Note: Internet access in Aviemore has been difficult at best due to technical limitations of the cottage phone system. This week is being posted via the local photographic shop's internet connection, via satellite, which is proving to be a little slow for uploading images - so I apologise in advance for the reduced number and quality of the images included in this week's blog.

On the road again at a respectable 9am after doing most of the packing this morning. Paid the resort bill which included electricity (a first for us at a timeshare resort) but at least we had found out about it earlier in the week.

We drove through Kendal to the M6 and then headed North. We stopped for morning tea at a MOTO Service stop on the motorway, which turned out to be a regular little shopping mall. Apart from a restaurant and amenities, this place also had a gift shop, amusement machine arcade, burger king, Little Chef and Harry Ramsden fish and chip shop.

Back onto the M6 we crossed the border into Scotland at the round-a-bout just before Gretna. The ‘First house in Scotland’ had ‘Last house in Scotland’ painted on it’s Northern wall.

We stopped at the Blacksmith’s Shop in Gretna Green where one wedding had just finished and another took place while we were touring the museum. They have 3 or 4 marriage anvils / wedding rooms in the facility, so they can hold a large number of ceremonies on any given day. Apparently they had 60 or more on Valentines Day this year!!

Several interesting and fun stories of dashes to the alter of bygone times were depicted in the museum along with a blacksmiths display.



Kaye drove from here, bypassing Glasgow, to the Stirling area. We stopped at Bannockburn for the National Trust Museum and statue of Robert the Bruce who was King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329, and is the person most associated with Scotland’s independence from England.



On to Stirling, where we had an outside view of Stirling Castle and a look across the valley to the William Wallace Monument.

From Stirling we took the A9 to Aviemore with Leigh driving again. The Scandinavian Village is different from any other Time Share resort we have been to before – bunk beds, uncomfortable couches and a toilet seat that falls off the bowl every time you use it. At least it does have a non-stick frypan!

Pizza for Dinner from the local pizza shop (PH22), that also serves Mexican, Indian and Lebanese cuisine. Talk about multi purpose!