I've really enjoyed sharing this series of posts about my North Coast 500 honeymoon adventure, they have been a great way to reflect on a trip of a lifetime and the first one Martyn and I had as a married couple. This post will be the last in the series and I think I've saved the best until last. What can beat the sight of a Scottish castle in a loch and an industrial engineering marvel?!

As our Scottish honeymoon drew to a close we started to make our way back south after reaching some of the most remote locations on the Scottish north coast. We broke our journey up with pit stops at Kyle of Lochalsh, Fort William and the Lake District before heading back home to Wales.

After a long drive from Thurso to Kyle of Lochalsh we spent the night at Reraig Caravan Site. We loved this small site and the facilities were completely spotless and had everything we needed. This was very welcome after more basic facilities on the north coast. The campsite is perfect for those planning on heading to the Isle of Skye the next day and is just a five minute drive from the magnificent Eilean Donan Castle. I first spotted this castle on our way to Gairloch earlier in the trip and I'm so glad we were able to stop there on the return journey. You can easily see why is is one of the most photographed locations in Scotland. 

The first incarnation of the castle was built in the 13th century during the reign of the Scottish King Alexander II. Initially, nearly the whole island was contained by a wall and houses a substantial main keep and towers to keep an eye out for any invading Vikings. The waters around the castle are shallow and potential attackers would have to wade over to the island leaving their armour weighed down with water. 

During the medieval period the Highlands and Islands of Scotland were rife with clan feuds and the  strategic position Eilean Donan meant it was a constant target and during the 17th century, the castle was briefly held by a Parliamentarian garrison before passing back into Royalist hands. 

When the the British Government learned that the castle was occupied by Jacobite leaders and Spanish soldiers, three Royal Navy boats were sent to deal with the uprising. The tried to bombard the castle with cannons but the thick walls meant this had little impact. The government forces took the castle by force and once inside discovered barrels of gunpowder and blew the castle up. Eilean Donan then lay in ruin for nearly two hundred years. The castle was not rebuilt until 1932. 

Simply stunning! I don't think I've ever seen such a picturesque sight. I recommend heading to the castle easily because it can become completely overrun by tourists. When we were there an American tourist was dressed as a princess and having a full on Disney style photoshoot outside the castle...  

After ten days of driving on single track roads for hours each day we decided to take it easy and spend the night at the Glen Nevis Caravan park near Fort William which we had previously stayed at when we visited Glen Coe earlier in the trip. We had a quiet evening with fish and chips and reading in the campervan. The large supermarkets in Fort William meant we could stock up on supplies and get some cheap diesel for the long drive back home. 

The journey south was broken up by an overnight stop just outside Keswick at the Scotgate Holiday Park. The site is ideal for camping all year round with it's tea rooms and facilities with underfloor heating. The majority of touring pitches have a shared tap between 2 pitches, electric hook-up, grey waste water disposal, tv aerial socket and hardstanding. We only had time to briefly stroll around Keswick but we loved how dog friendly everything is there. It made a nice change to be able to take Coco in a shop rather than one of us waiting outside. 

Two railway workers like myself and Martyn couldn't visit the Cumbria/North Yorkshire area without visiting the Ribblehead Viaduct. 

Ribblehead viaduct is the most impressive structure on the Settle-Carlisle Railway. The viaduct has 24 massive stone arches 104 feet above the moor. The viaduct is mighty but came at a cost. Hundreds of navvies lost their lives building the line due to poor working conditions and outbreaks of disease in the camps they lived in. Passenger and freight services still go over the viaduct. Taking in the beautiful scenery and gazing up at the viaduct was a wonderful way to end our honeymoon adventure. 

We really did have the best time in Scotland and I would love to return because there is so much we simply didn't have time to see. I would recommend giving yourself at two weeks to fully experience the North Coast 500 like we did, especially if you have to travel up to Scotland from the South West.

As previously mentioned we toured this route in a VW campervan which we hired from Morning VW Camper Hire in Newport. This was an ideal way to get about and saved a lot of time compared to pitching up in a tent but it did come with a hefty price tag. Lots of campsites had glamping pods and there are plenty of B&Bs along the route so touring with a campervan or tent aren't the only options.  To find out more about the route head over to the VisitScotland site. 

