June-July 2025 Arran, Skye, Western Isles (Part 16 -- Going home)

Day 16 -- Friday, the 11th July

No time for breakfast at the B&B, this morning. The landlady will not offer it this early: the first ferry leaves Castlebay at 6:55. We finish packing, load the car and head to the terminal.

It is already fairly busy, even though we are early. CalMac is an efficient operation, however (except to Arran), and we soon board MV Isle of Lewis, where we will spend the next five to six hours. We rush to the cafeteria.

Kisimul Castle seen from MV Isle of Lewis

The cafeteria is not yet open, but a ship so big is bound to have a queue when breakfast lands. And, indeed, soon after leaving, twenty people are queueing. We enjoy our breakfast immensely, which helps forget that the holiday is almost over.

My eight-item big breakfast
(double black pudding, double rösti, double mushroom, egg, tattie scone)

adc's six-item breakfast

JS's egg roll

The marmalade looks artisanal

It is a lazy sailing. I sleep a lot, between a short night and a long day. I get excited as we pass Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck on port and Coll and Tiree on starboard, then Ardnamurchan and Morvern on port, Mull on starboard. We see seabirds in the distance, gannets, black guillemots, herring gulls, great black-backed seagulls, but also a couple of fleeting pods of dolphins, which fill me with joy. We disembark in Oban a little ahead of schedule.

Welcome back to the hustle and bustle. This is not Hong-Kong, but it is far away from Castlebay.

We make good time to Tarbet via Glencoe, then Arrochar. The small road there is fairly quiet, yet the few vehicles we do come across drive dangerously fast or in the middle of the road. Shortly before Garelochhead, we come across two lorries who flouted the "No HGV" sign at the start of the road and have come to a head. They are blocking a dozen cars in total.

HA stand-off between lorries

I twist my neck to try and understand the sitch. A bloke is doing all sorts of signs. He explains to me that we are stuck because the owner of the house on our left refuses to let one of the drivers use his driveway as a passing place to allow other vehicles to go through. The man I am talking to is a retired police officer, which explains why he is so good at managing the traffic. The local is testing his patience, though, and insults are exchanged. The local in question is not merely oblivious to the chaos he is causing, he seems to enjoy blocking cars by standing in front of them, or crossing the road at inopportune times with fence posts. JS hears him explain to someone that motorists abuse his property, sometimes to park for hours (or overnight), and that, consequently, he will not grant anyone access. A lot of good that does for the people here just trying to carry on with their journey. That said, if those two HGV were not on a road not suitable for HGV, we would not be here. In any case, after a lot of manoeuvring, close calls and patience, the bottleneck is solved with limited damage (some brushed bushes and a little time lost, not even a horn honked). Worth noting that it is useful for rearview mirrors to automatically retract when one parks a modern car, but it is a nuisance when one is trying to shrink the wingspan of the vehicle, and said vehicle will not allow manually retracting the rearview mirrors.

It is a relative breeze from there to Helensburgh, Dumbarton and Glasgow, where we park at the rental agency well ahead of schedule (thanks to satellite navigation). MR joins us there minutes later.

I return the keys and help load our luggage into MR's automobile. For context, we left Castlebay this morning at 12°C; it is 28°C this afternoon in G-town.

MR felt we had not spent enough time together on Arran, and offered to shuttle us from the car-rental agency to the station. It would be but a brief encounter, but how could we resist? And since we made good time from Oban to Glasgow, we actually have an hour longer than anticipated. Where should we spend that hour? Clydeside Distillery is on the way, it has a car park, it has a bar. Clydeside it is!

We spend a moment there, discuss our trip, our respective jobs and all sorts of nonsense. Then, MR drives us to Glasgow Central where we say our proper goodbyes.

At the station, we meet DH. He brought Tantrum doughnuts, the generous soul he is. We discuss our trip, our next endeavours and other topics. Half-an-hour later, the platform is announced. We board the train and bid Scotland goodbye.

We reach the capital late; it is dark, which helps make the temperature more tolerable. While we were enjoying 11-17°C up north, the big city was sizzling in the mid-thirties for two weeks.

We have the weekend to tidy up and land before embracing the daily grind on Monday. Despite a few setbacks, it was quite the holiday!

June-July 2025 Arran, Skye, Western Isles (Part 1 -- Glasgow to Arran)

Day 1 -- Thursday, the 26th June

It is a super-quick early train to Glasgow. What is near the station?

Aye.

Then, we are treated to the Scottish experience on the car-hire shuttle: the bloke tells us about road works ("This has been there for months. They're not doing anything, just exercising traffic cones."), ship-building, and the various ways the City is trying to ease congestion in the centre.

It goes south at the agency, where a trainee is unnecessarily doing things by the book, much to my annoyance (remember I once hired a car without as much as a proof of ID?), but we make it out with a vehicle. Phew.

