The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: darkbrowneggs on December 16, 2013, 01:37:18 pm
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Ok the house is still not sold, and the last of the auction sale items are still to be collected, but I went for another look at a motorhome I like on Sat and got them to take me out in it. Must say it looks a bit big to handle, but as they say if you can get a dust cart down the road then the van should fit.
Once I have finally made my mind up I will put some details of it on, but I am feeling half excited and half nervous at present.
I am probably jumping the gun (as I say - nothing signed on the house as yet) but I always tend to jump in a worry about it after. So assuming it will all be ok and I will be heading for a look at the Northern Lights next year I have gone ahead and booked in for a Burns Night supper which is being held at Burns Cottage on the actual night. How exciting is that! Well its exciting for me anyway - bear in mind I haven't had a holiday since sometime in the 1980's :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
I haven't been able to get out of the house much in the last 8 or 10 years so no real evening clothes type things but wanted to make a bit of an effort for my first trip away but there wont be much space for clothes
I am thinking long black stretch velvet skirt (need to buy) black jumper (got one) and some sort of tartan sash?
Shaw is part of my name but I couldn't find any tartans to do with that..... but I have been half looking at a plot in the West Highlands so would an Inverness Tartan be the ticket - I quite like the red ones... See I am driveling on.... you can see I am excited
Oh and on Sat I booked in for 3 nights at Cropredy
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Have you test driven the motorhome yourself to see how it feels? I made the mistake of letting the salesman drive mine not me - and I hated driving an old, van with a long gear stick, so I sold it and haven't bought another one. I had the choice of a smaller but newer van and I made the wrong choice.
Burns Cottage is in Alloway, Ayr (http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk/ (http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk/)) - are you driving up in the new motorhome? Bad time of year up here if we get snow so take care.
Here's the Shaw tartan - http://www.scotclans.com/scottish_clans/clan_shaw/tartan.html (http://www.scotclans.com/scottish_clans/clan_shaw/tartan.html)
You're entitled to get excited :excited: :excited: :excited: We're excited for you too! :eyelashes:
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I agree with doganjo - make sure you've had a proper go with the motorhome, on small roads as well as large. Driving something so big will be tiring physically and not much fun, and driving it for long distances could soon become a bore. Maybe something which won't create a traffic jam wherever you take it could be wiser. The amount of traffic on the tourist routes is hard to believe and I for one hate driving anything with four wheels up the west coast of Scotland. The dustcart analogy works both ways - would you like to have to drive one of those far enough to see the northern lights? If you are sure then it will give you maximum space and independence. There's no rush for you to finalise your choice but it would be such a shame to get it wrong.
Sorry this sounds so negative - I think it's a lovely trip you're planning and I'm dirt jealous :yippee:
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It's all very exciting :excited: and good that you have booked a couple of things to get you started.
I used to live in Alloway, just down the road from Burns cottage and remember it well.
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why don't you travel round in one of these, you make a fortune everything you park up :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html (http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html)
give yourself plenty of time to get used to driving it before you decide. I hired a horselorry. my first journey was through the city in the dark/pouring rain. I was terrified I was going to crash but by the next evening - after 300 miles - I found it so easy to drive. it was the biggest thing iv ever driven though.
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Nice tartan :-)
Maybe you can join us at the Scottish Smallholder and Grower Spring Gathering at Inverurie at the end of May :thumbsup:
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Good to see you excited, hope all goes well :fc: :wave:
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I am strangely excited for you, I love anyone doing something unusual!!!! That tarten is lovely, long before I moved up here or actually thought much about my Scots roots, I have loved tartan, now there are so many lovely colour ways.....I would love Tartan carpets, even though some people think they are naff!!!
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why don't you travel round in one of these, you make a fortune everything you park up :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html (http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html)
give yourself plenty of time to get used to driving it before you decide. I hired a horselorry. my first journey was through the city in the dark/pouring rain. I was terrified I was going to crash but by the next evening - after 300 miles - I found it so easy to drive. it was the biggest thing iv ever driven though.
