Scottish Outlander

8 July, 2015

Buying Our Very First House*

8 July, 2015

Our mortgage has been confirmed and in less than a month we will officially be home owners!

You know when people say buying a house is one of the most stressful things you can do? They aren’t lying! There are so many things to consider and for first time buyers it’s a steep learning curve. We did some research, asked around and decided to get someone to do it all for us! We opted for a mortgage adviser who came highly recommended and did everything from finding the best deal to figuring out what was going on when there was a hold up.

Fortunately we weren’t buying and selling as doing both must take stress levels to the next level. In our case the sellers (John’s parents!) had already had their offer for their new property accepted so time scales were our main concern. If we had struggled to get the mortgage in place in time the sellers could have used a bridging loan to make sure they didn’t lose their dream home and reduce stress levels. The Bridging Loan Center offers alternative short-term funding solutions until a longer-term option becomes available. The rate is usually around 1% and you can pay the loan off before the specified time without any penalties. Normally these loans are used to buy a new property before the existing one is sold but you can use them for a range of other purposes like funding a buy-to-let investment, as short term working capital for a business or to pay unexpected bills.

Now we know we’re going to buy the house we’ve started to make a list of all the things we would like to do to make the house feel like our home:

Remove wood chip from the ceilings – I don’t know who came up with it or why but wallpaper with wood chip in it is old fashioned and apparently it’s a nightmare to remove. Unfortunately it’s on most of our ceilings!
Strip the walls, skim them and paint them – I’m not a fan of wallpaper so we’ll be stripping it off then having the walls skimmed to make sure they are nice and flat. We’ve been looking at paint samples but haven’t decided on a colour scheme quite yet. I’ve been scouring Pinterest for inspiration and I’ve found some beautiful combinations.

Top left, top right and bottom left: Design Seeds, bottom right: In Colour Balance all via Pinterest.

Replace the carpets – I know it’s not practical but I want to replace the dark carpets with lighter ones to brighten the place up.
Fit a new shower – The water pressure of the current electric shower is pretty poor so we want to plumb the shower directly into the boiler.

Here’s a little bit of an insight into the kind of style I would love to go for although John is worried I’ll make the house look too cold so I’m sure I’ll have to learn to compromise!

Top left: My Scandinavian Home, top right: A Design Ed Factory, bottom left: Stylizimo, bottom right: Remodelista all via Pinterest.

We’re so excited to have a home of our own and can’t wait to get started!

6 July, 2015

Clava Cairns and Standing Stones near Inverness

6 July, 2015

Recently I watched Outlander on Amazon Prime and it left me wanting to visit some of the beautiful locations used in the series. Like a lot of viewers it also left me wondering if there were actually any standing stones near Inverness. Fortunately my parents had started watching Outlander too and were one step ahead of me. They had found Clava Cairns near Culloden Battlefield just outside Inverness so last weekend my Dad took John and I to have a look.

The Clava Cairns are a series of well-preserved Bronze Age circular tomb cairns. Built around 4,000 years ago the complex is set in a small wood and features a series of graves, cairns and standing stones.

Known as the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Bulnuaran of Clava the ring cairns have a central chamber. Two of the cairns have entrance passages while one is completely enclosed and each is surrounded by a ring of standing stones.

The cairns and standing stones are pretty impressive and I couldn’t resist the urge to get an Outlander themed photo..

1 July, 2015

Camping at Southend on The Mull of Kintyre

1 July, 2015

The Mull of Kintyre is a very special place for my partner John so when we had a few days to spare we decided to revisit his favourite childhood holiday destination. We stayed with his parents on The Isle of Bute before getting the (tiny) ferry to Colintraive and driving around Argyll’s Secret Coast.

After navigating the sometimes hairy single track roads to Portavadie we caught the third ferry of our trip to the lovely fishing village of Tarbert.

We walked around the harbour taking in our surroundings and laughing at the fact the boy racer speeding through town was playing The Proclaimers at top volume. Then we grabbed a bite to eat before continuing on our way to Campbeltown and then on to Southend.

Southend is a small village at the very end of the Kintyre Peninsula, 8 miles from Campbeltown. John’s Grandfather discovered it when making a delivery in his job as a lorry driver and fell in love with the area. The family bought a tourer which they stored there, then later a static caravan and continued to visit Southend for many years.

