Sometimes the NOVELTY FACTOR wears OFF - VANLIFE SCOTLAND
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 พ.ค. 2024
- Join us, Carol & Ken, on our first ever trip in our new Consort Nova Motorhome called Snoopy, as we continue to get used to driving and living in a larger van.
In this video, we take a scenic drive through Galloway Forest Park to meet some new friends, discover an historic stone and stock up with some Scottish delicacies in Castle Douglas. Meanwhile our diesel heater is still playing up.
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🔶 About us 🔶
Welcome to our channel! We're Carol and Ken, retired professionals turned van life enthusiasts. We share our adventures across the UK and Europe in our camper van, which we have just upgraded to a slightly larger model.
Our goal is to provide a relaxing, honest account of van life, with no scripted drama - just the real, day-to-day experiences of our travels. Many of our viewers find our content calming, and we hope you will too.
We're passionate about wild camping and love to share our knowledge and tips, from staying cool in the van to choosing the right toilet. We're always learning and look forward to sharing our campervanning experiences with you.
While we love the freedom of wild camping, we also enjoy supporting local businesses by indulging in delicious local food. Expect to see plenty of one-pan meals and restaurant visits in our videos.
We like historical sites, country homes, towns, villages, and the occasional city. We aim to share interesting facts and stories about the places we visit.
We post new videos every Friday at 6pm UK time, sometimes more often.
Our channel is perfect for armchair travellers, those considering a caravan or motorhome, or anyone looking to unwind after a stressful day. If this sounds like you, hit that subscribe button and join us on our journey. Your support, whether through watching our videos, subscribing, or contributing to our 'Buy Me a Coffee' fund, helps to keep our adventures going. We appreciate every bit of it. ❤️
🔴 Contact us @ lifeistooshortwildcamper@gmail.com
This episode was filmed 11th-13th February 2024.
#vanlife #lifeistooshort #relaxing
I think Carol is amazing. She is driving the new van and seems to have much more confidence.... Well done Carol. x
Thanks Joanna 🙂
Just to mention, as a back up (especially as our heating isn’t that effective down the cab en), we carry and use a little oil heater with us. Very effective and great for eloping keep temperatures even in the van and drying coats (dog coats especially) suspended up above!👍
Good tip 👍
Just discovered your site ,love your cool laid back videos happy travels greetings from Stockholm Sweden
Welcome aboard!
Carol, I love tuna and mayo too. You have the best food and scenery. You are both history buffs.. my favorite subject.
Glad to see Carol getting used to the new van, the goats were cool, superb video.
You will not see her driving it much in the next series but the one after that she gets into her stride 👍
'Adzventures' had a lot of similar trouble with his Truma heater....🤔
Yes we watched him having the same problems. Far more serious for him being in those freezing temps
Thanks for covering Dumfries and Galloway in this series - I'm making notes for my trip!
We loved it so much we have since returned to do it in more depth. That will be a series after the New Forest series coming soon 👍
Love the picture of the goats face .you caught it just at the right moment Ken..thanks for video carol n Ken..
That was a good looking goat 😁👍
WE have a Peugeot Boxer Motorhome and the Hand brake lever is a bit of a stretch but manageable! Not as if you're using it all the time! It's so easy to tense up hands and arms etc whilst driving! I do even in our little car! Trick is being aware of it and relax the muscles! As you are SO much concentrating on what you're doing so easy to tense up!
The more we drive the more we get used to it 👍
Love the music you select for your videos, nice assortment. We were just watching some of your France trip. Am curious if you have ever considered taking a trip through part of the US and Canada?
We have several times but they were fly drive and hotels before youtube 👍
Lovely scenery! I’d love to be better set up for more off grid motorhoming. I wish I understood electrics better. I’m very tempted to buy a power bank and really like the way you’ve got ours integrated into the van as you have! Would you recommend Jackery?
