Newcastle/York/Scarborough

Once I arrived in Newcastle, my host and friend Netin met me at the bus stop. And with a bottle of coke-cola in hand that had my name on it. How thoughtful :)

Netin and I first met in Nairobi, Kenya. We spend a day together enjoying the sights, eating and watching some live music and dancing at a bar. We stayed in touch with Facebook ever since.
After dropping my bags off at his place and a little tour of his flat, we took the bus to see the "Angel of the North" sculpture. One of the highlights of Newcastle. It was made of 200 tonnes of steel at the height of 20 meters and a wing span of 54 meters. Pretty big!
We then caught the train to Durham to visit the World Heritage site. It was a nice little town. All the stone brick buildings, cobbled streets, cool narrow alleys with old lamp posts, a river and a lovely cathedral. I really liked the buildings around the market place as well.
Next we headed into the city centre of Newcastle, spending the remainder of the day walking the streets, checking out the architecture and having dinner at a hotpot place.
Now that was a first for me. I've never had hotpot before. It was so good! Just order up meat and veggies and a broth you like. Then, toss the uncooked food into the hot pot of broth and once cooked, eat it up! Really good... and fun. Of course, you need to like the broth, as all your food will have the same taste. But, I enjoyed it.
In the morning after breakfast, Netin went to work and I ventured out for the day. I crossed the Tyne river and then followed along the Quayside before reaching the centre. I admired the Gateshead Millennium bridge, the Sage Gateshead building (dome shaped place that holds live music venues), Grey's Monument, Chinese Arch and other random buildings with beautiful dated architecture. I ventured into a few outdoor gear shops as well. Always love shopping around for new backpacking gear!
I then took the bus to the Metrocentre shopping centre. The second biggest shopping centre in the UK. Here, I found a snazzy dress. It was a bit crazy with the geometric black and white shapes all over it, but it fit nicely. And since I don't own a dress,  it was fun to get one. Nice to have something dressy when I go out.

Once Netin finished work, we met up with one of his friends, Diego from Brazil, for dinner. We went out to a couple pubs for drinks, billiards and darts. It was great fun. They taught me how to play darts... though I must confess, it's not my strong suit. Still had a blast though. Diego was a lot of fun and a good person. We stayed out till 2 am! Been a while since I stayed out that late! I passed out quickly once back at Netin's place.
The next day, we said our goodbye's in the morning and I caught the train to York.Upon arrival, I checked into my hostel, Ace York Hostel. It was nice, the room was spacious, with luggage storage under the bed and I met 2 of my bunk mates. Another Canadian and an older woman from South Africa. After having a nice chat, I went to see York Minster. I decided to pay the price of 15 pounds to tour the inside and go up the tower.
There was a voluntary guide that took us around the minster, explaining about the art and told stories about the stain glass windows. One even was an advertisement for bells the artist made. Funny that they did that all those years ago. He was a good guide, managed to make quite a few jokes that were actually funny. I really enjoyed it.
Stone, glass, wood and music all illustrated the Christian faith. The Nave (dated between 1291- 1350) had a beautiful window known as "the Heart of Yorkshire" because of the heart-shaped stonework. It was stunning.
The roof bosses also were beautiful. White and yellow ribs holding the ceiling together. Very nice. The "Astronomical Clock" by the chapter house was lovely as well. And the Quire in the centre had impressive statuary decorating the entrance called the King's screen.
I also admired some of the stone work with the grotesques. There were quite a few comical ones. One looked like a gremlin putting corn (or something) up an animal's behind. Not sure what that means in the faith, but it made me laugh.

The 275 steps weren’t difficult climbing, going up the tower despite all the warning signs. But I suppose after hiking the West Highland Way with a heavy backpack, it wouldn’t be. The platform at the top gave you a nice view of the city. Both on the outside and inside of the city walls.
After my visit with the Minster, I walked around town taking photos of some of my favourite alleys and streets as well as doing some people watching.
I decided to spoil myself on a nice dinner once my hunger kicked in. I was craving pasta, so I went to a place called Prezzo. I say spoil, but what I really mean is, I’d like a decent meal that won’t cost me an arm and a leg. This place was perfect. I couldn’t decide on 2 dishes, so I was able to get both in smaller portions. It was delicious!
I took some more night pictures, as it’s my favourite city in England. Walking around to enjoy it one last time.
The next day, I walked outside the city walls to dispose of the rest of my camping fuel at the waste management facility and roam some of the outlet stores. Then I took the train to Scarborough to meet up with Pat and Sarah (close family friends) for a visit. Sarah originally had plans to go out that evening, making it a shorter visit, but they got cancelled. So instead, she invited me to stay the night and we could go out on a night of the town. I figured, all my belongings were safely locked in my dorm room so why not? We ordered some Indian food for dinner, had a couple glasses of wine (yup, I was drinking wine. But a sweet rose this time) and did the very girly thing of dress up, hair and make-up. Sarah did my make-up for me and gave me shoes and a shirt to wear. I felt very glamorous after always being so rugged from backpacking. Nice to be pampered a bit.