The caravan site we camped at was the very same one John’s Grandfather discovered all those years ago, a farmer’s field right bedside the beach. As we approached John told me to drive up to the farm house so we could let him know of our arrival. The farmer saw us coming and asked about John’s family before giving us the keys to the toilets and telling us where we could camp.

The site is well situated above a sandy cove and next to Dunaverty Rock. On a clear day if you climb the steep rock you can see Ireland which is only 13 miles to the west, Ailsa Craig and the Ayrshire coast to the east and nearby Sanda Island. The rock itself used to be the home of Dunaverty Castle which sheltered Robert the Bruce in 1306 but only slight traces of the structure can be seen today.

Once our tent was pitched John gave me the guided tour and tried to pick out the caravan which once belonged to his family. Although we couldn’t see the caravan he did recognize some familiar faces and the facilities certainly hadn’t changed.. if you’re planning a visit don’t forget a 20p piece to activate the hot water in the showers!

After a beautiful start the weather took a turn for the worst. As usual we were determined not to let it get the better of us so we walked along the coast to explore the neolithic caves and see the famous “St. Columba’s Footsteps” which mark the spot where Christianity was first brought to Scotland from Ireland.

Over the next couple of days we tried crabbing, with no luck! Fishing.. again with no luck!

But we did manage to find some seals on Keil shore and racked up some miles exploring the surrounding coastline and local villages.

The day before we were leaving we had the bright idea of tackling the single track road to the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. The 6 mile public road is pretty scary in places and ends before the steep decent to the lighthouse. A walking website describes the road down to the lighthouse as “the most tortuous in Scotland” and we walked half way down before deciding that my bad knees wouldn’t get me back up again if we continued.

That evening we gathered wood for a fire on the beach since the weather didn’t quite allow for a BBQ!

To make our journey home more exciting we decided to get the ferry to Arran then across to the mainland. The ferry from Claonaig to Lochranza was the busiest I had ever been on and getting my car into position on board was quite a feat! So much so the staff weren’t quite sure how we had managed to get out when we arrived to buy our tickets. One thing we hadn’t been prepared for was how busy the Brodick to Ardrossan ferry would be and when the ferry staff asked us if we were staying the night we were a little shocked. They told us to phone ahead and book and despite it being before 12 the first ferry we could reserve a space on was 7pm!

Needless to say we arrived home a little later than planned but we had a wonderful 4 days seeing everything The Mull of Kintyre had to offer and learning the ferry system!

25 June, 2015

A Big Step and Planning for the Future*

25 June, 2015

John and I are in the process of buying our first house! It’s a 3 bed semi on the outskirts of Carlisle and we are very excited to have a place to call our own. After 8 years of renting flats near the city centre I can’t wait to have a garden and a driveway! Here’s a sneak peak of the garden..

The impending responsibility of owning a property is making me feel like a real grown up and pushing me to consider things I’ve put off in the past like life insurance and pensions.

At the moment the company I work for isn’t obliged to offer employee pensions (although this will change in the next couple of years) so I’ve been looking at other options. My first thought was to set up a direct debit and transfer a monthly sum to my cash ISA. This is a safe option which offers tax free savings of up to £15,240 and if you select an easy access ISA you’ll be able to withdraw your funds at any time. If however you’re looking for better returns and higher long term growth investment might be the way forward.

Nutmeg offers a simple way to manage your savings online. You can invest as little as £1,000 per fund for ISAs (plus £50 monthly contributions for funds under £5,000) or £5,000 for pensions. A single management fee of between 0.3 and 1% (including VAT) per year is charged giving you the transparency that is often lacking in the traditional wealth management industry. You can set up a portfolio in under 10 minutes and you can top up, transfer or withdraw your funds whenever you like. Each diversified portfolio is managed by a team of experienced investment professionals who choose sensible strategies for long term growth and won’t spend your money on hot tips or market fads.

You can set your risk level anywhere from 1 “Avoiding loss is the priority” to 10 “I’ll risk large losses for higher gains” and a globally diversified portfolio means your risk will be spread across a wide range of investments. You can view the overall results for each of the 10 risk-based portfolios. From its inception in October 2012 to 31st March 2015 the average return for a medium risk investment was 23.9% which sounds pretty impressive to me!

Nutmeg’s interface works using a slider system so you can explore different options and decide what will work for you. I really like the concept and the fact that Nutmeg tailors investments to your specifications. Of course no investment of this type is without risk so keep that in mind but this is an easy, accessible option for both new and experienced investors.

