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Euphoria then Sadness on Mt Snowdon..

Posted by snoman1964 on November 7, 2016
Posted in: Travel. 1 Comment

Thursday 23rd July 2015..

Today a significant “Tick box” was marked off my personal check-list..

Mt Snowdon was conquered !!! Ive wanted to climb the mountain with my surname for as many years as I can remember..

We pulled into the Victoria Hotel car park and were greeted by a very happy chap with a somewhat “military” approach.. We were directed to park down with a few other camper vans at the far end of the car park.. We were already thinking that this would make a “canny” spot to “Overnight”  The parking  was £7 so we thought if we could squeeze a sleep-over as well then that would be pretty good value.. As we walked back to the entrance, the attendant called us over and asked if we were climbing and by which route..He checked we had the appropriate gear and clothing for the approx 6hr trip.. He then enquired if we would be stopping over in the car park ? We said yes with a smirk as it  was as if he was already aware of our intentions.. He sent us off in the right direction, and we started the accent through the village..

It was Bloody Hot when we set off !!!

The climb was fantastic.. Every few minutes we would “marvel” at the views that were unfolding before us..  It was absolutely stunning and got better the higher we went.. That was until approx just over 2/3 of the way up, and the clouds and mizzle, decended upon us.. It made the last hour or so quite challenging as the various layers were applied to keep warm and dry.. Every now and then the sun would break through and rays of light would illuminate the valley below.. The views are etched on our memories for ever.. Occasionally the trains of the Snowdon Mountain Railway came past, almost teasing us with what was an easier way to the top.. But we persevered and finally reached the cafe at the top.. Only another few feet to go and we would be at the summit.. We scrambled up the last mound of rocks that form the actual peak, and stood and marvelled at the views.. It was truly breathtaking and Euphoric at the same time.. We were finally The Snowdons at the top of Mt Snowdon !!

At the very second I scrambled up the last few feet and reached the summit, my phone beeped to say I had a voicemail.. We had had no service most of the way up, so after descending to the warmth of the busy cafe, and tucking into our lunch and a hot drink, I checked to see who had called.. It was Ben the guy who had taken over my patch at work, saying he had had a call from the Mother of my best friend to say he had passed away.. This sent me into a bit of a panic as there were several of my friends who considered me to be their best Freind.. So as well as hearing I had lost one of them, I wasn’t even sure who it was ! Texts sent out to the likely lads, we started the decent down the mountain.. It became apparent  as the replies came in that it was Paul Grounsel who had left us.. Paul was born in the same hospital as me, 1 day earlier than me and our mothers had shared the same ward.. We had been mates for as long as I can remember and I could hardly believe that he was gone at such an early age.. Tears flowed all the way down the mountain, and I was comforted all the way by Angie.. I can’t write this now without wiping away fresh tears.. He was a lovely bloke and a true friend.. A true Battle Hill Diamond.. I remembered the last time I had seen him whilst visiting my Mam in hospital.. He was in hospital himself having a blood disorder treated.. His face would light up when he saw me and he hugged me as tight as I had ever been hugged.. He was a man of simple pleasures, who enjoyed life..

It seems poignant that i received the news as I finally reached the top of Mt Snowdon.. My Euphoria will always be tinged with sadness but Ill always remember Paul with significance and happiness..

We reached the car park and told the attendant of our day.. We swapped first names and it was fitting that he was also called Paul, and that his friends called him squirrel, which was quite amusing for me as Paul and I had shared a hilarious exchange with our friend Robbie about a his password which was squirrel :))  .. He told us to pull over closer to the hotel where we could make use of the hotel wifi, and directed us to a fresh water tap around the side of the hotel where we could fill our tank.. I could see Paul locking up for the evening, so I grabbed a couple of beers from our fridge and walked over.. We shared a beer and a bit of chat and shook hands, then off he went..

Its a day ill always treasure and never forget..

RIP paul mate……..

