2017 July 8-21 Scotland BLOG
I spent a lovely
thirteen days with Sally and Noel on Kalinka1.
Our travels took us from Glasgow Harbour on the Clyde to Dunstaffnage, a
small town just north of Oban. Our ports
of call and anchorages in between included Rothesay on Bute Island, Tarbert,
Campbelltown (whose very high concrete walls had us turn around and leave), the
island of Gigha (Geeya – six miles
long, two wide), Fairy Isles (a romantic anchorage off Loch Sween , and
Ardfern.
In Glasgow, we had the
wonderful privilege of a tour of the Riverside Museum of Transport. Elspeth Fanjoy had contacted her cousin,
Graham Campbell of Glasgow, to meet with us.
He kindly proffered a bottle of whiskey for Sally & Noel on his
arrival at Kalinka. And then he told us
that he is a guide at the Museum and has been active in this role for some 10+
years. What a bonus for us! We thank you, Graham! The museum included transport vehicles from
steam engines, to cars, to bikes, to baby carriages and the first plane to take
flight….. Perey Pilcher was not
recognized for his achievement because when he tried to attach an engine to his
plane, it failed. And he died a few
weeks before friends succeeded with a repaired engine and actually flew farther
than the Wright Brothers did some twenty years later. Should you visit the museum you will see
walls with many cars hung on them, bicycles and motorcycles ‘flying’ in the
air, many models of ships ‘floating’ by, a street of the 1890’s that has been
replicated with the transportation and shops of the era, steam engines…. One of the very nice features of this museum
and others that I later visited in Edinburgh, were the ‘picnic’ areas for families
to enjoy – bring your own food and drink, and sit on wide window ledges and
benches to take a break with your family.
As we sat in the
cockpit of the boat, we were delighted to see the Waverley pass by. She is a steam paddle boat that still runs excursions
for tourists from Glasgow to Rothesay.
She is a pretty vessel that can quickly reach speeds of 30??? Knots,
leaving quite a wake and rocking our little ship as she passes. We, unfortunately, did not take a ride on
her.
While in Glasgow, we also visited the Tallship, Glenlee, an old
restored vessel that lies just outside the Museum (reflected in the museum
windows in the picture). It was the
landmark that guided me to Kalinka after my journey from Toronto through
Edinburgh to Glasgow although I did have difficulty finding Kalinka as it hid
behind a huge ferry boat moored on the same pontoon as my soon to be
accommodation for the next two weeks. I
took a considerable amount of teasing – ‘Didn’t you see the Canadian flag? The green foresail cover?’ ….
A Hop-on, Hop-off
bus stop was two minutes from the boat so we took it to have a quick look at
Glasgow. We hopped off at stop # 7. In the grand Central Station, we noticed a
man and his two girls carrying a box of Timbits! Needless to say, we headed to Timmy’s very
near the station and had sticky buns and coffee! The Scots seem to enjoy architecture that
includes glorious high glass ceilings. As
in the Central Station, the National Museum in Edinburgh also boasted the most
fantastic five storey high Victorian glass ceiling providing a vast space for
sculptures and an amazing light from an old lighthouse
Our trip down the Clyde and across the Firth of Clyde to Rothesay,
was a motoring event as there was very little wind. The water was calm and the skies
dappled. The river was highly
industrialized, mostly with shipbuilding and cargo moving. Today there are many remnants of old docks
heaps of metal and a very few remaining working boatbuilding
establishments. The shores are beginning
to be developed for public use, but such spots are still few. As we approached Greenoch, we began to see a
little less industrialization, some farm land, housing, a golf course,
hotels. Scots are looking to see such
changes as was indicated by our driver on the bus earlier; he commented that
‘the buildings to the left are an eyesore.
I do hope the restoration occurs quickly as the current situation in not
very pleasant and it brings down the area!’
Rothesay, on Bute Island,
is a quiet little town with a splendid 13th century castle, once a
favourite residence of the Stuart kings.
The town, formerly a holiday destination, lost its custom when it became
so easy to visit the continent. There is
a recent resurgence – perhaps because of Brexit. Other than one sign saying there was a
vacancy at a B’nB, the town seemed somewhat sleepy. Near sunset, we walked around the Rothesay
Castle with seagulls & jackdaws nesting in the walls – now under ongoing
repair and in parts, surrounded by a picturesque moat. During
the day, it is open to visitors.
