Driving on lonely roads in a snowstorm produces such an isolated feeling. You know for certain that if you stop they will find your frozen body only after the spring thaw. And it is not an entirely pleasant feeling to accept that your life rests on the reliability of a machine. Glad for the "happy" ending.
This must be the 5th time I am watching this episode. I never get tired of watching the British countryside, the small british houses in the winter. It's like something out of a fairy tale.
I felt your stress! You brought back a lot of vivid memories of driving overnight from Glasgow to Cheshire and back in my lorry. Parking up for the night was never an option as the truck had to be back in Glasgow for the dayshift driver to do deliveries! There was a number of occasions when the weather beat me and there were many occasions when it would have been easier not to battle on through it. Customers in shops just don't realise what it takes to get the goods on the shelves. Your video may bring home the feelings lorry drivers often have to deal with in winter. Saying that I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else!! Thanks for posting, great stuff.
Oh I never lose sight of what commercial drivers have to go through. A mate of mine is a self-employed owner driver, and I often see myself how there are never enough places for lorry drivers to park for their statutory breaks etc. It seems that the authorities bring in all these rules and regs without the means and the infrastructure to allow drivers to comply, adding more pressure to the job. You have my respect!
You hit the nail on the head. Adventures are not fun while you are having them. I have to remember that. I felt your anxiety the whole way through video and was hoping you would just pull over where ever there was light and a place to park. I know that is hard to find.
Indeed, but with the battery issue I wanted to be in a town or city so we could easily walk and find alternative accommodation if we got stuck in the snow with no power or heating.
Great footage. Love the plain road shots. As for the battery malfunction, water tank mishap and blizzard road shutdowns, may I quote country singer Brad Paisley "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once."
Oh Andrew I just wanted to send you soup, give you and Dougal a hug and say it will be alright watching this. Glad you got the problem sorted and you are braver than me, those roads looked treacherous.
Hi Andrew, Really poor driving coconditions on this particular trip, really quite dangerous. Yes its always a pain in the ass when equipment failure happens, one must endure these trials & tribulation. Winter what a drag, the sunny south land cslls, Florida! As ever its so nice to see you😘🇺🇸🇬🇧
Andrew I have been away from the Highlands in India lecturing for the last six weeks and have thoroughly enjoyed your vlogs. Although I live on the spectacular East Coast near Brora, your vlogs have reminded me what I am missing, not least my Jack Russells.
I wouldnt even have dared to drive in such snow - caravan or car. And my heart went out to you when you couldnt get a pitch for the night. Your loneliness was so utterly feelable to me. Thats when life hits hard. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to stay. Nobody to talk to. Thank goodness you have Dougal as a friend. I couldnt be without my dog.
Oh no Andrew, I felt so bad for you....I could barely get home in Glasgow that day with that weather, it was absolutely terrible, so well done for keeping amazingly calm and plodding on! Your post reminded me of a low point I had camping in Wales with the dog....when one thing after another goes wrong and you are alone you feel so vulnerable...I laugh at it now but a the time I drove 7 hours straight back to Glasgow in tears!!! Keep enjoying your Scottish adventure, whatever the weather brings.
Aww, thanks Lyndsey! Yeah, I'm still getting comments telling me to 'man up' by people who weren't out that night... but I'll never stop keeping it real for people like you and I!
What a white knuckle ride for you guys but I am glad you arrived safely and were able to get your battery issues resolved - now on to some snowboarding!!
As a Canadian living in the UK, that brought back every reason I left. I’ll now try to lower my shoulders from my earlobes. Glad you and Dougal are safe.
What a fantastic life you lead Mr Ditton I would love nothing more than to be able to pack up work and travel round the country with my caravan, wife and dog. Love the vlogs keep them coming.
Thanks so much once again. In my 34yrs of driving, I have never driven in snow! Looks nerve-wracking to me. I have driven many conditions including black ice with my heart in my mouth but never snow...Oh the experiences and lessons to be had. Glad you got everything sorted.
Oh no Andrew! What an ordeal, my stomach was churning watching you drive on those roads! I felt your stress when you couldn't get a pitch for the night. It's a real testament to your professionalism that you continued to film and produced such a high quality vlog. Your eye for detail and matching of music to the film shows a true creative flair. Keep up the good work. Gill
Andrew's editing skills have really grown over time. Video Blog is not the right word for this quality piece of work. I felt anxious, cold (seeing those roads), and the story drew me in and kept me there to the very end. Glad to see all is well with the van.
Wow, that was tense. Thanks for the horror movie effects to disturb me and make me think you’d be in a wreck! Laughs. You’ve been around enough, you’ll always make it. Cold, starving and dehydrated, but you’ll make it. Grin. I had an icy adventure here in West Virginia today. Let’s home for a melt soon. Take good care of yourself!
Hi Andrew glad you got through the rough weather without incident and got the battery issue sorted. Next time lets hope the weather's more kind to you . Safe Travels Dave
Hi Andrew, in that situation I would and have stayed outside the site, just for security of mind. Those roads were too bad to continue. At least u are 'somewhere' looooove ur vlogs,, soup is real comfort food isn't it?
Andrew, I feel your pain. Got stranded once in an SUV during a storm and it's been a recurring nightmare ever since. Glad you got the problem sorted out in Perth and looking forward to the continuation of your adventures with Dougal!
