Oor Alba Blog "header" with background picture

This post has nothing to do with Scotland per se (except that the picture was taken on the road between Ardbeg, and the Kildalton Cross) but if anyone is reading this blog, does the new banner, with the picture as background for text, "work"? As much as I like the picture I believe the text is too difficult to read. Comments appreciated.

ETA: reader response was that the "blue bells" banner was attractive but difficult to read. It has been replaced with the above picture of Loch Fynne, taken in Inverary.

Drive frae Wishaw, Ferry tae Islay

Approx 8PM, Sat 22 May 2010

Jacqueline here; just beginning to recover from jet-lag and already missing Michelle and Marshall Cross, our dear friends in Wishaw, near Glasgow. Last night our home-away-from-home was a caravan in a garden near the ferry landing of Kennecraig (near Tarbert). This place had special significance to Michael and me so we knew we were highly blessed. The caravan sat down a gated woodland walkway, amidst shrub groves,
carpeted with bluebells and ferns. A wee brook circled round the back just beyond a daisy-dotted lawn. Our hosts were clearly gardeners, bird and critter lovers with many feeders hanging about where colorful birds flitted and fed; baby bunnies munched on the new grass and we were told to watch for deer in our backyard come morning. Lambs could be heard crying out to their mammas in the pasture beyond the woods. Inside the caravan we relaxed in a sun-drenched sitting room with hot tea
and ginger snaps upon arrival. I could have spent the rest of my days in this
lovely peaceful place but we were up at the crack of dawn today to catch our ferry to Islay.

We met up with Gordon & Margaret Campbell and their friends Norris & Claire who we
visited with throughout the 2 hour cruise. The weather has been fantastic; sunny, warm and clear. Once on Islay, we had lunch at Lagavulin Distillery's Open Day, then re-traced our steps of a year ago by visiting the remains of Kildalton Church with its famous Celtic Cross and ancient cemetary. We drove to Balygrant where our flat is located and now look forward to a good-night's rest and worship at nearby Kilmeney Church of Scotland in the morning, followed by Bruichladdich's Open Day festivities. Till then, cheerio!



Mike here:

I am posting this from the bar in the Ballygrant Inn, which has free wi-fi (I think though they expect you will purchase a dram, or a beer). More than 200 malts available for the tasting. My dram is Bruichladdich Peat because I've never had it and it was reasonably priced. I am "itching" to dram Ardbeg's Lord of the Isles but at more than 20 pounds per, I think I'll pass. J is back at our wee flat resting. It was a long day and she is tired. So am I but I want to update the blog, so here am I.



Yesterday's drive from Wishaw took about 4 hours (of driving time) but the scenery was spectacular; I think. I did not dare take my eyes from the road to look around all that often. I have not driven a manual transmission for some time and shifting with my left, driving on the left, steering wheel on right ... Well, I am grateful the drive was not longer because I was very tired when we arrived at our destination. In about 10 days I'll do it again, but in the other direction !!!



Outside of Glasgow the route I chose is primarily coastal but a significant portion (the A814 along Gare Loch and Loch Long) is rather narrow (not much more than 2 cars wide) and very windy. On one side are cliffs and the other a stone wall, then the Loch. Yikes. I would have liked to take a picture but there are few places to stop and those that exist come up very quickly and then are gone. So, no picture of that section but I did attach a picture of the A83 as it runs West between Arrochar and Loch Fynne. We stopped at a vantage point known as "Rest and Be Thankful". Well, we did and we were !!!

If you care to look at a map and follow the route (assuming I am correctly remembering from memory ... I do have it written down at the flat): M8 through Glasgow to A82 to A814 to A83.

New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain

We travelled north for a couple of hours to attend the first day (Friday the 18th 2009) of the New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain. What a thrill to enter the Governor's Lodge to the sounds of John Carmichael singing "Westering Home". We also heard, and saw, Malinky, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Albannach, and Brigadoons.

I did not take many pictures during the day but I have posted a few, along with one taken a few years ago of a solo piper who, late in the day, climbed onto a large rock in the middle of the river that flows near the games.

One of the more interesting "findings" was Clan Bell in the clan village, with their shirts that stated "Border Clans Can Be Beligerent". For those who are not aware, families such as Bell belonged to what are collectively known as "The Border Reivers." My maternal grandmother was a Robson, another of the Border Reiver families; one of the more notorious I might add. Anyway, over the past few days I have been wondering how many of the Highland Games or Clan Gatherings have a strong, if any, presence of representatives of the "Border Reivers".

At the back of the program was a coupon good for $15.00 off any two bottles of whisky with a total value of at least $50.00. Well, one of the illustrated bottles was Ardbeg's Supernova, and I thought "Schweet". Sadly, they have not had any for quite some time. :-( Nor do they have any Uigeadail or Airigh Nam Beist. I guess, until we return to Islay we will have to be content with the 10YO.