Our next port of call was Tarbert. To take advantage of the slack tide, we had
an early 0630 start. We had to navigate
around Burnt Islands and chose the very narrow, but shorter north side of the
islands. As the tide began to rise, we could see it clearly against the marks
we passed north of Burnt Islands. The
water was flat calm when we left this morning, so subtle changes to the surface
were easily seen. We rounded the north
end of Bute Island and picked up a little speed as we began to move southeast,
now with the tide. The channel was a
tranquil beautiful spot with many elegant homes and sailboats, not unlike the
Georgian Bay area in Ontario. We
observed several dolphins (including a youngster) and a seal resting on a
rock. It arched its back and later slid
into the water after two kayakers passed by.
…. Our trip took just over 4
hours. There were showers …. a most
welcome occurrence! Dave & Dawn,
Sally and Noel’s friends, joined us for ‘happy hour’ and then we walked to
dinner at Starfish, a very highly
regarded restaurant in the town – it lived up to it’s reputation. We all had fish – I had whitebait, a delicacy
I first enjoyed in Spain when Roger, my first husband & I travelled there
in 1987. The conversation at the table
was interesting and humourous…. a great evening. The
town of Tarbert surrounds the bay. At
one end of the horseshoe is the marina where we moored; at the other end, we
spoke with a fisherman repairing his net, which he said would last two years
with regular use. Colourful fishing
boats were moored near this spot. We
chose not to make the climb up to the castle above the fishing boats. We observed a crane catching its evening meal
at low tide, as we walked back to the boats for an early evening as we
anticipated another early start the next morning in to avoid the ‘weather’
coming in the next afternoon.
And so, at 0500
hours, we – or rather Sally & Noel – rose to set off for Gigha, with a stop at Campbelltown to
pick up fuel for Dave & Dawn Smith.
(S&N kindly let me sleep, or rather just stay in bed, for a bit more
while they prepared and set off – much appreciated!) We arrived in Campbelltown to discover high
concrete walls, suitable for fishing boat mooring and so simply turned around
and continued our journey to Gigha. Don
had enough fuel to get there & Noel had some extra should the situation
become dire. It was a glorious day with
a light breeze and clear blue skies above.
The clouds over the mainland and Arran Island never ventured near
us. Sally and Noel had judged the tides
perfectly; we averaged 6.5-7 knots with an occasional 8 knots. We arrived at Gigha shortly after 1700 hours,
found a mooring ball, tied on, lowered the dinghy, put on the sail cover and
settled with a tasty G&T, and then sampled a very peaty whiskey, an
acquired taste, methinks. Tony & Anne Smith on Crystalyn, friends of mine hosts,
arrived to pick up the last available mooring.
After a tasty dinner, we sat over coffee in the cockpit, then retired
relatively early. After a full Scottish
breakfast (eggs, Irish bacon, fried potatoes with onions, mushrooms, toast
& coffee), Noel put the engine on the dinghy and took it for its first run
this summer – he was a happy camper when all went well. Around noon we took a walk around the town
and checked out the Boathouse, the restaurant where we plan to eat for Sally’s
birthday the next day, July 14th (yes, Bastille Day). With Tony, Anne, Dave & Dawn, we rented
bikes for the day. I was a bit wobbly to
begin – the last time I had ridden was 2 years ago in Norway on the Atlantic
Way – but soon was an ‘expert’, if you want to believe that! At the top of the first hill there was a yert
available to rent was beautifully furnished and had a very pretty garden out
front. The bike began to the north on
mainly a narrow road; we had to pull off the road to let cars pass. Riding downhill was liberating; riding uphill
a challenge – many times a few of us had to dismount and walk up. We passed a few farmhouses, a golf course and
a few beaches with spectacular white sand and clear cold waters. The south end of the island was less
challenging. We turned back at the
Botanical Garden to which we would return the next day. We returned the bikes at about 1700 hours
when it began to spit; by the time everyone arrived at the Boathouse for a
drink it was pouring. Several of us got
soaked, so sitting down for a drink was a perfect respite. Life jackets in the dinghy were soaked;
Kalinka became very damp as we hung up our soaked clothes. Sally made a delicious meal to sooth our
slightly frazzled feeling.
