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Friday 6th May 2011 Staffa and Iona 54 miles...................
Forecasts aren’t always right and we awoke to a beautiful sunny day! The bay was even more beautiful but we left at 9.00 am to get the ferry to Iona and Staffa where it had been promised we would see seals and puffins. The boat looked decidedly small and was being tossed around quite a bit in the water so it was with slight trepidation that we boarded and set off!
Staffa was an incredible island. It looked quite flat when you first see it but as you get closer you can see it’s made out of columns of basalt formed from molten lava 60 million years ago! Quite impressive! The boat off loaded us at the landing stage and we walked to the famous Fingals Cave where it is renowned that the roar of the waves was the inspiration for Mendelsshons ‘Hebrides’ overture. The columns look absolutely amazing close up and can be seen under the clear blue water as well.
Afterwards we walked to the far end of the island to watch the puffins. Apparently, so our boat captain told us, the puffins have learnt that when there are people
near their nests they are safe from attack by the seagulls and ravens, so they leave their safe haven of the sea and fly onto the land and into their nests. Normally they only come back to the nest at night, when it is safe!
On our way back, the tide had receded and the seals were lying on the rocks sunbathing! There were about 15 of them, so quite good to see!
We then landed on Iona and decided to walk to the highest point – Dun I. The hill is only about 100 metres high but it rewarded us with a 360* view of Iona, which is one of the best panoramic views I have seen. The sea was deep blue and turquoise, rocks dotted about with this very pale sand. Simply stunning! Back down to have a quick look at the Abbey, built in the 12thC where 48 Scottish kings are buried, including Macbeth and onto the ferry to Mull where we then decided to drive the 54 miles to the other end of the island to camp for the night at Tobermory. And we still cant get the dongle or TV working!!
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