63. A quick blast up to Scotland in the campervan
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2022
- I went up to Scotland to film a two-day canal procession for my Cruising the Cut channel, so I recorded this vlog of the campervan side of the trip.
Ratho Canal Centre: goo.gl/maps/cJb16rgQfDwdWpWr5
Lochrin Basin: goo.gl/maps/Y1ogUYUzDoNm5adt8
Falkirk Wheel: goo.gl/maps/g2hrbktDBP5Yo2A87
Linlithgow basin: goo.gl/maps/Jxt6cQXvmsoyyJtA8
For the boat trip itself, see Part 1 at • 267a. Happy 200th birt... and Part 2 at • 267b. Scotland’s Union...
If you liked the video and wish to leave me a tip, thank you!
www.ko-fi.com/davidjohns
Tools & Parts used for the campervan build (paid links to Amazon)
Portable toilet: geni.us/Van_Toilet
Sink unit: geni.us/Van_SinkHob
Heater unit: geni.us/Van_PropexHS2000
Fridge: geni.us/Van_CoolFreezeCDF26
Inverter: geni.us/Van_Inverter
Charger: geni.us/Van_MainsCharger
Solar Controller: geni.us/Van_SolarMPPT
Gas Alarm: geni.us/Van_GasAlarm
DeWalt jigsaw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltJigsaw
DeWalt drill: geni.us/Van_DeWaltDrill
DeWalt mitre saw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltMitreSaw
DeWalt circular saw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltCircSaw
Web www.vandemonium.co.uk
Twitter / vandemoniumuk
Instagram: / vandemoniumuk
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The wheel is truly a work of art!
The Pennine Tower at the services was built as a posh restaurant back in the mid 1960’s. It had a view over Morecambe Bay (west) and the Trough of Bowland (east) for those dining there. It was closed in the late 1980’s due to fire regulations (only one way in and out). These days it’s a listed building, but with no public access.
From wiki: The services is notable for an unusual hexagonal concrete tower on the northbound side, named The Pennine Tower, which originally housed an up-market restaurant and a sun deck.[5] The tower was designed to resemble an Air Traffic Control Tower and is a prominent local landmark. The tower is 74 ft across.
There are some videos on CZcams where some have accessed the tower.
... and like most listed buildings seems to be being left to crumble. Looks very tatty these days. Sad that the powers wot be are able to list things but can't provide any funding to look after them.
Interesting
Sort of reminds me of the great movie, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" except "Vans, Buses and Narrow Boats"
Wow this had everything vans, buses, canals, narrow boats, a lift, a drone and a train, simply amazing :-)
The platform at Lancaster and the other motorway service stations that have not been rebuilt were viewing platforms/restaurants. They were built with the motorways when there were a lot less cars on the road and it was thought entertaining to watch the cars pass along the futuristic new road.
Nice little jaunt David , thanks for bringing us along
Re services on M6. That was on the "Preston Bypass" which was the first stretch of Motorway in the UK So the service centre was designed as a destination. The tower had a full service retaurant on top. I recall that shortly after it opened, I went on a sightseeing coach trip with that service centre as the destination,
I cant believe you drove past Tebay services without stopping at the farm shop. Worth a trip in itself!
Cheers
Run by the same people as Gloucester Services on the M5, which regularly wins awards for the best motorway services in the country!
Tapping that tin to make sure it had properly emptied into the pot gave your adventure a “down home” feeling as we say here across the Pond.
Have to say that this video is among your more serendipitous posts as everything seemed to unfold uneventfully…. which is always appreciated especially when the “Check Engine” light mercifully doesn’t come back on. Always fascinating to behold the Falkirk Wheel with its graceful unique design…. and powerful mechanical abilities…. achieving aesthetic balance. I like that one.
Thanks for taking us along. Vicariously satisfying for us subscribers. 👍
Cheers 🥂 🇨🇦
That tower was designed to look like a control tower. The tower used to have a restaurant and sundeck , but that was closed due because it did not meet the fire code. It is used for storage now.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. A real mix of camping, sight seeing and interesting history on the maritime canal Wheel etc.