Paul Grounsel 1964 - 2015 RIP Mate...
Paul Grounsel 1964 – 2015 RIP Mate…
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North Wales…

Posted by snoman1964 on November 7, 2016
Posted in: Travel. Leave a comment

North Wales …

Our introduction to Wales was not that of the “Green Valleys”, but mile after mile of static caravan sites !!
Prestatyn and Rhyl are not what you would call “Easy on the Eye” … A destination for thousands of holiday makers to enjoy a seaside holiday, but not what we were looking for..
Llandudno soon put things back on an even keel tho..
A picturesque Victorian seaside village located between the Orme and Great Orme..
We parked up and took ourselves to the Pier which juts out into the Irish Sea.. Following that we decided to venture up the Great Orme.. We took the Tramway up, which was great value for the money, and spent an hour looking out over the stunning views.. We walked back down and stopped at a pub near the bottom and enjoyed another delicious meal, before jumping back into the “Hotel du Van” and heading off in search of our first campsite of the adventure..
We decided that we liked the look of the Caravan Club site at Betws-y-coed, so we set the sat nav and off we went..

Bit of a problem… The site was full, and the town is not what you would call “Motorhome Friendly” well not to lets say “wild or free campers”.. It was getting late by this time and searching for an alternative, was not an option.. Were not that big a unit at 5.4m , and many have said “quite a sexy looking camper van” so we probably get away with more than a larger van would, so we settled in overlooking the green and went in search of a pub meal..
Our walk around left us a bit gobsmacked at the amazing little village we had stumbled upon.. A rocky waterfall and twisting river runs through what is what must be one of the prettiest villages we have ever been to (Well done Wales) ..
We shopped at the local store for provisions and had a lesson of the shop assistant in how to pronounce the name of the village.. A quick call to “Pops on the way back to the van confirmed that he had been here many times as well..
We settled in for the night waiting for a polite knock on the door to ask us to move on, but we slept sound and left early the next morning..
We headed back up to Conwy, which is another great town, with a castle and lots of streets to wander around.. There was an advertisement for a concert by the local Welsh Male Voice Choir, which is one of the stranger things to do on my lifelong tick-list … Unfortunately it was sold out 😦

WE decided on a bit of a pub Crawl for the evenings entertainment and by the third pub we had made friends with a lovely local couple called Greg and Lisa.. I mentioned my disappointment about missing the choir and they said if we hung around a while we may be in for a treat..
About an hour later the pub was filled with men wearing matching green blazers.. We were treated to several songs as they downed a pint or three and it was indeed a truly MAGNIFICENT experience..
New friends and another life experience ticked off the list, ended a great intro to Wales :)))

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Heading South….

Posted by snoman1964 on November 7, 2016
Posted in: Travel. Leave a comment

Heading South..

We bid farewell to Bonnie Scotland and looked back on what was a Fantastic start to our journey..
If you could give a TripAdvisor style rating, Scotland would definitely achieve 5*****

Heading south down the M6 we glanced right towards The Lake District and reminisced on yet another of the UKs “Gems”
As we have been there on many occasions before, we carried on in search of new adventures..

We overnighted at a Brit Stop just south of Kendal.. A pub called The Strickland Arms.. A Lovely Olde Worldy pub with delicious food, and with a couple of drinks each the bill came to £40.. The car park was on a bit of a slope but the setting was tranquil..
We dipped back into Kendal and did some laundry and gathered a few bits and bobs at Halfords and then headed for our next destination, Wales…

We parked up in Chester at a large city car park which was well used by the Motorholming fraternity..
It was there that our plans took a change of direction when we received a message from my cousin Elizabeth.. We were only 20 miles from where her and Alex lived, so we up’ed chocks and set off for Whitchurch..

We had last seen Elizabeth & Alex at Mams funeral back in March, where they had given Geordie, Geoff and myself a beautiful framed picture of mam winning a “Miss Lovely Legs competition, back in the 70s at Pontins..
It was agreed that we should stay for 2 nights so we unpacked our overnight bags and enjoyed a “proper” bed and shower for a couple of days..

The following day we were treated to a day out at Blist Hill which is like stepping back in time.. An open air Victorian museum, set in the Ironbridge Gorge.. A fabulous few hours later we pulled up in Ironbridge itself, which is a stunning little village, set on the river Severn.. It takes its name from the 30m cast iron bridge built in 1779.. Its a must for Bridge Enthusiasts..
Another sumptuous meal out that evening and lots more reminiscing, followed by another night in a proper bed lol and we bid our lovely hosts farewell.. An open invitation to join them in their winter retreat in Tenerife accepted, and we were on our way once more..

