Ardtoe (Day 2)

There were four other vans with Marge last night and like us their owners all had a road map of Scotland either on the dashboard or table. There's something about a map. Our one is dog eared from our daily use. An early night last night, in bed before ten. Relax Marge we're here for two nights.

This morning the weather was settled and quite mild. We sat with Marge's side door open bringing the outside in. Across the bay the early morning sun slowly slid down the mountain. The wind was light and the weather looked set to be good for taking out our pack rafts.

This was Angela's first time in a pack raft. Happy with its stability all was fine. We paddled out and around to the next cove conscious that the rocks were just below us in places. The water was clear and a mosaic of coloured shells shone back at us. After an hour we returned to shore. The wind off shore was a little stronger than we expected. However it had been an enjoyable paddle. As we arrived back at the beach we could see Marge watching us from her enviable parking position with small side garden and probably thinking, Oh God they're back already. 

The couple in the van opposite us are staying a second night as well. They moved to Scotland last year, after buying a piece of land just below Oban and building their own house. The man was working whilst away and walked off to find a mobile phone signal. Good luck with that, see you in a few hours, which we did. He'd found a faint signal and been cut off mid call. The saying is you don't come to Scotland for the weather, it should be you don't come to Scotland if you want a mobile phone signal. 

After lunch we took a walk up the lane re-visiting the monster midge. On the way back the weather began to change. Back at Marge we sat and watched as a curtain of rain came across the bay. All our clothing from our pack raft outing was drying on the fence behind the van. Sorry Marge make room for us and our drying garments. Thank goodness Marge has a shower room. 

Just before 6 pm a very large six wheeled motorhome arrived about thirty feet long complete with air conditioning unit. You wont need that here we could hear Marge say. If ever there was a van that is normally in Spain at this time of the year it was this one. After some back and forth it was finally parked. Size obviously mattered to this couple. The entertainment didn't end there. A bin was put outside the door and through the window we could see the woman operating a full sized upright vacuum cleaner running of van's the leisure battery. The husband then proceeded to brush out two small dog baskets outside. We almost expected them to begin shampooing the upholstery and carpets and cleaning the windows. Don't be jealous Marge there's nothing wrong with a daily brush out and a pat down. We'd never ever seen the likes of it before. Angela loved these people they made great material for her blog.

After our curry this evening the rain gone, we walked down to the beach. Hearing voices behind a large group of rocks we discovered three people drinking gin and tonic. Very civilised. The older gentleman had been holidaying at Ardtoe since the 1970's when as a young man he used to camp here. Now every year he and the family rent a small cottage just down near the beach. We spent a while chatting to them before the fading light and midges drove us back to our humble abodes. Marge seemed a little miserable with steamed up windows from our drying clothes, whilst the big van sat next to her gleaming inside and out. We were surprised whilst we'd been away pot plants hadn't been arranged outside the door of it. We're sure if the weather had been fine there would have been chairs and a table and probably a parasol.

Tomorrow we will move on. Hopefully the weather forecast we saw a few days ago is wrong and we will not have too much rain ahead of us. If we're lucky we may even stumble across a phone signal.

Ardtoe

This morning the tide was in filling the bay. Two woman went in for an early morning swim. Sensing the waking of humans a herd of deer in a nearby field exited into the nearby woods. The early morning sun cast a long shadow over the yellowing grass in front of Marge tempting us to stay. But we had to set off to Ardtoe on the Ardnamurchan peninsula as the weather forecast for the next two days was fine with light winds, and as our reason for going there was kayaking we had to take advantage of the settled conditions. We were saddened to be leaving Mull, however leave we must. We were glad we'd added Mull to our itinerary. It had given us a taste for visiting some of the other islands. 

As Marge drove the narrow winding road back to Tobermory with ease she met a lady in a car who thought she should have right of way and that Marge should reverse uphill to a passing place. No way said Marge, are you having a laugh. Take your small car and reverse it back a few feet please. After a bit of a stand off she did reverse, at top speed, swinging the rear of her car into someones driveway taking out their three wheelie bins. Temper, temper thought Marge, you only had to pull over slightly. We were in good time for our ferry to Kilchoan so stopped briefly to use the facilities at the aquarium. Information for van owners, they have eight showers in this new purpose built facility at a cost of £2.00. Also a washing machine. The ferry was fifteen minutes late arriving but we didn't mind, Mull had really captured us and we wanted to savour every last moment.

Upon our arrival at Kilchoan we drove to the first available campsite. Levels were high in our loo and where we were headed there were no emptying facilities. Job done and money in the honesty box we began our drive across the peninsula. The weather was kind and the drive pretty. More narrow roads, but Marge is not fazed anymore and took them with ease. Despite it being such a lovely day wind gnarled bushes reminded us that sometimes the weather could be harsh. 

We arrived at Ardtoe in time for a late lunch, suprised at just how many vans were here. The man in the van next to us said it was a shame that most people didn't know how to drive them.

Within five minutes there was a crunch as a very large van reversed out off the parking area and caught a large rock at the side of the road. Our £5.00 put through the letterbox of the adjacent fishermans hut we took a walk on the beach. The tide was turning exposing a variety of seashells. John collected four cockles, but couldn't find enough to make a meal. 

Steaks on our grill tonight as we watched the light fade over the mountains. The couple next to us have been visiting Scotland for many years and they suggested some places we should visit and stay. So our plans for our onward journey have changed slightly, not that we ever keep to them anyway. 

