Red Squirrel Campsite, Ballachulish

Muddy Marge, a compact camper with a loo, that's the best description of our new camper. We've been fortunate to be able to take all our meals outside so far, but realize we need to be more organized should we not be able to so.

After last night's storm, the new day dawned dry and warm. We purchased cray fish and cheese and pickle rolls along with a salmon roll (salmon in a thin rolled pastry...delicious) from the Loch Fyne deli and set off. Our drive alongside the Loch was beautiful. The waters calm, the mountains in the background tinged blue by the cloud hovering above them. The blue purple from thousands of bluebells along the verges were mesmerizing, Scotland in springtime, beautiful.

An impromptu stop in the village of Loch awe at St. Conan's Kirk broke our journey to Oban.

The magical Loch side setting was beautiful, the other visitors entertaining. There were French motorhomes everywhere. Large French motorhomes , 7.5 metres plus. Parking was limited, so you can imagine the chaos. And as in France, the wives stand behind them when their husbands are reversing! 

Oban, as always was noisy and chaotic. The reason for our visit was to purchase a drone from Argos. Hopefully it will add exciting and fascinating footage to our blog.

This evening we are spending the night on a lovely campsite just outside Glencoe. The woodsmoke from the open fires we're allowed is playing havoc with Angela's chest, but despite this we cooked our meal on an open fire. The rain is once again upon us, but we are lucky to be able to sit out and enjoy the evening.

The plan for tomorrow is to take the ferry over to the island of Mull where we will stay for a few days. After three days of driving, we're really looking forward to slowing things down.

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Clachan

Despite being a beautiful evening last night we missed the northern lights, the cloud covered the late sky, and at 2 am we were in bed when the chance of seeing them occurred.

So this morning we were tired. Angela doesn't feel well. She's been suffering for a few days thinking it was just bad hay fever, but it's not. Upper respiratory, exactly what she suffered from in France early last year. With hardly any voice to help John,  navigating the awful road layouts of Glasgow was a challenge. 

We thought we had packed everything we needed but alas no. Yesterday we realised we'd forgotten our buoyancy aids, so had to divert to Decathlon on the edge of Glasgow. No buoyancy aids, no pack rafting, it's a risk we wouldn't take.

Leaving the chaos and noise of Glasgow behind we took to the mountains where we were rewarded with beautiful views and stunning landscape. Stopping at the top of the old military road at a viewpoint named 'The Rest and be Thankful', Muddy Marge took the limelight. Photograph her as much as you like. Yesterday at Stafford services a young man referred to her as a 'cool truck'. We are starting to realise she's a real attention grabber.

This evening we feel we are in the ' real Scotland', staying once again outside Loch Fyne Oysters adjacent to the loch. Upon our arrival the thunderstorm due all afternoon arrived obscuring all the surrounding scenery in it's anger. Fortunately within an hour the nearby mountains reappeared, now with foaming waters spewing and tumbling down them.

Even some Wild Garlic to go into John's breakfast omelette!

We are the only camper here, and don't mind. Just us and our Boxio compost loo which has now been christened. No taking it back to the shop now 😂

Caerverlock Castle, Dumfrieshire

Well here we are again at one of our favourite stops, just over the border into Scotland.

After an eight and a half hour journey from Thame in Oxfordshire seen off by Elliot, our grandson who insisted on counting how many toilet rolls we had on board.

We arrived in time to bag the last space in this beautiful wooded area alongside the Solway Firth.

The day didn't start well though. 'Ready for your road trip Muddy Marge?'. Apparently not. She refused to start. After some gentle persuasion she fired up. As a reward we filled up her fuel tank with an eye watering £165 of ultimate diesel, and with our fingers crossed set off.

The traffic lights, the weather beautiful we soon abandoned our planned overnight stops at Kendal in the Lake District and decided to make it to Scotland today. And boy are we glad we did....we've missed being up here, and what ever the weather has planned we'll go with it.

Muddy Marge is the New Marge!

We bought Muddy Marge in November 2023. A Land Rover 110 Td5 Defender XS County Station Wagon. Originally Black, but now with orange details to make her more easily recognisable if stolen. The previous owner had spent much time and money kitting her out as an overlander with an Alucab Icarus raising roof containing a double bed, and side boxes for tools and outdoor kitchen. Since then she has been further adapted to more suit the type of travelling we intend to do. Here are some photos showing the work being carried out.

Muddy Marge at her old home Newmarket.

Sat on the drive with Marge, a two camper family! Now Marge is with a new family. 

She was fully kitted out, but the layout didn't suit our use so it all had to come out.

The inside was insulated, and sound damping panels fitted.

New cabinets built, not much fun in the winter out on the drive.

Next the lightweight Poplar ply cabinets painted in a nice bright orange, on the drive, and in the kitchen on our Ercol table!

Cabinets in, and the wiring & plumbing begins.

Upholstery material chosen to suit colour scheme, and be good at hiding muddy marks.

Cushions all fitted along with the Boxio composting toilet.

Roof rack, roof box and solar panels fitted. With the 390 watts of panels fitted even on a not particularly sunny day 25 amps were going into the 300Ah Lithium battery. We need such a large set up, as although we will have a gas BBQ, all other cooking will be on a mains induction cooker, kettle and toaster. With a 2000 Watt inverter we can run any one of those for hours without flattening the battery. With the 50 amp Renogy DC to DC charger / MPPT system we will refill the battery from the alternator or solar panels very quickly.

Well we had to try her out, so off to Brockenhurst in the New Forest. Almost everything worked fine, the electric cooking system was perfect, omlette cooked on the induction hob. Just a few adjustments to be made, then get prepared for our trip up to Scotland.

Due to the weight of the new equipment on the roof two of the gas struts had to be uprated, and when fitted, which was an awful job one of them bent! Hopefully that was a one off, as at £143 a pair John was not very happy. Nene Overland promises they will have a replacement here by Wednesday morning, so fingers crossed as we planned to leave on that day for Scotland!