Interesting aside: At 09:59 theres a shot of a post box. Notice on it it has a crown but no ER or GR. The ER stands for Elizabeth Rex (or Regina, which is Queen in Latin) and the GR stands for George Rex. All English postboxes hadve thee initials on them. However, In scotland all refrences to the English King and Queen wwre banned on post boxes... so they just have the crown of Scotland. If a ER box is placed in Scotland is is usuallly immediately vandalised. This was known as The Pillar Box War of the 1950's.
Really enjoyed this episode, and I appreciate all those little shots where you detail the trip and narrate. Just love the way you always take us with you.
I used to only be able to fit £80 worth of fuel in my car, now I can fit £150 worth. I have no idea why everyone is complaining!
OK 😅
What a lovely start to a double header. Van and “cut” in perfect harmony. Thank you David. 👏👏👍😀
Thank you, David. Love seeing the various treasures you have shared with us. Great fun! Many thanks!! I had not heard how awful the gasoline prices had gotten. And thanks too for translating pounds per liter into dollars per gallon. Major help! But, ouch! We're in the low $4s for regular unleaded and mid $5s for diesel here in Alabama. But, as I said, wonderful seeing this bit of Scotland.
Had to laugh when you mentioned Buck Rogers! I always loved that show!
Great views on the motorway, and the swing canal lock looked fab, i also seen your other video Cruising the cut. Thank you David, for showing us two great videos, cant wait for part 2
Enjoyed the van portion of your Scotland trip! That funny looking building you were asking about at the end reminded me of a similar shaped building at LAX (Los Angeles Airport, CA USA). I used to fly into and out of that airport for years when I was young. There used to be a restaurant at the top of the building that slowly rotated. You could enjoy dinner and an ever changing view of one of the world's busiest airports.
"I used to like Buck Rogers" you mean Colonel Deering! 🤪❤️👍
beeba beeba
“Bidi bidi hubba hubba.”
Top tip - store your tins upside down so when you open them the bits that are normally stuck in the bottom are stuck on the lid and can be scraped easliy.
US resident here when you turned into rest area my heart sank. Thought you got hit. It’s unnerving watching the driving video being on the other side of the road. 🙃. Love your videos always
Courtesy of Wiki... The Pennine Tower originally housed an up-market restaurant and a sun deck. The tower was designed to resemble an Air Traffic Control Tower and is a prominent local landmark.
The tower closed to the public in 1989 due to current fire regulations (there is no means of providing an alternative exit from the restaurant deck in an emergency), and is only used for storage and occasional staff training. The tower was built to give views over Morecambe Bay to the west and the Trough of Bowland to the east.
The Tower was listed Grade II on 15 October 2012.
Have a look at this video, pt 1 of 2 where they explore the Hilton Park services tower (presumably with permission). I believe it was built for all the same reasons as the Lancaster one czcams.com/video/UXoOCe0RiOE/video.html
Great to see you up in Scotland David!
Man, if you only could have got a job greasing the big wheel. Thanks, David, for the two Vlogs. Day tripping at its Finest.
As my wife and I have found out over the years, is that getting lost often means finding some lovely places! 👍
The concrete mushroom at Forton, was indeed designed to look like a control tower, and was built to afford views of Morecambe bay to the West and the Trough of Bowland to the East, from the restaurant at the top(closed due to fire regs) sorry I was beaten to this answer, my apologies.
But you beat me to giving the answer, enjoy a silver medal. It was alwasy great to see it come into view when driving back to Burnley from the Highlands!
the Falkirk wheel uses less energy to operate than to toast a slice of bread, to do with counterbalance i think, thought your viewers would find that interesting .
Thank you David for the view of the hills of Scotland and northern England. Yes we citizens of the US complain horribly when we have to actually suffer the same as those in less entitled countries. However, we also soon get over it and carry on as our ancestors from all other places on this planet did before us when they arrived. Take care and have a good week ahead.
Supplies means cheese and fresh bread. You do get about, don't you, David? More than before. Superb views is right. That Wheel is exemplary of the Scottish inclination for all things of an Engineering nature to be unique and revolutionary.
The mechanism at the Union Canal is super cool. Love the engineering thinking behind it.
