Outdoor Discoveries

What originally was a news section for the rest of the website soon became a place for me to write about human-powered wanderings in the countryside. Photography inspires me to get out there, mostly on foot these days, though cycling got me started. Musings on the wider context of outdoor activity complete the picture, so I hope that there is something of interest in all that you find here. Thank you for coming!

Scottish return

3rd September 2022

It has taken quite a while but I recently enjoyed some Scottish hill-wandering around Stirling. Stirling also was where I went when I last was in Scotland so there is a sliver of continuity despite the break of over three years. The main cause of this was the arrival of the pandemic which added travel nervousness on my part.

In 2019, the main reason for my trip was photographic and I stayed near its castle even though part of the structure was covered in scaffolding at the time. Even so, I could not help admiring any views of the Ochil Hills that lay before me. These were to prove a lure for a return trip once I summoned the courage to do so.

Before that, I have been finding my feet in England and Ireland. The latter has seen a few trips this year and the former has hosted various visits to the Pennines and the Lake District. Before the trip to Stirling, I even enjoyed a hike from the Ullswater to Thirlmere that took in the tops of White Side, Lower Man and Helvellyn in pleasing sunshine. The way up was gradual but the same could not be said for the testing descent that was on the point of beating those who were coming the other way.

My time in Stirling saw me mount more summits but without the accompaniment of the sort of weather than blessed my ascent of Helvellyn. Because the second hill day was set to be overcast, I was divided over where to go because going to Callander for an ascent of Ben Ledi had entered my head. In the event, it was that which was done on the better day and got me back somewhere that I had not frequented for around fifteen years. Skies were largely clouded so another return trip is in prospect whenever bright sunshine and clearer skies are likely. Still, the sun did break through the clouds from time to time so it was not all gloom. The landscape was stunning though and seeing that in brighter conditions remains an attraction.

It must have been stubbornness that led me to hike the summits of Ben Ever, Ben Cleuch, Andrew Gannel Hill and King’s Seat Hill in poor visibility and it was just as well that I had wet weather gear given the enduring dampness on those tops. This was never a day for views but my navigation did not falter and the quietude of the experience was transporting. Perversely, the next day came sunny so a quick morning trip for some photography was in order before I needed to check out of the hotel. It was constrained by my not having charged camera batteries as much as was ideal but I still came away with much of what I had sought. Even so, a return in better weather cannot be ruled out since the incursion certainly got me away from everyday living and what I did get to see appealed to me.

Having reasons to return somewhere may be frustrating for any sense of closure but Scotland is laden with these for the weather does not always perform according to human desires. My only stay in Callander may have taken some of the sights around ben Ledi more than twenty years ago but it only was a halting point while en route to Fort William and Portree as I ran away from rain approaching from the east. As it happens, both Lorn and Lochaber have their share of sites where I fancy making better photos and even supplanting good images captured on film with digital counterparts. There is plenty of inspiration left yet.

Snatching satisfaction during an otherwise disappointing summer

21st September 2017

2017 has had an eventful summer for me but I still would not call it a disappointment since I got in two lengthy trips to Scandinavia: one to Norway and another to Sweden. Both have been mentioned in a previous post and I hope to elaborate in time.

The disappointing summer of this piece is 2004, a time that feels like a world away now. In contrast to 2003 when I planned a week in Scotland for a wet weather interlude during an otherwise dry year, 2004 proved to be wet much of the time and it was just as well that I could organise an extended weekend getaway at short notice. Such flexibility meant that a passing spell of drier weather could be used whenever it came.

2004 also proved to be a year of much change after so much of 2003 was spent extending my hill wandering experience. A year with much fine weather offered plenty of opportunities for exploring the Lake District and I took to that with quite some commitment. That sums up 2003 and work was enjoyable so I would remember it as one of life’s pleasant high points. In contrast, 2004 saw my work take me in a direction that I didn’t much fancy but it allowed me to attend to other things like moving from a shared house to a place of my own. Often, this needs something extra for the final push to be made and that was poor behaviour on the part of other housemates. Within months of my moving out, everyone was evicted for whatever reason and the landlord set to giving the place a well needed refurbishment.

The weather in 2004 was a let-down much of the time too and the summer was nothing special. Still, there were snatched weekend excursions to the Yorkshire Dales and to Snowdonia that were accompanied by some sunshine. In a lot of ways, it was much like 2012 but not as much rain fell so no weather records were challenged.