If you want your own North Coast 500 adventure you can follow our itinerary here.

I must admit that my underwear drawer is in a sorry state at the moment. I was so busy with the wedding last year and it's been a busy year in work so far, underwear shopping is really low on my to-do list. I know you are supposed to hand wash and air dry underwear but I'm too busy (watching Netflix) to do this and chuck it all in the washing machine which is not good for the elastic. 

UK Lingerie came to rescue me from greying, saggy underwear and sent a couple of classic items to try out. What really holds the key to a well polished outfit is what you wear underneath and the items I was sent really do help me create a sophisticated silhouette. 

So many of my bras are now out of shape with bands that aren't firm enough to hold me in place. Wearing the Sculptress bra was like a breath of fresh air. The Panache Sculptress range is created with the fuller bust in mind and all items are for a D cup or above. This focus on a fuller cup means they are designed perfectly with wide straps that don't dig in and multiple panels to create a lift and separation which you don't find in budget bras. 

This particular design has full coverage and support, but as the upper half is sheer with a pretty polka dot design it feels feminine and delicate despite being a piece of heavy engineering designed to keep you in place. It's both comfortable and supportive and gives my back a much needed break as being top heavy means I often suffer with back ache.

I highly recommend the Sculptresse by Panache Candi Full Cup Bra. This underwired full cup bra offers a great shape and design. I would consider sizing up as the band is quite tight but other than that I can't really find a fault. 

I must admit that in the past I've not been a fan of shapewear. It can be uncomfortable, stuffy and makes it so difficult to go to the toilet. I'm also not too keen on trying to cover up perceived faults or 'problem areas' but I do like a smooth line under my clothes and vpl is a big no-no for me. 

The High Power Panties by Spanx are nothing like previous shapewear I've owned and are light, comfortable and breathable enough to wear all day as regular underwear. They are even easy to get off and on, no more wrestling with your undies in the toilet cubicle or trying to figure out how to wee through the hole. (The things we go through, ey?)


The waistband sits directly under your bra and the panties are long enough for my 5ft6 frame and would stretch further. The non slip band inside is genius and means they don't roll down and get tangled in my tights. Hurrah! The high waistband also means there's no fat trying to escape over the top and the material feels more like tights than traditional Spanx so you stay nice and cool throughout the day.

 

The Celtic Manor is a five star luxury travel destination which is just a short drive from my house. Obama stayed there during the NATO summit hosted in the UK a few years ago (super fancy) and I have visited the resort previously for an afternoon tea and a spa treatment. 

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to attend the launch of The Mulberry Bar which is the latest  addition to the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. The Celtic Manor hope the new bar will be an exclusive stop off for a pre-dinner cocktail, the perfect spot for an evening hideaway, or the ideal excuse for a glass of champagne for those staying at the resort. 

The bar is hidden away from the main atrium of the hotel and has a plush décor, subtle lighting and comfy corners to settle into and enjoy a tipple or two.  When we arrived my friend and I were greeted by friendly and knowledgable staff who proceeded to explain the variety of drinks on offer from Champagne and gin to creative cocktails, made the bar's mixology experts. 

The drinks we enjoyed were not your high street pre-mixed affair, these cocktails all had an element of performance and drama. 

The first drink we tried was the house special - a Mulberry Spritz. The drink contained vodka infused mulberries, mulberry jam, Blackberry Pimm’s, a hint of elderflower and wine which was added to the mix by being poured through the ice cuvée. This was delicious and light and I could easily have had three. 

I loved the spritz but the champagne cocktail, the Candy Floss Royal was equally as tasty. It came served with a fluffy cloud of pink candy floss in a martini glass, which melts when you pour over the dessert wine and champagne mix revealing strawberries underneath. I was worried this drink would be too sweet but it was just right. 

One drink I would love to return to try is the Tom Collins which comes served with laughing gas!

