Up One Side and Down the Other, Part 2

Twelve days into our trip and time to swap sides, of the country that is although even that is a bit inaccurate as we are heading for Scotland! Margaret regrets us not spending more time in South Shields but perhaps save that for another time. It takes us about 20 miles to be free of Greater Newcastle when near Gateshead we take the A69 across country towards Carlisle. From the M6/M74 we set off across country, first to Dumfries and then on the A76/A70 to Ayr. We are staying for five nights at the CMC Ayr Craigie Gardens which is on the edge of the town centre but surrounded by University/College buildings. Nice little site surrounded by mature trees.

Our first excursion into Ayr took rather longer than intended as we went the long way round! We should have followed the instructions in the Information hut as it would have saved us at least half a mile! We chose to walk along the river path on the opposite side to the town and crossed over on an old multi arched bridge into the lower part of the High Street. After a coffee stop, we walked up through  the centre of the town. On the way back to the site we tried what we thought was the “short cut” and it seemed to work! The next day we walked back into Ayr but this time in search of the beach as Ayr is also known for being a sea side resort. We headed in the general direction of the coast but did have to ask before we found the love sandy beach. Coffee and doughnut in a seaside café and we continued back into town discovering en route some of “old” Ayr which was quite grand and also a church tower where apparently Mary Queen of Scots stabled her horses! Soon time to leave Ayr but thought we should fill up at the local Tesco and also do some shopping. Shock horror no diesel! Fortunately, motorhome fuel tanks are often quite large, ours in 90 litres, and it told me I had a range still outstanding of 288 miles so I thought I was safe to continue.

We are now heading down the coast on the A77 towards Stranraer. This would have been a lovely route had it not been for the rain as it hugs the coast for much of the way. We passed a couple of Ferry Terminals near to Cairnryan and not much further on took the A75 inland and eventually across county to our next stop the CMC site at Garlieston. What a wonderful location looking out over the Solway of Firth.  The Village Hall (just outside the site) has a lot of information on the history of Garlieston which was once an important port. Something I had no idea about was that the area around Garlieston was used to develop the Mulberry Harbour used in Normandy during WW2. There are some pleasant short walks from the site around the village, you can always stop at the Harbour Inn for a coffee, beer or even a meal. In the other direction you can wander around the Harbour.

By the time we left Garlieston and headed for Dumfries in order to do some shopping and refuel we were down to a range of about 200 so I was starting to get that often used new term “range anxiety” Fortunately, my fears were misplaced as the Dumfries Tesco had fuel so I had enough to get us home!

Our next stop was the C&CC site at Ravenglass. Can’t say that I knew much about Ravenglass and having been I am not sure there is a lot to know!  Interestingly we are still on the Solway of Firth but on the English side. Perhaps its claim to fame is the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway which terminates in the village. You could be forgiven in thinking you had happened upon a model railway as the trains are quite tiny. A bit bigger than those small steam trains you find in Parks but still small. Looking around the attached Museum I think I discovered why. It seems that this railway was originally built on a 30 inch gauge. However, when the railway fell into disuse it was purchased by none other than Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke the Northampton model railway maker. Obviously, he had a liking for small railways and restored, or remodelled should that be, the line into a 15 gauge.

One more site to go as we left Ravenglass over yet more narrow and hilly roads. It was almost a relief to join the M6! We left the motorway at Nantwich and headed off across country to find our final campsite, Overwater Marina CL which is close to Audlem on the Shropshire Union Canal. As well as the CL there is also a proper campsite plus, of course, the Marina. Although only a short stay we had hoped to have walked into Audlem along the canal but again the weather intervened. The Marina has a good shop and a café which can be used by all. There were a few boats on the move which is an added interest to the gongoozlers amongst us!

Thursday 26th of May and time to depart for home. This has been our longest trip away since 2019 so it was good to get back into the swing of things. On the way home we used the M6 Toll, or the Midland Expressway as it likes to be known! I miss the old CMC discount and it cost £12.50 but I consider it a bit of luxury and I am happy to miss the original M6 around Birmingham. Mind you we did miss the 50th birthday of the Gravelly Hill Interchange better known as Spaghetti Junction using the toll road! Home at last having filled up with fuel in readiness for our next trip.

More pictures of the trip can be seen here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/caravan_travels_in_the_uk_2022.html