Dunollie Woods

A gorgeous day; sunny AND warm.  We walked up in Dunollie Woods, an 80 acre site of ancient woodland,  now reclassified as precious temperate rainforest and managed by the Woodland Trust.  It was lovely and despite being a warm Sunday there was hardly anyone there.  As well as stands of silver birch and low growing oaks there were huge beech trees that we are more used to seeing in the hangars of Hampshire and masses of moss and lichen.  Where trees had fallen it was fascinating to see how many had rerooted and resprouted.  And how little rowan trees seem to manage to find a home anywhere.  Heavy encroachment of bracken outside the tree line but a lot of evidence of bluebells underneath it. And all spread across two small hills in the centre of Oban.  

Emerging down by the Dogstone…we went and had lunch at the Green Shack on the pier and watched the ferry leave for Barra.   The shack must be in every guide book going as it was full of foreign tourists which gave it a lively air.  We found it a bit disappointing. 

Drove in glorious weather over to Inver, our favourite restaurant, on Loch Fyne but I decided not to bore you with more restaurant pics or sublime views from windows or descriptions of amazing, phenomenal food.  Just to say after long debate we’d like to state that our favourite dishes off the tasting menu  were langoustines, green strawberry, tomato and rose (me) and duck with cherry and fennel (him) but it was hard to pick one.   What a treat!  As good as ever.