MAY THE FORTH BE WITH YOU

A day of rain, spray and sunshine.  We set off about 8.40 this morning on the pouring rain.  No problems on the roads though, apart from the spray of course, but that was to be expected.  All the way up the M6 it was pretty drizzly.  We always like to stop at the Todhills Rest Area as there is a Costa coffee shop there and it's quite small compared to the service stations.  However we pulled in there today and it wa all shut up!!!! Their website doesn't say it's shut but it was boarded up and there was fencing all round the Costa car park!!!!  So we plodded on and just stopped up the road at the Gretna services.

Just coffee, croissant and a convenient break.  Then swapped over drivers - I had driven up until then, Hubby now took over.

It wasn't raining at  Gretna but just up the road it  was and it was pretty dreich all the way to the A702 (The Clyde  Valley).  We always like to go this way as it's a pleasant generally fairly quiet route, as indeed it was today.  Not far along that route the rain stopped, pretty cloudy but there was some blue sky.

We stopped of at The Steadings pub for lunch and a quick meet up with G (who popped over by Taxi).  Talked about meeting him next Thursday to pick him up at that very spot.  

The Steadings was incredibly busy and we just managed to get the last unreserved table - phew.  Chatting to the baman he said it's been like that for a few months now, every single lunch time - best to book a table.  Apparently there are a couple of nearby places that have  closed due to the staffing shortage and indeed they were rushed off their feet and are short staffed themselves.

We thought this meant we were in for a wait, not that it mattered, but we weren't, so all was good.

We then said farewell to G. The journey over to The Queensferry Crossing to  Fife was good - but as soon as we got the other side of the bridge - the drizzle started again!!!!

Still no matter we are here now, checked into a Premier Inn and have settled down for the day.  Will go down to the restaurant for lunch this  evening and then find out what we are doing tomorrow.

That is all from me for today - do take care and stay safe and I will see  you all tomorrow.