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Sunday 4th MayReturning back from Mallorca, I had some immediate plans including a visit to London...however as there was some rather stunning forecasted weather including Scotland, I quickly loaded the van and first thing on Sunday May 4th I was off up north, very north.
A good 6 hours later (after 2 stops), I'm alongside Loch Lomond, this stirs the heart, although I must keep going. It's Mayday weekend, and it's very busy...so first stop Inveraray. Again, some apprehension re overnighting and off gridding about the van, need to basically use more...but especially not continually using campsites.
The campsite near Inverary looked awful, so I continued to Lochgilphead - I got chatting there to a guy with a van, who mixed sites with off grid...he gave me a few tips like if you see a beach, take the road / track and see if
anywhere to park van; any Forestry Commission? and he'd just stayed by the Crinan Canal...I inspected, but kept going into Crinan itself...after a short pootle I headed towards Oban.
But where do I stay the night!! Using the app, Park4TheNight , there was a site in a tiny place called Adhern, but noticed at the end of the Peninsula, there was a carpark. So ignoring the small camping site, I made my way to the end of the road, and there was a carpark of sorts, with about 5 vans and no view.
I didn't last long, I don't want a van ghetto, and set off to return, when within 300m I noticed a space at the side of the lane, with views to die for...and that became my room with a view for the night, and what a view! The most amazing sunset, sunrise and morning views....in perfect May weather...looking across at Jura.
DAY 2
Monday 5th May - Loch Awe & Isle of Mull
So a proper off grid night, and how liberating, and what a view, with the most scintillating sunset, right out of my van window! Next stop Mull, or was it? I went on the CalMac ferry site, and no availability for vans for the foreseeable, I even called them direct, but no luck. The only chance was on standby?
The following morning, after watching some Eider Ducks romancing, also a gorgeous Great Northern Diver getting bothered by gulls, I set off down the Adfern peninsula, but decided to go back south briefly, for some nostalgia.
Loch Awe was where with my Mum, Dad and sister, we went 3 years running in the late 60s early 70s (ultimately defeated by the midges), and where my Dad recognised my possible interest in birds and bought me at the time the definitive bird guide. All through me questioning a guy who sat all day with his binoculars looking out across the Loch, who let me use them...55 years later, I soon (well 23 miles of very narrow single track) arrived at Port Sonachan. Naturally I found it quite emotional, the "posh house" was actually up for sale (we stayed in one of three caravans down by the loch). I remember going up to the house though to watch the 1970 World Cup: oh, Peter Bonetti, what was you doing!! (One for the kids).
I hardly remember the hotel in the village, we wouldn't have gone there due to cost, but I stopped for a pint overlooking the Loch with the backdrop of Ben Cruachan, also recalling a boat my Dad hired just with me, and getting into some minor waves / difficulty at the nearby esturary of the River Awe...I'm sure we didn't have life jackets on either!
Heading on to Oban, I had a chance for the last ferry at 1940 to Mull. Lane 3 was standby lane, crossing my fingers, all the cars, vans and motor homes boarded...and then, phew, I was called to embark, just enough space!
Alighting at Craignore, I asked a ferry worker, where do I pay? Assuming I had a ticket already scanned, he put his finger to his lips and waved me on...a freebie!
On research I knew Loch na Keal was the place for White Tailed Sea Eagles, and also according to the app Park4Night a semi off grid campsite...I was still unsure about offgridding, I felt more comfortable on an actual site (watch this space!), located right at the head of the loch, by which time the sun had just about set...a great spot!
DAY 3 - Isle of Mull
Tuesday 6th May
The
plan originally was to stay 2 nights on Mull then head towards Skye. I
booked ahead on two ferries, so all sorted. This then my only full day, I
decided to pinch a MTB route off Komoot, and take my gravel bike for a
spin. The only off road section was immediate, over the tops tp Salen,
after which it was single track lanes, including returning along the
shores of Loch na Keal...not an eagle in sight!
The ride was OK
but it didn't overly excite me, my first bike ride in 8 days too...after
returning to the van and a sink based body wash, I decided to go for a
drive.
A giveaway that there's something worth stopping for, is
when you get a batch / flock / crowd of people with binoculars and
scopes all looking in the same direction! And barely a mile from the
campsite, here I was joining them all in viewing a White Tailed Sea
Eagle in what I soon learnt was its regular tree on the hillside! 
