Durness it is, decision made (1 Viewer)

[DavidG58]

Good morning all, it was a bit blowy to say the least last night, but no worse than the Monday night as I arrived

It was very odd though in the middle of the night the wind appeared to stop completely, but I could still hear it a bit, but that might have been waves on the beach thinking about it. There must be a certain wind speed where it is high enough to rock the MH

Glad I turned round last night though, even with that it was a real battle with the door last night, then another battle trying to persuade Lola to go out

Today looks quite bright, worst winds are forecast for tonight, I am going to stick it out for another couple of nights, the bar is open on Fridays, still not sure about Chocolate Mountain, going to have a walk to there today to see if open

Some years ago when we came up with our caravan there was a large project to refurbish a large house / hotel right on the beach by the golf course, I am intrigued about that progress, so will walk over and have a look. It would make a beautiful location but very exposed to the elements although in a bit of a bay. will photograph and report back on their progress, or lack of

Thank you for your interest and concerns for me, if it were really bad I would have moved on

 

[Chockswahay]

Thank you for your interest and concerns for me, if it were really bad I would have moved on

Or been blown away

 

[DBK]

Just hope you don't have a beach up wind of you. I parked for a few hours behind a beach in Cornwall last year, facing into a gale. Later I discovered the entire engine compartment was coated in sand. Had to Dyson it all out.

 

[DavidG58]

Just watched the local Scottish news, looks like areas around Glasgow are really getting battered, it is positively calm up here right now

Didn't fancy the golf though

I am not the best of players, but this is the first hole up over the hill in front, directly into the wind, I would take a few to get to the ladies tee

 

[funflair]

Eye and Storm spring to mind David.

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[DavidG58]

Just hope you don't have a beach up wind of you. I parked for a few hours behind a beach in Cornwall last year, facing into a gale. Later I discovered the entire engine compartment was coated in sand. Had to Dyson it all out.

Nearest sand is about 150 feet below me and thankfully even then up wind, although the wind has moved around through 180 degrees a few times this week already

I think the sand is too wet to get this high anyway

 

[Debs]

Nearest sand is about 150 feet below me and thankfully even then up wind, although the wind has moved around through 180 degrees a few times this week already

I think the sand is too wet to get this high anyway

Are you going to confirm that to us in the morning?

 

[Puddleduck]

It's very wild here now (Scottish Borders). And there is sleet.

 

[DavidG58]

So Cocoa Mountain, not Chocolate Mountain as I have been calling it

Quite possibly the best hot chocolate I have ever had, and the truffles are all hand made on site

Should have moved the cup over the mark on the table though

 

[normanandsue]

Just watched the local Scottish news, looks like areas around Glasgow are really getting battered, it is positively calm up here right now

View attachment 51807

Didn't fancy the golf though

View attachment 51808

I am not the best of players, but this is the first hole up over the hill in front, directly into the wind, I would take a few to get to the ladies tee

View attachment 51809

Wish I was with you

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[DavidG58]

It's very wild here now (Scottish Borders). And there is sleet.

I think you should have come up here to Durness Mrs PD you would have been safer

 

[Puddleduck]

I'm inside the house - the MH goes in for estimate of repairs on Monday

 

[DavidG58]

Now then, I mentioned a house being redeveloped earlier, we last saw it with scaffold all round about 5 years ago, it had a notice about a hotel development, the sort of thing that when on holiday you think we could do something like this and what a place to do it in

Totally unrealistic thoughts, but I find holidays do that, not only do we have zero hotel running experience, we have nowhere near enough funds to even buy the place let alone do it up

But this is it today

still a beautiful location, but still nearly derelict, just been talking to the site owner, 2 local brothers were doing it and had a massive fall out

When we first saw it I think it was September and relatively warm, seeing it again today I love the wildness, up to a point

and still don't have anywhere near enough money anyway and its not even for sale

 

[DavidG58]

Similar view to others, but the views are too good not to share

But much better viewed in person

 

[Puddleduck]

still a beautiful location, but still nearly derelict, just been talking to the site owner, 2 local brothers were doing it and had a massive fall out

When we first saw it I think it was September and relatively warm, seeing it again today I love the wildness, up to a point

and still don't have anywhere near enough money anyway and its not even for sale

That looks almost habitable - it has a roof on at least!

Hotel work is hard work - even on the management side it's a 24 / 7 job.

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[DavidG58]

That looks almost habitable - it has a roof on at least!

Hotel work is hard work - even on the management side it's a 24 / 7 job.

I think my use of the word derelict was said with my buying hat on

As far as I can see someone does live there

 

[Puddleduck]

We once lived in a derelict whilst renovating rebuilding a couple of places. These days we wouldn't have been able to raise a mortgage due to the state of the places but back then it was easier to borrow even against places that weren't really habitable.

 

[DavidG58]

1:00 am update

well I have never really been sea sick, but to be honest don't think I have ever been on a boat and rocked around quite as much as we are right now, feel decidedly queasy right now

Just checked the BBC weather, wind is peaking around now till 2:00, so hopefully will calm down soon, I don't think we are in any danger. I got lucky with realignment, we are absolutely head on into the wind, if not I dread to think how much rocking we would be doing

Much less wind from tomorrow and some more snow forecast, definitely had enough wind for one trip now, starting trip south on Saturday, presuming not snowed in

 

[Debs]

Morning - have the pair of you survived intact?

 

[DavidG58]

#

Morning - have the pair of you survived intact?

