Scotland 1958

Instead of going to South Wales or Cornwall, in August 1958 Gill's parents took her and her sister Pauline on a far more ambitious caravan holiday to Scotland. To do this, Don bought a second hand Thompson four-berth caravan.

To tow the caravan he had an 'alpine blue' Sunbeam Talbot which he also bought second hand. One of its features was a sunshine roof which can be seen in this picture, taken near Cannich. From left to right, Gill (with her dog Crackers), Bea and Pauline.

Being a member of the AA, Don was able to obtain a route map which consisted of pages of road maps which Gill, who sat in the back, used to navigate for him. Their first night was at Tarporley near Chester, the second at Carlisle, after which they passed through Glasgow and headed up the A82. This picture was taken in Glencoe.

They made the Camaghael camp and caravan site in Fort William their base for expeditions into Argyll. They visited Loch Sunart and Ardtoe, and one day set off for Mallaig. The single track road made Don car sick so, Pauline, who at the time only had a provisional license, had to take over and drive them back to Fort William.

Gill was desperate to climb Ben Nevis, which is visible from Camaghael, but no-one would go with her.

From Fort William they continued on the A82 to Fort Augustus and then on to a site at Beauly, where they camped by a river and enjoyed the hospitality of the Scottish midge. From there they headed northwest to Loch Maree (pictured) where they picnicked on a lovely sunny day. One of the places they visited was Inverewe Gardens.

From his photographs, it is obvious that this place particularly impressed Don. It's Gruinard Bay, and he took this picture of the bay itself and....

....another looking inland into truly Scottish scenery.

They were away for three weeks. Years later Gill returned to the west coast, to Ardnamurchan, where we lived for twenty-one years. Our daughter, Rachael, went to secondary school in Fort William, where she boarded. Her hostel overlooked Camaghael campsite with Ben Nevis rising behind it. She fulfilled her mother's ambition by climbing Ben Nevis.