Loch Fyne day 10

Today has definitely been the "wind down" day at the end of our holiday.  Very little to report.

We slept in a bit, so had breakfast a little later than normal.  We drove into town, only to get the car filled up, but had a slow wander through the shops one last time, looking for a souvenir or two.

There is a seafood restaurant a bit further up the loch, which was highly recommended, called the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, so we drove there to get a bite of lunch.  The restaurant was fully booked, but they have a take-away service and some picnic tables outside, so that's what we did.  We chose 6 oysters to share, and some of the best haddock we have eaten in a while!  (Yes, I know that oysters look like snot in a seashell, but with a squeeze of lemon they taste ok!)

There is also a garden centre, which we browsed through before returning to the hotel.  Back to the pool for a final swim and sauna, then had a nap in the room.  Ate "the last supper" in the hotel dining room.  Now we are all packed up and ready to go home in the morning, so this will be my final post from Loch Fyne.  It has been a  lovely break and we are already talking about our next visit to Scotland...

Enjoy tho photos.

Oysters, haddock & chips for lunch

Mushroom & cheese macaroni for Ann and a burger for me

Loch Fyne day 9

Today has involved even less activity than yesterday.

We had breakfast later than normal, at about 09:00.  No planned outings for today.  A bit after breakfast we went for a swim and then straight to the spa for another massage, the same as on day 2.  This one was every bit as good!  Then we sat outside with a drink, reading our books, looking out over the loch and solving the world's problems.

By 14:45 we had moved into the lounge, where we were served a formal "afternoon tea".  Easier to understand what this involved by looking at the photos.  We each had one of the "birdcage" style displays of tasty goodies, washed down with lashings of tea.  We continued to set the world to right as we enjoyed the view of the loch and hills opposite.

We returned to our room when dark grey clouds began to roll in.  Nothing more planned for today.  Just more chilling and reading etc.

Enjoy the photos.

Us with a drink outside the front of the hotel

Display of tasty treats to eat with afternoon tea

Ann says I should try to forge a sword like this one, only bigger!

Loch Fyne day 8

It was another road trip today, although not quite as extensive as on day 6.

Left the hotel around 09:30 once again, heading north. The first part of the route took us back past Kilchurn castle, which we visited in the mist on day 3.  This morning however, the weather was much better, so we stopped there again to take some of the same photos, this time with some blue sky and sunshine. 

From there the route took us further north to Glencoe, famous for a massacre that occurred there in 1689, a clash between the MacDonald clan and government forces.  Today, just another pretty highland town, but the events of the past are entrenched in its memory.  The town is so named from 'Glen' - the Scottish word for valley -  and the river 'Coe' which runs through it.

From there we headed due east through the Glencoe valley, claimed to be the most beautiful drive in the UK.  A well-deserved accolade in my opinion.  The rolling hills bordering the deep glacial valley are quite spectacular.  Unfortunately I doubt that the photos are able to do justice to its true beauty.  We made a few more minor stops along the way and arrived back at the hotel around 14:30.

Ann went for a swim while I took a nap.  This evening we went back to The George hotel in the town for supper, which did not disappoint.  So overall a less eventful day but enjoyable nonetheless. 

Enjoy the photos. 

Kilchurn castle in the sunshine

Glencoe valley

Glencoe valley 

Loch Fyne day 7

The weather forecast for today was cool but mainly dry, so we decided another walk was a good idea.  We figured any precipitation would be light and short-lived.  And in any case the route we had chosen was mainly through woodlands so a bit of drizzle was not likely to bother us.

The weather forecast was inaccurate.  So was the meaning of "through woodlands" in the route description. 

We set off from the hotel at around 09:30, just as a light drizzle began to fall.  (See comments in paragraph 1.)  The light drizzle soon became a constant, heavier drizzle which continued for most of the next 3 hours.  The route took us back past the castle, but on a loop to the west, not up the hill again.  Yes, most of the time we were walking through forests, but the path was mostly along a dirt road obviously well used by the forestry workers, so there was no overhead protection from the trees.  Some of the time we walked alongside a small river with a few stone bridges and pretty waterfalls.  Most of the route was fairly level, except for one uphill/downhill section in the middle.  After about the first 5 miles or so the rain stopped, but by then we were almost back at base.  Total distance walked was 6.6 miles (approx. 10.6 km) in a time of 3 hours 20 minutes (approx. 3 hrs 20 mins. for my non-British readers!)

Back at the hotel we changed into dry clothes and took another walk (!) into the town.  We went back to the same little bistro pub as on day 3, called Brambles.  We both started with the seafood chowder, followed by an open steak sandwich, which was basically just a large slice of toast covered with slices of roast meat, some nondescript green leaves (possibly lettuce), a generous layer of sliced onions all smothered in another generous layer of melted cheese.  Delicious and hearty!

The afternoon was occupied with resting and another visit to the pool.

Enjoy the photos.

Little picnic hut beside the river

One of several little waterfalls 

Mushroom in the forest

Seafood chowder

Open steak sandwich

Loch Fyne day 6

Road trip today.

