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Colonsay Trip - Day 3 - Scotland

Hopped off Arran as planned today and am now on the Kintyre peninsula. What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I had to flannel off on multiple occasions, today I've had to towel off just about as many times... and have even had to have the camper's heater on.

Things to remember:
  • This morning, between Brodick and Lochranza on Arran, I came upon dozens of skank-vans and car / tent sleepers crammed into wholly inappropriate places. One such place - in the village of Corrie - was particularly offensive: I even felt obliged to take a snap. Compounding the sheer density of itinerants was the fact that the various vans, tents and cars were pitched on the sea front directly in front of residential dwellings. The whole 'site' was a hideous blight and also stunk of cannabis. Shameful.
  • The ferry from Arran to Kintyre was as rammed full as I've ever seen a ferry anywhere.
  • I've hung around the Skipness area for the vast majority of the day nature / sea watching.
  • Did a run and got soaked and cold to the bone. It couldn't have been any more different to yesterday's wilt-fest.
  • Found the corpse of a humpback whale washed up just south of Skipness (pic). Discovered the whole back-story with an internet search. A real tragedy but at least dozens of big gulls (and some common gulls) were prospering as a result. No black-headed gulls, though. Wondering why.
  • Some noteworthy wildlife sightings today, including: Manx shearwaters, gannets diving, a red squirrel, red deer, siskins, rock pipits, and - best of all - a good gathering of Sika deer grazing less than a hundred metres from my intended overnighting spot.
  • The overnighting spot's a little bit adventurous (needed good traction and ground clearance) but I felt forced into going off piste to disassociate myself from the glut of van-dwellers currently thronging the coastline between Claonaig and Skipness. There are many.
Post composed at 21:15 on Sunday 22nd June from my intended overnighting spot N 55.76273°, W 05.36196° / http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:55.76273%2C-05.36196 
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