Luci has been hibernating all winter so we’ve had a bit of work to do getting her ready for our Scottish adventure. Only took a couple of goes to get the water pump working again and everything else was relatively straightforward. We had to sterilise the cold water tank, a bit like a very large baby’s bottle and test the gas and heating. It’s all still a bit new and it’s the first time we’ve de-winterised so we pore over technical manuals working things out, hopefully all is now in good working order.

Takes us ages to move all our bits and bobs and what seems like two trollies worth of food and drink into lots of small spaces and cupboards in the van, hopefully we’ll remember where everything is when we need it!

We are heading for Scotland so taking many more layers of clothes than we normally need in anticipation of chilly weather. Long range forecast looks good at the moment with cool weather, occasional sunny days and not too much rain.

Managed to get on the road, slightly later than we hoped for, around midday. We are travelling 200 miles today, up as far as Falkirk.

We’ve found a campsite within walking distance to Falkirk so park up and plug in. After a cuppa and a biscuit and a helping of one of T’s favourite TV programs, Pointless, we walk to the Falkirk Wheel along the Union canal and through a canal tunnel. It’s a feat of engineering, a rotating boat lift, lifting and lowering barges over 35m between 2 canals, the Forth & Clyde and the Union.

Next stop is a pint at the Lock 16 Canalside pub which we reach after walking through a housing estate in various stages of regeneration with some eclectic concrete gardens, grass seems a bit passe in Falkirk! After a drink we scoff fabulous fish and chips out of a pizza box by the canal in the dark and cold, so delicious. A final pint in the Union Pub, definitely well past its best, before cheating with a taxi home to avoid a 30 minute walk back to the van in the dark. Duncan our taxi driver was very friendly and helpful.

End our evening with a couple of episodes of Game of Thrones, season 4. Fab day to kickoff our Scottish adventure.