We departed from the hotel at 09:30, heading south.  The peninsula to the south of our hotel, jutting into the Irish sea is the Mull of Kintyre peninsula, immortalised in the song by Sir Paul McCartney in 1977.  We drove anticlockwise, down the west coast and back up the east coast, stopping at many places to look around and take photos.

The route (known as "Kintyre 66" because the circular portion is 66 miles long), is punctuated by many sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and small villages.  The scenery is beautiful - the green fields, wooded hillsides and the sea.  Along the west one can see several islands stretching north parallel to the coast, which are the Inner Hebrides, and on a clear day one can see the northern tip of Northern Ireland, which lies just 12 miles away to the south.

On one small rocky outcrop at the first place we stopped there were 2 seals taking a nap and 2 swans(!) in the water nearby.  Saw many sea birds, but not much other wildlife.

Heading north along the east coast, in many places the road was just a single lane with frequent wider spots to allow vehicles to pass.  Towards late afternoon we ventured "off the beaten track" to a small village called Skipness where we had heard there was an excellent seafood restaurant.  The reports were true - The Seafood Cabin is a very small place, literally just a wooden shack with outdoor seating only.  Everything on the menu is seafood.  We chose the seafood platter for 2 to share.  There must have been 9 or 10 different varieties on the platter, although a few were the same type of fish, just prepared differently.  The taste and quality were excellent!  I would happily eat there again, just a pity it is so far away from anywhere.

In the adjacent field there were some cows, sheep and horses that watched us eating ... or was it us watching them?  And in the field beside them was the ruins of Skipness Castle, which we visited after the meal.

Arrived back at the hotel around 18:30.  9 hours and 180 miles on the road.  Another successful and very interesting day.  Hopefully to be followed by another peaceful sleep.

Enjoy the photos.

Some beaches were rocky

Some beaches were sandy

Seafood platter for 2

The Seafood Cabin

Ruins of Skipness Castle 

More social distancing guidance, in case you still need it!

Loch Fyne day 5

Had breakfast a little later this morning and then headed to Inveraray castle, situated just on the northern outskirts of the town.  The gardens and parts of the castle are open for the public to visit.

Inveraray castle, built in the 1700s, is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Campbell Clan.  The current (13th) Duke of Argyll lives there with his family.  Ann can trace her family tree back to one of the Earls of Argyll and therefore feels an ancestral connection to the castle and the family.

The rooms open to the public are beautifully decorated with paintings, tapestries, furniture and artefacts that have been part of the family's heritage for centuries.  All very beautiful and interesting.  My favourite room was the central hall which is generously decorated with a huge variety of swords, rifles, armour, pistols and all manner of military weapons and paraphernalia.  The tour through the castle ended in the obligatory gift shop and tearoom where we bought a couple of souvenirs and a coffee ... and another cap for me!

The grounds of the estate contain many acres of hills and forests, through which there are a number of walking trails.  The forests contain a variety of tree species including Pines and huge Cedars.  We chose to walk up to the top of the hill behind the castle, which overlooks the town of Inveraray, the loch and beyond.  The terrain was very steep but thankfully in good condition.  We took a little over 2 hours to make the climb and return, with several photo stops along the way and at the top.  The round trip was about 4.8 km (3 miles), during  which one climbs an elevation of 250 metres (830 feet).  Definitely worth it as the views from the top are fantastic.

Back at the hotel we enjoyed another swim to relax our tired muscles before showers and supper in the hotel dining room.

Enjoy the photos. 

Inveraray castle 

The living room

Crystal chandelier in the dining room

Central hall

Weapons on display in the central hall

We walked to the top of the hill in the background 

Ann in front of a huge Cedar tree

We made it to the top

View overlooking Loch Fyne, the castle and the town of Inveraray

(zoom in to see the detail)

More social distancing advice

Loch Fyne day 4

We both started the day with a hearty breakfast because we knew we would probably not eat at midday, which proved to be true.  We had planned a drive heading due west from the hotel and stopping to see a number of local attractions along the way.  The weather forecast promised better conditions than yesterday, but only marginally, so we did encounter a bit of drizzle on and off throughout the day but not enough to interfere with our planned itinerary. 

First stop was a historical site at "Achnabrek" where ancient carvings have been found in a number of large stones, probably dating back between 5,000 and 4,500 years.  There are notably several sets of concentric circles, the biggest about 40cm in diameter (16").  Some have other shapes with them, radial lines, heart shapes and cup shaped indentations.  Nobody knows why they were carved, but ask an archaeologist and they will probably say something about a "ritualistic ceremony".

To reach the stones you have to walk a few hundred metres along a winding footpath through dense woodland.  The forest is so dense that virtually no light can penetrate through the trees.  It appears to be completely dark beyond the first few metres.  Quite spooky - the stuff of fairytales and horror stories. 