22 June, 2015

The Isle of Bute, Scotland

22 June, 2015

Recently John’s parents were holidaying on The Isle of Bute where they had found a house they wanted to buy to retire to. We were heading to The Mull of Kintyre for a camping trip so decided to get the ferry from Wemyss Bay on the mainland to gatecrash the last night of their holiday and break up our journey.

We were keen to find out why Heather and Brian wanted to move to The Isle of Bute and see the house they had chosen. When we arrived in Rothesay we ditched our bags in their holiday apartment and were taken on a whirlwind tour of the island. The Isle of Bute is only 15 miles long and 4 miles wide but there is plenty to see. If you love the sea, beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife Bute is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday or of course retirement! Only 33 miles from Glasgow it’s accessible, peaceful and picturesque so it’s easy to see why people fall in love with the island.

Later in the evening we went for a walk down Lovers Walk, a pretty path behind St Mary’s Chapel which follows a babbling stream surrounded by trees. We were lucky enough to spot some roe deer and as we walked further inland the wildlife became more plentiful. Deer bounded away every time we walked around a corner, we met some very curious cows and spotted a brown hare, a buzzard, pheasants and rabbits.

We walked on to Loch Fad which is known at the “long loch” and is classified as a site of special interest for its beauty and the bird and plant life it supports, and then we looped round back towards Rothesay.

On the way home we stopped to admire the ruins of Rothesay Castle which are lit up at night and look spectacular in the dark. Built by the Stewart family in the 13th century the castle is unusual as its circular and is surrounded by a wide moat. We watched bats swoop to catch insects over the water and a loan swan keep warm in front of one of the spot lights.

The Isle of Bute is a wonderful place and we’re already looking forward to plenty of visits in the years to come!

17 June, 2015

Camping at Budle Bay, Bamburgh, Northumberland

17 June, 2015

We had researched campsites within striking distance, downloaded the BBC weather app, packed the car with our camping gear and despite the dreary weather we were determined to make the first May bank holiday weekend our inaugural camping trip of the season (I’m a bit behind on our camping posts!). On the Saturday morning we checked the weather for our list of destinations and decided to head East where it was driest.

As we drove towards Northumberland the skies brightened and the sun came out! Our first stop was Beadnell Bay where the kite surfers were out in force. We had a walk on the beach but the skies were looking a little threatening so we jumped back in the car and went in search of somewhere to pitch our tent.

Determined to find a nice campsite next to the beach we drove up the coast checking our map and following every campsite sign we came upon. One of those signs was for The Barn at Beal. I’d heard about The Barn at Beal before (I’m pretty sure one of my best friends used to deliver ice cream there) but I had never been so we decided to check it out. We had lunch in the cafe which has beautiful big windows so you can see out over the causeway to Lindisfarne. John opted for soup while I had a baguette and we shared some chips which were lovely. The food was nice but a little pricey for what it was and we were too hungry to wait and snap any photos! The camping area at The Barn at Beal had a great view but it was exposed to the elements so we decided to head back to the campsite near Bamburgh that we visited last September. The camping area at Meadowhead’s Waren Caravan and Camping Park is sheltered and there is a clubhouse to keep you dry if the weather takes a turn for the worse, which it was forecast to do the very next day!

Fortunately the weather held while we put our tent up and we were able to sit outside and enjoy a bottle of prosecco while enviously watching a group of teenagers play Swingball (we’ve added it to our to purchase list!).

The next day we weren’t so lucky. As expected the heavens opened so we headed to Alnwick in search of somewhere to keep dry and buy a warmer sleeping bag.. Soaked through and hungry we ordered a pot of tea at The Plough and browsed the lunch menu. I don’t think I have ever been to The Plough despite living in Alnwick for many years and I was really surprised by the modern decor and plush furniture. I ordered the tempura salmon which was presented as fish and chips in a little crate which I loved although it was a little tricky to eat out of! John had a roast which he says was one of the best Sunday lunches he’d ever had!

