Our next destination was the very pretty village of Oban on the Hebridean sea surrounded by islands, the Isle of Mull and many smaller islands.

View from our B&B window

The fishing village of Tarbert

Skipness Castle

Leaving Inverary we made our way to Loch Ranza for Colin to take his photograph.  We drove over the pass along a single track road and at the top of the pass you get an amazing view of the Isle of Arran and then the road sweeps down to the departure point of the ferry.  The weather was so bad that several ferries had been cancelled that day.  I did not wish to go on the ferry. 

Isle of Arran

Instead we visited Skipness Castle, a ruin sitting on the edge of the Loch with views across to the Isle of Arran.  Very pretty but very bleak and windy spot. 


There is a cafe there that sells seafood and we were told it was amazing.    There was a group of 4 frenchmen having a meal of seafood, sitting outdoors in the ferocious wind.  We joined them as the only indoor area was flooded.

We sat there rugged up against the wind and rain and had our lunch.

From there we drove to Campbelltown via a single track road that took us on a very scenic journey up and over the pass on a very windy and hilly road eventually leading us into Campbelltown. It is quite a pretty fishing harbour and a big industrial town.

We  decided to press on to Tarbert as our destination for the night.  We arrived in the town and found a B&B right opposite the Loch.  Quite an amazing B&B, run by this man with 2 dogs and an amazing collection of Knick Knacks, garden gnomes, statues, water features, chirping birds all sorts of things.  Even our quirky shaped room was stuffed full of knick knacks.  During the night as the wind and rain lashed the house everything in garden rattled and tinkled away.

After leaving the Lakes District we headed to Scotland.  We went around Glasgow and headed towards Loch Lomond.  We drove some narrow winding lanes alongside the loch and passed a ruined castle on the edge of the loch.  We got to the town of Tarbet and the road was blocked because of a motorbike accident.  We were forced to take a much longer route adding over an hour to our journey but a very scenic hour alongside a loch all the way.

ruined castle on the edge of Loch Lomond

We stopped in Invererary.  A very pretty little village alongside Loch Fyne.  We found a lovey B&B, a former chapel, all the doors and windows were curved. 

During the night there was an almighty storm and the wind howled and shook the windows all night long.

We went to visit Inverary Castle, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.  A young couple with young  children.  They have apartments there in the castle.

The castle is very impressive, with four fairytale turrets, is made of dark stone and sits on the edge of Loch Fyne.  Inside the castle is also impressive.  The first room has the highest ceiling in GB.  It is gigantic.  At the top of the ceiling is the family crest. The walls are adorned with guns, swords and armour.  As you wander through the rooms there are some beautiful chandeliers.  One very large waterfall chandelier and in the next room two smaller waterfall chandelier.

There are lovely gardens but as the weather was pretty miserable we didn’t spend very much time in the garden.

Us on the Kirkstone Pass

We left the Lakes District via the adventurous and scenic route over the Kirkstone Pass.  It is a narrow winding road with a dry stone wall either side.  The views from the top are magnificient.  We had to stop at one spot and let some sheep cross the road.

sheep crossing the Kirstone Pass

As we came off the Kirkstone Pass we drove past some more lakes and then spotted a sign for the Aire Force Waterfalls.  We parked and walked in to the falls about a 15-20 minute walk into the first of the falls.  It’s a very pretty heavily wooded and ferns. 















There are several stone bridges to cross and we came across and fallen tree studded with coins, people had hamered in with rocks.  Who said money doesn’t grow on trees.

We then went to visit Sizergh Castle and Garden. The Castle is still very much lived in and is home to the Strickland family and has been for over 750 years.

The gardens are beautiful and we spent quite a bit of time walking in the gardens.

Colin in the garden at Sizergh Castle