Date: 13/08/09
Time: 21:00
Miles Travelled Today: 72
Location: Machrihanish Campsite
Weather: Mostly cloudy but dry all day
After a beer, a nice dinner, too long spent on the internet chatting to friends and then a good sleep, I woke up this morning ready to get going again. It was great to stay at the B&B and I certainly enjoyed my shower again this morning; it was also good to be able to charge up my camera batteries since I was about half way through my and last second one. After a good breakfast, I packed up and made my way back to Ardrishaig where the owner of the B&B had told me I could find a laundrette. After a little look around, I located it and then spent the next couple of hours washing all of, and then drying most of, my clothes; hopefully this should be the last time before going home.
After looking at timetables, ferry prices (how much to take a car across!) and the weather for Friday and Saturday, I decided to give Islay a miss this time and put it on the list of things to see when I come back. There is a 4 mile walk from the port to the campsite and although today was promised to be at least dry, the next couple of days are supposed to be horrible – I didn't fancy the walk back. So, it was off towards Campbelltown, the coastline was again superb; Scotland just doesn't let up. I stopped at a beach near Kilkenzie, a lovely sweep of sand and enough waves to attract surfers. There were quite a lot of people on the beach, mostly families and, as I sat and watched the surfers, a little girl of no more than 4, came and sat beside me. She was very pretty, red haired and fearless in the way that small children can be. She told me about her dad who was surfing, her brother who was nearby and her mum who was back up the beach, probably wondering who this strange man was who was talking to her daughter, such are the times we live in. Indeed, dad eventually appeared from the surf and had a brief chat with me, very friendly but probably getting a feel for whether I was likely to run off with his daughter. She went back and forward as she played and then came to chat to me again. In the end I actually got quite upset as she reminded me of the two children that I had come to know and love and then loose over the last year; I said goodbye and left before I lost it completely. She gave me a feather which will hopefully stay with me for the rest of the trip. Campbelltown itself was another disappointment, what is it with Scotland and horrible towns? I assume there are some nice places but, apart from Applecross, I have yet to see them, they seem to be uniformly grey and dull. After a quick stop for some fresh food, I made my way out to Machrihanish which is the other end of the beach I had been at earlier. After some time on the beach having a very late lunch and reading, I noticed clouds coming in and, fearing rain, I went back to the campsite I had noticed earlier which was only five minutes away. It is very nice and cheap with all the facilities required (including a cheaper laundrette gah!) and the sound of the sea in the distance. I set about drying the clothes that are not supposed to go in a dryer and organising the back of the car which, after 13 days on the road, had got a little mixed up.
A good day with warm, if a little cloudy, weather and a couple of lovely beaches. I can only hope that the impending weather doesn't arrive tomorrow but we will see. More driving is intended tomorrow, heading back up along a little B road on the other side of this 'spit' of land (see a map for what I mean), I have no idea how far I will get.
Time: 21:00
Miles Travelled Today: 72
Location: Machrihanish Campsite
Weather: Mostly cloudy but dry all day
After a beer, a nice dinner, too long spent on the internet chatting to friends and then a good sleep, I woke up this morning ready to get going again. It was great to stay at the B&B and I certainly enjoyed my shower again this morning; it was also good to be able to charge up my camera batteries since I was about half way through my and last second one. After a good breakfast, I packed up and made my way back to Ardrishaig where the owner of the B&B had told me I could find a laundrette. After a little look around, I located it and then spent the next couple of hours washing all of, and then drying most of, my clothes; hopefully this should be the last time before going home.
After looking at timetables, ferry prices (how much to take a car across!) and the weather for Friday and Saturday, I decided to give Islay a miss this time and put it on the list of things to see when I come back. There is a 4 mile walk from the port to the campsite and although today was promised to be at least dry, the next couple of days are supposed to be horrible – I didn't fancy the walk back. So, it was off towards Campbelltown, the coastline was again superb; Scotland just doesn't let up. I stopped at a beach near Kilkenzie, a lovely sweep of sand and enough waves to attract surfers. There were quite a lot of people on the beach, mostly families and, as I sat and watched the surfers, a little girl of no more than 4, came and sat beside me. She was very pretty, red haired and fearless in the way that small children can be. She told me about her dad who was surfing, her brother who was nearby and her mum who was back up the beach, probably wondering who this strange man was who was talking to her daughter, such are the times we live in. Indeed, dad eventually appeared from the surf and had a brief chat with me, very friendly but probably getting a feel for whether I was likely to run off with his daughter. She went back and forward as she played and then came to chat to me again. In the end I actually got quite upset as she reminded me of the two children that I had come to know and love and then loose over the last year; I said goodbye and left before I lost it completely. She gave me a feather which will hopefully stay with me for the rest of the trip. Campbelltown itself was another disappointment, what is it with Scotland and horrible towns? I assume there are some nice places but, apart from Applecross, I have yet to see them, they seem to be uniformly grey and dull. After a quick stop for some fresh food, I made my way out to Machrihanish which is the other end of the beach I had been at earlier. After some time on the beach having a very late lunch and reading, I noticed clouds coming in and, fearing rain, I went back to the campsite I had noticed earlier which was only five minutes away. It is very nice and cheap with all the facilities required (including a cheaper laundrette gah!) and the sound of the sea in the distance. I set about drying the clothes that are not supposed to go in a dryer and organising the back of the car which, after 13 days on the road, had got a little mixed up.
A good day with warm, if a little cloudy, weather and a couple of lovely beaches. I can only hope that the impending weather doesn't arrive tomorrow but we will see. More driving is intended tomorrow, heading back up along a little B road on the other side of this 'spit' of land (see a map for what I mean), I have no idea how far I will get.
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