Oban
We spent few days last week with friends in Oban; once again, we were blessed with excellent weather. Incredibly warm, still and humid, it was more similar to southern Europe than the west coast of Scotland. Enjoyed playing beachball at midnight on Tralee Bay at Benderloch, the temperature still in the high teens. Highlight was a sail around to Kerrera to see the seals; on the way out of harbour we were followed by a pod of common dolphins, their fins breaking the surface just metres from us. At regular intervals they would leap out the water completely. Plenty of bird life, too; cormorants, oyster catchers and gulls galore.
Heavy thundery rain on Friday somehow added to the atmoshpere on Seil Island, rain and tide lashed, with grim lowering dark cliffs and gaping old slate workings. Crossed the Atlantic at Clachan Bridge, and rewarded by seeing large heron slowly flapping its way upstream, like some kind of pteranadon.
On way home, went via Crianlarich, owing to the diversions caused by the Tornado crash in Glen Kinglas on 2nd July. Felt sorry for the two men killed-having once taught at RAF Gutersloh in Germany I have a real fondness for the RAF; indeed any service death is a huge blow to the families and comrades, whether in peace or action. A depressing number of deaths this week in Afghanistan, plus ghastly violence in China today. Struck by the sheer contrast between the beauty of a Scottish summer and the cruelty that haunts so much of the world.