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About

Posted by snoman1964 on August 31, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Ian & AngieHi We are Ian & Angie Snowdon..We are both from Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England.. After 30 odd years of treading the corporate “Dreadmill”, we decided to quit our j…

Source: About

“Scottish weather”

Posted by snoman1964 on August 31, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. 1 Comment

The Legendary “Scottish Weather” made us re-think our original plans of visiting the Isles  of Skye, Lewis & Harris.. The forecast was for more of the same as we had encountered over the last few days, so we made the decision to stick to the mainland, and head south, leaving the isles for another trip.. We’ve  skirted around the coastal route but could quite easily have spent a month touring the Highlands, and yet only managed to scratch the surface of this awe inspiring country.. In hindsight writing this post, we can both say that the beauty of Scotland is indeed equal to anywhere we have ventured in the last 13 months.. The photos really do not do this country justice..

On the way down we visited Ullapool, Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, Oban and Luss..

A few years ago we toured Cornwall and it seemed at every point, we were paying for the pleasure of visiting the area.. Parking fees, No overnight camping, No motorhomes etc but with the Highlands your made to feel welcome and not fleeced for the privilege of visiting such a stunning part of the world.. I don’t wish to offend the people of Cornwall, but their local authorities could learn a lot from their Scottish counterparts.. Of course the Pasties are second to none 😉

Special mention to St Conans Kirk Church which we stumbled upon.. Were not churchy people but this one was quite beautiful and in a great location on Loch Awe..

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Ullapool.. Great fish & chips..
Ullapool.. Great fish & chips..
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus
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WOWZA..
WOWZA..
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New top box :))
New top box :))
More Oban..We met an awesome fella called "Jock" here, who used to be a boxer ...
More Oban..We met an awesome fella called “Jock” here, who used to be a boxer …
Oban wildcamping..
Oban wildcamping..
Scotland earned a place on the camper :)
Scotland earned a place on the camper 🙂
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Church Courtyard
Church Courtyard
According to wikipedia, the church is renowned for the fragment of bone that is rumoured to have come from Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland.
According to wikipedia, the church is renowned for the fragment of bone that is rumoured to have come from Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland.
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Angie lit a candle for Mam xx
Angie lit a candle for Mam xx
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St Conans Kirk Church, located on Loch Awe..
St Conans Kirk Church, located on Loch Awe..

End Mileage 13,312 (1,000 miles done)..

Applecross

Posted by snoman1964 on August 31, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

You simply can’t visit the Scottish Highlands without visiting Applecross.. You will read on many a blog or Facebook post about the treacherous mountain path which takes you there..

Firstly we have to mention the “Smile invoking” little road (B869) we took to Lochinver before arriving at Applecross.. 33 miles of pure joyful driving, along a single track road, following people on horseback, herds of Highland cattle, on a road that resembled the “Wild Mouse”  ride i once rode at Blackpool.. If yr in the vicinity, then make the effort to drive it..

So this is the sign yr greeted with when you first arrive…

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THE sign !!

I think its there to put the “Scaredy Cats” off, because its no worse than any roads we’ve driven in the Lakes or the Alps..  Definitely give it a go, because it is a brilliant experience !! The worsening conditions did make it more sphincter twitching for Mrs S, as we wheel span around the 1:5  hairpin bends on the way up lol..

Once there the Applecross Inn serves delicious home cooked food (generous portions) in a lively atmosphere.. There was no mobile signal at all and the wifi was very patchy, which was giving Mrs S,  DWS (daughter withdrawal symptoms) 😉

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We settled down for the night in the pub car park, looking out over the stretch of water to Skye..Yet again our sleep was thwarted by the strong winds, and we retreated to a car park a couple of hundred meters away, where we slept soundly until morn..

We decided to leave via the “alternative route” to take in as much of the scenery as possible, and even though the weather was again very blustery and rainy, it was still visually, a beautiful journey.. I don’t think even Scotlands worst weather could, detract from the Gorgeous Gorgeous scenery this country has been blessed with..

End Mileage 13,123

 

 

Dunnet Head to Kylesku..

Posted by snoman1964 on August 31, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Ok so first our apologies for not adding any blogs this year, but we have been busy having far too much fun  🙂

We watched the sun rise in the same Northerly sky as we watched it set the night before, and drove along the coast to Dunnet Head, which is the actual furthest point north of Mainland Britain..DSC_0193

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Its pretty cool down here Ange, come and see, er no thanks babe I’ll take  your word for it 🙂

Again the puffins nesting here were AMAZING to observe..