Right! Lol You're an inspiration to those of us who need to see all aspects of RV life before taking the plunge. I hope to be in my new Airstream Banbi in 90 days! Til then I travel with you by proxy. My plan is to head to the West coast and tour full time. I am leaving the classroom after 30 years if teaching. Have changed careers. I am taking RV Inspection course. That will sustain my lifestyle. Wish me luck! 👍
Oh wow, that sounds amazing! Well done you! :) I think RV inspection will keep you in work for life :) In case you missed it, I did make a 'serious' video about the challenges you might face with the new life, but I wouldn't change it for the world: ua-cam.com/video/sZR1qA6t4gU/v-deo.html
Andrew I felt your anxiousness in this video as it reminded me of some stressful times I had in "just snow". What seems like something trivial to some can be quite unnerving to others. Driving in snow can be deceptive as I found out in my early years when I totaled my car. Keep up the fantastic videos. I look forward to every post you share.
Well done Andrew, I could feel the stress at times. I traveled much of the mainland route in July. No snow but some very heavy rain and wind which made visibility and driving very dodgy. What frustrated me most at the time was not been able to make the most of the fabulous scenery. But it's like you said, if your gonna be out there in grim weather might as well be doing it in a motorhome where you have food drink and shelter ( hopefully a working power source to)
Shame, we didn't know you were stuck otherwise we could have offered you a electric hook up for the night and some warm tea... But it would have been slightly out of your way, as we live in Fochabers.. Glad you got it sorted, yes winter touring can be trying but also a lot of fun.. hope you have got home safely.. hugs to you and Dougal
Hi Andrew, we feel your pain and long-term touring in challenging conditions is a daily grind! Isn't it funny how a drained battery can drain your mood and really affect you physiologically? Glad your rolling again - if you ever fancy a road trip a bit further east, you're welcome to join us out here in the Alps for a bit of boarding! Hannah & James
Enjoyed the video as I always do . I watched a previous video quite a while ago when you spoke about your migraine problems and highlighted your vitamin D deficiency and how dealing with it helped in a big way. Well I have to thank you very much because my wife had had horrific migraine episodes which were to be honest quite frightening at times. Many vists to the GP proved to be a complete wast of time. But you yes you Andrew got us sorted. After My wife started taking vitamin D tablets bingo no more migraines to date. Thankyou so much. ********* Ian M
Wowsers! That's brilliant to know, thanks Ian! I also find that Magnesium and Vitamin B-complex supplements help, as has cutting dairy out of my diet and NOT replacing it with soya! Turns out that excess soy is a trigger for me. But 'clean sleep hygiene' and a good plant-based diet helps massively too. I reckon over the past year since I quit my job and started taking better care of myself, my migraines have improved about 75%. All the best!
Hi there! I have just discovered your channel and am having a wonderful time binge watching your trips and adventures. Thank you so much for taking the time to share the highs ....and more importantly...the lows! xxx
Hi ya Andrew I've very much enjoyed your tour love Scotland love caravan ing and log ring your vlogs always a worm welcome and always great adventure please keep it up mate can't wait for the next one lol many thanks Dave ham .
Wow, the suspense @7:25. Really rather well edited. Just like a horror film! Reminded me of The Shining when Wendy and Danny Torrence were escaping in the snow plough!
Andrew to answer your concern about summer in the desert: I shall be on the coast or at the house in S.F.. so no roasting for me.lol. I so much enjoy watching your travels and forward them to friends if that's o.k.. Cheers Bernie
Oh Bernie, STOP IT! ;@) Sounds like you really have it sorted! And yes, please tell all your friends to subscribe, even if only to laugh at our dreadful British weather ;@)
Glad it was sorted in the end, very frustrating though. My wife says that Dougal is the best behaved terrier she has ever seen and also an excellent hot water bottle. Cheers for now.
Oh I felt for you Andrew! That looked exhausting and just a tad scary! Yet you kept filming, brilliant! For a moment I thought I was watching a scene from Stranger Things as you were driving along those roads! ;-) Brilliant editing, production and story-telling. As always :-) Thanks!
Well done Andrew, it looked an ordeal. I've driven in similar conditions and know how tiring it is. At least you had a hot Dougal to get you through the night.
Well done. Watching this from our home in the Gironde where is perishing, log-burner blazing, Rocco our mini Schnauzer under a blanket on the settee with the Hairy Bikers pratting about in Torremelinos or somewhere-contrasts. Remembering the diesel heater in our old VW Trooper & the solar panel, leisure battery & LPG tanks in our Hymer. Hoping to exchange her for the Adria Twin & thinking certainly a solar panel & a leisure battery are essential, maybe underslung gas tank next time we go back to UK.
Cheers Roger! I certainly would agree 100% with your choice of van and your upgrades. In my own Airstream I have the Gaslow refillable cylinders which work well, but an underslung tank might give you more capacity.
That's the thing about journeys like this. They can be hard to go through at the time, but great to look back on. This will turn into one of your memories that you look back and laugh at. I recall feeling like i was going to die in my caravan, while we fitted the stove. I hope things are better for you now.
Another great video. I went to Wales in OCTOBER & all the sites were closed, very frustrating. Noticed your comment on California Camping, I managed 33.7 on 400 mile trip, mostly motorway trying to do 60 to 70, mostly 64mph but my Citroen LWB Relay is probably lighter even with 4 x 110ah batteries. Speed & weight so critical to economy. Still great to have a campervan than can cruise all day at 80mpg if needed. BTW, you were brave in that snow!😁
Andrew. I’m glad you made it to Inverness! I personally hate driving in the snow. I was tensing up watching you drive as the road conditions kept deteriorating. I do hope that you and Dougal are someplace safe and warm now. Take care OK?