The Falkirk Wheel is a fantastic bit of engineering. Great bit regarding that, love the drone aspect you've introduced into your channels. And you, sir, are truly Spartan in regards to your cuisine! :) Cheers.
This would be a dream trip for me.
As a red-headed Scotts Irish descendant, I’d be soaking all this up with gusto.
I really appreciate your casual, humorous commentary, and the more intimate look around.
Go Far, Have Fun
I like it that in your videos you show nice scenery, but also the practical side of travel like what the facilities are like as well as what you eat and how you cook. Well done Gloria
I enjoy this channel quite a bit. Lately though I am often reminded of the Monty Python bicycle sketch when I watch your vlogs 😀
Sounds about right!!
One of your better videos methinks, full of variety and well narrated - as usual.
Glad you enjoyed it
Your video is a fine way to visit this road trip and appreciate the various modes of transportation that are available!
I've been told I'm quite a good cook and love to do so. There are definitely times however, especially when camping that something simple from a tin is just the ticket! Another lovely video David. Cheerio.
Ah. That answers my question on Cruising the Cut. It was you. Sorry I missed you. Next time perhaps 👍
I always enjoy your vlog. Thank you
I delivered campervans (relocated them) driving 1200km (745 miles) in 24 hours..(including a 3.5 hour ferry) and I always noticed the banging and crashing associated with the lightweight cabinetry and the "hollow" interior....which was very fatiguing.
I then changed that by driving them for 10 miles or so after pickup with ears pricked to catch any obvious mechanical possible failure points before I got too far away from the base mechanics...
Then I would don Grade 5 Peltor industrial ear defenders for the rest of the journey...
I could recognise trouble from the vibrations etc. and doff the defenders to pinpoint the problem if necessary.
Much more enjoyable journeys with minimal fatigue.....
Bombing up the UK motorways with wind noise, engine drone, and crash rattle bang inside I am sure would give me a headache as well....
Years ago we did a sponsored cycle from Clydebank (also on the canal) to the Falkirk Wheel, and back. Because of the trees, coming from that direction, you don't get to see the wheel until you're almost upon it. It's a magnificent sight and feat of engineering.
I've been following this channel and your 'Cruising the Cut' channel for quite a while now. Very interesting to see both sides of the same trip! As always: such a beautiful country with beautiful views! I've been to the UK only once, I can't wait to see more of it.
The logistics involved in planning this trip must have been pretty tricky. I'm rather envious of Scotland's buses though.🤔Thanks for giving us an insight into the efforts you go to in creating a vlog 👍
We visited Falkirk and "the Wheel" one sunny mid-week morning while vacationing in Edinburgh. They have a tour that loads you into a canal boat, takes you on the wheel and up to other other canal, cruises forward for 15min or so and then returns to the visitor centre. It's a really neat experience.
Ah another wonderful video!! Thankyou david.
Car, bus, narrowboat, train... so many types of transportation is such a small amount of time!
About to click on your Cruising the Cut vlog... see you again in a few!
A quick blast up to Scotland is going to be a long trip on a glorious day.
the tower is a throw back to years ago when it was used as a roads control center , they thought it was like a thunderbirds set lol. i lived 500 mtrs from the wheel when it was being constructed and for a few years after, fasinating to watch it from the start to completion
Sir, thank you for another informative and entertaining video. I appreciate all of them.
I've done that trip up to Scotland a few times and it's a git but when you get up there and see the Scottish scenery it is definitely worth it. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed being stuck on a narrowboat with someone constantly playing the bagpipes, they sound wonderful for a couple of minutes but more than that is pure torture.
Amazing footage of "The Wheel" what a fete of engineering, impressive and thank you for showing. Forton services always reminded me when I was a child, of Moonbase Alpha on Space:1999 lol.
I love Space: 1999!
@@Vandemonium class hehe.
I have just watched all of a video of a man driving up a motorway........and thoroughly enjoyed it. David, you are a very talented vlogger.
🤣👍
Turns out I'm enjoying this channel as much as the canal channel. As for Buck Rogers, I quite literally bumped into Gil Gerard at a small sci fi convention...neither one of us was looking where we were going in the hotel hallway, and bump we went. After mutual apologies and a brief chat we moved along.
Top story!
