Isle of Skye - Mainland -Isle of Mull

 Tuesday 16th July - two weeks and I will be home.

Early morning, breakfast at 6.45 and in the bus by 7.30 am, that was a bit of a shock but we had to drive down to catch the ferry at Calgary, water was lovely and calm, watched the ferry come in 

Was a quick but a chilly wind as we went over, A couple from Harrogate in Yorkshire sat next to us and kept us amused. He is a gamekeeper but they had six children and one of my companions was a midwife, so they had a bit to talk about, then we drove to Glenfinnan, made famous by it being where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed and staked his claim on the Scottish and English crowns, memorialised many years later by a statue of a Highland soldier, made famous more recently in Harry Potter films with the Steam train on the curved viaduct (haven’t seen it myself) but how beautiful is the scenery!

Climbed a short track to get that view and turning back you get the view over the Loch and the monument

Then it’s back down to the monument and the loch, everywhere you look there is beauty, and so green! 

Down to Lochaline to get the ferry to the Isle of Mull, Little drive on - drive off ferries, a bit like our Cook Strait ones they are getting old and they often have maintenance issues and cancellations, they need reinvestment too - oh did I say that out loud Nicola W 

The Isle of Mull we went up to the Capital - Tobermory, yes if you remember that is the name of a Womble of Wimbledon common - the older one in the tartan vest. I think this is the prettiest town we have been to in Scotland.

Lunch was fish and chips, which was very yummy, but too big to eat all, one of my tour companions who I was dining with on a seat overlooking the harbour - purchased the three of us a Gin and Tonic that she spotted in the supermarket, so that helped wash it down. I visited the museum, only tiny but I was already the 86th visitor that day, I learnt a few things, Governor MacQuarie of Australia was born on Mull in 1761, my Aussie companions did not know! The population on Mull halved between 1821 and 1861 due to the Clearances, where families were evicted from the land by the landowners as they weren’t profitable, pretty tough life in those days. In 1821 there were over 10 thousand on Mull, nowadays only 3 thousand and a fair few holiday homes. 

Down to our accomodation for the next two nights , The Isle of Mull Hotel and Spa, an old seventies building that has at least been revamped inside, with lovely tartan carpets in the reception and dining areas, no photos sorry,  soft colours in the rooms, which were a long way down endless corridors.

Went for a walk through the bush between the shore and the road, lots of whimsical carvings and rocks with sayings on them, fairy doors etc. 

When I turned the corner and saw the back fox it gave me a start, even though I had been looking at carvings along the way, it was looking right at me!

Then it was dinner, a very expensive Brie and Pancetta salad for me as only a small handful of salad, but after fish and chips for lunch it was enough, it was the cost that hurt 23 pounds ! Luckily the next night’s dinner  is part of the tour!