Tag: travel planning

NC500 Day 10 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series.

Let’s crack on shall we, this is the itinerary for Day 10 on our NC500 tour of Scotland.

Our day changed dramatically due to the weather. So I’m going to give you our planned itinerary and you’ll be able to gain all information and thoughts about what we actually experienced here and on my summary of the day in the blogs linked below. Up until we arrived in Skye we had been very smug about how kind the weather had been to us and then… well, the waterfalls we had seen so far seemed to open above us. 

Today’s plans are not for the faint hearted. It is a very packed and strenuous day with two big hikes in it. This may seem too much but it will open up all of Skye to you. The big attractions are all there for you to see and love. Enjoy!

A little advice on this one. You will want to check your sunrise/set times on this one. The activities at the beginning and end rely on seeing the sun on the horizon. I think it would create the most amazing views.

Start your morning in the dark and drive up to the Old Man of Storr. This is a hike we unluckily didn’t venture on. We sat in the car park for a long time determining whether we should attempt it as the day’s hours ticked on. We decided it wasn’t the timing we had planned and therefore left it to our return trip. I advise making this your first point of call and parking up before sunrise to guarantee a space in the very busy car park and to also see some of the most spectacular views over the Applecross Peninsula on the mainland when the sun makes its appearance. The car park charges £2 for 2 hours and there are toilets on site. Below are some pretty clear instructions to help you make this walk safely and without too much confusion. Snacks will be needed I am sure. 

‘The path starts through the gate near the back of the car park.The wide path winds uphill through an area intended to regenerate with native woodland. Keep ahead/slightly right when the path forks although it doesn’t really matter as both join up later. The path passes through two gates to eventually reach the open moor with the spectacular cliffs of the Storr up ahead. The Old Man can be difficult to pick out from the cliffs behind from this point. Continue up the wide footpath. As more height is gained, look out for a clear path branching left; take this turning. The path contours a little before ascending, swinging right to climb up to the left of the Old Man. The next section of walk has some danger from rockfall – it should certainly be avoided after heavy rains. Follow a path that descends to pass around the back of the Old Man; the path is clear but crosses a short section of fallen rocks. This area – with towering cliffs and pinnacles all around – is known as the Sanctuary. Beyond the Old Man stands the Needle Rock – also known as the Cathedral, which has a window right through it near the top. Continue towards this, but turn right before reaching it to begin the descent. There are several variant paths at first but all soon join as the descent continues, passing well below the east side of the Old Man. Once back on the main path, follow it down to eventually retrace your steps back onto the made path through the felled area. Further down, you can turn right at the fork to follow an alternative, equally well made path for the descent section. This weaves about and passes a small lochan before rejoining the outward route. Continue down to return to the car park.’

Sounds impressive right? Even from the car park the view of the Old Man of Storr is impressive and should you get to experience this walk please let me know how it is. Please?

Make sure you have a big drink to replace all that expended energy. 

The next stop is really easy so don’t worry about those achy legs. The car park is free (as of this blog) and it’s quite literally a minute’s walk away from the cliff’s edge. As mentioned in the previous days, itinerary sites on Isle of Skye are considerably busier than the mainland and you may therefore have a long wait for an up close photo opportunity. Be patient, it is absolutely worth it!

Unfortunately we didn’t go on the next visit. It is supposed to be great with actual dinosaur prints that aren’t roped off so you can get up close and personal. I know you are down at the water’s edge so take waterproof clothing and enjoy! Don’t linger too long, you have lots more to see and the next stop is the busiest point on today’s itinerary. 

The Quiraing viewpoint is absolutely breathtaking. The smallest amount you’ll pay at the car park is £3 but you do get 3 hours. The car park is bigger than most on the island and although busy you won’t find yourself waiting long for a space to become vacant. On site there is a food van selling hot dishes to warm you up after the strong winds found here. You can spend anywhere between 20 minutes to 2 hours here. There is a hike which looked absolutely incredible from the viewpoint and if the weather had been kinder we would have definitely given it a go. Take note of the signposted areas to prevent you from quite literally slipping down to meet the land below. Wrap up warm!

Next, take the very scenic drive to Rha waterfall. You will find the road here very steep in places and much of it is single track so act as the locals do and be kind and courteous. It becomes second nature after travelling so much of the NC500 to accept the to and fro of the single track road however due to the influx of day tourists you may find some impatience forming. Remind yourself it is the journey not the destination and you’ll be fine. 

I’ve given you two sets of details (both What3Words) to find Rha waterfall. One for the parking, which is free, and one for the gate which opens onto the short walk to the falls. This is a very short but rewarding walk. It is much less busy than other sites on the island and you’ll find yourself lucky to find some peace and quiet in this beautiful spot.  

We found the next spot quite difficult to find and therefore I’ve given you another set of What3Words instructions. In most cases you will be given a postcode to find sites in Scotland. This covers a vast amount of space and with very little SatNav signal and/or phone signal it can become quite difficult to find places. I advise downloading the W3W app and using it offline as much as possible. The car park at the Fairy Glen in Uig is brand new and charges £2 for 2 hours. Which I think is a generous amount of time for this site. It is fairly straightforward walking around the base of these mounds. Take care if you wish to take a birds eye view, rain causes very slippery conditions and there are some fairly steep sections. As we arrived in the rain I know we didn’t fully appreciate this site which is a damn shame.

Now, the next and last stop of the day is a biggie. It’s one of the big reasons we will return to the Isle of Skye as we also missed this walk due to the weather. Neist Point Lighthouse is a 2 hour hike to the coastal area of northern Skye. There have been sightings of whales from here and in my opinion as a sunset chaser, it will be a wonderful end to a full but exceptional day. As we didn’t accomplish this walk I have given you the information below for the walk. I would like to think that a well trodden path would be easy to see but you never know!

‘Begin by following the path through the gate, which if locked can be easily walked round. Almost immediately turn left on the path, which then swings right to ease the descent to the headland far below. There is a metal handrail for most of the descent. Continue along the now level path. It is possible to detour to the right to visit the edge of the cliffs, overlooking the great prow of An t-Aigeach, the dramatic upstanding crag half way out on the headland. To the left are great views to the impressive cliffs of Waterstein Head and the Hoe, the second highest on Skye. At the highest point of the constructed path, a grassy path heads off to the right – this is an optional detour to the top of An t-Aigeach. If you decide to visit the top, take great care near the cliff edge, and retrace your steps back to the main path. As the corner is rounded the lighthouse comes into view for the first time. Continue along the path towards the lighthouse and the former keepers’ cottages. From the path junction, you can turn left along a made path to reach the crane and crane. It is also worth detouring across rougher pathless ground beyond the lighthouse complex to reach the furthest point. The return route is back the same way. It is worth detouring to the left from the path before it heads round An t-Aigeach to visit the cliff edge; from here you can watch seabirds in season but take care as the edge is, of course, unprotected.’