Great video. I like to see how you live in the van and eat. Not sure why the fascination 😮 but keep them coming thanks
Great video as usual David! Just a suggestion for next time you are on the northern end of the M6. You should pay a visit to Tebay services. It is a completely different experience to any of the chain motorway service stations. It is run by the family that own the field next to it and the shop inside is basically a large farm shop selling all kinds of local produce. There is a lovely outdoor seating area that you can enjoy views of the amazing Lake District.
Yeah, I've been into the Gloucester one which is the same sort of thing and while it looks pretty, it was even more horrendously expensive than a normal service station!!
Wonderful vlogs, David (camper van and narrowboat)! And thank you for sharing your gas prices there in your country. I shall refrain from complaining-much-about ours, currently about $5.50 for diesel here in Northern Viginia, USA. Watching your vlog in Northern England and Scotland I am suprized to see some of the countryside is familiar to the state I grew up in, California (I'm sure it's just my imagination wanting to find similarity). Cheers!
There is a village, not far from where David was in Scotland, called California. Wonder which came first.... ;)
I used to like Buck Rogers also. Actually it was really Erin Grey but that's another story. Another fine piece of work there Daivd.
OBD-II code readers are relatively compact, and have gotten quite inexpensive. Since you're something of a DIYer, it's probably not a bad piece of kit to add to your equipage. They do help with peace-of-mind when that pesky light comes on, and you can easily look up codes on the internet. Having driven commercial trucks in the United States, I get the sense that whoever invented the speed bump must have hated lorry drivers, and by extension, van drivers as well. 14:27, Ooh, an Airstream! Converted into a concession stand, obviously, but that's a well-known American caravan, made in Ohio since the 1930s. That particular example appears to be of mid-1970s vintage. A grand couple of days out, indeed!
This is the first Vandemonium video I have watched since you sold your boat, and I am happy to say it is just more of the same good stuff. Lovely to see the Howgill Fells on your M6 north journey, they are beautiful and very quiet compared to the Dales or the Lakeland Fells. I also appreciate your manly catering!
Looks like a lovely trip. And CZcams is suggesting your Cruising the Cut adventures. They are cleaver.
Glad someone explained the tower. Bummer it's been closed. The view must have been nice.
absolutely loved the video! the tinned food looked rather dog food-like though. cheerio!
Wonderful video! First time I see that wheel from a "walker" point of view.. and it's amazing how advanced and available the public transport system looks for a non-British viewer.. almost no need for a car! :)
Scotland is still on my bucket list. I have been to England 3 times but never Scotland. I always enjoy your vlogs David, whether it be Cruising the Cut or Vandemonium, keep them coming.
the tower at lancaster services there used to be a fine dining restuarant at the top with waitress service, is known as the pennine tower and closed in 1989
That was wheelie good.
Off course you ended up next to a canal, they try to draw you back in 🙂
Yes, the wheel looks very space age, like some sort of rail gun for launching space ships or maybe a portal like Stargate at the end in the air going into a worm hole or another dimension.
I like your "proclamation" in the title slide.
Nice trip! The only part of those lids I don't like is when they snap off at the end and send gravy on the wall...or me😂
Ahh Forton Services. I think my love of brutalist architecture started with this building. As a kid in the 1970s, driving up to Scotland I always wanted to stop there, but dad would push on to Tebay before taking a break. Then Tebay was a dump, now it is the place to stop, if a little smug and self-righteous. In those days the Rank organisation owned Forton and it just seemed glitzy and futuristic, as a herald to a future that never came. They built it like that because they could, because they were proud of the motorway, it really is a bygone era. I never did get into the upper restaurant as it was closed before I learned to drive. Thanks for bringing back all the memories.
Nice one Dave that wheel is one hell of a peace of engineering Top stuff Dave luv ya vlogs dude 🙂🦢🚐✌️
We are always so excited to see you have a new video out. I have tried to fix warning lights the same way too no success lol. Thanks david great job!
Disconcerting for this Canadian to see you sitting on the “wrong” side of the front seat.
@we3fh1b41wr6e5b4r65t
See Henry Ford's first three cars he ever made..
the A Model , the B Model and the C Model.
All right hand drive....
