Scotland last week

Started of in a bargain break caravan at Tummel Bridge booked via Sun holidays costing £55 for 3 nights for a spacious, well equipped van on a quite site with loads of room and even with a picnic table for each caravan. Cheaper than camping and without all the hassle of taking the equipment. Did Ben Nevis and a boat trip from Oban.



Then drove to Falkirk for the second phase - 4 nights on a canal boat paid for using Tesco Clubcard vouchers. Went via Queens view (6 miles from site) @Jack McHammocklashing thanks for posting a pic on GC as that tipped me off it's worth visiting. Then called in at Pitlochry Dam to see if any salmon were going through the observation chamber.





Collected boat and headed off through The Falkirk Wheel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel to Edinburgh, getting there on Tuesday afternoon, staying in the basin for 22 hours before heading back via the wheel again. Had an evening meal at Prezzo using Tesco Clubcard vouchers and free cake & coffee at John Lewis the following morning. Got home on Friday evening absolutely knackered.

 

Hey Scrungee, well done mate, you sure your not a Yorkshireman

 

Sounds lovely. More pics?

 

My early retirement pension is small enough for us to be officially classed as being in poverty, but we seem to fare better and have more holidays than some families who struggle despite having 2 wage earners (OH packed in work after I retired). We've already had 2 camping trips to The Peak District and I've had a 3 night hotel based fishing trip this year. 2 More bargain caravan hols booked and paid for.

In Edinburgh (on our way to Prezzo) Mrs Scrungee saw a beggar transferring coins from his cup to a bag and one of them rolled away but he didn't see where it went and walked off, but she saw where it had gone and picked it up before the other beggars could get it. She also found a 5p piece outside the Jobcentre/DWP offices and 25p change left in a Sainsburys self scan checkout.

 

When we were in the UK we always camped, with four kids and various dogs we didn't have much option. From getting married and buying our first frame tent we have had TT's, FC's and touring caravans. Because we still have a dog (don't tell him that I called him that) we still use statics and dog friendly b&b's when possible.
Where do you go in the Peaks? We loved the Hope Valley / Castleton area because it was close enough to go Friday night 'til Sunday.

 

@Lea OK then:

Went across 2 aquaducts


Immediately after leaving the boat yard you're faced with this and you're going through that high up circular hole!



Waiting to get let through the lift bridge into Edinburgh basin



Passing some allotments



Moored at entrance to Falkirk Tunnel, going through we were drinking cans of Tizer and having a burping contest, whilst our oven chips were cooking (Tescos a few miles back beside the canal had moorings for boater shoppers) and we stopped here for chip butties.


And finally, when on a boat trip that stops facing into sun beside some seals and you think it can't get any worse for taking pics, yes it can because the seals will find the seagull behind them more interesting than you on that boat.

 

In the tunnels are you using the engines or are you walking on the roof of the tunnel??

 

Lovely pics Scrungee.

I want to go home :(

 

The Falkirk tunnel was a nice and wide, unlike the one I last went through (Ashford Tunnel) on the Brecon & Monmouth Canal (did that in a whole week trip in August a few year's ago, again entirely paid for using Tesco Clubcard vouchers).



Having done both Wales and Scotland canal boat trips we probably wont be going on any more.

 

Nice one Scrunge

 

That looks like a great way to spend a holiday. Tummel Bridge is a lovely area. If I'm in the right place there is a site just around the corner with log cabins along the side of the loch. That always looked idillic to me. We love Scotland. We wish we lived closer so we good go whenever we wanted to.

You did well to see the salmon at Pitlochry. I have been about 15 times over the years and I have never seen any. It's probably fair to say though that I wasn't there at the right time. Most of my trips were in the Autumn.

I missed out on the Falkirk wheel. A passenger of mine was having chest pains and the boat went before the ambulance arrived. He came back well that evening so I can't complain too much.

G.