Beach near Pirnmill looking north
We've just returned from a trip to Scotland which included a week on the Isle of Arran and a few days on the Isle of Mull. On route we visted Emily in Stoke and borrowed her canoe to try-out during the holiday. Our first attempt on Rudyard lake went well, especially with the sunshining and little wind. After the trials we decided that it was more manageable if we paddled, one on each side. However, our seats and backrest kept deflating, especially the one at the rear so that Helen was almost on her back and trying to paddle. When we changed seats, I found it much the same but enjoyed the trip to the far end of the lake (even had a landing there!!). Managed to see Em's lab at the University which brought back memories for me anyway, and a meal at the local pub at Keele. Then drove north stopping on route at a Caravan Club CL site. We'd decided to use them this trip as they seem to be in nice locations without all the hassle we seem to get with the larger Club sites. They often have electric hook-ups but we can get-by for several days without electric anyway,
We got the ferry to Arran on Sunday 5th September and stayed in Auchrannie House hotel near Brodick (where the ferry lands), had a swim and sauna and great meal at night in the hotel. The resort next door is also open to the public so convenient for activities on a rainy day and for Helen whilst I climbed Goat Fell. After our night of luxury, we were back in our luxury camper exploring the island going up the east side to Lochranza to find an exposed campsite near the harbour but with great views of the mountains and deer grazing nearby. The site was just past the Distillery that I'd visited with Mum in 1997 and I recall looking out of the window on our tour of the distillery to see a deer approaching down the hillside. The west side of the island is stunning as the road (probably similar to our "B" roads in England) snakes it's way down the shoreline on a raised beach. I'd seen this type of beach on a walk to "The Cock of Arran" the previous evening where a footpath on the raised beach follows the coastline to the northern most tip of the island. We stopped just before Pirnmill to gather blackberries growing along the shoreline and watch the birds, some Mergansers nearby. This was proving a great time to stock up with blackberries, especially on Arran where they seemed bigger and juicy than eleswhere and very abundant on the island.
We stopped at the Torrylinn Creamery to buy some Arran made cheeses, a Dunlop!! was one and very tasty. From there we headed north past Whiting Bay to find a campsite between Kings Cross and Lamlash with a view of the Holy Isle. Again we were surrounded by blackberries on the campsite and nearby lanes. There was a path down to the beach from the campsite but wet and boggy in places. We decided to stay there for the rest of our time on the island.
The weather forcast was changing all the time but it seemed to give the best chances of a clear day on Tuesday so I opted for a stroll up "Goat Fell" and Helen to have a swim and sauna, and then meet up later. Helen dropped me near High Corrie north of Brodick and from there I meade my way up to the hills in low cloud. Unfortunately, the cloud remained above about 700 m which meant the peak at 874 m was shrouded with only the sparodic let-up to get a view to the valley. However, on the route down I got great views of the sea on either side of the island and Brodick Bay with Holy Isle in the background to the north-west.

Goat Fell peak from the path down to Brodick.
The route down, now in sunshine, was over rocks and moorland and gave views of the peaks around and also Brodick Bay. By the time I'd emerged from the forest on the Cladach road, I was ready for an Arran Ale (the track finished next to the brewery, good planning huh?)so it was a "Blondie" for me, although in retrospect, I'm better suited to the "Dark Ale"; I wonder if they have that in Poole's Tesco? Helen joined me with the camper after her swim. We also visited Brodick Castle and Gardens, and enjoyed seeing the walled garden and around the castle rooms. They had beds of "Vipers Bugloss" still in flower reminding me of the plant I'd managed to raise at home.
We went down to Lamlash again and spent some time on the beach with views over to the Holy Isle. I would have liked to have visited the island but by now the weather wasn't great with showers mingled with sunny spells. This gave some good chances to get photographs with light effects lasting only seconds as the dark clouds and sun competed.
From Arran we took the short ferry over to Claonaig from Lochranza and then drove a short way south on the west side of Kintyre to find another CL site with views of the sea and ferries to Kennacraig near Tarbet. From the campsite we could see other islands including Islay and Jura, "The Paps of Jura". The following day we headed to Oban and caught the ferry to Mull landing at Craignure. The weather so far had been mostly fine with some sun but from now on the prediction was for one good day and then getting worse, with storms predicted later in the week. Anyway, we found a campsite in Craignure as a base (there were only two campsites listed fon Mull)and then did a run up to Tobermory situated in the north of the island. This was pretty with the coloured houses and harbour but mostly for tourists we guessed. On the way back we decided to try the canoe again as the sun was trying. Anyway, to cut a long story short, we almost sank in the middle of the loch!! but we did have our life jackets on (which Bex and Em had given us) but had found steering it difficult with one side deflated, and me in the rear almost lying on the water as all my support gave way; what a sight but luckily there was no one around to laugh at us.
Then the weather showed it had been kind enough for this trip and blasted our campsite with a gale and rain making sleeping a challenge. It was so bad we stayed on site the next day and taught ourselves Mah Jong. Things did improve enough for us to go down to Fionnphort and a view of Iona, although when we reached Fionnphort the wind was up again and there was no-way I'd be going on a ferry. On the way back we decided to take "the scenic route" which involved travelling on a "footpath" between the sea and rocks along Loch Scidain. Passing places were few and far between and with the camper, the road width meant Helen spent most of the journey clutching the seat arms and telling me to put my glasses on!! Luckily, rush hour had passed and we only met three or four cars on the trip which eventually emerged at the main road at Salen.
We then left Mull; oh yes I've forgot to say, we did see a Sea Otter at the harbour in Craignure. It was a surprise as we walked along the seafront at dusk near the Cragnure pub, and we both spotted what at first looked like a seal in the water and coming towards the shore. Then I noticed it had a long tail and the movement in the water was different from a seal(budding naturlist huh?). It came ashore and we got a good view of it as it climbed up the beach towards a large rock. As we got closer, we lost it so it must have come further up the beach or escaped back to the water (or merged into the rock!).
From Mull we went south again to eventually reach the Lake District and then on to see Emily for the weekend and a pleasant walk around Tittesworth Water (not far from Rudyard and Leek)before continueing south to Derbyshire and then Nottinghamshire to see family as we hadn't been able to since our New Zealand trip. We had good weather for a trip around the Dales including a short walk in Dovedale and over the famous stepping-stones. It was good to see everyone was well and all the children, how quickly they grow.
Now back in Dorset attending to the garden and camper with plans to join in the U3A for Mah Jong and Purbeck Cycling. All my seeds and plants survived without me so I now have the greenhouse full again as the nights get cooler.

On Mull looking over to the Isle of Iona and the castle.