Island Hopping with the Glebe-Day 4 Oban

Ok Ok Oban is on the mainland,but i need to be in Oban to get to Islands.
Oban was heaving when i arrived,it looked as though everybody and his uncle were here,which was why i couldn't get into the SYHA hostel and instead booked a bed in a dorm at Oban Backpackers.
I had no idea what to expect here,but it's turned out to be a great place.There's free wi-fi and coffee and tea.Great showers,and the dorms aren't bad.Lots of nationalities booked in.Australians mostly run the place.The dorms aren't separated into male and female,i was in the company of two young canadian ladies,two young australian ladies and a young couple from Switzerland.
Once i was settled in,i used the cooking facilities to feed myself then headed out for a look around.
What can i say about Oban,it really is a picture.It has an unrivalled reputation for having the best seafood restaurants in Scotland,and every time i've been here i've gone away with happy memories.
As the evening draws on i watch the Mull Ferry leave...
...St Columba's Cathedral stands out like a beacon to the faithful...
...and it's a beautiful sunset.
Earlier i'd been talking to Marty from Highland Experience The Best Way to Experience Scotland
who talked of checking out the Ceilidh House of Skipinnish.
I got a couple of minutes of good music for YouTube later.
So nearing midnight that was supposed to end day 4.
Maybe it was the mushrooms on the Port Ellen to Kennacraig ferry that did it,but i suffered a really bad bout of IBS,and didn't sleep well at all.
My enjoyment of Mull and day five would be tempered by my tiredness and a developing mouth ulcer.

Island Hopping with the Glebe-Day 4 early

This will be quite a concise blog.I've only a short time to do it before i get my car clamped.
I'm in Oban Backpackers here on day 5 since there was no room at Syha Oban.

A cloudy morning as i awoke on Islay.I'm up early enough to get my porridge and fruit before leaving Port Charlotte and heading for the ferry at Port Ellen.
The road is quiet as i head for the 9.30 sailing.There's a little bit of life in Bowmore as i pass through.
From Bowmore,i think it's thirteen miles to Port Ellen,much of it on one long straight road.

It's a bit busier at Port Ellen,the boat eventually comes in,and they manage to squeeze some of the extra traffic onto the boat.It seemed to me there was still a lot left waiting on the quay.
The crossing goes ok,once back on the Mull of Kintyre the sun comes out again.Here's a different view of the Paps of Jura.
Off the boat and heading up the Mull of Kintyre,i'm on my way to Oban.
I stop here at the lock gates on the Crinan Canal.
The rest of the run to Oban was very scenic but quiet enough.
Day 4 will continue in the next blog.I've got to go.

Island Hopping with the Glebe-Day 3

It's Wednesday the 24th of June,and this is Day 3's blog on wordpad,since it would have been too much of a rush to get myself to the WI-Fi cafe on Islay which closes at 8 pm.
I left my B & B at 7.30 to give me plenty time to get to Lochranza.I opted for a packed lunch in preference to breakfast.I'd limited myself to one guinness and one shandy at the Kinloch on Tuesday night.


The run to Lochranza was quiet enough,only the local delivery drivers on the road.The west coast of Arran looking towards the Mull of Kintyre has miles and miles of sandy beaches.There were the odd caravans parked up-no doubt it got busier as the day wore on.
Arran is certainly a dramatic island.I wonder how the village of Whitefarland got it's name.


Lochranza's a very picturesque little port with a castle and quite a number of pleasure craft in the bay.The ferry to Claonaig from here is a small drive on drive off affair.
I saw the ferry was tied up at the harbour,so i took myself off for a look at the castle.

Driving back to the terminal,i noticed the ferry was on the drive on ramp,there was no sign of the caravan or car and trailer that had been parked up before.
I went into the car park to wait.Next thing i knew the ferry had dropped it's ramp,and they were waving frantically for me to drive on.The missing vehicles were already on...I'd forgotten there was an earlier ferry.Laugh Out Loud.The crew weren't bothered in the least.
Early mist again this morning,so pictures from the boat were few.

Now on the Mull of Kintyre and a long single track road with passing places to get over to Kennacraig for the ferry to Islay.


Because i caught the earlier ferry i'd plenty time to go get a cuppa tea in Tarbert,and take some pictures...

...it's certainly a bonnie place.

And time to take pictures of a few wrecks on the way back to the ferry terminal.This is Tarbert's West Port,this container had just finished loading.

