Outer Hebrides or Bust!

[barney]

Every year at MOT time Mr B. scrapes me a pass and and warns me my 1.6 jx td has even less compression than last year.

A replacement engine is clearly calling - so I disconnect the buzzer of doom, and me and the missus set off to Scotland fully expecting to end up on the back of an AA truck....but let's see how far we get anyhow.

1500 miles, 250 litres of diesel, 4 litres of oil, 3 litres of vodka, 12 cans of Stella, 8 bottles of pear-cider and two weeks later we're back home - unassisted (except for the 3 blokes who helped with a bump-start one morning!)

We managed to cover half the Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Skye, discovered some amazing beaches, wild-camped every night with great views and saw seals, puffins and red deer.

I thought I'd burnt the clutch out reversing up some flooded gravel track - took over an hour to get about 400 metres (had no idea T3's were so sh*te in reverse, uphill) Luckily after a nights rest the clutch stopped slipping but the stench is still hanging about now. And a couple of slightly iffy 1st gear hill climbs...but apart from that the van just kept ploddin on...

So the moral of the story is - even if you think you van's shagged, just get some breakdown cover and away you go!

And if it's anyone on here, apologies to the red Leisuredrive who I tail-gated at Crianlarich before over-taking - sorry I was touching cloth: it was a close call.

Cuillin Hills, Isle of skye 100k.jpg

Cuillin Hills, Isle of skye

Hushinish, isle of Harris 100k.jpg

Hushinish, Isle of Harris

West Loch Tarbet, Isle of Harris 100k.jpg

West Loch Tarbet, Isle of Harris

Anyone got a low mileage jx or aaz engine for me then?!

cheers

Barney

[fullsunian]

Great story mate...touching cloth So how far did you get? the ace chippy at Tyndrum? More pictures please
IAN

[eatcustard]

Im jealous

I want to go to Scotland.
And while Im there I will demands some of our tax money back

[VWCamperfan]

Some fantastic piccys there.
I think your van needs a good pat on the back too!

[MrsPocolow]

Amazing pictures. I like your philosophy.

[sandwedge]

Barra and Vatersay are well worth a visit if your up that way again, just have a look at barra on gooleearth loads of beautiful beaches