I'm amazed at your grace and your aplomb despite a really terrifying situation. You handled it so well. Too, props for you to share such personal emotions....antoher reason your feed si so real. Thanks!
Ominous snow driving music is a great touch! Dougal is probably wishing he could reach the pedals and point you back south.I am camping this weekend and am such an over-planner that i have already printed out and memorized tsunami evacuation routes for all the places i may visit- just in case! ;)
Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy planning Gillian - had I followed your good example we may have had a less stressful time of it! Enjoy your weekend :)
Not a pleasant return to the mainland, that must have been very stressful. The emotion for you of leaving the islands was excellently portrayed through your music choice, I had a lump in my throat. Glad you got sorted in the end.
Learning from your experience, I'll make sure that we always have a few litres of bottled water on board just in case of frost or a 'normal' failure Oh and a self heaing, self propelled, canine hot water bottle.
Great Vlogs Andrew, I'm looking forward to the review and your reveal of the battery charging problem. Made my way over from California Camping and have now just finished watching all your vlogs from the start. You and Dougal stay safe, warm and good luck.
Wow Andrew! As Canadians we deal with snow 6 months of the year and it has been particularly brutal this winter. I will be going to Eastern Canada in the early summer and was planning on Western Canada in the early fall (avoid crowds) but we can get snow early in the Rockies and neither my Hyundai SF or “Bertie” will have snowshoes on. Rethinking how far west I can get and return before the snow flies. Glad you got the battery sorted - will be most interested in learning about what the problem was. I think these “emergent planning” vids are very important for all of us. Glad you and Dougall are safe and warm again!
Glad the charging issue is sorted and look forward to the explanation...those driving conditions as a solo traveller are horrendous...you did well my friend. Take care
That’s one well-earned bowl of soup! We’re having similar weather here in Canada today and I can only imagine how stressful it may be for you to have to push-through through hours of poor driving conditions to hopefully arrive at ‘somewhere’ you can rest. As long as you're safe and warm, have access to hot tea and some good food, and can share the company of a faithful dog, one can't really want for too much more and should be able brave your journey. So. no more whining Andrew, okay? (ha, ha) -- be grateful that you are physically well enough and able to enjoy travel while many can't. I always look forward to your videos and marvel at how much undetected effort actually goes into repositioning the camera, integrating subtitles, music and aerial shots, and then careful editing it all together to look so natural and spontaneous. Your efforts and stories are appreciated and bring many of us ‘return viewers’ both insightful information and joy to an otherwise stressful day. Whenever you think “does anyone really care?” the answer from us is “Yes, it matters… YOU matter”. Thanks so much for sharing!
Oooh, nightmarish! We were ‘gripped’ watching you driving in those conditions. So pleased you eventually got the battery issue sorted. Hope you got to do some snowboarding at some point. 😊
Absolutely loved it. I loved how you showed your emotions with the music as well. well done! Keep tuned to my twitter to find out about the trailer for my new project. cheers!
Your outstanding driving skills were on display. Great job getting through those iced roads in the snow. I have driven across the United States many times in the middle of winter. My worst experience was driving through the Sierra Nevada mountains in the middle of winter when the roads were closed behind me after I was allowed to pass. That was in the 1970s, long before cell phones existed :-) Count your blessings :-) You had a safe, warm (as long as the battery held up) place to stay for some of the night, beverages and hot food as well as the best companion (Dougal) anybody could ask for! That being said, I haven't seen what happened the next day and night. I hope that you found a way to fix your battery and water problem. If not, you and Dougal would need to find a hotel, motel or B&B to stay at until the RV problems were fixed. Put Dougal into his motorcycle backpack and sneak him into the lodging accommodations if they don't allow dogs so he doesn't end up freezing in the RV :-(
Well, that's why we pressed on to the city, in case we needed to check in to a hotel. Fortunately there was no need, as it was fixed the next day. More will be revealed on Sunday! All the best.
Yikes! That's heart in your throat white knuckle driving right there. My daughter was born in Inverness. Inverness Florida though. Huge difference. We hit a blizzard driving home from visiting my family last Nov. Lucky to limp off the highway alive to a motel with small grandkids in the mix. We call these kind of adventures, " Making a Memory". Glad you are both safe and sorted out. Onward and Upward! When the snow is driving fast and thick against the windshield it always reminds me of Star Wars making the jump to hyperspace.😁 Thanks again Andrew.
Wow those conditions are very challenging small wonder it got to you a little , but your experience shines through and proves a cool head can meet the toughest of circumstances well done and to do the filming also takes nerve thanks for sharing your experience regards Gavin & Zehra
So, the weather and road conditions didn't look too bad to a Swede... Just a normal Nov-March commute. But then I remembered that you guys don't tend to put studded tyres on your vehicles in preparation for winter is coming, and it changed into whiteknuckle mode thinking about driving in it. :)
Andrew, Wow. Do not envy you that experince. I'm so glad you had your friend Dougal with you to cuddle and talk to. I'm sure it helped. Hot scrummy soup too. Lovely editing job on this. Great choice of music. Cheers.