We started at a pub, drinking some ciders, then moved to a second and third before finally getting to a dance club. We had a great time. Even had a couple blokes dance with us. One kept picking me up and spinning me around... I got pretty dizzy. Mixed with the drinks, it was a bit too much spinning.
But it all ended to soon. The bar closed up and we walked home. I had to catch an early train the next morning, to make it back to my hostel in time for checkout. Pat gave me a ride there. A short visit, but it sure was fun. Nice to let loose now and again.
I packed quickly at the hostel, then went to the bus stop near the train station where Megabus would take me to London. I made a few friends while waiting for the bus. 4 elderly people were waiting for theirs heading to Scotland, so I told them all about my time up there. They were enthralled with my solo travels and camping . “Such a young thing all on my own” they’d said. Such lovely people. We all hugged goodbye when their bus came.
Also met a Nigerian fellow who was living in York, working as a carer in a home. He also was waiting for the same bus as me. We sat together and chatted the whole journey. Was nice to pass the time talking with someone. Ha ha, as I do.
Once I arrived in London, I had about an hour to kill before heading to my host and friend Ale’s place. Seeing how I had all my heavy luggage, I just found a quite spot in the station and watched a TV show on my netbook. Then I made my way to North Acton where Ale met me at the station and we walked together to his place.
We spent the rest of the evening talking over dinner.
He has to work for the next few days, so he gave me his keys to the house so I could come and go as I please. I think today is a good day to have a down day. But, I will take a look at my London map and see what I haven't explored yet to occupy the next few days.

West Highland Way

After leaving my cousins in Stratford-upon-Avon, my bus arrived in Birmingham late morning. Martin met me at the Digbeth station and we started our journey north to Scotland. He was a very easy going person and we got along really well. We drove up to Ayre and looked around there before arriving in Prestwick for a campsite. However, we arrived fairly late in the evening and the only one we came to was closed. So, he convinced me to stay in a B&B for the night rather than wild camp. We stayed at the Fernbank Guest House run by David. He was a cheery fellow who was very friendly. Our room had two beds and an en suite. It was very clean. Lovely place. Martin and I grabbed a little bite to eat at a Chinese takeaway and it wasn't long before we fell asleep.
Next morning we drove to Glasgow to pick up Megan. She let us drop off any of our belongings that weren't needed for the trek at her flat. Thank goodness! I had way too much stuff!!
After being around her for 5 minutes, I new we'd get along great. Just the cutest little thing with a bite! Couldn't help but love her.
Next we picked up Catherine. Now here was a talkative one. And that's saying a lot coming from me. Lol!
We did a quick pit stop at the Tiso outdoor store to pick up any last minute supplies and off we went to Balmaha.
I chose to stay at the Sallochy Campsite as it was inexpensive and quiet along Loch Lomond. The West Highland Way trail goes through the campsite as well, and 2 other people were thinking about joining us so it would be an easy location to meet up.
Once we all set up our tents, we decided to go on a warm-up hike up Ben Lomond. I didn't realize it was as long of a hike as it was, so I didn't wear my proper hiking socks. Not good. By the time we got back to camp, my feet had a few tender spots from the rubbing. My fault, I thought 3 hours meant the total turn around time for the hike... not the time it took to ascend. Whoops! The view was spectacular though. Rolling hills and lakes.
That evening, we ate together and hand some bonding time. Getting to know one another. We each had our own tent. After being sweaty all day, smelly and with each other constantly, I thought it best for me to have my own tent for a sanctuary. Somewhere to get a bit of personal space. So, it worked out nicely since we all felt that way.
Unfortunately, the other 2 guys couldn't make it. So, Martin was going to have to endure being the only male in our little group. Though, I don't think he minded.
The next morning, we had a choice of following the trail along the loch, or another up a bit higher in the wooded area. Catherine had done the trek before and said the one along the loch is more up and down and scenic, but the wooded one was easier. We chose the scenic one along the lake. And boy, was that slow going. Scrambling over rocks, fallen trees, roots and even leaping across some gaps between rocks. Ducking under branches. Trying not to slip in a few muddy areas. And having a heavy backpack doing that was hard and tiring. Martin was doing well, but Megan and I were struggling. 15 kg is a lot to carry on terrain like that! Martin, Megan and I had packed all we would need to survive on our own. With food, first aid kit, cookware, water purification, etc. Catherine's bag was much lighter as she planned to get food at the towns we were going to pass through. I was trying to keep my costs down, thus, the weight.
It was my last time up in Scotland so I wanted to have an enjoyable, memorable hike. I had told all them this in my emails while we were planning our trek. So, I warned them that I'd like to take some photos along the way.
It was so pretty. Would have been nice to rest for 15 mins at a nice spot. But, I did my best not to delay everyone and took pictures quickly. I told them to keep going and that I'd catch up.
We passed a few gorgeous spots full of bluebells and one spot in particular where everyone wanted to enjoy for a few moments.
Passing through the forest and crossing creeks here and there, I smelled a familiar smell. But couldn't quite place it. Megan is very plant savvy and I asked her. She picked a white flowered weed and asked if that was it. I took a whiff... and yup! That's it. She said it was wild garlic and quite edible. We chewed on it for a bit. But, left us with awful breath. Ha!
She also taught me that you could eat stinging nettles. She said the tops taste the best and plucked a bunch for dinner.
We past Inversnaid and also a cave that was marked as Rob Roy's Cave on the map and then found a place to settle for the night. We didn't get to the end of the lake as we had hoped for, but after 19 km, we were tired. And both Megan and I had blisters. Ouch.

