The year in a nutshell - our Christmas letter

2014 The Parkers Review

Started 2014 with a trip to Oban with its rugged coastline, snow capped mountains and views of the outlying islands. Great walking as long as you were buttoned up and layered for the cold Easterly winds blowing in from Siberia.


 
Then it was time to nip over to France to see our friends in the Charente, believe it or not, partake of a little haggis for the annual Burns celebration with a few self exiled scots, the odd murder mystery event, social dinners and of course card evenings. It was fortunate that we had enough o keep us occupied, as the weather was just as cold in France as in Scotland, although it was doubly wet.



Yet when we returned to the UK, the rain must as followed us and the UK was hit by some of the worst flooding in decades.

We started a new regime to control Judith’s weight and my high cholesterol, need to ensure l keep of the statins if l can. We both felt much better having two fasting days a week, keeping down to 600 calories and spreading out our eating between 7am in the morning and 7pm at night. It kicks the body into survival mode and helps remove all the unwanted toxins. ( after 10 months we have both seen and felt the benefits. We both have lost weight (me 1.2 stone and even though my bad cholesterol has not reduced, my good cholesterol has rocketed up)

We kept popping up to the house in Innellan to fit curtains, position our paintings, purchase new furniture and do little jobs prior to moving up permanently in the summer. 

On one trip we drove the campervan up ready for our return in April for a three week trip round Scotland. We had decided to visiting Fort William, then head west to Malaig after which we would head back south to Oban and Campbelltown, walking gear and fishing rods in tow. We were hoping that the spring would bring better weather.

Kent was still having floods as was the majority of the West Country. All three of us kept our heads down, popping out for odd lunches, whilst nestling in front of the fire watching the six nations rugby and the Winter Olympics. Watching things that have names like Luge, slopestyle, halfpipe and moguls and the commentator’s vocabulary, which just defy s belief, especially when we have Brits in the finals. Back to back double, backside air, front side 10/80 followed by a front side nine hundred. What does it all mean? But their enthusiasm is just so infectious, and great to watch

The weather was getting us down so we decided to head North to try and find the Northern Lights and a little of the white stuff. We managed to pick up a last minute deal with a cruise ship heading up to Narvik, Tromme, Alta and into the artic circle.
The ship Marco Polo had character, small, petite and old fashioned. A breath of fresh air from the large all bells and whistle affairs of the new floating hotels with their glitzy atriums full of upmarket shopping arcades and art galleries. Don’t get me wrong, l love the wide open spaces of the large megaships, especially when you can take advantage of the exterior eating and seating areas in the Caribbean heat. Cold and damp Tilbury doesn’t hold that same mystique.
The cruise was different, we had a great time with some very interesting people, Norway was amazing, didn’t see any lights in the sky, but it was a great trip, Just a pity about the old tired ship and the way it was managed. Would l travel with them again, doubtful?

After getting Gwen organised, tablets accounted for, appointments arranged and marked in the calendar and odd bits of maintenance resolved, gardens tidied we head off up to Scotland for our three weeks trip in the campervan. Our first real excursion in the Bessacarr.

