Lake District - June 2025 - Coniston to Pilling

Tuesday 24th June

Coniston; A6 to eventually Pilling!

The bike is becoming quite quickly very secondary. I've certainly reignited my love for mountain hiking for one, but also with the demise of Mallorca, I always had a sub conscious to stay reasonably fit, to springboard on my Mallorca visits...so at least I'd do 2 or 3 bike sessions per week, indoor or out....but not anymore.

So, similarly to Scotland, the bike has been dragged around on the rear of the van, with hardly any use! So I decided to find a reasonable route from where I'd parked the van..Komoot to the rescue, a pretty good route materialised. The first half much tougher but the whole thing was spoilt by friggin gates....really don't know how many I went through but easily more than 50...for 2 hours it was OK, and then I wanted it to end!

Anyway another water dip, this time in the Lake...clean and refreshed I set off south....not really wanting to go home...why go home to an empty house, I love it in the van, especially in the evenings with my feet up, good location, reading, listening to the radio or music, and tea! (Seriously haven't had a beer for a while now, discovered the joys of a cuppa!).

I headed to Grange over Sands, I must have been there sometime in the past (in fact I recognised a nearby roundabout,  the National 30mile TT Champs - VTTA Champion btw by several minutes!

Anyway, Grange, quite a delightful small resort, lovely prom but don't go to the bakers on the main drag...the pie and cake were awful!

I then decided to drive down the old pre motorway route all the way to Pilling getting close to Blackpool, overlooking the Morecambe Bay....I  vaguely recall queuing at traffic lights at places like Carnforth on the way to the Lakes....the only downer was Lancaster, where I hit their rush hour plus roadworks....going slow enough to view the historical context of the city (it was the capital of traditional Lancashire), and pondering although I grew up not far away, I cannot recall spending anytime there...

Soon south of Lancaster I passed the University where in those revolutionary days of 77 and 78 I went to the occasional punk gig...Stranglers stands out and the Stiff Tour with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric...."If it ain't stiff, it ain't worth a fvck" said the T shirts!

Seeing the spire church of Pilling brought back memories of my teenage cycle trips out to these marshes and mudflats with my Dixons binoculars....I spent the night with a few other vans close to Fluke Hall...I tried chatting to a French guy, but failing...and then we both got Google Translate out!

In the morning I had a nose around Knott End and Preesall, two more places I used to visit....then set off back to the darkside (Yorkshire)....until the next time! 

Lake District - June 2025 - Cumbrian Coastline & Eskdale

Sunday 22nd June
Silloth to Ravenglass then Eskdale

I slowly edged down the coast through Maryport (where I stopped for a full English at the harbour cafe), Workington and Whitehaven. After which I went to St Bees Head, to check out the seabirds...similar to Bempton but probably less birds and no full RSPB HQ....in fact  nothing, but a farmyard to dump the vehicles then walk about a 1km to the cliffs. The wind was so strong off the sea, that it rather spoilt it...but still nice to see the usuals (no puffins though).

Heading further southwards, I passed the nuclear site: Seascale, Sellafield or Calder Hall...whatever they are calling it now. Nothing today is actually produced there, it's rather worrying function is to look after all the waste produced plutonium, that has massive half lives...

Not far further southwards,  I headed down to the small seaside town of Seascale...actually a rather nice setting. Strange coastline all this, in that it is not easily accessible, so most people would never had visited it, and most probably could not name a town!

Observing a surfer coming out of the sea, and wondering how impacted the sea is from the nuclear site - it certainly used to be...

Taking a short stroll, I immediately came across a large memorial, in memory of all the victims of a deranged gunman in 2010, in the top 3 of mass murder in the UK (with Dunblane and Hungerford)...sitting on a bench, I read the detail on Wikipedia,  and realised I'd followed almost the exact same route...the reading was awful, disturbing, have a gander if you wish: Cumbria shootings - Wikipedia https://share.google/RUEedTzj26NmiRBsS

He killed three in Seascale, and then went to Eskdale where he killed another person, then himself. After Ravenglass, the exact place where I settled for the night...right next to the River Esk 

 

Monday 23rd June
Eskdale: Green Crag, Hardknott,  Wrynose,  Coniston

A morning wash / dip in the river followed by....