There was a little beach along the lake with a small creek trickling into it. Megan claimed the small little grassy island with a tree, rock and patch of bluebells to pitch on, where Martin and I pitched on the beach. Very nice spot. However, for some reason, Catherine was worried it was a flash flood area and we were going to die if we slept there. At first I though she was joking, as flash floods occur in areas where the ground isn't able to absorb the rainfall or gets too much that it can't absorb enough. This national park has regular, steady rainfall and doesn't have flash floods. Plus, it was a clear starry night in summer.  Megan called her boyfriend, since he has lived and worked in this area most his life on hydroelectrics. He said there are no flash floods in this region. He also checked the forecast for us and we were happy to hear that we'll be having spectacular sunny weather for the rest of the week. So, that was good news.
We made some dinner and I was ready for bed. I tried some of Megan's pasta she cooked up with the stinging nettles. It was like stewed spinach really. Tasted quite good. While trying to sleep, my nose was a bit stuffy and my throat felt irritated. What a bummer. I knew what that meant.
In the morning, my cold was full on. Yuck. Good thing I had tissue.
The sun was out, the sky clear and the ground was dry (no flash floods, ha ha).
After breakfast and packing up, we started out again. It was much easier going the next bit of the path. We past some old stone house ruin along the way and wasn't long before reaching the end of Loch Lomond. After crossing a slightly muddy area, and through a little wooded section, we started climbing up hills that were nice and open to our surroundings. Lots of bluebells all over the side of the hills facing us. So beautiful.
My friend Sinclair was planning on meeting us along the path at some point. He spent the night near Crainlarich and was heading south to intersect us so we could hike a little ways together.
We ended up meeting him at the pub in Beinglas Farm. They all got something to eat besides me. I just ate from my food supply. Megan ate all her lunch and Martin only half, so she ate his as well. Unreal how much that girl could eat and be the size of a toothpick!!
Catherine went to socialize with other people in the pub as she does like to chat up the fellow trekkers, while Megan and I took a little time to tend our very sore and badly blistered feet. Sinclair took one look and couldn't believe we were still walking on them. I told him it was painful for about 20 mins once we start walking, but after that they start to numb. It's more when the blood gets back into them that they hurt.
He told us that the next 6 miles is going to be a lot of up and down and will be very hard on our feet. Catherine wanted us to get to the Bridge of Orchy by evening which was another 30 kms from where we were. No way Megan and I could make that in our states. Plus, it just wouldn't be enjoyable.
Martin and Catherine were faster paced than Megan and I. We were a great match together. However, we pushed ourselves as much as we could to keep all company happy. I had suggested if Catherine and Martin wanted, they could head off together and Megan and I would stick together so everyone can be happy with the pace of the trek. But, they both wanted to stick with us, even though we were slower.
So, Sinclair suggested that he give us a ride there. I really didn't want to do that. The whole point of the trip was to enjoy the scenery of Scotland. I'd be cheating myself of that and of accomplishing something I've been planning for the past couple months of hiking the trail. But, I couldn't just think about me, I had 3 other people to consider.
Megan and I looked at the map and tried to see what we could do. After a bit of deliberation, we came up with the idea to give Sinclair some of the weight we carried in our pack that we wouldn't need until we got to the Bridge of Orchy and to get a ride to Tyndrum, where we would hike in from there. We'd be cutting out the harder part of the trek and 20 km. I felt defeated but if it would allow the rest of the trip to be enjoyable, then it was a sacrifice I had to make.
Martin decided from that point that he'll hop on the trail and continue on as he could make the 30 kms on his own and would meet us there. I thought Catherine would go with him, but she elected to go with us.
However, once in the car with Sinclair and we were approaching Tyndrum, she changed her mind and wanted to go with Sinclair to Bridge of Orchy. She is a social butterfly, and Sinclair was a new person so I think that was more exciting for her. There was a grassy area by the bridge there designated for campers so we planned to pitch there for the night and that we'd meet them in the pub or campsite.
On Megan and I went. The way marked trail was pretty much flat the whole 10 kms to our end point. It was amazing how much faster we went with lighter spirits and less weight. We thought it would take longer than it did. We could have maybe done 20 kms in a reasonable time, but that was behind us now.

We passed a farm with sheep and cattle in the valley before reaching our destination. Sinclair and Catherine were in the pub already.
We pitched our tents and went inside for some much needed drinks. Martin arrived some time later.
We met a few other trekkers and a nice local. This local man goes on day hikes regularly and gave us a few suggestions for upcoming tent pitches. He told us that Kingshouse in Glencoe had a designated grassy area and once in Kinlochleven, if we just start hiking up the hill past town, we hike through a forest and there will be a few spots in there that would be desirable. 
We enjoyed there rest of the evening with a few drinks and laughs with our new friends.
My cold was getting better. The following morning I felt more sprightly. It was great having the river by our camp to help wash up.
I sure was sad to say goodbye to Sinclair, but he had to head back home for work and to pick up his daughter. But, we planned for me to go stay at his place for a few days once I finished my trek and headed back south.
Megan and I were ready to set off before Martin and Catherine, so he told us to go on ahead and they'd soon catch up.
The scenery was beautiful. You could see where a glacier once sat in the dip of the hills opposite us and it was amazing to think there once was 3km thick ice that coated the land there.

Now, the moorland had streams, little stone bridges, little waterfalls, a river, lochs and mountains covered with heather, flowers and bracken. Would have been so nice to see everything in bloom along this trek. But, the heather blooms more in the later summer. And some of the vegetation were starting later this year from all the rain and cool weather. But, it was nice to see some flowers. And the birds sure sang sweetly.
Wasn't long before our companions caught us with us. Just when we were at a river near some houses. There was a nice couple that spent the night there and said they saw some red deer around. We were to keep an eye out for them, they may still be around to enjoy.
The 4 of us continued on. We had a small 10 minute snack break by the river before heading uphill and away from it. It was a lovely spot. Catherine then told us she was going to leave us and go home. Her husband was going to pick her up at Kingshouse. So she went on ahead. We told her to take care of herself and sorry it didn't work out and asked her to let us know she got home safely by text message if she could.