I got
chatting to 2 Nottingham guys who tipped me off about where to possibly
see an otter, and also mentioned a boat trip out to the Treshnish Isles,
with some seabird paradise, it got me thinking.
Continuing the
journey I went via the white sanded Calgary Bay, and finished off in
Tobermory. One to have a pint and meal, and also to get some WiFi to
upload my photos...the pint was quite nice, but over £6, and £16 for an
average fish and chips...but I did upload my photos!
Back to the
campsite, I thought I need to make a decision...I had no time
restriction, so why rush off, with clearly much more to see...so, I
pushed the ferries back one day (an advantage of purchasing standard
tickets) and booked the boat trip to the Treshnish Isles (£80), but for
the Thursday, as the next day was booked up.
I pushed my ferries back another day!
DAY 4 - Isle of Mull
Wednesday 7th May
Otter day, or so I hoped!
The Nottingham boys mentioned Croggan. So off I set, via a cafe in Salam, which included a cracking Guinness and cream cake, delicious! Eventually via the smallest of single track roads to the almost very south of the island. These sea lochs, inlets and bays really are unbelievably exquisite, stunning in their setting...and with an almost continuous blue sky and sunshine.
There weren't many others there, and apparently two separate otters had been seen...so off I set down the track hugging the shore, totally alone...and then suddenly there he / she was...hard to photo though as it was constantly diving, eyes peeled to be alert, camera in hand, to get that classic photo. This occurred about 6 times, but then....nowhere! Where the heck had it gone?
Anyway, tick, tick - eagle and otter (although a Golden Eagle would be nice too)...returning to the little carpark: everyone had gone! It was so warm in the sun, and the views were NZ like (as my daughter commented on a video I sent). Just me and this setting, it really was blissful, off the scale and not for the last time, quite spiritual.
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Thursday 8th May
The boat trip out to the Treshnish Isles, but first some time to kill. I went via the recess at the loch side where at most times they'd be people looking mainly for the Sea Eagle.
At approx 11am each day a boat with tourists would appear and
entice an eagle by throwing dead fish into the water. The local eagle
knew this, and by now so did I, and I had a good idea where he'd be
waiting! 
And there he was not out in the loch, where the peeps had their
binoculars trained, but behind us on the hillside on his favourite
tree...I informed the small group, and they were delighted, with smug
me, I'd become a local expert!On to the boat, embarked at the Ulva island ferry...so off we went first to Staffa and Fingels Cave. Legend has that Staffa and the Giants Causeway in N Ireland have a connection (something about Gods falling out), as they both illustrate the excellent basalt columnar jointing, quite impressive.
The highlight though was the second island where we spent 2 hours...Lunga. Bempton Cliffs on steroids! Thousands of puffins all around as you walked, literally next to your feet! Another highlight was a colony of guillemots, tens of thousands, all tightly packed and nesting, mind blowing! Also razorbills and super close up of nesting shags...and more of course.
Three of us spent too long hearing the rasping sandpaper like
call of corncrakes but couldn't see them in the grass! I got quite
pally with a couple of women, well three actually, all of whom were also
on the same campsite as me...they were spending the next 3 nights on a
remote bothie on the Isle of Ulva, which we passed on the return...Mull
really is the place for detox! The other lady, Kate, had a super
interesting life...there didn't seem to be a place in the world where
she hadn't spent some time generally doing voluntarily work...including
Mongolia where the only shower she could use was in the local brothel!
A return to Mull by 6pm, and another ferry towards Skye, I'd decided to push back another day...some unfulfilled business still on Mull!
Friday 9th May.
A rather late start to commence the ascent of Ben More, considering the last ferry from Fishnish was 7pm. Although the start was just down the loch but on the southern side where I hadn't ventured before. What became aware, were the clear opportunities for off grid camping.
Pulling into one of these slots was the start of the walk...first up to a col and then a sharp climb to a secondary peak followed by some consistent decent scrambling to the summit. The views were excellent on another glorious day, with 4 Sea Eagles gliding above (I was hoping they were Golden of course).
On people, I started with a couple at the Loch, the guy a real character...talked about all things but one was about off grid camping, and the temptation to head that way was now almost certain.
Catching us up, and then who I walked with all the way to the first col was Fiona from Suffolk...really enjoyed her company...but at the col she decided to go left, and climb the peak not in our direction. 
Next day the Isle of Skye!
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