On our way back to the campsite the weather started to improve and by the time we arrived the sun was shining and the sandy beach was beckoning. From the campsite its a five minute walk to Budle Bay, a sheltered nature reserve just around the corner from Bamburgh and next to the hamlet of Waren Mill. Budle Bay is a bird sanctuary with huge mudflats that can be seen at low tide and beautiful wide white sandy beaches. We walked to the point where if you look South you can see the lighthouse at Bamburgh and to the North you have a stunning view of Lindisfarne. You could easily walk along the beach to Bamburgh if you had the time and we definitely intend to do that one day! On our way we explored the remnants of a WW2 bunker, climbed on a dilapidated pier and got a little bit wind swept!

After dinner we decided to do explore the campsite as despite it being our second visit we didn’t know how big Meadowhead’s Waren Caravan and Camping Park was or what else it had to offer. The clubhouse has a restaurant which we’ve eaten in a couple of times, it’s nothing special but the food is good and the bar is a comfy place to spend a couple of hours when it’s cold or wet outside. It also has a shop, games room and outside there’s a splash pool for the kids to enjoy in the summer and a playground with a zip wire! As we wondered around the park we got a better idea of it’s scale. The touring section is separate from the main park so we didn’t really have a concept of just how sprawling it is! There are hundreds of static caravans, lodges and even wigwams. We found a woodland trail and play area nestled among the caravans and set above them we discovered a picnic area with stunning views across the bay. Noticing the sun was starting to set we popped back to the tent to grab a bottle of wine then settled down on one of the picnic benches to watch the sun go down over Holy Island.

After a better nights sleep thanks to our new sleeping bag and a few extra layers it was time to pack up. The sun was shining so another trip to the beach was in order before we headed home.

We had a wonderful long weekend and it just goes to show that sometimes camping is worth the risk of bad weather!

8 June, 2015

What’s In My Photography Kit Bag*

8 June, 2015

My love of photography began as a teenager and became a real passion, I even went to University to study it and worked as a professional photographer for a couple of years after completing my course. After spending two years photographing children and families that passion waned and I didn’t pick up a camera for a year after closing the business. Over the years I’ve been running this blog that passion has gradually returned and I love taking photographs again.

I’ve used everything from my Dad’s first camera, a Lubitel, to SLR cameras and I love experimenting with new lenses and techniques. In this post I thought I would share my favourite pieces of kit and give you an insight into what I carry in my camera bag. If you’re looking to buy a new camera make sure you check out Tesco who sell the Canon EOS 1200D which would be my suggestion for anyone getting into photography.

My camera is the Canon EOS Rebel T3/1100D. It’s an entry level digital SLR that does everything I need it to. The photo quality is excellent (especially for the price), it’s easy to use and the battery life is fantastic. I haven’t felt the need to upgrade as I think using a more expensive model would restrict my usage. At the moment I can carry my camera in my handbag and not worry about it too much meaning I take it with me most of the time. An expensive model would have to go in my kit bag which I only take out if I know I’m definitely going to need it. I have a habit of losing lens caps so at the moment my lovely camera is currently sporting a cheap replacement which doesn’t fit very well and often pops off. If you’ve lost yours I recommend paying the extra for a branded replacement!

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens is without a doubt my favourite bit of kit. I’m pretty sure it’s the cheapest lens you can buy for a Canon DSLR and there is a similar Nikon option. Although it’s made of plastic so feels a bit toy like I use it more often than my 18-55mm kit lens and think the images are noticeably sharper. It’s perfect for portrait photography, close ups and macros as the out of focus area is soft and the colours are perfectly represented. It’s a prime lens so it forces you to be more creative with your shots; something I think can have a drastic impact on the standard of your photography.

My kit bag of choice is the Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW. It’s a backpack with room for your camera and 3 or 4 lenses depending on how you configure its Velcro dividers. It also features numerous compartments for your memory cards, filters, cables so you can keep everything together. The real beauty of this bag is that you can swing it round to your front for easy access to your camera and the rest of your kit. The opening of the main compartment is the right way up so you don’t have to take the bag off when you want to change lenses, much more convenient than putting it on the ground of having to ask for help! If it starts to rain there is a waterproof cover which can be pulled out from the bottom of the bag and stretched over it to keep everything safe and dry and there are numerous other handy features like hooks to attach things and dust cover to protect LCD screens. The quality is fantastic, I’ve had it since 2008 and it looks brand new. I find it really comfortable to wear for long periods of time as long as I don’t make it too heavy and wear it a little bit higher than I am in today’s photos!

In my kit bag I also carry extra SD cards, a lens cloth and a spare battery, just in case!