We’ve had a handbrake extender on all three vans we’ve had over 17 years of motor homing, including for the last ten years on our Fiat Ducato. We wouldn’t be without it as it helps enable you to keep your eyes on the road much more easily as you’re setting off at junctions etc! I’d definitely recommend your getting one. We wouldn’t be without ours! You’ll get used to the van! It’s lovely to have the extra space I’m sure?! Happy travels! Anna & Anne
For off grid I recommend a lithium leisure battery, as much solar as you can get on the roof and a good battery to battery charger so your engine charges the battery. It’s not cheap but the investment soon repays itself in the campsite fee savings. Before you do any of that though try wild camping and see if you enjoy it. 👍
Watching as per on a quiet Sunday morning with a cuppa tea 🍵 and dunking biscuits 😋, well if that's the only gremlin you've encountered in 'Snoopy' to date then i think you would have taken that when you took delivery!,😊 some lovely scenery around SW Scotland 😊😊❤ very relaxing whilst enjoying the peace of a lovely Sunday morning 🌄 🎉
Yes the van is performing well now 👍
Ooh you are both bringing back such good memories for me as I said in a previous video of yours about kirkcowan my mum and dad had the post office and shop and used to get all our meat and pies from castle Douglas not sure of the butcher but thank you for bringing back some nice memories for me as they have both passed now. ❤
Glad the video is doing that 👍
Aww loved the goats ❤
Lovely scenery. Enjoyed the video. We thought Carol was a bit tense driving the van. We'll done. Hope you get your heater fixed. Thankyou.
For sure. Some of those roads were riddled with deep potholes which put her off a bit. The series we are currently filming though she is driving a lot more 👍
So many beautiful sceneries!
Loved this video , we were shouting at the screen for you to turn right after Cardoness Castle . Beautiful Anwoth Kirk is that way where they filmed a little of the Wickerman .It’s the most serene and peaceful place. Next time you should visit there x
We been again since and missed it again 😁👍
Great 👍
Enjoy watching your videos
Very peaceful and easy going
Love the music you select for your vids
See you on the next one ❤
Thanks so much 😊
Well done Carol with the driving.
Huge smile from us! What a lovely part of the world 😊
Love it ❤❤❤❤
Carol has an expert coach for the new toy
Lovely vlog, loved the goats 🐐
Hope it all gets fixed with the heater. Probably a bug 🐜 in the system
Love the travels and info on history and of course the food 🥘 cheers 🥂 from Australia 🇦🇺 👍👍👍👍😃😃😃😃🥂🥂
All fixed now 👍
Thank You For That Superb Video, Great To See Those Goats Taking Me Back To My Old Home
goods vid on travels
Hola👋 from New Mexico🌶️🌵....Enjoyed the video thanks for sharing. Stay warm. We had a wet spring here and have lots of wild flowers and on our 3rd mowing and weed eating, which is very unusual. Angels all around you. 💖🙂
The weather here is finally warming up ☀️
Well done and great driving Carol! ❤ Another fascinating wee tour around SW Scotland before you are heading south again. I hope the diesel heater, gets sorted. At a pinch when cold weather, you can always light the stove top for a few minutes - slip in a hot chocolate (for medicinal purposes of course), quickly heats up inside, but also generates condensation (reality). I decided to install an electrical wall panel heater, at this time can only use when hooked up to mains/generator power. Will get looped into engine, so can run whilst driving, to have warm compartment on arrival, at some stage. Take care & stay safe. Kia Ora from New Zealand. 💜💜
You can’t beat electric if you have the power to run it 👍
It looks fabulous place
Southern Scotland is beautiful in the snowless winter if you've got the eye for it. I'm sorry to hear about your Truma diesel heater problems. The one we had worked perfectly.
Yes ours is now performing well 👍
Hi Guys, just watched your video and want to thank you for promoting Dumfries and Galloway and our local town and businesses in Castle Douglas. If you have chance to visit D&G again there is so much more to explore. ATB Sue, Brian and The Westies👍🐶🐾🐾🥰
Hi. We loved it so much we came back already so a much bigger series will be coming along soon 👍
Enjoyed that Immensely! Thank you for a marvelous start to my day!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, lovely vlog . Well done with your driving Carol 👍 safe travels. Hopefully get your heater sorted ❤❤
Yes, cloud-spotting! We always enjoy the big puffy clouds when we visit the UK. Videos show mostly the fields and hills, but when one is walking or cycling the view is 90 percent big sky.
I do hope you got your heater fixed. Lovely trip, and all notated! Thank you so much for taking us along. ❤
All fixed now but a few more problems to come 👍
Stunning Scotland! Great video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Love Dumfries and Galloway (and Ayrshire) area. Enjoying this and recognising things (well I did travel on the A75 area Saturday)
Another great video, thanks for uploading it👌
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
A other lovely video guys, hope you got the heater sorted. Can't of been much wrong.
