Same Shirt, Different day-2012 Adventures of the "Devonport Wonder Babes"

Wednesday 3^rd July 2012 Around Islay

Up early (about 6.30 am) to get blog entries all uploaded and to get packed up as we have to move to a 4 bedded dormitory for tonight as there is a large group coming in who had booked the 2 bedded rooms. So did all that and then at 10.30am in the misty rain ( wot again ??) we went to the ”Museum of Islay Life” about 100 metres down the road in what was once the Free Church of Scotland. Spent about 1 ½ hours there, fascinating stuff on major events in Islay history and also everyday life here. Have some Mesolithic artefacts including burial ornaments and a human skull plus a Irish Elk skull with horns recovered from a bog which is 11,000 years old as well as 19^th and early 20^th century everyday household items –clothing, kitchen utensils, farm implements etc. Nice cupboard bed. 

Islay Museum of Island Life

Celtic Crosses

Then headed off to south of the island an and had encounter with whole herd of cows just down the road and later some sheep.

Then through to Port Ellen, where the currauch for the festival has had a few more rows of boards added since yesterday, and on to the Laphroiag distillery on the southern coast. Really nice place, right on seaside with display about history of the private company including woman who came as a temp, stayed 40 years and ended as owner and managing director before company merged into another. Plus the barman spontaneously offered a dram to taste, so of course had to buy a bottle !! Since it’s my favourite whiskey that was no hardship but to be put in bottom of suitcase to take home.

Laphroaig Distillery

Sun came out as we continued on around the south west coast of Islay to old church with the Kildalton Cross, a Celtic style Christian cross which dates from about 700 AD. Pretty impressive for the length of time it has stood here.

Kildalton cross

Whole lot of little bays further on so stopped at end for our usual picnic lunch ( egg sandwiches, banana, apple and ginger nuts plus water-really sounds like old peoples picnic doesn’t it !! ). About 6 other people there in the bay, plus several pairs of pied oyster catchers so very, very peaceful. One kid went swimming but was wearing a wetsuit!! But the sun had come out, first time in days. We also collected some rocks and practiced stone installations. 

Claiggan Bay

On way back along road stopped and talked to woman walking a dog ( cos that what you do here on one way roads here ) who told us she had seen otters this morning about 2 bays further on, and then we stopped again in another bay and could see seals lying around in the sand in a tidal area.

Back to Bowmore and spent some time in the cemetery at the round church ( built so no corners for the devil to hide in) to see if there were any Curries or McArthur’s. Some but unsure of any connections but photographed any possibles.

Picked up our fresh scallops on way back to YHA, have enough for 2 nights. We saw someone in hostel last night cooking them and it smelled so delicious we had to find out where to get them from, fantastic big fat scallops. Bit expensive but have been quite frugal since arriving here. Lynds cooked with garlic and stir fried veges and pesto pasta. Superb!!

 Also could see down the loch to the American memorial after mist and rain had cleared, so yesterday.

  

Interesting dinner time observing 8 person group (2 men /6 women, 6/8 seniors) on tour of christian celtic sites “fight their way out of a paper bag” cooking dinner.

Fascinating who you met or observe in YHA-earlier this afternoon it was 2 of the 5 young Danish men here going swimming in very cold water. Last night’s Scots cyclists from Glasgow have gone as has the Icelandic woman we gave a lift to yesterday ( to Colonsay)) plus the somewhat needy German teenager on a mini gap year before going to university in Berlin in September. We are sharing a dormitory room tonite with 2 women friends from Arran on a cycling holiday.