Eriba Man

  This is night No.49 of living in my caravan in 2023. It's our final night at the Speyside C&CC Site near Archiestown in Speyside. Woke to a lovely morning, sunny, still, and a cloudless sky. Took the dogs out along the site dog walk around 0630, then after breakfast and the usual caravanning chores, we headed north in the direction of Elgin to Millbuies Country Park. It's a short drive, and we arrived to an empty carpark around 0900. In fact, the only people we encountered were a couple and their kids having a photo session in the field next to the carpark. It doesn't square with me the idea that someone 'owns' a huge swathe of land, including a forest and loch, but anyway, the 'owner' gifted it to the City of Elgin and it is now a Country Park. A fine path through some rustic arches leads downhill towards the loch. In this weather, the loch is a stunning place to be. Mill pond water reflecting the surrounding forest. It is dammed at the south end whic...

  Tonight is night No.48 of living in my Eriba in 2023. We are continuing our trip to Speyside, staying on at the C&CC Site just outside Archiestown. The weather was fine and dry again today, although it did rain quite heavily through the night for a short time. Todays walk was one I'd done a couple of years ago. A brilliant walk from the Church in the village of Drummuir along a path which follows, for much of it's route, the Keith and Dufftown Railway, a heritage railway.  We followed a single track road from the village which was signed for the Church and parked up at a large carpark.  The very impressive War Memorial in the carpark. The Church, Botriphnie Parish Church. We joined the path from a waymarker at the corner of the carpark. It is an excellent route all the way from Drummuir to Loch Park. The path leads through a variety of landscapes, including some fine forested sections. And also along some grassy tracks. The path led into the Lochpark centre, which ...

  Night No.47 of 2023 for living in the caravan, and we're pitched up at the Speyside by Craigellachie C&CC Campsite just outside the village of Archiestown. This was a short notice 'spur of the moment' trip not too far from home, around a 2hr drive. The C&CC have some very good deals available at some of the sites, including this one, where a 35% discount could be had by staying a minimum of 3 night! For myself, the van and the 2 dogs, on a grass pitch, including electricity was around £34! Fantastic! Headed north along the Aberdeen bypass, then followed the A96 as far as Huntly. Stopped in Asda and then parked up and took the dogs a good walk in Bin Forest, just outside Huntly. A great walk, and one I've done many times. It's a great stop when heading North in the Inverness direction. The Forest has extensive storm damage from last year, but the main tracks are clear and offer some quality walking. One of the objectives of this trip was to try out an awnin...