A few days ago, we received a notification from Caledonian MacBrayne that our ferry was cancelled due to a fault, and we were reassigned to depart later from another port (on another ship, obviously). All of a sudden, and despite planning a tight schedule, we now find ourselves in Glasgow with a few hours to kill. Oh! noes. We head to Clydeside distillery, because, of course we do.

There, we meet DH and AMcD, have a couple of drams (Clydeside 6yo HMS Glasgow b.2025 (46%, OB, Guyanese Rum Casks) which is very much to my taste and Clydeside Velvet Odyssey b.2025 (48.5%, OB in celebration of 20 years of SWG3, Bourbon Barrels + 5mo Pedro Ximénez Sherry Butt), which is less my thing).

Chilling with the boys

We discuss our impending trip, and receive recommendations -- starting with where to grab a bite now: Celino's. adc and JS bring back sarnies as I guard the automobile.

We eat them, then drive to Troon, which we reach with three hours to spare. A nap seems in order.

We board the ship and depart on time. It is an easy-peasy crossing to Brodick, and it is made particularly funny by the fact MV Alfred, a Pentland ferry we took in 2022, still sports all the tourist information about Orkney, where it usually operates. They did stick up a map of Arran in a corner, which may be even funnier.

Once on the island, we check into our accommodation then head to Lamlash, and settle at the Lamlash Bay Hotel, where MD of the Swissky Mafia left something for us. We enjoy a lovely supper too, and even spot gannets in the bay.

Wild Mushroom & Feta Tart (me)

Lamlash Bay Fishcake (JS)

Arran Butcher Haggis Bon Bon’s With Arran mustard mayo (adc)

Arran Butcher's Sausage of The Day (me)

Salt 'n' Pepper Soft Shell Crab Burger (JS)

Rolled Baby Sole Parcels Wrapped in Parma Ham (adc)

JS has a dram of Arran Sauternes Cask Finish (50%, OB, Sauternes Cask Finish) 7/10

We are treated to Scottish Tablet with the bill \o/

They have the coolest cushions too

There is still room for a Tantrum Doughnut when we get home, though!
(Vegan Mango Matcha and Double Blueberry & White Chocolate 'Old Fashioned')

It could be Charles...

October 2024 Islay (Part 8 -- going home)

Day 8 -- Saturday, the 19th October

It is an earlyish start again. Our ferry is a couple of hours later than I thought, but, in order not to rush...

For breakfast, we empty our stocks: buttered toasts, cereals, and a roadkill banana that we found, intact, under the Arona last night. Soon enough, it is time to tidy up the place, load the automobile and depart.

It is a quiet drive to Port Ellen, on the old road. We are treated to a gorgeous sunrise, a fitting goodbye to this beautiful place.

...right?

We are at the ferry terminal with twenty minutes to spare. A long line of cars occupies the stand-by lane: the forecast for tomorrow is rough, and CalMac have advised to not travel tomorrow. In fact, they cancelled some crossings. Many are taking their chance to escape today, while they still can.

It feels about time to play Peat & Diesel - Island at last. By the time I finally think of that, we are called onto the ship, and the song plays out on the car deck.

We find ourselves a spot with a view We take great fun looking at the car-Tetris the CalMac people play below to pack in as many vehicles as possible.

We also rejoice we are not that grey Volkswagen that is made to come forward, only to be turned away two metres from the ship, because it is full. Aouch.

Yup, this one

Today, the crossing is a breeze. We spot gannets in the distance, while bidding the Kildalton triplets goodbye, then we go for a late full Scottish -- served by a slightly-grumpy crew.

The road trip from Kennacraig is pleasant enough at first. Rest and be Thankful is still accessible via a convoy, as it was on the way out, and the old road that we take is perhaps even more frightening on the way down than it was last week. In Arrochar, we know better than the satnav, and take the road to Helensburgh. It is a difficult road, single-track most of the way, but it is quieter than going along Loch Lomond, which is always a huge time sink. The military base at Faslane is rather impressive, by its size, if nothing else.

We fill the tank in Helensburgh and continue. From Dumbarton onward, it is the usual driving-in-Glasgow malarky: we make five mistakes, despite having satellite navigation, which adds around thirty minutes to our journey. Nae bother! We had contingency.

We drop off the vehicle well on time, and it is a breeze. It takes ages for our taxi to show up, but, once more, we reach the station comfortably on time. There, we meet up with DH who brought Tantrum doughnuts to ease the heartache we feel at leaving Scotland. Thanks.

Our train is delayed by a few minutes, but once in, it goes relatively well. The fracas of the city awaits. The adventure is over. :-(

October 2024 Islay (Part 1 -- getting there)

Day 0 -- Friday, the 11th October

The time has come to sign off for the week, and start the hols. We (JS, adc and I) miss the bus by a couple of minutes, and despair when it turns out the next one is more than twenty minutes away. We rush to the tube instead, and make it well on time to catch our train. Phew! A stressful start, but disaster has been averted.

