Castle Stalker, from the Jubilee Bridge

Another amazing fun-filled day! Kate dropped me off at Dunbeg in the morning, and I walked down to Dunstaffnage, to the bay, as I wanted to walk from there to Ganavan, the beach at the back of Oban. I didn't know if I'd make it to town in time for the ceremonial march to the Highland Games, but as it was raining, I wasn't that bothered.

The path is quite rudimentary, but follows the coastline closely. I did have my wee book of walks with me, but did not bother to read it closely. So it was a bit of a shock when I found some rough steps leading to a crevasse that needed to be clambered across in my wellies! Only then did I realise what the alternative path through the hills was for! Reader, I did it, and I survived.

The views across the bay were amazing, when not blurred by rain, and I met a woman leading a party of youngsters, all wearing orange helmets. I asked if they were going to climb, but she replied that they were just going to practise " jumping off a cliff down there". Of course!

Eventually I reached Ganavan, Oban's nearest beach resort, if it can be called that. Some new apartment buildings have sprung up there since I last visited, but I'd seen them on Blipfoto so wasn't totally surprised. There is a regular bus service between there and the town. but I decided to keep on walking, as there wasn't one due for a while. Eventually a bus did pass me, and return, but by that time I was almost in town.

It was midday by the time I reached Oban, so the march was long over. I took myself off to the Chocolate Factory, as I thought they might have wifi, and I was badly in need of a warrm place and a comfy seat. I had some hot chocolate, and bought chocolate tiffin, and a few more chocolates, and waited to dry off. I had got much wetter than I thought!

Eventually the rain went off, and I ventured out to the Oxfam shop and the Mod Charity shop, where I offered them some surplus furniture, as Kate still has piles of stuff in the garage. There didn't seem to be much point in going to the games, as they'd be soggy, and dreich, and still a mile or two away. I'd been to the Arisaig games a month earlier, so had had my fix!

Kate came out to meet me at the Corran Halls, and after driving out to Dunolllie castle and deciding we didn't want to pay to get in, we headed back to town, to Piazza, This is a restaurant on the north pier, from where you can watch the Cal-Mac ferries and other crafts sailing in and out. It is one of my favourite cafes, for that reason.

We whizzed back home to prepare dinner in the slow cooker and collect Jezzie, who'd returned on the school bus and was sweetly setting the table for tea. Then we piled Jezzie, and the dogs into the car, and set off for another walk in Appin. The weather had by then improved, as per the usual pattern of rainy mornings and lingering sunlit evenings.

I'd wanted to visit the restored Jubilee bridge across loch Laich at Appin, near Castle Stalker, ever since I'd seen the appeal for repair funds on a previous trip two years ago.
Built in the year of Queen Victoria's jubilee, it was restored in 2014, and connects with the Port Appin road at one end, and the former Connel-Ballachulish railway line (now a cycle track) at the other.

So, there we were! The bridge is low lying, wooden and easy to cross, and the dogs behaved well. We had to keep them on the lead at times because of the sheep in the fields, but they co-operated. I'm slightly surprised that I don't have an actual photo of the bridge, but it is so low that it just disappears into the landscape.

The building of the bridge apparently connected the congregations of two different churches, who had formerly been separated by the wetlands of Loch Laich. My mother is now living in a village near Appin, and is about to change churches in a big way, if she hasn't already. We didn't visit her because it was a school night for Jezzie, so we couldn't stay out too late. I will say more about my mother's circumstances in due course: watch this space!

Castle Stalker is the historic seat of the Clan of the Stewarts of Appin, now (well, as of 1998) lived in by another family coincidentally named Stewart. At one time, we lived in a large rented house owned by the young chief of the Stewarts, who at the time was a dashing young bachelor who wanted nothing much to do with either his huge ancestral home or 'his' castle. He was, though, a very handsome and adventurous guy. I must one day blip an old postcard of the house, now unfortunately hidden from the road by a large hedge. It is up for sale again (only £1M) and Kate says she' d like to buy it and run it as a B and B. In her dreams!

Back home once more, the slow-cooked chilli con carne was delicious, and so was the loaf baked by the bread machine.