Blog 27th May 2026
Welcome to the ScotCampers tri-weekly blog.
This period can be summarised by; season start; Munros, MRT.
Season.
Concluded that this job is feast or famine! The weather has definitely kick started my season. Bank holiday weekends seem to be the gateway to multiple hire requests. As I type, Blanca and Costa (again!) will be enjoying Skye in Bilbo. Great young Spanish couple working temporarily out of Dundee. Always reassuring hiring out to repeat clients who by now, know their way around a van. Hope the weather gods are shining on them this time! Here’s Blanca and Costa’s navigator from last time! Looks like the Black Isle to me:
Pic from Blanca and Costa last month in the North East
Also out this long weekend is my mate, Nigel. Nigel and Aedamer have a busy few days planned! Far north for probably, the most remote mountains in Britain. Plans to hook up with chums on the way and the weather is looking pretty fab for them…. I’m a decent long distance walker however suspect Nigel takes it to another level! Long few days seeing them in Kingussie, Tongue (NC500), Assynt and the Ben. They’ll need a holiday by the time they get back!
Remote Munros. Two months ago, I took the decision to advertise in the quarterly Scottish Mountaineer magazine. My theory here was that, despite the relatively low circulation numbers, these would be exactly the sort of hirers I’d want as customers. Knowledgeable around Scotland, realistic on trip sizes and let’s face it, a VW Transporter is perfect for tackling remote tops. On the back of the advert, Andrew picked up with me and he’s off to Assynt. With Nigel also off tackling Munros, it’s fair to say that if my fleet were Munro baggers; they’d be well on their way to their first round. In summary, across 5 days, the fleet will enable the ascent of an impressive 12 Munros.
Here’s one of Nigel’s targets:
Ben Hope, deep in Mackay country……
One of Andrew’s objectives; the 5 sisters of Kintail:
A big old day, this one
MRT:
Finally, my local Mountain Rescue post: Think I’ve touched on before the potential highlight of my week. Working with another couple of like-minded folks at the local MRT post. It’s nothing glamourous – quite a lot of tea drinking, chat about knots and sharing route experiences. Cut the grass, trim trees, a lot of sweeping (!) and general maintenance. I’ve always really admired the work of MRT and thankfully, never had to call them. I know where they are if I need to. Cracking team, very professional, completely voluntary. In all weathers. Never going to be as busy as say, Lochaber (think they are over 100 callouts this year already with lots of confident folks planning around, say Glencoe – regardless of weather). Saddened to read of a young chap who perished just north of Loch Tay at the weekend and I know there was a big effort to locate him across late Saturday and Sunday. I always advise hirers to treat the hills with respect. You can always come back and make that summit another day. As a wise mountaineer once said, summiting is optional, returning is compulsory.
Finally in other news, maintenance and sales is a theme. Had a proper fight with a wheel bearing change on one of the vans (scaffolding pole and gas axe involved!) but now running lovely. Put up for sale my old T% which I’ve fitted out with a new kitchen, etc.. Couple of spares and the inevitable advice from K Campers down south. That said, always welcomed and up for sale now. Lots of learning on this one and not sure I will ever do a full conversion myself now!
Laid the new floor (twice – don’t ask….), fitted the kitchen and outsourced the wiring!
Until next time. Not all those who wander, are lost……
