Gardenstown

What a night last night, the wind got up, the waves crashed and the rain fell. Marge shuddered in the wind, and we shuddered as well. Before breakfast we agreed with Marge, let's get out of here. So, our breakfast stop, this morning was in a layby on the A90 where, Marge settled happily amongst the lorries. Then onto Asda at Fraserburgh for supplies, diesel and water.

Angela had read on the internet that some Asda stores provided free water at some of their fuel stations, and we weren't to be disappointed, there was a tap ready and waiting for us to attach our hosepipe to. All replenished, we drove through the countryside, passed fields of recently harvested wheat, large cotton reels of gold scattered all around.

We stopped at Aberdour bay to walk to the red sandstone sea caves. In the seams above the cave entrances were abandoned swallow nests, their young long gone. We likened the beautiful scenery to Cornwall and Britany. This place was to be our overnight stop, but it just didn't feel right for Angela.

A local man stopped to talk with us, and recommended we stay overnight in the town where he lived, Gardenstown, six miles along the coast, which is where we are now, right by the sea wall, along with a few other motorhomes and a man with a roof tent on his four wheeled drive vehicle. Will he last the night we wonder, as it's his first night away in it, and the wind is due to increase once again during the night. We are hoping that now we are on a north facing coast it won't be so bad as last night. Late this afternoon we took a walk around to the next cove to the pretty village of Crovie. Most of the properties there appeared to be holiday lets.

After communication from home, we watched the sky turn a pearly pink as the sun set behind the headland. As darkness fell, another walk took us down to the small working harbour, where the sea now as dark as oil, and the surrounding hills the same colour made you shiver with their oppressiveness.

Tomorrow we will continue along the Aberdeenshire coastal trail, but first we have to leave Gardenstown. The narrow roads down to the coves along this coastline are steep, so tomorrow Marge will need to have had her weetabix to get us out of here.

Collieston

This morning a watery sun broke the cloud causing the terns to take flight and the shags on the harbour wall to take an early morning stretch, their black wings like draculas cloak.

Yesterday when we arrived in Arbroath the police drove by the vans twice, this morning the army arrived, word was out that Marge was in town, once around the vans, then stop at the Roasty Toasty for breakfast!

Smokies purchased, we set off for Edzell, a small town where John’s parents lived for a while in the late 1940’s. John’s father worked at the nearby RAF camp.

The house they rented was called Lynnmartin, and it was here that John’s sister Julia was brought home, to, after being delivered at the maternity home in Forfar. After enquiring at the local garage we found the house.

John's mother and sister Julia before the porch was added

The present owner, Cameron, was painting the outside of the house, and was more than pleased to photograph us outside the property, and to hear information about some of the properties previous occupants. By now, it was lunchtime, and we moved to the car park at the park to reheat the smokies in some olive oil. They were delicious, and we were glad we’d stopped off at Arbroath to buy them.

Mid afternoon, we were off again, back to the coast. As we crossed a stone bridge into Aberdeenshire we saw a waterfall on the river Esk. Luckily there was just one space in the small layby nearby.

That’s the joy of travelling in Marge, we can make an impromptu stop whenever we wish. We walked along the riverside path, and down onto the rocks. The tumbling waters the colour of tea, before milk, hastily passed by. What a lucky find we thought, we would never have come this way if it wasn’t for John’s parents.

Our overnight stop is right by the harbour at Collieston, a small cove lies in front of us. Marge is happy, there is another van here for company. Today, we have both been feeling a little bit under the weather, so only took a short walk out around the headland, where the dark rugged rocks sat menacingly.

In the water, jelly fish collected, whilst on the rocks the limpets clung.

The weather is settled now, but we know in the night a change is afoot.

Arbroath

Firstly, the answer to last night's quiz was, a burger, or sausage shape made of black pudding and haggis, normally deep fried in batter. We saw it advertised on the menu in the chip shop in Girvan, and were suprised that one of the locals didn't know what it was when we asked. Tonight, is our 201st blog. We can't believe that it was over two years ago when we owned Marge 1 that Angela wrote a few whords about our travels for our relatives and friends, and now we even have a follower in Germany.

This morning we couldn't believe it, the sun was out, and we were seeing Scotland in a new light.

We had one final place to visit before leaving the area, and that was Dunblane, where John's parents were married in the Cathedral.

After some difficulty registering for the track and trace, we were allowed into the cathedral.

In the chapter house was a roll of honour for world war II, and listed on it were John's mother and her sister. It felt a little surreal to be so close to the family history.

Visit over we set off eastwards. The overnight stop we were heading for at Arbroath was popular, and we wanted to ensure we arrived in good time for a space, which we did.

Below us is the rocky beach, beyond which we can just see Bell Rock Lighthouse, (also known as Inchcape) 11 miles offshore.

On the rocks below the Shags jostle for pole position amongst the laughing seagulls, whilst the Tern's squabble.

The Scottish van parked in front of us amuses us with its selection of stickers. Not sure if the one that reads, 'Warning, if you drive too close, I'll dump the loo' is a possibility. 'Up yer Kilt', might come in handy at some point.

After a late lunch, we walked to the harbour, where we indulged in a gelato. Ever tried Turkish delight ice cream? No, then you must, it's delicious. The smell of smoked fish hung in the air as we walked into the town. Just as we decided we'd had enough of looking around yet another depressing town centre full of shut down businesses, we noticed some old ruins.

We had stumbled upon Abroath abbey, an imposing red sandstone building. We were now high above the town and could see Marge over the rooftops.

This evening looking out at the puffy, blue and white sky, we notice herons in the harbour, at least six of them, a sign there must have been fish a plenty in the shallow water. They were still there when we took our evening walk.

Tomorrow, we will have been away a week. There is just one more place to visit close by and then we must head a little further north.

Before leaving Arbroath we will buy some smokies for our lunch.

Dunblane

Dunblane

Arbroath

Arbroath