The mountain forecast suggested fairly low cloud, bit worse, really strong winds at 3000ft. So my planned hike including Pillar from Wasdale was off!

But exactly like my Bassenthwaite hike, there was a hike from where I'd stayed the night....and again it was in the Southern Fells Wainwright guide. And without, I wouldn't have known about a much more interesting circular route that was absent from the OS maps....a great example again, of where lower routes can be as joyful and infact have more variation than the big mountain days out....there were a series of tors and crags, the highest being Green Crag...and all to my self! Still 5 hours for a Wainwright afternoon amble!! 

Straight on from Eskdale was...Hardknott and Wrynose Passes...could my van take the gradients? Well, only just...a friggin monster hummer campervan beast came down, as I was going up Hardknott, my two offside wheels had to go off the tarmac...and I could not get going, wheel spin, rubber burn...I had to roll back and get all 4 wheels on the tarmac...thank God it was dry too....I won't drive over there again in the van!
Wrynose was nothing as bad, but heck knows how those cyclists manage it on the Fred Whitton, after 90 miles of many other Lakeland passes! 🤪

Soon I was in Lancashire! The Lancashire boundary stone is at the top of Wrynose, and soon heading to Coniston I passed the Three Shires pub - sad they fvcked up the traditional historical boundaries.

Coniston has always been a favourite, not just the setting, but I guess in the past, all those pubs in a relatively small place!

I briefly stopped at the lakeside cafe for a Magnum ice-cream, then found a cracking lakeside night stop towards the southern end....lovely views!

 

Lake District - June 2025 - High Street Range & Bassenthwaite Circuit

Friday 20th June
Haweswater - High Street, Mardale Ill Bell & Harter Fell

So after my recently failed attempt at commencing this walk (due to the severe lower back issue), this the 2nd attempt, I drove up the previous night, not realising it was nearly 3 hours, arriving at 1130pm....a fair chunk being the tiny lanes after Shap, only 12 miles or so, but very slow going, and really praying that nothing came the other way!

The forecast continued with high temperatures for June, which actually made the views from the tops quite hazy, but mustn't complain!

I chose a classic Wainwright route (having my Dad's original books from the 70's!), ascending High Street via Rough and Riggindale Crags...with some low level scrambling, and drops on either side...including a great view of Blea Tarn and the best dramatic cliff views of the range. 

High Street summit is not the most interesting, but plenty of boyhood memories for me with my Dad. Including getting lost on Nan Bield Pass, and descending into Kentmere (the wrong way), then paying a farmer to drive us all the way around to Haweswater 🙄. However, no problem some 50 years later! Where Harter Fell gave the best views of Hawes Water....and via Gatescarth Pass I descended back to the van...a quick dip in the nearby stream, and I was off.

Firstly to inspect a telephone box, in the nearby village of Bampton. I met 3 "Mackams" on the walk, and they were big fans of the film Withnail and I....and apparently certain scenes were recorded locally, including the telephone box! See photos!!

Trying to find somewhere to stay the night, with plans to perhaps climb Blencathra or maybe the NW fells...ended up driving around Bassenthwaite. Eventually found a layby, but got frustrated driving aimlessly...this was on the east side of the Lake. Certainly much more difficult to search out off grid places, than in Scotland - but that's to be expected...more to follow...

Saturday 21st June
Lake Bassenthwaite, Ullock Pike, Carl Side

Although next to a main road out of Keswick, I slept OK...but the number of motorbikes racing up the road as if in the IoM TT was bloody annoying...apparently a Friday ritual 🤷‍♂️

Checking Komoot, the following morning, there was coincidentally  a good circular route on the Skiddaw massif, which was included in the Wainwright guide (Northern Fells), this was Ullock Pike - a conical shaped mountain, like a mini Matterhorn...cracking ridge climb to its summit, extended to Carl Side, on the shoulder of Skiddaw. However extended the route to firstly wander down to the Lake side...hoping to see an Osprey....I didn't, but it was v pleasant. The climb up onto the Ullock Pike ridge was initially super steep...but the rocky tor like ascent on the ridge was "grand". Skiddaw loomed in the background, but it is a mountain that never appealed to me...so I had no inclination to conduct the out and back from Carl Side, just to do it!

