29 April Sunday (being posted on 31 July)

 

The distillery and the Castle at Lochranza.

I hears a cuckoo as I set off, probably the same one as yesterday- but a long way from the one I heard as couple of days ago, so there must be at least 2 on Arran…

I walked up Gleann Easan Biorach, around Beinn Bhreac and back down Glen Catacol and then back along the road – about 6 hours

Not too many exciting things on the way up – I’d hate to do it in bad visibility.  Also boot suckingly squelchy.

The lochan drains both ways and yes, that’s snow on Beinn Tarsuinn.

Glen Iorsa, the walk’s not that way

Looking down Glen Catacol

Vegetation – a little heather and fresh bracken with the occasional tiny blue flower.  Oh – and I almost stood on an adder which was much bigger than I expected it to be.

A typical moraine?

12 cottages, 13 chimneys

Another milestone

If this uploads an explanation is needed!  This is the blog that my little laptop failed to upload – and on the last of the many evenings I spent trying to resolve the problem I missed seeing otters playing in the bay next to the camp site I was staying in and  I decided to give up the struggle.  I am now back in Lymington (now that the schools are on holiday) and am doing this on the laptops big brother.  If it works I have 2 months travelling to blog about.  Rather than do it day by day I might do it subject by subject (like I did the Falklands.  So lots more to come….

Quick update 27/7/12

I’m back in Lymington having spent time, after Arran, in Dumfries, Arisaig, Edinburgh, Reiff, Culloden,  on Coll, Tiree, Mull, Islay, Ardnamurchan Point, Isle of Bute, Mull of Kintire.   I’ve visited Iona, Treshnish, Staffa, Ulva, Colonsay, Gigha, Corryvreckan whirlpool.  Sadly I didn’t get to Jura – first the weather wasn’t too good and when it improved and I turned up at the ferry, the ferry man advised me against it as  the Van had too big an overhang at the back and there was an unavoidable big change of levels and it might catch, so I took the safe route and postponed the visit for another time.

I’ve taken loads of photos but you can’t see any of them – yet.  I shall have to visit my computer fixer, Mark, to sort out the problem.  It might be one of those embarrassingly easy to fix problems.  Until then….