Now i'm at Kennacraig,and you can tell we're in the 'Gaeltagh Country',all road and town signs are also in the Gaelic.
I booked some onward trips.To make things fit i'm only on Islay for one night.I'll have to come again.
Onto the ferry,and i'm thinking i'll have my main meal here since i'm hostelling tonight.
Haddock chips and peas and they were delicious.
Later on deck i struck up a conversation with a Diageo representative who was heading to Islay.A very bubbly person,she told me quite a bit of the layout of Islay,of the nine distilleries of which Diageo own quite a few,and of the things to see and do on Islay.Great company for the sailing.
Coming into Port Ascaig,with the sun still shining,I'm feeling kinda peeved with myself.One afternoon isn't going to tell me anything.

Now on the Island,i know that this is pronounced 'Killeela'.So i'm a Gaelic speaker!

My first stop is to look over at Jura.The Paps are aptly named,and probably from the old norse word for udder.They are three conically shaped hills.I'll get different views on Thursday mornings ferry.

I take a run into Bowmore for a quick look around.Everything on Islay looks so clean.
All the villages i pass through bring memories of my dad's whisky collection.
Bruichladdich,Ardbeg,The Isle of Jura Distillery at Craighouse,Bunnahabhain to name just a few.

And here's the hostel at Port Charlotte where i'll make my maiden leap into hostelling.It's a former distillery.
It took me a while to work out what was what,while the seasoned hostellers were coming and going like they lived in the place(well i suppose they do for a while).I met quite few different nationalities later that night.After the Scots the next most predominant group were the Germans.
After settling in i took a look around Port Charlotte,but decided not to sample any of the local brew on this occasion.
I was in a four bedded room of which two others were occupied.
I slept fine.
I intended to continued into day four,the ferry back and up to Oban,but i'll leave that just now and go look round Oban.
I think this blog is looking distinctly disjointed.

Island Hopping with the Glebe-A quick text on day 3

On Islay at Port Charlotte.
Great crossing.
Paps of Jura brilliant

Island Hopping with the Glebe-Day 2

This will be quite a short blog page,i need to get some sleep.

It took me three hours...!
up nice and early,and a lovely breakfast of bacon sausage egg mushrooms hash brown fried bread and toast.
I'd recce'd the start of my walk yesterday and began climbing at 10 o'clock.
Three and a half kilometre's to the summit of Goat Fell-a walk in the park.Lol
Brodick's still in mist as i begin climbing...
...and as i gain height it's laid out like a carpet below me.
There's not a lot of folk about at the moment.That changes later.
No problem the first two thirds of the climb,i made really good headway.Only one young guy passing me,and no one coming down.But the thing is..the last 1000ft of this climb is a staircase of rock,and that's when i slowed down.
The middle right picture of this collage has a few climbers in perspective...a fell runner flew past...and again on the way down.
Now there seems to be more people around.
There's another man coming up the shorter but steeper route from Corrie...he's carrying a big tripod and camera.I'm hoping i'll have a few good panoramas,but they'll be nothing compared to his...Malcolm Scott Webster's his name..check out his great photo's at
Scotland in Print

After numerous stops,i eventually reach the top...i knew i'd take three hours as soon as i saw how high the staircase was.
The views were spectacular...it would take to long to list all the places and islands that were on view.I'll hopefully upload some of my panoramas in the future.
A couple from Germany,Malcolm and Jutta(He English-She German) who i'd got to know yesterday kindly took this picture for me.
Now there were quite a few folk up at the summit,and it seems this gull must clean up after folk.
I didn't get pictures or film of the two pair of ravens giving a spectacular air display trying to chase this gull away.

This plaque shows the lay of the land...it looks like Bug O'Malone's trying to get home.
Talking of bugs,my insect repellent had been keeping the midges away,but attracting the clegs.Here on the summit the midges were attacking anything that moved...what are they doing up here.

I may have heavy climbing legs,but my downhill legs take some beating...Have i just been up there?..I actually passed a few people getting to this burn.
Boots and socks off,this was heaven.

Now all the mist has burned off,and my feet are cooled it's a slow and steady walk back as the ferry goes out.

Back down where the more leisurely are slaking their thirst.I,m hotfoot back to Blackwaterfoot,dinner and a refreshing Guinness
I'm on the ferry to Islay tomorrow.
Back blogging soon hopefully.