3 June, 2015

Taste of Relaxation Spa Day, North Lakes Hotel & Spa

3 June, 2015

Spa days are a real treat so I was thrilled when Shire Hotels invited me and a friend to sample their Taste of Relaxation Day. The day is described as the perfect introduction to spa treatments so I decided to invite my boyfriend’s Mum who had never experienced a spa day.

We visited the newly refurbished spa at North Lakes Hotel & Spa in Penrith which is situated just off the motorway only half an hour South of Carlisle and a stone’s throw from the beautiful Lake District. We arrived at 11am and were shown to the brand new Spa Relax area where we filled in our details, choose a time for lunch and selected what we wanted from the mouth-watering light lunch menu.

After being introduced to the spa manager we were shown to our changing room where our robes and slippers were waiting for us. We got changed and made our way to the pool area to enjoy the spa facilities. We swam in the beautifully lit pool, chatted in the Jacuzzi and enjoyed the sauna and steam room. The pool area is stunning and has plenty of chairs and loungers if you want to relax between swims and soak up the peaceful surroundings.

Before we knew it it was time for lunch so we popped our robes and slippers back on and headed for our reserved seating in the spa lounge. Lunch was a fruit juice, main course and desert and there were plenty of options. I went for orange juice and poached salmon with baby new potatoes and a herb mayonnaise. I decided to spoil my healthy meal with a crème brûlée which came with two pieces of shortbread. (Heather was good and opted for the fruit skewers!) The food was delicious and the portions were just right. Nobody wants to be bloated in their swim suit!

The main event was next, our two taster treatments which would last 55 minutes in total. We both opted for an ESPA facial and a back, neck and shoulder massage but we could have chosen a YTSARA lawan facial, shoulder and scalp massage, YTSARA soothing Asian back, neck and shoulder massage, ESPA body polish, ESPA salt and oil scrub or Jessica nail tidy and polish. My treatment was given by Katie who was absolutely fantastic. She listened to my needs focusing on getting rid of the tension and knots in my back and gave me advice on how to improve my skin. FYI it is not OK to exfoliate every day!

After our treatments we were given some water and a leaflet which detailed all the products that were used during our treatments. We were then free to browse the sample area, help ourselves to some yummy looking snacks and hot drinks and lounge in the spa area with the gentle trickling of a water feature in the background. Feeling utterly relaxed and ready for a nap we decided we better head home before we were found snoring on the comfy recliners.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Taste of Relaxation Day and Heather is a definite convert. Prices start at £80 and I would recommend treating yourself and a friend or loved one to a day of pampering and relaxation.

31 May, 2015

Outlander Giveaway

31 May, 2015

It’s here! Today is the day the Outlander season one finale is released and I can’t wait to see it. To celebrate Amazon Prime Instant Video and I have teamed up to give you the chance to win some Outlander goodies! I’m giving away a beautiful Outlander picnic blanket and Outlander watch.

To enter just log in and fill out the fields in the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 May, 2015

Glen Strathfarrar

7 May, 2015

Just 10 minutes from my parents front door is Glen Strathfarrar, a stunning piece of what was once Fraser country that is now home to a hunting lodge and a vast number of red deer. Popular with outdoor enthusiasts Glen Strathfarrar boasts beautiful scenery, a hydro dam, pine forest and an abundance of wildlife.

A limited number of vehicles are allowed access between 28th March and 31st October (except all day on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings) with a maximum of 25 being permitted in the glen each day. The entrance is controlled by a gate-keeper so when you knock on their cottage door cross your fingers and hope there’s still room for you in the glen! A couple of weeks ago on a bright sunny morning we decided to take the chance and see if there was space for one more car.

The road is single track and pretty bumpy so leave your sports car at home and keep your wits about you as you wind your way through the impressive landscape. You’ll pass the remnants of the ancient Forest of Caledon, the River Farrar, two lochs, Loch a’ Mhuillidh and Loch Beannacharan and Braulen, a sandstone hunting lodge built in 1840 before heading up towards Monar Dam, the biggest arch dam in Britain. At the end of the road you can park near a power station which spurts out water and walk up into the mountains or look out for golden eagles which my family have often seen soaring high above the ridges.

We weren’t lucky enough to see any eagles on our visit but we did appreciate the scenery and I enjoyed borrowing my Dad’s telephoto lens for some close ups of the locals.