How are you today?

[blue]

I missed it last year, Beth. Great to see your pic now....
Last year I've been on a trip to Scotland for two weeks. I fell in love with the beautiful nature (and with the beautiful men, but let's keep that quiet for my husband )

I'm quite fond of Scotsmen myself, direct and to the point unlike most!

It's impossible not to fall in love with the place, if you have any degree of soul.

[blue]

Oddly enough, I was on the phone yesterday to my son (who lives in Glasgow at the moment), and he was on the coast at West Kilbride looking over the Firth of Clyde at the Isle of Arran...


..and I'm meeting up with him in August and we're heading up to the far North of Scotland for a week of wilderness and walking (and midges, no doubt)

Oh West Kilbride is a lovely village, up in the beautiful Ayrshire hills. The bus from Greenock down to Ardrossan, where I get the ferry to Arran, detours up into the hills and spends about 20 minutes going round West Kilbride to serve the villagers. Stunning views across the Clyde from there.

[sound world]

Just back from a week in the far North of Sutherland, staying in a cottage by the side of a Loch (Eriboll), with Cape Wrath a few miles up the road and only the Arctic beyond that.
Stunningly beautiful and unspoilt, though because of Covid they are getting more visitors than before (the staycation effect) mostly folk in giant motorhomes cruising round the NC500 (North Coast 500 miles, geddit). But to us it seemed deserted...
The beaches are spotless, no sign of pollution, no plastic or crap on the tide.
I wanted to move up there immediately, but I had to remember that we were having a sunny week and 90% of the rest of the year it will be pissing down and dark. and then there's the midges, of course....

A little glimpse:

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[RobB]

Lovely photo Dave and you seem to have had a nice time, midges aside? And you were lucky with the weather it seems too? I've never been to Scotland, its a bit of a drive from Essex although during the 1960's my uncle and aunt drove up to John O'Groats in their 3-wheel Bond !! So I haven't really got an excuse other than Snowdonia (which is equally beautiful and midge free) is a bit closer.

[blue]

Gorgeous pic. I'm desperate to get back up home for a bit, having been due to go up at the beginning of April to look at two flats in my hometown. Lockdown scuppered that.

Tip for deterring midges: Avon Skin So Soft body oil. They hate it for some reason.

[RobB]

I'm desperate to get back up home for a bit, having been due to go up at the beginning of April to look at two flats in my hometown. Lockdown scuppered that.

That must be so frustrating, Beth? Still, hopefully you can get up there soon and choose a flat......so we can all come up for a cheap holiday !!!

[blue]

If I manage to get back home at long last you will be very welcome, whichever of you want to come and stay. My little home town is right on the River Clyde, and the west coast of Scotland is quite beautiful. Within easy reach of Glasgow and the Western Isles, lots to do and see.

[sound world]

I'm very tempted to move up to Scotland especially as we have been having endless issues with horrible developer neighbour this year...and my son's up there (but he's planning to move back South soon)

And then there's the midges....yes, we went armed with several bottles of SkinSoSoft (we call it MidgeSoDead). There's a new(er) spray called Smidge now to help keep the pesky blighters at bay, and we all had headnets.
Which made it quite comical on occasion - we went on a little socially distanced boat trip to a bird island on a very hot day, and all the passengers including us were wearing hats, shades, headnets AND facemasks.

[RobB]

If I manage to get back home at long last you will be very welcome, whichever of you want to come and stay.

Thanks Beth for your kind offer but not having got any further norf than Kendall, I don't suppose I'll ever make it to Scotland. Midges aside, it does sound like a lovely country to visit.

[RobB]

I'm very tempted to move up to Scotland especially as we have been having endless issues with horrible developer neighbour this year...

That's sad to read as from what I've seen, you live in a very quiet and peaceful part of the country.

[blue]

Dropping in for my yearly post, just to say I made it! Moved back to Scotland in June this year, finally. I ended up getting a flat in the very street I was born in, no less, where I lived with my beloved grandmother till I was three. It hasn't changed at all, there probably isn't another street in my hometown I would have been happier or more comfortable in. I'm settled into a job since August, and loving my very first place on my own!

Hope you are all doing well, happy Sunday!

[alx5962]

Hi Blue! Nice to hear from you.

This is great news. Scotland seems a very beautiful place to live and visit. I really hope to go there one day, even if it will be very difficult for me to understand scottish accent

[blue]

You understood me fine when we spoke all that long time ago Alex!

[Franck]

Hi Blue,

Nice to finally have news from you, and great news!
Scotland has always been on my top list of countries to visit. Hope to make it one day.

[RobB]

Dropping in for my yearly post, just to say I made it! Moved back to Scotland in June this year, finally. I'm settled into a job since August, and loving my very first place on my own!

Excellent news, I'm delighted your dream has come true. All you need to do now is alter your location on your profile !!