The next day (Sally’s BD) we visited the local cemetery that dates
to the 1800’s and houses WWI Vets and soldiers.
Above the cemetery is an old obam with runes down one corner. Below the cemetery is the Botanical
Garden. The vegetation was huge (giant
rhubarb-like plants, many rhododendrons, lilies, astilbe, camellias and many
whose names I do not know. There is a
walled garden with peacocks protecting it.
The grounds are a part of a Scottish Trust. The islanders arranged a purchase of the
island from the Laird. Many of their
funds were arranged through the Scottish Heritage Foundation. The community is gradually becoming
self-sustaining …. Beginning with the many wind farms they have set up.
We began the evening on Dave & Dawn’s boat with champagne, a
singing of Happy Birthday Sally, and presents before going up to the Boathouse
for the birthday dinner. The meals were
entirely decadent – the food lived up to the reputation of the
establishment. We took a short and
pleasant walk afterward to stave off the feeling of being totally stuffed.
We woke to a
blustery, rainy day with a temperature of ~16 degrees C…. and then the winds
changed direction form SW to W. So Noel
decided we should stay put. We spent the
day reading and puttering until Dave came to get us to join them on their boat,
Crystalyn, for dinner (Anne &
Tony had left very early for Port Ellen – about 20km to the west). We enjoyed a lovely dinner and several game
of UNO. There was a lovely red sky
sunset as we returned to Kalinka for the night.
Sunday morning (July 16th) was breezy and sunny. We sailed in tandem with Dave & Dawn,
from mid-morning all the way north from Gigha to Loch Sween &
Tayvallich. Unfortunately, there were no
moorings available; we made our way up the loch to Sailean Mhor where we found
a pristeen and serene little anchorage, just large enough for two boats, at Fairy Isles. It was 1500 hours. We noticed a young seal briefly poking its
nose out of the water. Dawn inflated her
kayak and took a little trip around the nearby islands; Noel took the dinghy to
do the same. They saw more seals. Sally cooked up a feast on Kalinka. We once again enjoyed the company and good
conversation with Dave & Dawn.
Early Monday
morning (0710) we departed our little secluded paradise and made for Ardfern. It was a glorious morning of sailing in calm
seas on a mostly sunny day. We were on a
broad reach the whole way. Dawn called
ahead to the Ardfern Yacht Marina to reserve a mooring for them and us. Showers and laundry – yea! It’s amazing how one can ‘conserve’ clothes
over several days when one travels ‘light’.
…. Princess Anne’s new yacht, a Russler 45, was in port there. We had hoped we might see her, but it was not
to be. …. We dined out that night at The Galley of
Lorne (also an Inn). The grounds were
green & hilly with picnic tables. We
had reservations in the dining room, a large and lovely bright room with one
wall of windows overlooking the bay of moored boats, one wall painted a deep
red, the opposite wall a creamy white, and the fourth wall exterior stone of
the original inn/pub. The painted walls
were covered with the paintings (mostly watercolours) of David Graham –
beautiful scenery of the area. Food was
once again, delicious.
Once again, we had a very early start (0500) as we left Ardfern,
heading south, around the Doros Mor, and then north to Dunstaffnage, a small town just North of Oban. Once again, calculations with respect to
tides were spot on. We came through
Doros Mor in flat calm water. As we
moved north, we began to see little eddies on the water and flat circles, as
conflicting tides met. Whirlpools can
occur at these points, should one judge the tides incorrectly. The morning was calm, the sun from the east
quite brilliant on the water; the hills were hazy, changing to duskier
greens/greys as they were farther away – quite breath-taking. As we motored north, the channel became
narrower …. We passed a very small island with a lighthouse and a house and
wondered how anyone could live there and sustain themselves. …. We decided not to stay in Oban; there were
new city docks, but not yet open. S&N
had not found the marina opposite the harbour satisfactory on a previous stay,
so we continued to Dunstaffnage
(pronounced Dunstaffich) – a new, well-maintained marina that was a ten-minute
bus ride to Oban. We spent a couple of
hours that afternoon in Oban, and stopped at the Oban Chocolate Factory for a
delicious ice cream – yum! We booked
tickets for the next day – a trip to local islands. Settling on the boat for
cider (Noel) and icy G&T’s (Sally & me) was lovely after our long
day. I booked my train tickets for
Friday – wow! The sailing holiday is
nearly over!