It is an uneventful journey, save for a blocked toilet in our compartment, from the midway point. We are also delayed by roughly half-an-hour. Bah. No connection, no stress. Meanwhile, MR calls off our rendez-vous, and offers to meet up tomorrow instead.

Once checked in at Apex, we head to the Butterfly and the Pig for a bite. They are still open, but the kitchen is closed. Also, a DJ is playing music that is too loud for our tired heads. One staff member recommends the Howlin' Wolf, another the Slouch Bar. We end up at the latter.

They have a live band in one room, and "another area if [we] want to enjoy a quieter dinner." The other area in question is not immune to the next-door sound, and is blasting music of its own (different too, imagine the cacophony!) This has become a utilitarian affair, though. Conversation is minimal, but nae bother: we are here for food, and only food. It does the trick without chichi -- and it is remarkably affordable to boot.

Hell Fire Chicken Wings (adc)

Fried Halloumi + Cheesy Fries (me)

JS has a Karma Police Burger, which we take no picture of, for some reason.

On our way back to the hotel, we are accosted by three well-drunk passers-by who ask us if we know a bar close by. Literally every basement of this street is a bar. I tell them we have not seen any; one screams she loves Americans. We are not. Her friend apologises profusely. We laugh it off, see them into the night, and hit the sack.

Day 1 -- Saturday, the 12th October

Despite going to bed late, we get up, shower, watch a couple of episodes of King of Queens, and check out just after sunrise. A taxi ride later, we are at the car-rental agency to collect a vehicle. It is raining.

Employee 1: "Yer here tae collect a car?"
tOMoH: "Yes."
Employee 1: "Name?"
tOMoH: "Huy."
Employee 1: "...First name?"
tOMoH: "Old Man..."
[Both start whooping and high-fiving, much to our puzzlement.]
Employee 1: "Yer name came across as 'O'. I bet you were an Old Man."
tOMoH: "Seeing how happy you are, you must have had a lot of money on that one..."
Employee 1: "That's lunch sorted!"
Employee 2: "Yer getting a sandwich!"

We then talk about everything. They both end up showing us pictures on their phones they took of the northern lights, last week. Our jaws drop at the insane spectacle.

The road, she is calling, though. We take possession of the car (a blue Seat Arona that will later tell us to shift gears or stay in our lane every other minute, clearly not attuned to the Scottish countryside!) and leave.

Our first stop is Tantrum Doughnuts, which we reach easily. The on-board satnav is a useful default feature of modern cars, even though that opinion will change later on.

I want all of them!

We have Pumpkin Crème Brûlée, Maple-Apple 'Old Fashioned', and Vegan Mango Matcha.
They are, of course, excellent.

We then drive to the Clydeside Distillery, in three attempts, on account of the satnav not being clear on the way to follow. Grrr.

DH, who knew of our visit for a year, called off our meeting this morning, but not before making sure his colleague would take care of us. And take care she does.

adc and JS have a Smoked Salmon Beigel

I have Pear and Leek Soup

A few minutes later, MR joins us and orders the Beef Brisket

MR tastes Clydeside b.2023 (60.6%, OB Limited Edition, Bourbon Casks)
adc has Clydeside 5yo 2018/2024 (60.3%, OB Hand Filled Distillery Exclusive, ex-Bourbon Cask + Port Finish, C#00IF)

We spend precious moments together, exchange whisky samples, take selfies, then go our respective ways.

Always rains, in Scotland!

Leaving the city is as slow as usual, what with roundabouts and speed limits everywhere, but we are unfazed. It is the holidays. Past Arrochar, the road to Rest and be Thankful is closed once more, as the authorities try to counter erosion. They operate a one-way convoy on the old road, and it is quite telling to have to wait twenty-odd minutes for the safety car to open the road, and see the dozens and dozens of cars going up and down the hill. One really gets a different understanding of how busy that passage is. It stays dry throughout, which helps keep a good mood.

Imagine cycling this in the rain

The old road is challenging, borderline treacherous, and the speed limit imposed on the convoy is really for safety. Sharp turns, steep drops, gravel... Looking at the wonders outside may result in serious damage! It does not help that rain starts dripping on the way to the top. The parking lot at the top is not accessible when we pass it. There goes our photo opportunity.

We proceed to Loch Fyne, where we stop at Fyne Ales to stock up on brew. We just about manage to grab a table before it gets unexpectedly busy. Many hover around, preying on a table. As soon as we get up to leave, someone is already there.

We then halt at Loch Fyne Oysters for supplies. Sadly, we lack time to eat there, and we are certainly not keen to repeat our experience of 2017, when we had to speed like maniacs for the rest of the way to make the ferry with mere seconds to spare. No! this time, we reach Kennacraig with plenty of time.

