Following the Sun Diary: Tues7 Dec – Thurs16 Dec

We have been at Los Gallardos for just over a week now, it is much better than La Manga. The weather has been changeable, though sky has been vivid blue and cloudless the temperature is unpredictable. Some days I have been sitting outside in just shorts tanning my body while on others we keep inside the ‘van with the fan heater on. Last night I was so cold I looked out my sleeping bag to snuggle up in, with the duvet on top to keep warm. Moira braved it with just the duvet but if this winter snap continues she will be in hers quick enough.

This morning we played bowls, not the continental type but the proper lawn variety. They have two greens at the campsite with a very English bowling club which has the usual funny rules of etiquette. We had to buy white trousers and shirts which Moira got cheap at the local market, as for flat shoes that don’t damage the green the club have plenty of them to lend out. Also we were able to borrow bowls from the club; they had a big selection of different sizes to choose from. The greens are not in very good condition, very patchy which results in the bowls not tracking as well as they should, it’s probably due to the lack of rain in the area. The first games we played were trips, three players each side playing three bowls each. We had good games considering we hadn’t played since April when we were in South Africa, both of us on winning teams.

There is excellent walking around the campsite with hills all around. The paths are very good, wide and not too rough. One route in particular is the track of an old railway that runs high up and along the contours of the mountain side. It meanders through cuttings carved among the hills and over viaducts that bridge dried up river beds. We have been out on various different routes over the hills and I have done a couple of cross country runs which is keeping me fit.

As usual the site organises a number of activities for the campers and the permanent residents who live in the mobile homes next to the camping area (much better laid out and organised that at La Manga). They have whist, darts, pool, quiz nights and dances each week at the restaurant. We have played whist twice and I was successful on the first occasion when I won a prize of E10. There was supposed to be a quiz last Monday but it was cancelled because lots of people have gone back to the UK to be with family for Christmas.

The TV that is available from cable to each camping pitch is worth the E25 we pay for a month. We are getting all the main UK stations to watch our favourites plus a couple of sports channels from Sky. I saw the Spurs v Chelsea match on Sunday that was very good, lots of attacking football for a change. Now, if we waken early enough in the morning we can watch the third Ashes test from Perth, though realistically probably only the last hour or two.

All the people we have met during our stay have been very friendly and encouraged us to join in at the whist and bowls. A woman Moira met is going to drive her to the supermarket tomorrow to save us packing up and taking out the campervan. Most of the people come here for five or six months, and have been doing this for a number of years. It is a very popular spot but you would think you were somewhere in England rather than Spain. 

Following the Sun Diary : Mon 29 Nov - Tues 7 Dec

We had intended staying at La Manga until after Christmas and New Year but decided to leave after eight days. The main problem was that it wasn’t a very nice campsite; it was huge with over one thousand pitches plus lots of permanent residents. The permanent’s section was like a shanty town or one of the squatter camps that we were familiar with in South Africa. The mobile homes, caravans with tents and lean-tos were cramped together with no space between them. If a fire was to start it would spread through the camp very quickly. The holiday section wasn’t as bad but the space was small and each pitch was hemmed in by large hedges.

Another problem was satellite TV reception, I could get very little even with the big dish and what I did get kept cutting out every few minutes. We paid for a month’s Wi-Fi, it kept cutting out as well, and as for downloading programmes from BBC iplayer like I was able to do at Benicassim, no chance. There were plenty of activities going on, supposedly managed by the Camping and Caravan Club of GB who were running a rally on this site. But as we had found on previous occasions with rallies the wardens were useless, they didn’t seem to know what was going on. One evening we wanted to play cribbage that was listed on the activities notice board; we spent about half an hour searching in the dark for the venue only to be told the next morning that it had been cancelled.

A Mediterranean bay

It wasn’t all bad; the area was beautiful being situated beside a lake or lagoon that was enclosed by a long narrowing peninsula that looped round into the Mediterranean only leaving a small channel between its end and the mainland. The lagoon, Mar Menor, was then a large sheltered stretch of water with yachting and windsurfing very popular, the coastline was a multitude of glorious beaches which must get crowded in the summer. Inland the area was enclosed by a range of hills where we had an enjoyable walk with some people from the site one day rewarding us with magnificent views of the lagoon, peninsula and the Mediterranean coast.

Other activities, which we joined in, were the quiz night and a whist drive. We were in the team that came second in the quiz; it must be due to watching so much ‘Eggheads’ on TV. At whist Moira had a great game winning the woman’s prize of E18. Even with these enjoyable times we still wanted to go, heading out on Tuesday.

La Manga

We continued our way further south for another 200 kilometres to the town of Los Gallardos, and a nice little campsite in the mountains. This was another area full of Brits who had moved to Spain to avoid the harsh winters that are now becoming a common occurrence in the UK. There were plenty of activities happening here as well, quiz nights, whist, bridge, darts, dominoes, aerobics, and many more. When we were selecting a pitch we looked for the direction to set up the satellite dish but no other ‘van appeared to have a dish in view. Later we found that they had TV from the UK piped to each pitch. It cost E25 for a month so we now have 17 channels to choose from. It seems like we made the right decision to move here, and the weather is much better as well, it was cold at La Manga.      

Following the Sun Diary : Tues 23 - Mon 29 Nov

Oliva Playa the beach area of Oliva where the campsite is situated is dead this time of year. Nearly everything is closed and the beautiful beaches are deserted. A couple of women we spoke said that the site was a bit of a rip off with the price they charge while offering no entertainment or activities. They had pre-booked for two months so were more or less stuck there, we planned on just one week before heading further south.

Anyway we weren’t too concerned about organised events, and had a pleasant week walking and cycling. One day I cycled all the way to Denia, about 25 kilometres. It was easy going on the way out but when I turned I found that a strong wind had been assisting me. It was a big effort to get back. We both cycled one day, and found the campsite, Eurocamp, where we had stayed many years ago when we backpacked down the coast from Barcelona. Another day we walked along the beach, and reached Eurocamp that way, retuning by the country lanes through orange groves. We were refreshed on the walk with windfall oranges that we picked up from the road, they were delicious and juicy.

Orange grove near Oliva

I had a couple of runs though the weather hasn’t been very warm. On one occasion I had to wear a long sleeved sweat shirt instead of my usual thin t-shirt. I ran 9 kilometres in my best time for ages that day; I must have been in a hurry to get back, and out of the cold

As I have mentioned the weather hasn’t been great, we even had one day of rain. Mostly it has been cold, probably the tail of the ice and snow that is hitting the UK at the moment. We have been getting into bed early, and under the duvet to keep warm while watching TV. In the morning Moira screams when I tough her with my ice cold hands, and quickly turns on the fan heater. So we are heading further south, to La Manga, a site that we have had good reports about and is recommended. Hopefully we will find the sun again, and it will be warmer. 

Following the Sun Diary : Sat 6 - Mon 22 Nov

We moved on from Benicassim and headed down the coast about 180 kilometres to get a few more degrees of warmth. It was starting to cool down and it was time to follow the sun again. Unfortunately when we arrived at Kiko Camping at Oliva Playa there was a strong breeze blowing in off the Mediterranean, and it was bitter, not very pleasant at all. We have just booked in here for a week, and then we intend to head much further south.

