I am now starting on my way south, regretfully and unhurriedly, at present on Bute with friends ready for the Highland Games tomorrow which will probably require a special edition of their own.
My last ramble away from Crinan Ferry “Base Camp” was around Moidart, Ardnamurchan, Morvern and Sunart - probably unfamiliar names to many of you. In brief, they are areas of the west coast north of Oban, south of Mallaig, opposite the Isle of Mull. Although rocky and mountainous in some areas, they also have deciduous woodland as well as commercial conifers, and therefore a more domestic feel than the almost overwhelming rugged grandeur of the central Highlands. They were also much less busy, a great advantage as when I shopped briefly at Fort William it was stuffed with camper vans.
My first stop was at Ardmaddy Castle Gardens. I never used to like hydrangeas but the last month up here has changed all that, especially seeing these multi coloured bushes in full bloom, obviously enjoying the rain!
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| Ardmaddy hydrangeas |
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| Ardmaddy veggie patch |
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| Overnight stop at Loch Eil |
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For scale, the steam train from
Fort William opposite my
parking spot |
I stayed at Fuinary on the shore of the Sound of Mull for a couple of nights watching yachts, ferries, fishing boats and work boats going to and fro in the typically fast changing weather hereabouts.
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| Sound of Mull |
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| Moody Sound of Mull |
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| Ferry, lifeline to the islands |
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| In a hurry |
The parking spot was for “The Wishing Stone” - a hole in an exposed ridge of volcanic rock. If you can climb through the hole without touching the sides you will get your wish. No, I didn’t even attempt it.
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| The Wishing Stone |
When it has rained, quite often even for this area, it has been torrential but could change in a minute or so.
