Driving home 27-30/07/26

Stowmarket to Burghead

After a weekend of putting in the engine and curing a persistent oil leak I at last started on the journey home in the van that Sarah and Jamie had built up from a pile of parts over the last eight months.

About to leave Stowmarket 

They did an amazing job rebuilding it and it is now as good as it was when it came out of the factory in 1979.

Andy out for a walk 

I should have brought it home a few weeks ago but the gearbox wasn't behaving itself and had to be taken out to be reconditioned.

Evening tide in at Newport 

The first day was a trip to Bristol where I stayed with a school friend. The journey went well on motorways and other roads apart from a very slow section of the M25. There were some peculiar noises that I was slightly worried about but after investigations revealed nothing I realised that they were coming from the cooker and other useful bits in the interior of the van that I was taking home to build into it to make a full camper. For some reason I don't have any pictures for that day.

On the way to Aberystwyth 

Day two was a trip over the Severn bridge and on down the M4 past Swansea to Pembroke where I had lunch with another old school friend who had been rather ill but I'm happy to say that he has is recovering well.

Lancaster services (Forton)

On then over the Preseli hills to my brother's house near Cardigan where I exchanged a bed for the night for a nice meal in the pub in Newport.

The Queens 

The van was going well the next day, great driving on the little Welsh roads only holding a few people back until reaching the M6 and a steady 55 to 60mph run up the inside lane all the way to Carlisle.

Entering Scotland on the M74

I had previously stayed at The Queens outside Carlisle and noticed that they allowed band to use their car park overnight so I thought I would call in and ask.

More fuel

No problem, so I stayed the night near a T4 from Holland. Good food and nice people, I thoroughly recommend it.

Heading for Perth

The last day was a drive up the M6 to Scotland then M74 / M75 past Glasgow to Perth before taking the A9 to Aviemore.

Drumochter Pass

It was a really nice drive, not much traffic, a little light drizzle but the wind did pick up later in the day.

Dalwhinnie Distillery 

By the road to Dava

It was good to get home and see the van parked on the driveway. Now I just have to finish the interior.

950 miles 

25 mpg 🤗