Day six: deepest Scottishland

"They have different rules up here... we might just get away with it..."

Morning in Moffat was a solid victory for the SCRAM (Scottish Council of Revolutionary and Angry Midges) who attacked us as soon as the tents were opened. Everything was put away very quickly and we hid cars till setting off for breakfast at Dumbarton.

Along the way we passed through such delightfully named places as Boghead...

The run through to Glasgow was good, mostly dry again and once on the main roads was only held up by the volume of traffic.

"Now's not the time to do anything silly."

David was driving and feeling a bit chilly so while waiting at a set of lights decided to slip into something warm. However hard you try though, you can't put a jumper on when wearing a seatbelt; it's better to realise before trying...

"I'm having trouble setting the Firkin Point..."

Breakfast over it was time to hit the Glens, with Loch Lomond first on the scenic sights list as we ran up the A82. The weather was trying its best to annoy us but the run was so relaxed (except for the odd slowcoach) that it didn't really bother us. We've been enjoying the ride and have been able to keep to our expected timings without ever feeling rushed.

So, pootling along, looking at the scenery, CB chatter really at a minimum, occasionally commenting on other drivers and cyclists, we were up into Glencoe before we knew it. While the weather on top of us was a little rough, we had great views of the hills which seemed to get bigger the further we went into them (small, far away!).

"Keep your wits about you!"

Rolling into Fort William, Lotty had to stop off and get some fresh air. With being single crewed and there being little banter on the CBs the drive so far was catching up with him.

We had our usual break at the Ben Nevis centre, while people admired the cars (or were just shocked they'd got that far), and headed to the Commando Memorial. No-one had trouble here this year; all the cars started, there were no leaks of clutch fluid and nobody ripped their handbrake off...

"Trouble is, if we spot her, we can't go public..."

And so the Great Glenn and General Wade's Military Road was calling, to take us the whole of the length of Loch Ness, past the scene of the accident last year where we were stuck for so long, and up to and past Urquhart Castle. Being a small group, and having all gone earlier, this didn't form a loo stop this year, and we shot straight past and pressed on to Inverness.

"So close now..."

The weather seemed to be holding off while we got ourselves on site, but did chuck it down a little while we were setting up. Glad I got those rock pegs at Easter, they made pitching at this site so much easier.

Once the tents were up and the gazebo held down with Lotty's van, beer and food were called for, so a trip to Morrison's and orders for the takeaway were needed. We were back from shopping just in time to order our food, and settled down with a beer or two, discussing how well the run was going, and the last leg of the main run which would come in the morning...