The mountain hairpins

The second half of our stay at Benicassim was very enjoyable. We discovered the route up to the mountains that encompass the resort. The first time we got to the top it was by the road which twisted and curved round tight hairpin bends. We had to careful on these blind corners, keeping an eye out for cars and especially descending cyclists who tended to cut the corners at very high speeds. My next trip to the top was to run up the road, and the following day I cycled the route. This was a new form of triathlon, walking, running and cycling. On another occasion we found a rough track that led to the top skirting around the ruins of an old Carmelite monastery. Once we got to the top there was a route that followed a ridge out to a point where the remains of a castle stood. We had a picnic lunch seated beside the castle walls with the wonderful view of the Mediterranean coast displayed below us..

Mountain Castle overlooking Benicassim

The campsite organised a bus trip to Valencia one day and we were lucky to get a place on the coach, it was very popular. It took an hour to get to the city and a couple from the site acted as guides for the tour. The old buildings were magnificent and the guides were very knowledgeable on the history. The final planned visit was to the Falla Museum, where they have winning papier-mâché statues for every year from the 1930’s. They have a festival every March and a competition for these sculptures, the winner is exhibited in the museum. They are all caricatures and some very funny. In the afternoon we were left to do our own thing so we had a pleasant stroll through the parks and a visit to the market.

Beautiful Valencia

The city square, Valencia

Another organised event by the campsite was a paella lunch. It was another full house and no wonder, the meal was delicious. We had salad, a big dish of lamb paella and a drink, all for E6 each. This was followed by a duo playing and singing pop from the 60’s and 70’s, the right musical era for all the pensioners here for the winter. We were even up dancing and showing our expertise with a bit of rock and roll.

Moira’s cycling skills and fitness has improved considerably, so we went for a long ride, about 30 kilometres, to the outskirts of Castello. There was a park there that was reportedly the home to red squirrels. When we walked around the park we spotted one through the fence to the golf course, picking at a nut while a golfer was trying to tee off. Later when we sat in a quiet spot for a drink our patience was rewarded and a number of the bushy tailed creatures came out foraging for food. They also seemed to be having fun, scampering up trees and running along thin branches like tightrope walkers. It was a rewarding outing and we got some exercise as well.

Now we have moved and with a new spot to explore we will be walking and cycling. Unfortunately the hills are a distance away so there won’t be any climbing to do.

We found a red squirrel

Following the Sun Diary : Mon 25 Oct - Fri 5 Nov.

Monday 25 October 2010

Leaving Sitges we continued our way south; we started on a motorway, the A7, which by-passed Tarragona but it soon became a toll road so the satnav directed us to the N340. The N340 is the ‘free’ road that runs  right down the coast and round to Cadiz, we will be following it all the way over the next couple of months.

Once clear of Tarragona the wind picked up, blowing between the ranges of mountains that ran in bands from the interior to the coast. It was like a series of wind tunnels, and at times I thought I was going to be blasted off the road, it was so strong. I slowed down but still able to maintain a speed of 50 mph. The roads were good and fairly quiet after the big city with its small satellite towns and villages. The route was straight, and not many roundabouts to hold us up, so I was covering the distance to Benicassim of 230 km quite swiftly.

When we left the N340 at the junction to Benicassim, it was only 1 km to the campsite 'Bonterra Park'. We were told to have a walk about with a map indicating all the free pitches, and select where we would like to park. The site we selected was at the end of a row in a corner, surrounded by people mostly from Holland.. The site was very busy, and they said we could stay for a month but then they were full. They had Wi-Fi and the internet reception was good, but TV wasn’t great we could only pick up the News channels and  UK radio. Lots of people had large 1.2 metre dishes to get UK TV, I will have to invest in one of them.

It was time now to explore the area, and first it was the toilets and showers. There were two blocks close to us and they were clean, with plenty of shower cubicles. Continuing our walk we made our way down to the beach. It was about 1 km and the prom stretched in both directions beside a flat sandy beach. The wind was still blowing strongly as we walked down from the site, and it was cold, but at the beach front there was some shelter from the breeze, and the sun was very warm from a cloudless blue sky. The esplanade was very attractive, and the walk pleasant, but there was nobody about, I think at most we saw half a dozen others. Then I remembered that it was sieata time.

At the end of the prom we made our way up to the town centre, and found the tourist info office. There we got information and maps for the town and a National Park 6 km away, which had hikes up to and around the mountains which stretched behind Benicassim. It was a straight road from the info centre back to the campsite, and there were three supermarkets on the way, Consum, Lidl and a Mercadona, so we are well served for shopping.

The campsite seemed ideal, close to the beach and the shops. It was also very quiet at night even though it was busy. This is probably because it is full of old retirees like ourselves who go to bed early.

Tuesday 26 October – Friday 5 November 2010

We’ve been camping at Bonterra Park in Benicassim for nearly two weeks now and enjoying our stay. We moved to a different pitch after a couple of days, the people next to us thought I had the radio on too loud, this was at mid-day not at night. Rather than have an argument we moved to a better spot a few rows back. We got a lot more of the sun there, so it was much warmer when we sat out during the day.

I bought a large satellite dish for the TV, and the guy next to us helped me to set it up, he had a fancy electronic satellite finder. It was the afternoon, and reception was good for all the UK stations but as the sun went down around 6:00, the signal strength dropped off, and we lost everything but the News and radio. We tried the internet for TV on BBC iplayer but it is blocked for people outside the UK. I found on goggle a site that puts you through a proxy server in England to get round this. It cost £5 per month, and now we can tune into iplayer. Unfortunately the campsite internet doesn’t have a fast downloading speed, so we can’t watch live TV but we can download programmes, very slowly, to view later. So we are still able to keep track of Ann Widdecombe’s ‘dancing’, her pasa doble was a scream.

Moira having a rest from cycling.

The weather has been wonderful, with everyday the sun shining from cloudless blue skies. It hasn’t been too hot that we can’t do energetic things. I’ve been running about four times a week and have got up to 15 km sessions. We have both been out cycling, and Moira has progressed well, she only has to stop for a rest every 15 minutes now. The area has cycleways all over, totally traffic free which I use for running as well. One of the cycle routes runs along an old railway line that has been tarred over. It goes along the coast to the next town of Orpesa, and there are magnificent views of the coast and the Mediterranean all the way.

Old railway cycling and walking route

We went down to the beach the other day to paddle our feet. The water was cold but we saw a couple of people in swimming. Not to be out done I stripped off, and gingerly made my way through the gentle waves. At last I was under and swimming, it was a shock to the system at first but very invigorating once I got used to it. I’ve been in twice since then, and it gets more enjoyable each time. I haven’t managed to persuade Moira to go in, she is happy just paddling her feet.

We are planning to stay here for another two weeks then head further south. There is a nice campsite listed in our book near Denia which we would like to try, and if we like it stay there maybe until after Christmas.

