Blair Atholl

Hi, reader

Just a filler update this time, as it's still morning and I haven't set out for my next stop yet. That'll be Dunkeld and Birnam on my way to Perth. I hope to arrive in Perth by late afternoon. Hi to Matt Sutherly and Pink, who I was chatting to this morning via Messenger.

This morning I'm at Blair Atholl. Like everywhere here, it has a lot of scenic beauty and there are plenty of things to see and do, but I confess I've really just been using this place as a base to visit Killicrankie and Pitlochry.

These last two nights, I've been parked up in the car park of the Blair Atholl Information Centre and Ranger Base, which is open (and unattended) from 9am to 4:45pm daily. This is an excellent facility which has two sinks, hot water, toilets and 12 wall sockets. Not only have I charged all my devices to the max each day, I've also had a chance to shave my head at last (they also have a dustpan and brush so I left the place as I found it).

The ranger base also has some cool stuffed animals. There's a pair of huge golden eagles and a wild cat.

Before I head of to Dunkeld and Birnam, here's another of those top 10 lists:

Top 10 items I thought would be more useful

Living in a van is a learning experience. You try to plan carefully, and with limited space you have to choose the equipment you think will be most useful. Some items in my van have been really valuable along the way and get used daily. Others, not so much. Here then (presented in no particular order) are the 10 items I could have left at home:

1. Deodorant

I've only used it once since I set out about five weeks ago. What can I say? Scotland just isn't a sweaty place at this time of year, and I'm not going on any dates.

2. Swimming shorts

I've seen some nutters charging into the lochs and oceans, but forget it. I get cold just looking at the water here. I've been in leisure centres a few times, but only to use the shower facilities.

3. Tin opener

Most tins these days have a ring pull to open them. I've had to use this tin opener once so far. Also, it's a right-handed tin opener and I'm a gifted child (southpaw) so it's really awkward to use.

4. The leisure battery

Absolutely useless. Del Boy, the clown who sold me the van, bought this secondhand from Facebook Marketplace and hooked it up to the van's battery with dodgy wiring. Even after charging it for 4 or 5 hours, it can barely give my phone a 10% charge. Rubbish! I really ought to just throw it out and free up some valuable storage space. 

5. Flannel

I imagined I'd have to be having lots of flannel washes with a basin of hot water, but it turns out it's really quite easy to find shower facilities along my route. Haven't used it at all yet.

6. My yoga mat

Prior to the start of my trip, I'd been practising yoga daily (since the first of May). I'd hoped to keep my yoga practice going while I was on the road, but it's just too cold. I suppose I could do yoga in my fleece and woolly hat, but it hasn't happened. Instead I just do some simple back stretches a few times a day. I've used the yoga mat once on this trip, when I was in York.

7. Hair clippers

A very useful device, but the leisure battery can't provide any power at all to this three pin plug and I've only been able to plug it in twice so far. 

8. Vegan gravy granules

Used once, didn't turn out great. Most of the food I eat on the road doesn't require gravy anyway.

9. Crocs

A much-maligned design classic. I love Crocs and I imagined I'd be wearing them inside the van whenever my outdoors shoes got wet or muddy. I have started to use them more now, as they keep my feet a bit warmer when I'm cooking. Better than having my feet on the van floor, which can get very cold in the evenings.

10. Head torch

I've used it a bit but hardly at all. It's easier just to use my LED Lamp or the flashlight on my phone. However, it's always handy to have a back up light source just in case.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading,

Brian