I didn't get a great night's sleep for various reasons and, as I was awake at 6, I got moving very early. I left site a bit after 7, very quietly. The A68 is definitely a better drive in daylight but it wasn't too long until dawn. I'd really like to visit the Borders again but I don't think a long trip there is on for a few years unless I rearrange things. After that it was just a slog back down the A1. It was very misty at the start, and damp much of the way, so not very pleasant.
This trip was a bit of an experiment in terms of going away in winter and also in terms of the distance travelled. I managed fine in terms of the conditions, a thicker sleeping bag than usual and the fan heater were sufficient to keep me warm and cosy. The downside though was the much shorter days, especially being in the north. I really wanted to be on the sites in daylight which, with the long drives, meant there wasn't a lot of time for visiting. Today's 6+ hours was definitely too long a drive without a decent stop. It would have been less if I'd travelled further yesterday but that wouldn't have left time for a worthwhile visit to Stirling Castle (and even then I didn't really get a chance to walk round the town).
Dai isn't the greatest vehicle on motorways, being really a city van, that's fixable of course by buying a new 'van. That's on the cards for next year or, more likely, the year after. I will bear driveability in mind with the replacement (at the moment that looks like being a Citroen Berlingo).
To conclude I doubt I'll go so far from home in winter again, at least not until I've retired and have a lot more time. For now I've got to give Dai a really good wash and sort out the water pump. I may have a night away in January but that won't be too far away.
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