Some photographs from a few days' break up in the West Highlands to sail on the paddle steamer Waverley. We begin at the utterly charming Falls of Lora Hotel at Connel Ferry, where I stayed two nights:
Dinner: mussels followed by lamb:
The hotel gardens:
What a location:
Oban in morning sunshine:
Waverley approaches:
Loading 'catering supplies' (as opposed to food, or even cuisine):
Isle of Mull approaches:
Heading along the rocky South-East coast of Mull:
Iona Bay:
Cal Mac local ferry:
With iona Abbey in the background:
The tender boats arrive to bring Waverley's passengers ashore:
Luncheon:
This was followed by a little climb:
Diamond Jubilee decorations:
All too soon, it was time to leave:
Waverley's port-side paddle float in the clear water:
Heading northward:
Lord of the Isles, en route to Colonsay:
The cruise ship Ocean Countess approaches on her way south from Fort William:
Waverley back in Oban:
Dinner:
Oban Harbour the next morning:
Oban signs:
Quality books in Waterstone's:
Lord of the Isles and Hebridean Princess:
The moderne Regent Hotel:
(I merely popped in to have a wee look around)
It looked unfortunately run down and there were some old mattersses piled up for disposal - oh dear, oh dear:
A pity - it could be such an elegant an stylish place, but it badly needs quite a lot of sympathetic T.L.C.
Corran Esplanade Church of Scotland (Leslie Graham MacDougall, 1957), very much in the manner of Swedish churches of the 1930s:
St Columba's RC Cathedral (Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, 1932-1959) - a very fine modern romantic building:
The main attraction at the Corran Halls - blood transfusions!:
A glimpse of Castle Stalker, seen en route to Mallaig:
Mallaig:
In the second hand bookshop in the Fishermens' Mission, someone had shelved Fanny Hill next to the Small Tools Handbook:
Mural with heroic fishermen:
The B&B where I stayed in Mallaig:
Dinner:
The view from my window the next morning:
Colourful fishing boat:
Loch Nevis leaves Mallaig for the Small Isles:
Coruisk approaches:
Onboard Coruisk, bound for Armadale on Skye:
A book of quality for sale in Coruisk's shop:
Armadale:
Luncheon:
I never could resist:
An eco-encampment:
Coruisk again:
Waverley approaches Armadale Pier:
Small cruise ship Lord of the Glens:
Passing Coruisk:
Approaching Inverie:
Waverley hiding behind Inverie Pier:
(The midges were out in force, so I got no further than half way along the pier before retreating back aboard ship.)
More passengers boarding Waverley at Mallaig Pier:
A Gradwell with two fish suppers:
Detail shot of another Gradwell eating a fish supper:
Loch Nevis in the distance:
Kylerhea turntable ferry at Glenelg:
The Skye Bridge:
Waverley at Kyle of Lochalsh Pier:
Bed & Breakfast interior:
Dinner at Creelers' Restaurant in Broadford - this was outstanding:
West Coast Squat Lobster - Mmmmm!
And, for dessert, Clootie Dumpling drizzled with Buckfast* reduction (living as I do in Airdrie, the global epicentre of Buckfast consumption, this had to be tasted):
(* For bemused foreign viewers, Buckfast is a tonic wine, made by monks in an abbey in Devon. Once upon a time, it was a 'pick me up' for older people with poor circulation, but in more recent time, it has become the favoured drink of youth in Lanarkshire because it has a sweet taste and its combination of alcohol and quinine makes imbibers drunk and high - if they quaff enough, that is.)
The view from Broadford on Skye, where I stayed overnight:
Waverley leaving Kyle of Lochalsh pier and heading northward, beneath the Skye Bridge:
Things seeen en route home:
Dinner: mussels followed by lamb:
The hotel gardens:
What a location:
Oban in morning sunshine:
Waverley approaches:
Loading 'catering supplies' (as opposed to food, or even cuisine):
Isle of Mull approaches:
Heading along the rocky South-East coast of Mull:
Iona Bay:
Cal Mac local ferry:
With iona Abbey in the background:
The tender boats arrive to bring Waverley's passengers ashore:
Luncheon:
This was followed by a little climb:
Diamond Jubilee decorations:
All too soon, it was time to leave:
Waverley's port-side paddle float in the clear water:
Heading northward:
Lord of the Isles, en route to Colonsay:
The cruise ship Ocean Countess approaches on her way south from Fort William:
Waverley back in Oban:
Dinner:
Oban Harbour the next morning:
Oban signs:
Quality books in Waterstone's:
Lord of the Isles and Hebridean Princess:
The moderne Regent Hotel:
(I merely popped in to have a wee look around)
It looked unfortunately run down and there were some old mattersses piled up for disposal - oh dear, oh dear:
A pity - it could be such an elegant an stylish place, but it badly needs quite a lot of sympathetic T.L.C.
Corran Esplanade Church of Scotland (Leslie Graham MacDougall, 1957), very much in the manner of Swedish churches of the 1930s:
St Columba's RC Cathedral (Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, 1932-1959) - a very fine modern romantic building:
The main attraction at the Corran Halls - blood transfusions!:
A glimpse of Castle Stalker, seen en route to Mallaig:
Mallaig:
In the second hand bookshop in the Fishermens' Mission, someone had shelved Fanny Hill next to the Small Tools Handbook:
Mural with heroic fishermen:
The B&B where I stayed in Mallaig:
Dinner:
The view from my window the next morning:
Colourful fishing boat:
Loch Nevis leaves Mallaig for the Small Isles:
Coruisk approaches:
Onboard Coruisk, bound for Armadale on Skye:
A book of quality for sale in Coruisk's shop:
Armadale:
Luncheon:
I never could resist:
An eco-encampment:
Coruisk again:
Waverley approaches Armadale Pier:
Small cruise ship Lord of the Glens:
Passing Coruisk:
Approaching Inverie:
Waverley hiding behind Inverie Pier:
(The midges were out in force, so I got no further than half way along the pier before retreating back aboard ship.)
More passengers boarding Waverley at Mallaig Pier:
A Gradwell with two fish suppers:
Detail shot of another Gradwell eating a fish supper:
Loch Nevis in the distance:
Kylerhea turntable ferry at Glenelg:
The Skye Bridge:
Waverley at Kyle of Lochalsh Pier:
Bed & Breakfast interior:
Dinner at Creelers' Restaurant in Broadford - this was outstanding:
West Coast Squat Lobster - Mmmmm!
And, for dessert, Clootie Dumpling drizzled with Buckfast* reduction (living as I do in Airdrie, the global epicentre of Buckfast consumption, this had to be tasted):
(* For bemused foreign viewers, Buckfast is a tonic wine, made by monks in an abbey in Devon. Once upon a time, it was a 'pick me up' for older people with poor circulation, but in more recent time, it has become the favoured drink of youth in Lanarkshire because it has a sweet taste and its combination of alcohol and quinine makes imbibers drunk and high - if they quaff enough, that is.)
The view from Broadford on Skye, where I stayed overnight:
Waverley leaving Kyle of Lochalsh pier and heading northward, beneath the Skye Bridge:
Things seeen en route home:
Sorry to see the Regent Hotel seems run down - it looks an absolute treasure. The Grand in Fort William was demolished recently as well. The Falls of Lora looks right up my street!
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