It was a shame that things didn't go differently, but when 4 strangers meet up and are on an excursion together every minute of the day, you never know what can happen. However, I think it lucky that the 3 of us got on as well as we did.
The next stretch was the Rannoch Moor. For me, it was breath taking! I loved it. Even though Sinclair describes it as a barren wasteland.

The mountains even had a little bit of snow at the top. And the sun's warmth was invigorating. We even saw a red deer... who stuck his tongue out at us! Cheeky!
We walked 20 kms in good time that day. Arrived at Kingshouse Hotel by 4 pm. The designated grassy patch behind the hotel for wildcamping was perfect for pitching. It can be difficult to find decent camping spots in bog land.
A river passed through and on the other side, a little wooded area gave shelter from prying eyes or weather. Not a bad spot to use as the privy. Only bushes around.

We stayed out in the open to bask in the sunshine. After pitching I did my laundry in the river and borrowed Megan's clothesline to hang it up to dry. Always good to have fresh clean underwear and socks!
After we all had a little rest and dinner we went into the pub for the evening and to have some drinks. We were noticing a trend here. It was becoming the West Highland Way pub crawl! Ha ha!
Before turning in for the night, Martin asked if we'd like to spend the next day resting. It would give our feet a break, for my cold to recover and give him an opportunity to do a day hike along Buachaille Etive Mor (a pyramid shaped mountain). We all thought that would be a great idea since the 3 of us really like it there. We would meet up at the pub for 6pm and treat ourselves to dinner there.
And Megan and I slept in. I mean, REALLY slept in. Until about one in the afternoon. Couldn't believe it! But did we ever feel better.
At dinner in the pub, we met a very clever border collie and his owner. The owner had taught him many tricks, including how to open doors, use the toilet, flush it and bring him a beer. It was great! Entertaining to watch him eat all the chips out of the chip bag too. And the owner was an interesting character himself. Loved to tell stories and laugh.
Come morning, we set out to climb the Devil's Staircase, a steep section going up one side of the valley to go over the hill and down into the next valley. Upon passing a pond in the bog, I found a very neat bog flower.
The staircase wasn't as difficult as we thought it would be. Actually, it wasn't that tiring, that zigzag trail. I think my body was acclimated to the daily treks and my bag weight. Plus the day's rest helped. My cold was pretty much gone. And of course, our packs get lighter as we consume our
food.
We had a little break up there, relishing the stunning landscape of valleys, hills and heather. Then we headed downhill into Kinlochleven.
Just as we were entering the village, all the white pollen falling from the trees looked like snow. It was so pretty. We crossed the bridge over the river that lead to Loch Leven and then continued along the trail, up into the forest to pitch our tent for the evening as we were suggested. Man, the lush green grass and sheltered area of the forest allowed the midges the haven they needed to flourish. And bother us like crazy! I was glad for the midge head net I bought. Though, it made it difficult to eat dinner with it on! Had to leave my mouth exposed while eating. We definitely got a few bites!
After dinner, we walked down to the local pub (of course). What's a hike without beer after! Only 15km that day, but well earned none the less.
Inside the pub, some younger group of guys had control over the jukebox and the music was pretty loud so we took our drinks outside to the picnic tables. One of the locals had a guitar and was playing lightly to himself at one of the tables. So we took the one beside him so we could listen. Wasn't long before 4 other people joined us. A lovely couple staying at the hotel there and 2 other locals who played guitar as well. That's one thing I really like about the pubs up here in small towns. Musical instruments either hang on the wall of the pub, or the pub owner has it behind the counter somewhere. If anyone plays, they can borrow the instrument to entertain. Very cool.
It sure was nice to hear some Scottish folk music. I really liked the song "Will ye go Lassie, go." Even Megan played a bit. It was a lovely evening.
And I learned of an amazing thing! One of the locals saw my feet (as I tend to take my boots and socks off once resting) and was shocked at the amount and sizes of my blisters. He gave me some blister cushions called "Compeed." It was fantastic stuff! Like a second skin. It doesn't roll up in your socks and come off with sweat. And lots of comfort and relief. I was very grateful to him.
Next morning, I went to the little outdoor shop to buy some more Compeed before we carried up the hill and onto our last hike of 23 kms to Fort William. The section was similar to the trail leading to Kingshouse. We passed a ruin of a stone house and sheep shank. Highlanders once lived here and tended their sheep. It was used to be a main road back in those days before paved roads were constructed. Quite a ways to go from town to town. But beautiful.
We had about 1/3 of our walk in sunshine, but we could see clouds ahead. Looked like rain over Ben Nevis.
As we got closer to Glen Nevis, we started walking through thicker forests before finally coming down towards the main road and arriving near the Ben Nevis visitor centre. Only another 3km before we finally made it to Fort William and our end of our trek.
Yay! We made it! And with enough time to catch a bus back to Glasgow where Megan invited us to spend the night. She was wanting to get home and check on her 2 cats.
Since it was raining, Martin and I decided to take her up on her offer. We picked up some dinner once in Glasgow before catching the local transit to her place. Sure was great to be able to shower. And to tend my feet. Wish I knew I wasn't supposed to try to peel off the Compeed before I attempted it! Pulled my skin right off! Ouch, that stung something fierce! Megan was laughing, "you're not supposed to take it off silly. It will came off on it's own." Thanks, now you tell me! Lol.
After a nice deep sleep and breakfast, we said goodbye to Martin as he was driving home. After that, I got packed up and Megan walked me to the bus stop where I caught the bus to Edinburgh. Sure was going to miss her. We got along great.
I arrived at the city centre and Sinclair met at the bus station. We went to his place just off the Royal Mile to drop off my things. We went to a nearby tavern for a pint and people watched as I caught him up on the last couple days of my trek. After, we picked up his youngest daughter Isla and picked up a couple groceries. I made some burritos for dinner for them.
We made plans to meet up with John the next day and go camping out on a beach.
In the morning, Sinclair had to do a few run arounds for his other daughter, his son and picking up groceries,  but wasn't long before we made our way to our camping destination. John met us there at Tyninghame Beach.