And there you have it. The top sites of the Isle of Skye in one day. I hope it serves you well. You deserve a big dinner and drink to toast the day. 

Staying on the Isle of Skye means you need to just return to your accommodation and relax. Tomorrow we return to the mainland. Our journey draws to its conclusion. But for now, chill.

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2023/02/13/highlight-10-of-the-nc500-the-quiraing/

NC500 Day 9 – Itinerary
NC500 Day 10 – Fairy Glen, Quiraing and Mealt Falls

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2023/02/13/highlight-10-of-the-nc500-the-quiraing/

NC500 Day 9 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning! The NC500 route around Scotland is, as you may have guessed, approximately 500 miles. From our starting point in Essex, up to the route, around the Isle of Skye and back home via the Lake District we covered 2800 miles. This journey will see you cover many many miles and have your eyes peeled back as far as they will naturally go. It is a joy to travel this route and explore every corner. 

145 days ago we loaded up our car with as much long life food as possible, A LOT of wet weather gear and what we like to think were sensible purchases to make our experience in the wilds of the Scottish highlands as comfortable and safe as possible. There are other blogs on my page about our purchases and how we also kept the budget down. Keep tuned in for other tips and itinerary hacks. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

This is the itinerary for Day 9 of our NC500 road trip. 

We stayed in Applecross on the evening of day 8 and if you haven’t read the highlight of that day, I would take a moment to read it before you decide on your accommodation!

Staying in or around Applecross will give you a good starting point for the amazing journey to the Isle of Skye. Below is a guideline for timings. There are also other visits I will suggest on this one as I have heard they’re amazing and unfortunately we didn’t make it this time. 

Unfortunately our first stop of the day was closed but I have heard wonderful things about Manuelas Bakery (A87, Ardelve/Kyle IV40 8DY) which can be found on the approach to the Isle of Skye. They usually open at 8am and serve breakfast items which would be great for your journey. This place closes in the winter much like the rest of the highlands, so check out their social media pages to double and triple check that they are open. Do let me know what you think so I can incorporate this into our next trip! 

Make your way to the Skye Bridge get ready for the busiest part of your journey so far. The Isle of Skye is used by many tourists as a place to see ‘all’ of Scotland in one place. There are lots of minibuses and car parks are very busy. Tour buses come here on 5 day trips from Glasgow and Glencoe. It provides people with enough insight to say they have seen Scotland without venturing too far from the main towns and airports. Each to their own and I’m taking this opportunity to warn you that you are in for a big awakening from the sleepy nature of the trip so far. Take it in your stride and remind yourself that patience is a virtue! 

The main roads on the Isle of Skye are in excellent condition. Just watch out for the deer on those early morning drives. We had two very close incidents indeed.

From the Skye Bridge find your way to Coo View Point, if like me you have become enamoured with the highland cuties this is definitely a good spot to stretch the legs and take in the view and the love. Parking is more like a layby and as it is not signposted once again I have detailed the exact spot you’ll need using What 3 Words. 

From here you’ll find it an easy drive down to Sligachan Bridge. The car park, although small, does empty out rather quickly owing to the very small attraction here. I advise you to allow yourself just a short amount of time here as there really is a limited amount to do and it is a small tick off the list of things to see today and the next stop needs as much time as you can muster. 

The Isle of Skye Fairy Pools are exceptionally popular. We went in late September and yet the two car parks were very busy. There is a free car park on the approach to the second car park which costs £6. Now I know you will wonder why we chose the second car park and truth be told, we were just glad to be able to park at all. However in the second car park there was a new toilet block which we were exceptionally grateful for and it gave great views over to Bidean Druim nan Ramh. We did see the walk back to the first, free car park on our return from the pools and it was up a very steep road and after the 2.5 hours we spent hiking the area we were glad of our choice. The Fairy Pools are exceptional and I do wonder if they become easier to navigate in the drier summer months. I suspect people choosing to vacation within the UK during two years of disrupted travel has caused a lot of the muddy pathways to become as treacherous as they were and advise very sturdy footwear. There is so much to see and there are a lot of chances to swim in the pools. I advise going in with an open mind. This is the busiest place we went to on Skye.

From here there is a deviation from the itinerary below. A short 15 minute drive away is the Oyster Shed (W3W notifying.scored.pays.), serving you guessed it … oysters. I have heard wonderful things about this place and even though it was closed I would try and return when we are back in Skye. I advise checking their social media pages to double check when they are open and again this place will be seasonal. 

Before you attempt the next walk, I advise food, keeping snacks in the car is a must while on Skye as there are very few shops dotted around and even fewer out of season. It’s peculiar to think of places having an out of season in late September and yet we found it to be the case very often. Although not particularly taxing, this walk does go on and on and I hope the pay off at the end is better for you than us. It rained the ENTIRE time. We literally walked through clouds. And yet it was still an experience that makes me laugh even now. The car park is very very small and at the time we were there only 3 cars fit. I have included the What 3 Words directions here as it is a blink and you’ll miss it kind of situation. I have tried to include the directions I used from google to guide you on your way, however should you have a phone signal using the W3W directions again (W3W aced.warned.relieves) to find Talisker beach would serve you well when you think you are lost. 

 ‘At the end of the car park on the left hand side the public road becomes a private drive, follow the track. You will have a stone wall on your right hand side which is a large walled garden with mature trees overhanging the wall. On the left there is a grass bank. After a short walk you will get to the first metal gate, on the right by the wall there is a smaller gate head on through and continue down the drive with the stone wall on your right. You will get to a large white house with various outbuildings, the track continues on and remains clear in direction. Cross a concrete bridge and follow the track as it gently rises up to the second metal farm gate. Open the gate and head on through (carefully closing the gate behind you). You are now on the hillside where there is likely to be grazing sheep. The track continues with a slight raise. Looking ahead you will start to see the bay and the high cliffs that surround the beach. Follow the farm track which remains very clear. This track carries on to the beach and you can see most of the route ahead. Nearing the beach the track raises up towards an open gateway. Passing through the open gateway and turn right. Now with the beach in sight the path fades away. Cross a short grassy area to access the beach. The top of the beach is covered in rounded grey rocks, when the tide is lower a large grey sandy beach is exposed. On the right hand side of the beach there are high cliffs and a huge waterfall.’

I do hope your walk is better than ours as the pictures of Talisker waterfall online are absolutely stunning. Do let me know if you succeed!

