Bongo Fury

Incredible scenery, just brilliant.

Isle of Islay
Feis Ile Festival Week!

Ferry from Oban to Islay is a long trip, stopping at Colonsay on the way. Because it only sails once or twice a week this one was booked!

Loading the ferry was fun because they had to be able to offload Colonsay traffice mid-journey and at the last moment changed the order we were loaded. Good thing it was a big boat and wasn't too busy

Oban. Roman amphitheatre? Not quite, a folly, sort of.


Garvellachs islands?


Colonsay stop-off, the least inhabited of the inhabited scottish islands
They don't allow caravans or motorhomes here. Not sure what they would make of a Bongo MPV.


Problem! These cars that drove on at Colonsay ... somebody will be reversing off. I remember reading in the timetable that you may be asked to do this, trailer or otherwise.

And it was the Colonsay arrivals reversing off, including the tractor with JCB in tow. He's used to it!


Self service. Pay? Back down at the corner shop where the ferry came in.


Port Asaig (Islay) with Jura behind


Overnight stop by Loch Indaal


Oops, wrong island. Supporting local produce.


4-stars on Trip Advisor


"A" roads up to standard here as well


Port Wemyss, near Portnahaven. We liked this slightly ramshackle but lived in place.


Kilcharan Chapel. It was in the guide book.


I have scottish blood, Macbeth blood in me so this was of particular interest


A visit to a distillery open day during festival week is a must!
Kilchoman is small and only 6-7 years old, the only new distillery on Islay in a long while. They also aimed for a "farm to bottle" business but unfortunately didn't get all the numbers right so have to buy in some barley.
They are also unique in not using their equipment to make gin or other quick return whilst their first whisky matures so they have a careful juggling act to NOT sell so they have whisky left to mature!
Family owned, here is the son running a tasting session


That didn't last long

but they still do a lot for their community, which is nice for a small business


It doesn't matter where you go those World Wars leave their mark



Nearing campsite, but don't think jumbo jets will be keeping us awake at night


Campsite at Kintra Farm, Islay

Don't mind if I do support local produce

Good night!


Singing Sands, near Port Ellen
They didn't sing for us but its a pretty little walk

Unusual square lighthouse

From Port Ellen across the bay


What is Islay famous for? Just a few ...


Time for another ferry. Over to Kennecraig on Kintyre.
Not on the Flying Dutchman. Is this the real one?

Kintyre

Southend, the Kintyre version!


I wanted to get to the lighthouse on the SW tip and sing. Fortunately for Mrs M progress along the road was really slow, the road was not on our satnav and was barely discernable on the map. We had no idea how much further we had to go so I bottled it.
I have since seen this road described as "one of the most marginal roads in Scotland". I'm sure it is worth it but didn't expect 6+ miles of it.


Keil House. Not that old, just gone to rack and ruin last century.


Saddell Abbey. Old! not a lot left.



Waterfoot campsite, Carradale. Posh caravan club site with rates to match.

but you get frolicking cows on the beach

and not a bad starter in the Glen Bar and Restaurant. A very unassuming place but tasty food.


another opportunity ... in need of modernisation


time for the next ferry from Claonig (Kintyre) to Lochranza (Arran)
These routes, being so close to Glasgow, get very busy.
Very glad our lengthy preparation (!!) meant that I had the forethought to book it at least a couple of days ahead

Wow.

Arran
Island of two halves. Mountainous nort, rolling south
Coast road appeared very popular with cyclists - it was a bank holiday weekend.
Lochranza Castle and campsite - not for us though


Mountainous north


I didn't know swans were happy in salt water


Standing stones all over the place.
Machrie Moor is the site of an ancient population who had to move on when it became boggy



Who sat on my stone?


Pladda, approaching Kildonan


Sealshore Campsite, Kildonan (Arran)
Busy bank holiday weekend so we were sited in the overflow car park

We don't mind, it's the best spot in the site!


It was called sealshore for reason


Just a little more supporting the local produce
Don't mind if I do




Bonsoir!


Last day ....

Corrie quay - size restriction!

after all, it was only for a small community


Visit to Brodick castle. Nearest bit is old (very) castle, furthest bit is Victorian, built to convert it into a hunting lodge

with gardens

and Mrs M

and a precious tree fern being preserved by clearing everything around it


LAST FERRY!! Brodick to Ardrossan (Ayr)


Always wanted to see this.
It is a stretch of road on the Ayr coast where an optical illusion makes it look as if you are going downhill when you are going up. People used to stop in the middle of the road to see which way the car would roll. Now a layby is there to avoid this experiment being done in the middle of the road. Bongo failed the experiment and just stayed still .


We then cracked on over the "Ayrshire plains" as the sun was going down to pick up a proper road south.


Back home at 3am before the bank holiday Monday traffic got in the way.
Thank you Bongo, and Mrs M, for a fantastic 2 weeks.

Bob wrote:Incredible scenery, just brilliant.

Absolutely. I'm hopeless at thinning out photos, but honestly, I've ignored about 400 stunning views of mountains, lochs, islands and valleys. Some drives, you just wanted to stop every 5 minutes to absorb the ever changing scenery.

That's a brilliant trip write up and pics Chris.........it almost made me feel like getting another Bongo.......almost!! lol!
Dabs

Wonderful Chris. Love looking at these.

Thank you for this post Chris, a lot of work gone into it. We were think of a trip up the west coast and your post has helped enormously in clarifying the route.

Aw. Thanks for the kind comments. I hope it helps just as others members trips helped me. The biggest thing is if you want to go on the steam train book early, very early! 3 weeks isn't enough
We're hooked and just can't wait to get back up there. Maybe outer Hebrides next!

I can't recommend the Outer Hebrides enough, you've seen our trip reports from there. I don't think they're as tolerant on wild-camping as when we went, especially Barra but still very much worth the effort. If you do go, don't be tempted to skip Barra, it's one of the best

What a brilliant report of your fantastic adventure....

Thank you so much for sharing this with us...

I did try the Electric Brae myself in my Bongo and just like yours it refused to move...... ...maybe Bongos have more sense..

Alan

Oh boring! Well not quite. It is just that apart from Islay I have been to all of these places, most more than once. Missed out on Islay due to having to go home early following a death in the Family. Great photographs I must admit, now living in Scotland I am getting a bit lazy taking them myself. Yours give Muz a run for his money.

So you came up from Chippenham. It must be full of wandering Scotsmen now, my nephew a McLeod lives there now. Me I did the reverse, being a MacKay and born in Liverpool I retired to Scotland after climbing all the Munros.

If you come up the east coast via Carter Bar next time join the gang and pop in for a cuppa.

I can also confirm that the Electric Brae doesn't work with marbles either
I remember my Dad stopping the car in the middle of the road back in the 70's
while I got out and rolled some marbles up/down the road

Wow,brilliant,thanks

Brian