See American cowboy movies...
stagecoach driver on the right,
shotgunner/offsider on the left...
Grants also make excellent tinned haggis!
Thank you David. That was fantastic. I was at the Falkirk Wheel in September last year. It is an amazing place. I wish I had made time to go and see The Kelpies, which are a few miles away on the side of the canal. I was on my way to catch a boat so I didn't want to be late. ilona
I have never seen minced beans and carrots in a can. We've got huge grocery stores with five or more versions of everything that there is and not once has thst ever shown up! It should, I expect lots of folks would eat it.
And here we go again! Was waiting for your videos ☺️6:00 Steven Seagal trust 😁
Oh watch this brings back memories, I had a family member who lived in Ratho, in fact you passed their house just before you turned into the car park, used to visit them every week and get a Caramel Wafer 😋 they had a birthday party on one of the Canal boats but that was before I was born
thank you for the video
As always just delightful to follow you around on your trips.
These days you can buy an "on-board diagnostic" (OBD) unit that plugs into a vehicle's standard interface port and will read the codes in your computer for not a lot of money. Some use bluetooth and have an app that runs on a smartphone (Blue Driver for instance). It's a nice-to-have auto accessory for those instances like yours where you see the CE light but aren't really sure of the cause or how serious it might be.
Fabulous trip up to my country. Been to Ratho a few times. Even had a meal on the Ratho hotel barge. Beautiful footage and excellent commentary. Looking forward to your canal trip video now. Thank you. Brilliant vlog.
David, your culinary skills are beyond compare!
Haha but which way is the comparison?!!
Simply bloody AMAZING i reckon!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lovely to join you on a trip again David, you make everything sound interesting even a trip to the shower. Hope to see you again soon. Cheerio🥰
Absolutely excellent video 👍 thanks
That was a great day out on the canals but that drive was too much for me! I would have had an overnight stop on the way. Thanks for sharing.
I did consider it but as the weather forecast was fine, decided just to go for it
Lovely vlog of a lovely trip
Always lovely to see a bit of canal!
Welcome tae Scotland - the missus and I are currently shopping for a VW camper, just back fae Fort William where we went to see Neptune's Staircase. Now that's a canal!
good show and happy jubalee. my oldest daughter (the F35 driver on loan to the RN ) is enjoying it. fly safe
Ever the optimist, keep on truckin'
❤️ thank you
Hi David. Another good video - thank you. From memory, the idea of the futuristic structure at Lancaster was because planners assumed the well-heeled would want to marvel at these new 'motorways' and could do so while enjoying their caviar. The truth of course proved to be quite the opposite, and people want to be screened from the traffic. The tower is now closed to the public but is a listed building.
Hills shrouded in low cloud/rain always make me want to be there (instead of the rather dry East of England where I currently live). Lovely trip - will enjoy watching your CtC videos. Thank you for sharing.
Hahaha! I am watching this in the wrong order.. I watched the Cruisingthecut episode BEFORE this one XD
Me too. 👍 😊
So did I.
Me,three
out of my four trips to the UK the last three were driving holidays going from south to north and the last two in small hired campers like your own...I especially loved driving around Scotland...the beauty of these types of holidays is that you can take yourself off the beaten track to see places you would never visit via guided tours...I've been as far north as the Orkney Isles, as far west as the Isle of Harris and down the east coast...I've stayed overnight in caravan parks and motorway service centres but the best places have been the out-of-the-way parking spots..I spent a night with Northumbrian wild ponies amoungst the dunes..I've seen some glorious sunsets though have always managed to sleep through the sunrises, chuckle..doing a driving holiday means not having to be at a set destination by a set time to check in and check out...deciding that you've had enough of driving for the day and finding a spot to tuck in for the night..I miss the UK..this little aussie misses being able to travel..I've driven the M6 the last couple of trips..
😀
I remember some very nice toilets in that motorway service station, with an octagonal sink with taps in the middle. The chips from the café were good too
Great prelude to the canal trip… I’d follow you anywhere 😊💜
very interesting with enjoyable commentary Thank you for sharing 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
We stayed in Ratho on our way north to Aberdeen for a wedding... 20 years ago!
Wow... the Wheel in Scotland is awesome! Thanks for sharing the video David!