After two big walks you deserve a much needed return to ‘civilisation’ and making your way to Portree does just that. Its tightly packed streets are beautiful and have several options for food. We chose to park on the Quay itself which is just next to the fish and chip shop. I highly recommend this place. There is no seating inside but grab your dish and use your dashboard as a table. You may be as lucky as us and spot a harbour seal swimming around the fishing boats looking for his next meal. ITs a beautiful spot to stop to watch the boats bob about and rest your tired feet. 

Should you like one more small walk the Apothecary Tower (W3W symphony.spruced.passport) is nearby and offers views over Portree and the surrounding landscape. I haven’t included it in our itinerary below as we can’t give you a fair recommendation as we opted out of this one. We just needed to peel the soaking clothes from our bodies and sleep. Really we should have pushed ourselves. It is a ten minute walk from the quay. 

Book a night’s accommodation on the Isle of Skye. Portree and the surrounding area will serve you best for tomorrow’s itinerary.

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2023/02/07/highlight-8-of-the-nc500-hartfield-house-hostel/

Highlight 9 of the NC500 – The Fairy Pools
NC500 Day 8 – Itinerary

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/09/25/nc500-day-9-isle-of-skye-fairy-pools-and-talisker-bay-beach/

NC500 Day 8 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning! It has been 121 days since we set off on our huge Scotland road trip. The NC500 route around Scotland is, as you may have guessed, approximately 500 miles. From our starting point in Essex, up to the route, around the Isle of Skye and back home via the Lake District we covered 2800 miles. This journey will see you cover many many miles and have your eyes peeled back as far as they will naturally go. It is a joy to travel this route and explore every corner. 

121 days ago we loaded up our car with as much long life food as possible, A LOT of wet weather gear and what we like to think were sensible purchases to make our experience in the wilds of the Scottish highlands as comfortable and safe as possible. There are other blogs on my page about our purchases and how we also kept the budget down. Keep tuned in for other tips and itinerary hacks. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

This is the itinerary for Day 8 of our NC500 road trip.

Today’s itinerary is completely relaxed owing to the heavy first 7 days. I am for the first time including our accommodation as I will cover this in the next blog, ‘Highlight eight of the NC500’. Should you choose to stay outside of Applecross after travelling the Bealach Na Ba you’ll have plenty of time for the extra driving. 

Starting your day from Aultbea means your first drive of the day should take approximately 50 minutes. Red point beach feels like it is in the back of nowhere and I am happy we eventually found it. Please use the ‘What 3 words’ details below. I know, I know, I stress the importance of this app but it truly is a game changer. Red Point beach itself is pretty enough, however it has become a much publicised area due to social media attention and personally Mr W and I did not feel the magic that is portrayed online. Maybe this is due to the filters that videos and pictures are passed through these days or maybe the red sand is better highlighted on a sunny day. Either way, the huge sand dunes make for a hilarious hike and the nearby farmers fields have lots of cute cattle to say ‘Morning’ to. As my itinerary says, wild swimming is possible at Red Point Beach and as my highlight of Day 7 will reiterate, swimming in Scottish waters is the best experience! You reach the beach via a farmers field but other than the dunes it is not a strenuous walk. 

From here take the short drive to Victoria Falls, another signposted location on the NC500, and take in one of the most accommodating car parks so far. The pathways that lead to the well placed viewpoints are recently laid. The views of Loch Maree from all points on the pathway are fantastic. Due to the short walk from the car park to the viewing area this place is popular! Do not worry if you have to wait for a car park space. Although small, the car park does empty relatively quickly. I implore you to take your time at both the wooden viewing platform and the monumental spot at the very top. 

It is a very short drive to the next destination of Glen Docherty viewpoint, however on route there is an excellent toilet block funded by the local community in Kinlochewe (W3W flattered.squirted.presented). There are lots of recycling options in the car park should you need to unload car rubbish and there is a tap supply of fresh drinking water. Please donate to the upkeep of the toilet block. 

Make sure you have lunch for the next stop as you take in the Glen Docherty Glen from your car. We stopped here for such a long time watching the winding road, hillsides and Loch Maree in the distance. We saw deer grazing on the steep slopes and were utterly entranced. Eat lots of delicious food and drink it all in. The next destination of the day is not for the fainthearted. 

Please take the route through Torridon for the most awe-inspiring scenes in Scotland. This is true untouched wilderness and there were at least a dozen times I wanted to jump from the car and go running through the landscape. You will soon find yourself on the approach to the Bealach Na Ba where huge metal signs take care to label all warnings to the road across the Applecross Peninsula. It is a very well known spot in Scotland and is almost a rite of passage to all NC500 travellers. We travelled in an SUV and found the going easy however anything bigger and older would make it different for sure. Different is the only word I can find to describe scary but with an aim to push you to just do it anyway! Take your time, ignore people trying to speed you along and take notice of where and when you are and aren’t allowed to stop/pull over. This road is to be appreciated by your eyes and fear responses. Your phone and camera comes second. The view from the top is absolutely breathtaking. There is an air of community spirit and happiness for all the drivers at the viewpoints. Many people turn around and head back the way they came. However, if you feel like stopping for the day and having a completely chilled evening, carry on to Applecross itself.  

Highlight 8 of the NC500 – Hartfield House Hostel
NC500 Day 7 – Itinerary
NC500 Day 8 – Red Point Beach, Victoria Falls and the Bealach Na Bà

Happy 2023

Hello 2023. I won’t pretend I’m shocked at how long it’s been since I’ve written. There’s been a lot going on, there always is and somehow writing has taken the biggest back step to everything else. It’s a shame because of how much I love it, how much there is to tell you and just how much it helps. However, forcing it also isn’t great. 

So where do I begin. We’ve had SO many days out in London which have been amazing. Unfortunately, the saturation of the word amazing in social media these days is quite something but let’s take it back to basics. ‘Amazing.’ It is when something amazes you and I’m not talking about the perfect frothy detail on your cappuccino, no I’m talking about something that quite literally feels your mind with amazement. Whether it be on the day, that evening, the day after and/or when you look back at pictures taken. We obviously have the great pleasure in doing the latter frequently because we are big photo takers and we had 4, 5, 6 (can’t remember until I recap them) amazing days out which means there are plenty of photos to go through. Two of those days in particular would not have been possible without meeting our new friends from America, which I’ll go into more detail when I recap those days. 

Mr W and I had a lovely Christmas, which after 2 years of covid disruptions (it took me a long time to think of polite word ‘disruption’), was really nice to just again get back to basics.  Lots of family time, good food and just stopping. That actual stopping of work and plans and obligations, as such, and rushing around. It was really important for us to do that and we knew the benefits of stopping because we do it every year. Every Christmas Mr W will have off a big chunk of time and we halt the horses so to speak. However after the last couple of months it’s been just horrifically busy and we have been (I think) closest to burnout that we’ve ever been. It was both nice and necessary to just stop and we really did. There were days where we didn’t get dressed. We didn’t eat anything but Christmas leftovers. It was absolutely great.