After the disappointment of the week spent around Argyll and Lochaber in July 2003, I resolved to make multiple visits to Scotland during the year rather than just one big one. That approach was to take hold for me over the rest of the first decade of this century. With more than one trip per year, meeting poor weather on one can be offset by what is met on another.

That also meant my main holiday in Scotland took the form of an extended weekend for the first time. Like 2003, my time was divided between Argyll and Lochaber. Travel on a Thursday in August took me to Oban while Friday saw me walk from Oban to Taynuilt via Glen Lonan and then along the shore of Glen Etive until just beyond Glen Noe. Sunshine and showers accompanied the first part of the walk while the signs of further deterioration in the weather were there to see. Nevertheless, I was on the coach back to Oban before the rain really set in for the night.

Saturday was set to be a day of rain so I travelled to Fort William with no further plans for the day save for a bit of shopping. Thankfully, my accommodation for the night was near the town centre and I bided my time before popping out to buy an extra waterproof jacket and I still have it today, even it doesn’t look as smart as it once did. All was not lost for there was a promise of better weather on Sunday.

That was used to reprise a walk enjoyed during a visit on the Summer Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August the year before. After travel by coach to Spean Bridge, I set off for the Commando Memorial and Gairlochy. Shadowing the shore of Loch Lochy, I continued to Achnacarry from where I went to the shore of Loch Arkaig. After pottering around there for a while, I started on my return to Fort William along the Mìle Dorcha before retracing my steps to Garilochy. From there, I followed the tow path of the Caledonian Canal as far as Banavie. Unlike the first time around when all was new, the hike felt longer this time and the waterway’s lengthy detour around Meall Bhanabhie really added to the distance. More trotting along roads got me back to my lodgings in time to phone my parents.

Monday was to be another dry day though not as sunny as its predecessor. Still, I caught a coach to Glen Coe and that was the starting point for another walk along the West Highland Way. This time, I was bound for Bridge of Orchy and I marvelled at the well constructed track that lay underfoot in such empty countryside. This was the predecessor of the A82 that was co-opted for the route of one of Scotland’s most popular long distance trails. There was time for a meal in Bridge of Orchy before catching a coach back to Fort William again and it was the same driver as on my outbound journey.

Tuesday became the day to travel home again and the weather was more unsettled; it was if Scotland was tearful at my leaving. Such personification may appear odd but I have grown appreciate the place as a haven from the tumult of modern life and feel that my solitary stravaiging is accompanied by the spirit of the place. For me, there had been a sense of satisfaction and there were set to plenty of return visits.

Travel Arrangements

Outbound travel to Oban from Macclesfield by train on Thursday with changes at Preston, Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street. Coach journeys around Scotland during the trip: return from Taynuilt to Oban on Friday, Oban to Fort William on Saturday, Fort William to Spean Bridge for my walk on Sunday, Fort William to Glen Coe and Bridge of Orchy to Fort William on Monday. Return from Scotland by coach between Fort William and Glasgow with onward travel by train from there.

An irritating week around Argyll and Lochaber

24th May 2017

Sometimes, my trips to Scotland do not work out how I want them to do. Even with all the watching of the progress of the jet stream, that was how it was in 2003. Unlike 2002, I brought my week in Scotland forward from the end of August to the end of July. It would have been a week earlier but I did not want to clash with someone else’s holiday plans. Putting your work first can have its drawbacks.

In hindsight, waiting an extra week would have been the better outcome because I returned home with sights of sunshine on Lakeland Fells. Further visits to Cumbria in an effort to dispel any irritation but it took a Summer Bank Holiday weekend around Fort William to truly put my poor run of luck behind me.

My journey from home to Oban still was made in hope and it took me around by Edinburgh where I spent a little while before continuing on my way. The cause was my inability to catch an onward connection in Glasgow because of the late running of an earlier train.

The following day came dull and eventually turned to rain but I fitted in a walk from Oban to Taynuilt by way of Glen Lonan before the dampness arrived. My lot was road walking but it still got me out into Scottish countryside so it was a good start. The wet evening allowed for some shopping around Oban and maybe some thoughts of what I would do next.