Thank you for sharing
That was a decent parkup. Loved the goats. Don’t the goats have a 5 second rule 😂. Nice Bruce story. I liked the look of the Chinese meal. Sorry you are having issues with the heater. Nice video. Thank you. 🧙♂️🚐👍
Thanks 👍
Hi Ken 😘 Carol 😘 Lovely vlog as always 👊 I loved my last winter in amazing Galloway Brought back some very fond memories Hugz from the Isle 🏴 Stay Cozy Travel Safe 🦋🦋👊🏴🚐👍🥰
We remember watching your videos from Dumfries and Galloway 👍 Looks like you’ve had another amazing winter on Arran. Take care, love to Skye 🚐❤️🐾
Thankyou ❤xx
A very cheery ending to your videos 😊😊
Hope you can get your heater fixed. Some grand scenery.
Another great film! The A712 Queens Way is one of my favourite drives in Scotland, so much to see on route, Goats, Red Deer, Clateringshaws Loch. Raiders Road is wonderful especially Otter Pools. Love your channel, always look forward to new episodes.
The Raiders Road is still shut in May! Missed it again. No deer at the feeding point either 🤷
Sorry to hear about your diesel heater, hope you get it sorted.
Hi Carol and Ken. I enjoyed your videos through Scotland. I was in the Galloway area years ago. Your video brought back happy memories of that time. Safe travels, cheers.
Glad to bring back some memories for you 🙂👍
Hari Om
Yes, D&G has so much to offer - do look up the Explore The Biosphere project setup between South Ayrshire and Galloway - lots to entice! YAM xx
Lovely video. Should beautiful scenery I love Scotland. X
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Great to see you both out shaking down the van and listing all the snags that need ironing out, after all, that's what a shake down trip is all about 👍
Absolutely 👍
Sois, de lo mejor, un fuerte abrazo para los dos, y mil gracias como siempre por acernos tan felices con buestros videos.
Gracias por el encantador comentario. Encantado de que ambos disfruten de los videos.
Dumfries and Galloway is pretty much our second home, being an easy trip with the dogs from the Yorkshire Dales.
There's a great micro brewery at the bottom of Castle Douglas high street you should call into the next time you visit - Sulwath Brewers, in a little courtyard.
Thanks for the tip 🙂👍
We had a Peugeot boxer with brake on right - a long stretch. We used the brake lever extender on that and worked really well, it just went over the existing handle and tightened up with a lever for the button. Made it easier x
Did you have any worries about accidental release due to the extender?
Glad you have got your heater sorted, looking forward to exploring southern Scotland, we've historically driven through on the way north on a time limited holiday. Castle Douglas looks a lovely town. Your campervan looks so cosy in relaxing mode. Looking forward to seeing you with the awning out and using the outdoors when the weather allows 😄🚐xxx
Dumfries and Galloway is well worth a holiday. We had a great time 🙂❤️
Another fantastic video. Dumfries And Galloway is one of my favourites areas of Scotland to visit. The goats were fab too. I hope you get the heater fixed and are much warmer on your next trip.
Glad you enjoyed it
Lovely Vlogs……Dumfries and Galloway is a hidden Gem…….Most people bypass it on the way north to Glasgow and beyond…The coastal area from Dumfries to Stranraer is magnificent….and quiet.
We have been and done that since then. It is well worth it 👍
What a LIFE both of you have, super jealous, would love to do this when I retire.
We can thoroughly recommend it 🙂👍
Lovely video, sharing all the different climates, scenery and meals.. good for you Carol, getting to drive the new motor home!!! Certainly hope you get the faulty heating system put in order, we'll hear about it in the next video????
Thanks Diana. We’ll let you know what happens to the heater 🙂👍 x
A very brief visit to Harrogate (my home town). Parking is its only problem. There was a "park & ride" facility proposed many years ago, but plans changed & houses were built instead. More people. Less infrastructure = No parking.
We will return but get there early next time. I also have the skills to park in small places now 😁👍
Beautiful scenery.Hope you get the diesel heater.Sorted soon have a great weekend.😊
Thanks, you too!
Hi Carol & Ken. Enjoying all your videos. Adz Ventures had the same heater problem when he was in the Arctic. Hope you get it sorted although summer finally appears to be on the way at last 😎
Yes we were watching it thinking we knew what he was going through 😁👍
We have a diesel heater,are motorhome, its a webasto and its a art to get use to one but when you do it will fall in to place and be 2nd nature,like every thing new it just takes getting use to
Loved seeing this part of Scotland. Bilton Park, between Knaresborough and Harrogate is well worth a look if you are staying that way again.
Thanks for the tip
I love your love of food. Comfort homely grub yes
I think about food far more than I should Willie 😁👍
Another terrific video, I hope you were able to get the heater fixed.
The goats were adorable! Funny how they won’t eat the carrots on the ground.
