No hippopotomi but plenty tight places on the Solway.

I had not been able to paddle much due to running into some painful problems with my knees and hips, so it was with real pleasure that I joined the others as we set off from Barlocco Isle along the Solway coast in an easterly direction.

Phil thought he spotted a hippopotamus, a little way off shore. We don't get so many hippopotomi in these parts (though we did have a flamingo a few years ago)...

 ...and investigation proved it was an old log.

 Jennifer was enjoying the P&H Delphin...

...which proved ideal for exploring...

 ...caves and the other...

 ...tight places that can be found on...

...this part of the magnificent Solway coast.

Bob abandoned on the Solway.

Tony and I set off from Fleet Bay on the Solway where our families were staying for the weekend. Bob the dog was a bit reluctant to be left on the beach!

 Eventually we got on our way and picked up...

 ...Phil, David and...

 ...Jennifer in the next cove.

 We set off out of Fleet Bay, past Ardwall Island and after only 5km landed on Barlocco Isle...

...for an early luncheon washed down with some Guinness but without Bob.

Bearing ferry angles and pain on the Ailsa Craig crossing.

All too soon, we left the incredible sea bird colonies on the western cliffs of Ailsa Craig behind us and found ourselves back at the light house.

However, the fun was not yet over. It was time to unleash the sails!

 At first we were in the wind shadow of Ailsa Craig but...

 ...soon we were enjoying a fair breeze on the 15km open crossing back to the Ayrshire coast. At least, I should say that Phil and Mike were enjoying it. Unfortunately I had hurt my knees and hips in my two falls and I found bracing on a surprisingly lumpy crossing to be very painful. Still it was worth bearing the pain because, as I mentioned before, I could have stayed home and watched TV. Instead, I had enjoyed one of nature's miracles, only an hour's drive from home.

Lots of people say there is no tide in the Clyde. Well to maintain our course on the way out to Ailsa Craig (left hand track) we had to paddle a ferry angle of about 35 degrees higher than the bearing due to the tide carrying us to the SW. You can see where we noticed we were being carried off course and started ferrying, about 2.5km off the Ayrshire coast. On the way out, we were at times paddling towards Holy Island off Arran rather than towards the Craig! Something to bear in mind if you make this fantastic trip.

The birds of Ailsa Craig

 This was the sight that greeted an unsuspecting Mike as he led the way round to the west coast of Ailsa Craig...

 ...literally thousands and thousands of gannets. As it was late in the season, many juveniles were joinining their parents in the air.

The Ailsa Craig gannet colony is one of the best kept secrets in the west of Scotland.

 Mike paddled on past the fallen rocks of Ashydoo Kirk...

 and below the steep rocks of Eagle's Seat.

On the grassy slopes, like here near Swine Cave, puffins have re-established a breeding colony following the recent extermination of rats from the island. We were cheered to see literally hundreds of the comical little birds.

As we completed our circumnavigation, Mike's happy expression said it all.

The south coast of Ailsa Craig.

 We set off on a clockwise circumnavigation of Ailsa Craig. Soon the rusting horn of...

 ...the Victorian south fog horn came in view.

The shore here consists of massive sharp edged granite boulders, which are the result of previous granite quarrying for curling stone manufacture.

 A little further on and the clean rock of the cliffs plunged straight into the sea as we...

 ...made our way past...

 ...the Trammins cliffs and Little Ailsa towards Stranny Point.

As we neared the point, Phil and I hung back to let Mike turn the point first. We wanted him to experience the maximum effect of discovering one of the natural wonders of the British Isles....

A slip under the watchful eye of Mina.

 As we started our steep descent of Ailsa Craig...

 ...I was glad that Mike and I had brought walking poles.

 Mike soon forged ahead and arrived at...

 ...the castle before Phil and I. Unfortunately my left knee dislocated twice on the way down and I had two heavy falls, which hurt my hips. However, it was marvellous to be able to be out in this wonderful place. I could have stayed home and watched telly.

As we descended the fishing fleet were trawling round and round the Craig. This is Golden Ray, B963. She is registered in Belfast but her home port is Portavogie.

 This is Ambitious, B420. She is registered in Belfast but her home port is Portavogie.

Keeping a watchful eye on all this fishing activity was MPV Minna. She was built at Ferguson's Shipyard Port Glasgow and was launched in 2003. She is 42 metres in length and has a gross tonnage of 781. She has a crew of 15, a top speed of 14 knots and is used mainly for inshore fishery enforcement tasks.

Long views from Ailsa Craig.

The path to the top of Ailsa Craig led us past the old castle which was a Catholic stronghold established to welcome the Spanish Armada to Scotland. Unfortunately the Armada never arrived though several of its ships escaped round the north of Scotland and some were wrecked elsewhere on the west coast.

I had warned Mike and Phil that it would take me some time to get up. The path was obscured in places by a thick growth of bracken and nettles but my walking poles were of great assistance though my shoulders ached afterwards.

The MFV Glorious from Girvan arrived with a load of tourists but they were much quieter than the lot she carried on our last visit!

 Mike was surprised how green the summit of Ailsa Craig was.

 We caught our breath at the summit. Unfortunately Phil discovered that his mobile phone did not care much for 12 year old Glenfiddich. His hip flask had leaked in his bag!

There was a stunning view from the top. Pladda and Holy Island could both be seen off the coast of Arran. We counted 21 fishing boats, mostly Belfast registered circling the Craig. MPV Minna was on fishery protection duty and shadowed the fleet.

 The rocky ridges of the Arran mountains rose high over the lower land in the southern half of Arran.

 Sanda, tiny Glunimore and Sheep Island could be clearly seen off the Mull of Kintyre.

To the east the Merrick rose majestically above the hills of south Ayrshire and Galloway.

Whoops, the tide was rapidly approaching the kayaks... It had taken me longer than expected to get up, time to go!