Thursday morning was misty and drizzly, but the forecast promised dry and warm weather for the afternoon. We had a late breakfast and a drive into Lochinver to buy pies for tea from the Lochinver Larder. Around 2pm we made our way to the car park for the walk to Bone Caves. We had seen lots of deer rutting here on a previous visit and some of us were not keen to encounter them on this occasion. However, there were no deer in sight, so we were able to set off on our walk. The walk follows the river up the valley, passing a waterfall and lots of underground springs. Crossing a dry river bed, we then started the climb up the stone steps towards the caves. It is quite steep and rocky underfoot, but worth the climb, as you are soon able to see the caves at the top. The caves are small, but you can go inside each one and almost stand up. The caves were excavated in 1889 by the geologists Peach and Horne. They found the remains of animals which once roamed the Highlands including lynx, polar bear, arctic fox and lemmings. It is believed that the caves may have once sheltered these animals and also the humans who hunted them. There is a slightly different path setting off down from the caves, but it soon meets the original path back into the car park. There were a few deer to see on the hillside on the walk down, but luckily none that we had to come into close contact with.
The Old Man of Stoer
Today the weather was good in the morning, although a little blustery. We decided to set of earlier and walk in the morning before the storm came in which was forecast for the afternoon. The walk began at Stoer Lighthouse and is mostly a sheep track which is tricky underfoot due to the rocks and the boggy grass and mud. Very soon we were treated to some gorgeous views of the rugged coast and eventually the Old Man of Stoer. This impressive stack reaches out of the sea at 70 metres high.
We continued to walk along the coastal path, reaching the Point of Stoer, giving stunning views in all directions. We sheltered out of the wind whilst we ate our lunch. The path back to the lighthouse is a little less wet and rugged and eventually leads onto a track which is much steadier underfoot. Once back at the car, we made our way back to the lodge for a final dip in the hot tub and packing ready to begin our journey home.
On Tuesday the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear blue. We decided to go out for a drive, heading off towards the beach at Scourie.
It’s a very scenic drive from Lochinver, with some winding roads. The beach at Scourie is beautiful, with lots of pebbles and shells. After a hit chocolate from the food van, we had a lovely stroll on the beach, taking in the scenery and the fresh air.
We then drove around the Drimbeg loop, another scenic route, taking us back to the lodge. In the evening, after cooking chilli for tea, we lit the fire pit and sat outside toasting marshmallows. It was quite a windy evening, so we didn’t stay out too long, but it was a lovely way to spend the evening outdoors.
River Inver and Glencanisp Circuit
On Wednesday the rain was lashing down, but the forecast said it would blow over and we would have a fine afternoon. In anticipation we packed sandwiches, ready for a walk when the weather changed.
As promised the rain blew over and the afternoon was fine and unseasonably warm. We walked from the lodge down into Lochinver then followed the circuit which takes you along the River Inver then over the glen, past Canisp Lodge and back into Lochinver. The first part of the walk is by the fast flowing river, but you are soon climbing with the river below you. Further up you drop again to the side of the river, which is more sedate and there are areas set for anglers. Eventually you leave the river and head upwards across the glen, giving great views. Due to the rain, it was muddy in parts, but it was a great walk. We stopped off near the lodge and it was warm enough to sit without jackets whilst we ate our sandwiches. Once back down in Lochinver, we made the steady climb back to the lodge and into the hot tub and a restful evening.
On our first day at Waterloo Lodge, it was a little bit overcast with a watery sun trying to break through. We had a lovely brunch (it should have been breakfast, but eggs had been missed from our shopping, so someone had to go and pick up eggs before we could start!) of poached eggs on toast, with potato cakes made with leftover mash from the previous evening.
Culag Woods
We set off from the lodge and headed off down towards the harbour at Lochinver. We were surprised to see, what was once a busy working port, now looking abandoned, almost as if everyone had left in a hurry. Once past the harbour we turned left into the woods on “Billy’s Path”. The walk is extremely pretty, with plenty to see along the way, including a wishing tree, sculptures of dragon flies and a beautiful pebble beach. There are also lots of viewpoints. It is undulating and a bit slippy in parts. I managed to slip on the boardwalk, hitting my face on my husband’s knee as he reached it to stop me, banging my nose. I recovered quickly and other than a slight bloody nose, I was relatively unscathed. Everyone made sure I was okay before bursting into fits of laughter. The trees in the woods are covered in lichen, which indicates good air quality. It definitely felt you were breathing in clear air and despite being near the harbour it felt like you were in the middle of nowhere, especially as we saw very few people along the way.