MS Finlaggan awaits

It is a pleasant crossing to Port Askaig. Some waves, but nothing to get upset about.

It is virtually impossible to stop at the Port Askaig Hotel: the village is busy to start with, and the boat vomiting tens of cars is making it even more difficult to try and find a spot to park in. We elect to continue to Bowmore, where we are staying.

It is an easy enough drive, even in the dark, in a car I am not accustomed to. Once there, we unload the boot and head to Peatzeria: it is closed for the night. It is 20:20. Every other eatery is the same. The island rhythm.

We wind up in our cottage, devouring the supplies from Loch Fyne and a Tantrum doughnut. Good thing we brought stuff to eat!

Banoffee Pie Cheesecake

Cottage with a view

We do some prep work for tomorrow, then aff tae bed. On the street, just outside our windows, kids are loitering in their cars, playing loud (shite) music. The youth of today!

July 2022 Glasgow, Arran, Orkney, Shetland (Part 6 -- going home)

Day 15 -- Thursday, the 7th July

The crossing started very easy and smooth, with the balmiest temperatures of our stay, sunshine and birds all around the boat. Then it became windier around Sumburgh Head and frankly rocky, once in the Atlantic. So much so that JS and I both felt like we had had too much to eat and experienced mild seasickness for the first time. Down the drain goes our cockiness on the subject. :-)

The damage was limited to a general queasiness, but it was uncomfortable enough to send us to bed early. I woke up briefly when we hit Kirkwall, but fell back asleep swiftly.

As a result, I wake up pretty early, today, and feel much better. Even better after a shower. What a difference having a cabin makes! In 2006, a group of friends, JS and I made the same crossing, without even a reclining seat (they were sold out), and we arrived in Aberdeen shattered. A cabin costs an arm and a leg, but if the subsequent day is not a complete write-off, it may be worth it.

As I put clothes on, they announce that it is six o'clock, that breakfast is served, and that we will arrive in Aberdeen within an hour. Time for some breakfast, then!

My full Scottish -- we cannot resist!

adc's

JS's

Shortly after finishing the food, drivers are called to the lower deck, where our vehicle is parked. Since people cannot follow simple instructions, most passengers go too, which means the deck is crowded, some drivers are blocked from entering their cars, people skim against the cars, scratching the paint, doors are open too close to other cars' body etc. Anyway.

Getting out from the lower deck is a bit of a challenge. Reversing to a corner, then climbing a steep ramp. Some are struggling, losing the plot, turning the wrong way... It is a miracle there is no more crumpled metal. I manage surprisingly easily, all thing considered. Phew.

I collect the ladies from the terminal exit, then we are off. Lucky we have satnav, because driving out of Aberdeen is no mean feat -- not just because it has about two million times more traffic than the Orkney and Shetland islands combined; the road to the south is not particularly well indicated.

We do make it, though, and it is an eventless drive towards Perth and the Central Belt.

The weather is sunny, for a change

As we pass by Falkirk and we are early, we take the opportunity to stop and see the wheel, which remains amazing.

There, I am reminded of the stupidity of humanity, with elderly Americans using toilets at random (the out-of-order disabled toilets, women in the men's, etc.), despite being repeatedly told where each of them should be by staff and passers-by. Rules are for others, eh? Sigh.

Fortunately for my blood pressure, the spectacle in the basin and the canal below is a lot more peaceful.

Once the wheel has done its half turn, we walk back to the car and continue our journey to Glasgow.

White Stag sunbathing

We reach the city easily enough, and well on time. It takes less than a minute for the rental-company employee to confirm the car is safe and sound and we are ready to go.

The fun part begins...

Luckily, it is just us in the shuttle bus, because our luggage takes up the whole boot. Thirteen items in total. Ahem. :)

During the journey to the station, our driver tells us that the country no longer has a prime minister: Boris Johnson resigned this morning.

At the station, we find seats, stack up the cases on a trolley, write the last postcard, then order food. It is not that we are hungry, but we missed Bread Meats Bread, three years ago, owing to my suffering from food poisoning. Not today! They do take-out, so we will do that. adc and I will collect, while JS keeps the bags.

A small detour to drop off a postcard (we are one stamp short, and it is in the city anyway), then we collect our food. Another stop to pick up something for later: Tantrum Doughnuts!

(top to bottom, left to right)

Salted Honey Ring

Vegan Peanut Butter Ring

Lemon & Poppyseed 'Old Fashioned'

Creme brûlée [sic]

Milk 'n Cookies

Madagascar Vanilla Bean Glaze

Back at the station, we destroy our lunch, and wait for our train. It is punctual and packed. Loading our cargo is, of course, a small challenge, but we manage to stow everything safely. Five hours later, we are in the capital, in 24°C and cruising through light traffic.

Home.