A dawn start on Ailsa Craig.

On Ailsa Craig the sun was well clear of the north eastern horizon by 04:55 am. It was impossible to sleep due to the racket made by assorted gulls so...

 ...it was time for an early first breakfast.

We were not the only ones to be up and about early. On the horizon, the general cargo boat MS Fri Stream was making her way up the Clyde.

As we were on the water by 06:53 am, we decided we had time for a second circumnavigation of the island.

The  south eastern cliffs were in full sun due to the early time of day. It is usually about midday when we arrive on the rock and they are in shade.

 As we approached the south foghorn a line of clouds came in and...

 ... we were cast into the shade by the towering cliffs above...

...the isolated rock known as Little Ailsa.

 Offshore FV Rejoice BH220 was still in the sun as she trawled for scallops. Registered in Blyth Rejoice has been based in Girvan forb a few years but was sold in October 2014.

The skies above us began to fill with gannets.

A swarm of dykes at Kildonan.

In view of the mid day forecast on 23rd May we decided not to risk paddling across the south end of the Kilbrannan Sound to Davaar Island on the 24th. The prospect of a 20km open crossing in F4-5 increasing 6 north wind was not very appealing to us. Our next planned camp site was to be the SW point of Arran some 9km further on round Bennan Head. Bennan Head can be a rough place as the tide close in (the so called Black Tide) continuously flows east and when it meets the main west going ebb things get a bit stirred up. Pladda is only 700m north to south yet the tide on the north turns 2 hours before the tide turns on the south.

 We had a decision to make press on before the tidal window closed round Bennan Head or...

... sit back and enjoy the view aided by some sports recovery drinks.and

 ...steak sandwiches at the excellent Kildonan Hotel. Having missed the tidal window and enjoyed lunch so much, we booked a table for our evening meal. We booked a night at the Seal Shore camp site next door to the hotel. As commercial sites go Seal Shore is very good. It easily accessible from the sea, the toilets are very clean and there is plentiful hot water. It is mainly used by couples and young families and even though it was a bank holiday weekend all was quiet by 10:30pm. The camp site owners also support a charitable educational project in the Gambia.

However, although the camp site covers a large area of well mown grass, we discovered that other campers like to be really close. After we had pitched our tents other campers pitched theirs so close that guy lines crossed and Ian even suggested to one camper that he could always just use one of Ian's pegs!

On previous occasions I have stayed here I have pitched my tent on a bit of ground outside the main camping area above the shore. This would probably have been better. However, we met some nice people on the site including a young family who were island hopping in a restored 1974 VW camper van.

 Once we had pitched the tents we decided to walk along the Kildonan shore. This old  fishing boat has seen better days.

 The flag irises were already out on Arran....

 ...they normally arrive about the same time as the midges.

On the raised beach at Kildonan Shore you will find this beautiful carved sandstone bench. The inscription reads "Does the sound of the sea end at the shore or in the hearts of those who listen?"

From the raised beach there is a view of the many basalt dykes that radiate out from the south shore of Arran. This swarm of dykes from the volcanic activity in the north of Arran broke through lines of weakness in the existing sedimentary rocks. These have now been eroded away leaving the harder basalt dykes standing above the main beach level. The south end of Arran is one of the best examples of a swarm of dykes in the world. It was a warm afternoon, we were rather hot and for some reason this geological wonder made Ian think of his favourite cup of tea.

This Bing Maps view shows just a tiny fraction of the Kildonan dyke swarm, which extends for 13 km of the south Arran coastline. When you do a Google search on a small place you usually end up with a list like "Estate agents in Brigadoon, PPI claims in Brigadoon, Plumbers in Brigadoon or Meet XXXX in Brigadoon". However, if you do this for Kildonan, you get "A swarm of dykes in Kildonan".

This lichen covered dyke even has a window through...

...which I photographed the dawn on a previous visit.

 Behind the beach this waterfall cascaded over the sandstone cliffs.

There was plenty of drift wood on this beach including this oak trunk with...

 ...its wonderful bark. For a moment I wished we were wild camping here but we were looking forward to dinner in the Kildonan Hotel.

This was the view as we were enjoying the starter of scallops and black pudding.in the dining room. The MV Isle of Arran ferry was making her way out to Campbeltown passing between Pladda with its lighthouse and Ailsa Craig..

 Before heading to the tents for the night we went down to check the boats but all was well as the sun slipped away behind the dark and brooding outline of Bennan Head, on our intended route in the morning...

A Midsummer dawn on the Solway.

We have just passed the shortest day but my thoughts have recently gone back half of a year to when I was last on the water. It was a short but wonderful trip on the Solway in south west Scotland in the glorious summer of 2013. I arrived on the beach just as the sun was rising, it was shortly after 5am.

I soon had the boat at the water's edge and although there was not a breath of wind, I rigged the sail as a breeze was forecast to pick up as the day progressed.

The water temperature was 18C so the sea felt like warm tea on my bare feet compared with the chill of the dawn air. Where was I off to that required such an early start...?

Let's do brunch at Bower Hill.

It has been particularly windy and wet in south west Scotland but this day dawned calm as we made our way to edge of the sea.

 We set off across the bay towards...

 ...distant headlands well before the sun had risen.

As it was not strictly day time yet, we debated for a moment whether we should land for second breakfast or first luncheon.

 In the lee of Bower Hill, the calm sea was disturbed by only a sprinkling of raindrops but...

 ...the spouts of water cascading down the cliffs betrayed how heavy the previous day's rain had been.

 It was spring low water and we took our exercise as we made our way over the sands to...

 ...the luncheon tree. Phil had come prepared for either second breakfast or first luncheon. One flask contained hot mulled wine, the other The Singleton. In the end we compromised and did brunch.

Dawn of a fair day.

 In the cold, grey predawn light, the Isles of Fleet were left high and dry as it was low water.

 Slowly the October sun rose over...

 ...the wooded slopes of Carrick.

 The wet sand and the slowly flooding channel reflected the warm dawn light and promised a good day.

 The sparkling waters and sands...

 ...by Knockbrex, Barlocco, Ardwall and...

Murray's Isles were calling. The bay was filling as the flood tide was running fast, time to phone David and Phil for a paddle.

A calm between the storms

I am still down at the Solway trying to rehabilitate my leg muscles after recent knee problems. It is not a hardship as, despite the wettest summer in 100 years, some days do dawn fair... 

 ...there have been good days for sea kayaking, such as this glorious mid October day.

 I set off for the Isles of Fleet yet again...

 ...and soon passed Murray's Isles with their...

 ...ruined pilot and customs house and...

interesting geological strata.