 It was a pleasant walk though a wooded forest before coming to the beach. We found a nice spot to pitch our tents near some shelter from the rocks. We had some tea and enjoyed the sound of the sea. John and I had a nice walk down the beach to the point, where Isla and Sinclair played a bit of soccer. 

The sand on the dunes were sparkling in the sunlight. It was so beautiful to watch. It was pretty windy, so some people were out on body boards. On the hills at the end of the beach, you could see a yellow block of land. Rapeseed, used to make oil for cooking. Seen a lot around Britain. But adds a nice colour to the landscape.
Once we got back, we made our dinner. Sand burgers, hmmmm. Lol. The wind kept picking up and getting in our patties when Sinclair and I were making them. A little crunchy, but still good. 
More soccer and Sinclair did a bit of filming with his video camera after dinner. Isla is mad about soccer. Talks about her favourite team all the time, and loves to play. At 13 years of age, she has a ton of energy. Hard to keep up with her!
We had a nice fire to cozy up to for the evening. The driftwood put out lots of heat, so we were quite comfortable.
During the early hours of the morning, I could hear the waves lapping at the shore... quite loudly. I unzipped my tent to poke my head out, and not an arms length away was the waterline! I stayed up for about 30 mins to make sure it was as high as the tide would go. Fortunately, it was. That was close.
Once we were all up, we had a lovely bacon and eggs breakfast with fruit. Delicious! I had a last meander along the shoreline, checking out some tide pools before packing everything up. John invited us over for dinner at his place for the following evening before I headed off again. 
On our way back home, Isla got dropped off to hang out with her friends and Sinclair and I just took it easy for the remainder of the day. We watched a movie in the evening.
The next day, Sinclair had to work and Isla went to school, so I walked around the city. One last look at Edinburgh before leaving the country. I bought myself a little souvenir, a Scottish thistle pendant with a Celtic knot on the bottom. I was quite happy with it.
We had a wonderful dinner at John and Linda's. It was so nice to finally meet John's wife. She was a lovely woman and made me feel at home right away. Almost like I've known her for some time already. Though, I suppose in a way, I have with John's emails. It was a fantastic way to end my last night with some of my favourite people. John and Sinclair are family to me, and I love them dearly. Will be missing them greatly now that I'm moving on with my travels.

Northchurch/Stratford-upon-Avon

During my 3 hour daily break while working as a carer, I did my best to keep in shape for my next adventure planned. Hiking the West Highland way in Scotland.
After doing some strengthening exercises, I'd get my cardio workout by either running along the canal path or riding the bicycle up in Ashridge forest. April was lovely up in the forest, so I started spending more of my time biking than running.
In Ashridge forest, the ivy was nice and green spiralling up the trees. Small fresh green leaves sprouted on the tree canopies and a blanket of green grass started to cover the forest floor of dried brown leaves and dirt. The birds were chirping happily and singing their songs. And the warmth of the sun was enough to allow t-shirts and tank tops while riding. Lovely.
I'd ride along the trail watching some of the herds of deer, trying to dodge some of the bigger tree roots and jump smaller ones. A few areas had hills that were fun to ride on and give a bit of a jump at the end. I'm not very skilled at that, but it was fun to try. Definitely need to work on my landings! Almost bit the dust a few times. Ha!
As it got into the beginning of May, the bluebells started to bloom. Now that was beautiful! Green and purple-blue sea beneath the white Birch and Ash trees. My client and I did a few drives so she could see them. She even showed me some favourite local viewing spots for them. Fantastic! And the aroma... smelled sooooo gooooood!
Some of the farms nearby were lambing. Little babies running around after their mom trying to feed. Really sweet.

We did have a crazy hail spell one day in the second week of May. Large hail just a little shy of the size of a marble came thundering down around the house. Hearing it in the conservatory was amazing! The Magnolia tree and potted flowers in my clients yard sure got a beating though.
My trek plans for the West Highland Way was going well. I put up an event page on the couch surfing website and also on Gumtree and managed to find 3 people interested on accompanying me. An English fellow named Martin, Megan from Glasgow and a French lady, Catherine, living in Glasgow. They all seemed nice from the emails so hopefully we'll all get along and keep pace with each other.
Martin and I had a chance to meet on one of my breaks. We had lunch and walked around Berkhamstead. He sure is in good shape. He does lots of hiking, running and even biking up in mountain ranges. I asked if he'd mind hiking with someone slower then him, and he said it would be fine.
Megan likes to cycle as well, so I hope I can keep up the pace.
Now at the end of May, I've left my client in the hands of her new carer with a promise to revisit before leaving the country and headed to my cousins again out in Stratford-upon Avon. I planned to spend a few days with them before heading north for my trek.
My cousin's Jill and her son Kye came to visit us at Helen, Ronny, Jo and Nicola's place. Also my great aunty Ena was sprung out of her care home for a few days as well. We had a lovely afternoon in the sun having lunch and cake and playing table tennis. Aunty Ena did pretty well, being 93 years old!