Following the Sun Diary : Tues 19 – Sun 24 Oct

The extra day stretched out to a week, we had the advantage in cost, where we stay for seven days and pay for only six. Also it was a quiet site and the facilities were excellent, clean toilets and lovely hot water in the showers. There were a lot of permanent caravans on the site and they were in use over the weekend when families arrived from nearby Barcelona. Even though it was busy for these few days it was still peaceful at night.

I did a lot of running, mainly along the promenade and back. The views very stunning and it eased the effort of getting my running muscle into shape again. I was also using the iPod with the running programme and sensor that Margaret had given me. As I jogged along I could listen to my favourite music and have my time and distance statistics recorded in the iPod memory.

Sitges

We also had a couple of long walks. One took us to the hills overlooking Sitges, rewarding us with excellent views of the town and the Mediterranean. The other went south along the coast to the next town, Vilanova. The path meandered on top of cliffs and past beautiful coves with golden sanded beaches. At Vila nova we managed to buy a British Sunday newspaper and sat at the sea front reading and having or lunch of sandwiches and thermos of coffee.

It was a relaxing week and we had caught up with the sun again. The site also had Wi-Fi and I was able to add more to this blog and keep a check on our e-mail. In the evenings we watched TV and were able to keep tract of Ann Widdecombe’s antics and progress in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’

A lovely cove on the coastal walk

Following the Sun Diary : Wed 13 - Mon 18 Oct

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Moira battled to get the water heater going this morning. She eventually managed to get both the water heater and the air central heating going as well. This was alright as it was very cold this morning and it heated the place up nicely. The water did heat up and it was good to get a hot shower at last. I don’t find the shower cubicle itself very good, it is a bit cramped and if you drop the soap it is difficult to bend down and pick it up again.

When I turned off the gas before leaving I found the level on the gauge had dropped to ¾. I assumed that we must have used a lot of gas playing around heating the water and blowing hot air. When we stopped for lunch the level had dropped further, to just above ½ full mark. When we stopped in the evening I tightened up the connection that was loose before, using a spanner this time, hopefully that was the problem. We spoke to a couple from Scotland parked next to us in the aire, and he said that it might be the gauge and that they are notoriously faulty. I will find a garage tomorrow and fill up with LPG and see what the gauge reads then.

It was another nice day after the cold start; the sky was cloudless and bright blue. When we stopped for lunch I changed from my long track suit bottoms into my shorts, and I felt a lot more comfortable. We got away a bit earlier today, just after 9:00, and we were heading for an aire at Ste-Maure-de-Touraine, just south of Tours. The distance was 233 kays, a lot less than yesterday. We were on the N138 and it led to Alencon, and then to the motor racing town of Le Mans. The route went through the middle of Le Mans but it was a dual carriageway, so fairly fast, except for the innumerable traffic lights and roundabouts.

After Le Mans it was still the N138 all the way to Tours. There were plenty of parking lay-bys all along the route, but close to the road. I was looking for a nice picnic area, but none appeared so we made do with a lay-by. Coming into Tours after lunch, we got into a mix up over directions; the satnav wanted me to turn to the left and Moira to the right, so we got lost. Relying only on the satnav this time, it took us in and out narrow back streets before eventually getting back on track again.

Once through Tours we were on the D910, and just 35 kays to go, but still managed to miss the turn into the road leading to the aire in Ste-Maure-de-Touraine, and had to find a point to turn and come back. The aire was a big car park but with lots of motorhomes, though there didn’t seem to be any service facilities. We weren’t worried as we filled with water before leaving this morning and had emptied out the waste and toilet. There wasn’t much to see here, the village just ran on each side of the main road. Moira had a wander about to see if there was a garage for LPG, but nothing. We will have to find a supermarket with a filling station.

The `van parked next to us had a huge dish on top and I went to talk to them about it and discovered that he was originally from Glasgow, and now living in the south of England. Their holiday was over and they were making their way north for the ferry home. Again it was a quiet location, even with it being busy and we slept well.

Thursday 14 October 2010

The Scots couple told us last night that they got held up in a traffic jam on the highway because of a blockade of striking lorry drivers. They managed to get off at a slip road after moving very slowly for half an hour. The same happened to us today as we came into Poitier. As we crept along the jammed dual carriageway ended and I was able to do a u-turn to the other side and the satnav found a route by-passing the city, we were lucky.

This morning it was very cold and it was good to get a hot shower to warm up. The gas gauge was still showing about half, so it wasn’t a major concern yet, but I would fill up at the first opportunity. We weren’t going far today, about 100 kays, to the other side of Poitier and the village of Moulismes. It was a straight forward route, the D910 to Poitier then on to the N147, which leads eventually to Limoges.

  

View from Moulismes Aire

It was about two and a half hours driving today and the roads were quiet. It warmed up nicely after the cold early morning, and it was very pleasant when we reached the aire at Moulismes. It was just off the main road and we parked beside a lovely little pond. I turned on the gas for tea only to find the gauge showing empty. I found another loose connection where the gas must be escaping and tightened it up. I had assumed that when the new Gasflow system had been fitted it would have been thoroughly tested for leaks.

There was a sign for an Intermarche supermarket, 5 kays back at Lussac-les-Chateaux, which we had come through earlier. Back at the aire we packed up again and headed back to this village, and found the supermarket. Unfortunately it was just petrol and diesel, no LPG. We managed to boil water for lunch and filled the thermos flask to have a hot drink later. If the gas ran out the plan was to buy a pizza in the village for dinner. As it turned out the gas lasted out and we had plenty of hot water, Moira cooked dinner, and we drank hot chocolate for supper. Tomorrow, we must get gas.

We set up the satellite dish and managed to get Astra2 right away, reception was very good. Later in the evening we lost sound on the TV when the power in the leisure batteries dropped. I don’t understand this, the reason we put in two leisure batteries was to avoid this problem which we had encountered with the other ‘van. Maybe it’s a fault with the TV set, as the picture is perfect all the time.



Receiving BBC in France

The plan for tomorrow is to head for Brantome in the Dordogne, recommended by the Scots couple. Its 130 kays, so it will be another easy day driving.

Friday 15 October 2010

It was freezing last night; we cuddled into each other to keep warm. It was still very cold when we got up and surprise, surprise, there was still enough gas for heating the water and for breakfast. We felt better after our shower but didn’t like this cold weather at all. Moira suggest that instead of spending a few days in the Dordogne as intended we should head south quickly to Spain and the sun. I will skip my cycling along the Canal Midi until spring.

The distance planned today was 200 kays to Souillac in the Dordogne. When we started out there was a thick fog and everyone was travelling with headlights on. Visibility wasn’t too bad and I managed to keep at a nice 50 mph. Our main concern was finding a filling station that did LPG but there wasn’t anything on the N147 to Limoges. I thought we might have to go looking in the city but our route after Limoges was on to a motorway, A20. The Scots couple, again a mine of information, told us that all the service areas on motorways sell LPG. We were on this motorway for 90 km and the first service area was about half way along it.

