After a restful night in Ardtornish Bay we set off for Oban and our various transports home. A beautiful day with beautiful views. When the weather is good, there's no better place on Earth. Many thanks to Hannah, Mark Lindsay and Ylva of Northern Light Charters and all the new colleagues I met and our collective life on the ocean waves - Alda, Alma, Anne, Claire, Diana & John, Keith, Laurie, Margaret, Marion and Martin. [View Full Entry]

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Another early start as it was going to take us at least 12 hours to get to the Sound of Mull to be within easy reach of Oban. Not much to say except a big thanks you to Mark our skipper for getting us to St Kilda. Not many other craft managed that around then. The journey back through the Sound of Barra enabled me to revist sights experienced about three years ago when last visiting the Outer Hebrides. [View Full Entry]

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My slumber in a cabin near the bow of the boat was rudely cut short just after 6.00 hours as we hit the stormy west coast weather as we left the safety of Taransay Bay. For once I thought I'd be seasick as I clattered about trying to get some clothes on. Fortunately I struggled to the boat's stern where life was a little more stable. Although never calm, the weather eased as we moved closer to St Kilda, catching glimpses of common and white-beaked dolphins either side of the boat as the hills of Harris disappeared behind us. Slowly but [View Full Entry]

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After sheltering in Lochmaddy Harbour overnight we headed to sea in an attempt to arrive off Taransay, the south west coast of Harris. We didn't get very far before the high wind and heavy swell confirmed our captain Mark's thoughts of a very rough ride. So we returned to Lochmaddy jetty rather than dropping anchor in the bay. The main ferry from Skye would not arrive until later, enabling colleagues to walk around Lochmaddy, seeing otters enjoying themselves as they strolled around the headland. Unfortunately, I couldn't join them as I was having a severe reaction to the Canna Clegg bi [View Full Entry]

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Today we’re heading for the Isle of Canna and possibly further. After weeks of good weather, a cold front is forecast to arrive over St Kilda in the next couple of days. The overcast morning suggested it might have arrived. Just my luck? As we cleared the Point of Ardnamurchan, the wind and heavy sea swell gave us more concern. However, as often happens on the west coast of Scotland, we ended up with terrific views of Muck, Eigg and Rum, arriving at beautiful Canna before lunch. It was now a fabulously sunny and warm day as a gang of us [View Full Entry]

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Using my Scotland-wide bus pass, I took a leisurely Scottish Citylink bus journey from Edinburgh to Glasgow and onward to Oban, arriving about 1500 hours. By around 16.30 we left for Tobermory Bay, Isle of Mull aboard the Hjalmar Bjorge a 23m ex Norwegian ice class rescue ship owned by Northern Light Charters. Mark our captain, Lindsay and Ylva made up the crew, supplemented by me and 11 other passengers for our intended journey to St Kilda, the most isolated and almost uninhabited islands of the UK, “one of only 24 global locations to be awarded 'mixed' World Heritage Status for [View Full Entry]

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This is probably the most scenic part of Yellowstone. We stopped at Tower Junction and Tower Falls. Onward to Canyon Village Visitor Centre and Inspiration Point via Dunraven Pass, where there are hordes of people with huge telephoto lenses and binoculars. This is a good start to the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. We got a good photo of an eagle and its chick on top a rock pinnacle. It was very crowded at the car parks but was much quieter if walking just a few yards on the numerous tracks provided. It’s very picturesque, including the Lower and Upper Falls. Then it’s [View Full Entry]

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We moved from the Yellowstone’s West Entrance up to the North Entrance and within a short period came across a Bald Eagles sitting on a tree top near the road. Unfortunately, hundreds of visitors were there before us so we couldn’t stop never mind get parked. Apart from a little waterfall and a few geysers there’s not much to talk about until we get to the Norris Geyser Basin, which offers many points of interest and a good walk. Mammoth Hot Springs provides a huge and interesting geothermal area to explore with some fascinating sights. Before we got to the North [View Full Entry]

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It’s a pity that we can’t sample more of Cody. Never even got to Buffalo Bill's Museum, which said to be awesome or even a rodeo! We can’t do everything on our tour. The weather is great as we head west on US 14 and quickly stop at Buffalo Bill Reservoir and Dam. It’s amazing how one small strategically-placed dam can hold back so much water, generating electric in the process. The chap ferrying us from car park to dam is very informative and helpful. There are lots of campgrounds around but the scenery is a little bland until we near [View Full Entry]

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Not far out of Red Lodge you are quickly on The Beartooth Scenic Highway, which is without doubt very scenic. It reminds David of Trollstigen near Andalsnes in Norway, apart from the Fjords that is. The road’s a bit pock marked at high altitude but that’s a relatively minor quibble. We go over the top, across the plateau, over the Beartooth Pass, through Coulter Pass and Cooke City, and into Yellowstone National Park via the North East Entrance. Not much else to say, except it blows your mind for most of the journey and then there’s our return tour and split [View Full Entry]

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