First point of call, Fort William and three days of walking, mostly in the rain. Then West to Malaig and a further three days, walking, sightseeing and fishing. The weather had improved slightly, but it soon went down hill as we headed to the wilderness of the Ardnamurchan Peninsular. A fantastic place, but it takes such a long time to get anywhere on the single track roads, although its all worthwhile when you encounter such amazing wildlife and unspoilt views. Three days of pure magic. Sorry, two days, one was rained out to the point we couldn’t get out of the van due to the force of the wind and rain. Then it was off south to Oban, by which time the weather improved dramatically, as did the mood in the van. More walking, lots of fish eating and the odd wee dram. This flavour continued as we headed further along through Argyll, stopping over in Lochgilpead, visiting the Crinan Canal and the over priced hotel of the same name, plus some great walks.
After three days we headed down to Tarbert and ultimately Campbeltown. The whole area proved a revelation to the senses, in fact all three senses, the smells of the vegetation, pine trees, heather, and ferns along with the fresh fish smells of the ports. The taste of fresh scallops and seafood and the various liquid gold produced in the Campeltown distilleries. Along with the visual spectacle, the living history that just emerges out of the ground in the most amazing and unusual places. Burial mounds, stone circles, carvings, art deco hotels, cave paintings, archaeological relics, modern replicas of old fishing villages and the longest runway in Britain, used by the Americans for their Stealth bomber.
What more can l say, a truly amazing area that has so many hidden gems on offer, and we didn’t even scratch the surface.
In May we joined up with the French walking group in Vallencay staying in the grand sounding Hotel Restaurant Le Relais Du Moulin.
It was not that grand, but the staff were exceedingly friendly and the bedroom was spotless, although you could tell you were in France. The towels were the size of postage stamps, and they were using the prerequisite 40 – 60 grit grade of sandpaper for toilet paper and the unregulated shower hose that fluctuated from scalding hot to freezing cold only reached up to my navel, resulting in me kneeling in the bath to ensure that l was completely dowsed. As per usual the poor insulation in the walls enabled us to hear the cacophony of noises from other parts of the building, especially the closing of bedroom doors prior to lights out, reminiscent one would imagine to the closing down and locking of steel doors in cell block 8 in one of her majesty’s prisons.
But the food was good, the walking was enjoyable and the visits to the Châteaux’s excellent.
From here we went south to Chalais to see friends, taste some more French food and sample the odd Bordeaux before returning to the UK.
And the start of our adventure, up in Innellan, next to Dunoon situated in Argyllshire up in Scotland, not far from Glasgow.
Our feet didn’t stay still too long. After fitting book shelves, working in the garden moving building rubble, fitting mirrors and cloths hooks it was time to getaway. This time, just over the water to the Isle of Bute for three nights, walking round the island and visiting the magnificent house of Mount Stuart, an architectural masterpiece and one of the world's great houses set in fantastic gardens and grounds with its own coastline.
Back to Innellan and playing houses. The garden is small enough to manage, yet big enough to have various different planting areas, with all looking out on the ever changing Firth of Clyde, with Largs and the hills of North Ayrshire across from us. The sea traffic included all sorts of marine vessels including luxury liners, freighters, oil tankers and all sorts of military naval ships and the massive nuclear submarines, flanked by their guard vessels as well as the frequent ferry crossings. Contrary to most tales, Scotland was sunny and warm, which enabled us to do more in the garden than expected, including the building of our shed/hideaway/summer house/man cave, whatever you may call it. Perhaps a midden, a storage area for all my rubbish. Judith’s description, not mine.
Then off to Dover to collect Gwen, although we broke the journey by visiting Coventry, as we had never visited the cathedral before. Then it was the National Game Fair at Blenheim Palace, followed by a couple of days in Gloucester. A great down to earth city with masses of interesting things to see and do.
Gwen spent most of the summer with us, enjoying the sun, the odd midge ( in fact there is never only one, so we better say midges) and watching the enthralling Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before returning back to Dover.
From here we headed into France for three weeks walking, split between Royan, Cauterets in the Pyrenees and Noja in Spain. The first and last week was spent in a tent, but the middle week was with our French walking group, so we lived it up in a basic 3*** hotel. A great holiday, fantastic food and the weather was just amazing, even slightly too hot for walking at times.
Gwen came back up with us in October to spend her 90th birthday with us. Plenty of eating out and parties to celebrate ensued over a three week period. Friends came over from France to see Scotland for the first time and spend some time with us. It was great catching up, and all our visitors were totally blown away by the scenery and quite amazed by the climate. Hopefully they will appreciate the decision to move north.
The end of November and early December continue in the same frenetic manner. We took Virgin Trains down to London, 1st class for £39 instead of the usual £300. All you can eat and drink plus the use of the 1st Class lounges in Glasgow and London prior to boarding. A treat in itself, then a visit to the Turner exhibition and the Tower of London and that momentous display of poppies, walking tours, lunches out, Christmas light watching, more visits to galleries including the Portrait gallery, the skating rink at Somerset House along with the Fortnum and Mason pop up restaurant and shop. Sure we reduced in height by the time we finished, our legs had worn down so much, or was that the sole of the shoes. Good job we could just relax on a train after all that.
Bit of time in Innellan before we drove over to Pitlochry for four nights and some glorious walking in the hills. The weather was gorgeous, with the exception of the last day when we were in the damp misty clouds for most of the day.
From here down to Dover, missing some of the worst storms in years. Instead of gales, snow and rough seas, we ended up with cold clear blue skies.
Visited Judith's untie Joyce who had been transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation unit in Deal after a fall and subsequent break in her arm. This was about the third or fourth incident in two years. She lives by her self and is not too good on her pins anymore. But then again she is 92.
We found her in fairly good fettle, enjoying the TV and the three meals a day and of course the cosseting.

Drove back to Dover for tea, only to find that Gwen was complaining about pain in her wrist. It had started swelling up, so wanted to take her to the hospital but she wouldn’t have it. The following morning told her we would go to the doctors, but she insisted it only needed bandaging up. So l took her to the pharmacy under the pretext of buying bandage. Once there l had the pharmacist look at it. He advised going to casualty, so off we trotted, she couldn’t argue.
X ray couldn’t find a break, but they said it may be a small bone in the wrist called a scaphoid bone. From all accounts it is the most common carpal bone to break. But she seems happy enough now she ensconced in Innellan for the festive period.
And that’s the year virtually finished. Phoo!



 

Anyway, have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy and more importantly healthy New Year

Lots of love


 
Judith and Philip Parker
Too Wayout View
Wyndham Road
Innellan
PA237SH
Tel 0934109744  email bestpep@hotmail.com

To look at this year in Photos go to http://bestpeptravels.blogspot.co.uk