As we approached the services signposts indicated fuel and GPL, the French equivalent of LPG, for sale there. Unluckily for us this service point was being renovated and the LPG pumps weren’t operational yet. We had a cup of coffee, amazingly still some gas left, and contemplated our next move. The A20 changed to a toll road just before the next service stop and reluctantly we decided to head for it.

The stop was just at the start of the toll section and it had LPG. I thought that we were out of luck again when we couldn’t get the pump to work but Moira found an attendant who helped fill our gas bottle. We came off the toll at the next junction and it cost E0.90 for that short trip. It was only about 15 kays now to Souillac but the satnav took a detour along a narrow farm track for a couple of hundred metres to get on the route.



Moira sitting at old well, Souillac

The aire in Souillac was a short distance from the main street and was quite large and all hard standing. There were a lot of campers parked be we found that they were stopped for lunch and the place was empty within an hour. It got busy again later but there was plenty of space. The tourist information was near-by, and we got a map for a route taking us to points of interest in the town. The tour took us to magnificent squares, the Sainte-Marie Abbey and Church, old water wells and narrow streets with ‘bridges’ connecting the houses. The church was interesting though not elaborately decorated. It was 12^th century and was quite vast inside, there were nice carvings and paintings but the stained glass windows were not very impressive. The little streets with their old houses were made more enthralling from the descriptions, in the guide pamphlet, about the people who had lived there and the original uses of some of premises.



Sainte-Marie Abbey, Souillac

 We had finished the sight seeing, and then we strolled along the main street and looked at the shops. The place seemed familiar, and I thought that we had passed through or maybe stayed here when we walked the ‘Chemin de St Jacques’. Moira found a post office and we went in to cash some traveller’s cheques. The woman went into the computer to check that the TCs were valid, examined Moira’s passport, and then said she had to make a phone call. When she returned there was more ‘computing’, a form was completed on which she wrote a long story. Finally Moira got the money, minus E7.50 for commission. We should have learnt from previous experiences the trouble in cashing TCs causes.



Sainte-Marie Church, Souillac


Back at the aire we had a couple of UK ‘vans next to us. They were worse than me for saving money and told us that they camp rough in Spain, sometimes in one spot for two months. I find it is alright doing that when travelling but when we settle somewhere I like some facilities and comfort. The satellite dish managed to get BBC again and we watched TV lying in bed after dinner.

                                  
                                     
                                   

Saturday 16 October 2010 

It was freezing this morning when we woke up. I made a cup of tea then got back into bed with my fleece on, while I read and had my warming drink. Moira has the hang of heating the water now and it takes only 15 minutes to get it hot for our shower. She has hers first, then goes for the bread while I have mine.

The weather was miserable this morning when we got away. There was fairly thick fog again and it was also raining. The route was up and down as we went through the Dordogne region; some of the climbs were long and steep. I could imagine the riders in the Tour de France battling up one side and zooming round the hairpins on the descent. The first major town was Cahors, this was certainly one of our stops on the ‘Chemin de St. Jacques’ with the beautiful bridges over the Dordogne, so it is very probable that we did visit Souillac on the walk.

The next big town was Montauban and we more or less went through the centre of it. Now there were plenty of supermarkets with filling station and LPG, even roadside garages had gas pumps. It is always the way that after searching for something lots crop up when you don’t need it anymore. The weather was still miserable and our destination for the day was Venerque, just the other side of Toulouse. I thought that it wouldn’t be much fun stuck in an aire all afternoon and in the rain, and suggested we go a bit further. The trouble with this area was the lack of aires, but there was one just before Carcassonne at the village of Montreal. I drove for another hour and this got us past Toulouse when we stopped for lunch. On the outskirts of the city I stopped at an Intermarche supermarket, the diesel was E1.12/litre the cheapest yet.

After lunch it was a direct route on the N113 towards Carcassonne, but there were lots of villages and small towns to go through, as well as the numerous roundabouts which made the going slow. The rain had gone off but it was still cloudy and the countryside full of vineyards and in the fields rows and rows of grape vines. It was about 20 kays before Carcassonne that I pulled off on to some minor roads which took us over the Canal Midi, which I should have been cycling, to Montreal. The book didn’t give a GPS for the aire and we had to ask for directions. We had difficulty with the language but eventually found that it was a car park on the main street of the village. It was full of cars and no designated area for campervans. The place didn’t look very inviting to spend the night, and as it was still early, 4:00, we decided to carry on.

The aire we intended making for tomorrow was at Narbonne Plage so we made for there. It was 85 km away but once we got going changed our mind and made for Leucate Plage, a further 25 km, as this one had electricity, according to the book. It was a pleasant drive on good quiet roads running between more fields of vines. The sky was beginning to clear and brighten but there was a very strong wind blowing. It took an hour and a half to get to the aire at Leucate Plage and we were now only about 50 km from the Spanish border.

The aire was big; it holds 200 motorhomes and was on the beach and would have been a beautiful spot but for the weather. The sky was blue but the wind was now gale force, the ‘van was rocking from side to side and there was no hope of erecting the dish for TV tonight. Also there were no electric hook-ups. We had intended to stay here for a few days but with no electricity we decided to stay tomorrow then head down into Spain on Monday. It had been a long tiring day having covered 380 km but with this cold weather the sooner we get to the south of Spain the better.

Sunday 17 October 2010

There was a glorious sun rise this morning which we viewed through the front windscreen, while lying in the warmth of our bed. The sky was a multi-colour of reds just before the sun burst above the Mediterranean horizon. It was cold this morning but not as bitter as the last couple of days. The wind had died down during the night but now it was blowing full blast again. Moira reckoned it was the mistral, the cold wind from the North West that heralds winter for the south of France. I think she is probably right.

Moira went out for bread while I showered and got the rest of the breakfast ready. All the shops in town were closed but when she arrived back at the aire a bread van was there and she got a baguette. While we ate our breakfast we watched the smokers, barred from contaminating their ‘vans lining the edge of the beach. They were all well wrapped up against the cold wind. Moira said it was cold out and when we prepared to go for a walk she got me to put on my heavy fleece. It was a wise move; it was very cold into the strong wind.

We walked along the prom; it was a pleasant stroll beside the beach and good views of the sea. There were holiday homes all along the front but they were now all boarded up for the winter. Some other people were out walking on the front and the beach but it wasn’t busy and the few restaurants that were open were empty. I don’t think it is a popular place in the winter.  The road took us to a dead end with two small car parks on the cliff top, presenting good outlooks up the coast. We turned back and now the wind was at our backs and it felt quiet warm in the sun.

When we were in the ‘van and relaxing with a cup of tea the man came for the money. It was E6.50 for the night, a bit expensive for what you get. Where we were parked was at the edge of the beach and we were getting buffeted by the strong wind. We decided to move back a bit and get some shelter between other ‘vans. Before settling in the new position we topped up the fresh water and emptied the waste and toilet. Everything was now ready for a quick getaway in the morning.