My Old Man told me yesterday that he had 7 inches of snow in New Hampshire. You are quite right it's not an adventure while your driving in such poor conditions. We glad are you came out the other side ok and you have got the van fixed. J&P
Hurray hurray. Big 👍to Scot motorhomes for getting this battery topic fixed!! In between I thought John Carpenter had entered the van and The filming 😬. But finally I spotted Ömmel on the dashboard and felt calm again 😉. Btw was that a burning truck at 11:56??
Noticed the sign: "Plots For Sale", here in the U.S. that would more likely reference grave sites. :) Maybe that's kind of how you felt. People here talk of winter camping in their van but I wonder about how many campgrounds in colder areas are open year round.
Hello my friends 😊🐕 I hope you can both keep warm some how. Motorhome batteries. Brrrrrrr. They never put big enough ones in or good enough ones in .... If you want a hotel ...... I would pick up the bill for you both. As I truly love your travel videos. .. And I would do this ....as a thank you to you both ... For making me smile 😊 as I watch your beautiful travels. Best wishes to you both 👍🌟🙏🐕😊🚐
Felt for you Andrew i know the feeling I broke down with our van in Stranraer luckily we got it to start and there was a campsite two miles down the road spent the night there and the van was ok the next day not sure to this day why we broke down maybe because I was on my way home and it wanted to stay stay safe both of you enjoying your vids
First of all Sir. Hats off to you for dealing with those road conditions in a safe and professional manner. I felt for you out there Andrew. Been in that situation so many times throughout the years and it doesn't get any easier. Glad you made it safely to the highland capital. Hope that's the battery problem solved, as the rest of the motorhome seems to be performing well. On a plus note....The video footage in the dark on this one was superb my friend. May I ask what camera you used ? I kinda knew this series was going to be a goodyin Andrew, but you keep raising the bar 😊 Keep them coming...........👍👍👍 Take care......... Andy.
One of those trips where you start out and then at some point wish you hadn’t - strangely good to watch though - well done- ps not sure why anyone would give that a thumbs down unless they didn’t fancy the soup!!
Should try driving a HGV in the snow its scary! Then trying to find an empty labye to park in,i felt your pain its so stressful,glad u got ur battery sorted! Stay safe!
You're right - that WAS the night a lot of people got stuck on the 74. Yet I am still getting people telling me to 'man up' etc... :-/ Yup, certainly putting the van through its paces.
Driving on lonely roads in a snowstorm produces such an isolated feeling. You know for certain that if you stop they will find your frozen body only after the spring thaw. And it is not an entirely pleasant feeling to accept that your life rests on the reliability of a machine. Glad for the "happy" ending.
This must be the 5th time I am watching this episode. I never get tired of watching the British countryside, the small british houses in the winter. It's like something out of a fairy tale.
This is for me one of your best videos it shows no matter how bad things are you can get bye
I felt your stress! You brought back a lot of vivid memories of driving overnight from Glasgow to Cheshire and back in my lorry. Parking up for the night was never an option as the truck had to be back in Glasgow for the dayshift driver to do deliveries! There was a number of occasions when the weather beat me and there were many occasions when it would have been easier not to battle on through it. Customers in shops just don't realise what it takes to get the goods on the shelves. Your video may bring home the feelings lorry drivers often have to deal with in winter. Saying that I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else!! Thanks for posting, great stuff.
Oh I never lose sight of what commercial drivers have to go through. A mate of mine is a self-employed owner driver, and I often see myself how there are never enough places for lorry drivers to park for their statutory breaks etc. It seems that the authorities bring in all these rules and regs without the means and the infrastructure to allow drivers to comply, adding more pressure to the job. You have my respect!
You hit the nail on the head. Adventures are not fun while you are having them. I have to remember that. I felt your anxiety the whole way through video and was hoping you would just pull over where ever there was light and a place to park. I know that is hard to find.
Indeed, but with the battery issue I wanted to be in a town or city so we could easily walk and find alternative accommodation if we got stuck in the snow with no power or heating.
Great footage. Love the plain road shots.
As for the battery malfunction, water tank mishap and blizzard road shutdowns, may I quote country singer Brad Paisley "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once."
Oh Andrew I just wanted to send you soup, give you and Dougal a hug and say it will be alright watching this. Glad you got the problem sorted and you are braver than me, those roads looked treacherous.
Cheers Oor Clurr! x
Hi Andrew, Really poor driving coconditions on this particular trip, really quite dangerous. Yes its always a pain in the ass when equipment failure happens, one must endure these trials & tribulation.
Winter what a drag, the sunny south land cslls, Florida!
As ever its so nice to see you😘🇺🇸🇬🇧
Cheers Bob!
I'm sooooo thankful you're safe! The white-knuckle driving is scary and stressful! God bless!
Thanks Granny Lyn xxx
Andrew I have been away from the Highlands in India lecturing for the last six weeks and have thoroughly enjoyed your vlogs. Although I live on the spectacular East Coast near Brora, your vlogs have reminded me what I am missing, not least my Jack Russells.
Thanks Ruwan! Glad to remind you of home... but I would LOVE to visit India one day, it's number one on my list of places I have yet to discover.
I wouldnt even have dared to drive in such snow - caravan or car. And my heart went out to you when you couldnt get a pitch for the night. Your loneliness was so utterly feelable to me. Thats when life hits hard. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to stay. Nobody to talk to. Thank goodness you have Dougal as a friend. I couldnt be without my dog.
