Scottish Rain

Friday 17th June 2011

We travelled up here yesterday. We had been pretty disorganised (OK, I had been pretty disorganised, Claire had spent the previous week being the very definition of organised, making lists and piling ever growing heaps of holiday equipment around the house). Anyway, we had to do a lot of the packing in the morning so didn't set off till after lunch.

The journey was pretty uneventful. The weather was ok, and we passed a train and a building in the slow lane of the motorway and a rocket going the other way. Yes, a rocket like NASA launch into space, only a tiny bit smaller.

We arrived at our first night's campsite at a place called Luss which is right on the (bonnie) banks of Loch Lomond. As per usual, there are rather too many rules and regulations for our liking, and a couple of grumpy camp site wardens. For example, you have to be "as quiet as church mice" at night and you're not allowed to use the toilets between 10.30am and 11.30pm. I think that's a typo on their part, but even so...

Last night was lovely. We set up camp, had some hot dogs, and as there didn't seem to be an off licence open for miles went to the nearby hotel bar. Plus, last time I stayed here I got ID'd at the off licence behind a load of ASBO kids, so I was a bit nervous. I should point out that I was about 29 at the time. The bar also provided a refuge from the midges which were drifting around in clouds waiting to attack. We had a couple of beers watching the moon rise and cast its reflection over the loch. All to a soundtrack of bagpipes and a backdrop of hairy Scotsmen in kilts attending a wedding reception.
We returned to the tent looking forward to a day out on the loch the next day.

As soon as we got out of the tent this morning it started raining and it hasn't stopped since. Not even for a moment. And when I say raining, I mean proper Scottish rain that comes from quite innocent looking clouds but soaks you in an instant.
Our tent is quite a small tent so this is not good weather for us. We don't have a giant porch to cook breakfast or sit in armchairs in. Fortunately, Claire had brought The Tarp with us, which, once erected, prompted quite a lot of Tarp envy amongst our fellow campers. Even the ones with porches! Unfortunately, the midges also seemed quite keen on the shelter offered by The Tarp, but they were soon frightened off with some anti midge incense stuff.

It is now 4pm and the rain has still not eased off enough for us to venture out onto the water. We have been to the local (ish) Go Outdoors store, and although I could tell it pained Claire to do it, bought some things which we'd forgotten. We're now sat in the tent listening to the rain on the canvas and willing it to stop.
It came as no surprise to me that Loch Lomond is the largest inland lake in Britain. I'm sure it could supply the whole of Europe with water at this rate.

We've had dinner and returned to the bar again. The rain actually stopped for almost an hour but now it has started again. We had a problem with some ducks at dinner time. We had a little barbecue, and a pack of 5 particularly menacing ducks turned up and tried to gate crash. One of them was only stopped from stealing food from the grill by Claire throwing a large bag of rubbish at it. Every other tactic we tried they thought was an invitation.

We are optimistic about the weather improving tomorrow. That's what the met office seem to think anyway, so fingers crossed.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Loch Lomond