On Wednesday, July 19th, we head out to catch our 0847
bus for our trip to Mull, Staffa & Iona.
We picked up a bit of food for the trip as there would be few
possibilities during the day. Our tour
took us, by ferry, across to Craignure on
Mull where we caught a bus to Fionaphort. The driver, Connel, peppered us with many
local stories and the history of the island and of Scotland. ….
Mull has a population of 3000 in the summer, 2000 in the winter; Mull was created some 50000 years ago
& then was raked over during the ice age – hence the many black volcanic
rocks that dot the island; on peninsula of Mull, the Berg, actually has fossilized
trees on it; ancient lairds built ‘cranins’ as a kind of protection (cheap
castles with the loch as a natural moat); a munro is a mountain; Ross means
red; Eva Braun was from a village on Mull.
The road is one bus-width wide.
It has laybys every so often so either the bus or on-coming car can let
the other pass. Industries on the island
include forestry, tourism, fishing, farming (sheep/cattle); there is the famous
long-horned bull, Taurus.
By the time we
reached Fionnphort, the seas were picking up.
The Staffa Ferry personnel
split the group into two. We boarded the
second boat; many donned yellow slickers to stay outside. The ride began quite well, but soon the seas
became very lumpy. As we approached
Staffa and the Captain turned the boat side on to the island, he decided the
seas were too rough to land.
Consequently, we saw the Fingal’s Cave from the boat – a very deep cathedral
like cave in which the waves echo. The
cave walls and surrounding cliffs are composed of vertical, hexagonal basalt
columns that look like pillars. We were
disappointed to miss our walk with the puffins, who apparently enjoy the
presence of the humans that scare away the seagulls that steal their eggs. Unfortunately, the 50+ knot winds made for a
very rough ride back to Fionnphort, causing several passengers serious bouts of
sea-sickness. Our captain & crew
were competent in very challenging conditions.
We visited an old
Nunnery and Iona Cathedral located
just off Mull’s western shore. The
cathedral was founded by St. Columba who sailed from Ireland and landed on Iona
in 563. He established a monastic
community with the aim of Christianizing Scotland. It was here that the Book of Kells – the prize attraction of Dublin’s
Trinity College – is believed to have been transcribed. It was said to have been taken to Ireland
for safe-keeping from 9th Century Viking raiders. The place is magical and seemed all the more
so because of the very high winds the day we were there. The thunderclouds partially covered brilliant
blue skies while we were there and did not open up with rain until we were
heading back to the ferry to return to Mull and then back to Oban.
As we waited for
our 2100 bus back to Dunstaffnage, we were treated to a bagpipe band rehearsal
– in the rain. The high school band was
preparing to enter the Festival in Tobermory
the next day.
On Thursday, July
20th, my last day with Sally & Noel, we decided to take in
Dunstaffnage Castle. The weather was
glorious – sunny, not too warm, breezy – perfect! After another delicious ‘Sally’ breakfast, we
walked the 30 minutes to the castle, located across the bay from where we were
moored. The castle is built atop a 20’+
high volcanic rock, rather forbidding as you approach it. Inside we observed a young girl repairing
some of the stonework; she was an apprentice mason, one of 25% of the stone
masons in Scotland today. It is a
medieval castle, and was much involved with Bonnie Prince Charlie, among many
other famous historical figures. One
prime feature of the castle was the interior spring well, rather unusual for
most castles. As we looked out from the
ramparts, we could see our marina across the bay.
That evening we
dined with Dawn & Dave (they had come in from Ardfern) at the Wide
Mouth Frog, the restaurant at the top of the hill from the marina. Once again the Scots served up a good meal
and the company served up excellent conversation.
The next morning,
Friday the 21st, a cab picked me up at 0745 so I could catch my 0847
train to Mallaig and then on to Glasgow and Edinburgh, where I spent a few days. There were many highlights on the last leg of
my journey, but my climb up the 850 feet of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh left me feeling
chuffed and energised at having completed it!
Once again, Sally
and Noel gave me a gift – the opportunity to spend time with them and to see
parts of the world, I would otherwise not have seen. You are the best, and kindest people. Thank you.
Dianne