Second stop was an area called "Nether Largie" where there are several sites with arrangements of standing stones and burial cairns.  (For my non-British readers, Stonehenge is not the only standing stone monument in the UK.  There are lots!)  A short walk through the fields, avoiding the cowpats, allows one to get right up to the stones.  Actually there were 5 different sets all fairly close to one another.  A short distance further brought us to a fairly large burial cairn, again one of several in the area.  We could see about 5 just from where we stood, plus more that we drove past.  The one we visited is open, and yes, we did climb inside!  Again I hear the archaeologists crying "ritual ceremony".

A short drive further west and we came to the pretty seaside village of "Crinan" where we stopped for a coffee.  On a clear day one can see the "Inner Hebrides" islands from Crinan, however we didn't realise that we should have continued just further around the bend to see them, so missed the opportunity.

From there we headed back towards Loch Fyne.  On the way we passed the village of "Port Ann" where we had to stop for a photo, for obvious reasons!  And a few miles after that we stopped at a living history museum of a rural farm township called "Auchindrain".  The collection of buildings and their contents show how people lived in these little farming settlements even up to the 1960s.  Very interesting, but alarming to think that people were living in such primitive conditions so recently. 

Back to the hotel for a shower and change before we walked into town for supper at "The George Hotel".  Excellent food, but the place was a bit loud and crowded for our liking.  So now it's time for bed after a busy but enjoyable day. 

Enjoy the photos.

Carved stones (zoom in to see the details)

Path through the dark forest

Mushrooms growing in the forest

Ann at some of the standing stones

Opening of the burial cairn

Me inside the burial cairn

Ann at Port Ann

Buildings at Auchindrain museum 

Living room inside one of the museum houses

More social distancing guidelines 

Loch Fyne day 3

After breakfast, as we walked into town we were amazed by the scenes over the lake.  The early morning mist hung low over the water and the hills opposite.  The air was so still that the water looked like a mirror, giving a perfect reflection of the mist and opposite shores.  Quite breathtaking.

Our visit this morning was to the Inveraray Jail, which was originally built in 1820, but stopped operating as a jail in 1889.  The buildings were renovated in 1989 and opened to the public.  The site is now one of Scotland's top tourist attractions.

A very interesting visit. There are 3 main buildings - the original jail building, the new jail building, and the courthouse.  An audio guide talks you through the complex and explains the history of the facility.  The scene in the courthouse has been recreated to look like a trial is in progress. Very well done.  See the photos ... notice anyone familiar in the public gallery?

The old-fashioned approach to discipline and "reformation" often included brutal methods that we would class as torture today.  See the thumb clamps in the photo, often used to inflict pain on a prisoner to force them to confess to a crime ... many times even if they were innocent!  During the tour I had my photo taken, inmate style.

After our release from the jail, we had lunch in a lovely little bistro pub in the town, called Brambles.  A very popular place for obvious reasons.  The food was delicious - we both had seafood chowder, followed by haddock and chips.

This afternoon we took a short drive north to the ruins of Kilchurn Castle, built on an island in Loch Awe in the mid-1400s, originally as the base of the Campbells of Glenorchy.  It was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1760 and has been abandoned ever since, although a restoration project has been started recently.  As a result, we were only able to walk around the outside.  The inclement weather added to the mysterious appearance of the once majestic structure.

We returned to the hotel and again made use of the swimming pool and related facilities.  Decided to skip supper this evening on account of our sizeable lunch.

Enjoy the photos.

Overlooking Loch Fyne this morning 

Entrance to Inveraray Jail 

Thumb screws

Inside the courthouse 

Courthouse public benches

My inmate profile photo

Kilchurn Castle

Kilchurn Castle, looking across the loch

Me in the hot tub

Me in the steam room

Loch Fyne day 2

Today was dedicated to unwinding and relaxation.  The forecasted rain did arrive, but only for part of the morning.

We started the day with a "Full Scottish" breakfast (as opposed to "Full English").  More or less the same except for the haggis and potato cake, the latter resembling a thick pancake made from potatoes - yes, it was as bland and uninteresting as it sounds!  I am still not a fan of black pudding or haggis, but at least I did try a bit of everything on my plate.  (My mother would have been so proud of me!)

We spent a little over an hour at the indoor swimming pool, which we had all to ourselves, where there is also a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and Canadian hot tub.  The jacuzzi was out of commission for repairs, but we made use of all the rest.  From there we went straight to the spa and related therapy suite, where Ann had booked us in for massages.  Mine was "full body"; Ann's involved hot stones.  Wow! ... definitely worth having.  My massage therapist found knots in my muscles where I didn't even know I had muscles, and set to work getting rid of them.  Very relaxing and refreshing at the same time.

After a change we relaxed in the lounge for a bit before taking a walk into the town.  This time we browsed through many of the shops and bought a few items along the way, including an authentic "flat cap" for me.  You know ... when in Scotland ...

Back to the hotel for a nap before supper.  I chose the macaroni, washed down with a large shandy.  Ann chose soup, followed by a burger.  Must say the quality of the food has been very good so far, even the haggis, if one is that way inclined!

Probably another early night tonight.  Enjoy the photos.

Note the size of Ann's gin & tonic next to my pint of shandy!

Macaroni with mushroom, rocket, parmesan, fennel and a poached duck egg.

More guidance on social distancing