For what turned out to be the best day of the week, I returned to Taynuilt for an out an back walk along the shores of Loch Etive. Unlike the previous November’s stroll with mates from Edinburgh, I was set to continue beyond Glen Noe to reach the foot of Glen Kinglass and go a little further along before starting to retrace my steps again. The day was sunny so I was making photos with what I thought to be a full complement of colour camera film. What I later found is that not all the allocation came with me so I was left with a shortage during the best time of the day. In spite of this irritation, it is the utter peace of my turning point that stays with me as much as the sights that I saw. There have been further return visits since then with August 2014 being the most recent one. That photographic oversight has been well overshadowed since then and the lesson has not been forgotten.

What I did next now sounds a bit foolish given what I knew about the need for northward movement of the jet stream. Instead of finding somewhere else to be around Argyll, I continued north to Lochaber for what turned out to be a series of soakings. Any efforts to make contact with a friend in Edinburgh regarding alternative arrangements proved fruitless so I stayed a few nights in Banavie instead. Being a few miles away from Fort William meant that the any poor fortune with a spell of wet weather resulted in my needing to dry out afterwards. You hardly can have enough clothes with you when this happens repeatedly.

Still, the rain cleared enough on my arrival in Lochaber to allow me to head into Glen Nevis to find the path leading to Cow Hill that became the basis for a longer walk. Friday was drier if devoid of sunshine yet I returned to Kinlochleven for another taste of the West Highland Way. This time, my course took me north through Lairig Mor to Glen Nevis. Even without a sunny day, the scenery was stunning and seeing it again became an excuse for my return around a month later. Though the trail is a popular one and the location is among its high points, this was a quiet day to be sampling it with hardly a soul passing the way. That might have had something to do with the weather of that week.

Saturday saw me head into Glen Nevis again. This time, I caught the bus to get me there faster and I pottered in beyond the car park. My lot was boggy ground and heavy rain showers but the surroundings would have looked stunning in better weather. Constant hope continued to drive me in spite of my poor fortune so any glimmer of sunshine on the way back to Fort William was enough to see me reach for my camera.

Thinking about this disappointing episode now makes me realise that my attentions veered elsewhere and that some of these spots need revisiting. A walk taking in Cow Hill in pleasant weather would complement one going deeper into Glen Nevis than I ever have gone before. Maybe I should not be devoid of inspiration for future explorations on a longer stay in Fort William after all. Other possibilities come to mind but I will restrain myself here in case I repeat those described elsewhere.

Travel Arrangements

Train travel from Macclesfield to Oban, from Taynuilt to Oban and from Fort William to Macclesfield. Coach service 918 from Oban to Fort William. Bus service 44 from Fort William to Kinlochleven.

Starting independent touring of Scotland

24th March 2017

Prior to August 2001, my outings in Scotland were day trips or I set off with someone else. A conference in Aberdeen was attended with a university colleague and an annual trip to Highland Perthshire was with a university group. Then, there was a few days in August 1999 when I showed my brother some of the sights that I had seen on day trips and a few more with them.

A Family Outing

That last outing began from Edinburgh and took us to Fort William where we spent a night before exploring Glen Nevis the next day. Our late afternoon arrival meant that there was some time for a stroll along by Fort William’s shore after an evening meal at the Ben Nevis Bar. The town turns its back to the sea so it was up what lay across Loch Linnhe to assuage any lack of scenic glamour despite overcast skies lying overhead.

Next morning after breakfast, we parked in the Braveheart car park before setting off for a stroll along the road through Glen Nevis. The pace was to be a gentle one and I have no recollection of there being much road traffic as we went as far as the Water of Nevis car park. Though this was before I took up hill walking, my brother asked about how long it would take to walk up and down Ben Nevis. Seven of eight hours came the reply and I wonder at the naivety of our deciding against the proposition on the basis of the time we had. Nowadays, I would be thinking in terms of experience, conditions and equipment and that also would be the order on which I would base my decision.

The attentions of midges meant that we did not linger too long around the Water of Nevis. Also, we wisely did not proceed further along and the presence of a disturbing sign would have made sure of that. It was a few years later when I finally went a little beyond it and I maintained control of my ambitions even with the equipment and experience gained in the meantime. This is wild country that commands respect and is not something for a spur of the moment decision of a casual tourist.

We retraced our steps with a stop at a cafe so there was no rush in our movements. On returning to our car, we set off for Oban. Skies had been grey overhead all day but they now were to darken and bring rain. Scotland was to show its less favourable side that evening. Nevertheless, we still sought food that evening and pottered about Oban too. The rain must have passed sufficiently to allow this. We also figured out what to do the next day: a tour of Mull and Iona.