Monday 18 October 2010 

We had breakfast, packed up, and were away just after 7:30. The wind had been strong through the night and it was still blowing a gale now. It was also cold and our plan to head further south was making sense. At that time of the morning it was still dark and I had the headlights on for an hour before the sun was up. The route was a sweep around the saltpans for nearly 15 km to get on to the main road to Perpignan. The area was flat and the wind blasted across the surface buffeting the ‘van, at times it was difficult to hold steady and quite frightening.

When we reached Perpignan the route took us through the city centre and it was rush hour. The going was slow, with queues at all the crossings and traffic lights. Once through the city, we found that new roads had been constructed, and the satnav got confused, but the signposts showed the direction to Gerona and Barcelona, so we followed them happily. When we were over the Spanish border at Le Perthus the satnav got on track again. The route followed the N11, which was slower than the toll road that ran parallel, but obviously cheaper. It ran through the towns with numerous roundabouts, as in France, but it was interesting getting feel of the Spanish atmosphere again.

Not far over the border, we had travelled 120 kays in two hours, we stopped at a piece of waste ground for a break and a cup of tea. The wind had dropped and the sky was blue but there was still a chill in the air. On the go again it was towards Barcelona where we used the toll road to get round the city. It cost in total E8 and you pay for different sections as you go along, but on what basis it is calculated is a mystery. There are no signs indicating the charges, and there is no information about them in the guide books. You just drive up to the window and then find out what it is going to cost, praying it wont be too much

The ring road round Barcelona was busy and took us beneath a number of underpasses that required our headlights on. We stopped at a service area for another drink of tea, then on to Sitges. The last section of toll was the most expensive, and took us through a number of tunnels cut into the mountains; Moira suggested that the engineering and construction costs would put up the toll charges even though they were subsidised by the European Community. We reached Sitges by lunch time, and the campsite was on the outskirts of the town. It was very nice and we found a pitch near the entrance as we intended to only spend a night here.

After we had lunch we had a chat with the caravanners next to us. They were from Falkirk and had recently retired. They were only here for a couple of weeks then heading back to Scotland. I felt it was a long way to pull a caravan for two weeks not even thinking about the cost. It would be better to fly here and rent a flat like we did some years ago, when we went with Suzy to the house near Valencia.

First thing we wanted was to have a walk, and look around. It was lovely and warm, so we changed into shorts, and headed for town. It was a straight road into Sitges, and about 4 km to the centre. The main road wasn’t very attractive and not many shops; there was a Mercadona supermarket, where Moira can do some shopping but not much else. At the end of the main street we cut down to the beach, this was a lot better. The esplanade stretched all the way back to a large hotel on a rocky point. There were people on the beach sunbathing and some even in swimming. Further along a few surfers rode the tiny waves that were breaking, you don’t get big surf on the Med. The sun was shining and it was pleasant strolling along the prom. We decided that if we managed to get anything on the TV we would stay here for another day at least. I fancied having a run along this beachfront in the morning. When we came to the large hotel on the point we cut up a side road that came out near the roundabout close to our campsite.

At the ‘van we had a cup of tea, and then began setting up the satellite dish. Moira got Astra2 right away and the signal was fairly good. BBC 1&2 were about 50% strength and the radio stations at 66%. So after dinner we washed up at the site sinks then got to bed where we watched TV. Now we are settled with everything we need, we will stay another day.

rofile

Following the Sun Diary : Wed 6 - Tues 12 Oct

Wednesday 6 October 2010

We are off to follow the sun. The packing of the ‘van got finished mid-morning and only trying to help Hugh next door held us up. He had a problem with his door lock and couldn’t get in to his house, he for some reason thought I might be of help. The lock didn’t appear to be opening fully and if it had been mine I would have given it a good thump,but…!  Just before we left he came and told us that he got a retired policeman to help. He gave it a thump and it open; his safety chain was jamming in the lock.

The weather wasn’t very good, some very heavy showers as we headed south. The forecast for the next few days while we are in Wales is good; the temperatures are going to be summery. On the outskirts of Glasgow we called into an Asda supermarket filling station for LPG. It was a bit of a struggle to fit the nozzle to our system but at last I managed and got the bottle filled.

We stopped for lunch at the service area just off the M74 at Abingdon. When I turned on the gas from the new system there was a tremendous hiss of gas escaping and an alarm sounded. I turned it off again and found a loose connection. I hand tightened the nut and that stooped the leak. I thought the guy that fitted the Gasflow bottle had tested it. I will tighten the connection some more with a spanner later.

It was decided that we wouldn’t make it to Cardiff tonight so while stopped for lunch Moira phoned a couple of Camping and Caravan Club farm sites to stop for the night. The first one said that his field was wet and muddy and we would get stuck. The second one was supposedly alright, £5 for the night, just off the M6 near Knutsford.

Moira drove the rest of the way today. She hadn’t driven this ‘van much and wanted to get some practice before we reached the Continent. The traffic wasn’t heavy but she had to contend with some very heavy rain and visibility wasn’t good. We came off the M6 and through Knutsford to the site near Ollerton about 4 miles on. It was just a field and I nearly got stuck in a patch of mud, I reversed and found a firm area to drive round where a couple of caravans were parked. There was an honesty box for the fee and the only facility was a fresh water tap.

We had dinner soon after arriving and got to bed after the washing up was finished. We watched TV and the reception was very good. It was a bit cold during the night and we have picked the right time for heading for the sun.

Thursday 7 October 2010

The sun that we are following took a while to appear this morning. We had to drive with our headlights on through quite thick fog. When it did clear south of Birmingham the sky was blue and cloudless. We arrived at our daughter Margaret's house in Cardiff, easily, helped by TomTom, our sat nav.

We are here until Monday, mainly for Moira and Margaret to go to a wedding exhibition in Birmingham tomorrow. Margaret hopes to get her wedding dress there, in plenty of time for getting married next May. 

Monday 11 October 2010 

We had spent an enjoyable week-end in Cardiff and on Saturday visited the venue for Margaret’s wedding. It was a hotel in the village of Usk and we had a lovely lunch at a pub on the square. Justin’s parents met us there and it was good to see them again. On the way back I had to buy two new leisure batteries for the ‘van, the originals weren’t holding a charge and I fitted them when we got back.

On Sunday we had a quiet day but I did manage to have a jog with Margaret when she ran over to a friend’s house to feed their cat while they were on holiday. We were in bed by 9:30, to be rested for an early start in the morning.

The weather had been sunny and dry over the week-end but we didn’t get temperatures of 23C that the BBC had predicted. That changed when the sun came fully up on Monday as we drove along the M4 to London and Dover, it was a glorious day and very hot, hopefully like this all the way to Spain.



In line for the ferry at Dover



The White Cliffs of Dover

  We were early arriving at Dover and they put us on the first ferry, an hour before the one we had booked. This got us to Calais at a reasonable time to find the aire, our stop for the night. The aire was on the other side of the harbour from the ferry terminal, but it was a long route round and through the town to get to it. Thank goodness for satnavs.

The aire was quite full, with new arrivals in France, and others spending the night there before boarding the ferries in the morning. There was a strong wind blowing off the Channel and picking up sand from the beach, it was the same the last time we stopped here. We had another early night ready for our journey south.

