Monday 24 July 2017

Well, we had a great day yesterday - went to Gigha.


It takes just over an hour to get round to the ferry terminal at Tayinloan, so off we set in plenty of time, on a lovely sunny day. Too often in the past we have found ourselves hurtling up the west side watching the boat heading for the slip, but not this time. Parked up and first stop is Big Jessie's cafe. There you can sit outside with a latte and some lovely home baking and watch the ferry approaching, then it's all aboard for the 20 minute sail.

The M.V. Lochranza is one of Calmac's more dilapidated boats but it does it's job just fine. Originally built for the Lochranza- Claonaig crossing in the eighties, it was soon moved over to the Gigha run and has been plying backwards and forwards ever since. I would like to say 'in all weathers' but nowadays Calmac seem to draw the line at sailing in anything much more than about force 4. Gone are the days when the web site said ' the Master will decide'. Nowadays it's the Met Office who decides about 2 days in advance.

Anyway it was a lovely calm sea and there is nothing nicer than sitting up top as the ship tootles across the Sound of Gigha - keeping a hopeful eye out for some porpoises or dolphins, or measuring the very shallow bottom as we approach the island.

Then it was into the Boat House where we had ordered lunch. Being a sunny day the place was thronging with people and it was more akin to Ayr beach than little Gigha, but in the seclusion of the restaurant we were able to enjoy our splendid seafood in peace. But too much to do and it was off to visit the Gallery (alas, closed on Sunday) and then down the road to Achamore Gardens.

 Some people take their cars across for their visit. Mistake! The beauty of Gigha is the magnificent hedgrows full of roses , montbretia, juniper, grasses, heather all mixed up in a wonderful jumble of shapes and colour. The meadows on either side - meadowsweet, thistles foxgloves - with butterflies flitting around are mesmerising, and of course we took so long to stroll to the Garden entrance that there was no time to go in and we had to stroll back again! Note - don't go on a Sunday when the last boat is 4.30.

Anyway, there was still time for a tub of Gigha Ice Cream from Joe and Hannah's shop which WAS open and then back to join everyone for the sail back in the sun, with Islay and Jura on the horizon and a shadowy Northern Ireland away in the distance.

A good day.

Friday 7 July 2017

Well, the Carradale Canter went without a hitch - no fatalities as they say. Loads of medals doled out and some very exhausted looking people panting past our kitchen window - did they realise that this wasn't actually the route?

Church Sale of Work last night. The art is to go early and place your hand on your favourite chocolate cake so that when the opening speech is over you've already bagged it. Lots of people attending as ever - it really is an  evening that's in the regular visitors diary. So cakes in the workshop this afternoon!

Weather continues to be pretty awful - one day shine and the next rain. Midges aren't too bad this year although I met a visitor the other afternoon on a lovely sunny day, not a midge in sight, with her midge hat and veil on. Clearly this had been the instruction in her travel guide, though how she could actually see to walk down the hill I'm not quite clear. Secret as ever is lots of Jungle Juice, cover up well, and get the chimera puffing away if you're sitting outside.

Next on the agenda is the Golf Club Dance which was great fun last year. A good old ceilidh dance in the Village Hall. At the April Dance we were at I ended up being hurled across the floor in the Dashing White Sergeant so better be a bit more careful this time. After a generation of youngsters who couldn't dance a step, they are all now well into the familiar dances again and thoroughly enjoy Stripping the Willow with the best of them.

After a very disrupted start to the season the Ardrossan- Campbeltown crossing has got going again and is a nice alternative to the road over the Rest. Saves driving but not much else. Give it a shot - details on Calmac's excellent web site.