Rip roaring yarns at Kilfinan.

 The warm evening sun soon dried our things but as the sun began to sink and the shadows lengthened...

 ...the midges came out. David had set up his fancy new inflatable luxury camping armchair by the tents. Unfortunately so ferocious was the sudden midge attack that, as he lashed out at the invisible enemy, the whole contraption exploded and collapsed, leaving him stranded like an upturned tortoise. It would have been hilarious if we had not all been scrambling round for...

...our own midge jackets. After donning them we decided to cook on the shore where there were slightly fewer of the predators. We were certainly not top of the food chain that night.

 We soon got a rip roaring fire going and gathered...

 ...round to swap yarns and...

 ...roast potatoes in the embers.

Never mind the flames or the midges, rip roaring yarns lasted long into the summer night!

Gob smacked by the fine scenery at the mouth of Loch Fyne.

NW of Portavadie we came to a delightful number of islands. This isle is Eilean a' Bhuic. It lies off the beautiful...

...Glenan Bay which is backed by...

...verdant wooded hills above which a pair of eagles were gliding on a thermal.

Further north we came to all that remains of a great Iron Age dun called Caisteal Aoidhe which sits atop its little tidal island. Most people would not look twice at it but once you have an eye for such relics they are easy to spot.

Another isle, Eilean Buidhe, is surrounded by a maze of...

...low lying reefs and submerged skerries in which a colony of seals can be found.

As we paddled deeper into the confines of Loch Fyne we left the open waters of the Sound of Bute and the mountains of Arran far behind. We came to many bays and inlets. Loch Fyne is a great location for yacht racing and...

...in one remote bay we came across this racing yacht with an impossibly tall mast.

Between the bays the coast of Loch Fyne is characterised by bold rocky headlands that plunge steeply into the sea. Loch Fyne is the largest sea Loch in Scotland and was cut by a huge glacier. Just off this headland south of Auchalick Bay, the loch is 150m deep.

Auchalick Bay proved to be an ideal stop for third luncheon and a snooze in the sun...

...on the rocks above the sands. The sea pinks were in full flower.

  Further north we passed further rocky headlands such as this one at...

 ...the wonderfully named Gob a' Bharra.

After a long and tiring, day involving three luncheons, we made landfall for a camp at Kilfinan Bay. The site was sheltered from the northerly wind by a headland and we were soon perspiring. While the others set up their tents, I went for a quick swim which certainly cooled me down.