Its fair to say that as we left Wemyss Bay and headed across the Firth of Clyde to Bute, neither of us were particularly thrilled at the prospect of spending all day out on the road in poor weather, especially after the last few days of blazing sun. Dave got the obligatory photos of Jupiter passing when the streakers crossed off Toward Point.

Leaving Wemyss Bay

Rothesay loomed ahead of us and the Juno crossed the bay and swung round to dock side-on at the pier. Having left the ferry Dave took us round to the usual viewpoint at the extreme edge of the bay to await the ferry making her way out to Wemyss Bay.

At least it was no longer spitting with rain unlike on the way across to Bute. This must have spurred us on somehow as there was now talk of going across to Kintyre and on up to Oban later this morning!

Juno came out from round the corner and carried on her journey across to Ayrshire while we hit the road and set off to Rhubodach and the Kyles of Bute. It was now just after 0800 and Dave really wasn't with it - his heart must have been still in bed or something! The Loch Dunvegan, with her new ramps and huge capacity was plying back and forth as usual - and as we approached she was loading at Colintraive on the other side of the Kyles.

When the ferry got to Rhubodach slipway it emerged she was almost empty, and unloaded just a couple of vans. One of the crew spotted that Al was taking photos of the ship, so spent a little while pulling all sorts of bizarre poses for a laugh, much to Dave's amusement!

We boarded and while Dave was sat listening to Radio 1 his consort was being given a guided tour of the ship (and finding out where the Loch Dunvegan birds nest is located).

Dave left the ferry at Colintraive and went a few yards up the road to ditch the car before returning to the pier with the ever handy camera. Al was down on the shore guddling about by the water's edge. The ferry was there for nearly ten minutes - which means it was tea break time... (We always seem to catch ferry crews on tea breaks) As she prepared to sail, with about 8 cars on, Dave took out the camera and set it up for video capture.

Once the Bute ferry was out of the way we returned to the car and made our way up around the head of Loch Riddon and past the Dunoon road, turning once again onto the Tighnabruaich road. It is Monday today and Dave was grateful of that this morning as it meant the roads were nice and quiet. All the way down the west side of Loch Riddon and up over the hills to Tighnabruaich we only met one car and a service bus, end even they were on the double track section of the climb - a stark contrast to yesterday! From Tighnabruaich the road winds up through Kames and over the last hill to Portavadie which we reached just after 0900 during the Tedious Link (Radio 1 Breakfast Show). The massive pile of logs sitting on the pier prevented a view out to Tarbert but the Isle of Cumbrae could be heard making her way towards us.

There were no photos to be had at Portavadie - mainly because we were only here yesterday and the weather was far better then. The Isle of Cumbrae came in and unloaded and then sat there for about 20 minutes before we boarded for the 0945 crossing to Tarbert. We were recognised by the crew and they didn't bother with our tickets - just as we didn't bother getting out of the car (opting instead to listen to Car Park Catchphrase and today's pair of thickies!)

Pulling into Tarbert Dave committed the cardinal sin of parking on double yellows while we nipped into the Coop for food for later. The traffic wardens obviously don't patrol that often because we were in the shop for nearly ten minutes (talk about slow service) and still didn't get a parking ticket.

We set off up the steep hill out of Tarbert and travelled along the shore of Loch Fyne up to Ardrishaig and Lochgilphead before bearing left and taking the road to Oban. Thankfully this road was also quiet and Oban was reached in under an hour and a half.

We parked up on the esplanade just round the bay from the ferry terminal (where the parking is still free) shortly before 1200. With the Isle of Mull preparing to leave, Dave legged it round to the light beacon opposite the 'red lady' to be there for when the ship came past.

The Isle of Mull seemed quiet today but that was not surprising given the weather at this point. The video footage wasn't as good at this location, not only because of the weather but also because he was zoomed a bit too far in so that as she passed close by the bow got cut off the picture.

Returning to the car there was a strange atmosphere - now that we were in Oban, what the hell were we going to do? It was drizzling and showed no signs of abating so we grabbed the jackets and locked the car; stomach thinking took over and we went in search of a loo and then food. At the first port of call something occurred that we can only describe as unbelievable. Disappearing into the North Pier public convenience it was still dull and grey although the drizzle had eased; by the time Dave emerged it was was like a totally different day. Had we gone through some sort of time warp? Had Dave been knocked out for several hours and not felt a thing? No, the weather had changed completely within the space of three or four minutes - such is the nature of the climate on the west of Scotland! Of course, now it was sunny and the temperature was climbing steadily, we were wandering round like a pair of lemons in rainproof jackets!!!

We decided to take a trip to Mull and back on the 1400 sailing a bit later on. There was a bit of time before the ferry arrived so we wandered half way up Pulpit Hill to a convenient viewing platform. The Isle of Mull came into view as she approached Kerrera from the Firth of Lorn and Dave got some more footage while Al used Dave's smaller camera to get some very colourful still pictures.

The ferry seemed to come in very slowly and it took a good five minutes to get alongside - all of which was using up valuable memory card space.

With the Mull ferry berthed there was only a few minutes to get back down the hill and along to the gangway, where loading was already taking place. Dave made a bee-line to the stern open deck (as had hundreds of other passengers)  as a Geordie crew member gave the welcome message. We joked that Steve (who is very much a Geordie) was moonlighting and taking a second job manning the Isle of Mull's PA system!!

When we cleared Kerrera the Clansman could be seen emerging from the Sound of Mull in the far distance, behind Lismore.