Really good watch, especially the bit where it goes fuzzy with the eerie music playing.
Oh no Andrew, I felt so bad for you....I could barely get home in Glasgow that day with that weather, it was absolutely terrible, so well done for keeping amazingly calm and plodding on! Your post reminded me of a low point I had camping in Wales with the dog....when one thing after another goes wrong and you are alone you feel so vulnerable...I laugh at it now but a the time I drove 7 hours straight back to Glasgow in tears!!! Keep enjoying your Scottish adventure, whatever the weather brings.
Aww, thanks Lyndsey! Yeah, I'm still getting comments telling me to 'man up' by people who weren't out that night... but I'll never stop keeping it real for people like you and I!
What a white knuckle ride for you guys but I am glad you arrived safely and were able to get your battery issues resolved - now on to some snowboarding!!
As a Canadian living in the UK, that brought back every reason I left. I’ll now try to lower my shoulders from my earlobes. Glad you and Dougal are safe.
What a fantastic life you lead Mr Ditton I would love nothing more than to be able to pack up work and travel round the country with my caravan, wife and dog. Love the vlogs keep them coming.
Thanks so much once again. In my 34yrs of driving, I have never driven in snow! Looks nerve-wracking to me. I have driven many conditions including black ice with my heart in my mouth but never snow...Oh the experiences and lessons to be had. Glad you got everything sorted.
2nd Schneider in a row, non related, different parts of the world!
Oh no Andrew! What an ordeal, my stomach was churning watching you drive on those roads! I felt your stress when you couldn't get a pitch for the night.
It's a real testament to your professionalism that you continued to film and produced such a high quality vlog. Your eye for detail and matching of music to the film shows a true creative flair. Keep up the good work.
Gill
Aww, thanks Gill!
Andrew's editing skills have really grown over time. Video Blog is not the right word for this quality piece of work. I felt anxious, cold (seeing those roads), and the story drew me in and kept me there to the very end. Glad to see all is well with the van.
Wow, that was tense. Thanks for the horror movie effects to disturb me and make me think you’d be in a wreck! Laughs. You’ve been around enough, you’ll always make it. Cold, starving and dehydrated, but you’ll make it. Grin. I had an icy adventure here in West Virginia today. Let’s home for a melt soon. Take good care of yourself!
My adventure: not as harrowing as yours though! ua-cam.com/video/p_3qXmqkw_c/v-deo.html
Cheers Jon!
Hi Andrew glad you got through the rough weather without incident and got the battery issue sorted.
Next time lets hope the weather's more kind to you .
Safe Travels Dave
Cheers Dave.
Hi Andrew, in that situation I would and have stayed outside the site, just for security of mind. Those roads were too bad to continue. At least u are 'somewhere' looooove ur vlogs,, soup is real comfort food isn't it?
Glad you and Dougal are alright. Peace.
Andrew, I feel your pain. Got stranded once in an SUV during a storm and it's been a recurring nightmare ever since. Glad you got the problem sorted out in Perth and looking forward to the continuation of your adventures with Dougal!
Thanks Alex!
You, Sir, are a real trooper! Glad you and Dougal arrived safe!
There is always a thin line between 'brave' and 'crazy'! ;@)
Right! Lol You're an inspiration to those of us who need to see all aspects of RV life before taking the plunge. I hope to be in my new Airstream Banbi in 90 days! Til then I travel with you by proxy. My plan is to head to the West coast and tour full time. I am leaving the classroom after 30 years if teaching. Have changed careers. I am taking RV Inspection course. That will sustain my lifestyle. Wish me luck! 👍
Oh wow, that sounds amazing! Well done you! :) I think RV inspection will keep you in work for life :) In case you missed it, I did make a 'serious' video about the challenges you might face with the new life, but I wouldn't change it for the world: ua-cam.com/video/sZR1qA6t4gU/v-deo.html
Andrew I felt your anxiousness in this video as it reminded me of some stressful times I had in "just snow". What seems like something trivial to some can be quite unnerving to others. Driving in snow can be deceptive as I found out in my early years when I totaled my car. Keep up the fantastic videos. I look forward to every post you share.
Thanks Andrew!
Well done Andrew, I could feel the stress at times. I traveled much of the mainland route in July. No snow but some very heavy rain and wind which made visibility and driving very dodgy. What frustrated me most at the time was not been able to make the most of the fabulous scenery. But it's like you said, if your gonna be out there in grim weather might as well be doing it in a motorhome where you have food drink and shelter ( hopefully a working power source to)
Exactly. I think I was most frustrated at missing what I knew was stunning scenery!
Shame, we didn't know you were stuck otherwise we could have offered you a electric hook up for the night and some warm tea... But it would have been slightly out of your way, as we live in Fochabers.. Glad you got it sorted, yes winter touring can be trying but also a lot of fun.. hope you have got home safely.. hugs to you and Dougal
Cheers Lindsay!
Hi Andrew, we feel your pain and long-term touring in challenging conditions is a daily grind! Isn't it funny how a drained battery can drain your mood and really affect you physiologically?
Glad your rolling again - if you ever fancy a road trip a bit further east, you're welcome to join us out here in the Alps for a bit of boarding! Hannah & James
Your adventures look awesome! I was seriously tempted to hoon down to Bourg St Maurice but the 3-4 day drive from Inverness put me off ;@)
Oh dear. What relief to find somewhere to park up safe. Glad battery no longer a worry!