The walk took a couple of hours, as we took time to enjoy the views and scenery. We then walked back up the hill to the lodge.
We had a restful afternoon and evening, cooking curry for tea and then relaxing watching a film.
Achmelvic Beach Coastal Walk
On Monday it was a fine, but blustery day. After breakfast we set off towards Achmelvic beach to walk along the coast.
This is another area of outstanding coastal views and stunning beaches. The walk is fairly easy, with an undulating path, but fairly well marked paths. Near the end of the walk, before returning, there is an old mill ruin, which you get to by crossing stepping stones through the stream. However, there has been so much rain the steps were covered in water which was running really fast, so we decided not to cross. Our return took us almost the same route, stopping at a couple of beaches on the way. Returning to the lodge, we had an afternoon of chilling in the hot tub and sauna, leaving us feeling relaxed at the end of a great day.
This week we travelled to Lochinver on the north west coast of Scotland. It is a nine hour journey by car from our home in Yorkshire so we broke the distance by staying for a couple of nights in Stirling. We travelled to The King Robert Hotel on the Thursday, but as there were six of us we had booked into Bruce’s Cottage which is in the grounds of the hotel. The cottage was set out well for six adults and very clean and comfortable. We ate in the restaurant at the hotel. The food was excellent and exceptionally good value.
On the Friday, after a good nights sleep, we had breakfast before setting off to the Falkirk Wheel a short drive away. The wheel is the world’s only rotating boat lift, created to assist the swift passage of canal boats, rather than taking over five hours to travel up a flight of eleven locks. The gondola takes about five minutes to rotate, lifting the boats thirty five metres to connect with the canal above. It’s a pretty impressive sight from the ground and the mechanism and engineering behind it blew my mind. On the boat however it is very difficult to tell that you are even moving. Before you know where you are, you are high up on the canal overlooking the vast Scottish landscape.
After leaving the boat, the rain began pouring down, so we decided to head of towards the Helix Visitors Centre where we had a lovely lunch after which the rain had stopped a little. We then went outside to walk around the amazing Kelpies. They are a pair of thirty metre sculptures of steel horse heads, rising out of the ground in spectacular fashion. The sculptures are a fabulous sight and well worth a visit. As it stayed fine we walked further up the road and around the lake before heading back to the car before the rain came again.
We went back to the hotel for our evening meal and had another good night’s sleep before getting up to start the remainder of our journey to Lochinver. After picking up our shopping from the local Tesco, we went for breakfast at the nearby River House Restaurant. The food was absolutely gorgeous and the surroundings equally so!
Travelling towards Lochinver, we took another very slight detour to the scenic area of Aviemore. We visited the ski centre for a coffee break and a leg stretch. The ski centre was impressive, with lots of activities to do outside of the ski season. We then continued our journey north, towards Lochinver, another 3 hours away. The drive takes you through some stunning countryside and panoramic views. Seeing deer in the wild as you are travelling through is an added bonus. We finally arrived at our home for the week, Waterloo Lodge, high upon the hillside overlooking the harbour of Lochinver with a stunning view of Suilven.
It’s five years since we visited Amsterdam and it felt like time for a return visit. This blog is a little delayed as we went at the beginning of September. We went with different friends, who had never visited Amsterdam before. We travelled from Manchester Airport on Monday afternoon but stayed overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Manchester Airport. Although we are only about an hour from Manchester Airport, the journey can often take much longer and we felt that it would be nice to start the break relaxed rather than worrying about being in traffic and arriving late at the airport.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel was very clean, with large bedrooms and an extremely comfy bed. On the Sunday evening, we ate in the Asian Fusion Restaurant called Sampans. The food was extremely tasty. The staff were friendly and helpful. We had a relaxed evening ad a few drinks before heading off to bed
Our flight on Monday afternoon was delayed by about half an hour, but we landed at almost the correct time. Getting through passport control took some time, but we soon got a taxi and headed off to the Hotel.
We chose to stay at WestCord fashion Hotel on the outskirts of Amsterdam. We previously stayed here and found it to be comfortable, clean and with very friendly staff. Once again it did not disappoint. From the moment we checked in, the staff were extremely helpful and always cheery and smiling.
We did not go out in the evening but went to the restaurant and bar within the hotel. The food was good and the prices in the bar were reasonable, comparing well to the prices in the UK.
