this field has made so much progress, it is unbelievable. I bought two self-inflatable mattresses, each 1.40m x 2.00m x 12.5 cm. The basically have a foam core and when you unroll them, the foam expands and sucks in air through a valve which then you close. Thus, you have two cushion systems and I tell you (and everyone else) that I slept better on those mattresses than 90% of the hotel beds. No kidding. Plus - with the two mattresses our sleeping area was 2.80 m x 2.00 m, which is pretty good for two adults and one kid … 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by Duvel (log)

[Duvel]

The next day was intended to hike around the Glencoe National Nature Reserve. Emphasis on nature. A visitor on the camping grounds, seen on my way to brush my teeth in the morning …

 

 

There was a bit of rain. Good for seeing spectacular waterfalls …

 

 

 

Or spontaneously formed rivers …

 

 

Or the impressive Three Sisters …

 

 

Buuuut … with the right attitude, even rainy days can be sooo much fun !

 

 

Did I share that it was a constant 13 oC ? In August. Day and night … but hey - holidays !

 

 

Im the afternoon it cleared up a bit … 

 

 

 

Upon returning the tent was still standing and still dry inside, which I found to be a big plus.

 

 

There was a kind of shed on the premises, that I decided to use for making dinner …

 

 

Little one picked burger (lucky for me) and enjoyed the smell and most likely the heat emitted by the burner …

 

 

“Glencoe Highland Burger“ 😝

 

 

No complaints, but with a little treat for the cook 🥳

 

[Smithy]

I keep forgetting that this is a blog about a trip already done. Did try making any of these national dishes during your camping trip? Cullen Skink, Stovies? (I know haggis would be difficult.) Any other local recipes or ingredients you experimented with?

[Duvel]

8 minutes ago, Smithy said:

I keep forgetting that this is a blog about a trip already done. Did try making any of these national dishes during your camping trip? Cullen Skink, Stovies? (I know haggis would be difficult.) Any other local recipes or ingredients you experimented with?

Please wait for future installments 🤭

[Shelby]

6 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Please wait for future installments 🤭

We are not a patient bunch.....as you know 😬

[Shelby]

29 minutes ago, Duvel said:

The next day was intended to hike around the Glencoe National Nature Reserve. Emphasis on nature. A visitor on the camping grounds, seen on my way to brush my teeth in the morning …

 

 

There was a bit of rain. Good for seeing spectacular waterfalls …

 

 

 

Or spontaneously formed rivers …

 

 

Or the impressive Three Sisters …

 

 

Buuuut … with the right attitude, even rainy days can be sooo much fun !

 

 

Did I share that it was a constant 13 oC ? In August. Day and night … but hey - holidays !

 

 

Im the afternoon it cleared up a bit … 

 

 

 

Upon returning the tent was still standing and still dry inside, which I found to be a big plus.

 

 

There was a kind of shed on the premises, that I decided to use for making dinner …

 

 

Little one picked burger (lucky for me) and enjoyed the smell and most likely the heat emitted by the burner …

 

 

“Glencoe Highland Burger“ 😝

 

 

No complaints, but with a little treat for the cook 🥳

 

That tent and the mattresses look awesome.  We used to camp a lot when I was in my 20's. It wasn't near that easy to pitch the tent. One trip it poured for like a day and a night.  Water pooled up on the top sides of the tent.  Despite Ronnie telling me not to poke or touch where the water was sitting, like a child, I couldn't resist.  That made the water start dripping in.  Boy was I in trouble lol.

[FauxPas]

2 hours ago, Duvel said:

Buuuut … with the right attitude, even rainy days can be sooo much fun !

 

You probably could have made use of a pair of these.  🙂

 

 

Free CAD file from:

https://grabcad.com/library/wiper-glasses-1

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by FauxPas (log)

[liuzhou]

4 hours ago, Smithy said:

Thank you for explaining and/or providing links to Stovies and Cullen Sink; they look like something I'd like to try.

 

I often make stovies here in China. Scottish comfort food. They've popped up on the Dinner topic from time to time.

 

I also like cullen skink, but have never made it.

Edited November 13, 2022 by liuzhou (log)

[gfweb]

Ahem

 

Camp cooking usually means using a wood fire.

Not a gas burner like a waiter doing steak Diane or bananas Foster tableside.

 

But carry-on.  I appreciate the effort.

 

😉

 

 

[Anna N]

22 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Ahem

 

Camp cooking usually means using a wood fire.

Not a gas burner like a waiter doing steak Diane or bananas Foster tableside.

 

But carry-on.  I appreciate the effort.

 

😉

 

 

Wait a minute… You call what they did camping? Camping is throwing a thin sleeping bag on the already damp, rock strewn floor of the tent which is barely even anchored because you were too damned cold to hammer those tent pegs in properly. 
They are not camping they are just one step down from a five star hotel. 😂😂😂😂

[gfweb]

19 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Wait a minute… You call what they did camping? Camping is throwing a thin sleeping bag on the already damp, rock strewn floor of the tent which is barely even anchored because you were too damned cold to hammer those tent pegs in properly. 
They are not camping they are just one step down from a five star hotel. 😂😂😂😂

 

To me, camping is a hotel without 24 hour room service.

