Sunday, August 09, 2015

Caught between midges and reefs on Inchmarnock, a hard place.

Mike and I rose early on Inchmarnock on the last day of our trip round the West Kyle, Loch Fyne and the Sound of Bute.

 Unfortunately so did the midges and we fled to the shore...

 ...where we had left our food and cooking things.

Despite the breeze, the early morning sun and the vast expanse of beach the midges were still biting. A good ploy on a sunny day is just to lie in bed until it is too hot for the midges. However, we had to get going early as the tide was ebbing fast and at low tide the cobbles run out and...

 ...jagged reefs separate the beach from the sea. You can find easier spots to land and camp at all states of the tide at the north and SE of Inchmarnock.

Fortunately the midges hurried our breakfast and packing and we were able to launch while the tide was still well above the reefs

Friday, August 07, 2015

Golden sunset and embers on Inchmarnock.

The sun slowly sank to the NW over the Sound of Bute.

 As it did so the sky slowly turned to gold and...

 ...the ancient layers of sedimentary rock on Inchmarnock were illuminated by a lovely warm light.

 Normally midges are a problem in the West of Scotland summer evenings but a north wind meant...

 ...we enjoyed the sunset undisturbed.

After sunset we experienced an extended twighlight but the temperature dropped even further and so we turned...

...to the glowing embers of our fire and enjoyed the heat of many past summers as night drew round the mountains of Arran.