Heineken Brewery Tour
The following morning, we were booked in at the Heineken Brewery Tour. We headed out first thing and bought a multi-day ticket for the tram. This is really convenient as it travels all over Amsterdam, has a very efficient, frequent service and is always clean. It cost €26 for four days of travel. We travelled on the tram to the area nearest the brewery and looked for somewhere to have breakfast.
We found a lovely little café called Bakers and Roasters. We sat outside, as it was very warm and humid, although a little overcast. The breakfast was tasty. We all had “Sunrise Bircher”, which was overnight oats packed with fruit, nuts and seeds.
Afterwards we had a wander before heading to the Heineken Brewery. The tour was mostly self-guided but has some guides along the way to explain some parts of the brewery. It was an interesting tour and we took our time to read the information and watch the videos as we travelled through. I am always astounded by the amount of people who book a tour and then wander around with a phone in front of their face and don’t really look at what is going on or interact with anything.
The reading and listening paid off, as part way round there was a quiz and we were real swats, getting all the questions right and winning Heineken pin badges!
One section of the tour teaches you how to taste the beer rather than just drink it. We were asked to hold our glasses up to the light and describe the colour. My friend called out “Amber”, at which point the guide threatened to call security and throw her out! The correct answer in case you’re wondering, is gold.
Once we had completed the tour and free samples, we went to the rooftop, where there is a 360-degree view of the city. We had a further free drink there and enjoyed the view, until it started to rain, cutting the visit a little short.
We had a walk and a bit of sightseeing, but the rain continued, so we headed to the “Sex Museum”. It seemed that everyone else had also headed here to get out of the rain. The museum is entertaining to a point, but considering the things that people can access on TV and via the internet these days, it was nothing particularly shocking or unusual (or maybe my years at work has desensitised me). It was interesting to see the difference in cultural attitudes regarding sex as well as the way views have changed over the years. The overwhelming thoughts were it was a large pornography collection and “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all”.
Rather than wandering in the rain for the rest of the afternoon, we headed back to the hotel. We had a coffee and a rest before showering and heading back out in the rain for something to eat. We chose a tapas restaurant and enjoyed a relaxing evening before returning to the hotel for the night.
A day of museums and sightseeing
The following day was lovely and sunny, so we set out mid-morning to have brunch before our booking for Anne Frank House. We finished our brunch quite early and went for a walk. We ended up in the gardens of the Rijksmuseuem. We sat in deck chairs enjoying the pretty gardens and the warm sunshine, before heading off to the museum. We had booked a half-hour introductory talk prior to entering the museum, which was well worth it, as it gave more insight into the Frank family and the people who helped them. Despite having visited the house before, it was still worth the visit and is it’s always good to be reminded of how awful humans can be to each other. After we came out of the museum, it started to rain.
We had booked onto a canal boat tour, but they kindly said we could postpone to another day due to the weather. We chose then to go to the Albert Cuyp Market. This was a huge market, with some nice stalls with food, gifts and household products.
Windmills in Zaanse Schans
On Thursday, we decided to take a trip out to Zaanse Schans. It was a beautiful sunny day. After some research we discovered that it was easy to get there by train from Central Station to Zaandijk Zaaanse Schans, followed by a short walk from the station.
We started off our day at the library close to Central Station. Although we had been here before, it is still an impressive building. We had coffee and cake, before heading off to the station. The trains run regularly and the return fare was just over €8. The platform was busy and it was clear that most people were heading the same way. The train journey was about 2o minutes and then we walked for 15 minutes before walking over the bridge on the river Zaan where we were treated to a spectacular view of the windmills.
Entrance to the area is free, but you can also opt to pay to enter some of the windmills and other museums on the site. We paid to visit the inside of the paint windmill, which houses two pairs of millstones, one for chalk and one for paint pigment. Going on on to the platform and hearing the sails whooshing by was great to see and the view was amazing. There is so much to see here, with gift shops, traditional clog making, cheese making, cafes as well as just walking around the beautiful area built on the dykes. The traditional Dutch timber buildings were reconstructed here from other areas in Amsterdam, giving an authentic feel. Although there were lots of tourists here, the place is huge and it never felt cramped. It was an excellent day out, helped by the beautiful weather.
Canal Boat Tour
On our final morning, we headed in the centre for breakfast. We ate at Kessen’s which was close to the start point for our canal boat tour. The food here was delicious, the café was sparklingly clean and the staff were really friendly.
