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I have seen
by rableather
I have seen the golden Eagle soar not once but twice.
I have seen the buzzard perch so close,
he could have torn my heart out in a trice.
I have seen the wild Merlin land majestically on a telephone wire.
And in a ring of bright water I have seen the otter inspire.
I have seen the porpoise leap in a sea of glass.
And not two feet from where I stood,
I have seen a robin pull a worm from the grass.
I have conversed, all be it one sided,
with a North Atlantic seal and a blackbird,
And his wife.
I have walked in the graveyard of kings,
and in the footsteps of Giants.
I have taken photographs which never can hope
to capture the power of what I have seen,
And known with my soul why this was once,
and will be again, a pagan land.
I have seen the sky blush crimson,
Reach down to ignite the water below,
I have seen the western Isle's grey illuminated in pink.
And as I whispered my thanks to the Gods for such a wondrous day,
I have seen the sky brighten a moment, and then wink away.
Gemma bought a cereal bar, because she was hungry but grannie wouldn't let her have it. I didn't buy anything, she had already confiscated the sweets I had bought for the journey. Tony ordered milk, he knew from experience Grannie would not let him have coke.
She didn't want to go to the jail, she didn't want to go to the castle and she certainly didn't want to eat lunch in the pub i had chosen. OK so it was a little bit dearer but at least we would have felt as though we had been fed. Never mind I found my favourite kiosk and bought some shell fish. Oban has the best shell fish in Scotland. I filled my self up on crab claws.
After lunch in Oban we set out to book our trip to Mull, Grannie wanted to see Tobermorie, the capital of Mull. I wanted to see Iona and Staffa, one look at the picture of Staffa on the wall and so did Tony and Gemma. Grannie was out voted and the trip booked. Next Grannie needed coffee, so did I so we set out looking for a decent coffee shop. We ended up in an hotel, which happened to be next to the cinema. What joy what bliss the kids nipped into watch a movie for two hours leaving Grannie and me
time to enjoy the shops.
A few hours later we decided to find our caravan ( mobile home). The road led up a concrete version of a dirt track road. The sea was always on our right hand side and the country side grew more rugged. Progress was slow not just because of the road but because stray sheep wandered on the road finding grazing where ever. Two miles along we came across, yes you guessed it .... road works, well traffic cones to be precise and no one working. We arrived safely at The Anchorage and were let into our caravan by Lurch's dad. The caravan its self was a bit of a disappointment but I looked out of the front window and my breath caught in my throat. We had a full view of the sound of Kerera right along to the sound of Mull. Kerera was less than a mile away and its hillside green and lush in places and brown where the bracken had surrendered to
autumn. It gave the effect of having had a camouflage net thrown over. This was reflected in the water below with the clarity of a mirror. The family joined me. Mum gasped, Tony whispered "ah", and Gemma demanded to know where her room was.
The plan was to leave early and head first up loch lomond side, turn left at Tarbart and and up to Inverary. A wee stop at the jail where RobRoy McGregor was held ( my ancestor) up to Ben Cruichan were the crone fell asleep and the loch ran dry ( now the mountain is hollowed out and a hydro electric power station ) and up to Dunstafinage Castle and then into Oban. Well that was the plan until mother sat down in the passenger seat Oh we took that road all right but did we stop, did we weech, except for her coffee on the banks of the beautiful Loch Fyne.
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Grannie taught the children how to gamble with cards and I read a book or two. We watched the sun set through our picture window.
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The Cal Mac Ferry left at 10am on Sunday morning and we had our sandwiches packed and I nipped in to my favourite wee kiosk and got a shell fish platter. As soon as we boarded Grannie headed straight to the restaurant for coffee. The children headed off with devilment in their eyes. I knew where they were going, they were going to buy something to eat, grannie doesn't believe in eating between meals, grannie doesn't serve very big meals either. As soon as I was able I knew I would go buy something too. In fact we all seemed to spend a lot of the holiday sneaking about trying to find something to eat.
The crossing was smooth and the signs were good that we would be able to land on Staffa. Landing could only be made if the sea was calm and we had been warned that we might get a cash refund.
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Mull was but an hour and fifteen minutes away and we anxiously searched out our bus form the twenty or so busses parked awaiting the ferry docking. The Coach was massive but the roads were single track with passing places. The driver regaled us with facts and figures and tales of the island interspersed with asides about the poor tourists who were obviously scared witless by the site of ten coaches hurtling at them at break neck speed.