The "travellers"were passing through Stratford as well. Strange that they parked along the roadside right beside the main roundabout, but I suppose they don't have many choices on where to park their vardos.
Helen and I did our usual walks out with the dog in the nice wooded areas. Again, more bluebells to be seen. We went on a drive with aunty Ena to a garden centre and an outdoor store so I could by a head net for midges and an inflatable pillow. Found one for 6 pounds! A bargain!
Today we're all just hanging around enjoying time together while the girls are in and out doing their own thing. I'm all packed up and ready to catch the bus into Birmingham to meet up with Martin tomorrow so we can drive up to Scotland together and pick up the girls!

Northchurch/East Scotland

Well, it's been 3 months already with my job placement. Since I work 7 days a week with a 3 hour break during the afternoons, my employer highly encourages time off after 3 months. It's a full on job, and isolating, so I welcomed the holiday.
I did take 4 days off in mid-December for my cousin Margo's memorial. My aunt emailed an obituary for me to read since I was the only Canadian family member there. And I turned out to be the only family member there. I was hoping Margo's nephew would come, so I could meet another relative from my grandmother's side... but he didn't show up.
I was glad for Pat and Sarah's company and hospitality. They were close to Margo, like family, and were good friends. I stayed at their place in Scarborough. Sarah and I got on great. We're about the same age and connect well. Shame she had to work, but I only had 2 days there anyway so it was fine. I spent the other day walking in town checking out the shops, market and the beachfront.
I spent my Christmas with my client, her family and some of her friends. It was really nice. I truly felt like a part of the family. We even had a trip out to Goring, a place that won a village of the year award. However, when we visited, the river was flooding the land's edge. People were placing sandbags to create a barrier for the flood... maybe not the best time of year to see it.
I spent a lot of my break time walking or riding the bike along the canal in Northchurch. Also going up to Ashridge Forest. Just up the hill, it was a large wooded area with trails and open fields. Lots of people visit there. It was a little sanctuary for me. Great to get in some nature time... and find solitude.
I also went on a little trip to the zoo with my client's family. We saw Woburn Safari Park. It really was like a safari, you stayed in your vehicle and drove around the parkland to see the different "enclosures." I use the term loosely because the grazing animals were free to roam around. The predators were through a double gate that led to separate enclosures for them. It was really neat. Though, some people had damage to their vehicles when entering the monkey area. Signs warned people of that possibility... they have ripped off windshield wipers.
From tigers, wolves, bears and lions to ostrich, rhinos, elephant, oryx, camels, bison, zebras, etc. to monkeys, tortoise, snakes, penguins and sea lions. This place had all kinds from the animal kingdom. Pretty neat place. The smaller and aquatic creatures were in a section of the park where you could walk. A chance to stretch the legs and watch some shows. Neat place.
Now, my past 10 days have been fantastic.
I met up with Ashley, one of the girls from my caregiver training course. We decided to go up to Scotland together on a camping trip. Right, camping in Scotland in March... yes I know... it's cold. But we had a plan. We rented a campervan from a company called Spaceships near Heathrow. The owner modified the vans to suit camping requirements. It was amazing! It had a fridge, DVD player, 2 burner stove, dual battery system, blankets, pillows, storage space, cookware, glasses, utensils, plates, bowls, fuel for the stove and more. I was really happy with it.
We planned to wildcamp with it in order to balance our budget for the trip.
After stocking up on food at the grocery store, we left London and headed north to Selkirk before cutting across to Melrose in Scotland. It was pretty late by the time we got there... and dark. We drove up to Scott's View and pulled over at a nice spot near there so we could see the viewpoint in the morning.
And it was lovely the next day! There was a little bit of fog covering the hills and over the river. Very nice.
After breakfast, we headed into town and visited Melrose Abbey. A beautiful ruined monastery dating back to 1136, with a Gothic appearance and built in a St. John's cross shape. Many statuary and decorations of plants, dragons, gargoyles and saints. Even had a lead container that supposedly held the embalmed heart of Robert the Bruce (one of Scotland's kings whom lead the wars of Scottish Independence against England). An engraved stone was now placed above the ground to mark the burial site of his heart.
The abbey sure was grand!

