Day 5:
Having got all that way, you might as well go that bit further. Just over the water from John O’Groats is the Orkney Islands. There’s several ways to visit. You could go on a day trip from JOG, which takes you across the water, then around the sights on a bus.
Or, we booked ourselves on the 08.45 car ferry from Scrabster, near Thurso to Stromness on Mainland Orkney. This is a half hour drive from JOG. The ferry do a good cooked brekkie etc. The journey takes 1.5hours and costs £140 (ouch!)
There’s an hour wait for the ferry.
As the ferry nears Orkney, make sure you see the huge cliffs on your right (starboard) and the ‘Old Man of Hoy’ a famous single cliff stack, amongst the highest in Europe. When we passed the tops were obscured by clouds. The tiny black birds flapping like mad are puffins.
Top tip – Orkney is covered in historic, pre historic and natural beauty spots. An ‘Ordnance Survey’ map will show all these so you can choose your journey.
Kirkwall – 2,171km. Head for the Pickaquoy centre. It has everything – café, sports centre, cinema and campsite. Book yourself in because it’s a popular place.
We then headed south all the way to Burwick. To get there you will pass across the causeways built by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940s. Also the Italian chapel - the last remaining nissen hut from the prison camp that the prisoners made into a surprisingly beautiful classical church. It’s kept lovingly by Orcadians (people from Orkney). Also to see are the many shipwrecks in Scapa Flow. A visit to the Fossil museum provides lots of local information and they do a good Panini and coffee too. At Burwick there’s not much to see, but there is a ‘Welcome to Orkney’ sign just waiting for you to be photographed next to!
Day 6:
With the ferry booked for 16.45 we chose to do a drive around the West Mainland, to include fossil hunting on the beach and driving to the northern most point of the island, making it the most northerly we had been on land in Europe.
After popping in to see the potter at Harray (think about it) and photographing the village sign for Twatt, we got the ferry back. 2,264km.
Back at Thurso we headed for the campsite. This has the feeling of a great place to leave. A misty rain didn’t help things either.
Day 7:
Scotland is famous for rain, and it was true to form.
After a very cheap brekkie in Somerfields café which confirmed there is a smiling ban in the town, we headed off to follow the coast ‘across the top’.
From Thurso a road weaves its way along the coast. One minute it’s a broad stretch of tarmac, the next you start to think you’ve turned up a farmer’s track. The roads continued like this for the rest of the day.
Across the top to Durness, past beautiful sandy beaches that would have been tempting if it wasn’t raining so hard.
Durness – a collection of tourist tat shops, pub and tea rooms.
The road then heads south to Ullapool. Again often single tracked, this road will take you through a very remote landscape occupied only by sheep and salmon fishermen. Leading you through valleys, over steep inclines, through cuts in the rock and along bleak ridges, the road eventually drops into Ullapool. A waterside haven of trees and flowers after the emptiness of the moors.
From Ullapool it’s a few hours cutting across country to Loch Ness.
At Lochness you’re firmly back in tourist land, competing for road with coaches full of pink haired ladies and car parks full of German bikers.
There are many options on staying at Loch Ness. We recommend the camp site at Fort Augustus. Everything about it was good. They even had a kitchen with microwave and toaster. Definitely the best campsite on the trip.
In the town there’s several places to eat or take away, we tried the ‘Bothy’ which did good food and has a wide selection of whisky. Oh the whisky…
Fort Augustus is built around the Caledonian canal locks that lead into the Loch. Sitting on the edge of the Loch, there’s a very strong feeling of tranquillity and peace. Maybe it’s a good vibe monster, who knows.
Day 8:
A drive up the smaller road around Loch Ness to Foyer Falls, then to a ‘beach’ area on the Loch for stone skimming and watching boats go by.
South again to Fort William, where we stopped for lunch. This seems to be base camp for Ben Nevis. Like Aviemore, the fashion was for boots and raincoats.
Then a drive south east to Edinburgh. This will take you through some of the most breathtaking hills in Great Britain. We realised that so far we had been looking out of the side windows at the view. Along this road we were using the sun roof to see the tops of the mountains. It was tempting to stop at all the roadside car parks just to stand and drink in the vast open landscape, but we pushed on to the capital, Edinburgh.
M8, just west of the city we passed the 3,000km mark and celebrated with a traffic jam.
There are several campsites around Edinburgh, some of them quite close to the centre. As we’re not big party animals we chose a site in Musselburgh.
A big site with international campers. Not really a young person’s site, but well kept facilities and very cheeky rabbits outside your door.
Edinburgh – get yourself a guide book. Something for everyone. Tip – drive to Newcraighall park and ride and get the train (20 minutes). Parking in the city is expensive.
Day 9:
Stayed again in Edinburgh. More walking, looking and eating. Lovely city. I’ll be back.
Day 10:
Decided to head back home with the van. This would give us a leisurely day’s drive to Hampshire, a night to recover and unload our stuff, then the next day to drop off the van in London.
Left Edinburgh 10.18am. 3,091km
Across country through Biggar, then rejoin the M74, M6, M40, A34 to Hampshire.
Arrive home in central Hampshire 5.45pm. 3,778.4km
Day 10:
Scrape myself out of bed, into the van and back to Wicked HQ.
Very friendly staff there, even on a Sunday afternoon.
Total mileage 3,955km.
Conclusion:
The van was the perfect tool for the job. It eats miles in comfort, is very comfy to sleep in, has loads of storage and creates a bit of entertainment where ever you go. The number of times a car over took, then dropped back behind only to over take again but this time with a camera pointed at us and lots of friendly waves.
The trip Lands End to John O’Groats is a great experience, taking you through some stunning places and creating great memories. It’s a really good way to get an over view of the diversity that’s squeezed onto this small island called Great Britain.
Kilometres – 3,955km
Days – 9/10
Essential kit – Map included with van
AA campsite guide
Camera
Collection of CDs
Champagne for John O’Groats
‘End to End’ club log book (see website)
Happy 40th Sas, it was Wicked!
