The lawns of Inveraray Castle.

It was not long until we had launched on Loch Fyne. The head of the loch is surrounded by the mountains of Argyll.


I had lent David my Quest LV as he was keen to try my new Flat Earth kayak sail.


We spotted the 16th century home of the MacNaughton clan, Dunderave Castle, on the far side of the loch...


... but we were heading to the south and the entrance to Loch Shira which is marked by this enormous Royal Navy mooring buoy. The loch is about 80m deep here so fairly big ships can tie up.


On the NW shore of Loch Shira we spotted Inveraray castle, the family seat of the Duke of Argyll, the chief of the Campbell clan. Inveraray means the mouth of the river Aray. Unlike the grim tower of Dunderave, the present castle was built as a grand residence between 1720 and 1789. It is a mixture of Baroque, Palladian and Gothic styles.


It was spring high water...


...so we decided to paddle up the river...


...and pay our respects at the Duke's front lawn...


...after which we drifted back downstream and under the road bridge to Inveraray town.