The rains started near the end of the hike, and arduous stony descent (aren't they always) very slowly causing issues in my right ankle and right upper knee 😢
After I drove over Winlatter Pass to Loweswater,  and even though it was generally a very sunny Sunday, I decided to check out one of my favourite areas: Crummock Water and Buttermere...they were seriously packed...eventually at Dalesgarth (the last opportunity before the rise to Honister) I turned around and escaped.

One discovery (in the van context) was that those Nazis the National Trust own a large percentage of the Lakes, and are anti off gridding...with signage a plenty for no overnight slumber and apparently wardens or even the police conducting late night checks. But NT campsites at £30 a pop PER VEHICLE. W@nkers!!

 
Never a fan for various reasons, but I think it started when we hiked what was a lovely valley in Shropshire near Church Stretton, that the NT had turned into a huge free for all carpark, with ticket machines! At the same period, banning mountain bikes from there land, then jumping on the popularity in cycling by organising sportives!

The next day was always going to be a chillax day, but the forecast was quite poor too.

I decided to head over to the coast, and check out Silloth. I'd been there once before, my first job after University,  arriving on a coastal vessel delivering or collecting grain, I cannot remember which!

Quite a nice spot actually, on the Solway, looking across at Scotland, and the Galway hills. Just south of the town, courtesy of Park4Night,  I dumped the van on top of a sand dune, overlooking the Solway with a rather nice sunset.

Scotland Tour - May 2025 - THE FINALE: Gorebridge, Innerleithen & The Lake District

DAY 24 Contd - Anne & Rob's - Gorebridge nr Edinburgh 
Tuesday 27th May

Quickly leaving Pete's after our bike ride with a difference, the late journey to the south of Edinburgh, Gorebridge, was 3 hours, but the majority of it was a journey to remember....via Taynult,  Dalmally,  Loch Awe, Crianlarich,  Loch Earn and eventually passed Stirling. Through dramatic mountain scenery, glens, lochs - they'd been heavy rain...but sun fighting through, with rainbows...the scenery was terrific, very moody!

 After Stirling not so brilliant, as I hit the motorway system, with a couple of road closures so detours around Grangemouth, with sightings of the Edinburgh landmarks to the east...but only 25 mins lost, as I arrived at my cousin Anne's place in Gorebridge.

 

Neither of us could remember the last time we met, possibly my Dad's funeral in 2000, but we were not sure...but so lovely to meet and hug!

After some welcome soup and various cheeses washed with a lovely white wine, we chatted until nearly 1am about all sorts, but obviously a lot of family reminisces which some I recall and others I didn't! Anne's husband Rob too I met for the first time, where it materialised we had a surprising amount in common around (contemporary) music through the years, Rob has been a pro guitarist for over 40 years but also set up in the lounge were a set of synthesisers, as well as a variety of guitars hung up and placed around the music room. I hasten to add, I can talk about it, but not play a thing...possibly except the kazoo! 

DAY 25 Gorebridge
Wednesday 28th May
The conversations continued at breakfast, after which Rob gave a demo on the synthesisers on some music he had composed....we then set off to the relatively new Community Center, where Rob and Anne were heavily involved as volunteers...after some brunch, I was shown a tour of the community garden which Rob has mainly completed.

We had a walk around the Gore Valley, learning how this area was the heartbeat of the Scottish coal mining industry, with much of the recreational areas reclaimed brown land....the Scottish coal mining museum was local too, which probably would've been an interesting visit if there had been more time.  

In the evening Rob and Anne treated me to a nice meal at the Paper Mill restaurant not far from Gorebridge in Lasswade.