I could walk up one of the steep, narrow spiral steps to the roof and see the gargoyles and bell up close. The view over the grounds showed many tombstone's all around the ruin. Many Scottish Kings and nobles were buried on the abbey's grounds.
From there, we left the Scottish Borders to head to Edinburgh. Once heading north, we started to see sprinkling of snow here and there. It was very pretty, especially with the old arched stone bridges over the rivers. So nice.
Our second stop of the day was the Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World. Really colourful butterflies, snakes, lizards, fish, scorpions and Tarantulas. Ashley and I both got to hold the Tarantula while she was out. Their abdomen is really soft from their fine hairs.
Next, we parked in the city centre near Edinburgh castle where we made a pit stop to have a quick visit with my friends John and Sinclair (whom I met up with at Glen Etive while camping). It sure was nice to catch up over coffee.
Then, we drove to Pitlorchy where we took a narrow road heading to Foss, and camped out near a river. Looked like a hydro plant was nearby using the river for hydro power. We could hear it faintly where we stayed, but only if we were outside.
It sure was comfortable in that campervan! I didn't have trouble sleeping at all. Only trouble I encountered was getting Ashley out of bed. She loved to sleep in. Ha!
Once we were awake, fed and finished enjoying the river, we drove up to Inverness. Passing the borders of the Cairngorms National park along the way was lovely with the snow on the hills.
We visited the other Loch Ness Monster exhibit I hadn't seen, which was Nessieland. It was more mythical as opposed to scientific and more targeted towards children I think. I have to admit, the Nessie models were pretty cool. And the documentary of locals having eye-witnessed accounts of the Nessie sightings was entertaining.
We popped over to Urquhart Castle and ate lunch before the long drive north to Thurso.
En route, we passed Dunrobin Castle. It had a falconry and a garden overlooking the ocean. Unfortunately it was closed when we went by. So, I took a couple pictures of the estate building since it looked so neat. Maybe another time I could visit. Sutherland was a nice county.
We got close to Thurso and about 5 miles before the town we took a side road to Castletown where we camped out at Dunnet Forest. Again, it was dark so any exploring would have to wait till morning.
We made some pasta for dinner, and it took longer than it should had with all the wind. Very stormy. Even a bit of hail and wet snow. Luckily the snow didn't stick, but it was freezing! We had a short rock wall barrier at the parking lot that we tried to use as a wind breaker. It helped, but took us a while to boil the water and cook the noodles. It sure was delicious once we ate. We really needed a warm dinner!
I woke fairly early the following day. Too early for Ashley, so I snuck out of the van and went for a pleasant walk through  Dunnet forest. Yes, it was cold, but I had my thermals on under all my layers and was very comfortable. A couple people were walking their dogs along the various trails. A small woodland, but the birds seemed happy.
By the time I got back to the van, Ashley was up and after filling our bellies, we went to the beach at Dunnet Bay. Again, very windy and cold. Ashley had a short looky-loo and waited for me back in the van while I walked along the beach a little. Then we went up to the viewpoint at Dunnet Head. It's the most northerly point of the mainland of Britain. Caithness is a stunning county with all the coastal cliffs and beaches. And the viewpoint revealed a few mini lochs amongst the hills. On a clear day, you would be able to see the three islands, Stroma, Hoy and even the Orkney mainland, but the clouds were too misty for us to see across the water.
There was a light house and WWII fortifications up there. Soldiers used for the area for a lookout and station for the Royal Air Force. Had we been there at the right time of year (such as spring and summer), puffins nest along the cliff side. As it was, there were none. I did however see some Gannets. Large white birds with yellow faces and black tipped wings.
While driving to our next destination, we couldn't help but make pit stops to take photos of the beautiful coastal scenery and stone housed homesteads.
We drove to John o' Groats. A small fisherman village with a tourist shop and eatery. The North Sea was crashing waves along the breakwater something fierce! Poor little fishing boat at port was not going anywhere!
Duncansby Head was our next stop. It is the most north-eastern tip of the British mainland and is famous for the rock pinnacles rising out of the sea, known as the Duncansby Stacks.
There is a small light house there, and walking the path that goes beyond it is where the delights are seen. Fascinating layers of the sedimentary rock cliffs and a deep cleft (named Geo of Sclaites) carved out in the cliff. I'm sure birds would frequent here, but given the extremely windy winter day and the crashing of the waves through the cleft, they did not hang around. And rightly so. It was a force not to be reckoned with. I have to say, one thing I love is the ocean. Nature is truly amazing and beautiful, even in it's violence.
Continuing along the little path, we came to the Thirle Door (which is an arch carved at the cliff base) and the Duncansby Stacks. I could only imagine how nice it would be to be up there on a sunny calm day enjoying a picnic. The rock architecture was marvelous.
After heading back south along the coast, we made a quick stop at the Ackergill Tower. It looked to intriguing from the road to pass up and the driveway itself was inviting me. The twisted arms of the trees alongside the driveway coiled over the drive like something out of Sleepy Hollow. It was eerie and fantastic.
After that, just past Wick, we stopped to explore the Whaligoe steps.
The 330 some odd steps were made of stone dating to the late 1700's but fairly well maintained by locals.  The volunteer caretaker told us there used to be 365, one for every day of the year, but over time, erosion had worn about 30 of them away.
We took care descending the zigzag staircase against the stone cliff wall. Once at the bottom of the haven, we could see the ruins of the harbour. A narrow grassy area called the Bink had the remains of an old salt storage area the fisherman used for curing the fish. There was also a round pit that was used as a barking kettle to heat tar to coat fishing nets and floats for waterproofing.
It is said the name came due to a whale that had washed up in the harbour. The crashing waves forced the whale to be beaten against the cliffs and then washed into the harbour, where the local fisherman then harvested for food.
A Neist (small steps onto the lower rocky shelf) was made as well to help the boats moor more easily. There aren't many harbours on the north east coast, so it was frequently used in the earlier years. But by the 1960's they stopped using the harbour.
We drove to Dunbeath and stayed at Inver Caravan Park. The owners were a lovely couple who invited us into their house for the paperwork and offered us a cup of tea to get the chill off. They also had a friendly cat that would chat to you and demand some love. Very cute fella.
Ashley hopped into the shower while I made dinner. Well, I tried to. It was so windy, I spent 45 mins trying to get my water to boil. A nice woman in her caravan saw me struggling, and asked if I'd like to use her stove inside to make my dinner. I was so grateful! I was starving! I just love how friendly people are here in Scotland. She was planning on going to the Orkney Islands, but with the storm, the ferry's weren't running. Her and her husband were staying at the campsite hoping in a couple days it would ease up enough to get there for vacation. They were from Europe and she was a painter. She made cards and post cards with her talent and was more than happy to show me.
The next morning, we passed through Inverness again at took the Great Glen route to Fort William. We shopped around in town for bit and had some lunch.
Then we continued to Glencoe. My favourite place! And it was just stunning to see all the hills with the lightly dusted snow caps. I really wanted to go on a little hike, but Ashley wasn't into it. So, I suggested maybe I'll go for about an hour, and she could take the van and pop into the town and look around. She didn't like being out in the cold and preferred to be in the van or inside somewhere. Poor girl, guess she thought the trip might be a bit warmer. But when your on a budget and camping, it's cold in the north in winter. The wind didn't help much, but it's Scotland.