We have been binge watching your videos all week!! :)
Very picky about their food those goats 😁👍. Thanks for the binge watch TH-cam loves that and recommends us more ❤️
@@LifeistooshortCK apparently they are very picky lol. 🐐
We go through a whole playlist at a time. I love that we can do that. 😊
Goats will eat everything, usually not what you want them to eat, socks, clothing, memory cards. Hope the heater problem is plain sailing.
Love the music with today's vid, do you know what it is?
Hi Guys, you have visited our favourite county, so much so that we have just had our offer accepted on a cottage in Dalbeattie so we can live in Scotland . Can you give us your Haggis lasagna recipe please 😋😋😋😋😋😋
Not my recipe just bought it from Hendersons in Castle Douglas. We have met a few people who have moved to the area 👍
Haggis Lasagna sounds "interesting" . 😀😆😉
Love watching ypur travels, we tour scotland yearly as dumfries is my husbands home.
Sounds great! A lovely area for touring ❤️
As recent subscribers weve thoroughly enjoyed watching your trip up north. If youve never followed the coast round to the Mull of Galloway and up as far as Ayr and Culzean Castle we can thoroughly recommend it, the scenery is spectacular. We're caravanners ourselves (sorry😂) but your camper looks great, very cosy, hope you get your heater sorted. Looking forward to more.
Thanks for subscribing. There will be more to come from Dumfries and Galloway in a future series that we have just been back to film. We enjoyed our caravan trips too 😀👍
Hi from ayrshire love your videos, warmest wishes Lynette 🤗🥰
Hi Lynette. We made it into Ayrshire on our second trip up to Scotland 🙂
Hi I fitted a hand brake extender produced by Rare Spares, found on Amazon. It does take a bit of getting use to. I run Peugeot Boxer Motorhome which is fitted with a 2 second delay on the hand brake mechanism, this helps with hill starts. Check if your van does the same. I was in fact using the hand brake when I didn’t need to! Hope this helps
Cheers Graham 👍
Another great one. Hope that heater gets sorted. Is it only the winter months these things play up.
Consort soon fixed it 👍
Hi Carol and Ken Another good one you visited one of our favourite places, Castle Douglas. In my desk drawer is a receipt dated 29 7 95 for £56.60 for B and B at The Imperial Hotel which you walked past on King St. Been a bit of a traumatic 10 days by the sea recently as my wife Jenny has been into Hospital twice in 10 days.Jenny is recovering at home and we are looking forward to doing nothing for the next week or so! Kind Regards Crawford
We are sorry to hear that Jenny has been in hospital Crawford. Please give her our love and we wish her a speedy recovery. Doing nothing and focussing on getting better is a sound plan ❤️
I used to tilt the near side mirror down so you can see how far you are from the curbside, I went from a small car to a larger and found it useful 😊
Yes seeing the kerb is important especially if you need to hug the edge of the road to get past
Great episode but so sorry that your heater failed. I’m sure by now that all is sorted. Carol, well done on your driving and I’m positive you will get to enjoy the experience when you relax and the shoulder pains will go away. I used to be like that when I first learned to drive a car many years ago. Bye for now.
All fixed now 👍. Very true, time makes most stuff easier
Well done Carol, it can’t have been easy driving a van that you aren’t used to whilst being filmed.
I know your diesel heater will probably be different to the normal blown air heaters but it wouldn’t surprise me if the burners behave very similar. When used for long periods on low they can get a soot build up in the burn chamber. I have found running on full for a while helps clear the soot.
I bet you are right on that heater. We will be doing regular full power burns going forwards to try and make sure it keeps clear 👍
Ken that goat loved you look at hose eyes gazing at you ❤
I am the goat whisperer, they are putty in my hands 😁👍
Quite fancy that haggis lasagna! Enjoying Scotland with you, love the new van .( apart from the heater)
We love haggis and its worth a try👍
Never thought I’d like it but had it for breakfast in Edinburgh and it was delicious, a bit like a white clonakilty pudding imho. Loved Edinburgh btw.
Well done Carol keep it up ….looks a lovely part of Scotland that we have also yet to explore
Frustrating when technology fails with no logic ….
Thanks for sharing real vanlife
Thanks for watching ❤️👍
You had good weather Carol and Ken.It always makes the day better.A bit of a nuisance about the heating but it's best to get all the niggles at the start so you're still under warranty! I enjoyed the scenery very much and I saw a bird but couldn't make out what it was.So I believe you that it was a bird of prey but not a golden eagle!Safe travels.See you on the next.
I am sure it was a Pterodactyl but the BBC won’t touch it 😁👍
@@LifeistooshortCK 🤣
Lots of stuff on t'internet about Trauma, sorry Truma, diesel heaters being PITAs.