We then went to board our boat for the canal tour. We booked with Flagship Tours, on an open canal boat. The guide was extremely entertaining. As well as being knowledgeable about the area, he also had personal anecdotes, which added humour to the tour. It was a really good way to spend an hour in the sunshine, finding out more about the area and seeing some of the sites. Unfortunately, after the tour, it was time to go back to the hotel and get ready for our return to England.
On Tuesday we woke up to sunny weather and started to make our way to Hawkesbury Junction which would be our home for the next couple of nights. We had passed through here on our outward journey, but did not stay.
Hawkesbury Junction, also known as Sutton Stop is really pretty area of the canal but also very busy. We arrived by mid afternoon and took the right turn, back on to the Coventry Canal. The mooring areas were busy. We filled up with water and managed to find a nice sunny spot a little bit further down from the junction.
We had a nice relaxing afternoon, before heading off to the lovely Greyhound Inn for food.
The next morning was a little overcast but undeterred we set off in an Uber to Coombe Abbey Country Park. By the time we arrived, the sun had come out and it had started to warm up nicely.
The park area surrounds a stunning hotel with its own lake, gardens and wooded walks. There are lots of varieties of trees, including some California Redwoods.
We walked on of the routes which was about 2 miles long, through wooded areas and past the hotel. We then stopped off for some lunch at the visitors centre before another little wander and heading back to the boat.
By late afternoon it was really hot and we got the chairs out and sat outside on the canal towpath enjoying the sunshine.
Another boat moored up next to us and the gentleman on board came out to chat. He recognised our Yorkshire accents and we all began chatting about home. After a few minutes of conversation, it turned out that he was from Earlsheaton and he and his wife had been friends with Andrew’s mum and dad. He then went to fetch his wife, who recognised Andrew straight away and so began an hour or so of reminiscing. It quite amazing to meet someone you know, by chance, moored next to you on a canal.
The sun stayed out long into the evening and we ate our tea outside, making the most of it. When the sun began to drop behind the trees and the midges came out, we went back inside to enjoy the rest of the evening playing cards.
On Saturday we started our return journey to Springwood Haven. Unfortunately it was pouring with rain first thing, but brightened up as the day went along. The locks were challenging, due to the number and the fact that we had to set each one on the way. Our overnight stop was back at the mooring near to The Two Boats Inn at Long Itchington. We had to moor a little bit further away from the pub as it was a busy area with lots of boats out on the canal.
Sunday was a beautifully sunny day and we started with the long stretch of double width locks, which was hard work in the heat, but a really pleasant journey alongside an older couple who appreciated the help and company through the locks. We then continued back to Braunston junction which again was busy due to the nice weekend weather. We had a walk along the canal, initially intending to walk into Braunston Village, but realising it was Sunday and as it was after 4pm, nothing would be open. Instead we stopped off for a drink at The Boathouse pub. We sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine before heading the mile back to the boat. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, fishing and reading.
Monday was once again warm and sunny. We set off on the long haul of the journey back to Ansty. Luckily there only a few locks at Hillmorton, which made the journey less arduous, but also meant we did not walk very far. The tow path is not great on much of this stretch and is still closed around the remains of the landslide. It was a day for mostly reading and watching the world go by. With a short stop off at Tesco for supplies, it was a long cruise of over eight hours to reach our overnight stop at Ansty.
Today we are still moored on the Saltisford Arm and decided to visit Warwick Castle. The day started off a little cloudy and breezy, but got brighter as the day wore on, meaning we were able to have a full day outside.
Warwick Castle is an absolutely amazing day out. On arrival we had a short wander through the grounds and looked at the itinerary of events for the day. We then made our way to “River Island” for the War of the Roses. On entry we chose to go on the side of the House of York (of course) indicated by the white rose. The opposing side was the House of Lancashire and the red rose. The next 30 minutes were filled with an excellent display of jousting, fighting, horse riding and story telling. We were encouraged to cheer on our knights and kings and boo the opponents. It was extremely entertaining.
Our next stop was The Falconers Quest, which was again some great story telling and an amazing collection of birds of prey and falconers. The whole thing was done with such precision and timing, with appropriate background music, making an impressive display, including some of the birds flying, extremely close to the heads of the audience.