Moving forward into this year things are going to look a bit different for us both. We’re already planning some big big renovation works in the house. Which is very exciting. It does mean that our travel budget is cut in half this year. Which seen as we are on year 2 of working on a travel budget it’s quite strange. It is all very new territory for us. I must say that Mr W and I do shine best when we have a project as a couple and I am so excited for our ideas to come together. Of course, it will be lovely to have our very own bathrooms rather than a shower that doesn’t work and a bathtub we have to vault to get clean. Back to travel; we’re maybe going to have a weekend away before starting the renovations and then a big travel trip at the end of the year. We’re going to do a lot more days than in 2022. I’ve actually taking it on myself to write a list of all the day trips we planned last year and never got to. This is done to other commitments and the fact there are only 52 weekends in a year. I mean, hardly fair is it!

Last March, we planned to do Dancing Ledge on the Jurassic Coast when we spent time in the New forest but we simply ran out of time. So 2023 will be the year we catch up doing things like that. It would be great to do these big days out and freshen our weekends up with adventures. We’ve got the wet suits, so who knows what we’ll get up to! There is a lot more we both want to see in London but we also just want to enjoy the silly things. This Saturday, rather than you know have a coffee in bed (something we love and certainly plan on doing a whole lot more of this year, adding our books into the mix) or drive to town and having a coffee, we’re going to drive into London for free parking and have one in St Katherine’s Dock. It is honestly just such a lovely place. Even though you’re in the middle of the city, you find this micro community hidden behind the tall buildings of Tower Hill. It feels like nobody really knows about it or if they do it’s like it’s our little secret. It’s like our own little club of people that’s waiting for the waking up of the city that surrounds it. And that is a simple moment between us, coffee and the city noises. 

The big trip this year is looking like it’s going to be in September. Shocker right? I don’t want to tell you too much right now because although it’s not heavily reliant on budget it is slow in its emergence from ideas and trying to push ourselves to go new places and do brand new things. There seems to be a form of doing less in the way of tours and entrances and yet more in experiences that mean more to us. There will be some moving from country to country via train. To gain the most from this means a lot of research, as you can imagine we don’t just want to move from country to country and not be on the best route to see what the new country is all about! 

When we went to Brussels in November (blog coming soon) we were there for roughly 30 hours.It was just so thrilling to be in a brand new country (for us, tick!). We didn’t feel rushed even though it was a very short amount of time. Those kinds of experiences wake you up a bit and it felt revitalising to have left the UK for the first time since late 2020. 

We have had such a busy but beautiful and blessed life since our return from Scotland that there has been a vast array of things to write about. However, lately it’s been problematic to find the time to write. There is a lot going on and in all honestly when Mr W gets home I just want our time to be together. I don’t want to be typing or editing. I came to the conclusion on our return from Scotland that we really only have a very small window each weekday to be together. 3 or 4 hours away from the office in which we can live our married life and just enjoy ‘us’ without the interruption of other hobbies and choices. It won’t always be so easy. We aren’t simply a family of ‘two’, we have a large family that is important and it is my goal this year to see as many of them as possible and more often. It’s never a duty or a chore, it’s just a case of prioritising. So if I can write during the day. Perfect. 

Speaking of nightly activities, when Mr W gets home we inherently have dinner and watch TV. Which is fine. When you consider that the nights have been darker, it’s been colder, the snow, oh god the snow (!) laziness is put into perspective weather-wise. But since New Year’s Eve (and this was very subconscious on both our parts) we kind of realised that we didn’t want to sit on the sofa every night, just watching something for sake watching it. This was called into conversation when Mr W asked me out on a date night last week! How cute. We went out to dinner, which we never really do, we’re always so budget conscious that we don’t go out. Most of the time, we cook, it’s rare that we get takeout, if we’re gonna have pizza we’ll dig one out of the freezer. Which is obviously everybody’s nightmare. You always want takeout pizza, they just taste better and that’s a fact. I digress! We went out for dinner. It was lovely. Really lovely. And last night,  we went to the cinema. The fact that it cost a tenner is just awesome and I am pushing myself to think that £10 here and there will not blow our chances of travelling this year out of the water. Or… other obviously important things like paying bills and house renovations. Of course. Last night we had a very very cheap Costco dinner sitting at the plastic table and chairs, you know the ones, inside the store. And for a supremely awesome dessert, I smuggled in my pocket some leftover Christmas chocolates. It really was a really cheap night out. Something  like £17/18. We’re planning on doing a lot more of these kinds of nights out and chop and change it up a bit.

2023. It’s here. It’s almost unexpected to be here. Not living, but that 2023 is here already, where did 2020/21/22 go? It is is time to get back into the writing and there are a few other projects I’m working on at the moment. All time consuming but worthwhile. Just need to find my rhythm again. I’ve been dictating this particular piece if you have noticed how much my writing changes when I do so. It just gives me a chance to get back into the swing of it before starting with a big piece with just typing. There’s so much to write about as well. I’ll need to write a little list of what I can share with you all. I’ll be heading back to the Scotland pieces soon, as I’m a hater of unfinished business and the itineraries could really help you, someone, plan that NC500 trip you’ve been longing to go on. 

I really love the fact that I’m still getting followers despite my absence, hello to all of you, it may mean that this blog resonates with people which is really special actually. I didn’t think it would to be honest and in the beginning it was just some way of me talking through things. If you like what you’re reading and feel like sharing it please do send the link on to people you think may like it too. Thank you for sticking around if you’ve been here since the beginning and thank you to everyone who has ‘liked’ and shared the odd writing over the last couple of weeks. Until next time, be kind to yourself. I think that’s the most important thing we can learn from the past couple of years. Do what makes you happy. I’ll see you soon.

NC500 Day 2 – Itinerary

Hello and welcome back to the Scotland itinerary series. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

As you may have seen from the itinerary from Day 1 (link below) we started our trip on the eastside of Scotland which is quite unusual as it approaches the NC500 in an anticlockwise manner. Most tips tell you to combat the route in a clockwise form, however as we had plans in Edinburgh and we had plans to finish in the Lake District this worked better for us. Mr W had also heard a tidbit about travelling anti-clockwise too. In all honesty, everything I heard prior to our trip suggested that the east coast of Scotland is vastly different to the western side. In a way I would agree, they are very different. However, in the opinions I read it became quite obvious that people favour the west coast of the Highlands which is a shame. The east has so much to offer and I found it was just the best build up to the rest of the journey. It gradually envelops you into the route. The villages are pretty and the coastline is easier to navigate on foot. 

So without much ado, let’s continue with the itinerary. This was one of the easiest days in terms of navigation.