My Autoterm diesel heater is a belter. You are reminded by the digital display to run it on high for 20 minutes every now and then.
I had it fitted at their place near Wrexham. First rate service.
That reminder is very useful. I will be giving ours a good run every now and then 👍
Haggis lasagne sounds blimmin' marvellous! #omnomnom
It was pretty good 👍 😋
Guys ,, you should see Wanlockhead,, Scotland highest village,, the leadhills lot of interest there good for parking at mennock pass ,, love the videos guys❤
Thanks for the tips. We will be going back 🙂👍
Beautiful area in between the Mountains
Cheers to you two. Not much coverage on having a shower. Wondering on frequency and feeling satisfied.
The shower works fine but we don’t use it much as we conserve water to remain off grid. We have a 100 litre fresh tank. We seem to have settled into a routine of spending one night a week on a CL site. When we arrive we refill the water and use the shower as if we are at home. The rest of the week we just flannel wash. The shower is tight but very useable and the diesel heater produces plenty of hot water for two good long showers.
Lovely video ,trouble is ,Ken ,in the job,we drove all manner of vehicles ,long , short etc.etc.which makes it easier ,enjoy
Agreed. And we worked with some exceptional drivers who knew how to use them to the max. 👍
Enjoyed your video, I have pulled my back I lifted something I was told not too, but did it anyway now am suffering.
See the brain says I can do it and the body says sod off 😅.
I hate driving in the dark so you ent the only one
Take care X X X
You too, Susan. Hope the back heals soon ❤️
HAGGIS; I've a wee drop of Scotish blood, so your trades are interesting, such a wee drop, had to educate myself on "haggis", even listened to Burn, ode to
"TRAPES " not trades, twas a computer ill correction 😮
Great video, was thinking about a Truma combined water/heater, however quite a few youtubers seem to have problems with them. Looking forward to next video and glad you liked the Haggis :-) J
The heater problem was soon fixed. I think the newer models are more reliable 🙂
I always wondered about Truma diesel heaters. People seem to have to take apart those Chinese diesel heaters and clean the soot from them occasionally. Let us know what your camper builder says about the heater. Safe travels, Kevin.
Some of the early models developed issues and others were fine. Luck of the draw. They do need cleaning as they get older. When the Truma is working its nice to use 👍
We brought our fiat Ducati and it was fitted with a handbrake extension. Saves a lot of leaning over and down.
Yes, we need to try and get one 👍
A busy video this time. Seems you accomplished lots of travel. I’m not sure I’d like a haggis lasagna……. I sure hope the heater situation is cleared up. And , Carol, you did great driving. Mary
Heater is fixed 👍
It was such a shame you had to cut that trip short, but I'm so glad you came back. If only to see the real and much more impressive Bruce's stone 😉 x
And to meet you and Nick 😁❤️👍
Absolutely! I walked down to the visitor centre today and was really disappointed not to find you in there 😄💕
What we're the Scottish pies like? I parked on that road over the jubilee weekend. Went late afternoon no problem with a spot but the next day I was totally blocked in. Nice Park there to walk around too.
The Scottish pies from Henderson’s in Castle Douglas are the best ones we’ve had 🙂👍
Hi Ken hope you sort the heater problem. Looks like exhaust outlet higher than the boiler or a bend trapping condensation in the pipe creating that steam causing boiler to shut down exhaust s normally face down . Could be wrong but worth a look.
Thanks Kevin 🙂👍
That truma heater appears problematic, my van has a webasto diesel heater and has been faultless, i just hope you manage to get it sorted with a problem free model 😊
We were going to have a Webasto in our Bilbo’s campervan. We have heard they are very good. The Truma is all fixed now 👍🙂
No we didn’t as it was still quite stiff to squeeze the button sand it didn’t rise the the handbrake above the seat level
Good to know, thanks 👍
Loved it. As always. Xx
Hello you two, sorry for the late reaction, the ride was lovely, those clouds are sometimes more beautiful than the sunny days.
I have been building the last bits in my van. I hope you don't mind me asking, is it ok to keep all the windows closed at night, my micro-camper is about the size of your little red.
Well we often kept all of ours closed. As long as you have a carbon monoxide alarm you will be fine. Condensation will be higher. We let that collect on the windows 👍
@@LifeistooshortCK Thanks very much for the input, I have the alarms for both CM and fire installed.
The biggest problem I've heard about with your heater is people running them on low all the time. It's better to run them on high for shorter periods of time so they don't gum up.
This one was faulty in the end but I agree they probably do need some welly every now and again 👍