Island Hopping with the Glebe-Day 1

N.B The following blogs will be fairly short due to limited connectivity.In other words i'll be out of reach.
I'm up nice and early to start my Island hopping trip.
Leaving a rainy and overcast Newton Stewart,i take the New Galloway and Ayr road up to Ardrossan.I'm early enough to see the earlier ferry pull out.
Still that let me go to the Asda cafe near the ferry terminal to have a great breakfast and pot of tea for £2.75.
A quick look along the coast and it's soon time to get the ferry.
Caledonian McBrayne have the franchise in these parts,and todays trip takes 55 minutes.
The weather by now is picking up,and a lot of people take to the top deck...
The views are great.
Goat Fell has a wee cloud around the summit.

After booking in my B & B i head out for a touch of exploration.Here's a different view of Holy Isle than i normally take.
Wouldn't you like to live here...that's a great view of Goat Fell.
Further exploration brings a view of Ailsa Craig and my Galloway home behind.Seals on rocks,waterfalls..is that a dinosaur i see.Rugged rocky outlook...and a sign that says Goat Fell is only three and a half miles.
And this is Blackwaterfoot on the west coast where i;m staying.I'm in the Kinloch Best Western blogging this.It's still daylight and gone eleven,and i'm talking to a couple from Batley and drinking Guiness.Goat Fell here i come.Ah it's a great life.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-New Luce to Castle Kennedy

It's Saturday the 20th of June,and todays walk is part SUW with a bit of diversion from New Luce to Castle Kennedy.
Fourteen walkers gather at New Luce Hall,it's a bit damp and overcast,but the forecast is for it to clear up.
Our first two kilometres are on the minor road towards Glenluce where we join the Southern Upland Way at Cruise.
Now off the road we head through the long grass to the footbridge over the Water of Luce.It bounces well as i reach the middle,and i'm not the heaviest of the group today.
Now we leave the SUW route and keep to the woods between the railway and the Water of Luce.

Our walk leader today was born and bred in these part,and we stop frequently for him to impart some local knowledge.The biggest problem here was the million midges threatening to eat us alive-a couple of sensible walkers produced midge netting.
We continued following the river in a southerly direction over some rough terrain and slippy burns until we were clear of the trees and approaching Craig Farm.

The cattle weren't sure what to make of us,just after i'd taken this picture they did a runner.

Again as our walk leader imparts more history,he insists the sign has nothing to do with what he's saying.

A little further on we come to Craig Crossing.An old cannon stands outside the house here.There's a telephone at the crossing.A notice says for taking cattle or slow agricultural machinery over one needs to ring to make sure it is clear to do so.Another notice then goes on to state that if there's no answer between certain late night hours-use the crossing anyway.(I'm not sure how that works)
Since crossing the railway at Craig we've been travelling in a generally westward direction and we're overlooking the farm and lands known as Airyhemming.This was where todays walk leader was born and raised.To the south we can make out the Mull of Galloway.
Continuing on through harvested forest we come over a ridge where a western outlook opens up...

here we'll lunch,and since the weather's picking up all the time,there's no urgency.

Over to the west stand the new wind turbines at Portpatrick...they're not yet operational.

Back on the move,I investigate this deer hide.It contains one usable and one unusable deckchair.
We pass one of many quarries in the area-and the ruins of some sort of building-probably a sheep pen.

We tread cautiously as we come to ongoing forestry operations.The operator of the bottom machine was just finishing work for the day.We'd see him later changing a punctured tyre on his car.

Now as we're nearly rejoining the SUW,we pass this stretch of water that appears to be called 'Glenwhan Lochs or Lochs of the Eyes' Very odd !
Now we walk a few hundred metres along the Castle Kennedy to Glenluce road before coming back onto farm track.

Hidden away in this picturesque copse of trees and rhodedendrons bushes, are the ruins of a cottage once resided in by two elderly widows or spinsters who used to keep chickens.

Now the industrial sheds near the A75 at Castle Kennedy come into view as we meet two walkers coming in the opposite direction.We impart some knowledge of some of the route to them.Nice rucksacks but their footwear left a lot to be desired-they've a few muddy patches to get through.

Here at Chlenry are the remains of an old corn mill,looking as though it's waiting for the modern age to collapse so it can start up again.

Now back on the Castle Kennedy New Luce road the sun and bikers are out.
There's some sort of light aircraft meeting over on the Cults Airfield.Later after the walk was finished,we were treated to an aerobatic display by one of them.

Now we move into the Castle Kennedy Estate via this view of Black Loch or Loch Crindil...

...and head through the grounds of the estate.

While over the other side of White Loch or Loch of Inch proudly stands the Earl of Stairs residence Lochinch Castle.

After a final group photo by the loch,it's just a short way to the cars to ferry us back to New Luce.
After an uncomfortable start this turned into an enjoyable walk.