Just a quick post tonight, because we have basically spent the whole day driving.

First we had to travel 30 miles south to rendezvous, we hoped, with a certain van coming from Inverness. The one carrying Basil’s coolant header tank cap. We arrived in Oban and first called in at Aldi to top up Basil’s now working fridge and freezer with the same goodies we had to throw out yesterday, because they had all gone off!

While Sarah was shopping I rang the garage to check on the progress of the much awaited cap, only to be told it hadn’t arrived but they were expecting it any minute. So we found ourselves a layby next to a loch and had lunch, including, for me, what I hope to be the last tinned ham of my life.

During lunch, much to my surprise the garage rang to say Basil’s missing part had arrived, so we cleared up and hot footed it to “All Cars and Commercials” in Oban, who apologised for the delays. They fitted the cap and filled up the coolant and away we went.

It was then a three hour drive, back up to Fort William and onwards to our new campsite at Morvich, about 15 miles east from the crossing to the Isle of Skye at the Kyle of Localsh. The scenery as we drove north west from Fort William gradually became bleaker with few trees and huge bare mountains, most of which are over 3,000 feet and still snow capped.

A highland scene

The Morvich Motorhome and Caravan Club site has not got the views of our last site, but it sits at one end of Glen Affric, one of the last true wildernesses of the British Isles. For serious climbers the Five Sisters of Kintail rise behind the site, but I think we will content ourselves with some less strenuous routes, but much will depend upon the weather, which has been pleasant today, but there seems to be some indication of rain for tomorrow.

Basil’s new resting place with one of the Five Sisters of Kintail in the background

We haven’t decided how long we will stay here, but we are now within striking distance of the Isle of Skye and the ferry to the Outer Hebrides.