Honestly, this will be the final batch of photos of my recent five-day foray into the West Highlands of Scotland, possibly! I'm sick of trying to find new adjectives to describe the beauty of this area, and I'm tired of the Scots amongst us on Hive, tearing up at 'the auld enemy's' lyrical waxing of their beloved homeland. For God's sake boys, dry your eyes!
So here goes...
We drove North from the sister-in-law's house, up the A82, not even stopping to stare in wonderment at beautiful Loch Lomond. On through the Trossachs National Park until Tyndrum, where something even more incredible and wonderful than even the amazing scenery we'd whizzed by awaited us...
Coffee and breakfast at The Green Welly!
It's a bit of a family tradition to stop here, although I think most people who drive from Glasgow would also take a break here before making the last push onto Oban or Fort William.
It's a petrol station, general store, restaurant, cafe, gift shop and outdoor shop all rolled into one wonderful little 'service' area, sat on the edge of yet more beautiful scenery.
It also has one of these machines where you put in a penny and a pound, turn a handle and it totally defaces the Queen's head and mutates it into a stamped plaque that commemorates your visit! We don't have these machines in Thailand as defacing the king in any way, shape or form would get you a minimum seven stretch.
They are quite popular in the UK in general and the wife gets one every time we stop here, costing me a quid. I did ask her to lend me it to take a photo and show you what exactly you get, but as normal, shes lost it. That'll be another quid wasted on the next trip North...
Eventually, we arrived in Oban for a three-night stay.
Greeted by blue skies and some mild weather.
We had planned on doing a night here and then a couple in Fort WIlliam but it was very busy. Once the schools in the UK go back after the long, summer hioliday, the old gits come out to play and there was barely a room to be had. No worries, we based ourselves here which is still a great place for tripping out.
Many of the decent (and not so decent) sea-front hotels were wanting £200 a night for a room with a sea-view. As some one who can get a room here on Samui, on the beach for £20 a night, it's always 'challenging' when it comes to paying UK prices. So I had to settle for the Royal Hotel which in any case is only a 2-minute walk to the harbour but still came in as £160 a night a room with breakfast.
We were still lucky to get a room here as there was a busload of German tourists just arrived. Breakfast next morning was funny as they were only supposed to have the 'continental breakfast' but kept trying to sneak items from the 'full English...Scottish' tables. Kept the staff on their toes and a smile on my face.
The rooms were decent enough, if you're over 80. My Mum is, and so she was happy, and that's all that mattered. There was a little mild wallpaper peeling but thankfully there were no stains on the bedding and room in general was spotlessly clean.
Not too bad. Clean and comfy at least.
So why Oban?
It's a major ferry terminal for boats that sail out to the Western Isles and as I mentioned earlier, its my mum's trip and she wanted to ride on a ferry, especially as she missed out on a cruise due to Covid, so I booked a quick day return to the Isle of Mull with the famous operator, Caledonian MacBrayne.
On a ferry called 'The Isle of Mull'!
The ferry runs every hour and a half during the day to the main port on the island, Craignure which is nothing more than a tiny village. It's worth taking the trip even if you're not getting off and simply returning straight back to Oban as the journey is spectacular from the observation decks, high above the waves.
Heading out of port, there doesn't look like a lot of space for such a large vessel but the red and green marker buoys help the captain steer a safe course.
The first thing after leaving Oban is the short lighthouse that marks the exit from the bay.
Passing Dunollie Castle on the way out of Oban. There is also a fabulous museum and visitor's centre.
This is Lismore lighthouse which guards the entrance to Loch Linnhe. On a really clear day, you can actually see Ben Nevis way off in the distance.
On Mull's rocky shoreline, Duart Castle rises majectically to greet visitors. The sea was a little bit choppy, but not a problem for our big ship.
A little over an hour later, we arrived at Craignure on the Isle of Mull where buses awaited to take tourists on a tour of the island, and in particular to see the famous picture postcard village of Tobermory. I'd brought the car along, so it was time to drive off and spend a few hours exploring before the ferry back. It was actually just like docking on the ferry to Koh Samui, complete with a green and mountainous backdrop.
Don't worry all the 'thrifters' out there. Even somewhere as remote as Mull has a charity shop.
Now at this point, you maybe expecting a number of pictures of the stunning Isle of Mull. It could even have made its own post but alas, no. Some idiot left his phone on the boat so couldn't take any more pictures. The wife took dozens but as she is Thai, every single one of them have her on them! A quick call to CalMac and the purser had found my phone and left it at the reception for my collection on the return leg.
Passing the smaller ferry that alternates sailings on the way back to Oban.
Passing through the busy harbour before docking safely back on Oban.
Time for a 'Spoons' I think!
The Next Day...
The next day we took a drive up to Fort William which for me, is much nicer than Oban. It's a bit overloaded with outdoor shops and tossers carrying brightly coloured rucksacks and wearing big hiking boots for no reason but it's a lovely small town in an amazing location, and close to Ben Nevis. I love it there.
Basically a one-street, self contained town with a Morrissons supermarket that does the greatest breakfasts!
It's just a pretty and very green, chilled out town. Yes, thats the missus taking selfies again!
I called in at the station just in time to see the very last Jacobite Express Steam train for the season to Mallaig leave the platform, headed by Black 5 Class number 45047, The Lancashire Fusilier.
I will bore you with more train pictures later!
The afternoon was spent by the locks watching the sailing boats pass through which I posted about earlier before we drove back to Oban under an ever more cloudy sky, only stopping to take a photo by the rather gloomy and foreboding looking, Loch Creran.
By the time we'd arrived back in Oban, the weather had cleared up and we had a drive round to Ganavan beach to enjoy the sunset.
And that was it, really. Time to head back South with happy memories and the beautiful scenery and sunsets etched into our minds. Possibly good timing as it had got noticeable colder in the few days we were there.
Of course, the wife was happy about the falling temperatures, she finally got chance to wear her furry earmuffs...to the animal lovers out there, don't worry, the two haggis's that were skinned to make the earmuffs were killed humanely!
That's it. I've come to the end of my trip to Scotland. Exhausted my photos and pinned the post to the wonderful @worldmappin
It just remains for me to say thank-you to anyone who dropped by and gave me an upvote, and to mention that the post has @commentrewarder set as a benficiary.
Best wishes for a lovely week ahead
Martin