Enjoyed the video as I always do . I watched a previous video quite a while ago when you spoke about your migraine problems and highlighted your vitamin D deficiency and how dealing with it helped in a big way. Well I have to thank you very much because my wife had had horrific migraine episodes which were to be honest quite frightening at times. Many vists to the GP proved to be a complete wast of time. But you yes you Andrew got us sorted. After My wife started taking vitamin D tablets bingo no more migraines to date. Thankyou so much. ********* Ian M
Wowsers! That's brilliant to know, thanks Ian! I also find that Magnesium and Vitamin B-complex supplements help, as has cutting dairy out of my diet and NOT replacing it with soya! Turns out that excess soy is a trigger for me. But 'clean sleep hygiene' and a good plant-based diet helps massively too. I reckon over the past year since I quit my job and started taking better care of myself, my migraines have improved about 75%. All the best!
Hi there! I have just discovered your channel and am having a wonderful time binge watching your trips and adventures. Thank you so much for taking the time to share the highs ....and more importantly...the lows! xxx
Thank you!
Hi ya Andrew I've very much enjoyed your tour love Scotland love caravan ing and log ring your vlogs always a worm welcome and always great adventure please keep it up mate can't wait for the next one lol many thanks Dave ham .
Cheers Dave!
Wow, the suspense @7:25. Really rather well edited. Just like a horror film! Reminded me of The Shining when Wendy and Danny Torrence were escaping in the snow plough!
Simon Ingram it also was the good match for the music. It added suspense.
3:43 Love Ullapool, Stayed there last summer for 4 days. Beautiful place.
Adventures aren't fun while you're having them...... How true, but they make the best memorys
Andrew to answer your concern about summer in the desert:
I shall be on the coast or at the house in S.F..
so no roasting for me.lol.
I so much enjoy watching your travels and forward them to friends if that's o.k..
Cheers Bernie
Oh Bernie, STOP IT! ;@) Sounds like you really have it sorted! And yes, please tell all your friends to subscribe, even if only to laugh at our dreadful British weather ;@)
It was a scary few days of heavy snow, I think you handled it very well. Glad your both ok!
Thanks Alice!
Glad it was sorted in the end, very frustrating though.
My wife says that Dougal is the best behaved terrier she has ever seen and also an excellent hot water bottle.
Cheers for now.
He is both those things Keith! We think he is part collie which explains a lot.
Oh I felt for you Andrew! That looked exhausting and just a tad scary! Yet you kept filming, brilliant! For a moment I thought I was watching a scene from Stranger Things as you were driving along those roads! ;-) Brilliant editing, production and story-telling. As always :-) Thanks!
Cheers Gerry!
Well done Andrew, it looked an ordeal. I've driven in similar conditions and know how tiring it is. At least you had a hot Dougal to get you through the night.
Yep, he was a real comfort that night Cliff!
Well done. Watching this from our home in the Gironde where is perishing, log-burner blazing, Rocco our mini Schnauzer under a blanket on the settee with the Hairy Bikers pratting about in Torremelinos or somewhere-contrasts. Remembering the diesel heater in our old VW Trooper & the solar panel, leisure battery & LPG tanks in our Hymer. Hoping to exchange her for the Adria Twin & thinking certainly a solar panel & a leisure battery are essential, maybe underslung gas tank next time we go back to UK.
Cheers Roger! I certainly would agree 100% with your choice of van and your upgrades. In my own Airstream I have the Gaslow refillable cylinders which work well, but an underslung tank might give you more capacity.
That's the thing about journeys like this. They can be hard to go through at the time, but great to look back on. This will turn into one of your memories that you look back and laugh at. I recall feeling like i was going to die in my caravan, while we fitted the stove. I hope things are better for you now.
I remember that episode well! I really felt for you. I hope you manage to get back soon (under better conditions) Kelly xx
Another brilliant video. Glad you got the van sorted and yes, I agree, maybe you should have done it before you went to Scotland.
Hindsight is a marvellous thing... ;@)
Hope you’re well!
Landscape is cool. Thank’s Andrew.
Your right, adventures aren’t fun while you’re having them,but the make for epic story telling at a later date , after your adrenaline has subsided.
Another great video. I went to Wales in OCTOBER & all the sites were closed, very frustrating. Noticed your comment on California Camping, I managed 33.7 on 400 mile trip, mostly motorway trying to do 60 to 70, mostly 64mph but my Citroen LWB Relay is probably lighter even with 4 x 110ah batteries. Speed & weight so critical to economy. Still great to have a campervan than can cruise all day at 80mpg if needed. BTW, you were brave in that snow!😁
Andrew. I’m glad you made it to Inverness! I personally hate driving in the snow. I was tensing up watching you drive as the road conditions kept deteriorating. I do hope that you and Dougal are someplace safe and warm now. Take care OK?
Will do, cheers!
I'm amazed at your grace and your aplomb despite a really terrifying situation. You handled it so well. Too, props for you to share such personal emotions....antoher reason your feed si so real. Thanks!
Very kind words indeed Joe, thank you very much.
Always welcome chez nous.
Ominous snow driving music is a great touch! Dougal is probably wishing he could reach the pedals and point you back south.I am camping this weekend and am such an over-planner that i have already printed out and memorized tsunami evacuation routes for all the places i may visit- just in case! ;)
Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy planning Gillian - had I followed your good example we may have had a less stressful time of it! Enjoy your weekend :)
Looks so beauitful in the snow!
