This is it. The very last blog of our NC500 trip in Scotland. 

As I explained in the last itinerary, the day’s plans changed and we spent quite a bit of the day in the car taking in the sights. I’ve since come to realise that we opted to avoid the crowded spaces as we weren’t quite used to them after a very quiet trip otherwise. It became very clear from our journey south from the Isle of Skye down to Glencoe that we were one of the many vehicles on the road and we both longed for the slower paced days from the first week of the trip. 

I’m not sure what it is about crowds that has us both clamouring for some quiet, it may be covid and its many lockdowns, it may be how used to space we have gotten on our recent hiking trips to Northumberland. We could speculate for a very long time about the whys and hows. The fact remains after being so quiet, we weren’t prepared for the big crowds on the popular resorts we were travelling through on day 12. 

That being said, arriving into Stirling to find the 3 Loch Forest Drive was as big a revelation as driving the NC500. The roads were smoother and much narrower but we didn’t see another soul for miles. Turning into the Forest Drive afforded us the much needed time to explore some beautiful woodland without feeling the rush of the roads we had experienced that very morning. 

The route through the forest is very short and we saw several small signs along the way marking camping sites. Baffled about what this meant, we pulled over at an absolutely stunning picnic spot and praised the phone signal that was reaching us. A quick look online told us that you can camp in this area for a ludicrously small fee. Mr W and I got to talking about our already ‘in the works’ return trip to Scotland. There were so many sites to pick from when putting our plans together that we had to pick our very favourites. However it was always in the back of my mind that a return trip may be on the cards and therefore the research we didn’t use was kept intact for future use. And there we were on our last day of the NC500 talking about returning to this spot to try our hand at camping in Scotland. 

I remember the time spent at that picnic area fondly, while Mr W flew the drone over the loch. I took the time to find order in the chaos of the car. I also changed for our meal later that evening. I smile now when I look back at the drone footage from that afternoon. There was no rush to head home or onto the next stop. It was comfortable. We had found our rhythm again. Amongst the trees and the calls of the birds we came to life. 

Travel really is such a blessing that we often take for granted. In 2020 we were so unbelievably grateful for the chance to travel to Italy in between lockdowns. In 2021 we spent a lot of time in the UK hiking. The Scotland trip of 2022 was our longest and most intricately planned trip we had ever taken as a couple. It was when we started talking about future trips, including the return to Scotland, that I was reminded of how lucky we are. A place that can stop you in your tracks and remind you of how fortunate you are is really special. 

There isn’t any one special place that does that for everyone collectively. So this highlight is about how it affected me and how I believe that when we travel we all find those places that draw out the best in us. This blog is a celebration of all those place we have found and loved and to the places we are yet to explore. 

Photo by Dave Watson
Please check out his work on https://www.instagram.com/davewatson_uk/ or at https://davewatson1980.picfair.com

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2023/02/16/nc500-day-12-itinerary/

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/09/28/nc500-day-12-glencoe-and-the-trossachs/