Ardfern 04 June 2025

 

Craignish Castle. It has been converted into apartments although this is
not that apparent from the outside. It’s on a fairly exposed
and definitely remote site.  
One apartment sold in 2023 for £325k - so not cheap.

We are staying in Ardfern because the forecast for travelling south past the Mull of Kintyre is pretty dreadful - a lot of wind from the WNW.  We may be here for some time.

Mary and I went for a walk south, down the Craignish peninsula to Craignish Castle (about 7 mile round trip).  We found Susie’s necklace on the road along the way - a little worse for wear having been run over a number of times.  It now has ‘character’.

It is a beautiful peninsula - really rather verdant, fecund even. The abundant rain and at least a bit of sun and warmth, creates ideal growing conditions.  There are lovely houses and gardens along the way - one house has three professional gardeners three days a week, the head gardener coming originally from Bangor.  It’s a small world.  He says he has to take care not to strim the wild orchids or else he will ‘get told off’.  Fair enough.

While we were walking Susie and Gordon did some washing and worked on the port engine water pump. After lunch they went for a walk while Mary and I checked the inside of our eyelids and polished the stainless steel handrails (I’ll let you guess who did what).

At 16.30 our new found friends Gerry and Sue from the adjacent boat ‘Osprey’ (there are at least two ‘Osprey’s in the marina) joined us for a pre dinner drink, that lasted until nearly 19.30. Very sociable (we had drinks aboard their boat yesterday). Fillet steak for dinner after - very tender, and provides a load of minerals and ‘things’ needed for a healthy lifestyle. We’re happy.

Today’s Ardfern bird list is 30 species.  Common Sandpiper is again the best species - I saw one on top of a telegraph pole - what is it with these birds?!

No map because no move.
























































































































































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