WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menootanaboot - again

For those not so long associated with this blog, the 'menootanaboot' posts refer to trips out of the Hutch which are less than three days. If you see 'menoffagainorrhoea' posts, then it's for more extended absences. There used to be a menoctionary page, but I couldn't keep up with myself.

Where was I this time then? Well, it was the annual Mac Clan holiday week at the end of May and into June. I didn't join for the whole week this time because the family had settled on a cottage which is really somewhat close to the Hutch. Just a fifty-minute drive then a half hour ferry crossing. Here is the obligatory map...


















"X" is the approximation of where the rented cottage sat, up high on the hill looking North towards Lochgilphead. (Link to the wider map view for the keen.) The blue line is the road driven by the Little Ren. The grey line represents the bus which I could have taken... though why it shows as a 'crow flies' trip over the mountains, I have no idea. The bus takes precisely the same road as the blue line. Good to know that this rather remote part of the Bonny Land is well-served by public transport though!

As it was Mac3's 50th b'day on the 29th, I let Ren run me over there to spend 24 hours. A good chance for some Fudge work too. 114 images taken in the daylight hours of those 24. Not bad going. Don't shuffle your seat like that. You're not going to have to trawl all of them. I did that for you... first, the road trip. It's mostly sheep track single-lane with passing bays and occasional bursts of two-way traffic. Somehow the two-way never happened when I met the oncoming bus or mega trucks. Deliveries have to be made even to these parts. Quite why semi-trailers have to do it on these roads though, is a puzzle. By water would be just as effective. Enough griping. Show the views, YAMster!

The Kyles of Bute. I've told and shown you quite a lot about the Isle of Bute; it was the place I originally wanted to settle. Anyway, the Tighnabruaich (pron. ty-na-brew-eye-hh) road has this fabulous viewpoint - that lump on the upper right is Bute. Oh, and look! S.U.N. We had summer that week.
This showed the terrain around - top centre is the 'you are here', and you can see the wear and tear of many fingers making sure!
At Portavadie, the ferry harbour. You can't tell from this, but there are a major marina and visitor complex right up behind. This is also the first hop to get to Islay. Once at Tarbert it is just a short drive to the otherside of the peninsula to catch the bigger ferry out West. One day, I'll make that trip...
The Tarbert ferry, rather confusingly called 'Isle of Cumbrae'. I quite often see it floating past the Hutch's window, probably up to Greenock. Wonder which ferry actually plies the route from Largs to Cumbrae then...???
From the ferry looking towards Tarbert. I do love being on the water.
The cottage as seen from the ferry with the long lens on the Fudge. You'll get a view from that bay window in another post. Back on Thursday with a bit more about Tarbert itself.

11 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful Menootanaboot and thank you for sharing these gorgeous photos today.
    Hugs HiC

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  2. Crikey ..... so much blue sky. Did you remember to slip, slop and slap??

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  3. It's such a pretty country.
    Merle.........

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  4. your land is the best of the world ;O))) ...Little Ren and the Elephant Skate would be a pawfect couple, they both could tell lots of stories about their trips... we have 289k kilometers on the clock now... but we hope for more ;O))

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  5. Bertie is fondly remembering his first ever ferry trip in those parts. One day we too would love to take the trip over to Islay.
    Great photos, as ever. I hope the mac Clan enjoyed their week.
    Cheers, Gail.

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  6. I loved that first pic of the water especially Yam - you lead such an interesting life and I've always had a soft spot for Scotland (home of my paternal ancestors) and will get there myself one day!

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  7. I had to laugh at you can't keep up with yourself, I find I am getting that way also... love the yard or garden of the cottage you took the long view of... glad you got away for a few days with your clan.

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  8. I do enjoy when you, Ren and Fudge are out and about in the Bonny Land. Such beauty to be seen. namaste, janice xx

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  9. Such a lovely road/ferry trip, I'm looking forward to seeing more!

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