Facing my fears in Scotland [Rogue Nomads]

This is part 13 of Dee’s grey nomad adventure around Europe. To read her previous instalment, click here.

…..when the weather is good to us, we visit the highest village in the UK, the oldest working post office, and the oldest library. Oh, and I face one of my fears.

Off to a great start for our last few days in Scotland!  The ferry trip across to Maillaig was smooth and clear so we could easily see all the mountains around us. A delightful and easy drive to our first overnight camp, near Oban, stopping on the way to view a cloud free Ben Nevis and eat fish and chips in Fort William. The following day we were off early to get to our next destination, which was Sanquhar (pronounced “sanka”) in Dumfries, south of Glasgow. We knew when we were close to Glasgow when we saw that we were once again in Maccas country! We saw our first McDonald’s since we had left Edinburgh!

The site I had booked was on a farm, overlooking hills, sheep, cattle and was very rural. The lady running the site was a very talkative Scottish lady who brought us fresh rolls and Scottish potato scones for £1 for four each morning. If you look at the map you will see that Sanquhar is right in the middle of what looks like a very ordinary, unexciting area. Even Greg asked me why I had chosen that spot. I said I liked the sound of the name!

The guidebook says nothing about this area, but the locals had lots to say!

The highest village in Scotland – just 20 minutes slow drive into the hills…is Wanlockhead. The road in has a river rushing along beside it and is obviously a popular wild camping area, as sadly it was badly littered. And with what looked like goat-sheep nosing into the rubbish, it was a real shame. The locals told us it’s so close to Glasgow and Edinburgh and the townies just have no respect.

This is/was a lead mining area and also gold, so that’s why we saw people gold panning as we drove up. Our idea was to look at the lead mine which dominated the lives around there. We booked a guided tour. This is not a mine you go “down”. You enter at the base of the mine, the bottom of the hill. So, safety helmets on, we followed the guide in. And in. And in. Water dripping from above. Water on the rock floor. Narrow passage. Low ceiling. And me with a fear of enclosed spaces, coupled with night blindness? Not a good combination. Another tourist lent me her iPhone with its torch app which helped. I can’t really remember what the guide said, I was trying to keep calm! But it seemed that many children worked there along with adults. And of course no one knew about lead poisoning in those days, so the cemetery is quite poignant.

Did I conquer my fear? No. But I faced it.

Then a guide took us up a steep hill to the oldest library in the world. So in this small township, high in the hills, where most of the men worked in the mines, they had this amazing library and everyone was well-read!  Of course, only men were allowed to borrow; the head of the household. The books are still there, in a temperature controlled room. The local women told me that they love living there, they have a great community, and when they are isolated by the weather they have plenty to do. The miners cottages are still lived in, there was one for sale for £30,000!

On the way back we stopped and chatted to some of the people who were gold panning, standing in the water in their waders…asked if they had much luck. No they said, it just passes the time! Maybe they just want to keep the gold to themselves!

Back to Sanquhar, where they boast that they have the oldest working post office in the world!  So we went looking for it. Yes, it is. Looks pretty old, very small, and in the earliest days it was just a gap in the wall.

Next day, on the road again….

Goodbye Scotland, we’ve had an amazing time and would love to go back, when there are no midges, and less rain.

Hello England, and in particular, the Lake District, in Cumbria.