Mean while else where in the world.

[Russel]

Some snow.

[ant currie]

Hi Russel

Your van is looking good. How are you and the family doing back in Scotland?

We are coming to your part of the world in May and will be camping for 2 weeks in the Highlands. We have hired a 2 wheel drive kombi campervan and will be camping along the coast and on the Outer Hebrides. Are there any campsites you can recommend?

The white high roof syncro that you worked on is coming along slowly, but I am getting there.

Cheers
Ant

[Russel]

Hi Ant. We are doing well thanx. Bring warm clothes. I will pm you my number. A very nice camp site it the Red Squirrel it is close to Fort Wiliam on the west coast on your way to outer Hebrides. Over here you don't always have to stay in a camp site but can rough camp aswell.

[ant currie]

Hi Russel

That sounds great.

Many thanks
Ant

[412s2]

Hi Ant,

I live about 45 mins drive north of Ullapool (where I imagine you will be getting the ferry to the Outer Hebrides) on the Coigach Peninsula over looking the Port A Bhaigh campsite http://www.portabhaigh.co.uk. It’s just off the “North Coast 500” route, which Visit Scotland has been heavily promoting these past few years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Coast_500 There are now a ton of NC500 videos on YouTube that will whet your appetite for your adventure in May.

I love the drive up the west coast to Durness, it’s a fabulous driving road, but more than that there are so many interesting little villages and beaches on the way up there like Achmelivich just north of the fishing village of Lochinver (terrific pie shop!) https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction...tland.html; https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserRe...tland.html

May is probably the best time to visit the Highlands as the daylight hours are long, there aren’t so many tourists clogging up the roads and the midges are only just starting to bite towards the end of the month. Like Russel says, bring some warm clothes. The weather is very hit or miss in Scotland, I remember our best weather last year was actually in May when reached 28˚C, so plan for the worst and hopefully you will get the best!




The above video was taken at the end of May last year by a guy with a VW LT Florida, you can see how fantastic the weather was then, it really was quite exceptional for the north of Scotland!

Is your white high top syncro the one I would have seen at Russel’s mum’s house in October 2015? Powered by a 2 litre Golf engine? Good luck with your syncro build and Scottish adventure!

Russel, your big window syncro looks awesome in the snow!

Neil

[ant currie]

Hi Neil

Thanks for the interesting info. We are picking up the van in Inverness and will be travelling along most of the roads shown in the video. We are catching the ferry at Ullapool so will definitely check out that campsite!

The white high top Syncro you saw at Russel's moms house is mine and is still a long way from finished. I have another Syncro that we use for camping, so there is no rush to finish high top one. It would have been much nicer to have taken one of our own Syncros, instead of hiring one.

Cheers
Ant    

[412s2]

Hi Ant,

South Africa overland to Scotland would be an epic trip!

Well I can see a big difference in your white Syncro since the last time I saw it. It’s looking really smart. What kind of awning is that on the side? I’ve never seen anything like that before. I can see quite a few fixings that seem to pass through to the inside, I’m guessing you have some cabinetry in the roof now? What did you do for a vent in the roof, mine has the same roof and just has a hinged hatch, I’ll have to replace it a some point as I don’t think it will stand up to the horizontal rain we can get here in the Scottish Highlands

If it makes you feel any better, I’ve only managed to drive my Syncro about 500km since I last saw yours, but I am hoping to have it road legal again in the spring. Must go out now and do some more work on it!

   

All the best,
Neil

[ant currie]

Hi Neil

You have a nice looking Syncro!

I had the awning made up. It is attached to the side of the van and uses 3 poles, which are in the bag above it. It is quite bulky and to stop it flapping I had straps made up to secure it to the side of the van.

Regarding the hatch, I was very fortunate that one of the Cape Town Syncro guys sold me a marine hatch at a good price. I am busy with it at the moment and will send you pics when completed.

You are right about all the fittings going through the high roof. We hope to eventually travel on many bad gravel roads, so need to have everything as strong as possible. I have beefed up the roof a lot! It has metal supports above the posts and these support my roof racks as well.

Cheers
Ant

[412s2]

Sounds like you have a really well thought out project going on there Ant. I look forward to seeing the photos!

Neil

[ant currie]

Hi Neil

Thanks for your number.

We have booked the ferry to Stornoway for 19 May, so will probably be camping in Ullapool on the 18th. If you are in the area, pop in for a beer. It will be nice to have a chat. We will be in a hired VW high roof white van with green stripes. (We think)

Here are some more pics of the awning, hatch, water tanks and a couple of pics of the bracket I made to hold the spare solar panel and our camping table. Still a lot to do!

Cheers
Ant