Anne dug out some family photos on our return going back to before 1920 and the wedding of our Grannie and Grandfather, and some of my Dad when he was a baby....also a lovely one of my Mum from the 1940s - Anne recalled how attractive and funny she was...with "lovely hair" - well, that didn't get passed on to me, the hair bit that is, the rest was, obviously 😅

Anne had to be teaching (singing) in Edinburgh very early the following morning, so we hugged before crashing, with more promises (after Pete) not to leave our next reunion not quite as long!

DAY 26 Innerleithen & Lake District
Thursday 29th May
Breakfasting with Rob, my van was ready again for the next step on my adventure...but I had no real plan. I thought of the Northumberland coast, I also picked out the highest hill in the Southern Uplands (but the photos didn't attract, why I wrote hill and not mountain...it's the character not height that I judge that definition)....but decided upon the Lake District but first a minor detour via Innerleithen, where I had mountain biked in ice and snow many years ago!

A nice drive through the Moorfoot Hills and down into the Tweed Valley, I pulled over in Innerleithen.  I had no plans to ride there, but this is the heart of the mountain biking territory together with Peebles and Glentress, part of the 7 Stanes dedicated MTB areas. But I had a gravel bike!

 

A quick check on Kommot and there was a 65km cross country circular gravel ride that included Peebles, so off I went...initially into a westerly strong wind on a quiet tarmac lane, but soon I was on the gravel, small rock, forest fire roads and ascending high over the moorland trails....the wind got so strong, I had to get off and hold my bike down on the very tops....and survived just! This was anything more challenging than I had done in a while...the bike had only been used sparingly on the whole trip, and nothing challenging like this at all....4 hours ride time excluding a pitstop in the very quaint Peebles high street for a welcome Greggs!

 I returned with those endorphins swimming around and packed up, with appropriate music banging out as I chose the slightly longer "historic route" to Carlisle through Selkirk (very impressive), Hawick (stopped to load up at Aldi, £37 for a huge bag, such a contrast to the small grocers across the islands), Langholm and eventually the M6 at Carlisle.

 
Plotting to arrive at Pooley Bridge at the head of Ullswater, for some reason I considered this a quieter part of the Lakes...duh! Well, it's the closest part to the Lakes from the M6....the village was very busy, and about 4 campsites I saw were all rammed with FULL signs, although I was looking for an offgrid spot....

I'd considered a recommended horseshoe hike on the High Street range called Fusedale...but to start the hike was from the small single track road on the east side of Ullswater...I tried to spot an offgrid opportunity but there was nothing obvious except a boat launch space, with NO PARKING signs repeated.

It was late, so I thought no one is going to roll up now, and I'm not leaving the van....I decided though to just pull over a little to make more space if someone wanted to use as a turnaround....doh! I moved towards some grasses, but caught a hidden rock in the undergrowth and took a piece off my blingy  plastic bumper...annoyed but could've been much worse....£28 Chinese replacement I later researched!

Anyway, I decided to head over towards Haweswater....and found a spot on the lane driving over....just a few miles from my hike start point up Nan Bield Pass (where Dad and I went the wrong way in thick cloud many years ago), High Street and Kidsty Pike....looking forward,  and the forecast for the Lakes was bizarrely the best in the UK !

 

DAY 27 Lake District
Friday 30th May
I had an awful night! My right lower back was really tender, it was difficult to know how to lie...at 3.30am I took some cocodamel...I managed some sleep. Once up and about it felt easier, I assumed it was only temporary and set off the few miles to the head of Haweswater to grab a spot in the small carpark, the start point for my hike. Driving there I had no doubts about not hiking, however, once I got out of the van and had a walk around, more than a hesitation definitely emerged. Finally deciding it would be a silly risk to attempt the walk, certainly with the amount of climbing not to mention the terrain.

Briefly I considered a chill day and restart tomorrow, but soon I dismissed that and decided to call it a day.

