New Year, New Hope

Too much work, so much hassle just before Christmas meant that I was desperate to get away after the family commitments had been dealt with.  We packed up Bessie with leftover Christmas cake, cheese and biscuits and of course those gallons of extra cream that occur at this time of year. At least I'd made a batch of home made muesli as a feeble attempt to get back to some form of healthy eating. Normally I take lots of outdoor gear but I'm injured so instead I filled a bag full of toys; whistles, knitting, two paperbacks and my latest, a small Zoom recorder. We set the controls for Dumfries and Galloway.

Our first stop was Glencaple where the community actively encourage campervans to stay on the quay by the river Nith. There are public toilets in the adjoining car park as well as a water tap. At the quay is a sign showing where five vans can easily park and a small honesty box should you wish to leave a donation. This scheme pays off because the excellent Nith Hotel was open for meals and we were more than happy to forgo yet another meal of cheesy pasta for a good steak and a bottle of finest Chianti.

Glencaple and the river Nith

The weather had been settled since Christmas and looked set to continue as next day we drove the few miles south to Caerlaverlock Castle and Wetland Centre. Again the community had provided an area for campervan parking at the Corner Campsite, this time with the addition of a chemical toilet disposal.

Welcome Here!

Caerlaverock sits on a estuary and the tidal mudflats provides food for a thousands of migrating seabirds that visit here from the Arctic Circle each year.


We laced up our our boots and tramped through the grounds. I took my recorder hoping for some bird calls but all I managed to capture was the sound of my boots squelching along the muddy path. At a hide we stopped for a picnic and spotted a lesser white egret among the barnacle geese. and then a curlew entered the mix and we felt like real birdwatchers despite our pathetic binoculars. I ventured back out at dusk for another attempt at recording but a nearby car park seemed to be a haunt for local (and noisy) boy racers so I gave up.




I love Dumfries and Galloway. I have been many times before but never to the Mull of Galloway which is the most southerly point in Scotland. On this trip I was determined to get there. Why there? I suspect it is because 2019 is set to be a rough time in the UK. We are due to leave Europe which will definitely be cause for another call for Scottish Independence.  I wanted to be where I'd feel closest to Scotland, England and Ireland.

The sun sets on 2018

 The scenery in this area is spectacular. The sun was shining and as we reached the lighthouse at the end of the road the dying sun was sparking on the sea.  The Mull of of Galloway lighthouse was built by the Stevenson family and became operational in 1830. It is 26 metres high but because it sits on a cliff it stands 99 metres above sea level. It was automated in 1988. There is a good size car park which is fairly flat. Although the wind was howling in from the north west we parked up for the night. Earlier in the night I saw lights from the Isle of Man and from Ireland (possibly Belfast) but at the midnight the sky became overcast and the only New Year fireworks I saw came from the surrounding Galloway homes. I will try to remain optimistic for 2019 but at midnight I admit to feeling rather sad.

Mull of Galloway Lighthouse

Dark Sky Park - It was very dark!

Another gem in Dumfries and Galloway is the Dark Sky Park, an area of land surrounded by forest with low light pollution so perfect for seeing the stars. A clear sky was forecast on the 1st of January so we headed for a good spot. We were not disappointing. Wrapped up against the biting cold I stood outside the van  staring into the skies. It was possible to see the Milky Way as a backdrop to bright constellations and my heart filled with joy. My camera was not up to the task of recording this wondrous event so, while I cooked more cheesy pasta, Colin headed out to capture the night sky.


Before we left this fabulous area there was one last thing I wanted to do - attend and play in a traditional music pub session.

Through playing traditional music we have made friends all over the country and some live in D & G. We drove a short distance from the park to our friend Wendy's small holding. She fed us delicious food before taking us to a session in a cosy pub, The Clachan in St John's Town of Dalry. Most of the regulars played Irish tunes, of which I know only a few, but I did manage to play along to a couple of tunes.

Traditional music session in The Clachan

Dumfries and Galloway has something for everyone. If I had not been injured I would definitely have climbed some of the fine hills there. But despite not hill walking we managed to fill five days with different activities. But best of all, unlike other parts of the UK, Dumfries and Galloway made us welcome as campervan owners. That makes a difference and I will definitely be back there soon.