Tuesday 12 October 2010 

We didn’t rush to get away this morning, our watches were set to French time but our bodies were still in Scotland. It was 6:30 on BBC Breakfast TV when I turned it on, the earliest we’ve watched it in a while. Before we got going, I drove round to the service point and filled up with fresh water. We chatted to a Brit who was heading back home today; he had been in Spain for seven weeks. He said that the weather there had been wet but friends still down south had told him that it was improving.

The weather here was beautiful through still a little cold early on. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and by afternoon it did become a lot warmer. It was motorway from Calais but we came off just before Boulonge where it became a toll road. From there it was a mixture of single and dual carriageway roads through Abbeville to Rouen. It was fairly flat farming country and we made good time. The `van was running well and was cruising comfortably at 60 mph. I had to get some diesel but couldn’t find a convenient supermarket for cheap fuel. I got some at a motorway service station, it cost E1.27/litre. That was about the same price as the UK.

In Rouen the satnav directed us towards an underpass to miss a busy junction. Luckily there was a hanging height indicator before the tunnel and it hit the top of the ‘van and I was fortunate to be able to take the escape route. After Rouen we were on motorway again and had a late lunch at a service area. It was about another 100 km to go to our destination for the night, a little village called Le Sap, 5 km off the main road.

The aire in Le Sap was small and next to the fire station, luckily they didn’t have any call-outs for fires. It was also close to a picnic area and lovely little pond. There was space for only five vehicles but there was only one other there, also a Brit. After we had a cup of tea it was into the village for a stroll but there wasn’t much of interest. Once back I took a few photos of the pond and aire.

It was a nice quiet spot and we both enjoyed a good night’s sleep, after driving 350 km it had been a long day.

PHOTO ALBUM

Picos de Europa

Fife Coastal Path 1



Fife Coastal Path 2



Fife Coastal Path 3



Margaret



Suzy's Wedding

 


Nepal and the Himalayas

 

The Fife Coastal Path

Day 1

The weather wasn’t very good this morning very cloudy with rain forecasted but we were going off anyway. We took the M8 towards Edinburgh and had the expected delays in Glasgow at the Kingston Bridge, but otherwise it was a carefree run. Before reaching Edinburgh I turned off for the Forth Road Bridge and crossed over the River Forth and on the other side we found the park and ride bus terminal that was under the Forth rail bridge and stopped there.

The intention was to walk a loop down to North Queensferry where the Fife Coastal Path began and follow the route which then came through the park and ride where we were parked. Tomorrow we would take the bus from the caravan park, where we were heading tonight, back here to the park and ride for the next stage..

It was about a mile from the car park down to the walk start at North Queensferry and we got magnificent views of both Forth bridges. At North Queensferry it was the usual problem to find the start of a walk but this time we were lucky and it only took a few minutes searching and we were on our way.

 It was just 1½ miles back to the van along a tarred track and back streets that ran beside the River Forth before turning up an inlet at the top of which was the car park. The first part was nice with more stunning views of the bridges but as we turned to the inlet it was an industrial area with a quarry, scrap yard and Tunnel cement plant. The main thing was to get this loop done and tomorrow we would have a straight run into the route proper.

Once back at the van we were soon on our way again heading for our camp site for the night. It was about an hours drive on ‘A’ roads that were busy through the towns of Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Leven and Lundin Links places we will walk through over the next couple of days. Just before Upper Largo we turned at a lane and up a steep hill for ½ mile to the caravan park, Woodland Gardens. The site was small but very nice and we got parked on a hard stand beside a hedge in a grassy corner.

Day 2

We walked down to Lundin Links and the bus arrived on time at 9:04 and it went via Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh. At Kirkcaldy we noted where the bus station was as that was where we hoped to walk to today and catch the bus back from to the caravan park. It was another 30 minutes from Kirkcaldy to the park and ride under the Forth Bridge where we parked yesterday.

At 10:15 we set off on our first real day of the Fife Coastal Path. The first part was up the road and through the centre of Inverkeithing. At the Mercat Cross which required photographs the signpost directed us down to a firm tarred path that ran along the shore side to Dalgety Bay. All along this route were magnificent houses obviously very expensive but handy if you work in Edinburgh which is only 30 minutes away by car. Another tremendous view we got was of the Forth Bridge which we saw more and more of as we rounded the inlet and on to the side of the Firth of Forth.

From Dalgety Bay it was 3 miles of pleasant walking near the shore and at other times through nice wooded areas. One of features on the route was Donibristle House built in the 12^th century it was the residence of the Abbot of Inchcolm and later minor Scottish royalty. It had a chequered history and many fires over the years, it is now converted into luxury flats and as our guide book says ‘we hope they have fire insurance’. Another stopping and camera opportunity was the ruin of St Bridget’s Chapel, a 12^th century church that was in use until well after the Reformation. It was now a ruin with no roof but its main features were still obvious.

It was another 2 miles through some wooded country to the town of Aberdour where it was a walk along the main street before cutting down to the waterside again. There were plenty of benches overlooking the Firth and we sat down and had lunch, There was a plaque near where we sat depicting the view over the Forth, it point out Leith docks, Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh Castle amongst other things and it was a thrill to be able to identify them from here.

After leaving Aberdour the route should have taken us over a rocky cliff, Hawkcraig, but we took a wrong turning and ended up at a dead end below the crag. We made our way round the rocky beach and met a few climbers who were scaling the rock face. Hawkcraig is a favourite spot for climbers. One of them told Moira that we should make our way round the rocks to the lighthouse and pick up our trail there. At the lighthouse the route led round to a lovely beach, Silversands Bay, it was very busy and people were even in swimming, it was a nice day but not that warm. The Scots are a hardy race. From Silversands Bay it was a pleasant walk along a path close to the railway. It was a busy line with trains thundering past every 5 minutes. At the end of the path we came into Burntisland and from there to Kinghorn was the worst section of today’s walk. It ran along the side of the busy A921 for 3 miles, fortunately there was a good pavement all the way. It was a steady climb up to a point overlooking Kinghorn harbour but the scenery was spoiled by a holiday park with hundreds of drab green static caravans covering the hillside. At Kinghorn we were back on to a path along the coast just 3 miles from Kirkcaldy. At the end of the path just before the town we got a bonus with the sight of a colony of seals on a strip of rocks just off the shore. We were attracted first of all by the grunting then a man pointed them out to us. Further over there were many sea birds and a large number of black and white ones swimming about. Later from an info board we could identify these as Eider ducks.

Into Kirkcaldy it was a casual stroll along the esplanade to the point where we cut up to the bus station. We were tired and happy to be finished it had been a long day and 17 miles in our legs. It was 5:00 when we got to the bus station and had 40 minutes to wait for the bus. It didn’t go to St Andrews but finished at Leven where we changed to a local bus. This ended up quite convenient as it went down to Lower Largo then up to the main road again just at the road up to the caravan park. It was a struggle up the hill but we made it and were back before 7:00, a long day!

Day 3

Out again this morning at 8:30 and we walked down to the bus stop at Lundin Links and caught the same bus as yesterday. Today it was just to Kirkcaldy and we got off at the bus station and walked down to the esplanade to pick up the coastal path there.

