Projectamber

Emma's Semi-finished Winter Test Run.

Added 2022-01-12 13:00:07 +0000 UTC

Emma's van has come along really well but was still far from liveable. Emma being Emma, however, wanted to put the van through its paces and see how it would handle 2 weeks offgrid, and what better time and place than Scotland in winter?

Joking aside though, test runs do help a lot before finishing a van, so that you can see what works and what doesn't, and make tweaks big or small, before doing the final bits. I also wen't to Scotland with Amber, barely finished and still bright yellow. But with 3 days to get basic services working in the new van, we were up against it.

But we manage to get enough finished in the van to eat, sleep, keep warm & entertained, even poo in privacy. So set off to see first hand the majesty and might of a Scottish winter.

We had planned to go to the outer Hebrides, but the time of year coupled with a huge storm changed those plans very quickly. The camera didn't come out very much at all, I was on holiday after all, but what I did get I don't think will disappoint.

We headed inland to meet our friends Aiden & Biff @thehippybus who live full-time in their Mercedes 410D called Peppe. These guys are great, and made the bunkering down to shelter from the storm a lot of fun.
But the storm didn't hit us, with full force at lease, we managed to hide in a safe haven somehow, and woke up to nothing but powdery white snow.
Setting off though did show us the destruction. Power lines we down, trees in their hundreds blown over like match sticks, vehicles in ditches and even buildings collapsed... it was pretty dicey! But also mind bogglingly beautiful at the same time.
Due to road closures we were forced onto a traitorous mountain pass,

but it came with big rewards.