Saturday 20th May 2017

The day almost ended in disaster before it had really begun. We booked the train tickets many months ago, but as time went on we found it was going to be difficult to hire a car and travel back home, so instead of traveling to the end of the line at Fort William, we would get off in Glasgow and get a taxi to the airport. We tried to change our official tickets, but couldn’t, so on getting on the train, we well th hostess, she makes notes and tell us that her successor would wake us up at half five with breakfast so we would be ready to get off the train at six.

It all seemed set, so we went to bed thinking it was all under control. And as the journey went on through the night, I felt for movement of the train wondering where in Britain we might be depending on whether I could feel movement or not.

I must have laid in bed for a while, wondering still where and when we were. I finally looked at the screen on my mobile to find it quarter to six! Eeek!

We had 15 minutes to get dressed and squeeze or cases close and be ready to get off. We rang for the assistant, who apologised, and it wasn’t her fault either. But we were running behind time, so we had half an hour before we got off.

The train crept through Glasgow and then headed out fo the city west alongside the river. At twenty past, we arrived at Dalmuir, heavy drizzle was falling, and as we got off the train, no taxi could be seen.

I called up the company, and they sent a cab to pick us up, arriving a few minutes later, loading our luggage inot the boot, then growling at us as to where we wanted to go, and apparently unimpressed that we had come all the way from DOver to be here.

He took no time taking us through the housing estate, onto the motorway then across the bridge over the river, turning off and arriving at the airport.

From being in a panic an hour before, we were now on time, and once at the car hire office found it to open, some 15 minutes early. We are told that no signatures were required, the keys were ready to pick up from Omar in the office in the pound.

Omar gives me the key to an Audi A4, which is a great and quick car. We put in our bags, and find that the car was already pretty much full, and we had to pick up Tiny who had stayed on the train from Fort William.

Amazingly, we were on the road at seven, driving back to the river crossing then taking the road north. Always north from now.

We go into the centre of Dumbarton to look for a place to do some shopping. We find Morrison’s, and go inside, only to find the shop almost empty, at least with more staff than customers. Back home this would already be packed with people. We go round and buy what we think we would need for the three of us.

Back out onto the main road, we descend to the banks of Loch Lomond, taking the low road as it followed the contours of the Loch. We stop at a country park overlooking the loch, not a breath of wind stirred with water below, so we ate sausage rolls surround by a cloud of midges.

The road carried on, all around the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond before the road began to climb and climb, higher and higher until the trees ran out, and on both sides the vista opened out.

We stop at a greasy spoon for a coffee and Tunnock’s Caramel slice at a parking area overlooking the valley below as it began to climb again.

Up and down the road goes, and up again until we come to the top end of Glencoe, and in front of us the vista opens out with dark ominous clouds above and valley sides that had been carved by glaciers

At the far end of the valley, the road had reached sea level, and in a few more minutes we roll into Fort William, where Tony was waiting at the station, having arrived just a few minutes ahead of us.

From there the road branched out along a sea loch, alongside the railway which also was going to Mallaig. The sea loch opened out so we could see open ocean in the distance, we join other cars in parking up beside the coast so we could all take shots.

Sadly, parking at Glenfinnan was full, but we shall return at some point. Anyway, we only had half an hour to go before we arrived at Mallaig and the ferry terminal. Sadly, we had failed to book passage beforehand, and so had to buy a standby ticket, but we were told there would be no trouble getting on as we were the first in the reserve queue.

We had an hour to kill before the boarding began, so we go for a wander round the town. Mallaig exists for fishing and being the starting point of the Skye ferry. The railway line also ends here, but the town itself probably has less than 1o thousand people, but it picturesque enough, set around the harbour, filled wit small fishing boats.

Jools and I have lunch in the Mission Cafe, while Tony goes for an hour walk being measured on Strava.

At one everyone goes back to their cars and boarding begins. Once all the booked cars and buses go on, we are allowed to follow onto the ferry.

We get out of the car and climb to the passenger decks above, until I get to the open dicks ready to witness the casting off.

By now the day was bright, so sunshine shone off the heather on the hills of the mainline and on the island. The crossing took just half an hour, the ferry reversed into the berth and we were allowed back to our cars ready to depart.

The cottage was just a four mile drive along the coast, turning up the hill and into the driveway. Here at last.

It is a fine modern bungalow with a large picture window overlooking the sound and the mainland beyond. We unload the car of our luggage and shopping, and fill up wardrobes and cupboards, finally able t put the kettle on for a well-deserved brew.

We had forgotten to bring coffee for Jools, so Tony and I go out in the car to find a shop. Over the other side of the island we find a Co-Op, it is well stocked and we find coffee, more Coke and beer for me.

We fly back over to the cottage, over the moor along a newly tarmaced road, traveling at a little over the limit, arriving back so I could make a coffee for Jools.

We sit in the living room, not watching TV, but the scene out of the large window, as the setting sun cast wonderful light on the sound and hills beyond. Dinner was a simple pasta dish with tomato sauce, into which I put some square sausage to added flavour. Local flavour.

And that was your day, arrived and settled in.