The weather next morning showed that we were not to see Scotland under sunny skies. Still, we crossed to Mull by ferry before catching a coach to Fionnphort with the driver providing commentary laden with dry wit. A mention of the once regular arrival of wet newspapers onto the island at Grass Point remains in my memory and does the description of the, at times single track, road as the island’s answer to England’s M6.

Once at Fionnphort, we crossed to Iona in dry conditions. Skies remained grey but were strolling Baile Mòr without any wetting. We also visit the restored abbey buildings so we would have been under cover for a time too. Still, it was good to have respite while we were there and we reversed our outbound travel to get back to Oban again.

From Oban, we headed to Balloch where we stayed the night. Sadly, we arrived too late to walk along the shore of Loch Lomond in daylight. In any case, we would have some of it while in the way there. Next morning, we continued to Stranraer where we crossed to Ireland and I got a short stay over there before returning to Edinburgh again.

Going Solo

Because of starting a new job in England and having to move home, there was no Scottish touring in 2000. Though it remains the wettest year on record across Britain, my recollections of the summer are not in agreement with the statistic. The autumn that year was another story and I soon learned not to cycle the five or six miles to work in Cheshire rain.

Being lonesome after life in Edinburgh, I resolved to return from time to time and it is something that I still do. There was a weekend visit in November 2000 when I stayed with a friend up there. That became a regular feature for a few years and it was to another friend that I came to stay in August 2001. That was to be a jumping off point for another tour of Scotland, travelling solo this time around.

After arriving in Edinburgh on Monday afternoon and spending the night there, I headed off to Skye on Monday afternoon after spending the morning sorting out my accommodation arrangements. After the sunshine of the previous evening, it was under grey skies that I set off on a Scottish Citylink coach to Fort William. On the way there, we were to pass through heavy rain but it was drier if still grey when I reached Fort William. Bright skies were to persist for the onward journey to Portree though there was a sense of stormy conditions whenever any showers came our way.

The Quiraing from near Staffin, Trotternish, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Eilean Flodigarry, Trotternish, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The following day could not be more different for it came fabulously sunny. Having not been there before, I chose to head for the Trotternish by bus as far as Culnacnoc. From there I trotted along the road as far as Flodigarry and lots of little places like Staffin and Brogaig were passed on the way. Though the road walking left me footsore, there was next to no traffic so I could soak in my surroundings. The gorgeous weather and scenery also meant that my Canon EOS 300 got plenty of use and I made sure that I had enough film this time around. It made a good introduction to the place and I returned to Portree by bus.

After another night on Skye, I caught the bus to Armadale where I caught a ferry to Mallaig. Memories of any sights of Knoydart and the Small Isles are lost to me know but there was some sunshine. Skies were greyer around Mallaig and I travelled from there to Glenfinnan on the Jacobite steam train, a rather expensive endeavour to me at the time. Photography was limited by the sun but I still got a stroll to the shore of Loch Shiel, albeit pulling a heavy trolley bag after me. From Glenfinnan, I got to Fort William on a more ordinary train before catching a Scottish Citylink coach to Oban where I stayed the night.

My third visit to Mull took place next day and I left most of my luggage in safekeeping on the mainland while I made for Tobermory by ferry and bus. Sunshine was rather hazy but I still tried my luck with making some photos of Tobermory with somewhat pale skies. My long SLR photography lesson was only beginning so there was a lot left to learn. Returning to Oban by bus and ferry, I retrieved my luggage and caught the coach to Glasgow. Once there, I continued to Edinburgh on another.

This was the English and Welsh August bank holiday weekend so I stayed there until that Sunday. Saturday came grey so I went shopping for better walking footwear at Tiso and came away with a pair of Columbia trail shoes that I still have somewhere today. They complemented the pack of thick socks that I bought in Tobermory just the day before. It is amazing what sore feet cause you to do.

Sunday morning was spent around Edinburgh and it all felt autumnal. Any photos that I tried making then reflected that more than what I believed I was seeing at the time. It was later that I set to travelling south again and the bank holiday was to see me trying out my new footwear on a trail by Grindsbrook Clough near Edale in Derbyshire. An interest in countryside walking was beginning.