We took the A836 and followed the coastline “anti-clockwise” around the top of the Highlands.. Never having been this far north, we were stunned and amazed by the sheer beauty of this part of Scotland..  Around every corner we were greeted by a truly breathtaking vista.. We could not believe that on one side of the single track road we travelled, there was a beautiful green Glen, and on the other a picturesque unspoilt beach with golden sands and turquoise waters.. We were WOWED over and over each time we turned a corner or went over a brow of a hill.. So much so that it became almost expected (and we were never disappointed)…

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Oh oh not sure if I can get up here honey.. Nice foot wear for the climb Ange!!!!
Oh oh not sure if I can get up here honey.. Nice foot wear for the climb Ange!!!!
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Scotland’s many Archipeligos ..

 

We continued along and stopped at Smoo Cave.. The caves are quite unique within the UK as there formed by both salt water (outer cave) and fresh water (inner caves).. All in all well worth a stop along the way..

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Smoo Cave..

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I love it how you make me go first… it looks pretty dark in there eek !!

Leaving Smoo, we continued our journey through the truly astonishingly beautiful Highland roads..

The journey was taking much longer than it probably should, as we were stopping every 5 mins or so to jump out and take photographs…We started looking for somewhere to stop as the night was drawing in and the wind had started to pick up.. We arrived at Kylesku, and parked up in the car park just off the main road.. We togged up and headed into the village to explore.. At the end of the road we stumbled into the Kylesku Hotel, where we ate a delicious meal whilst overlooking the Loch.. Fed and watered we headed back to the Van.. The weather had really took a turn for the worse (typical July weather)..

As we walked through the village we were stopped dead in our tracks by a Stag not more than a couple of yards away, grazing in the garden of a house on the shoreline.. We stopped and videoed this magnificent animal (see our You Tube channel) said hello and watched him bound off into the night.. We looked at each other and laughed at the randomness of what had just happened, and walked back to the van, where we bedded down for the night.. The weather was rocking the van so bad, that we decided to pull down into the village for some shelter.. We drifted off to sleep happy and contented at our days adventure.. It was a Thursday and we had started to compare what we would have been doing on that particular day, if we had still been living “normal lives” Me on a building site in Middlesborough and Angie in a dreary office on the Team Valley in Gateshead..

End Mileage 12,965

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Ohh Hello Gorgeous !!
Ohh Hello Gorgeous !!
View towards Kylesku..
View towards Kylesku..
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Kylesku looking out over the Loch…

John O Groats…

Posted by snoman1964 on November 21, 2015
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

John O Groats..
Well we finally made it to JOG.. The most Northerly point on Mainland UK .. Oh no its not !! That title actually belongs to Dunnet Head, a few miles along the coast (which we visit tomorrow)..
JOG is a nice enough place but not much there and a bit touristy.. Looking for Free or Wildcamping spots We were directed to a car park aprox 2 miles away at Duncansby Head Lighthouse..
WHAT A STUNNING LOCATION.. Our view was out over the sea towards Orkney.. It was a view to die for.. we levelled the camper onto the chocks and set off to explore the coastline..
Within minutes we were at a stunning Crevasse teaming with hundreds of sea birds, and in particular Colonies of Puffins.. Again seeing these wild birds so up close in their own habitat was truly humbling.. We walked on further and were greeted by one of the finest sights on our trip.. The Duncansby Stacks.. Sheer rugged beauty and Mother Nature at her finest.. It always makes the experience more enjoyable when you are not expecting something and then you stumble on something Extra Extra special.. The photos don’t really do the stacks justice but it gives you a fair idea of the beauty we stood in awe of..
We returned to the camper with a warmth in our hearts from our beautiful unexpected experience..
We thought this was a fitting time to open one of our leaving presents.. A cheeky bottle of Rose, given to us from Daughter No2 the Gorgeous Jade Scott.. We toasted her as we sat watching the sun drop into the sea over Orkney… IMG_6058

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The Van…

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Cheers Jade xx

Inverness & The Cromarty Firth…

Posted by snoman1964 on November 8, 2015
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Inverness & The Cromarty Firth
Leaving St Andrews, the first place of note on our route North was Dundee.. It was a drab and dreary day, so i don’t think this helped with our opinion of this particular Scottish City..
However they did have something that we needed ! a  B & Q store provided us with an opportunity to purchase some bits and bobs for our tool box.. Afterwards we headed North again towards Inverness..
After scouting around Inverness for a while looking for somewhere to park up, we received a tip off from My Neighbour Gary Hedworth about a site up at Rosemarkie which was up on the Moray Firth, so we headed up the coastline.
We pulled into the car park just down from the site, and marvelled at the views back down towards the road bridge at Inverness.., After a chat and a cuppa with a few other “Freedom Campers” we decided to set up camp there for the night..