The 25 minute mark of the crossing sees the ferry passing Lismore lighthouse and Lady Rock just to the south. At this point the Clansman was also approaching Lismore lighthouse from the opposite direction (running about 20 minutes late on her way in from the Outer Isles) and because of the lack of space in the channel for the two ferries to pass safely, the larger ship took a detour and went around the south side of Lady Rock.

The last 20 minutes of the crossing to Craignure seemed to go very quickly and in what felt like a couple of minutes we were past Duart Castle and turning in towards the terminal. We remained on board for the fifteen minute turnround as we would be catching the 1500 sailing back to Oban - sadly we didn't have time today to stop on Mull.

It was nice to have the ferry to ourselves for once - with all the tourists heading down the gangway.

With several hundred passengers offloaded and several hundred more boarded, the Isle of Mull backed away from the linkspan and the sirens could be heard as the visor was lowered. As we turned off the pier and headed out of the bay Dave spotted Lord of the Isles about 15 minutes away, coming down the Sound of Mull on her way back in from Coll and Tiree. Being marginally faster than the Mull ship, the smaller ferry began to catch up with us as we made for Oban.

We were due to pass the Clansman in the Firth of Lorn but as she was running late earlier it wasn't until immediately before the turn into Oban Bay that she came storming out and passed very close to us at full speed. There were many passengers lining the port decks at this point in order to get pictures of the bigger ferry up close.

It was certainly the closest passing that Dave had witnessed in all the times he had been sailing in and out of Oban. We completed the turn into the bay and made for the berth. All the time we were slowing down the Lord of the Isles was of course gaining on us rapidly.

We disembarked from the Isle of Mull and immediately went back up to Pulpit Hill as the Lord of the Isles came round through the northern channel and into the bay. She had to lie off the North Pier whilst the Isle of Mull finished loading a series of yellow highways agency roadworks vehicles. The number of yellow vehicles being loaded was into double figures which suggests that there may be disruption on the single track roads over the coming weeks. (Fine time to pick to do such work - right in the height of the season!) When the Isle of Mull was finished and the ramp secure she pulled away, turning hard to port so as to avoid contact with the Lord of the Isles. Dave was filming the ferries as they passed and we could hear the master of Lord of the Isles announcing that Isle of Mull had moved out of the way and there was no further delay in berthing. The visor was raised and she was brought smoothly alongside.

Lord of the Isles was due to leave Oban at soon for Colonsay, however she was late into the berth as Isle of Mull had been blocking the access, her time in port was reduced. Food was at the top of the agenda now and we figured there was just enough time to call in at a certain fish and chip shop for a bit of sustenance on the way back to the car - on the far side of the bay. Unfortunately there was quite a queue for food and Dave's order took a few minutes to complete.

Returning along past the Corran Halls the air was totally still and the bay was suddenly filled with the noise of the car deck alarms from Lord of the Isles, as her bow ramp was raised and locked. We still weren't back at the car and it looked as though she was preparing to sail already...

Fortunately for us the ferry remained at the linkspan with her visor protruding skywards and we made it back to the car with food untouched. Dave had chosen the next location already and we went back through the town and past the ferry terminal on the road to Gallanach and the Kerrera ferry slip.

There was time enough to start guzzling before the Lord of the Isles emerged from the bay, about a mile and a half to the north. The two of us, half way through some rather huge portions of fish and chips, had to put the food on hold while the ship came slowly past our vantage point, allowing the Kerrera ferry to cross in front of her.

As she was still within harbour limits, the ferry on its way to Colonsay had to proceed very slowly until she had passed the Kerrera ferry path. Once clear we could hear the engines being opened right up and her speed visibly increased. Dave was soon back in the car finishing off his food which was now stone cold. Al had ventured a little further down the road but was soon back once Lord of the Isles had disappeared.

Once the fish and chips were no more we ditched into a nearby wheelie bin, a whole bag full of clutter that had been accumulating steadily in the car over the last week and then made went back up the Sound of Kerrera towards Oban.

The time was now rapidly approaching 1745 and as we got near to the terminal the Isle of Mull once again entered the bay having made up some time on the way back from Craignure. We stopped to get a couple of quick photos of the ferry crossing the bay but then set off along the A85 ahead of the traffic coming off the 1700 sailing from Mull (which looked very busy as it came across the bay).

A quick stop for petrol near Connel and then we headed once again along the road for Inverary and Dunoon.

This evening was another glorious one and the heat made it difficult for Dave to stay awake along the Dunoon road. We finally got to Dunoon and took the coastal road round to the pier, past the slow red ferry terminal at Hunters Quay where there was about 5 cars waiting to board one of the 'Sound of S.....' boats. To our dismay, when we got into the ferry queue for Gourock, the inept woman from last night came round with a look of glee on her face when she saw our rover tickets. She took great delight in taking them from us, saying they were invalid after tonight. Unfortunately, despite Alan making it clear he intended to board as a foot passenger, she still saw it fit to snatch his ticket as well.. Talk about incompetent!!! If only HQ across the water in Gourock knew about her attitude to those wishing to use their service as opposed to the competing ferries up the road... To say that Al was annoyed is an understatement. Dave was speechless at how rude this employee was to us. Even the car behind us didn't escape her jobsworth attitude and although we couldn't make out what was being said there were raised voices coming from the car and a lot of angry-looking finger pointing - the nameless employee was sticking to her guns, telling the poor couple behind that 'that's the way it is and you've just got to accept it'.

The Saturn came across on her last sailing of the day (the 2020 from Gourock) and parked alongside the pier for about three minutes whilst four cars came off and two went on. The side ramp was closed and we swung round to port.

This was the last crossing of the Grand Tour and as we crossed the Clyde Al was up taking pictures of the surroundings while Dave was sunning himself and reflecting on the last eight days and everywhere we've been.