Good morning all, just getting up, a long night, but apart from queasiness and severe buffeting, nothing to report

Today will hopefully be a day when I get some photos of rough sea, but probably only shots I can take without going out, so get ready for several similar views

I have today found out I was pointing my iBooost at the wrong booster mast, apparently I winter they only use the one on the office, internet speed had been amazing anyway really, considering my location, but in theory will be better now

Just done a test got 6.5Mb/sec download 71 Mb/sec upload, I have no idea what that means, but considering it is a wifi signal, it seems to work well

It is 2C here with strong breeze still, occasional snow / hail and still not fully light so no photos for a while yet

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[Moodybrook]

Morning David, as I said in PM serious stuff for Thurs into Fri. Windspeeds expected for you 70 + . On a nautical theme 63 - 73 Violent storm, anything over 73 - Hurricane

Take your pick ! and in the dark it seems to multiply things.

I would have gone up close to the toilet blocks to break the brunt of it, not sure about how long your hook up cable is.
Anyway a lot of snow South of you ie. between you and Inverness, The East coast route thro Elgin Aberdeen might be a safer route for a retreat. Been floods here in Dumfries, your parking spot 3ft of water yesterday. If you do want a stop round here, plenty of room on my drive, hook up, hot showers and Bunnahabvain available

 

[Techno]

Just done a test got 6.5Mb/sec download 71 Mb/sec upload, I have no idea what that means, but considering it is a wifi signal, it seems to work well

They will be the other way around David and yes that is as good as home broadband. It will be much slower with more people online at once though.

 

[BreweryDave]

Hey David - have only just caught up on your trip - and have decided you are the Bear Grylls of the motorhome!
Enjoy the cold and stay safe - and keep the pics coming. Stunning trip - not bad for an old retired bloke on his own
.........be time for you to become a blogger soon!
BD & J.

 

[DavidG58]

Morning David, as I said in PM serious stuff for Thurs into Fri. Windspeeds expected for you 70 + . On a nautical theme 63 - 73 Violent storm, anything over 73 - Hurricane

Take your pick ! and in the dark it seems to multiply things.

I would have gone up close to the toilet blocks to break the brunt of it, not sure about how long your hook up cable is.
Anyway a lot of snow South of you ie. between you and Inverness, The East coast route thro Elgin Aberdeen might be a safer route for a retreat. Been floods here in Dumfries, your parking spot 3ft of water yesterday. If you do want a stop round here, plenty of room on my drive, hook up, hot showers and Bunnahabvain available

Morning Allan

Thanks for your concerns, site only has electrics connected to the posts along the fence, all the others have been isolated for winter, I have decided that a mains connection out trumped the buffeting, todays winds are predicted 20+ mph less than last night and positively calm by tonight, which is my last night here

You are right that in the dark it does seem an awful lot worse

Saw your floods on the news, I thought it was our car park in the pictures, amazing how it can come up so high there

Great offer of a pitch really appreciate that, but am going down A1, got a business call to make, but might try and get out of it, will let you know on that next week

Will be looking at my route options later, I came up via Ullapool, which was not too bad, was planning on turning right out of campsite then heading down through Lairg, going back to Grantown for a few nights, still got the Crested Tit to try and see

 

[DavidG58]

They will be the other way around David and yes that is as good as home broadband. It will be much slower with more people online at once though.

when I was talking to Highland wifi with connection problems he said they only have 4 permanent users in Durness, their market is campers, implying there must be broadband in the village, that's good going if there is, or maybe they just don't need it

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[DavidG58]

Hey David - have only just caught up on your trip - and have decided you are the Bear Grylls of the motorhome!
Enjoy the cold and stay safe - and keep the pics coming. Stunning trip - not bad for an old retired bloke on his own
.........be time for you to become a blogger soon!
BD & J.

Cheers Dave

Haven't really looked at the blog options yet, I think you are right these long threads may not be welcome on the forum, but I tend not to go into blogs very often, but do read this kind of report

Been sat here for 4 nights now, ready to move on, Aurora options are about zero, even if they happen it is much too cloudy, so heading south tomorrow, new roads, new photos, new possibilities

 

[BreweryDave]

Cheers Dave

Haven't really looked at the blog options yet, I think you are right these long threads may not be welcome on the forum, but I tend not to go into blogs very often, but do read this kind of report

No no no - they're great on the forum !
Trip reports are my favourite threads.
And it's great to still feel 'connected' and get updates and ideas from the other members, and to know we are enjoying the trip with the author.
A personal blog just allows you to keep your own 'diary' and all in one place is all - I set one up last week in prep for our retirement !
I think you should too! Speak to Gromett

 

[DBK]

Cheers Dave

Haven't really looked at the blog options yet, I think you are right these long threads may not be welcome on the forum, but I tend not to go into blogs very often, but do read this kind of report

As BD says, I think these trip reports are invaluable for giving us ideas for future visits and of course to live the perils others are suffering from the comfort of home! It can also be a two way thing, with suggestions from the congregation, so to speak, for places near you to visit. I found this particularly helpful on my Spanish trip last year.

 

[DavidG58]

Been out to take a few photos, got conned into thinking a bit of sun might relate to warmer, or at least not as cold. Now I am going to do some internet research into chill factors, it is still 2C here, blowing pretty well, but as for what the temperature really felt like, many degrees below, survival rate outside really would not be long.

A little taster of how rough it is, but as before it looks far more impressive face to face

That platform must be there for summer visitors (and Lola) but a great vantage point

 

[StefAndDi]

Lola looks like a dog being told to sit nicely and look pretty for the camera..........and all she wants to do is go back into the warm MH.

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