Day 5 – 11th August – off to Scotland – Packed, Puzzled & Premature
Up early, had breaky, all packed and ready. Tom headed off across the River Tyne to pick up the car while Helen and I tackled the logistics of getting our luggage out to the lift, then out to the car. It was a bit of a juggling act, but we managed—bags, bodies, and the inevitable extras we seem to collect along the way.
Once loaded, the three of us set off for Fort William, winding our way through scenic stretches and travel chatter.
We made a slight detour to visit Chesters Roman Fort—a promising stop, rich with history and Hadrian’s Wall charm. Sadly, after quite a drive, we arrived to find it doesn’t open until 10am.
Lesson learned: checking ahead is not just for the overly cautious. It’s for anyone hoping to avoid a scenic but slightly disappointing car park.
Never mind—onward we went…
Petrol prices have been a bit eye-watering, but we managed to find some for £1.32 a litre, which works out to roughly $3.00 a litre.
Wow. That’s not quite gold dust, but it’s close.
At those prices, every scenic detour starts to feel like a financial commitment.
One of the more amusing things about travelling—especially from the back seat—is listening in on the front-seat dynamics.
Navigation, for instance, is a topic of great interest. And by “interest,” I mean controversy.
There seems to be a lot of debate about touching too many buttons.
Maps, apps, voice commands, rerouting… it’s a digital dance, and not everyone agrees on the choreography.
From my vantage point, it’s part comedy, part chaos—and highly entertaining.
Then there’s the Kia’s lady—our digital co-pilot—who’s been giving us some truly bizarre directions. “Turn half left”? What does that even mean?
She’s also taken us on a completely different route than usual, so we’re not passing Loch Lomond, where we typically stop for a bite at what we affectionately call The House of Death.
It’s actually The Drovers Inn, a place packed with stuffed animals, including a rather imposing bear in the entrance of the pub.
Equal parts eerie and entertaining, it’s become a bit of a tradition for us. Oh well—maybe we’ll stumble upon an equally unique watering hole this time.
Yes—we did find an alternative watering hole.
We stopped at The Golden Larches Café, nestled in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Lovely food, warm welcome… and something truly unexpected:
The world-famous shark toilet.
WHAT THE!???
Yes, you read that right. A toilet. With a shark.
It’s not for the faint-hearted if you just want to spend a penny. But it’s definitely one for the travel tales. Scotland never disappoints when it comes to eccentric charm.
Finally reached Fort William, winding our way through Glencoe—one of the most spectacular places on earth.
Towering peaks, sweeping valleys, and that haunting beauty that makes you want to whisper instead of speak. It never fails to stir something deep.
We’ve settled into our new apartment, bags dropped, shoes kicked off, and got ourselves ready to head out again.
We had a really nice meal at Glenfinnan House Hotel—great food, even better company.
Made it home around ten, full and content. A really nice day all round.
2,124 steps logged—not bad considering the car did most of the heavy lifting.
Lady Boomer 