I was really impressed with the extensive list of spirits available at the bar including Welsh and Japanese whiskey but as a gin lover the sight of the well stocked gin cart made me very excited indeed. They had a selection of gins from all over the world which included my all time favourite Rock Rose gin from the Scottish highlands. 

The staff took the time to explain all the different gins to us and were able to recommend the perfect gin and tonic combinations based on our tastes and I tried the really unique Gabriel Boudier Saffron Gin. This French gin is handcrafted in small batches only being made from the finest botanicals including saffron, one of the most expensive botanicals on the planet. The amber colour of the gin was really eye catching and the main taste was still juniper and I'm glad the saffron was a more subtle taste and scent and wasn't too overbearing. This would be perfect paired with a classic Indian tonic water and orange peel. 

I really enjoyed my evening at the new Mulberry Bar and would definitely return for a special occasion. A visit wouldn't be a regular occurrence as these cocktails are certainly not 2 for £10 but I wouldn't mind splashing out and treating myself to delicious drinks, in relaxed surroundings all whilst being accompanied by a pianist that formerly performed at the Dorchester.

*Our drinks were complimentary in return for an honest review. All words and thought are my own. 

I had originally wanted an outdoorsy, forest or seaside wedding but anything coastal seemed to come at a premium and getting all my friends and family to a rural location would have been a logistical nightmare. Options closer to home seemed to consist of barns or conference rooms in hotels and neither of those really appealed to me. I started to be come frustrated with the process of finding venues but when I discovered you could have a Sunday ceremony in the National Museum Cardiff my mind focussed on a city wedding with a laid back feel.  (Notice there are a lot of I's there? Martyn is extremely relaxed and let me get on with planning but looked after the transport and liaising with some of the vendors)

We were so lucky to find Chapel 1877 for our wedding reception venue. It is a converted former chapel which is now a restaurant and bar in the heart of Cardiff.  It was an ideal location as it was only 5 minutes away from our ceremony venue and close to hotels for guests that were staying in the city after the reception. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff at Chapel 1877. The team did flowers for the tables, place settings and decorated everything for us. They added extra vegan and vegetarian options to the menu and offered a great value package as we got married outside the peak wedding season and on a Sunday. 

I hit a wedding decoration jackpot in TK Maxx. I found a huge selection of decorations from brands like Ginger Ray in my colour scheme and bought the lot including paper fans and table confetti. As the venue was so ornate I kept decorations simple which meant no last minute DIY decoration stress. I was going to attempt to make my own seating plan but my handwriting is a messy scrawl and I'm not particularly crafty so Lumi event designs were called in at the last minute to create a modern acrylic seating plan which I thought complimented the surroundings.  

After an emotional wedding ceremony, panic about the traffic and a drawn out build up to a 5pm ceremony I had a bit of a crash at the reception. Martyn and I had our meal in a booth on our own and I really valued this time together. I felt incredibly drained and tired during the meal and like I was being pulled in all directions with my mad nan trying to take photos of me once we headed to the bar area after the meal. A quick five minutes alone outside to cool down, have an espresso martini and compose myself made the world of difference and I was able to relax and get into the party mood. 

Our first dance was to The Ramones - Baby, I love you, which we listened to on our long drives to Austria for our holidays and reminded us of our trip to The Ramones museum during our trip to Berlin.

By the time the meal was over, we had cut the cake and had our first dance it was nearly 9.30pm. The whole evening passed by in a flash and is a blur of espresso martinis, cake, a GLC singalong and dancing. I feel truly lucky that Martyn and I were able to have such a perfect day with all of our favourite people. It's a bit of a cliche but the whole day went far too quickly, I barely had time to speak to all the guests and it was exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable.

Venue - Chapel 1877 | Cake - Cardiff Cakery | Cheese - Cheese Pantry

Table Plan - Lumi Event Design | Sweet jars - Home Bargains | Sweet bags - eBay

Vegan cupcakes & doughnuts - Blanche Bakery | Magic Mirror and Love lights - iDoo 

The Ceremony

Post-Wedding Blues

Honeymoon