Just one day short of 4 weeks since I started this journey, to complete two favourite hikes in the Lake District would've been a fine finale, but I certainly cannot complain, the experiences have been beyond anything I could've wished for, backed up and aided of course by the amazing weather.

A tremendous 4 weeks, a huge tick on places I've always wanted to visit, in astonishing weather. But also the reigniting of my love for the mountains and hiking, and with the knowledge that I only scratched the surface...it was in affect an intro only, with so much more now to return to and to discover...cannot wait!

 

 

 
Footnote:
[I set off south and after an hour or so I pulled over at a services, after less than walking 30m, I got the most excruciating stabbing through my lower back, I couldn't place any weight on my right side, and needed to get into the van...I called a guy over who had just got out of his car to help me back to the van....Imagine if that had been over 2000ft up!

I then visited a friend Sally in Sale, which was embarrassing, as it continued and I could hardly get into her house!

24 hours later, and there's a big improvement, using ChatGPT it seems to be as a consequence of the stenuous effort on the gravel bike ride, which I'd done nothing like for a very long time, combined with the seating position on the 2 hour drive 🤷‍♂️]

 

 

 

Scotland Tour - May 2025 - Ullapool to Oban

 DAY 19 Ullapool & Torridon
Thursday 22nd May

 By 1.30am I was asleep in a layby just outside Ullapool, together with a number of other vans. I drove back into Ullapool, it seemed quite nice, similar to Stornaway. My original ferry booking had just arrived and there were lots of vehicles all queuing to head out of the town, fortunately in the opposite direction to me...

 

On local recommendation I went to The Bothie, a cool independent cafe and had another Full Scottish (although I need a break from them now).  The ambience was so cool I even messaged Katie...but within minutes it was destroyed by 3 new clients with 4 large dogs...the dogs were hardly well behaved, but the fvckin owners made more noise, calling out their dogs....I picked up my bits and pieces and went to the outside garden eating area...said a few words to the waitress, And she totally agreed with me, but the owners allow dogs in the small cafe...put THEM in the friggin garden!!

 

 Anyhow it didn’t spoil the breakie, and soon I was on the road again, destination: Torridon, a 90 min drive through classic Scottish mountain and loch scenery....

The scenery was breathtaking with several lochs, and mighty peaks...but this was surpassed when I eventually drove down the Torridon valley. Spectacular scenery with Ben Eigdhe and Ben Alligin on the north side, including their lieutenants. Eventually I paused at Torridon village and a little further on alongside Loch Torridon I found a perfect spot by the loch. For quite a while I read my book, with regular views across the Loch, as this was another eagle spot, apparently,  none seen! The weather remained exquisite, but for how much longer?

It was mid afto and still nice and sunny, and with the use of WalkHighlands I pinched an easy hike around two lochs: Clair and Coulin. High enough to get excellent views of those Torridon peaks across the azure blue lochs.

I drove back to my previous spot for the night, but it had been taken! But fortunately there was enough space for my van, another example of the advantage of a smaller van.The guy already there had been mountain biking but was an experienced hiker / climber for 40 years...and he felt that on the UK mainland those views along the valley were the most dramatic he would send someone to, if there was only one choice! (The Cuillins being the best, of course not on the mainland).

 The weather was due to break this evening, but there now seemed to be a 1/2 day extension...so I decided to climb Mount Eigdhe but early in the morning, as clouds were due by mid afto, and heavy rain in the evening.

 

DAY 20 Torridon & Loch Shieldaig
Friday 23rd May

By 8am I was on the hoof, as planned...the peaks certainly looked imposing and beckoning...the route was clear, unlike some of the more remote hikes I'd done earlier on the adventure. Very soon a chap came downwards towards me....

This was Simon (from Inverness). He'd used an OS route which took him on a rather ambitious direct route to the peak of Ben Eigdhe, rather than the Komoot one I was using, that was following the more defined route...we spent the whole hike together, chatting about all sorts like a pair old buddies! Super company, Simon, thanks mate! 

