Menowercoming; Respite Record

Welcome to a Nature Friday and Final Friday Feature combined post! This is where the LLB Gang and myself like to intermingle... the FFF doesn't always have to be about nature or things environmental - but quite often, the material is there, and it also fits with my theme of making a post that is just that a little bit more "ooh and ahh!" than my run of the mill posts. I'm not sure I always succeed in my own purpose, but it provides an incentive to keep blogging!

Anyway, today I bring you lots of photos from my recuperative period - that time when I had to accept that COVID was real and taking its toll and I needed to escape...

After being rejected by the Ford garage for The Grey's annual, we took our wheels back to Dunoon for a few days. 

From Wednesday to Friday, we enjoyed the waterside. A couple of days, though warm, were the usual shades of grey, but then, along came this.

On Saturday morning, despite the testing still showing positive, I was feeling more alert and ready to be on the road again. After a quick, very early morning visit to the Hutch for a shower, laundry and mail check, we set off via the Rest And Be Thankful route, via Loch Lomond, and over the hills to Balfron. After my visit and overnight there, it was up for a night on Forestry Scotland land at Braeval before heading into Aberfoyle. The river that runs through this Trossachs town is none other than The Forth... the one which becomes a mighty firth on the east side of this Bonny Land. You'll see/hear a bit of it in an upcoming Saturday post.

This is a part of Scotland where EV charge points are a little scarcer than elsewhere, but Aberfoyle has two poles. Turned out only one was working, but that was okay, as one point was available, so Grey guzzled and I took a walk by the water and over to the Woollen Warehouse. The main part is fairly tacky-touristy, but outside, there were sheep and ducks - some lambs - and a small hut selling proper handspun yarns from the fleeces of those sheep. I bought a hank of Jacob's Sheep warm grey. Not sure what I'll make yet, but it is lovely.

Aren't those Jacob's lambs just the cutest?! You see above a Scottish Blackfaced Sheep, also. Other than these two breeds, there was a Blue-faced Leicester, a Cheviot, and Soay Sheep (that's the black lamb). The yarns reminded me so much of Mum's work, and if I had the budget, I'd have made a total stash of what was on offer! The lady at the counter was very chatty and greatly interested in The Grey, so once he was full, I drove him over to the wool shack so she could have a gander. I suspect it won't be long before Helen B is on the road too!

After departing Aberfoyle, it was only a three-mile drive up Duke's Pass to reach Forestry Scotland's Three Lochs Drive. This is a gated part of the greater Lomond and Trossachs National Park, an area renamed the Queen Elizabeth Forest. There is controlled parking/camping in these places, and one can book up to three nights for four quid a night, plus another three (one-off cost) for vehicle access, so a fiver a night. 

I was allotted park D4, which is fairly near the start of the seven-mile track. I could have driven right around and back again before settling in, but I just stayed put. Apart from other vehicles enjoying the drive, it was only me and the trees. Tuesday was still warm and sunny, and I enjoyed catching up on some listening and viewing, as well as getting a fair few posts scheduled. It was a surprise to find there was a pretty decent 5G signal... but I did take a rest from commenting and too much blog stuff, as this really was about resting and recuperating. 

I could happily live forever in surroundings such as these. As mentioned, you'll see a bit more on the Saturday posts. Even when the rain came on Wednesday, it didn't dampen spirits. This place is bliss, and I shall be visiting again... and again...