We boarded about five minutes before scheduled departure time and went out on deck to see Oban Bay disappear behind us. The weather this morning was cloudy but the rain had subsided by the time we left Oban.

The sailing was about half full and we pulled into Craignure on time at 0830 and duly went ashore. On a previous trip to Mull back in March we decided to forego the idea of tackling the road along the Ross of Mull due to the weather, but today there was no reason to stop us heading for Fionnphort and the Iona ferry, some 35 miles and one hour away. A quick trip onto the old pier gave Al the chance to get a picture of the Isle of Mull bow-in at the linkspan before carrying on the journey west. As we headed up into Glen More the rain set in and Al rapidly reached the conclusion that today was going to be a washout. Dave however was more optimistic as experience had shown that whatever the weather is doing in the hills, the Ross of Mull is often totally the opposite. As predicted, by the time we dropped down to the shores of Loch Scridain the sky was clear and the sun was high and hot.

Isle of Mull early in the morning

The Mull ferry at Craignure

Back on Mull, as seen from the beach

We continued along the single track road through Pennyghael and Bunessan and on towards Fionnphort. We got there to find the Loch Buie sitting at the slipway waiting to load for the 1000 crossing to Iona. Dave was disgusted to find that the car park leading down to the ferry has now been made into the dreaded 'pay and display' type, after many years of being free from such profiteering. He was duly relieved of in excess of £2.00 and then went down towards the pier. 

There is a great viewpoint above the back of the pier and we went up there to get photos of the ferry as it left. Dave was sheltering behind a couple of rocks as an attempt to keep out of the wind and hold the camera still for more than half a second.

With the ferry on her way over to the sacred island we started back to the car park, out of the wind. Dave spotted another good place to get pictures from - and this one was perfectly sheltered but still in the warm sun. Fortunately the tide was out so we took a shortcut across the beach, past the cracked boulder and up onto the hill on the northern side of the beach.

After almost two hours at Fionnphort we returned to the car park. Dave was checking the contents of his memory card while Alan went into the Ferry Shop in search of postcards. He found an old one which still showed the old Iona ferry from nearly 14 years ago; the Morvern. We left Fionnphort basking in the summer sun as we made our way back to the east side of the island, back down that single track road. Dave took a short detour from the main road down to the tiny village of Kintra where he spent many summers as a child. Not a lot had changed since those holidays years ago... On the return drive to the main road there was a great view over Iona towards Tiree, and behind us the island of Rum could be seen in the far distance.

According to the Calmac timetable there was just over an hour and a half until the Clansman was due to pass Fishnish terminal on the eastern side of the island. This was just enough time to get there from Kintra, although Dave knew it would be close as we would meet all the ferry traffic coming off the 1000 sailing from Oban at some point between Bunessan and Pennyghael... Sure enough, 28 cars and 7 coaches came at us just on the eastern side of Bunessan as we headed to Loch Scridain and the road through the hills.

As we got to Craignure the Isle of Mull appeared round the headland so we stopped to watch her coming in and unloading with the traffic off the 1200 sailing. The sun was still out and the clouds were dissipating eastwards. In the shade it was nice and cool but out in the open it was baking hot.

We got back on the road for the six mile drive up the Sound of Mull to Fishnish point. The Clansman was approaching from the north, having just turned off Salen Bay while the Loch Fyne emerged form the mouth of Lochaline and came slowly towards us across the sound.

The tide was very low this afternoon and it became apparent that there wasn't enough depth in Lochaline for the ferry to turn as she was coming across the Sound of Mull stern-first. Dave wandered off into the bushes to get some photos of the two ferries about to pass while Alan went down onto the slipway to get a different angle. The Clansman was quite close to the Fishnish side of the sound when she passed so the photos were quite good.

As the Clansman continued on her way down to Oban the Lochaline ferry swung round and manoeuvred onto the slipway, using her bow ramp to unload a nearly full load of cars. Dave legged it back to the car ready to board while Alan stayed out to get more photos. As the car reached the top of the slipway Al jumped in and aimed the camera out through the windscreen as Dave tried to keep the car as still as possible - unfortunately there was a lot of debris on the slipway and there was inevitable movement as we descended towards the ramp.

