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| Date | Starting Place | Ending Place | Author | Last Update |
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| 05-01-11 |
Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland |
Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland |
ray | 04-09-14 09:56:00 |
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I was up at the usual time but lazed in bed sending out emails for Oban B&Bs. One came back by 7am with a single for me. Step one was done and I was relieved to have that behind me. I went down to breakfast at 8am and met the people in the next room. They were from the Netherlands and on the last day of a 9 day holiday. We spoke a bit and I told them about couchsurfing.org with enough enthusiasm that the woman of the couple (who was the only one who spoke English) wrote down the URL. After breakfast, showering and shaving, it was past 10 and time for my visit to the TI about the bus and other questions associated with my plan to take the bus up to Oban. This is the view of Inveraray I had as I walked down to town.  Here is the view of Loch Fyne from my B&B.  At the TI, I got the bus schedule and was also told that the bus doesn't have to take my bike unless the driver says it is OK. This added a bit of concern and I didn't buy a ticket but I figured I'd deal with it tomorrow. I walked through town and along the Loch on my way to the Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Duke of Argyll. Along the way, I saw this odd cloud and took a photo. It was sunny but, as this cloud shows, it was already a bit windy.  I was wondering why some of the hillsides of the Loch were clear-cut while others were not. This became clear when I realized that the uncut side was part of the Duke of Argyll's estate.  It was a long walk through green fields to get to the estate's ticket office where I paid the £9 for admittance.  On my way into the castle, I noticed a cannon the had fleur-de-les on it (you can see it in the lower left of the above photo).  I asked the uniformed guy who took my ticket if it was Napoleonic. He said, "No, it is from the Spanish armada." This lead to a wide ranging and fun discussion of British and Scotish history, including the fact that one of the Dukes of Argyll had been given permission to attempt the salvage of a Spanish Galleon off one of the Scottish island (that he probably owned). This is where the cannon came from. We also talked about the Earl's and Duke's history from Robert the Bruce, to Charles I (executed), II (restored), James, and then William of Orange, who actually elevated the Earl to the Duke and gave him control of a huge portion of Scotland. Two of the Earls were beheaded (by the king that was eventually beheaded, himself). The current duke is a bit younger than I am. He is number 13th. As a docent at Alcatraz Island, I know how much an interested and knowledgeable visitor can be. I certainly enjoyed the time I spent learning about the Duke's history. The house/castle was worth a look and I liked the room where all the family photos were. It appears as if the current Duke is married to one of the Cadbury family. I particularly like the staff that the Duke has to carry and present to the Queen whenever she is in Scotland. The photo of several Dukes, all in kilts, before the Queen was hilarious as some had crossed their legs while others had folded down the top to block the camera's peek under their kilts. I took a quick tour of the garden and got this view of the castle.  Then, I walked back to town. Along the way, I was this tree and hill view and was reminded of the difference between forest and forestry.  I was bit tired but from a different activity and muscles. I had an idea for taking my bike on the bus and wanted to check it out with the TI, my 4th visit there this day. I wondered if I uncoupled the bike if the bus driver would take it. She said putting it in a bag would guarantee it and directed me to the outdoor store around the corner. They didn't have anything but "bin liners." I got 3 for 20p and while they are small, I ought to be able to tie and tape it all up into a nice package and I went back to the TI and bought my ticket. With that business concluded, I wanted to do some pub sitting. I visited the Whiskey Store in the hope of a Scotch tasting, but no such luck. Instead, I went to the George Hotel (across the street), which has turned its lower floor into a warren of stores and bars. There was a folk quartet on the terrace so I decided to conduct my own Scotch tasting while sitting in the sun and listening to live music.  In discussion with the batman and locals in the bar, I chose one, then another, then another whiskey (what the Scots call "Scotch"). I drank these while listening to the band work through songs like "This land is my land" and others, many with a Scottish/Irish origin. I could understand about 30% of the band's non-singing banter. I left when the band did, surprised that after 4 glasses of Scotch I didn't stagger out of it. I walked back to my room, called my brother on Skype, and rested. It was time to eat after that so I walked to the Indian place, this time with the iPad to distract me from the bad service, for more of the same good food. Who do I see as a waitress but the woman from the TI! Two nights in a small town and I already know someone! I came back home, emailed a few B&Bs in Fort William, my stop after Oban, reserved a place there and went to bed. |
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