Day 2 was such a beautiful day filled with wonderful activities to help you stretch those legs as you introduce yourself to Scotland.

We ate in our hotel room in order to save time and money. We used our pre-packed oats and our hotel had a kettle so this really helped us. 

Start your day as early as sunlight allows. The Old PackHorse Bridge needs at least the beginnings of sunlight to fully appreciate. We made sure to get here mega early so we were alone and there was just one other vehicle in the car park when we arrived. The walk to the bridge is along the main road in the town of Carrbridge. It was very easy and yet packed a punch for those early morning thrills. To get the best view of the bridge itself there is a wooden staircase just a few metres off of the current bridge. Please take care using these stairs, they can be extremely wet. 

From here we journeyed to the House of Bruar which stands in front of the pathway to the Falls of Bruar. Parking is free. There is much advice online to use the toilets in this establishment as they are rumoured to be the ‘poshest’ toilets in the highlands. I cannot confirm or deny this fact as we were quick to leave after spending a lot more time on the hike than we originally planned. There is advice online about the walk itself. It says to turn left as you approach the first bridge on this walk. One thing I can advise to the unsteady on their feet is to cross the bridge and take the walk up the hill on the right hand side of the river. It is a steep walk which I for one could only tackle uphill. If I were presented with that steepness on the descent I would not have been happy. We did the loop walk anticlockwise in its entirety and still got to see everything. The descent on the left hand side had long stretches of large rocks embedded in dryer earth to walk down. This is something for you to consider as you approach this walk. 

Something I do wish we had done is visit the House of Bruar which is a huge complex of shops with clothing, trinkets and even plants. It looked so decadent and by the time we had returned from the falls it was really filling up. Maybe add an hour onto your day and take time to look around? I also spied a coffee area which would be a welcome treat after your walk!

Having spent so long at the falls, we head straight to Clansman Harbour, Inverness for our Loch Ness Cruise. Our cruise time was at 2pm. There are other times for the cruises so you could potentially get a cruise at 4pm if this suits you better. We went with the 50 minute Clansman cruise which was perfect for us. If we had had the time, we would have approached Inverness via Fort Augustus to give us the perfect introduction to Loch Ness. By doing this you will drive from Fort Augustus up the left hand side of the Loch to Canmans Harbour and be able to peek out at the water as you go. 

Not usually one to jump on the typical tourism bandwagon the cruise was a welcome relief from walking and driving. When you think of Inverness and Scotland in particular you, or maybe just I, always think of Nessie. So I just had to include this on our trip. It was relatively cheap and, as expected, packed with tourists. We had no trouble getting a seat. The only trouble was the grey sky and the condensation on the inside of the windows. It meant we didn’t see much of the Loch itself and as it is a looping cruise, you see the same bits out and inwards. Would I do it again? No. Am I glad we did it? Yes. It feels like a rite of passage for sure. I have linked the website below for you to book your tickets. The car park for the harbour is located across the road so don’t let the location fool you. Try and arrive ahead of your journey time as there aren’t many car park spaces and there are lots of people arriving by coach. There is a walkway that gives you safe passage under the busy road to the harbour. This is conveniently located next to a large ‘Nessie’ statue at the far end of the car park. A large gift shop can also be found at this location. 

Be aware, there are not very many gift shops on the route and therefore you should buy any desired trinkets when you see them. Prices remained similar in the few shops I did see. For example, magnets were generally £2.50-3.99.

After our brief cruise we made our way to Plodda Falls, which was well signposted on the approach. There is a charge for the car park which is very reasonable. We found there were quite a few midges here so grab those midge nets or deet sprays. We didn’t fare too badly on this entire trip but it is always good to be prepared. The waterfall here is exceptional and the observation deck is NOT to be missed. There are two trails you can try. The white marked Plodda Falls Trail and the green marked Tweedmouth Trail. Somehow we started on the white trail and finished on the green trail. I know I know, we did not start very strong on our trial following. But there are no complaints about doing it this way. If you have time constraints, definitely do the first trail and if unsure, just retrace your steps. 

A perfect end to a fantastic day! We stayed in Strathpeffer and booked in for two nights for the next few days’ activities. (Review to be linked below soon!)

Oh and your car will be absolutely filthy from the dusty, single track road to Plodda. Sorry about that! The Scottish rain will soon sort it right out.

https://www.jacobite.co.uk/tours

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/09/highlight-two-of-the-nc500-a-tall-observation/

NC500 Day 2 – Bruar, Loch Ness and Plodda Falls
NC500 Day 1 – Itinerary

Travel is a universal language

Sticky notes lay out in various colours across my bedroom floor. My friend and I had some planning to do. Our first trip abroad was looming and we wanted to make the most of it. We were 17 going on 18 and New York was calling. My friend had wholeheartedly been on board with going on the trip however when I asked what she wanted to do she had no idea. The pressure was on to make sure she had the best time. In my mind I had wandered those streets thousands of times. Now I was preparing to make those walks a reality. 

As we sat there on that wooden floor, we used the post it notes to piece together a plan for our 5 days in Manhattan. We put them into columns based on which days they would work best on and used a map to pinpoint which stops were close to one another. This was way before I was confident using the internet and so the process took us a few hours. And yet it was exciting. 

The trip in the Spring of 2004 was amazing. Perfect even. And therein started the development of my skills towards itinerary creation. Since then I have created itineraries for family, clients and Mr W and myself. It is an absolute joy. There is something so soothing to create something particular and bespoke. A blank piece of paper transforms into a carefully crafted and researched travel bible.

I’ve never really had much confidence in my ability. It is a mixture of self esteem issues and a bad experience working in the travel industry. Recently I have felt particularly crap about it all due to my client list becoming practically nil due to the pandemic. 

Last week, I had the best time talking to a new friend on zoom. She lives in America and we met on a facebook group in March 2020. The group was a place to talk about Italy and at the time was being flooded with questions about Covid and how the country was doing. It became very clear very quickly in which way the new virus was going and it became a space to share fears and tips on how to salvage our bookings.

Over two years later Carrie and I have shared pleasantries online. We have a similar travel history and I was able to share our trip to Italy in September 2020 with her as she is yet to rebook her own. Just a month or so ago she told me the very exciting news that she would be coming to England for the first time. She asked if I would look at her list of plans and let her know if I could recommend anything she had missed. 

I said it might be worthwhile talking ‘in person’ and after a few hiccups we finally ‘met’ last week. I’m always nervous meeting a new person but having been laid up with a bad back all day and only remembering that I was due online at the last minute I felt exceptionally unprepared. As someone who is trying to remember that the least interesting thing about myself and others is the way we look, I annoying found myself finger-brushing my hair and thanking my low-light lamp.