At the end of the esplanade we had a section through the streets past the remains of the Nairn linoleum factory the first in the industry synonymous with Kirkcaldy. Later along the road there was a plaque telling us that in 1847 Michael Nairn established the Scottish floor cloth Manufactory. Soon after this we came to Ravenscraig Park and cut down the paths to the shore. At the bottom we had good views of Ravenscraig Castle that we had glimpses of from the road. Also at the turning there was an old dovecot and good views back at Kirkcaldy.

        

It was now a pleasant walk along a good path overlooking the Firth to Dysart. The path went through a tunnel cut through the rock to emerge at Dysart harbour, a pretty little shelter for some attractive yachts and other river craft From Dysart it was a path along the Firth side all the way to West Wemyss, it was an enjoyable stroll and went past the walls of an old castle that was now gardens and once through West Wemyss there was another castle on the hill above the path, Wemyss Castle. Further on there was a bit of a climb up to the top of a cliff as the route went past a disused colliery, the Michael pit that was closed in 1967 after a fire that claimed five lives. The winding gear now stands as a memorial. When we reached East Wemyss the trail ran along a promenade and we found a bench to sit and have our lunch.

On the go again it was an excellent track on a disused railway line. It passed some caves and another ruined castle, MacDuff Castle before reaching Buckhaven. At this point it was on the roads again for 2 miles some on the busy A931 through Methil to Leven where we had changed buses yesterday. As we cut down to the esplanade the road went past an energy company, there were rows of structures that looked like platforms but too small for oil drilling. I thought they might be supports for off shore wind mills.

The Leven prom lasted for about ½ mile then we had the choice of going along the beach or a path beside the golf course, Lundin Links. As our legs were tired we thought the sand would be heavy so we took the golf course route. It was enjoyable and easy going we just had to watch out for stray golf balls from the many people playing. At the club house a short track took to the road leading into Lower Largo. At the Crusoe Hotel we turned up the hill to the main road. The Crusoe hotel is named for Robinson Crusoe who was based on the adventures of Alexander Selkirk who was born in Lower Largo. The road up the hill went under a viaduct of a disused railway, below there was a lovely little group of houses around the harbour.

It was about ½ mile up the hill to the main road then the further ½ mile up the hill to the caravan site. It was struggle these hills at the end of the long walk, we had done 13miles today.

Day 4

No need for a bus to the start of our walk this morning, we left at our normal time 8:30 and down the hills to Lower Largo. As we walked through the town there were white painted footprints to depict the ones left by ‘man Friday’ in the Robinson Crusoe’ story. Further on there was a sculpture supposedly depicting ‘Friday’ and over Alexander Selkirk’s house a statue wrongly named as Crusoe.

Leaving Lower Largo the route went up to an old railway, the one that once crossed the viaduct at Largo harbour. It was closed in the sixties by Beeching. The route was now cutoff from views of the coast and sea by large bushes and shrubs, but it was an easy walk. The weather was cloudy and cool but the clouds slowly burnt off during the morning and we had bright blue skies though it was never hot a chilly breeze had us keeping our tops on.

The track followed the old railway for about a mile then there was a split. We could either go along the beach or at high tide an alternative path over the dunes. Although it was still low tide we didn’t fancy walking on the sand so headed over the dunes which was fairly firm underfoot. At the end of the dunes section we came to Cocklemill Burn, this used to be a ‘paddle’ according to the guide book but two bridges had been erected and made life easier. Once over the bridges the route left the shore and went through a holiday park with lots of static caravans but back towards the coast again we came to Kincraig Hill, there was supposed to be a route scrambling over the rocks assisted by chains. I wanted to go that way but Moira was reluctant, anyway we missed the turn off and ended up taking the alternative over the top of the hill. Once at the top we could see the route below with the chains to make the climbs and scrambling easier. At the top of the hill there were gun emplacements and an observation post from the war. Also there was a communications mast and trig point, 63 metres. From this point we got wondrous views back to Leven and Largo and onwards to Elie, below there were golden sands with little waves , no surfing breakers here.

At the bottom of the other side of the hill we met up with the rock route again and this time we took the beach way instead of the dunes. The sand was firmly packed and it was easy going, at the end of the beach we cut up through a church graveyard and on to the roads into Earlsferry and Elie. At the end of the village we cut down to the harbour and on along more streets to a path that took us up to a picnic area next to a lighthouse at Ruby Bay. We stopped here for our lunch, sandwiches and water.

From our stopping point it was a good firm path close to the beach all the way to St Monans. On the way there were the ruins of two castles. The first Ardross Castle didn’t look much more than the remains of a large house though it did have at the corners structures that could have been turrets, further on Newark Castle was more impressive and had a commanding position at a point on the top of the cliff at a promontory. From St Monans to Pittenweem we went passed a windmill that was originally used to pump sea water to pans and evaporated using local coal to produce the sea salt. The windmill is still in good condition but of the series of buildings with the boilers and pans only the foundations remain. There was a number of boards describing the process and drawings of how the area once looked. It was a good path in to Pittenweem and from there it was another mile to Anstruther and the route skirted around yet another golf course.

Once in Anstruther we quickly made our way to the harbour where the bus terminus was and we had half an hour to wait for the express bus and found out that it stopped at the junction up to the caravan site but it was the usual struggle up the hill.

Day 5

This morning we went to Upper Largo for the bus., a footpath beside the site was signposted as a route to Upper Largo so we took that. It was a pleasant grassy track through fields of bright yellow rape growing and came out at cemetery at the top of the village; a short walk down a hill brought us to the bus stop. It was a charming small country village with a couple of shops, the local post office cum general store and the church with a tall spire. We had about 20 minutes to wait for the bus and then another 30 to take us to Anstruther Harbour where we finished yesterday.

Leaving Anstruther was by the back streets witcars parked half over the pavement making it difficult to walk, that’s what traffic wardens should put a stop to!! There was another lovely little harbour at Cellardyke to the east of Anstruther then through another caravan park with lots of static vans before we were out in the country and on a rough path along the sea shore. Just at the start of the track on the landward side there was a huge pig farm. It was free range and was all in the open with little houses for all the pig families. There were water troughs and feeding chutes scattered around and some the pigs had lots of little piglets running after them. We spent quite a time there watching and photographing. It was 3 miles to Crail and the Caiplie Caves were the next photo stop, a series of strangely shaped rocks one with a hole through it at the top and large caves at the bottom.The view out to sea wasn’t very good today there was a heat haze and we could just make out the Isle of May but little else. There were some ruined houses on the trail just before we got a climb that took us to a point overlooking Crail harbour. It was a lovely view down to the harbour with lots of little craft anchored there and the hillside festooned with brilliant red and purple wild flowers. With the bright sun in a clear blue sky it was the perfect summer’s day. 

From our view point the road dropped down to the harbour then up a hill on the other side. A notice told us that the rare sea bird the Fulmar nested on these cliffs and I spotted two that were sitting on nests further down the rock face. It took some twisting and bending over the guard rails but I did manage to get some pictures of them. The road dropped down again to the sea front and a tarred path took us to yet another holiday park. This one was enormous with rows and rows of statics and holiday homes like old prefabs; it went for nearly a mile.