How do you know it isnt one of those I'm buying :roflanim:
Do you remember how big the one you were driving was? The most difficult thing is going to be the width which is maximum for the UK roads :o
And Rosemary - that sounds good, I dont think I will be heading for the continent that soon :eyelashes:
My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa. I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year :thumbsup:
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actually it wasn't a real horsebox - it was the transit style ones - but it was much bigger than it appeared in the picture, and much bigger than the smaller transit van I had hired to collect goats. I truth I have never been so scared driving something as I had to go through 7 roundabouts in the dark in Aberdeen rush hour straight away. but by the time id gone to dingwall and back it was easy peasy.
I did drive the bus at work a few times but didn't really like it. they wanted me to take my license so I thought great - that will help me to drive a horse box etc but the license was a council version not the real macoy so I didn't bother.
just be brave and give yourself time. id love to go round Europe in a campervan once the kids have left home so I admire you ! :love:
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Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England ::) ) anyone know how many there are between the caravan/motorhome sales place at Errol, Perth and Old Rayne (past Inverurie)?
I know - 22! Try that on a wet night in motorhome you've never driven before. :innocent: S C A R Y!!!!
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:excited: it's important to plan ahead for fulfilling dreams ;) and what a great place to start. I'd love to see the northern lights. Went all the way to northern Lapland and still didn't see them. They were seen the night before we arrived :rant:
It's exciting following your plans, have you started a blog about it. Id love to follow what you do and where you visit. One lady and her Dane on the road of freedom and adventure :D :excited:
:fc: your house sells quickly for you.
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how about this one?
a much handier size!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4928887/-worlds-smallest-campervan.html (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4928887/-worlds-smallest-campervan.html)
:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England S C A R Y!!!!
They are not Islands in England .... not in the south anyway. My ex used to call them islands .. he was from Birmingham..... took ages for me to connect turn left at the island with the roundabout ahead!!
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Definitely try driving yourself- I drove Annie's motorhome, and the first time I went round a roundabout I was terrified! The most important thing is that they have a different centre of gravity to cars. We have a transit van as one of our vehicles, and it is more like the motorhome, but even being used to the transit, the motorhome was still very scary to begin with.
The other thing is to get used to the general size, so you know what spaces you can park in for example!
Beth
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Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England S C A R Y!!!!
They are not Islands in England .... not in the south anyway. My ex used to call them islands .. he was from Birmingham..... took ages for me to connect turn left at the island with the roundabout ahead!!
Absolutely. I think it is a Midlands thing as I hadn't heard it before visiting the Midlands. I always associate islands in the road with those little things that you can stop on half way across the road.
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Aha, that makes sense - the people I heard calling them islands were from near Birmingham!
I'd forgotten you used my motorhome, Beth. Hope teh scary driving didn't spoil the holiday! Mind you it was quite old, and I imagine Sue will be buying a fairly modern one. My sister bought a brand new one at the same time as I bought mine and it's lovely to drive and a lot bigger than mine was. My cousin now owns mine and they go away most weekend in it so it's now getting the use that i never gave it.
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My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa. I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year :thumbsup:
I'd love to go to Up Helly Aa - it's on my bucket list ;D
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My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa. I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year :thumbsup:
I'd love to go to Up Helly Aa - it's on my bucket list ;D
But I wouldn't want to be on that ferry in December....
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Yes I am a bit worried about that. Its a 12 hour trip. What happens about dogs. Are you allowed to visit them at all. Its says they can be left in a ventilated vehicle, but if you take them with you they have to be in an outside area or in a nasty looking cage.
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It's very windy up there, I'd worry about driving a high sided vehicle! Ask the ferry company about Phoebe. I'm not sure you can access the cargo deck once the ferry's on its way.
