The mouse kept me awake til nearly 3am scuttling about in the front. This morning we realised it had managed to get all the bait off the traps without actually setting them off. Git 🙁 Today we have bought some more mouse traps – this time live capture ones and some tumble drier sheets which if google is to be believed are some sort of magic deterant for mice in campervans. Fingers crossed we catch it, kill it or simply chase it off with this mixture.
Last night a hired campervan had come into the campsite we were on and managed to get totally stuck in the mud. A guy with a landrover was trying to tow it out but struggling for want of a decent tow rope. We have one so Ady headed over with it and along with another set of campers (I think there were about six or seven sets of us there last night) the van was pulled free. They parked elsewhere and this morning came over in daylight to thank everyone again and hand out packets of biscuits. They were a really nice German family heading back to the mainland in their expensive rented van.
After Popmaster we packed up, said goodbye to Sligachan campsite for now and headed into Portree to collect keys from the estate agent to go and view the house. We all thought we might like this one and sure enough we all really liked it. It had elements that were not perfect – it’s a bungalow and although it has more space that Osborne Drive it is certainly not large – 3 bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, lounge, bathroom. In poor decorative order but lickable into shape pretty easily and cheaply. Decent floorboards, no central heating but a rayburn in the dining room and an open fire in the lounge. The kids loved it straight away and decided who would have which bedroom etc. The land is ideal – large flattish area at both front and back with loads of room for polytunnel, animal pens and veg beds, space to flatten for friends to camp, a small urn running through with a tiny bridge over it, a patch of woodland with some lovely old established trees. It’s on the roadside for passing trade but the house is set right in the middle of the land so away from the road. The view is not water based – it’s mountains and landscapes but the loch and river is literally round the corner so something we could compromise on. It had the same feeling to the house as when Ady and I first looked at Osborne Drive all those years ago.
We are of course in no position to do anything so will have to put it from our minds, reassured that what we want for what we can pay does exist and will be here when we do have the money in six months time or so. It would be perfect though…
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We stopped for lunch on the way back and watched eagles for a bit. I can’t believe how many we see every day up here. Wish the wild cats and red deer and pine martens would have a turn actually ;). Then we dropped the keys back at the agents, called into the CoOp for food supplies for several days, mouse traps and petrol and then headed back up the island to the edge again.
We’ve parked just the other side of Uig on the far tip which is more wild and beautiful and had a stunning sunset tonight
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We can see Lewes in the distance which is sort of calling – I would love to explore the outer isles… definite holiday destinations for the future, or I guess even day trips! 🙂
We had curry for dinner, I spoke to Julie on the phone so have caught up with family and put everyone up to date on our plans. Our next research is the home ed scene (if there is one!), potential employment or contacts for produce / bartering / selling and some more of the sort of days we were enjoying a couple of weeks ago of getting plenty of fresh air, exercise, gorgeous photographs and wildlife spotting. This is a perfect overnight spot and we may end up here tomorrow aswell as we want to conserve fuel and have sufficient food stocks for a few days. I managed to sneakily wash my hair at the house we viewed today (!) and we are half planning a campsite for Saturday or Sunday night.
You can see Lewes? You’ll be able to wave to Ali then ;P
Comment by Jan — 13 October 2011 @ 10:37 pm
😆 most people not from Sussex would make the spelling mistake the other way round wouldn’t they!
Comment by Nic — 13 October 2011 @ 10:40 pm
So, who would have had each bedroom then? I was trying to decide myself! Having said that Wednesday’s house was dark, yesterday’s looked very light in the estate agent pictures. The dual aspect rooms reminded me of your old lounge 🙂
Comment by Alison — 14 October 2011 @ 6:26 am
Love the hairwashing – didn’t quite feel brave enough for a bath? Was there one?
Comment by Michelle — 14 October 2011 @ 3:04 pm
Alison – we’d use the rooms differently to their suggestion! Davies would have the room they call the lounge, Scarlett would have the middle room at the back (views over garden), we’d have the other front bedroom and the room they describe as a bedroom with a fireplace would be the lounge. The house was every bit as light as the photos suggest and made us realise just how dark the house the previous day had been.
Michelle – no! I washed my hair in cold water (well tepid, I did put the hot water on to check it worked, but didn’t want to actually use up their oil heating a bathfull!) and the bath needed a really good clean round before I’d have got in it. I was tempted though!
Comment by Nic — 14 October 2011 @ 11:12 pm