Another mile after the holiday park took us along a rocky coast to Fife Ness where the Firth of Forth finishes and we were now beside the North Sea. There was a coastguard station at the point and a few houses. We stopped for lunch, nice chicken sandwiches, sitting on the rocks beside an old ruined harbour that the coastguards used at one time to combat smuggling. From now on there seemed to be one links golf course after the other along the coast. The path ran beside the fairways at times and we had to avoid a few flying golf balls, and at other times we were forced on to the beach and rocks to find our way along the coast. Today was a short day and we had only 4 miles from our lunch stop at Fife Ness to our finish at Kingsbarn, where we caught the bus. It was a long trip now back to the site as we get further and further away, it took an hour. We got off at Upper Largo and took the route we came this morning, the hill up to the track through the fields wasn’t as steep as our normal climb..

Day 6

We walked down the hill to the bus stop at the top of the road from Lower Largo and caught the 95 bus. This local bus goes round the houses and through all the villages and we didn’t get to Kingsbarns for over an hour, so it was a late start when we reached the trail again ½ mile down the lane.

Things were looking brighter as we began, the clouds breaking up and some blue sky appearing and it was fairly warm. Lots of people were golfing as the first part of the trail took us beside the fairway and we were on the look-out for wildly hit golf balls. Soon we came to a sign as we left the links that it was 7½ miles to St Andrews. The going was rough where parts of the path had been eroded or washed away in storms and we had to walk on the beach or scramble over rocks. Fortunately the tide wasn’t high or we would have been cut off in places where signs warned us to wait until high tides receded before continuing. The area was otherwise remote and only ruined houses popped up every now and then along the route, One good thing about the clear weather today was that the views out to sea were better and the Isle of May nice and clear.

The path turned inland to the village Borehills then headed back to the coast and here the cliffs were higher. The path undulated between the cliff top and the beach and now on the coast again we got our first glimpse of St Andrews in the distance but as we rounded points and promontories it still didn’t seem to get any closer.

With still two miles still to go to this golfing capital we stopped for lunch at a solitary bench on the beach for lunch. There was a bin there but it was overflowing with rubbish scattered all around. It’s not much use supplying bins in remote places if nobody is going to come and empty them. After lunch there were more ups and downs on narrow paths and scrambles on the beach. An interesting formation on the beach, Rock and Spindle, held us up slightly for photographs before the path levelled out along the cliff tops beside yet another golf course then yet another caravan park before entering St Andrews.

The route through St Andrews followed all the tourist attractions, the Cathedral, St Rule’s Tower, St Andrews Castle and the Old Course. At the Old Course lots of work was going on for the Open Championship beginning here in July. Many of the grandstands had been erected but still plenty was going on. People were still playing on the course, many tourist judging by the times we saw them stop on their round to take photographs of famous parts of the course. I was also busy with my camera and got some good shots of all the attractions.

Leaving the famous golf course our trail picked up the Kingdom of Fife cycle track and headed up the side of the river Eden to a crossing at Guardbridge about 4 miles on. There we got a bus back to St. Andrews and after a ¾ hour wait a connection back to Upper Largo.

.

Day 7

It was the express bus to St Andrews and it only took an hour. When we arrived there was a bus just about to leave for Dundee and we jumped on, in another 15 minutes we were at Guardbridge and starting the last leg of the Coastal Path. There were blue patches beginning to appear in the sky but the wind was strong and cold.

An old narrow foot bridge parallel to the road bridge took us over the river Eden and picked up the Kingdom of Fife cycle route which we followed for most of the day. The tarred track and at times the pavement went round the houses of Guardbridge and then the Air Force base at Leuchers before heading into the country. During this period jets were continuously landing and taking off at the base and the noise was thunderous, but a magnificent sight. At the gate leading into the countryside a sign said ‘keep to the track until the next marker’; we didn’t see another way mark. We came to a farm and the map showed that the route should go straight on but straight meant into the farm and the track went to the left. Moira asked a woman who came along walking her dog but she was clueless, so we just followed the track as instructed at the last gate. It was obviously not right as it continued in the wrong direction, there were no signs and when we eventually reached a minor road a notice pointing back said ‘Coastal Path 1 Mile’. I didn’t fancy walking back a mile to look for a route at the farm again and stood wondering which direction to take on this road. A post office van came down the road and I flagged him down, a postman should know where we were. He did and said that we could continue down the road and we turn right shortly and head to Kinshaldy Beach, though he said we would be better to go back along the track and find the Coastal Path. Kinshaldy Beach was on our map and the Path went there so we kept to the road, no going back to get lost again.

At the right turn on the road a sign post showed ‘Parking for Coastal Path 2 Miles’, which was just before the beach, we were definitely back on track. Another mile further the route we should have taken joined the road; Moira reckoned we had taken a 2 mile detour. The road was now entering a wooded area, the Tentsmuir Forest, and headed to a car park and picnic area just before the beach, we were on the coast again. We found a table in among the trees sheltered from the cold wind that was still blowing and had our lunch, it was a pleasant spot and a number of people were about who had mostly come by car.

It was only a ten minute break for lunch and we were on our way again. There were plenty of signs on the route now, it was the Kingdom of Fife and also the’1’ cycle routes, a local marked walk and the Coastal Path. The track went through the trees of the Tentsmuir Forest for about 5 miles and wasn’t very interesting but for the chorus of whistles from the birds in the trees. Shortly we came to an old brick structure that had been an ice house for freezing salmon caught in the River Tay. It was now unused except for the bats that had taken over as a home, but we couldn’t see any through the slot in the door, it was too dark inside. The beach wasn’t far away just 25 metres through the trees, we could see it at the ice house stop and there was a big surf breaking on the North Sea beach helped by the strong wind. At Tentsmuir Point there was a view point; this was where the Firth of Tay met the North Sea and the coast turned to follow the River Tay. Across the Firth we could se the town of Broughty Ferry and further up the out skirts of Dundee, but no sign yet of the Tay Bridge.

            

The path went into the forest again and we only caught occasional glimpses of the sea at the foot of small side tracks that led down to the beach. The weather had now brightened up with plenty of blue sky, the wind had dropped. At the end of the forest we entered the outskirts and houses of Tayport and the road made its way down to the esplanade that ran along the side of the Firth. Soon we were through Tayport and on a tarred cycle path probably an old railway track that went through more trees. As we came out of the trees and a mile to go we got our first sight of the Tay Bridge.It wasn’t far away but tantalisingly didn’t seem to get any closer. I got some good photographs of the bridge but it isn’t as attractive as the Forth bridges. At the end of Coastal Path it was disappointing, there was no welcoming signs saying such things as ‘Congratulations, you have made it’. All we had to do was find the place to get the bus back. It took a while to find the correct bus stop but once there had only 5 minutes to wait for the bus. It took 30 minutes to get to St Andrews then catch our connection to Upper Largo.