We soon reached glorious views from the tops, but to reach the highest point we had a short ridge to scramble along and upwards...a challenging scramble really adds to the enjoyment and achievement.

We then ridge walked, and got chatting to two young lads loaded with climbing equipment...later we saw them on a pretty foreboding buttress, now...I'll stick to the scrambling!

We could've done a 3rd Munro, but it was an out and back, and by now some thin cloud had rolled in, no blue for the first time in weeks!

We descended a challenging scree run, looking over and ultimately walking alongside a lochan, Coire...apparently used in some TV series, and described as the most beautiful tarn setting in the UK. Although I'm not sure about that one with ones I know in the Lake District.
We disturbed some red deer...lovely to see.

 

It was all downhill now...but it soon passed by, with further conversation...and although only a 2 km road hike to our carpark back in the valley, we got a hitch at the first attempt!

We said our farewells and we both went separate ways...BTW Simon had an amazing 360 degree camera, an Insta X2...added to my list "for the next time" to conduct some research.

For the first time in weeks, it started to rain, then really hammered it down. Soon I reached the lovely setting of Loch Shieldaig and Shieldaig itself, picking a spot overlooking the Loch, and spent a couple of hours in the local bar, a deserved treat! White Tailed Eagles nest on this loch, but again no sign...

I later learnt that Shieldaig is on the NC500 route, and the price of accommodation for one night is now what it used to be for a week, apparently! I'm no fan of this NC500, great marketing by someone to attract the tourists...but with so many other areas to visit and the fact it attracts many motorcyclists, sportscar types, motorhomes and car drivers (most just drive and take Insta photos, and keep moving on....not for me...🤷‍♂️)...bit like the tourists I witnessed on Skye.
However, I had to experience the Applecross peninsula, but with a washout forecast tomorrow, would it be worth saving for another day?

 

 DAY 21 Applecross Peninsula
Saturday 24th May

The forecast was a 2 day washout, in reality it was mixed, with sunny spells and occasional showers. So I set off around the peninsula...firstly carefully observing Loch Shieldaig for those eagles...not one! 

 

Great journey hugging the coastline, looking over towards Skye, so close as the crow flies, I'd come almost full circle...the islands probably viewed though were more likely to be Rona and Raasay....I stopped a few miles short of Applecross, and went for a wander onto a nice beach (not Harris standard) and followed the coastline to make it a round walk...a red deer stag suddenly startled, ran away from me, but then stopped and stared. Unfortunately I'd left my camera in the van...but returned (after sadly watching Sheff U lose again at Wembley in a play off final, not sad that they lost of course!) but he'd gone!

Applecross was busy, although I guess it's the only stopping / refreshment stop on the whole peninsula....and I think they'd been a cycling event too...the inn was fully booked for food, so it 

 

 was dog food and noodles again! I had a pint, then went in search of a night stop.....just across the bay, I found a stop...no camping signs, with a tent motif, and explicitly referred to the grassy part or machair down towards the waters. I'd found my spot for the night overlooking the bay, but there wasn't much to see, as the weather closed in...

 

DAY 22 Applecross to Pete's!
Sunday 25th May  

The rains had definitely come, although it wasn't continuous, and sometimes the mix of dark clouds, rain, sunshine with occasionally rainbows made the scenery quite dramatic. 

I really had no plans now, except to possibly see Stevie in Glencoe and ultimately go to Pete's somewhere near Oban?! However due to the lochs and general geography the driving was quite substantial, but easy tourist driving, and I was in no rush...firstly to negotiate the (not so at all) formidable Bealach na Ba (the pass over to Loch Kishorn)....it wasn't long before I messaged Pete and decided to arrive at his today....although the views were quite dramatic, the cloud was down, and I had no specific plans to stop anywhere en route. Loch after loch, I stopped for a coffee and some eats at the Pitstop at Kintail. 

 

Glengarry soon arrived, on the Great Glen fault line now and then heading SW along Loch Lochy,  Spean Bridge and Fort William....civilisation at last! The huge sea Loch Linnhe was soon adjacent, before I turned firstly into Glencoe Village, and then to the top of the pass...although it was quite cloudy, you really got an idea of how formidable it is...I'll defo be back. 