A mixture of good sense and a spot of recklessness

7th March 2017

While I was thinking of keeping the stories of these two walks from June 2005 apart, I changed my mind and they now appear together, not only because they happened on the same weekend but also to illustrate that human nature does not always follow a trend of constant improvement.

The excursion came to pass at short notice given the possibility of some good weather. Oban’s tourist office sorted out my accommodation and I got to stay in the same place for three nights, something that never is a foregone conclusion for short notice bookings during the summer season. Recollections of how I got to Oban have been diminished by the passage of time but those of what else I did while there remain far more vividly.

2005-06-11: When Good Sense Prevailed

Duart Point, Isle of Mull, Scotland

In contrast to what I did on my last visit in 2014, my first visit in 1999 or my second in 2001, this was a more extensive stroll during the longest stretch of a day that I ever spent on Mull. The day started with a sunlit ferry crossing from Oban to Craignure. Once a bus got me from there to Salen, I could begin my walk.

What I had decided to do was to cross the island to the west coast at its narrowest point. That meant a road walk along the B8035 in the growing heat of the day. After a left turn at a crossroads, I was to pass Gruline where Lachlann MacQuarrie’s mausoleum is to be found.

Loch Ba & Na Bachdanan, Gruline, Isle of Mull, Scotland

Loch Ba & Sron nam Boc, Gruline, Isle of Mull, Scotland

Looking across Loch Ba towards Benmore Lodge, Gruline, Isle of Mull, Scotland

Beinn Talaidh, Isle of Mull, Scotland

My sights were on something more natural so I continued on my way. Near Knock Farm, I was to pick up a vehicle track that would lead me along the shores of Loch Bà. Cattle were loitering along the shoreline as I passed them. This was before where the vehicle track I was following was to split in two. All about me looked empty and wild.

One continues further along the shoreline before becoming a path at Gortenbuie. The path then continues towards Glen More by following Abhainn a Ghorten Bhuidhe uphill, crossing a bealach between Corra-bheinn and Bheinn à Mheadhain and dropping down into the aforementioned glen. The other track leaves the loch shore earlier and also becomes a path as it enters Glen Clachaig. It, too, gains height as it follows the River Clachaig before scaling the rest of the way to get to Carn Cul Righ Albainn. There then are two choices for the coming descent: a direct path into Glen More or a more gradual one leading towards Loch Beg.

All the above has been picked out from OS 1:25000 mapping. However, how things appear on the ground is a different matter. Just because a tempting dotted line appears do not mean that there is an obvious line of a path there for you to follow. In these cases, you make your way using your own navigation skills with little regard for following anyone else’s line and having a peek on Google Earth beforehand could forewarn you if that is what you want. Sometimes, there is a something about having a certain element of surprise ahead of you.

Beinn nan Gabhar as seen from Clachaig, Isle of Mull, Scotland

Bith-Bheinn, Maol Buidhe & Cruachan Dearg, Glen Clachaig, Isle of Mull, Scotland

A' Chioch as seen from Glen Clachaig, Isle of Mull, Scotland

What brought the lack of an obvious path to mind was my choice on that day in June 2005. Since going that way might bring a chance of seeing Ben More, the island’s only Munro and its highest point, I chose the track leading to Glen Clachaig and it looked promising for much of the way. Eventually though, the leading line petered out and I was left to my own devices. My decision then was to proceed as far into the glen as time allowed before turning back. It was when I got to glimpse something more lofty that was when I began to retrace my steps.

The way back to Salen largely followed the same route. The only deviation was a call to see the MacQuarrie Mausoleum, maintained by the National Trust for Scotland on behalf of the National Trust for Australia where Lachlann MacQuarrie had been a governor. That led me under tree cover, a respite from the summer afternoon heat. After that, I returned to the B8035 where a passing motorist offered me a drive but I was intent on sticking with walking in the peace and quiet.

The stillness remains in my mind even now. Even with the supposed popularity of Ben More, I scarcely encountered another soul. Once the rush of ferry arrivals and departures has passed, everyone scatters to leave Mull in an unperturbed state. It is that which draws me to Scotland again and again for we all need to leave the buzz of modern life after us for a while.

Lighthouse on Eilean Musdile, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

After a wait, the last bus of the day to Craignure facilitated my catching the last ferry of the day to Oban without any glitch. The evening was glorious and the lighthouse at the southern end of Lismore scarcely looked any better. The day had been good.