Once the tickets were checked Dave went out on deck to enjoy the view while Al tried to zoom in on the Clansman which by now was almost down opposite Craignure. The wind got up a bit as we left the island behind but the crossing was flat calm. We passed the red marker buoy that identifies the safe entrance to Lochaline and the stern ramp went down as the vessel was brought alongside the pier.

By the time we got to Lochaline the car was roasting and the steering wheel was quite literally burning Dave's hands. The next leg of the route today involved an hour's trek over Morvern to Loch Sunart and then the long slog west along the Ardnamurchan peninsula to Kilchoan. 

We left Loch Fyne sitting at the pier in Lochaline and headed off up the steep hill on the single-track road. This part of the drive was not too bad as the road is relatively wide and not too twisty, unlike the next road at Strontian.

It took a little under an hour to get from Lochaline to Strontian, but it took another 90 minutes to get to our next destination; Kilchoan and the Loch Linnhe. The road along Loch Sunart's northern edge is dreadful to say the least. This was about the sixth time Dave had driven along this road and it never gets any easier. There are 90 degree corners and it is unsafe to go above third gear for much of the way.

When we eventually got near Kilchoan there was a point on the road where we could see right across into Tobermory Bay. The Loch Linnhe was about half way across to Kilchoan and it became apparent that we would probably get to the pier just in time to see the ferry a few hundred yards offshore having just set off back to Mull! The situation was not improved by the fact we got stuck behind a couple of slow moving tourists and of course all the traffic coming off the ferry from Mull.

As predicted we reached Kilchoan ferry terminal as the Loch Linnhe was making her way back across to Mull. Still, at least it was still hot and sunny for the 90 minutes before the next ferry.

The Loch Linnhe was quite busy when she returned from Tobermory and she was at the slipway for a few minutes before all the passengers were off and we could board. As we waited to depart the Clansman came up the Sound of Mull once more, this time on her way out to Coll and Tiree. Dave's camera has a powerful 10x optical zoom and proved ideal to snap the Clansman as she came past. We had thought she wouldn't have been as far up as Kilchoan by this point, but alas she does a good 17 knots plus with a following wind and tide... Ah well, a few distant pictures are better than none at all.

We left Kilchoan at 1645 and for some reason, as with her previous departure the Loch Linnhe seemed to weave from one side to the other as we sailed back to Mull. As we drew nearer to the island the Lord of the Isles came steaming up from the Salen direction, on her way out to Lochboisdale and Castlebay. Although she passed us at quite a distance, Dave's camera came in handy once more as the pictures below show...

We got closer to Tobermory and passed Rubh nan Gall lighthouse to our right. Lord of the Isles passed by to our left and eventually disappeared out of sight as she continued on her way to South Uist.

The slipway came into view and the ramp was brought down as the various vehicle occupants returned to their cars. We were first off and headed along the high street, playing Dodge-the Balamory-Fan in the process! Honestly, you can spot the tourists a mile off...they tend to be the ones wandering aimlessly down the middle of the road with no regard whatsoever to the presence of oncoming cars!

Anyway, we went out of Tobermory by way of the steep hill at the end of the high street. Dave's car seriously resented that hill on the grounds it was so steep - well it is only a little basic Ka after all... The drive down to Craignure was uneventful and we joined the queue for the Oban ferry. Isle of Mull was running a few minutes late by the time she pulled in but we were duly loaded and we departed right on time. For the poor guy who turned up at 1902 it was unfortunate that we sailed on time. The 1900 departure was the last sailing of the day from Craignure, although the shore crew at Craignure took pity on the late arrival and sent him of up to Fishnish. As we passed Duart Castle we saw the Loch Fyne turn around in the middle of the Sound of Mull and head back to Fishnish - obviously going back to pick up the Craignure latecomer. 

The ferry got back into Oban at 1945 and we were offloaded very quickly. As we moved round the bay to park up get food, the Isle of Mull moved round to the fuel berth, vacating the linkspan to allow Clansman in later. Food this evening was courtesy of the Oban Fish & Chip Restaurant - by far the best fish and chips Dave has ever sampled! Tonight's accommodation is just outside Oban, on the road from Connel up to Fort William in a B&B Dave has stayed at a couple of times in the past. No breakfast tomorrow morning as we'll be back in Oban early for the ferry to Lismore.