For about the past twelve months I've been dreaming of this morning. Ten road miles to the end of Loch Fyne and then up 1300 feet in among the mountains. To the north of my path Meall an Fhudair (2292 ft) and Troisgeach (2199 ft), to the south Beinn Damhain (2052 ft).
At least I'm not in London struggling through the snow.
Dear Stuart,
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying this blog! We saw the Archdeacon for the last time this morning before he starts his sabbatical and issued him with some essential supplies for when he joins you at the end of the week. He has some hand-warmers , an emergency poncho (in baby blue), a whistle, and a slab of Kendall Mint Cake, with instructions to share it with you. That is the mint cake, not the poncho. Life in the Area office will be very quiet without him but will enjoy reading the blog and catching up on how it is all going.
Here are some facts for you first
ReplyDeleteLoch Fyne (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Fìnn, pronounced [ɫ̪ɔx fiːnə], meaning Loch of the Vine or Wine, although there is no evidence for grapes growing there - it was more metaphorical, such as meaning that the River, 'Abhainn Fìnn', was a well respected river) is a sea loch on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It extends 65 kilometres (40 miles) inland from the Sound of Bute, making it the longest of the sea lochs. It is connected to the Sound of Jura by the Crinan Canal.
Loch Fyne is notable for its oyster fishery, and as a consequence the loch has given its name to the locally owned Loch Fyne Oysters, and the associated Loch Fyne Restaurants. It is also notable for its herring fishing industry, originally using the drift-net method. In the mid 1800s, Loch Fyne was the epicentre of the battle betwixt the traditional drift-net fishermen and the new trawl-net fishermen who sprung up around Tarbert and Campbelltown in 1833.[1]
Loch Fyne is a popular area for sport diving and fishing. It is also a popular tourist destination with attractions such as Inveraray Castle and the nearby ruins of Castle MacEwan and Castle Lachlan.
The village of Portavadie is on the east shore of the loch. A passenger ferry traverses the loch from the quay here.
Dolphins, seals and otters inhabit the loch, and basking sharks can be found in its waters during the summer months. A Ross's Gull was present at the loch in early 2007.
Over half a million troops were trained in amphibious landing techniques on the shores of Loch Fyne prior to the D-day landings.
In the north it is mountainous with the Arrochar Alps, Beinn Bhuidhe, Glen Shira, Glen Fyne, Glen Croe, Arrochar, Tyndrum and Loch Lomond nearby.
From david
ReplyDeleteI posted you some helpful info on Loch fyne, its just from my general knowledge bank......
I am sorry I have posted till now but lost my login details, poor excuse I know. Well have you seen a lion yet? if not wasted trip I would say! But does sound like you are doing some thinking which is nice for you.
I hope you have time to sit down and do some painting of these landscapes you are viewing as I a more a fan of the canvasses point of view than Kodaks. I have heard crushed up heather with some water can make a good purple.
Well keep walking..... obviously
David (hendon)