This is Beautiful, I’m finally catching up with your videos, you had a good day.
Thank you!
Gosh Andrew, never seen "Loch Seaforth" that empty!!! Very brave driving those roads in the conditions. John
You and me both John! Normally am lucky to get a seat on that ship!
Not a pleasant return to the mainland, that must have been very stressful. The emotion for you of leaving the islands was excellently portrayed through your music choice, I had a lump in my throat. Glad you got sorted in the end.
Thanks Ann!
It got a little scary with that music an all Andrew. Glad your ok and thanks for the great video.
Wow cold indeed, felt for you. Still a snuggle with Dougal must have helped you both. Beautiful scenery indeed.
Great you got it sorted and you both safe 👍🏻
Learning from your experience, I'll make sure that we always have a few litres of bottled water on board just in case of frost or a 'normal' failure Oh and a self heaing, self propelled, canine hot water bottle.
Ha ha! I've just told Dougal what you called him and he gave me one of 'those' looks. You know that look, eh, Ken? ;@)
Great Vlogs Andrew, I'm looking forward to the review and your reveal of the battery charging problem. Made my way over from California Camping and have now just finished watching all your vlogs from the start. You and Dougal stay safe, warm and good luck.
Cheers Brian!
Wow Andrew! As Canadians we deal with snow 6 months of the year and it has been particularly brutal this winter. I will be going to Eastern Canada in the early summer and was planning on Western Canada in the early fall (avoid crowds) but we can get snow early in the Rockies and neither my Hyundai SF or “Bertie” will have snowshoes on. Rethinking how far west I can get and return before the snow flies. Glad you got the battery sorted - will be most interested in learning about what the problem was. I think these “emergent planning” vids are very important for all of us. Glad you and Dougall are safe and warm again!
Thanks Brenda!
Glad the charging issue is sorted and look forward to the explanation...those driving conditions as a solo traveller are horrendous...you did well my friend. Take care
Thanks Dawn!
So happy you and Dougal are OK! What was the matter with the battery? I can't wait for your next video...I look so forward to them!
All will be revealed in the next video... ;@)
That’s one well-earned bowl of soup! We’re having similar weather here in Canada today and I can only imagine how stressful it may be for you to have to push-through through hours of poor driving conditions to hopefully arrive at ‘somewhere’ you can rest. As long as you're safe and warm, have access to hot tea and some good food, and can share the company of a faithful dog, one can't really want for too much more and should be able brave your journey. So. no more whining Andrew, okay? (ha, ha) -- be grateful that you are physically well enough and able to enjoy travel while many can't. I always look forward to your videos and marvel at how much undetected effort actually goes into repositioning the camera, integrating subtitles, music and aerial shots, and then careful editing it all together to look so natural and spontaneous. Your efforts and stories are appreciated and bring many of us ‘return viewers’ both insightful information and joy to an otherwise stressful day. Whenever you think “does anyone really care?” the answer from us is “Yes, it matters… YOU matter”. Thanks so much for sharing!
Aww, thanks Gary! Made my day :)
Dear Andrew, I really like to see your travel reports and hope you'll get back home safely.
Greetings from the sunny side of life (in Germany)
Oooh, nightmarish! We were ‘gripped’ watching you driving in those conditions. So pleased you eventually got the battery issue sorted. Hope you got to do some snowboarding at some point. 😊
Absolutely loved it. I loved how you showed your emotions with the music as well. well done! Keep tuned to my twitter to find out about the trailer for my new project. cheers!
Oh no. That was no fun at all. Glad the van is fixed. May the rest of your journey be enjoyable.
Your outstanding driving skills were on display. Great job getting through those iced roads in the snow. I have driven across the United States many times in the middle of winter. My worst experience was driving through the Sierra Nevada mountains in the middle of winter when the roads were closed behind me after I was allowed to pass. That was in the 1970s, long before cell phones existed :-)
Count your blessings :-) You had a safe, warm (as long as the battery held up) place to stay for some of the night, beverages and hot food as well as the best companion (Dougal) anybody could ask for!
That being said, I haven't seen what happened the next day and night. I hope that you found a way to fix your battery and water problem. If not, you and Dougal would need to find a hotel, motel or B&B to stay at until the RV problems were fixed.
Put Dougal into his motorcycle backpack and sneak him into the lodging accommodations if they don't allow dogs so he doesn't end up freezing in the RV :-(
Well, that's why we pressed on to the city, in case we needed to check in to a hotel. Fortunately there was no need, as it was fixed the next day. More will be revealed on Sunday! All the best.
I was on the edge of my seat in the van with you. Love snow, but not driving through or in it. Glad vans sorted now.
You are not alone, take care
Yikes! That's heart in your throat white knuckle driving right there. My daughter was born in Inverness. Inverness Florida though. Huge difference. We hit a blizzard driving home from visiting my family last Nov. Lucky to limp off the highway alive to a motel with small grandkids in the mix. We call these kind of adventures, " Making a Memory". Glad you are both safe and sorted out. Onward and Upward! When the snow is driving fast and thick against the windshield it always reminds me of Star Wars making the jump to hyperspace.😁 Thanks again Andrew.
Yep, making memories indeed! These are the stories you remember, although not so much fun at the time!
