I got a call at 8:30 this morning from Friendly Donald at CalMac! We’re on first name terms already. He told me that if I could be at the Oban ferry terminal for 9:20 I could join the Staffa and Treshnish island tour. I peered out of my window and a vibrant rainbow was framing the town. All systems go. There would be no food or drink available for the entire day so I had make sure I packed well.

View from my window

It wasn’t until I reached the terminal and picked up a brochure that I discovered that I’d actually be sailing to Mull, to Craignure, then getting a minibus across the island’s narrowest point, and picking up a small excursion boat for the rest of the day.

All aboard for Staffa on Hoy Lass

Another rainbow was present as the huge car ferry set off on its 50 minute journey to Mull. I’ll be doing this same ferry trip on Sunday morning!

Approaching the Treshish islands

So as I stepped foot on Mull for the first time the minibus was waiting. Apart from the driver, who was from Somerset of all unlikely places, no-one else was speaking English as their first language, and, of course, I was the only one traveling alone, a fact that did not escape the driver.

My view from Hoy Lass

It was about 40 minutes drive to Ulva and I was able to see the narrow road with passing places that we’ll have to contend with in a few days. The sun was out and the landscape of Mull was laid out before us, like something from a movie. There were plenty of Sea Otters Crossing signs!

On Lunga

Boarding the tour boat the captain informed us that because of the strong wind we’d be following the proposed tour in reverse order. He assured us that the first 30 minutes would be calm but after that, when we reached the open sea ‘all hell will break loose,’ it was at that point I decided to take a sea sickness tablet, or two. After throwing up for 4 hours going to St Kilda two years ago I didn’t wish to repeat that scenario! AND the captain was absolutely right. A young teen near me was looking decidedly green so I called for a sick bag – and got one for myself at the same time.

By the time we reached Lunga I was feeling decidedly queasy, though I purposely hadn’t eaten lunch. We only had a 45 minute stop here- unscheduled because the captain was still unsure if we’d by able to land in Staffa. The swell was amazing. No-one could stand up. My arm constantly bumped against a window sill and quite often we felt the boat free fall into a trough. It was all quite a thrill. Lunga was tiny though it is, in fact, the largest of the Treshnush arcapelago. It’s a famous bird watchers paradise and 1000 grey seal pups are born there each year.

Ruins of what? On Lunga

It was only another half hour to Staffa, an uninhabited chunk of volcanic rock. It’s fame is due to Mendelssohn visiting it and subsequently composing his Fingal’s cave

Basalt columns at Staffa

overture. Wordsworth and Turner also visited this place.  I climbed the steep stairway leading over the basalt columns to the cave. The walkway into the cave was recently destroyed by winter storms but I

could still peer into the gloom and watch the sea causing even more erosion. It’s very similar to the cave I visited with Rachel on Black Sand beach in Iceland in early June. I sat on a barnacle covered basalt column and listened to the overture on my phone, glad that I downloaded it especially for the trip.

Fingal’s Cave

Beautiful colors

Our return trip retraced our steps exactly and we embarked back in Oban at 6. A quick trip to Tesco on the way home provided me with some delicious seafood which I must now go and cook!

A couple of weeks ago I had organized my 5 days in Oban by booking 2 whole day excursions, the first being being a 14 hour trip to the island of Coll, and the second being an 8 hour trip to Staffa. But unfortunately when I was waiting for my train in Glasgow the ferry company informed me that due to a storm both trips had been cancelled. So- this morning I didn’t have any plan in place. I told Peter of my disappointment and he suggested a couple of alternatives. It was a gloomy, wet start to the day and it stayed that way the whole day.

First I took a walk up the North coast to the ruins of a castle begun 1000 years ago. It mainly consists of overgrown ruins today but the family still live on site in a manor house. I explored a deserted beach and walked back into town through an impressive avenue of trees, past an ancient sea stack that is now in the middle of the woods and past some Mesolithic cave dwellings.

After lunch chez moi I headed out for a sail to Kerrera, only 10 minutes on a tiny boat. It’s this island across the mouth of

Oban Bay that protects the bay and make it the Centre if Scotland’s fishing industry.

We even passed Heather Island! The only other 2 passengers were people who either work or live in the island. It has a

population of 30. I hiked up the hill to the monument which commemorates the man who began the CalMac ferry services which are a lifeline to these scattered Inner Hebrides. By now the rain was coming down seriously and I stopped to don my waterproof pants!  Next I tried to hike the length of the island ( it’s only 5 miles long) but when I got to a path through a field full of Highland cattle I

chickened out and retraced my steps, past a Jacob sheep with 4 large horns, some brown spotted pigs, one enormous pig in its own pen, and lots and lots of rabbits everywhere. A glass of wine on the patio of the bar and grill(which operates the ferry) was just the ticket before returning to Oban in the ferry. The rain stopped and I wandered around some of the streets, exploring the modern catholic cathedral and did some window shopping.

I needed to find some food to take back home and Peter had told me of a ‘goat’ track leading from the house to Tesco. I found it, amazingly enough and purchased some supplies.

Back home after dinner and a nice bath it was time to get started on my travel journal- courtesy of Anna.

All set for the journey to Oban  on 4 trains

Playing the piano in Glasgow central railway station

Essentials for my 9 hour journey

It was cloudy and raining all the way- until I stepped off the train at Oban harbour. Suddenly the sun broke through the clouds and there was a golden glow AND a rainbow.

My airbnb was only 3 minutes walk from the railway station and the harbour, in an old traditional stone building, but inside it was all brand new

Peter, host, is a serious Pink Floyd fan and the TV in my bedroom was tuned to a  continuous YouTube channel of Their music- excellent. A great incentive to put my hedgehog covered feet up.