North of the Border

 

Very strange to be going on holiday and not taking a taxi to the airport - after 80+ flights in 12 months I fancied a change.  Set the trip meter before I start - and yes that is a 2.5L SUV Volvo doing 54mpg.

Howgill Fells - must be getting close to the best service station on the UK motorway network and fortunately just inside the FBBL

(From Birmingham Bladder Limit).

Its the family owned Tebay services and this is real food - Herdwick lamb and black pudding hot pot, mashed potatoes, gravy and root vegetables.  Really worth the trip!

Crossing the border, about 4 hours from Birmingham you enter the land of free prescriptions and free university education - all subsidised by the English tax payer

  

Sadly Eddie Stobart, like this vehicles was limited to 56.  Spotting these lorries have played an important part in keeping Britains youngsters occupied on long motorway journeys - more plentiful in the UK than Norberts as well.

Flying into Glen Coe - the last time I was here an RAF Tornado was barreling straight toward me and a good fraction of the speed of sound and about 200ft off the deck - on this outing a Russian Warbird flew over me just north of Gretna and I was buzzed by another Tornado as I travelled south from Forsinard.

 My home in Fort William - the Invernevis - I recommend this B&B - the owners are just starting out in the business but B&B is in their blood and they are doing very well.  Most of the other B&B in Ft William had not yet opened for the season

 

I went for a chilly and windswept jog looking £££ (unfortunately the cash machine dispensed Clydesdale bank notes - must spend these before leaving Scotland) and for somewhere to eat (places I remembered from before having closed down or not yet opened for the season)

Morrisons cafe was shut - not an inspiring welcome at the end of a long rail journey from London I think.  Fort William is pretty much shut - does not open I am told until the World Mountain Bike round later in the spring - and closes again after the Ben Nevis fell race in the autumn.

 

The Crannog - while recommended breaks my "not floating or rotating, at ground level and firmly fixed to that ground" rule (See David Dale's "The Obsessive Traveler" for why).  In the background are hills concealing N057W005 - just a little too high and exposed for me to attempt this visit - save for next year.

This is The Lime Tree - even though I huffed and puffed and dripped sweat on their nice carpet there was room for me in the restaurant - ran back to B&B and returned clean and clean shaven for...

Amuse Bouche of Parsnip Puree, Fried Haggis Ball (think Prairie Oyster), salmon something and a salami of local meat (I think)

I can't remember what this was - possibly more haggis - whatever it was tasty.

Finally Pork done three ways - amazing the variety of treatments we have developed for friend pig.  The portions look small - but more than enough and no need for a dessert.  The waitress, for a change, was not Polish - but from Fort William - daughter of the now retired local vet.  I really liked this restaurant - even if the meal cost more than my night's accommodation.