There is just SO much to write about from our trip up to this stunning country that I will have to leave LOADS out. I'm sorry... I have to, or else we'll be here 'til Hogmanay uploading my 800+ images and recalling all of the events, all of the characters and all of the wonderful food, beer, whiskey, scenery and hospitality that we encountered. You'll just have to go and see for yourselves! Or else you could insist that Linda and I went for you ;-)
Linda did the map thing one more time before we left the UK mainland and took us to possibly the most romantic and most eye-pleasing, sigh-inspiring, "oh Lord I wish we could live here" places on planet Earth; Castle Tioram. (say "cheerum")
To get to this place is quite a trek and you need the patience of a saint, nerves of steel, the determination of a 2 year old with an upside-down jigsaw puzzle piece, a damn good navigator, and a big truck! Still, I suppose it was originally settled there around the 7th century... Amazing scenery, incredible roads with meagre passing places, you just never know what is around the next corner. It could be a Black Pheasant, a Buzzard sitting at the side of the road, a small Loch, a waterfall, a tractor or even another car, but hey... lets not start exaggerating about the traffic levels... The castle is set up on a great big lump or rock which sits very nicely among Loch Moidart where it meets the River Shiel. It's a fabulous setting and you can only get across to the castle in between tides which makes it all the more exciting and at the time of day we went, late afternoon, just as the sun was setting behind the castle walls it was incredibly romantic. The walk back to the car was quite exciting too as we saw Deer tracks in the sand. The castle has laid in ruins since it was ordered to be burned in 1715 by Clan Chief Allan of Clanranald. Sadly it's falling into the loch bit by bit and currently a businessman is hoping to conserve it via a trust. We hope he succeeds, it's a beautiful place!
Next morning we set off towards Kilchoan to catch the ferry over to Mull. Just a few miles south of our hotel was the first ferry crossing which despite only taking 5 minutes to cross Loch Lihnne at Corran / Ardgour provided considerable excitement for two young travellers! Linda took quite a shine to the young ferryman, as he smiled at her but scowled at everyone else, including me. Along the roads to Kilchoan we saw Deer, Buzzards and more eye-popping scenery and when we arrived (an hour early... well, you don't take chances out there, believe me) we weren't exactly jostling for position at the ferry terminal.
The water here was as clear as I've ever seen and in the distance stood another castle called Mingarry (you can just see it behind Linda). Built in the 13th century and ruined in the 14th, it's stood there ever since keeping guard over the Sound of Mull. The terminal isn't manned, just a few signs and eventually another two cars gave us the assurance that we were indeed at the right place, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was abandoned. Anyway, it's a very pretty place coloured by the aroma of cows and the sound of gulls. The sun was blazing but a fresh breeze kept us under wraps while we waited for our ferry. Once on board we enjoyed a calm and smooth crossing of around 35 mins, taking time to look out to sea in the hope of spotting a dolphin or a seal or a couple of Minke's.
Alas we were disappointed with the hopes of sealife parading for us but the journey was pleasant and exciting, especially when we turned around the final corner into Tobermory. As soon as we drove off the ferry we arrived at our hotel, it must have been all of 800 yards from the boat to the front door and the place is really quite magical.
We (ok... I) decided that we'd driven enough for a couple of days and that we should just root around the harbour, call in at the Mishnish (pub) for lunch and then spend a relaxing day in Tobermory. As if! We checked in, we did have a stroll up the harbour and we did have lunch in the Mishnish. Then we got in the car and went off to explore the island. (So much to see... so little patience). The view from the hotel bedroom was quite something and apparently, some evenings they have an otter playing outside. Sadly we didn't see him but we did enjoy the view (below) nonetheless. 
You never know what you're going to see in a new place, and sometimes it's not the things you're looking for that stick in your mind. Take this for example. Tobermory has a little bit of everything, a baker, a butcher, a chocolatier, a distillery and an inronmonger where, of course, you can buy an electric guitar or a skiing helmet or a ping pong ball or a ball of wool or a candle or a hosepipe, in fact, I'd challenge anyone to go into that shop and ask for something, then come away disappointed! I suppose that's how these small island communities survive. The hotel we stayed at had a first class resturant, The Waters Edge. Absolutely delicious food, a wonderful romantic atmosphere looking out over the harbour (still no otter...) and all of the food on the menu was either supplied by the people of the village, or else somewhere else on the Isle of Mull. Anyway... back to the unusual stuff. As we called in to the post office to do postcards, Linda peeked into the window of the village hall to see what the posters were advertising and nearly collapsed in a heap when she saw this:-
Have any of you ever seen THAT before?!We spent the rest of Mull day one at Calgary beach and took the picture below for Janet and Eammon who of course now live near that 'other' place called Calgary.
Calgary bay is gorgeous, with white or even silvery clean and uncrowded soft sands, crystal clear idyllic blue unspoiled waters and fascinating wildlife to see such as Buzzards, Sea Eagles, Rabbits (well.. the birds have to eat don't they!) and seals. We had a good walk around, a little bit of a paddle (boots on) and photographed this and that as the sun set delicately over the bay. Calgary is on the north west coast of Mull about 12 (very hairy driving) miles from Tobermory. The name apparently comes from the gaelic Cala ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the meadow which certainly fits in as there is a piece of grazing land between the sands and the road and river. That's where the bunnies live. "Cala" is a gaelic word specifically used for a hard, sandy beach suitable for landing a boat, all of which makes sense to the detail and setting of the location.
I'll post one or two more Calgary pictures in part 4 as we went back for another look on day 2.
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