Zoë Bowyer

We camped on Rathlin Island on Saturday night. Unfortunately the good weather ended while we were there and it rained and rained through the night.

We managed to get the tent put up just before the rain started, then we went out for dinner from the chip van and went for a couple of pints. Gracie came with us and lay under the table in the bar. She wasn’t the only dog there, but she sure was the rowdiest! One wee Jack Russell was tied to the leg of a bar stool and when her owner got up to the bar she followed him dragging the stool behind her.

I didn’t really sleep much that night. Our camp was on a slight slope and I kept rolling down to the bottom of the tent. The only good thing was that Gracie is just the perfect size for snuggling inside a sleeping bag, she takes up hardly any room.

On Sunday I made a breakfast of scrambled eggs and wheaten bread, we then broke camp and headed off on a walk to the RSPB viewpoint at the West Lighthouse. I wanted to catch the bus part of the way and D wanted to walk the whole way. He won as the bus drove past us without stopping (I think the driver didn’t like the look of Gracie).

Given the great weather we had last week I wasn’t really prepared for heavy rain, wind and cold on our trip. I was glad we were only camping one night! Next time we will pick a better camping spot and I will bring my woolie hat and gloves.