2005-06-12: A More Reckless Exploit

Even now, the first train of the day from Oban to Glasgow departs around midday. That means that any walking trips elsewhere in Lorn need to be shorter in duration, if a return by train is to be executed. In hindsight, it ought to have been a day for Beinn Lora since that is not far from Connel. A bus trip to Benderloch and back would have been a possibility that would have made that work. In fact, it would have helped for a Sunday evening phone call to Ireland that would have saved facing one with a grumpy and uptight father the next day. That difficulty thankfully passed quickly enough and I vowed never to phone the folks on the same day of the week ever again; if only I had hopped to avoiding the Sunday night habit before then.

Glen Strae, Stronmilchan, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

All that lay in the future as I left Lochawe train station to head along the A85 before turning onto the B8055 that itself would be left for a track leading into Glen Strae. Unlike the previous day, the weather was showery and soggy underfoot conditions were unavoidable. My encounter with those really started when I left the track to gain height on the way to Lairig Dhoireann. The track would have been a dead-end affair anyway since it finishes near the head of the glen.

Loch Awe as seen from Lairig Dhoireann, Stronmilchan, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

Though only around three to four kilometres in distance, the way up to Lairig Dhoireann was slow going. The ascent was steep and progress over damp ground in showery weather hardly was going to be rapid. Even with a 13:00 start from Lochawe station, it was around 17:00 when I finally reached the bealach. Because I had not stopped earlier, that placed me in something of quandary since there was now no guarantee that I would get back to Lochawe station in time for the last train to Oban.

Meall Beithe & Meall Garbh as seen from Lairig Dhoireann, Stronmilchan, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

Faced with improving weather and beguiling scenery, I made the fateful decision to drop down to the floor of Glen Kinglass before continuing to the shore of Loch Etive at Inverkinglass and follow a familiar route to Taynuilt. The descent by the side of Allt Dhoireann took longer than I would have hoped due to the roughness of the ground. It did not help that I also had missed the landscape too when I was at the top because what I saw straight ahead of me was the hill beside which I would be going downhill. Even so, the exploit proved that there was some wisdom in my choice and gradients eased beyond Coire Dhoireann.

Meall Beithe, Glen Kinglass, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

Meall Garbh, Glen Kinglass, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

Beinn nan Aighenan, Glen Kinglass, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

Sticking with Allt Dhoireann most of the way down allowed me to shadow the line of the path that I otherwise would have been following if I had made the turn at a greater height. Impatience when trying to seek out a useful footbridge led me to do my own barefoot crossing and the water was well cold even of an evening in June. Taking off my socks and leaving on my boots would have worked better and I was to wet my socks anyway. That this wetting resulted in my feet getting blistered, but that outcome was one to be overlooked in light of my situation.

Beinn Eunaich, Glen Kinglass, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

There was some reassurance in reaching a solid vehicle track though it was to take its toll on my wet feet. Everywhere about me looked resplendent in the evening sunshine and I often stopped for photography whenever the resident midges allowed me. The way to Loch Etive took until around 20:00 so there no longer was any question of catching a train or coach back to Oban. The Taynuilt Hotel was now my objective.

Ben Cruachan, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

My location and my predicament put a stop to my phoning Ireland so I set off as well as I could. There might have been an offer of a lift at Inverkinglass, but do you really want to be burdening complete strangers like that? At least, that was my thinking. With Ben Cruachan looming ahead of me and showing itself better than I ever have seen it, I continued my countdown of known landmarks in an effort to reassure myself. There were occasional photographic breaks too, though my mind was focussed on other things.

Inverliver was passed and someone else asked me if I was OK at Glennoe. This time, there was an extra confirmation added but I kept going. Declining light was a concern now but the time of year kept things going for longer. Inverawe House was passed and the River Awe crossed to shorten the distance into Taynuilt even more. The hotel was reached at 10:50 and a taxi summoned from Connel. That meant a forty-five-minute wait, but that passed too. Before too long, I was back in Oban in spite of a suspected deer encounter. The next morning was to see me collect my things for departure and the evening repaired Irish family relations. It had been a lesson-ridden few days.

Travel Arrangements

Return train journey between Macclesfield and Oban. Return ferry trip between Oban and Mull with return bus journey from Craignure to Salen, all on Saturday. Train journey from Oban to Loch Awe followed by taxi from Taynuilt to Oban on Sunday.