The Purple Penguin

Woke up to rain. Pouring rain. Dreary day. Horrid nasty wet miserable grey and did I mention wet day. So we decided hiding from the rain in a hollow mountain sounded like a good idea and we drove to the Cruachan Power Station. So arrived at the visitor’s centre to discover that several bus tours and many other tourists had decided hiding in a hollow mountain was a good idea. And the next tour was about a 2 hour wait. In a vistor’s centre that was packed with a coach or two of elderly tourists plus the other bunch of tourists that had driven up. So we decided to head out and just drive and see where we ended up.

So headed toward Inveraray, where there is a castle. We thought we might stop and see that. So on the road and thought about stopping for photos but the rain was pretty relentless and it was wet and miserable. Once we got to the castle, we sat in the car park and watched the rain and decided we couldn’t be bothered to get wet and then drip all over someone’s stately home. So we headed off again, looking for a break in the rain (and sunshine would be nice) and then decided we couldn’t be bothered with the Auchindrain open air museum (who puts an open air museum in the wet?) nor the Crarae Woodland gardens (did we mention it was wet?) so we carried on down the A83 along the wet Loch Fyne.

We finally reached Lochgilphead where the rain stopped. So we parked up and walked along the loch. The town is tiny but has a wonderful little place called Smiddys where we had a nice light lunch. While we were there the rain started again, but stopped before we finished and left. Leaving Lochgilphead we had a choice – we could carry on down the coast to Tarbert and onwards or turn back up and head towards Kilmartin. So we headed up to Kilmartin, then Kathleen saw the turning to Crinan and just turned.(It was one of those ‘I’m sure I’ve heard of this place’ moments.)

We followed the Crinan canel to, well, to Crinan (where did you think it would go?) We went to Crinan harbour and got out and Joe got some photos while Kathleen looked at birds and waves and boats and generally nifty stuff. Then we drove up to the village and the beginning of the canel. Parked up and watched two sailboats come into the lock to come into the basin. While watching them the rain started again. So back off to the car and onward. We decided to head across the Moine Mhor (the bog) (and rather expecting hobbits and orcs with a name like that!) Yet another tiny one lane road with no name (oh, just been informed its the B8025, right, sorry). But a straight across the bog sort of road. Stopped off halfway across to go across a boardwalk to see the bog and watch the birds. Of course it rained. Then carried on to find out it ended at the Lady Glassary car park, where you can park up to go see the standing stones and temple wood stone circle. We also walked up to the cairn. Joe got several photos and at one point the sun even came out for him. Then we stopped in Kilmartin to get some photos across the landscape and the tombstones in the church yard.

Then onwards along the A816 towards Oban. Stopped off along the way for photos, including another standing stone in another sheep field. Then to Oban where we parked and had dinner. Went to a pub near the ferry building and had an excellent dinner. Got back late but can sleep in a bit tomorrow.