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:wave: Definitely try driving different vehicles. I used to drive the emergency vans at work (at speed /night/bad weather), and it made so much difference when we changed makes and models. You really need to find something you are comfortable driving over distances. Love the sound of your plans :thumbsup:
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I am asking the vet about some sort of tablet to calm her if she does need to stay in alone. I have looked on the ferry site, and although they now allow them to stay in a ventilated vehicle it is for 12 hours and as you say I am pretty certain you wont be allowed to go below decks during the voyage, and 12 hours is a long time for anyone/thing not to have a pee and to be left totally alone in strange surroundings
If you take them out they have to be in a very horrid looking cage, and Phoebe would hate that and I am sure it would be far too cold for her for 12 whole hours.
If we cant get something sorted then I just wont go, but it would be good as I have a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights and I could stay on the Islands and travel round to the various Fire Festivals the last of which is held in March sometime plus there are lots of prehistoric sites to see.
The other alternative is to go via Orkney which is a shorter journey, then take a 7+ hours trip on to Shetland later. Again its car or cage but a lesser time.
I have told you all I am a feet in first type so the deal is almost done, we are just arguing over who pays to fill it all up with fuel!!!! I would have thought they would be happy to do that to get a sale of a motorhome at this time of year, and I bet they can offset it against tax anyway.
I will let you know how I get on.
I am just off to buy a Tom Tom sat nav now.
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Phone the ferry company - is it P & O?
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sue
when you buy a sat nav make sure you connect it to the internet and update the maps before using it!!!
its easy to do and the first time is free to make sure its up to date for you...
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Northernlink Ferries seems to be the main, possibly only one. Does anyone know of any others to try?
Bloomer - I am buying it from a really helpful guy who is going to set it up for me before posting out and says he is happy to help with anything I get stuck with. Its a truckers type Tom Tom so you put in all the vehicle dimensions so it can plan a route. He says the maps are updated each year and if I send the chip back to him he will send a new one out. :thumbsup:
He is also going to load it with all the National Trust, English Heritage, and hopefully Caravan Club sites :excited:
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pentland ferries (I think) sail from Caithness way. lovely countryside on the way to Caithness. its only 90 mins to Orkney from there. that may solve your problem. then sail to Shetland from there.
you are welcome to pop by us enroute. you can park right in the harbour here for free - walking distance to toilet/pub/castle/beach woods etc
im sure she'd would cope for a few hours cooped up. what the worst that can happen? does she chews/poop or is she nervous? she is very lucky to be going on such an adventure.
I would love to get a van and travel the coastline of Scotland - and walk on every beach !
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Thats great - many thanks. I might well take you up on that if we decide on that route
Thats one of the routes I had looked at but it still uses Northernlines Ferries for the leg onto Shetland and I think its still a 7 hour plus trip. I will look into it though, as if it was a daytime sailing then maybe we could spend time on the deck.
She wouldnt be naughty at all but she would be very worried in a strange place all alone without me for 7 or 12 hours. And she is quite an old girl now - I dont want to take too many chances
The problem is you are not allowed to take them anywhere indoors and I think 12 hours on a small roped off section of a deck for 12 hours throughout the night on a January sailing to Sheltand might not be very nice for either of us
Phoebe is the sort of girl who wont even go out for a widdle if it is raining :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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I am not sure bringing a motorhome for its first journey this far north at this time of year is a good idea - even on the mainland the roads are small and with snow on them really do require experience.... just look at the casualty list for the A9, A82 etc etc.
There was also a video showing a van being rocked on the Forth Road bridge recently in the high winds... The wind is worse on Shetland, although the chances of a tree falling on top of you are rather slim...
I have done the overnight sailing from Aberdeen to Shetland and loved it - but it was in early August in VERY calm seas... I think it would be as horrible for an animal as it is for humans in rough seas (listen to the shipping forecast at 5.25am on Radio 4 at the moment...)