No worry was ever needed less. Carrie was so friendly and intrigued by my accent that we spent a good 20 minute talking about all sorts of things. Afterwards, we got down to the nitty gritty and talked incessantly about London. Although Mr W and I spend a lot of our free weekends in our capital city I do find that we avoid tourist traps and feel that our days there would not be too impressive to an out of towner. It soon became clear that the index in my mind was so much bigger than I originally thought and I found myself smiling as Carrie took copious notes. It was as if a light had blinked into life in my brain and I sat for over an hour unloading everything I knew. We agreed to meet up when she comes over and I sat in quiet contentment at my ability to spurt out knowledge so quickly. There was another half hour or so of chatter about Paris, Italy and how we generally approach travel and I felt the prickles of twinship with another soul.

With promises to share our Scotland trip with her and glance over her London itinerary upon my return I signed off for the night. I sat for a while smiling. A new friendship across the Atlantic ocean was forming and based on something so very special to me. 

It was a great pleasure to be reminded of just how much travel is embedded in my very being. I’ve been quietly simmering with pride ever since. It also reminded me of how friends can come from anywhere at any time in our lives. I am revelling in a new experience however small it may seem from the outside looking in. 

Note to self, this is just another reason to take a chance when you maybe aren’t feeling your most confident.

Planning the NC500 cont.

Well here we are, I have covid.

I ‘the ultra liable to get sick’ have managed for two and a half years to keep completely healthy and bam it’s got me!

So far it’s been body aches, night sweats and shivers, a running tap of a nose and loss of appetite. Oh, and the sore skin! Omgosh. My skin feels burned. 

But other than that I am lucky. Either without the jabs, now or back in 2020, or with a stronger strain perhaps, things could have been so different. 

I’m counting my lucky stars for sure. 

Sleeping hasbeen the main course of action. Yesterday I saw sunlight for 4 broken hours. Crazy. Today the aches are subsiding, the temperature is just hot hot hot and I’m not so tired. Ever the optimist, ha, I’m thinking this all means good. I’ve taken solace that I havent lost my sense of taste, albeit I’m not hungry but I’m guzzling down tea like never before and it does taste like tea so yippee!

You may have noticed my last few posts were rather abstract. With my fuzzy head I delved into my archive of writings and dug out what I could. It was that or mash my forehead on the keyboard and pray for something good to come out of it. I will let you decide if the route I chose was the best. 

So Scotland, there have been several updates to the plans which is great. It’s finally getting somewhere! We are no longer stuck in a rut and movement is being made.

Most of the hotels have now gotten back to me regarding the recycling emails I sent out, so that is a big weight off of my chest. I’ve compiled all the info (nerd) so I know how to plan for our sustainable rubbish collections as we go along. 

After trying to fit a whiskey distillery into our trip, Mr W decided it wasn’t worth all the detouring and squeezing of our timelines. So that is a rather big adjustment I don’t have to make. I don’t drink whiskey at all, Mr W would give it a go, but ultimately it is something you are told time and time again to do when you head to the highlands, so into the plans it went. Unfortunately the time we have in Skye was planned around one particular distillery, and when it came to booking, they are under refurbishment. There is SO much we want to do on the Isle of Skye that adjusting became such a nightmare. It was doable, by my standards at least, but it did mean another day of getting up at an ungodly hour. And quite frankly, if my stomach and gag reflex around whiskey is anything like it is around brandy, we could have been in a bit of a pickle. That pickle being a mound of pukey puke puke! So that’s another item… not ticked, but deleted off the to-do list. Which in a way has given us more time to wander around Portree harbour and we actually get time for a hot meal. I mean, hello!

Speaking of which, I finally remembered to call a restaurant to book us in for dinner the night before we arrive in Inverness. It is in a tiny town at the very top of the Cairngorms, and one of the last times we’ll eat hot food off of a plate. Sounds dramatic, but it is true. 

I’ve had a brief look into geocaching and nothing jumped out at me when I looked at the list. This may be something I come back to at a later date. Maybe. Probably one sleepless night. This is a possible ‘to be continued’ moment. 

I’ve also tried paying off our final accommodations and yet they are all pay on arrival, so that’s a note made on the itinerary. 

All rather boring stuff I’m afraid. I’ve even tried to book the very last thing on my list and the website is being refurbished, so I can’t! Ha! You cannot make it up.

Right now, I’m checking out locations on our route that can help us get some family tartan. That would be the only souvenir I plan to get on this whole trip, so I want to make sure that I pre-order it and that I don’t have to travel too far off of our route to get it. I have a few that I’ve found and will check them out soon.

All very thrilling stuff as I’m sure you can determine for yourself. For now, my head is getting fuzzy, my temperature is spiking and my final cup of tea of the day is calling. 

Well done to the people who have beaten me and still not caught covid. Thank you to the jabs for making sure I’m not suffering too badly. And praise the tea-god for they are all so powerful!

Planning for the NC500

It has been a while since I’ve given an update on the big trip coming up for us in late summer. As of midnight tonight, our mega busy month of June will be over and it is just as well as Mr W has caught covid. So this weekend of planned ‘time-out’ truly will be a stay at home event. No plans. No house stuff. Not even sharing a bed or a sofa at the moment with the fella so it is truly a time-out event. He actually seems okay at the moment which is a huge relief. So yes, June has been a tad mad. A weekend away in Norfolk. A long weekend in Northumberland. Family parties. Errands galore. Life. And finding time to run this house. But hey, we made it through!

And here we start the countdown to Scotland! The NC500 is calling and I cannot believe we are so close. The house is starting to look like a doomsdayers shelter with boxes piling high for all the food and supplies we are taking. The itinerary I have (so far) is crazy long and it is still not finished. 

Granted there are minor things left to be done now, a few payments, adjustments mainly to the Isle of Skye section and a couple of reservations to be made. Otherwise it’s the behind the scenes stuff. I need to get my organising head on and tackle all the food boxes. I really do not want to spend my days digging through boxes of food to find a meal. So I want our car to be like a pantry, all food that will be eaten in the car, will be in one or two boxes in the rear footwells. This goes for the travel water bottles, drinks, kettle etc. Food in the back of the car will be for meals in the evenings and mornings, so ideally easy to grab as we arrive at hotels along with our essentials such as clothing and toiletries. 

We need an easy system for our clothing so we don’t have to haul our luggage out every night. We have 12 hotels in 14 days, that’s a lot of hauling! 

It feels like the car is basically going to be a home on wheels for 15 days without the bed. 

