Spains off so Scotland and the Northern Lights it must be!!!

[gulfbluersr]

Well, due to work it looks like our Spain trip this winter is not looking good to go, well not until at least the end of February but even that may be a bit hopeful

So I think I may have come up with a plan 'B' the only thing is I'm not sure how realistic this plan will be so...........

We are thinking spent Christmas day at daughters in Macclesfield then head off upto top of Scotland and hopefully onto some little islands to see the Northern Lights.

2 concerns I have are Snow and so accessibility and Ferries at the time of year but I assume the ferries should not be a problem a few days after Xmas?

So any and all advice from those who have done this or know about it will be gratefully accepted, Dippingatoe hopefully you can help here please????

I think this should make a really good 1st long trip in our new Beaver so come on advise us please

Steve

 

[paul&debra]

Don't forget to put a bit of petrol in the diesel to stop it freezing

 

[gulfbluersr]

I'm hoping it will drink diesel so fast it won't get a chance to freeze

Don't forget to put a bit of petrol in the diesel to stop it freezing

 

[dippingatoe]

There's a lot of luck involved, but basically find somewhere with a good unrestricted view to the north and no irritating light to interfere, though if the lights are strong you will still see them anyway though not as well.

Its rather like seeing a rainbow, so say in Shetland it would be terrific in one place and less than a few miles away nothing. I spoke to one of the family who own the John o Groats hotel and he said he had lived in the area all of his 29 years and never seen them once.

The guy at the Eoropei Tea Rooms http://www.eoropaidh.co.uk said he has a camera set up on every night and it runs throughout the night. Often he would have seen nothing but there would be good shots on the camera

To take photos you need slow shutter speeds and a tripod. Also get something like an Aurora Watch app for your phone that will message you if action is expected

This site might give you an idea of best places to head for.

http://wildaboutscotland.com/2013/10/16/top-10-places-to-see-the-northern-lights-in-scotland/

The ferries to the offshore islands can be quite expensive, so check it out depending on what you want to do.

And don't do what I did, choose the calmest night for the ferry sailing - best Aurora viewings are on still nights. Wind stops them :-(

 

[dippingatoe]

Oh, and if you are tied for time remember you won't be able to see them when the moon is full so book for the dark nights of the lunar month

 

[gulfbluersr]

Hmmmm so the 1st thing to check is where the moon is at around new year then as that may be the deciding factor on the whole trip!! Full moon and we are wasting our effort then!
From the way things are looking with my work I will need to be back and on site in Cardiff for around the 5th to the 8th of January to start work.

Thanks for the pointers, I shall check out the moon and be back to pester you some more with more questions if thats ok??

Steve

 

[dippingatoe]

They haven't got it on there list on the link I gave, but if you don't want to take the ferry then I wouldn't mind betting you would have good chance of seeing something from Durness just by Cape Wrath.

http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk/119-to-durness/4584551938

Sango Sands Campsite is closed but you can camp for free there and have hook up if you want it for £7 a night. It was a fabulous site. Wonderful views. Loads of room and right on the cliff top - might be windy there mind.

http://www.sangosands.com/camping-prices-for-tents-and-caravans.html

There was a pub on one side which did food and a reasonable village shop on the other. Good walking if you are not like me.

 

[Olley]

And don't do what I did, choose the calmest night for the ferry sailing - best Aurora viewings are on still nights. Wind stops them :-(

Not sure that's correct, according to wiki: Auroras result from emissions of photons in the Earth's upper atmosphere, above 80 km (50 mi) At that height I wouldn't think ground level winds would have any effect.

Ian

 

[dippingatoe]

Just repeating what the locals told me

 

[Daybreaker]

and the near bye resteraunt owner will pick you up and bring you back to camp if you eat there. How good is that?

 

[Daybreaker]

we did a 3 week tour of Scotland and it was terrific. Enjoy, we are going back to do it again

 

[Paxso10]

I want to do Scotland next year one place I've never been

 

[Dodgey]

We're still in and staying until September ish next year and loving it. Looking forward to getting out even more in both the little van and the RV.
One place definitely worth having a stop off, Stonehaven, CC site, quite a few big pitches, water and grey, ground level dump, just, unlike me, oops, remember to take the grates out not just stick the hose under the lid and pull, you can guess the rest.
One of, if not the best, chip shops two minutes walk away next to a cracking ice cream place, right on the sea front, with a gently sea front, beach walk to the harbour, couple of nice dog friendly pubs, the Marine hotel, pub, is owned by the owner of the local brewery, good food to.
Easy walk into town to, not so much there, well decent butchers, and couple of bakers, but booking is essential as it's very popular, quiet now though. Pick the right pitch and from an RV you can see the sea.

So far everywhere else we've been has been in littley and non were RV friendly, well the roads were the issue but thats why we bought littley so we could get lost down the narrow twisty bits.