Lighthouse Moray Firth..

Lighthouse Moray Firth..

Looking Back towards Inverness..

Looking Back towards Inverness..

Grattans Catalogue pose ;)

Grattans Catalogue pose 😉

Relaxed ....

Relaxed ….

It was then we noticed a group of people congregated at the waters edge.. Being the curious types we are we picked up the trusty Nikon and went to investigate..
It was moments like this that make this adventure of ours even more special..
There were 2 Dolphins swimming less than 20 metres away from us.. They were swimming against the fast flowing tide and every 60 seconds or so they would leap out of the water with a Salmon in their mouths, then dive back underwater to enjoy the feast of Scotlands finest..

This was the best of about 250 shots :(

This was the best of about 250 shots 😦

A marvellous site to witness wildlife in their natural environment.. Again my thoughts turned to my Nature loving Mama, who once again seemed to be with us as we continued our journey 🙂
The following day we set off around The Cromarty Firth and The spectacular Eastern coastline towards to John O Groats…
🙂

Mileage 12,673

Oil Rig in the Cromarty Firth..

Oil Rig in the Cromarty Firth..

A bit off the beaten Trac tor..,.

A bit off the beaten Trac tor..,.

offshore Graveyard..

offshore Graveyard..

Even a Graveyard has a certain Beauty..

Even a Graveyard has a certain Beauty..

St Andrews

Posted by snoman1964 on November 6, 2015
Posted in: Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Refreshed and eager for action we ate a light breakfast and tidied the bedding away and headed for the Forth Bridges..Iconic structures that never fail to draw me in, to stop and wonder at the marvel of Engineering !DSC_0026

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DSC_0040 After photographs crossing the road bridge and underneath the rail bridge, we considered our route (as we had only basically planned John O Groats as the first real waypoint on our adventure)..
St Andrews jumped off the map at me !! it was coastal and they held the “Open Golf Tournament” there on occasion, so that satisfied 2 of our criteria for places to visit (well thats 2 criteria for me anyhoo) .. St Andrews it is then confirmed the co pilot..
As we drew nearer we started to see the familiar yellow AA signs indicating a large event was along the route somewhere.. Apparently the 2015 golf tournament had been held there this year said I .. As we drew closer it was evident the event had not taken place yet and as we drew even closer it became more apparent that we were actually arriving on the Eve of the start of the competition !! Parking Hell!! was my first thought, but then curiosity got the better of me and we headed into town..
A quaint Scottish Town filled to capacity with hundreds of folk waling around in various “Pringle” outfits.. We parked the van on the main drag and started to explore our surroundings..
Our initial plan was to do this epic adventure not so much on a budget, but being careful with our cash, as who knows where or how long it would last ? That was blown on the 2nd day as i wondered down a curious cobbled archway and poked my head around the door of “Forgans” Restaurant.. Quaint and old worldly (which ticked 2 of our boxes for places to eat) so I reserved a table for 2 at 7pm.. Back to the van and a quick change and a freshen up (as who knows, its a posh joint so we could be rubbing shoulders with the worlds “Elite” Golfers !!)… We Plumped for “Smart Casual” (who knew my black jacket would have seen service so early on) and found ourselves back at the restaurant, sharing our dinning experience with a hoard of “Pringle” wearing golf enthusiasts ha ha..

you’d never know we lived in a “Van”
Smart Casual.. Smart Casual..
Forgans Forgans

A delicious meal ensued, washed down with a nice bottle of the vino and 90mins later we left, my wallet £££s lighter (so much for the budget-Blown on the second night 😉
We returned to the van and slipped into something more comfortable, and had a wander around the old town and part of the 18th Hole….

The Hallowed 18th.. The Hallowed 18th..

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Taken by a kind American Guy.. Taken by a kind American Guy..

Tired and contented, we bedded down for the night, and slept well with our stomachs still bloated from the feast 🙂

Mileage 12,468

Night Night All 🙂

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