An Iona fishergirl

Leaving Market Bay on the Ross of Mull, we paddled back towards Iona in the still of a perfect summer evening. We passed the lovely hamlet of Kintra at the mouth of the Sound of Iona but the tide had now turned and we had to fight the increasing flood current which was flowing against us through the Bull Hole. This is a narrow channel between the Ross of Mull and Eilean Nam Ban. Ahead, some basking seals ignored us, they could see we were making almost no progress. We then ferried over to the island side and on across the Sound of Iona.


We landed below the village just as the last ferry departed with its load of tourists. A little local girl, sitting with her father in a beautiful white clinker built boat, asked “Is that a sea kayak?”

“Yes it is” I replied.

“I would love to do that” she said, wistfully.

“Well you very lucky, you are in the right place for it.”

Her dad then said “Aye, she likes the sea; she’s been helping with the lobster pots today.”



19/07/2007

Munching Mull mackerel in Market Bay

After Mike caught some mackerel, we needed to find somewhere to land. There can be no finer land fall than Market Bay (Traigh na Margaidh) on the Ross of Mull.


Straight out of the sea into the pan and fried with a little salt and dill; what a feast!


We also had time for a swim and some climbing on the granite torrs before heading back to Iona.

19/07/2007

Mountain biking Glen Trool Blue route and Bennan

The summit of wind swept Bennan in the Galloway Hills.


Jennifer with Bennan disappearing into the mist.

We have recently visited the Glen Trool Blue route a couple of times to increase our cardiovascular fitness and stamina to cope with winter paddling conditions in Scotland. The Blue route has some fantastic berms on its final decent and is certainly not blue at the speed we go down it. However, it is only 8km long, so on our first visit we went round it twice.

Today we decided to tack the gruelling ascent of Bennan (562m) on to make it a little longer.


Mike, Jennifer, Tony and Bob on the way up. The way back down to the blue route passed in a blur.


We rejoined the blue route for its final decent.


Glen Trool is down there in the mist.


One fantastic berm after another leads to...


...a final blast through a larch plantation.


19 km and 688m of ascent.

We deserved a pint of Guinness in the Black Bull (est 1766), Straiton on the way home. In case you think we have undone all the goodness of the exercise, here is a fascinating scientific fact which I gleaned from television last night. Imagine four pint glasses on a bar. The first is filled with milk, the second with freshly squeezed orange juice, the third with lager and the last with Guinness. Which one has fewest calories?

Well it's the Guinness of course. It's a health drink!

25/11/2007
04/11/2007

Getting old

Turnberry lighthouse is surrounded by a seething sea kicked up by a force seven sou'westerly.


Yesterday we had no wind and full sunshine, I was looking forward to a calm paddle in crisp winter sunshine today.


It would have been good for windsurfing but it was only 7 degrees. I must be getting old, I went for a quiet walk round Culzean instead.

24/11/2007

Five little fishies

Leaving Eilean Annraidh, we crossed the Sound of Iona and made our way east along the north coast of the Ross of Mull. We paused off the headland of Rubha nan Cearc while Mike got his trusty rod out. He quickly caught five fat mackerel and we looked for somewhere to land....

19/07/2007

Eilean Annraidh, Iona

This view from Eilean Annraidh, which lies to the north of Iona, has inspired artists for at least 200 years. In the distance lies Ulva and the Wilderness of Mull.


We landed here for a rest after making our way up the west coast of Iona.

Bay at the Back of the Ocean, Iona

This incredible cove is at the north end of Camas Cuil an t-Saimh (Bay at the Back of the Ocean) on the west coast of Iona. It is near to Port Bhan. This view is more reminiscent of the Outer Hebrides than the Inner Hebrides. The rock here is ancient grey gneiss unlike the relatively young, red granite of the Ross of Mull which is only a few kilometres away.

19/07/2007