Next up we took part in a tour of walls of the castle, with an interesting and knowledgable guide telling us over 900 years of the history of the castle. This was followed by a tour of the state rooms, again with a great guide who gave us lots of information and stories about the rooms.
We then visited the Horrible Histories maze, which was geared up for children, but as a Horrible Histories fan, I really enjoyed it. After much debate (I’m not the bravest when it comes to scary attractions) our final visit was to the Dungeons. This was an extra cost, but well worth it. A series if actors tell gruesome stories about ghosts, plagues and torture. Very entertaining and makes you jump in places but not as scary as I convinced myself it would be.
We definitely had a full day in Warwick Castle and there were still lots of things we didn’t get to see, so it will definitely be worth another visit in the future.
After leaving the castle called in a couple if the shops before heading to the “Tilted Wig”for a tasty meal.
When we returned to Saltisford Arm and our boat, the sun was still out and we managed to sit outside with a drink a perfect end to a brilliant day!
Before setting off this morning we were visited by a family of swans at the duck hatch. It was lovely to feed them through the hatch, until one of the parent swans began hissing at us and trying to get its head through the hatch. We bid a hasty retreat and shut the hatch, as none of us were keen on battling with protective swans.
Travelling from Braunston was a mostly rural area, peaceful through roaming countryside with no locks for miles. Just before our overnight stop at Long Itchington, are a series of wide locks, big enough for two boats. As there was no one else travelling in our direction, we managed the locks with a single boat.
It was a much shorter journey today and we arrived at our mooring spot close to the Two Boats Inn. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we walked up into the village to buy supplies.
Ling Itchington was a very pretty village and although we walked up along the roadside, we managed to find a footpath through the fields, which brought us back on to the towpath. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in the sunshine, before heading off to the pub for tea.
Long Itchington to Warwick
The first part of our journey from Long Itchington took us through picturesque countryside once again. As we reached the Bascote staircase locks we were joined by another boat, and a lovely couple, meaning we could share the double locks and the work of setting all the locks between us, which meant we were able to get through the long series of locks within a couple of hours.
After mooring up for brunch, we continued our journey into Warwick, with a short stop at the big Tesco to stock up on provisions. This part of the journey is much more built up, passing industrial and residential buildings on each side of the canal.
We chose to look overnight at the Saltisford Arm, which is owned by a charitable Trust. Away from the main canal, this is a lovely little haven, with well kept grassed areas, a small shop and facilities for boaters. It certainly felt safer than being in the city centre and was worth the £10 per night fee.
As we arrived, it had started to rain and began to get heavier as the evening wore on, so we decided to cook food on the boat and stay in out of the rain.
Over the past couple of days we have met some lovely people on the canal, chatting about the weather (well what else, we are British?), where they were heading and admiring their boats. We have also unfortunately met some quite rude and condescending people, who on seeing a hire boat automatically assume you have no idea what you are doing and like to offer unsolicited advice often in the way of shouting “You need to slow down” even though the boat is only just ticking over. Thankfully the friendly people outweigh the not so friendly which is a good thing!
Leaving Ansty, we headed along the Oxford Canal towards our next overnight stop at Braunston Junction. The majority of the journey, other than the area around Rugby was rural with fields and woods.
We passed through our first swing bridge at Stratton Top and filled up with water. At Brinklow we came to an area that had suffered from a landslide some time ago. The canal had been closed here due to the blockage. Lots of work has taken place to clear the area, but there is still work going on and you can see the remains of the devastation caused due mainly to the high amounts of rainfall.
Our next new experience was travelling through Newbould Tunnel, which is quite a short tunnel at only 250 yards long. Just before entering the tunnel you are advised to put your light on and toot the horn. I took great delight in tooting the horn, whilst our friends were sat on the front of the boat, completely oblivious until the sudden sound made them both jump a mile! After some abuse, I let them settle down and tooted it again telling them I was only following the rules.
Continuing through beautiful landscape we came to the very pretty area of Hillmorton Locks. Here there are two sets of locks at each level, to allow the swift passage of boats on a busy stretch of canal. Here we purchased some duck food, as we had given them some cereal previously but were aware that some human foods aren’t great for ducks.
We travelled past Barby Marina, again very rural and peaceful. There was very little breeze, so it was warmer afternoon, although there was the odd short shower. Before long we could see the spire of the church at Braunston. The turn at Braunston took us on to the Grand Union Canal, as all the moorings in the area were busy, we continued a little further, mooring up and having our tea before relaxing for the evening.
50 The Musical 