Off island!

We had a trip planned to Iona to celebrate our wedding anniversary and just as we had the tailend of a hurricane blowing the day we got married at Gruline, there was a hooley blowing the day we were meant to go.  

We decided to chance the Threat of Disruption Calmac alert that we picked up at 7am, and drive down to Fionnphort anyway.  Half way down we received a text saying they were going to attempt a crossing at 10.30.   We got there just in time.  And the boat did sail, and more importantly, did manage to land. 

We had a blissful couple of nights there.  The ferry cancellations and disruptions meant there weren't many day trippers, and we had some lovely walks without being rained on once.  It was windy and we had to pick Farmer's swimming spot, according to the wind direction - but it was lovely and 2 nights felt like a week away. 

We counted 22 different flowering plants in our 2 days, including this Thrift on the beach at Calva. 

I was really pleased to finally find the fank at Calva.  I had missed it the last time I went looking.  It has not been used for a long time and is now a useful storage place for rolls of old fencing. 

The wind was quite strong the afternoon Farmer tried to swim on the other side, along from the Bay at the Back of the Ocean (pictured below).  

He didn't stay in long as the current was pulling him out. 

After an early breakfast on the day we left, we walked out to the Hermit's Cell and found the nearby fank.  On a map in the Museum there is a fank marked Mary's Fank on the side of Dun 1.  This does not appear on the OS map - but this one (below) is on the OS and not on the one in the Museum.   I will have to find out if this is Mary's Fank and has just been recorded in the wrong place on the Museum map. 

You can see the circular Hermit's cell at the bottom of the photograph with the fank structure above. 

The walk out there was wonderful, the bog such a rich tapestry of colours. 

 

To Iona via Tobermory, Glengorm and Ulva Ferry

School meeting at 9am. Cousins and coffee at Glengorm Coffee Shop at 10.30am.  Quad bike tyre to MacKay's Garage for repair, pick up another one at the same time in Tobermory at 11.30pm.

Back to Dervaig to pick up C for drive down to Fionnphort.  By this time it is 12.30pm. We decide we have time to drive the coast, and stop to eat sandwiches by Eas Fors.  The light looking across to Gribun is wonderful, sparkling waters and deep shadows.

From Balmeanach looking back to Inch Kenneth, and Gometra.

From Bunessan fishermen's pier looking over to the Burg.

The Calmac boat is tied up and we cross in a Staffa Tours foot passenger boat.

 Iona is quiet. And as beautiful as ever.

A 1960's view.  It was total bliss to sit and look and listen, in the sun. Away from home, but not away.

Even the birds are friendly on Iona. We had a blackbird sit on the table beside our teapot, disappointed we had not chosen to eat cake with our tea outside in the Argyll hotel garden.  A sparrow came and checked for crumbs, and as I sat on the rocks a jackdaw came to say hello. 

We are on Iona for a Community Trust board meeting. We all eat at the Argyll Hotel before the meeting.  The food was delicious as was the view before sunset.

Our return journey began just after 10pm.  We were taken back across to Fionnphort in the Birthe Marie belonging to Alternative Boat Hire.   The sea was calm and silky blue, under clear skies and as Iona disappeared into the dark, an orange crescent moon rose above the silhouettes of rooftops and chimneys standing out against the astral twilight sky.

I finally got home at 1am, but having taken a detour to Croig to see if the clear skies would yield some auroral light which it did.  But that is another story.