Scotland part 2

Thursday saw a beautiful clear sky and warm sun. Today we had book to go to the Isles of Mull and Iona. After Breakfast we boarded the ferry to Mull. While on this trip we weren’t going got go and see Duart castle I did get a chance to take photos of it from the ferry.

Once we got to Mull itself we were met by the coach and were soon on a nice trip towards Iona. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave lots of information about the island and what we were seeing around the coach.

Mull is beautiful rugged place, and there are a number of old ruined houses. These mainly date back to the times of the highland clearances, when many of the local population were shipped overseas. This has led to the population of Mull dropping to around 3000. At its height there were around 10000 people on the island.

While we didn’t see any eagles we did see a couple of red dear.

Once we got to Fionnphort we crossed to the Isle of Iona. The isle houses an abbey originally founded my Saint Columba in the 4th or 5th century, and it is only in the last 40 years that the island has passed from private ownership. Iona was also beautiful and we passed the time looking at the old nunnery, abbey and by hiking to the top of Dun 1. From there we got superb views across the western isles of Scotland.

Scotland

While on my trip home mum had arranged for a trip to Scotland for a few days.

So Tuesday Morning we went to Stanstead to catch a flight to Glasgow. The flight was with Ryan Air. I hear people give them a hard time for hidden costs and poor service but really as a budget airline I found them fairly good. I mean you do have to pay for everything, and i mean everything including checking in to your flight, but it still cheaper than flying with some of the other airlines.

The trip up was pretty smooth and once in Glasgow, we pick up a car and headed towards Oban.

Scotland being Scotland had fairly changeable weather. We arrived to over cast skies, by the time we reached the bottom of Loch Lomond it was raining, but after stopping for some food it cleared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent a bit of time taking photos and then carried on up the side of the Loch, stopping at Tarbet to take some more shots. The weather stayed fine. 

As we headed on again slowly the rain came back on the drive but again by the time we got to Oban it had cleared.

Went for a walk around the town to get information on what else to do while here and have some dinner. While we were eating the rain came back, but fairly quickly passed.

In the evening we went to McCaig’s Tower. Built in the last years of the 1800’s , it was commissioned by John Stuart McCaig. He was an esteemed banker and land owner in Oban. He had seen that a good number of he local masons had very little work over the winter months so he commission a memorial to be built for his family. It was only worked on in the winter months and took 7 years to build. It offers splendid views over the town and nearby Isle’s

Holiday Time

Every couple of years I try to get back to the UK to see family and friends. I was last home in 2008 so it was time for another trip.

2010 also sees my eldest son turn 18, how time passes. This was used an an excuse to have a big family get together. I got to talk to some of my cousins that I haven’t seen in 8 years. Some had changed, some where still very much the same.

It is always nice to catch up with family, and it’s something I don’t do very often, so I’d like to say congratulations to all of my cousins that have gotten engaged, married or had kids since I last got to see you. Hopefully it won’t be 8 years before the next time.