Minirolls Musings

Twisted Comfort

I know transit vans are not luxury vehicles, they are purposely built for lugging. Tools, TV’s, machinery, pipes, sand, builders, parcels, bikes. You name it and I’m sure there is a transit out there that has lugged it, or is even lugging it right now! I’m no different, I’m using the transit to lug all the things that make up my campervan, along with my lazy ass.

And, you’d be forgiven for thinking that for a vehicle with a primary purpose of lugging, it would be able to do this day in, day out, better than any other…. Right? And yes, the vehicle is happy to go as long as you need it to. But, as with most other technology, it is let down by the soft, sweaty, organic bit behind the wheel. I guarantee, your mechanical lugger can go all day, but your ass can’t.

No Lunch Lazy

We woke with a triangular view out into the fields beyond our quirky AirBnb. The bed was on a raised sleeping platform in the eves. This allowed us a view directly out the window opposite where some huge horses were starting the days graze. From here we could look over the edge, past the beams, and down into the minimal living space.

Castle Cache Splash

Today we were solid tourists, with a bit of nerdy-ness thrown in.

Monster Mountain Bike Mooch

After scoffing some chocolate croissants (the most suitable of all breakfast foods for an impending exertion of effort) I set off on the mountain bike. My goal was firmly set in my mind, despite the sat-nav saying it was going to be a 29 mile round trip…. I wasn’t committing myself to the whole loop, just one peak and the subsequent descent that looked to be good (read: steep)

John’O’Groats Again

I’ve been up here several times before…

Birthday Taskmaster Zoom Zoom

I must have got some weird looks today, as I struggled with the mattress. Its not every day you are asked to put “Something Impressive” on your head without using your hands. So as the cars zoomed past the layby, I was headbutting and shoulder barging the crap out of my mattress trying to accomplish the task.

Applecross Sunset

I was recommended to visit Applecross by someone before coming to Scotland one of the first times. I now make it a point to visit every time I come because it’s just an amazing view from the top.

Ben Nevis Blisters

Today is the day for a challenge. We are going up Ben Nevis. We decided to rise really early and set off walking just as it became light enough to say “Good Morning” to strangers. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake I had when doing this walk with Angus. We were sticking to the paths and the direct route. No off piste wandering this time. I even parked in the official visitor carpark to avoid the ridiculously steep first/last section of an alternative path that had practically killed my knees last time.

Robust Choices

During 2020, the Covid-19 virus has slowly but steadily eroded a mark into every facet of life. Wake up and watch TV, the presenters are sitting 2m apart from each other. Go to work, now means just walking from your bedroom to your spare room. Informal team meetings that used to be held in the foye are now typed out over messenger. Picking up dinner from the shops used to attract police attention if you wore a hood and bandanna around your face, now, its Wednesday.

Wet Walks And Waffles

After Aimi had been reminding me for days, leading up to the trip, I still hadn’t gotten any new waterproof walking trousers. We had made a special trip to Hathersage, and been to GoOutdoors twice, but still not found any I liked or fit properly. I wasn’t in a mad rush, I sort of remembered owning a cheap pair of plastic over trousers that may or may not have been stored in the overhead locker in the van. Well this afternoon it was due to rain, and we had just walked 3.5 miles into Oban to take a look around