It's been a while since the first post but I don't see the point in writing about nothing.  We have also been a way a few times including a business trip to the Outdoor trade show in Germany.

Anyway my main idea behind setting up this blog was to record the adventures we have in our van, but not want to write just about what we have done.  I want to do something a little different and more informative, so I will be letting all you lovely readers know exactly where the places we have been, the wild camping spots we have used, the best Aires we have stayed at, the pubs/cafes & restaurants we have frequented and the folks we would just like to give a big thumbs up to as well.


So to start us of on our journey into the informative life of Alice I would like to tell you all about one of the nicest places I have stopped at in a fair few years.

Calgary Bay.  Isle of Mull. 

Scotland

Calgary is located on the north west of Mull about 5 miles beyond Dervaig and 12 miles from the island’s capital Tobermory. It is framed by low hills, partly wooded and is the location of a shimmering white shell sand beach and craggy headlands – home to a rich variety of birdlife and the haunting ruins of stone forts and abandoned villages.

The name Calgary comes from the Gaelic, Cala Ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the Meadow.

We arrived on Mull on our way back home after 3 weeks of heading up the West Coast of Scotland. We were going to jump onto Mull some 2 weeks earlier but the usual Scottish weather made us rethink our plans and further north first.  It was about 4pm when we drove off the ferry from
Ardnamurchan (the shortest xing but the longest and most beautifully drive) and arrived in Tobermory or if you are 2 1/2 as Harry was at the time, it would be BALAMORY.


While on the xing we got chatting with another camper couple who were local and came across every month just to eat at the local fish restaurant and then drive down and camp at Calgary Bay.  We had already sussed out that, if you are into wild camping, the place to head to in the North of Mull was Calgary. But the passion this couple spoke with made sure we ended up here.  They also told us to try out the fish and chip (shop) trailer (*** la routier) on the pier, and it did not disappoint. The battered and deep fried scallops were fantastic.

After eating our scrummy dinner we headed off to find the rather beautiful (if I say so myself. And if you don't believe me there are many more photos on the net.) Calgary Bay.  Driving out of Tobermory you take the B8073 which runs right past the parking/camping for the bay.


Co-ordinates 56.576329,-6.278819 (from google maps)

There is a group run by the local community that looks after the area and the camping etc.
It is a fantastic area and should be kept as such so please look at there website and take care when camping or just using the bay and more importantly stop by some of the local businesses and give back to the community for helping maintain such a great place.


www.calgarybay.co.uk


Other than to say I hope you enjoy this bay as much as we did, try buying and cooking some of the local sea food available around the island, you will not be disappointed.

The Camper Van Diaries - The early stages

Hi All,

This is my very first post and I really don't know what I am doing yet.

As the title say's this is a blog diary of mine and my families exploits in our VW T5 camper van which we converted last year.

We did the usual thing, our friends had one, we wanted one, our lifestyle is very much outdoorsy, so we decided that we would jump in at the deep end.  My wife has MS and is in a wheelchair so room to put the off roader was a priority, as was a porta potty so we could be self contained. So with all this in mind we looked around at the options, visited many conversion companies and left feeling very down and bambusaled.  The main reason for this feeling was that no one was prepared to adapt a van in the way we wanted, to allow Anna (that's my wife) to be able to use the van to the best of her abilities.

So to cut a long story short we spoke with our friends and booked the camper in with the folks that converted theirs for them.  This was great, we now had someone who would produce something to our own spec, demands and drawings, the only problem now was we did not have a van.  So the search began, Pugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Merc and finally came to rest on the VW as we initially thought we would.  So the van bought and delivered the build could commence.  But wait my luck (life is all what you make of it but bad luck does seam to come my way a lot) was going to turn and three weeks after delivery I take a phone call from the builder saying he could no longer do it for and could I come and pick the van up.  So once again I had to find someone to convert it.

A few internet searches later, a quick trip up from Wiltshire (we were seeing friends when the call came through) and 3 stops we had once again found someone who would produce what we wanted.

T4 Campers Ltd. in Ossett were fantastic and even turned our project around in 5 weeks, as we had booked to go away since the last converter had given us a deliver date.

So 2nd August 2011 we took delivery of our newly converted T5 with all the mod cons inc. an oven and the pop top for our young lad "Harry" to sleep in.

 

Since then we have had some great trips and I hope (with the help of my wife) to blog about them and the future ones as well.

So just to give you a little taster; this is were we have been so far.

Corwall & Devon

Lakes, Scotland and Nothumberland coast

Wiltshire

French and Spanish Pyrenees

Yorkshire East coast

France - Fontainebleau - Ardeche - Colliour (SW) - Pyrenees

Wiltshire - Crofton music festival - organised and headed by Steve Criddle former lead singer of the dark horse