Almost There

Friday, April 30th 

I don't usually do this, but.......to-day would have been Mam's 124th birthday.  Good memories.

It was almost ten a.m. before we left Dumbarton TraveLodge, after a disturbed night. In lovely sunshine, we drove to Loch Lomond, only a short distance away. We haven't been on this road for over five years. There have been many changes, including the parking lochside. Much of it now has double yellow lines. This is in the long parking slip road off the main road north. The views are lovely.

 

Another new sight. An automatic lawn mower trundling around a large roundabout, watched from the kerb by the gardener. 

I was always fond of the town of Oban, a beautiful situation in a sheltered bay overlooking rocky islets and crags, the houses clustered in a horseshoe tier up the mountainside. It's also the gateway to the Isles, Calmac ferries depart for most of the Inner and Outer Hebrides from this base. Before we decided to spend more time on Mull, we bed and breakfasted in Oban for two nights, taking the ferry to Craignure, then a guided wildlife tour of Mull before returning to Oban for the night. 

We detoured to Oban, leaving the Fort William road after Tyndrum, then driving north of the main town to a sandy bay with a car park. Many more houses have been built  here since our last visit, all very tasteful.

Two Black Guillemots in the bay (Tysties), and a male Eider Duck.

I forgot to write that a male Sparrowhawk flew between Pam and I at Caerlaverock yesterday, as we walked down a narrow path. I heard its wings before I saw the bird flash past after a Willow Warbler. 

After an icecream (it is the seaside), and a hot chocolate, guess which is Pam's, we drove to Fort William.

 


Mainly, to stock up on the food items which are difficult to buy on Mull. There is a large M and S food hall and a Morrison's. 

Corran Bunkhouse is situated at Corran Ferry, handy for the morning crossing to Ardnamurchan. I'm sat in the lounge area, as the bedroom does not have any chairs. All is very clean, pristine looking in fact. I don't suppose it has been used for a year or so. We are about to go out to eat our evening meal somewhere where we can watch birds. 

We're still euphoric after Man U's 6-2 victory over Roma last night. Nearly into the final.

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