Amazing 4 day trip......it's why we bought the Cali!!

[defender1]

It has been great to see so many people writing about their experiences over the last year or so that we have been visiting the site, which we did prior to buying our Cali Beach in September 2013.

We just wanted to share some pictures and experiences of the most fantastic trip we have just returned from. We had four days which took in Glencoe, wild-camping in Glenelg overlooking the 5 Sisters of Kintail, Plockton for lunch then heading to Applecross to wild camp (via the spectacular Bealach-na-Ba). After a hearty lunch (a consistent theme ) at the Applecross Inn we then set off to take the coastal route via Shieldaig to camp at the excellent Sands campsite just outside Gairloch. Thereafter an uneventful trip back down the A9 via Inverness at a steady 60 with a great CD on and a few hours later we arrived home, tired and absolutely delighted with the mini holiday we had just had.

The Cali performed faultlessly (which in fairness it always has), the weather was glorious and even on the chilliest nights of our trip the parking heater in our Beach was only needed for a little while when we were sitting about prior to going to bed. That wasn't the case when we had been away previously in minus 2 degrees in Braemar just a month or so ago!!

We cooked outside for dinner every night and drank in the views-I attach some pictures of these for you to get an idea of the landscape but judging by the number of Calis we saw, I suspect some of you were there anyway!

(I did however see a Cali SE being towed by an ENORMOUS motorhome as their runabout which caused me to do a double take but it seemed inappropriate to wave...!)
Hope you like the pictures and here is to many more successful trips away this summer.

 

[KernowLad]

Great pics! We did Mull two years ago for a week and loved it. BIG drive from here though!

Ex (or current) Defender owner by any chance? Our Cali replaced a 2007 110XS.

 

[defender1]

Great pics! We did Mull two years ago for a week and loved it. BIG drive from here though!

Ex (or current) Defender owner by any chance? Our Cali replaced a 2007 110XS.

We are heading up to Harris in a couple of weeks for 5 days-a lovely part of the world.
An ex LR owner and probably will be again.......but the Cali is more reliable!!

 

[KernowLad]

Great pics! We did Mull two years ago for a week and loved it. BIG drive from here though!

Ex (or current) Defender owner by any chance? Our Cali replaced a 2007 110XS.

We are heading up to Harris in a couple of weeks for 5 days-a lovely part of the world.
An ex LR owner and probably will be again.......but the Cali is more reliable!!

Ours was a shocker; Used Approved from a main dealer with 36k miles. After things started to go wrong (constantly) I got an Indy to check it - he said it should have really gone to auction! Halfshafts worn, hub broke, brake boost pump blew, etc, etc. Most sorted under warranty but only after a BIG battle to get them covered by LR UK. The dealer threatened me when I put my woes on a Defender forum…

Anyway I should think Harris will be amazing - enjoy (I won't mentioned the warranty jobs we've had done on our Cali… )

 

[Goldie]

Great pics. Reminds me of my honeymoon in a T2 back in 1985. Went to Skye via Glenelg and stayed on the beach on Skye near Staffin overlooking the islands and the mainland. Never been back apart from in a submarine to the torpedo ranges at BUTEC.

Looking at the pics with the Topper on, were you wild camping in some of the locations?

Andy

 

[defender1]

Great pics. Reminds me of my honeymoon in a T2 back in 1985. Went to Skye via Glenelg and stayed on the beach on Skye near Staffin overlooking the islands and the mainland. Never been back apart from in a submarine to the torpedo ranges at BUTEC.

Looking at the pics with the Topper on, were you wild camping in some of the locations?

Andy

Yeah we did a couple of nights just wild camping and the roof topper just kept the heat in for longer as the wind right on the coast was a little "fresh" on occasion. It's one of the compact Cali toppers and it works a treat now that I have plenty practice putting it on!!
We hardly ever stay on a site if we can avoid it and there are so many places up there to choose from. I cannot wait to go back.....

 

[Ewan]

Great pics and good to hear you're enjoying your Cali so much. I recognise a couple of parking spots in your photos.

Last weekend's weather was just superb (if only summers were like that!). We were skiing at Cairngorm (still open until this weekend if anyone's interested) and saw a couple of Cali's around Aviemore, then wild camped near Carrbridge looking for the northern lights.

 

[defender1]

Great pics and good to hear you're enjoying your Cali so much. I recognise a couple of parking spots in your photos.

Last weekend's weather was just superb (if only summers were like that!). We were skiing at Cairngorm (still open until this weekend if anyone's interested) and saw a couple of Cali's around Aviemore, then wild camped near Carrbridge looking for the northern lights.

I actually thought that we passed your Cali parked up in a car park at a beach just north of Applecross at Sand and as I read your blog we turned round to see if it was your Sand Beige Cali with a bike rack on and kayaks beside it but it wasn't! I thought it only fair to say hello if it was you!

 

[Ewan]

Sorry but it wasn't me - but please say hello if you do see me out and about. I followed one Cali up the A9 on Saturday then saw saw another (Inverness SY plate) parked in the ski car park. Then a third passed me in the same car park, had a good look, mouthed "there's another Cali" but sadly didn't stop !

 

[Wengen007]

Fantastic pictures great to see. We love it up there and will be taking a trip in Colin our beach at some point.