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when our cows came from Shetland - It took 2 weeks before they turned up as the ferries kept getting cancelled. but if you are aiming for up helly aa you don't have much choice. im sure you would get shelter amongst building/towns if there is gales. it will be an adventure!
be careful on the ferry decks - 3 people have gone missing in the last year after going on the decks at night. no-one knows if they fell /got pushed or jumped. terrible for the families not knowing.
not trying to put you off but knowledge vital.
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be careful on the ferry decks - 3 people have gone missing in the last year after going on the decks at night. no-one knows if they fell /got pushed or jumped. terrible for the families not knowing.
not trying to put you off but knowledge vital.
Yes the first one fell/jumped on the journey we were taking up last year... They launched their lifeboat/little dingy with two guys on it and miraculously found the man in the water, he got taken off by the helicopter, but died anyway... the sea was really calm that day, so unlikely to have been an accident...
I am just saying that maybe going up to Shetland at this time of year for your first ever journey in a new car/motorhome is just over-optimistic...
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I am just saying that maybe going up to Shetland at this time of year for your first ever journey in a new car/motorhome is just over-optimistic...
I must say I thought that right at the beginning and expressed my concerns, so I'd be more inclined to have Phoebe looked after somewhere and fly up if you are desperate to see it. Stay safe. Check the weather history for Shetland
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We used to drive all over the place in our VW, not the same sort of thing as you are getting as its more like a van with beds and a cooker, when we drove up to Dundee from Market Harborough with our then dog, Bruce a Rottweiler cross, he refused to sit down at all....he stood with his feet on the back seat looking out the window both ways and when we were at our wedding venue accommodation, student halls in Dundee, he never slept much either, when we got home I thought he was ill as he hardly left his bed.......he was like that for 2 days but then back to his normal self!! A secured big crate would be helpful, that way the dog would not get thrown around and would be more able to relax and remain safe, nice fluffy covers and regular stops but no idea of the ferry, 12 hours is a long stint..
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I was just about to say you have no chance of getting to Up Helly Aa this year as you won't get accommodation........ (most hotels are fully booked a year in advance for UpHellyAa, to make matters worse Total have booked all the accommodation on the island for their gas plant construction workers so now no-one can get accommodation at any time of the year).............but then I realised the whole point of having a campervan :idea:
I would love to go to Shetland in winter (the countless days I have spent in the airport with work don't count). Yes it can be windy in a way that people from the south can't imagine but that, and the dark, and the wild seas all add to the attraction.
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Yes hopefully I will be reasonably self sufficient, and there is a bulk LPG place there, plus I would guess some of the caravan sites may be happy to have an out of season visitor.
Have you ever used any of the ferries? And if so which ones?
I might leave the journey till after the main Up Helly Aa at Lerwick as I would guess that is the most crowded one, but if I get to the island after that things should be calmer and I think the last one is sometime in March, so assuming I can get there safely and depending on the weather of course I could maybe travel around a bit and also have a reasonable chance of seeing the Lights whilst I explore the area.
Of course there are many many things which could go wrong, but isnt that the same with life wherever you are :fc: [size=78%].[/size]
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Yes I am a bit worried about that. Its a 12 hour trip. What happens about dogs. Are you allowed to visit them at all. Its says they can be left in a ventilated vehicle, but if you take them with you they have to be in an outside area or in a nasty looking cage.
Northlink seem to be the only ferry company that services Shetland, but they ply to Orkney too. I don't like sedating dogs for this sort of thing. Better she is left with a friend
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No I have never used the ferry (except for the Pentland firth ferry when I was a kid), despite living in Aberdeen harbour for several years and every time I saw the ferry going out I said "I must do that sometime" ....and never did.
I get the impression that they are more cautious about setting sail in bad weather than they used to be, I guess the threat of getting a compensation claim from a passenger is too great.
Even in the worst of weather I am pretty confident in the safety of most boats (I spent christmas 2011 in a boat in 21m waves) however that does not mean it is a pleasant experience (for animals/passengers or crew).