Keep Moving - Week 30 (Part 1)

Spidey did my steps on Sunday and Tuesday, cantering along giggling behind Craig.  On Thursday we drove up to Connel, to Island View Pods and other than a small stroll along the foreshore we just chilled.  The initial plan was to do very little over the weekend but one (ahem) G&T later I had booked a 12 hour trip to Staffa, Lunga and Iona for the Saturday and as a result penciled in a whistle stop tour of Oban for Friday.  So off we set, quick spin round Connel and down to the Falls of Lora then on to Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel.  After a coffee at the Ocean Explorer centre we headed up to McCaig's Tower, a massive folly on Battery Hill overlooking Oban.  McCaig's Tower forms a prominent landmark which was commissioned by John Stuart McCaig, a local banker. Built in the style of the Roman Colosseum and comprising two tiers of pointed arches built in granite and arranged in a circle c.63m in diameter, the folly serves as a memorial to McCaig himself and his family. 

McCaig promoted the project to employ local stone-masons who were without work during the winter months. It was therefore during these months only when construction was undertaken between 1895 and 1902. McCaig had planned a more elaborate structure, with an internal tower containing a museum and art gallery, but his death brought an end to the money and the construction stopped with only the outer walls completed. 

Next stop was the ferry to the Isle of Kerrera, a five minute trip across on a ferry that takes twelve "souls" (yes the three dogs already on board were counted and a family left to wait on the next sailing!)  On landing we headed South to Gylen Castle, the walk to the castle is about 2.5 miles and it is an easy route to follow as it is a well-defined farm track that also takes you to the island’s celebrated “Tea Garden”. There are teapots that act as waymarkers along the route to the tearoom. The teapots also come with cheerful little signs that give you words of encouragement to motivate you (It is well known that I follow a sign that says "this way to cake"with ease!)  I'm not sure that photos do it justice but Castle Gylen is my favourite Scottish castle to date.

Returning back to the pod we stopped to wander out to Ledaig Point in North Connel, heading back to the car and 100% fantasising about the Prosecco in the fridge we met an elderly golden retriever with no owner in sight, we called her folks and sat on the beach for a bit before we were descended on by the rest of her furry family and off she tottled without a backwards glance.  We also returned to an email saying the boat trip was cancelled due to serious swells making the landings impossible, bugger!