Photographing my travels: Exploring more Hebridean islands

In a despondent mood as I write this on 24th June 2016. Woke up early to the awful news of the referendum. Not the best to start my great holiday.

I thought I would treat myself for my 60th to explore more of the Hebrides before my 2 weeks in Lewis for Heb Celt Festival. Hart Holidays arranged my trip as the did two years ago for my Outer Hebrides trip. I am visiting Mull, Colonsay and Rum. I wanted to do more but realised I would be spending too much time waiting and on the ferries.

Woke up at 3 am on 23rd June and drove to Scotland (a sensible country who voted to remain). Stopped off at Gretna for fuel - only 3p more than last December at a cost £30 from Taunton. Stopped in Larkhall for a chat with Helen and George and then on to the last leg to Oban arriving at 3.30pm. Staying at the Barriemore Guesthouse on the Esplanade. I collected my ferry tickets, had a delicious dinner and a short walk along the front before the rain came in.

View from front of Barriemore Guesthouse

Catching the ferry to Mull at 10 am. Ferry trip was great. Only 50 minutes but we were serenaded by a lad on the bagpipes and entertained by a gull trying to grab the crisps from the tourists' hands. I landed at Craignure and drove right and took a trip around the top half of the island. Stopped at the Isle of Mull cheese company for lunch - to be recommended. The rain came and went. After lunch the sun came out. I saw the Tobermory cat and took its photo not great but I am sure I will catch him again. Decided to head for my B & B at Bunessan - Ardness House. It took me well over an hour from Craignure. Mull is scenic but the south part is very beautiful. Spotted some photographers with lenses pointed up and I saw the golden eagle - no good images as I was too far away. Finally reached my destination and was welcomed by Gillian who mentioned there might be otters on the beach. I rushed down there and spent an hour in pleasant contemplation. No otter but an oyster catcher kept flying past. On the way back I passed a hedgehog. Had dinner at the pub in Bunessan and caught the sunset before getting to bed.

Last house on the left is the Barriemore guest house

Feeding the gull - shame someone got in the way!

Young piper

Waterfall just past Ulva

Old equipment outside The Cheese Factory

Tobermory Cat

Tobermory

On the way to Bunessan

Oyster catcher on the beach by Ardness House

Seaweed book

Hedgehog

Sunset from Ardness House

Off to Staffa and Iona today. Apparently will need a lot of suncream. The Italian lady staying here caught the sun quite badly yesterday.

Great trip to Staffa with Staffa tours, which was recommended by my landlady, Gillian. Had an hour on the island which I spent taking pics of puffins. Time on Iona before catching the ferry back. I feel I need more time there but there is so much to do on Mull.

Gannet following the boat

Fingal's cave

Staffa

Coming into land

What can I get you

Iona Abbey

Duke and Duchess of Argyll

Explored Uisken beaches in the afternoon and paid a visit to the weavers there. Bought the first of my Hebridean wool for this trip. I have only just finished the wool I have bought in the last two years! Had dinner at Keel Row in Fionnport.

This is my best side

Uisken beach

rockpool

On the path to Ardalanish beach

Stone pattern

Clouds at Ardalanish beach

On Sunday I drove to Tobermory for coffee before meeting Christine (my bridge partner), her husband Ian, Ian's sister Aly and husband Robert for lunch at Calgary. They have a self catering cottage there - Lime Tree. We were supposed to be doing the Mull eagle watch but it was cancelled due to the weather. We went for a walk at Calgary to the pier in the rain instead. Had a lovely dinner at the pub in Dervaig and I drove back to Bunessan. All went well until I was about half an hour from Bunessan. I had slowed down and then saw a deer in the ditch. Of course it promptly jumped out in front of the car. As I knew she would do that, I missed her. A few miles on and a white tailed eagle flew out from the trees. Too late for my camera. After Pennygheal I saw a golden eagle hovering over the road. This time I managed to grab the camera. Still not a good shot. Then I saw a kestrel so stopped to watch that too.

or is it a buzzard

Monday saw me back at Pennyghael waiting for the photo workshop with Tony Mclean - www.photomull.co.uk He turned up in his landrover but no one else. Apparently the other two booked had not made it to the island in time. I had the whole day as a one to one. Learnt lots and will be putting it into practice. We had a walk around Carsaig looking for otters. Saw a seal and on the way back to my car, spotted a hen harrier - my first.

