Rudland family on-line

On Friday, 15 August Mum and I set off for Glasgow on the 0810 bus from Dalbeattie. We changed buses in Dumfries to the Stagecoach Express service and were soon zipping up the road. A brief detour to Moffat and then on to the M74. Called in at Lesmahagow and Hamilton and it seemed no time till we were drawing in to the Buchanan Bus Station. Janet was waiting and took us home to Yokermill Road.

It was a quiet house, since Natalie is in Ghana on her work trip and Mariana was away with her pals on a weekend visit. We went to look at the door which is to replace the PVC front one, but it had been sent to the paint stripping firm.

Adrian soon home and we had a great meal, as usual. There was a bit of discussion about the fitting of this replacement door - the only problem seemed to be trying to fit it in to a busy schedule.

In the morning we had a cooked ‘brunch’ and plans were laid for the buffet for our celebration next month. Adrian and I went to visit the stripping firm and saw the door. It is really massive with a glorious etched glass panel. There will be a fair bit of work to tidy up the mouldings and fit a new lock and door furniture. A new set of styles and a new transom is needed as well. The present door will be sold on as it is not suitable for the back door ( it hangs the wrong way ).

Eating again mid afternoon so that we could get the 1800hrs bus back home. So down to the bus station again, on to the express bus, change at Dumfries and home just after nine. So, perfectly possible and all for free !

On Sunday, 27th July we got the caravan out and headed out west. Our first stop was at the little site in Creetown where we got a great welcome from the site warden. The sun was shining and we just sat there and chilled out. This was to be just a one-night stop since the place we had chosen near Castle Kennedy cold not take us that night.

Monday morning saw us on the road again: a stop for lunch and a little walk at the visitor centre at Kirroughtree, then on to the CL at Greenloch House. The loch really was green ( more of that later ) and the site was superb right down on the loch with a little mown enclave all to ourselves. First of all we had to make an expedition to Stranraer for supplies from a convenient Morrison’s.

Tuesday was another reasonable day and we set off to visit the garden at Glenwhan, a few miles along the coast. From there the road climbed up to the moor and we found that this magic garden had been created from a rough hillside and laid out with water features and winding paths through the various planting areas.

Needless to say there was a little coffee shop at the end.

Wednesday was thouroughly wet so we just got the paper and had a rest day except for a wee walk along the road to spy out the land. I was quite interested in the origin of the name and found that the owner had done a fair bit of research: the house had been the manse for the kirk at Inch and was built of the site of the Premonstratensian Abbey of Soulseat founded by Fergus, Lord of Galloway. It was known as ‘Monasterium Viridis Stagni’ which roughly translates as ‘Monastery of the Green Stank’ which means that the loch was green in the 11th Cent. The colour is due to a variety of algae that covers the surface in the summer. All that remains now is a fragment of a wall and some gravestones dating back to the 16th Cent.

I have managed to find an OS map of Soulseat Loch which shows the peninsula where the van was sited. The trains were not far away and could be heard from time to time.

Thursday was to be a visit to the fish pond at Port Logan. It was closed however and after our picnic we took ourselves down to Portpatrick. There were a good few folk about so we had a walk up to the top of the cliff - a bit of a breeze but not cold. Watched some kids jumping into the water from the harbour wall. More coffee and so home to the van across country thanks to my good navigator.

Back to Dalbeattie on Friday - all in all an enjoyable break. Where will we go next ?

On Monday 23 June Mum and I set off in the caravan, the first time it had been out for a while. We had meant to go on the Sunday, but there was a forecast of galeforce winds in the North of England so we put it off for a day. The route was down the M6 as far as Kendal and then Eastwards heading for Leyburn. Site was a wee bit beyond the town on a farm. Soon settled in and the chairs out for a cuppa. One of the things about this site was a pair of very tame pheasants (see gallery)

Tuesday we visited Jervaulx Abbey: privately owned and not so regimented as NT or Heritage sites.

Wednesday took the car to Reeth and had picnic lunch on the village green. From the tourist office we got an infosheet with a walk up on to the moor and then back by the river. Weather was plesant for walking not too warm.

Thursday moved to another farm site near Ripon. Lanes very narrow for towing a van but we got there thanks to my magic navigator.

From here we visited Fountains Abbey. We worked out that we had been here with the van many years ago when Janet was at University and had taken the train down for a break. Now all very posh and we had the benefit of a knowledgeable guide who pointed out all the important bits of the site and gave us a full history of the time of the monks. Walked a bit in the grounds and reached St Mary’s Church where the rain came on. So back home. Dinner out in the evening a Grewelthorpe with huge platefulls.

Saturday down to Pately Bridge and a bit of a run up Nidderdale.

Back home on Sunday and left the van out in the corner at the railway cutting till it was emptied.

Looking forward to the next time out.