Today I made the required early (4.45am) start and took the Cal-Mac ferry from Oban to Tiree and back. Why wouldn't you? It's basically an eight hour cruise through some of the most awesome scenery and sea-life habitat you'll find anywhere in the UK: all for the grand total of... £27. Post cruise, I've turned for home and am now a couple of hours inland on the bumble back south.
Things to remember:
- A pleasantly fair and mild day! The first one I've had for over a week. I haven't had the cabin heater on at all and was able to take an evening walk without my puffer jacket / waterproof on.
- The trip out to Tiree was really enjoyable. I saw hundreds of bottle-nose dolphins in total, some of them doing the archetypal bow-wave surfing thing, complete with full breaches.
- Additionally, I saw common porpoise, white-sided dolphin, a minke whale, white-tailed eagles, a few puffins, and - the winner for me - two storm petrels. One was a definite, the other 90%+
- For the second night running my intended overnighting spot has been scuppered. This time it's more palatable, though: the forest track I've been used to disappearing up here has had a welded barrier installed. Because I was tired on arrival and have no bale-out in the immediate area I've had to be a bit creative and park across the (very steep) track near the barrier using copious bits of landscape to get sort of level (pic). As it happens, it's all very agreeable to this point, with plenty of birdlife (including lots of siskins) and no sign of any humans.
Post composed at 22:00 on Sunday 29th June from my intended overnighting spot N 56.34615°, W 04.33718° / http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:56.34615%2C-04.33718