Under Canvas Again

I needed an early start on Saturday for an event I was attending in Inverness. However, as Inverness is a good three hour ride away, rather than being forced to set off at dark o’clock, I decided to work a camping weekend around it. I asked about and had the site at Bunchrew Caravan Park recommended to me. A quick phone call and I was booked in for two nights, Friday and Saturday.

Ready to Roll

Now, I haven’t been camping in over three years, for obvious reasons, so I dragged out all my kit, rummaged about to find what I needed, and loaded up the panniers that had been stacked in the back of the shed for the same length of time. All set for the morrow.

Highland Cow Sculpture, Ralia Cafe

As I didn’t need to be in Inverness for any particular time I had a bit of a lie-in, a late breakfast, and then a leisurely run up the A9, stopping just the once at the Ralia Café just north of Dalwhinnie for a bit of a break. 

How Much?

Filling up in Inverness once I arrived was another wallet-emptying experience. The joy of a bike with a 25 litre tank.

View from my tent

The campsite is located a few miles out of town on the shore of the Beauly Firth, and the area for tents is next to the shore giving you spectacular views out over the water. 

Feet up and relaxing

With no hotels or pubs nearby I had brought my own food and some whisky should I feel like it later. With the weather being bright and sunny it was nice just sitting and looking out over the water and reading a book. There are worse ways to spend your Friday night.

Kessock Bridge in early morning haze

Saturday was spent on a run up the east coast, and I’ll post about that separately later.

Back at the site it was more of the same, although the wind got up a bit in the evening forcing a few folk to rig extra guy ropes and dropping the temperature a bit. 

Sunset over the Beauly Firth

Sunday morning, all packed away and another gentle run back down the A9. This is actually a rather pleasant road if you’re blessed with warm weather and a Sunday morning’s lack of traffic. And all too soon I’m home and the weekend is over.

A smashing weekend away, I must get the tent out a bit more this year. A trip further afield may not be out of the question either. Pity there’s no guaranteeing similar weather.

The only downside to staying on a big campsite like this, however, is that you are at the mercy of whoever rocks up and camps next to you. An awful lot of people don’t seem to realise that tents aren’t soundproof, so loud (drunken) conversation into the wee small hours, along with radios blaring, are a nuisance if all you want to do is enjoy the tranquillity and/or get some sleep. I just put in some earplugs and tried not to let it bother me overmuch.