Near the junction to the scenic road to Salen

Woodland at Carsaig

Carsaig coast

Waterfall from Carsaig to Pennyghael

I took my landlady's, Gillian, suggestion to walk to the deserted village of Shiaba, on Tuesday. The turning is just out of Bunnessan and it leads to a gravel track and then a car park. Had a coffee before setting off. It took about an hour to reach the village. All very scenic but it was pouring with rain so no photos until I came back and went down to Kilvickeon beach. Then took Tony Mclean's advice to look for otters on the scenic road to Salen. Result, as there were a lot of people with binoculars and scopes so I realised they had seen otters. There were two but too far away for my lens so not sharp. You can try to spot them in the kelp. Just about 100 images to delete! I was lucky to get into the Mediterranean Restaurant at Salen - delicious - I can recommend it.

Did I mention I like taking sheep even on lichen on a stone

Kilvickeon beach

Detail of tomb at Kilvickeon chapel

Spot the otters

On the way back to Bunnessan

Back to Iona on Wednesday. I had planned to go to Lochbuie and Croggan back on Mull but stayed on Iona until the 5 pm ferry. Had a good cup of espresso at the Island Craft shop and bought more wool local to Iona.

Wheatear on lobster pot

Cows on the beach

Wren in song

Skylark with insects

A different type of padlock

Sparrow at the nunnery

On the way to the north beach

Paint on cooker

and more sheep

Submarine or shark

Iona coast

Rabbit in machair

To the ferry on Thursday back to Oban and then to Colonsay. I had hoped to get clothes washed at the laundrette but there was no self service laundry and I was too late for a service wash. Pouring with rain so I had lunch and sorted out photos before catching the ferry to Colonsay. It is just over 2 hours and I caught up with my photos on the ferry. Wifi is not good on the island so I will put the photos on later. I am staying at Colonsay Hotel which is just up the road from the ferry. Very friendly and comfortable but my private bathroom is a bit of a trek from my room.

I had a drive around on Friday to get to know the island, dined at the hotel and took part in the quiz in the bar. Joined a team with two honeymooners from Cambridge. Lucky to see and photograph my second hen harrier earlier in the morning. Hoped to do a beach clean on Saturday but it was cancelled. Did a walk from the airfield to Ardskenish over a beautiful set of beaches. More oystercatchers. Then on to Kiloran beach again but took the track up the cliff and saw the seabirds on the cliff.

Flower outside Colonsay hotel

My second hen harrier

Stones on the beach

Some rusty machinery enhanced with pepples

Kiloran beach

Very large orchids

Standing stones

Detail on stones at Ardskenish beach

Lots of oystercatchers on Colonsay

Eider nursery

Small pearl bordered fritillary in the dunes at Ardskenish

Razorbill

Kittiwake, I think

Traffic jam on Colonsay with the hotel in the background

Tides are favourable for Oronsay so plan to go there tomorrow. There is a Ceilidh tonight at the village hall so I am off there.

Images from the Ceilidh

Went over to Oronsay with Judith and Len, from Glasgow, who I met on Saturday at the beach by the airfield. They had been picking litter from the beach and had a bag for me to put my bits in. As they were on cycles, I took the bag in my car to deposit it in the Colonsay Hotel bins. Back just before 2 pm so safely across before the sea came in. I went on to walk to a nearby beach and saw my first choughs. They flew towards me and over my head while I looked on without lifting the camera! By the time I realised what they were they had landed some distance away.

Judith and Len on the crossing

Judith

Vehicle on the crossing

Images from Oronsay priory

Choughs

flowers

My last full day on Monday. I walked to Balnahard Beach from An Crossan. Met Judith and Len by the whale, designed by Julian Meredith. Not a great photo. Probably needed to be higher up but too lazy to climb the bigger hill.

Kiloran beach from the other side

Whale outline

If you click to get larger image you may spot the lighthouse on the horizen

Colonsay goats

Balnahard machair

Colonsay tea towel. I think the outline looks like a dragon

I took a walk up the monument before having my last coffee on the island at the Pantry. Tried to spot the corncrake with no success. An uneventful ferry crossing and I then zoomed up the coast to Mallaig stopping off at Port Appin for a snap. Just before Appin I was lucky to have a pine martin crossing the road in front of me - another first. Unfortunately, too quick for a pic.