Planning

I like maps. All maps generally. But especially road maps and ordnance survey. After the Christmas festivities and Christmas travel, I can't wait to get back home to dig out the 1984 version of the tourist map of Southern scotland we have to start planning a road trip for early summer. This map will obviously be out of date, but major roads will still be there, as will the lochs and mountains. It is also  interesting to look at as most of my childhood holidays were spent in Scotland, not just in one place but travelling all over.

Maybe that's where I get my love of maps and sense of direction from. There was a running joke that my Dad would go to sleep reading road maps, and there has been a few times when I've done the same, maybe not road maps but certainly various ordnance survey maps. My Dad loved driving and would know how to get anywhere in Britain by road, without reference to a map (back in the day before sat navs and google), and it was because of this we spent many summers based near St Andrews but pretty much touring east Scotland.

This year we're planning to go further than I have ever been and take a trip over to the Outer Hebrides. As a child we didn't really get up to the highlands as such. We did get up to Aberdeen and Inverness and obviously the Grampian region. There was a brief day trip to Skye as I do remember the historic pedal steamer crossing and Portree, but we didn't really spend much time in the Highlands and Islands. 

So far plans are hazy. We'd like to make the ferry cross from Ullapool to Stornoway, and we'd need a stop over on the way. Maybe in the Loch Lomond area, or perhaps stick to the coast. We're open to suggestions and inspiration no doubt provided by maps. 

The reason for this post is that hopefully this Scotland trip will tick off a few things off my list. Ullapool and Luskyntyre are specifically on my list. Mainly because of the stunning photos I've seen, but also because I wanted to get up to the northern Highlands and Islands sooner rather than later. Another on my list is to try and visit all the places on the 'Scotland from the Roadside' calendar which was a birthday present this year.  Not sure if this is a bit too much to try and do as I haven't plotted them on a map yet. 

So, best get planning. Where's that map?