Edited November 14, 2022 by gfweb (log)

[heidih]

42 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Wait a minute… You call what they did camping? Camping is throwing a thin sleeping bag on the already damp, rock strewn floor of the tent which is barely even anchored because you were too damned cold to hammer those tent pegs in properly. 
They are not camping they are just one step down from a five star hotel. 😂😂😂😂

On eG I think we call  that "glamping" though I think @Duvel and family are more on middle ground.  https://forums.egullet.org/topic/70840-camping-princess-style/page/4/

 

[Duvel]

The next day we had a rather full program. In case it didn’t transpire so far: it was raining. I disassembled the tent in said rain and we drove on to see some waterfalls. My wife is a big fan of waterfalls … 🙄

 

 

In Scotland, the road does not exclusively belong to the cars …

 

 

On the hiking trail to the waterfall there were some nice views to be had …

 

 

 

Snacks in front of the waterfall of the day ! 

 

 

 

After the exciting waterfall we drove on to catch another ferry. On route, we passed the Harry Potter Hogwarts express.

 

 

This time the ferry brought us from the main (is)land to a smaller one called Skye …

 

In case you haven’t been on a car ferry: you need to disable your car alarm, otherwise the waves will trigger it. The guy parking behind me forgot that, and the poor staff tending the lower deck suffered for the three hour trip from his car alarm. I am pretty sure they made sure he’ll not forget it again …

 

 

After some more hour we arrived in Portree, where we pitched our tent in the pouring rain (again).

 

 

Just half an hour later, rain was  replaced by a light drizzle and I prepared a batch of Cullen Skink, using some lovely smoked haddock we picked up in Portree itself. 

 

 

 

 

Just as an interesting side note: the daytime temperature of our arrival was 11 oC, one degree above what it is now in November 🤗

Edited November 14, 2022 by Duvel (log)

[rotuts]

@Duvel 

 

what an outstanding trip

 

for me to follow !

 

 

wildlife on the road.

 

Outstanding views 

 

some sort of Local Soup

 

cooked on local grass, 

 

guessing the grass feeds itself ?

 

I won't say it

 

bit that tent !  in the Rain !

 

many others would call an Uber to take them to the Airbnb !

 

So , how is the smoked Salmon ?

 

Fresh Salmon ?   the tranche-es closer to the head ?

 

 

[Duvel]

We decided to stay in Portree for the next couple of days to use it as a base to explore Skye.
 

Just outside the camping grounds some highland cattle enjoyed a day in the rain …

 

 

 

 

For our first day we had booked a speedboat trip around the (even) smaller neighboring island, which came to fame as Bonny Prince Charlie was hidden there after the crushing defeat at Culloden.

 

 

Other than that it is known for seagulls and other amazing ornithological species that I can’t remember ’cause you are not allowed to eat them.

 

 

 

 

I got a tiny bit seasick. We stopped at one island for a sandwich, but I was not in the mood to document that … instead do enjoy some impressions of a place somewhere in the outer Hebrides …

 

 

 

 

Returning from the 4h speedboat trip with a sore behind and a quickly recovering appetite, we stopped on the way bach for fish and chips. Just lovely …

 

Hake with curry gravy and mashed peas

 

 

 

Some sort of fish cake

 

 

Cuttlefish strips

 

 

On the way back we crossed an old mining colony …

 

 

 

Back to the tent we were are pretty done and concluded the day with some games and called it in early.

[heidih]

Impressive "cow pie".  seasickness sucks. The fried seafood and chips entice. I have heard of the mushy peas as a side. Are they seasoned other than salt?

[rotuts]

@Duvel 

 

BTW :

 

im sure it would be unusual 

 

re F&C's

 

but if you see an opportunity to su fresh salmon

 

for the delicious halibut , cod ..

 

try it.

 

a very fresh fish monger place

 

MenloPark CA

 

had a fresh fish area for sales .

 

and in the same structure 

 

a fish - based eatery informal

 

fish and chips , ++  

 

all fish from the the fish marke

 

so I asked about fish & chips 

 

but from salmon 

 

they said why not

 

I licked the salmon right in front of me

 

they took it through door

 

and I had F&C  but w salmon.

 

vey nice

[TicTac]

Either you were a very good boy and somehow had unreal self restraint, or you are waiting till the end to share your trip to one of Scotland's fabled magical elixir production compounds....

 

 

[Duvel]

41 minutes ago, heidih said:

Impressive "cow pie".  seasickness sucks. The fried seafood and chips entice. I have heard of the mushy peas as a side. Are they seasoned other than salt?

I think not. When I make mushy peas, I usually use fresh peas and mint, but I was told that authentic ones use dried marrowfat peas, that are boiled until they disintegrate. These were authentic 🤭

[Duvel]

38 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Duvel 

 

BTW :

 

im sure it would be unusual 

 

re F&C's

 

but if you see an opportunity to su fresh salmon

 

for the delicious halibut , cod ..

 

try it.

 

a very fresh fish monger place

 

MenloPark CA

 

had a fresh fish area for sales .

 

and in the same structure 

 

a fish - based eatery informal

 

fish and chips , ++  

 

all fish from the the fish marke

 

so I asked about fish & chips 

 

but from salmon 

 

they said why not

 

I licked the salmon right in front of me

 

they took it through door

 

and I had F&C  but w salmon.

 

vey nice

I have not seem salmon fish & chips in the places I frequented in Scotland. Their smoked salmon (plus some smoked salmon pate we had) was outstanding, though …

[Duvel]

16 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Either you were a very good boy and somehow had unreal self restraint, or you are waiting till the end to share your trip to one of Scotland's fabled magical elixir production compounds....

 

 

Coming up, my friend …

[rotuts]

@Duvel 

 

thanks 

 

I do not think salmon F&C 

 

would be routine 

 

I did have it a few times 

 

in MP by request

 

but 

 

Bet there Interesting Batter

 

in GB 

 

and a different cooking technique