So, that's what we did. She went into town, and I decided to follow a trail that took me up across from the 3 sisters. Similar location to some filming spots for the last Harry Potter films. Ah, it was gorgeous. Just love it.
Once she picked me up, we headed to Glen Etive and drove to the end at Gualachulain to our wild campsite. The same place I've stayed before and met John and Sinclair. Some of the little waterfalls were iced over and had icicles hanging. Also saw a heard of Red Deer, which we both were happy photographing.
We watched one of our DVDs to enjoy our evening.
Since I wake up before Ashley, I went for a little stroll along the shore and up by a creek. Birds were singing away. Even heard an owl during the night which was nice.
After breakfast, we went to Callander to look at the tourist shop and have a stretch. I bought myself a tartan scarf for a souvenir... plus it would keep me warm. A highland cow was by the parking lot fence giving himself a good scratch on the barbed wire. With all that long hair, it coated the barbs and twined around them, so he didn't get any cuts. Friendly bull too. He liked to be petted. Filthy though. Our hands were caked in dirt after, ha ha.
We continued on to Stirling. After looking at the castle, Ashley and I both decided to visit the National Wallace Monument instead.
The walk up to the tower was nice. Had a lovely view of Stirling, especially up on the tower itself. A narrow winding staircase led up to a nice platform that went all the way around so you could get a 360 degree view.
On the way up, there were numerous floors with historical displays. Level 1 was the Hall of Arms. Lord Wallace's broadsword was displayed in a glass case. The story of William Wallace was charted throughout the floor as well. Describing his belief in freedom and peace, uniting the Scottish clans against King Edward I of England, his victory against the King in 1297 at Stirling Bridge over the River Forth and about his betrayal, capture and execution.
Next level was the Hall of Heroes. Stained glass widows and marble busts depicted medieval warriors.
The third level talked about the construction of the monument. And lastly was the crown, or the viewing platform. One could see the Stirling Bridge where Wallace had won his famous victory battle from up there.
When we headed out, a costumed man was telling the story of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. After his story, he was more than happy to take photos with the tourists and give us a sword to play with. That was very entertaining. I love the accent too. I know it's not on most people's list of attractive accents, but it's on mine :) I thank Sean Connery and Liam Nissan for that.
We strolled around the town a little bit before heading to north England's Lake District.
It was a scenic drive. The Lake District was full of mountains, lakes, trees, farms and small towns. We found a campsite on a farm in the northern part in Troutbeck. I believe it was called Gill Head Farm. A family working farm. When we arrived, the owners were working with their sheep. Seems some were lambing.
We could smell the farm, but wasn't bothersome. It was nice to have full facilities anyway. We slept well regardless of where we stayed. All bundled up with our blankets.
In the morning, we had sunshine that made the drive to see Ullswater, Windermere, Crook and Kendal a nice drive. We did get a little stuck however. My fault. We were driving along a lakeside that was so picturesque, I had to get out and enjoy it and take a photo. There wasn't a pull over spot, so I went off the shoulder of the road and parked 3/4 on the grass. Well, turned out that tall grass was sprouting on thick mud. The tires kept spinning when we tried to move on. I had to get out and push while Ashley drove. Sure got our left back end muddy, ha!
Before dropping the campervan off in London, we made a quick stop in Warwick to see the castle. We didn't have a lot of time, but we managed a good look.
Originally built in 1068 by William the Conqueror, it had been rebuilt with stone in the 12th century with extra work over the years. We went in and walked along the wall, visiting the multiple towers with the nice views. A falconer was working with an eagle. He was very large and came quite close to us. Really neat.
Then we went inside and saw the armoury, hall, room chambers and servant working rooms like textiles and laundry. Lots of people dressed up reenacting. Outside on the grounds were areas to learn archery, but we had to push on to get the van back in time. Lots of extra attractions like the Merlin Tower and dungeons to visit... but all at extra charges.
After dropping the van off and Ashley and I saying out goodbyes, I caught the metro to my friend Simon's place in London. We met online. I was feeling pretty isolated with my job and only having 3 hours a day to have personal time, so I went onto the couchsurfing website and a dating site to try to meet people interested in my area for coffee or walks. Just someone to socialize with. That's how we met. We skyped often and became great mates.
He had a nice flat that was so comfortable and warm after camping up north. It was great. We spent 3 days together. He took me to a Borough Market with all it's fantastic food, walked along the Thames and visited a modern art gallery (of which 5 people were rolling around on the floor and spooning to music. 2 clothed woman, and 3 completely naked men. Was a bit of a shocker! Lol, though I didn't mind, he he), went to one of his frequent pubs in London, walked around Greenwich, one of his favourite areas of London, had a night out in the pubs in his neighbourhood and watched a couple movies. A great way to end my vacation.
I'm now back in Northchurch with my same client as before getting settled back into my routine. Won't be too long before I have to leave the UK though. My working holiday visa expires on July 4th. But there's still time to plan more adventures before I have to leave!