Never Mind The Ballochs

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I realise that this makes 3 blog entries in a row where the song title is a corny play on words.....this is lazy and I'll try and do better in future.

We are now in Balloch, just a few miles north of Glasgow but in a completely different world on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond (I suppose that this might have been a better song to use).  This place gets madly busy throughout the 'season' and especially at weekends but we have timed our arrival for a Sunday to avoid the stupid 'Saturday night' hotel prices.  We are staying at the Arbor Travel Lodge.  You are probably imagining a large, modern purpose-built budget hotel...... as was I, until we arrived to find that it is a 3-bedroom B&B run by a bloke called Harry.  No matter, the pub is only 50yds away and the owner is letting us leave the van in his car park for 2 weeks. 

We are inside the very northern edge of an area of new COVID restrictions, where visiting a friend or relative's house is now deemed unsafe but a night down the pub with the same people is absolutely fine.  Glasgow is not renowned for healthy living (average life expectancy is a full 7 years below the national average) and after a life of whiskey, deep-fried Mars bars and Class A pharmaceuticals the marginal extra risk presented by COVID-19 must seem a bit irrelevant.

Neil has tested his new hi-tech navigation device, it was purchased in the sixties at a cost of 8 shillings; fortunately the last new road built in Scotland was by General Wade in the 1700s so it should still be fine.

Tonight we will have a pre-emptive sports recovery drink or three (we are athletes and take hydration pretty seriously) and tomorrow we will hit the road Jack.  Our first challenge will be Rest and Be Thankful - a pass on the A83 which has been closed by a landslip.  There is an alternate via the old 'military road' that runs alongside it but this is also periodically closed for the same reason.    If all else fails there is another route but it is much less scenic and on busier roads so we will check the status first thing in the morning and decide accordingly.

 

 

 

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