No sunset tonight. The tide is off shore and all is quiet. The midges are biting. They don't annoy us too much but the Scottish people here are holed up in their vans. Tomorrow morning we will kayak out and around to the other bays. Hopefully we will see some seals.   

Calgary Bay

We woke this morning in yet another beautiful spot. The sun lit the island of Eorsa opposite highlighting the rocks and their green velvet covering. Nearby the sheep roamed, uninterested in Marge. The air felt pure, and we felt in touch with nature. 

Today we were off to Tobermory to meet up with John's cousin and her husband who we hadn't seen for a number of years. We took a drive alongside Loch na Keal, stunted oak trees providing a canopy over the road. At Salen bay the road ran alongside the Sound of Mull and the first time since arriving the traffic was heavier, especially as the road opened up into two lanes on the approach toTobermory.

Our rendevous point was Mac Gochans restaurant by the harbour. We found a suitable place to park Marge, photographed the coloured houses across the water and walked across to the restaurant. It's been a difficult year for families and we greeted each other warmly. Over a light lunch we talked of passed times and caught up on recent events. The time passed quickly and before we knew it we were bidding our farewells. The visitors were an annoyance to John's cousin. Well that's what we are, we said. No you're family, that's different.

Before we left town we walked around the shops, buying a rucksack for John and some supplies from the co-op, the big supermarket on the island. Big it certainly wasn't, and we wondered how the local people managed to shop with so many visitors in town stripping the shelves, us included which we felt a little guilty about. 

Marge refulled, we took a narrow steep road out of the town towards Calgary Bay. Not just steep but winding. The many switchback bends were a challenge but Marge took them in her stride even when she met two oncoming vehicles on one of them. Nearing our destination we saw four large birds high in the sky, we think they were probably eagles.

After nearly an hours drive we arrived at the bay. Beautiful. A large expanse of white sand stretched before us. Marge sorted, we took a walk along it. This was to be our last evening on Mull and we wanted make some last memories.

Tomorrow we will take the ferry to Ardnamurchan to return to a small beach we discovered last year. We will probably stay two or three days. There is no signal there, and in some ways you feel the better for it. 

We have enjoyed our time on Mull and will leave with very fond memories. Meanwhile we look forward to waking up to yet another stunning view tomorrow. 

Loch Na Keal

We were up early this morning ready to leave in good time for Fionnphort where we would catch a ferry to Iona.  Most of our fellow campers were up early as well, including the man in the tent next to us, who asked John if he could supply him with a detailed weather forecast before he began erecting his tent yesterday. Not really, signal here on Mull is terrible, and when we do get some weather is not top of the list. This is Scotland, it may rain. As we left we stopped at the cafe to use the outside toilet. The lady who ran the cafe was concerned we would empty our toilet in it, but we would not, we know the etiquette. She informed us that some people empty theirs into the loch. Come on, have some respect! They are probably the same people that she told us chased the Otters. We say, if you're these people, please stay at home! 

The drive to Fionnphort was beautiful. The scenery stunning, real life pictures of a coffee table book of Scotland. Our early start paid off, and after packing some lunch we caught the 11.45 am ferry to Iona which was just a ten minute crossing away.

The first four minutes of the crossing consisted of a safety announcement which began 'in the unlikely event', by the time it had finished we were ready to man the lifeboats. The weather was bright and clear and from Mull we could clearly see the abbey which dominated the island. We had taken our Brompton bicycles across with us, so on arrival pedalled along the road which passed by the abbey to the white sandy beaches we'd seen from the ferry.

Here we sat and ate our lunch taking in the views towards Staffa and the Treshnish islands. After lunch we walked between the coves. At one, a man in his sixties photographed his 'young bride' in a very skimpy white bikini as she posed against the rocks and in the sea. Is that dental floss she's wearing, asked John. Looking around you could sense all the other women saying, real women don't look like that. Good job Marge wasn't with us, she would have had something to say. 

Returning to the ferry we stopped at a small chapel next to the Abbey.

It was the oldest building on Iona, built in 1100. In the graveyard was the grave of the labour politician John Smith.

Then we stopped at the old nunnery. A large ruined building, beautiful in its own way. Then a quick hot drink bought at the craft shop before boarding the three o' clock ferry.

We couldn't believe it, we'd been on the tiny island of Iona for three hours. Footfall on the island was quite light, but judging by the amount of coach parking we couldn't imagine what it must be like in the height of a normal summer, with visitors from abroad. The islanders must be glad when the season ends. The weather has been kind to us today and as the ferry headed back across the view back towards Iona was that of a picture postcard.

Tonight we needed to stay somewhere central on the island as tomorrow we are going to Tobermory. On route to Loch Na Keal we saw a group of vehicles parked at the side of the road alongside Loch Scridain.

A family of otters had been spotted at around 1 pm and they were still about. We could see the three young ones playing in the water just off the rocks. From then on our journey became interesting. We were on an island B road which turned into a helter skelter of a road with a sheer drop on Angela's side and warning signs about rock falls on John's. All around were very large rocks from previous falls. Keep driving Marge. No stop, now we had to negotiaate a cow and her calf. We had to agree it was our most nerve wracking drive so far. 

But the drive was worth it. Marge is settled with two other vans beside the loch overlooking Eorsa, an island of wildlfe. Take a breath everyone. Glass of wine Marge? Our overnight spot is beautiful in its simplicity. And to top it, a fantastic sunset, our first of our trip. It has been a long day, but a good day. Don't you agree Marge?