Stevie messaged me back in order to meet up, but by which time I'd left Glencoe! Next time mate!!

 

 
I pulled over near Port Appin to sadly watch the last Premiership round of the season...but decided I wasn't bothered...so headed to Pete's. 

Pete (Nimmo) was part of the old Blackpool / Sixth Form / drinking crowd...the last time we met we think was in one of my Edinburgh fringe visits possibly in the late 90s. Pete sent me a postcode to plug into my Google Maps, and thank goodness! 

 

On a single track road right adjacent the sea loch, Loch Creran...Pete had bought a sizeable piece of land and designed everything himself. Clearly including his residence which was like one of these contemporary eco places you see on TV, but the surrounding environment was also well thought out....with water spaces, wild flower areas, grassland, woodland and pathways to the rear....his boat was moored just on the loch, visible through the huge display windows..what a place! Pete is definitely living out his dreams....that full on outdoor existence whatever season....sailing, sea kayaking, island hopping, wild camping, gravel biking and winter based activities too.

During the period just before and including my visit there had been a pine marten (which apparently catch the grey squirrels), red squirrels, stag roe deer, woodpeckers, and an otter had cleaned out the carp from one of the water features.

It was great to see Pete, and we had much to talk about what had occurred in the intervening years, and reminiscing on those Blackpool days, and what had had happened to all those pals we had back in the day...

Pete's local was 7 miles away (he said 6!) via velo and gravel paths..so 3 pints and a Thai curry at the the Creagan Inn,we cycled home in near darkness with full lighting, and it reminded me how I used to enjoy those night club rides at Sheffrec in my early days, even in the depth of Winter...on return we stayed up till nearly 3am continuing those reminisces!

 

DAY 23 Pete's @ South Shian
Monday 26th May
Both rather fuzzy the following morning, and we only had 5 drinks (how times have changed!)....Pete had planned a bike ride with a difference, with two ferries! So we set off to Port Appin, and arrived just as the skipper was breaking for his 2 hour lunch...we'd missed it! Not to worry, the forecast wasn't great, in fact it rained nearly all afternoon, and the forecast tomorrow was much better. We returned a different route to make more of a loop, and then decided to chill in the evening...an relatively lazy day! 

Pete baked a variety of vegetables topped with some lamb, which was delicious....served with a couple of beers....we watched Free Solo with Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan in the Yosemites without a rope, my sixth time, Pete's first, and my heart rate still escalates on that Boulder Gap segment...and the rest!

 

DAY 24 Pete's @ South Shian

Tuesday 27th May
No rush in the morning, as the ferries dictated our start time, 2pm at Oban for
Lismore..but on a closer examination, clockwise was best for the route to align with the ferry timetables...so Oban bound first.  

 

 The last time I was in Oban was on day 2 on my adventure, hoping for a standby place on the Mull ferry. We arrived an hour early, so killed sometime by having some crayfish sandwiches at the dockside (white bread, not very appetising!)...

This was a small car ferry to Lismore (island) 55 mins....and then a few kilometres to a heritage centre that had a nice cafe. I had soup and a panini, as my plan was to set off as soon as we got back...  

Lovely small island, with a single lane from top to bottom....so we continued

 

 

to the foot ferry to get back over to the mainland, at Port Appin. Pete pointed out at island that had recently been bought by a Dutch family (Dutch purchases apparently not unusual) for £6M....

We rode back from the port, the same way as yesterday, and the weather today has been kind, and slowly improving with the higher peaks slowly becoming more visible...the views all through the route had been delightful, but the softer late afternoon light improved them too... 

 

A quick shower, a cuppa, Strava sorted 🙄, van loaded, handshakes and farewells with a promise I'll definitely be back one day, and this time not a 25 year gap....and off I went to see someone else I had not seen for many many years....cracking 2 nights 3 days with Pete!

 

So now, and early evening 3 hour drive but where to?!