I’d also like to sort out some kind of bin system for while we are between hotels so we’re not mixing up recyclables with rubbish. Today, I spent some time contacting all of our hotels and I have to say it’s been an unexpected surprise. I’ve heard back from 8 or so, so far, and they have all been super friendly and understanding of our mission to be sustainable while on our trip. A few have said they pick through the bins from the guest rooms themselves and divide up the rubbish. Where I commend this, I couldn’t necessarily let someone do this on our behalf. So I’m aiming to use sustainable brown paper bags to put our recyclable waste into and our hopefully very minimal rubbish will be binned in the hotel as provided. If I manage to find the time, I want to find some recycling points along the route too. It just takes the pressure off of us emptying the car at the end of the day. This gives our sustainable mission every opportunity to be fulfilled and definitely makes all the planning worthwhile. 

In the ‘Sustainability on a budget’ and ‘Out of body experience’ blogs from April and May (links below), I spoke about how we had been testing out the idea of tinned food and it’s proved quite successful. All tins but the ravioli and meatballs were really tasty, packed with the protein we’ll need and give us a much needed break from oatmeal and noodles. It’s also saving us a tonne of money. Usually when we go away we can spend anything between £10 on a budget sandwich or £40 for a meal out. These tins and a few crackers are going to cost between £0.90-£2.00 for each of us and where we’ll be in the car constantly or walking it is the most logical way of eating. There are also very few restaurants on the West side of the highlands so this really is a win-win situation. 

Recyclable. Tick. 

Budget friendly. Tick.

Longlife storage. Tick. 

Tasty. Tick.

Sustainability on a budget
Out of body experience number 342

Something I’ve realised from our Northumberland trip is how much space we will be working with in our car. Four of us squeezed into the car for a four day trip. Which is insane, as the two of us need to fit all of our stuff for 15 days! That’s food, luggage, photography equipment and blogging necessities. Next on my to-do list is finding a laundrette so we can take a week’s worth of clothing to cut down on the space our luggage takes up. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of possibilities to wear the same trousers for a few days in a row or I’m sure Mr W could do the ol’ underwear flip, but the fact remains, we need to wash our clothes. So far I’ve found one laundrette and it’s on a really busy day for us that we’ll be in that area. I’m sure I’ll find one. My initial search was made when I was fighting to stay awake, one eye open and drained by hayfever. There’s a good chance my brain wasn’t functioning at full capacity!

Little triumphs like the bladder bags and kettle have arrived since I last wrote about this trip. And they have been trialled and tested. They’re not too shabby to be fair and I’m convinced after our water intake in Northumberland that our two 5 litre bottles, that we use for our main water supply on a day to day basis, will save our bacon when it comes to hydration and budget. They will be the only plastic bottles on our trip and the fact that we have been using them for over 2 years makes me really happy. Eco-warrior or eco-geek? 

Mr W also found a bargain the other day that he is rather proud of. A pair of work out leggings? Like the gym ones? I have no idea what they are called. But basically they’ll be worn under his trousers and act like thermal/longjohn type things. He’s very pleased with himself. 

He also *drum roll* bought our first fully capable drone and I’m sure once covid has left this household we’ll be doing lots of test flights. It is a smaller model which means we don’t have to apply for a special incense but we do have to register it. I am really excited about this part of the planning as all you ever see with Scotand are aerial shots and I want to see it from land and air. So I am raring to go!

There is one more thing I’m tempted to add into this trip and that is geocaching. I don’t want it to add any locations to our already bursting itinerary but if there are any geocaches in the places we’ll be going that will certainly make things more interesting. Solving some puzzles along the way will make the long walks just that bit more entertaining I think and it’s also so great to be a part of the journey of others by writing in those little logbooks. This will be one of the last things I look into but I hope we can join in wherever possible. Mr W introduced me to it back in 2013 and I really enjoyed the problem solving part of it all. So as long as it’s fun I don’t see the harm in adding it to this powerhouse of a trip.

One thing that hasn’t worked well, and this is me being totally transparent because you have to be honest about these things, is the ponchos we bought on ebay. They can be used as a ground sheet, strung up to make a temporary shelter or worn to keep dry while walking. They have a hood with a drawstring and are ENORMOUS. Absolutely perfect for covering our backpacks and most of our bodies should we get caught out, which is most likely going to happen, on one of our big walks. Unfortunately, while walking in Kielder this past weekend, nature called and demanded the ponchos be worn. After a 25 minute walk my clothes underneath became a little soggy. My chest, arms and the top of my back were damp on our return to the car and this does not bode well when considering we may be walking in rain for over four hours if we are very unlucky. It’s not so much back to the drawing board on this but a fail-safe backup may be needed. I’m thinking, extremely sturdy umbrellas AND ponchos. This is all to avoid paying the extortionate amounts of money for completely waterproof coats and trousers and using what we have instead. Something we cannot risk, me particularly, is sitting in damp clothes. Especially on my chest. I get ill really easily with colds and chest infections and it may stop the trip in its tracks. So we plan, plan, plan to stop this happening!

My what a lot to do in such a short amount of time. I’ll spend more time as we move closer to the departure date detailing some of the tips I have for the hurdles we’ve come up against and any other purchases we make to help us out. 

For now, night night!

Penguins and Cockatoos

With the celebratory weekend behind us, I’ve been reminded that the last Jubilee was in 2012. I have been scratching my head in befuddled bemusement as I simply do not remember how or where I was during the event. I’ll let it go as it was a big year for the UK and I’m sure it got caught up in the melee. We hosted the Olympics and the summer was spent fawning over the many medals Great Britain accumulated. It was also the year I booked my huge 2013 trip to Australia and therefore spent the majority of the year crossing off days on every available calendar, bent over a computer researching and planning and squirrelling money away like Scrooge himself.

It’s as I remember Australia that I am drawn back to two particular memorable high points…

I spent the majority of Day 3 in Melbourne soaked with salt water and smelling of sweat and sun cream. Nice image, I know. The sun beat down unforgivingly and if I paused to notice I’m unaware of it now. With 7 stops on our tour around the Melbourne coast we were witness to our first Australian delights. Most of the ‘delights’ were made more so by my forgetting that they were included in the pre-booked tour; the wildlife centre with a $10 cuddle from a huge 9yr old Koala being one of these. As we scoured the scorched bush for Wallabies we were greeted with a chilled out Kangaroo and it slowly dawned on me what we have got ourselves into. Australia had arrived rather under our feet than we had arrived in it! After all, once a wallaby simply hops out of the bush and grabs your extended hand to have his breakfast, of pellets not human flesh, you rapidly forget yourself and drown in all that is Australia. Additional unexpected experiences came in the form of Woolamai Beach and the typical ‘Ozzie surfer’. I didn’t know whether to run into the surf or help them with their surfboards. OKAY OKAY, I ran into the surf, rather a typical Ozzie than an Essex girl any day. Although this Essex girl did stare… only slightly, but overcome by the ‘small’ waves and I was back on track.

