We're in Scotland

Nicola, Pete, Lola and Nell set off for their travels with a difference on
8 June. We hope to get a taste of many countries without adding to climate change (with needless emissions from aeroplanes) or having to waste hours of holiday time in airport terminals. We hope our adventures inspire you to take a Grand Tour of your neighbourhood.

In a nutshell: We are staying at Glasgow's best kept secret - in other words everyone knows about Rowardennan and the amazing beaches and coves all along Loch Lomond's east side. There are cars parked everywhere, mini tented cities occupied by revellers in midge nets and community policemen patrolling. The SYHA (Scottish youth hostel association) http://http//www.syha.org.uk/SYHA/web/site/home/home.asp is packed with Germans climbing Ben Lomond (the high road) while many of the other nationalities seem to be walking the West Highland Way (the low road). Mind you it's a perfect Saturday for getting away from the big smoke: 21C degrees and sunny. Not sure if this is a sign of climate change as people say that in Scotland "summer comes in like a bicycle" (fast) or creeps in (one day in July). Now that I know how close Glasgow is to this lovely area there would be no contest if I ever had to choose between living there or in Edinburgh.

From Lola (8): So far we've seen a dog wearing a life jacket, a dead fish head and a boat capsizing. We're also staying by the biggest loch in Scotland, Loch Lomond. Yesterday I had a temperature of 102F degrees. Mummy thinks I have tonsalitis but she doesn't know how to spell it...

From Nell (6): I went on the night train and it was so fun http://www.scotrail.co.uk/slprinfo.htm. We slept in bunks (berths) and a ticket inspector gave us breakfast in bed. I wanted to hear a Scottish accent but at Glasgow station it looked like London. I didn't believe we were in Glasgow, but then when me and mum went into a shop I heard it was true. I saw a bird's nest with eggs in its nest that looked like little stones. There are loads of wildlife around the youth hostel, and this morning the fire alarm went off.