Sunday - back on the mainland

Despite not being used to 4am we coped remarkably well. We were both awake (just) when our alarms went off simultaneously announcing 4am. By 4:26 we were in the queue for the ferry. That involved: getting up, getting dressed, rolling the bedding into stuff sacks and stowing, moving stuff around in the van to get ready for driving, and actually driving the couple of hundred metres to the ferry terminus 

Calm seas made for a bang on time crossing but take a look at the daily travel at the end of this post. Much of the journey was through the Sound Of Mull with rugged coastline, dotted with castles and lighthouses on both sides of the vessel. I was too knackered to rush round taking photos and, anyway, the ship's windows weren't crystal clear but here's a quick sample

And to think people pay good money and fly halfway round the world to cruise the Milford Sound - a Calmac trip is much cheap and almost as spectacular (yes, we've cruised the Milford Sound!)

The journey is long, 88 miles and slower going in the sound so it takes just under five hours. I tried to get some sleep, the boat was pretty empty so lying down was possible, but the seats were narrow and uncomfortable and the persistent engine throb put paid to any chance of Lethe's embrace.

It's 120 miles drive down to Ayr, the question is will I stay awake? We have sweeties and water, Liz has been primed with a supply of half a dozen CDs (mainly Scottish) and we'll stop halfway for a coffee break. 

Well halfway is just a little way along Loch Lomond and the coffee break stop is teeming with day trippers - ruddy tourists! So no coffee stop and this being the main road to Glasgow it's fairly busy in both directions. And for an all too long section it becomes very narrow, loch to one side, mountain to the other. Too narrow for speed, in fact an emergency stop was needed when a bend saw us, a large lorry coming in the opposite direction, and a dog-walker with a death wish all trying to share the same time-space coordinates!

But when it did open out and was safe enough for me to wrest my eyes from the road I could share Liz's enthusiasm - the bonny, bonny banks were a vibrant blue from the recently opened bluebells. Huge swathes of colour on the opposite bank were stunningly visible even at the distance across the wide loch.

Cunning route choice by my navigator and bomb-aimer saw us pretty much miss Glasgow (always a good thing IMHO) and take the Erskine Bridge over the surprisingly wide Clyde river. 

Road works etc make the last bit tedious but we arrived into Aye just under three and a half hours after leaving Oban.

Showers and clothes washing stole the afternoon but a quick walk along the river into town for dinner (and, more importantly, a pint or two of decent draught beer!)  and a couple of snaps

There were a surprising amount of swans, dozens of them 

And if I'm not mistaken that little duck at the bottom is another Gossander - a nice surprise. 

88 miles by sea and 120 by land today

Sorry a bit lacking in photos or detail today but it has been quite tiring!