The beauty of this place is how dedicated they are to protect their country and all its inhabitants. Witness to this first and foremost during the penguin parade on Phillip Island; we were told to sit, not stand, and to see but not capture (on camera) the unique little penguins that raced up the beach to their nests. This was all to prevent ‘spooking’ the little waddlers and allowing them to live a semi-normal life. Who else can say that on their rat race home there are hundreds of people watching you? Unfortunately, a lot of our fellow tourists didn’t find the same respect for our lil black and white waddlers and stood up, blocking our view and preventing their homecoming, whenever they could. I’m proud to admit that out of anger for lack of viewing space, but more out of respect for the penguins, I told one ‘serial stander’ to SIT DOWN. I realise now it’s my own compulsive need to be a rule follower that gives me the proverbial balls to approach people in this way. ‘Look mate, the penguins are just trying to get home, so sit down, yeah? There’s a good chap.’ Otherwise, I really don’t say boo to even a goose. After a vast majority of the crowds had seen their first glimpse of the lil guys they upped and left, so we were able to move down to the front and witness the amazing spectacle within about a 5 metre distance. It makes me smile even now to remember the extra time we took to drink it all in. Above us the jewels of the Southern hemisphere sparkled and trailed across the sky and in front of us the waters gave birth to these funky little creatures. And I couldn’t stop smiling.

The smiling continued on the next day, so easily you would think it had been pinned to my cheek bones. Set off by the morning sunlight pouring through the surrounding mountain ash trees in the Dandenong Ranges the cockatoos on my arms were a stark white colour that shone as bright as sunlight on snow.  And we were due to feed them their breakfast.  Our coach driver John was kind enough to mention that holding the large, metal feed tray out, up high and level would prevent their sharp beaks from clipping at their favourite part of the human hand. Seeds, food. Hands, not. But what he neglected to say was just how heavy six or SEVEN of these birds could be! With a thick hooded jumper around my shoulders and my backpack straps also acting as a barrier, their claws clung to me as they squawked and shrieked to get at the seeds. It was hard to focus on anything but them once you saw their plumage and sunlight yellow crests up close. Their eyes were constantly on the lookout for more ‘victims’ entering the feeding area with a silver tray held high and glancing around us, I 

remember my mind taking a snapshot. The sun streaming through the giant trees reaching upwards of 75 metres, the birds, the fresh air and the happiness all flooding the space. 

Australia had welcomed me with sunlight, surf, style and a few small scars from my new white and yellow friends. 

Slow and steady, what’s that?

Nearly 9 years ago I was hired for my dream job. It involved itinerary planning for UK and European travel. As I had been creating itineraries for myself for over 7 years prior to this I had the skills needed to get a good head start. The job gave me the opportunity to expand on this and introduced me to places I’d not yet been to. At times I felt I could walk around cities like Rome and Paris blind and still know what was around me. It was methodical. Fast paced. Very detailed and specific work. Since leaving the job behind and coming to terms with living with anxiety, I’ve come to accept my need for itineraries when travelling. It means there are no hidden surprises and I can relax along the way. I won’t get lost because I’ve mapped out the route. I’ll have the postcode for the hidden car parks. Hotels are booked in advance so I can keep an eye on the budget. Food stops and supplies are planned so I don’t get stuck with a manky sandwich and a half rotten apple (this happened to Mr W, not me!). 

In the last couple of years Framework Travel has highlighted these skills to other people. I’ve created a huge number of New York itineraries for clients as well as trips to Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and London. In a strange way, by creating an itinerary I’m travelling in my mind’s eye. I’m walking the cobbled streets of Rome and watching the sun set over the Seine in Paris. It’s actually amazing to hear back how much my planning can help other people. 

Everything I’ve ever planned has been fast paced. 18 hour days in New York. A 72 hour itinerary in Paris squeezed into 1 day. 6 days in Italy to see 3 cities. Every single detail is researched and cut and pasted together with minute details slotted in. 

And then there’s Scotland. 

When I used to plan a weeks trip in London for 30 American students it would roughly be 6-7 pages long. This would include transfers, hotel details and addresses for places like the Tower of London and The British Museum. With our NC500 trip, the itinerary for 16 days is currently at 30 pages. THIRTY. The transfers are: car. But there are 14 hotels all with different check in details. And addresses for places to visit are more grid reference based than actual postcodes. It is so strange. And exciting! 

There will be places we visit on this big tour that have no ‘specific location’. It’s more a stream, or in some cases, a trickle of information found in the depths of the internet. Park at ‘such n such’  layby, 200 metres from ‘this’ pub, walk west for 1 mile, veer left at the fork in the path… and it goes on. We may not be able to rely on our phones due to phone reception and the weather is going to change from one minute to the next. And for the first time in my life, I can’t plan everything. There will be moments technology will fail us. There will be times the weather will test us, this is no beach holiday (although, ha, there are a few we will visit, dressed in jumpers and hiking boots). The food will be dried and revived by hot water from our car kettle. And there will be one, maybe two, occasions where my face will be scrubbed up for a nice meal on an actual plate. This is not going to be a vacation to relax. This is going to be a journey to explore, find and return back to basics. Well, as basic as it can get with an itinerary. 

So far it has taken 5 months of planning, researching and slotting this trip together and the more it builds the more my excitement grows and my anxiety weakens. For the first time I don’t know what to expect and that’s the exciting part. This isn’t the Colosseum in Rome, where you can stand and nod that all knowing yes, it matches the image you’ve transferred from the internet, magazines and tv shows to your travel bank in your brain. Scotland is rural. It changes every day. Different sunlights, seasons and vegetation. But it’s something bigger than what you see. That’s why since our first hiking trip in 2020, my travel mind has changed so vastly. It’s the effect hiking has on you. The setting out to new pastures, the long slogs up hills, the speedy trails down the other side and the beautiful end point. Even if it’s not beautiful, you have reached your destination and made yourself proud! No car, no taxi, just you and your feet. 

One of the more enlightening aspects of this planning stage is how much slower it is. As I mentioned, there aren’t websites based on some of the walks and it’s just the ‘word of mouth’ I can track down online. I’ve stumbled upon some snags here and there where my fast-paced style does not suit the lifestyle of the Scottish businesses. When trying to reach someone about some axe-throwing, it took two emails and a phone call. Spread out over 3 weeks. In London, you’d have an answer within an hour. It’s not that Scotland doesn’t want the business or tourists, but they seem to take it all at a slower pace. I may have realised to avoid stumbling, I just needed to slow down. Take it steady.

This trip is so much more than the end destination, hell it needs to be with over 500 miles to cover, it’s about the journey. Yes, there will be an itinerary. We still need hotel information and addresses, but when it comes to activities and the driving, it’s more about looking around than ahead. I’m starting to wonder whether my anxieties will be left at home. And whether my mind can finally have its deep breath. Slow and steady.