The scenery on Mull is rural, I have mixed feelings about it. One third of the land is owned by The Forestry Commission, and I know they provide jobs, but bloomin heck do we need all those fir trees. A few years back the commission gave an undertaking that all now planting will include a more diverse assortment of trees particularly next to roads, but that hasn't come to fruition yet, that will take many many years to change. But I think what I object to most is the scarring on the hillside when a forest has been harvested. There is no need for such a mess and such waste. Other than that the scenery was lovely. Rural hamlets set on the banks of both inland and sea lochs.
We passed the smallest PO in the UK, it was a garden shed, 7 foot by 4 foot. The schools ( of which there were 3) had around 5 pupils each. Children of secondary age are boarded out in Oban. And the local supermarket is what I would call a corner shop. Oh but I could live there, I could live there in a heart beat.
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Many pictures have been takes of Staffa, and many words have been written, but none of them can adequately reflect the overpowering vision and experience which is Staffa. I am told that mendleson wrote his hebradian overture having visited here. I am also told I will have heard it but not known what it was. I look forward to hearing it some day soon.
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Landing on Staffa was easy, this time out. If the weather is rough at all, they won't even attempt it. I climbed on to the landing and moved myself out of the way of the others, I had to re load my camera. And my knicker elastic had snapped and I needed a little privacy to pull them up. Its strange how far under pants can work there way down even under jeans. So I was last to leave the landing area and as I turned around I met a huge North Atlantic seal, gazing at me with curiosity. I couldn't' help myself I just started talking him. This brought the driver back so we both talked to him. And we were the only two who saw him.
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During the summer months the puffins nest here, but we were too late for that. I followed the rope along the side of the island. This is one place where you don't take the disabled. Its hard work climbing over rocks even though they are polished smooth, the spray from the sea crashing into them made them slippy.
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Up we climbed to Fingal's cave. I can't describe this place its phenomenal and unlike anything I have ever experienced. But don't take my word for it come and see for your self.
The rope leads into the cave for a short way but you are still walking on slippy polished rocks and there are no safety barriers. I have a terrible fear of heights and it was a long was down to the sea below. The seas around Scotland are usually grey but for some reason around the caves they are as blue as any Caribbean cove. Next we went to Iona, spotting another group of porpoise on the same heading. The weather started to change away in the distance and its amazing to watch a weather front come at you. Didn't catch us though or went off somewhere else. The view as you approach Iona is picturesque it is relatively flat and the abbey can be seen easily from he sea. However the first place that catches your eye on landing is the white sandy beach. Its so clean! The water looks so fresh in the rock pools you feel you could drink it.
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A more pagan statue I have yet to see
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The first place I headed for was the toilet, it had been a while since the ferry and besides my pants were giving me a real problem. We only had an hour on Iona, not nearly long enough. I have to say I was disappointed with Iona. Couldn't find any of the graves I was told were there. MacBeth, Kenneth McAlpine, Duncan etc., found John Smiths though and was totally unimpressed. This was supposed to be the grave yard of kings! The Abbey was nice but to be truthful I have seen nicer. And the whole place was a rip off centre for tourists. I think Historic Scotland taking over this, will be a big improvement. The money will be there to fund the maintenance and the shop will stock chocolate at less that $4.
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Then back onto the boat for a five minute crossing back to Mull and onto the bus. The rest of the journey was uneventful with one exception, as we got of the bus in Craignure to board the Cal.Mac Ferry back to opened the heavens opened but it didn't matter we had had the most amazing day.
By the time we got to Oban it was after 6 and we were hungry. Oban is beautiful but its eateries are over priced, mundane and plastic. We finally settled on a place called the good food shop. We were seated in one of those booths and served menus fine by a very nice lady who was to be our waitress. Mum wanted a drink, so she ordered a white wine and soda. She was given white wine so she sent it back. I ordered Macaroni cheese and was given lasagne so I sent it back. Tony ordered strawberry ice cream and was given chocolate, he was so embarrassed by this time that he ate it. The bill came and my mum handed over the money. She was given change of £30 not forty. All off a sudden the waitress had started referring to my mum as Madam. Perhaps she had seen my mum refusing to get up and let Tony out to go to the loo, and Gemma and I having to get up so he could crawl under the table to get out.
As we left the restaurant we saw the sky over the bay. That sunset will live on in my memory for the rest of my life. I gave up a prayer of thanks for the day, and the left half of the sky lit up a little brighter just for a moment then faded. It looked for all the world like a wink.
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We went back to the caravan and were in bed and sleeping by 8.30.
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