Andrew, we enjoy your videos! Thank you, sir, for keeping them so realistic!
Thanks Barbara, I try my best!
Wow those conditions are very challenging small wonder it got to you a little , but your experience shines through and proves a cool head can meet the toughest of circumstances well done and to do the filming also takes nerve thanks for sharing your experience regards Gavin & Zehra
I'm glad you are safe and ok
So, the weather and road conditions didn't look too bad to a Swede... Just a normal Nov-March commute.
But then I remembered that you guys don't tend to put studded tyres on your vehicles in preparation for winter is coming, and it changed into whiteknuckle mode thinking about driving in it. :)
Oh one more thing Andrew, stay safe and warm,
Another gripping episode.....thanks for sharing
Andrew, Wow. Do not envy you that experince. I'm so glad you had your friend Dougal with you to cuddle and talk to. I'm sure it helped. Hot scrummy soup too. Lovely editing job on this. Great choice of music. Cheers.
Thanks Julie!
Thank you for sharing your adventures
My Old Man told me yesterday that he had 7 inches of snow in New Hampshire. You are quite right it's not an adventure while your driving in such poor conditions. We glad are you came out the other side ok and you have got the van fixed. J&P
Thanks J&P!
Great video!
Hurray hurray. Big 👍to Scot motorhomes for getting this battery topic fixed!! In between I thought John Carpenter had entered the van and The filming 😬. But finally I spotted Ömmel on the dashboard and felt calm again 😉. Btw was that a burning truck at 11:56??
No, it was a snowplough heading the other way! And yes, ömmel was keeping a good lookout!
OMG, it seems that you were the only car on the road, lonely.
I'm feeling guilty with all the sun in P.S.
Cheers Bernie in Palm Springs
No Worries Bernie... You won't feel so guilty in the summer when you are roasting and I'm enjoying a cooling Hebridean breeze... :)
always intersting, keep up the good work
Thanks Colin!
Andrew Ditton you’re welcome mate, we take delivery of a fiat ducato autocruise forte end of month can’t wait
Crikey Ditton, don’t do that to me! Have got no fingernails left now!!
That soup looked perfect for the cold evening
What was the problem with the battery? Was the Frost Protection thing something that was affected by the battery?
I go into that in later vlogs and the review video so do check 'em out!
Will do :)
Noticed the sign: "Plots For Sale", here in the U.S. that would more likely reference grave sites. :) Maybe that's kind of how you felt. People here talk of winter camping in their van but I wonder about how many campgrounds in colder areas are open year round.
Nightmare conditions I've done it myself in the past its not nice the sleet can distort your vision good luck to you and dougle
Cheers Alan!
Hello my friends 😊🐕
I hope you can both keep warm
some how. Motorhome batteries. Brrrrrrr. They never put big enough ones in or good enough ones in ....
If you want a hotel ......
I would pick up the bill for you both.
As I truly love your travel videos. ..
And I would do this
....as a thank you to you both ...
For making me smile 😊
as I watch your beautiful travels.
Best wishes to you both 👍🌟🙏🐕😊🚐
Aww, cheers Darren!
Merci Andrew ☺
I’d love to do something like this
fantastic vlog thankyou
Thanks for watching Jason.
Felt for you Andrew i know the feeling I broke down with our van in Stranraer luckily we got it to start and there was a campsite two miles down the road spent the night there and the van was ok the next day not sure to this day why we broke down maybe because I was on my way home and it wanted to stay stay safe both of you enjoying your vids
It's funny, sometimes you really do think these things happen for a reason beyond our comprehension...
Jeez I love these series. Its llike watching the living dead lol And good picture quality too.
Trust me, at times I FELT like the living dead! ;@)
Gosh Andrew ..I found that worrying and scary to watch, i was glad I wasn't there
Looks beautiful but not nice to drive in, I'd be doing about 10mph . Really felt for you 😟
Driving in those conditions is enough to loose your hair! ....... oops...... uhmm, great video, bit scary!
Well that looked a bit scary. Glad you are ok.
Cheers Steve!
First of all Sir. Hats off to you for dealing with those road conditions in a safe and professional manner. I felt for you out there Andrew. Been in that situation so many times throughout the years and it doesn't get any easier. Glad you made it safely to the highland capital. Hope that's the battery problem solved, as the rest of the motorhome seems to be performing well.
On a plus note....The video footage in the dark on this one was superb my friend. May I ask what camera you used ? I kinda knew this series was going to be a goodyin Andrew, but you keep raising the bar 😊
Keep them coming...........👍👍👍 Take care......... Andy.
Thanks Andy! The road/cab cam is a Sony FXR 3000 which I bought to replace the useless GoPro, and I am delighted with it.
One of those trips where you start out and then at some point wish you hadn’t - strangely good to watch though - well done- ps not sure why anyone would give that a thumbs down unless they didn’t fancy the soup!!
Cheers Paul!
Should try driving a HGV in the snow its scary! Then trying to find an empty labye to park in,i felt your pain its so stressful,glad u got ur battery sorted! Stay safe!
I doff my cap to HGV drivers and get mightily cross at how their needs are rarely met.
We think that's the night lots of motorist stuck on m74!
Was heavier snowfall than expected! At least it's true testing of the vehicle 😉😁
You're right - that WAS the night a lot of people got stuck on the 74. Yet I am still getting people telling me to 'man up' etc... :-/ Yup, certainly putting the van through its paces.