We went to Scotland, It rained. I saw 2 golden eagles and rain, 2 porpoise or dolphins and rain, 4 greylag geese and rain, Iona Chathedral and rain, We almost saw Fingal's Cave, but only from the back, did see Tobermory (twice in the rain and from the inside of a very nice hotel whilst waiting for the rain to stop). lots of islands and rain, Ben Nevis and snow and rain, the bit where the Caledonian Canal becomes Loch Linnhe and rain. I did not see a sea eagle or a stag or a whale though someone saw an otter someone else saw 1 or 2 gannets, someone saw loads of shags and cormorants and I heard the word puffin but I didn't see it. Of course the were the usual gull suspects - oh yes and rain. When I got home I saw 2 buzzards within an hour of being back. and it wasn't raining., probably why I was able to see them. The one over riding good bit was the rain kept the midges away! Did you know that the Scots count midges? You get a midge kit(?) and every week you report your midges - fun eh!

Would I go back? In the odd moments when the sun poked through (and they were odd) the scenery was stunning - reminded me of home, All mountains and water loads of places to go (oh that we could have seen them) and you would not believe the ability of the shopkeepers to multi-task. We bought wine in the hardware shop and a book in the bait and tackle shop. We had 2 lovely meals ashore, both restaurants with sea views and the food was good too. I did not hear many complaints except of course about the rain and the gale force winds and it was really cold.  What sailing we did was very good and the motoring wasn't bad either.

                     The following account makes

                    references to the chart below

 

Friday - South to Ardfern via (1) Loch Spelve - lunch at anchor - 2 golden eagles - 1 otter -passed (2) Fladda Lighthouse (Fladda means 'flat') on to the Dorus Mor (3). Spent the night at Ardfern Marina (4)in a pub run by English folk, greylag geese and possible siting of a pochard. A really nice meal 

Saturday - Ardfern to Iona (5),Bunessan (6),Tobermory (8) - a few lobster pots and a guillemot or 2, running before the storm for the last 4 hours. We were going to stay at anchor in Bunessan but the weather god intervened.

  Here you will have noticed that I have missed out no: 7 that is because we actually  missed it out. I really wanted to see Fingal's Cave. That is why I have added the music!

Sunday - Tobermoray to Lochaline (9) and a drink in the working men's club. that was the wild life accounted for. Local info: the Co-op does not open until 12:30 on a Sunday so no wine for breakfast. In fact I was unable to buy wine in Dunstaffnage before 10:00 on any day!

Monday  Back to Tobermory, the only port in a storm and the yellow hotel was just fine. - 2 dutchmen in cycling gear via Glasgow from Amsterdam. There must have ben a ferry involved somewhere. What a week to pick to cycle around Scotland. At least we were sort of meant to be wet.

Tuesday North west to Loch Sunart (10) - 2 porpoise  - down the Sound of Mull and over to Kerrera (11) opposite side of the bay to Oban.

Wednesday  down the east side of Kerrera and over to Loch Linnhe so as to circumnavigate the island of Lismore. NOT AN EAGLE IN SIGHT and the sun was shinning.  Dinner in the EE_USK on the town wall in Oban for our last night. I am told that that collection of letters means 'fish' in gaelic and that is what we ate. Very nice it was.

I may wait awhile before I brave it again and the 1000 mile plus round trip to be rained on for a week..