Millarochy Bay and Callander 12-14 June 2009
To make the most of the good weather, we decided to head off at 5 on the Friday. The plan – feral camping near Drymen, then Balgair Castle campsite in Fintry on the Saturday. The Denbydubs were already on the road when we got to the wild camping spot. The gate to the field was closed and the ground inside was a bit of a mess. Looks as last weeks' campers hadn't tidied up and the landowner just got fed up with it.
We headed along the road to Cobeland in Aberfoyle as a plan B. The site was full except for a couple of pitches with no hook up – and the price was a bit dear for such a basic pitch. So after a quick call to the Denbys we decided to all head to Fintry. Through the backroads, and just 2 miles from the site we came up to a closed road. And while we were deciding whether or not to drive the 20 mile detour or camp where we sat, we heard a familiar air-cooled sound. The Denbydubs had got here a few minutes before us and tried the closed road – just a mile from the campsite and they couldn't go any further. With Captain Covert now driving through Bishopbriggs, we decided to head for Millarochy Bay at Loch Lomond and see if we could get away with a sneaky feral camp.
View of Loch Lomond Millarochy Bay
Millarochy Bay is lovely. The beach is lovely. The view is lovely. The Denbydugs loved the water. And the midgies loved us. They loved us so much they just couldn't stay away. Ok, it was torture. We had to have a few medicinal beers to cope with the midgie bites. The car park at the bay is supposed to close at 9.30, and right on time the parkie came to see us. Although he was pissed off we had been drinking (and wouldn't be able to drive off site), he was ok about it. It is a nice place, but carpark rules aside, we probably wouldn't camp here again cos of the beasties. Was a bit of a shame to be held hostage in the Pootle, but 5 people in a bay, is a happenin party!
Some of the campervanarmy pitched at Millarochy Bay
Davy (Capton covert) Raymond (Me)
We survived the night and decided to head along to the Gart campsite in Callander – and had a wee laugh wi the new CBs in the convoy. Stopped off for a bit of petrol and some midgie repellent and got the nod that there was an Avon rep at the Coach House in Aberfoyle. We had heard of the mysterious powers of the Avon Skin So Soft, and did the deal for a couple of bottles under the counter.
Breaker-Breaker
Pitched at the gart campsite
Got to the site – a bit grown up, but nice all the same. And the crappy weather that was promised for the Saturday didn't appear. So we spent a leisurely day and night, lazing about with too many sweeties and a bit of booze.