Next morning, 4th June, we were up early and heading for the car ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull from Oban. The tickets had been booked months in advance in case we struck a busy time, but the vessel ("The Isle of Mull") was not crowded and we were among the first to drive off on arrival. Many say that Oban is well-worth a visit but, after several times there myself, I find it a slightly depressing town although it does have some charms. Here it is, seen as we sailed from the ferry terminal:



On the hill top is McCaig's Tower, an unfinished folly built by a wealthy banker around 1900 as a memorial to his family - and to provide work for local stonemasons during the winter! Below it, and nearer the waterside, can be seen the tall, brick chimney and grey roofs of the Oban Distillery.

Our plan was to circumnavigate, as far as possible in a day, the Isle of Mull and I think we achieved it with about 20 minutes to spare when checking in for the return sailing to Oban. This meant that we did not really have time to dawdle for photograph-taking, but we were able to thoroughly enjoy the stunning, varied scenery as we drove along the single-track roads. Our first stop was at Tobermory (renamed by the BBC as 'Balamory' for its children's TV programmes). Here's Jim:



and now me:



This is a pretty wee village and, as yet, not apparently spoiled by tourism. A short while later, we stopped to eat our sandwich lunch, bought in Tobermory, with this fantastic view to the south-east of the Isle's largest fresh water loch, Loch Frisa:



After miles of driving around some of the most beautiful coastlines imaginable, Jim got us safely back to Craignure in perfect time for our late-afternoon ferry to the mainland. Shortly after sailing, we passed Duart Castle on Mull, the ancestral home of the MacLeans and base of the current Clan Chief:



and, as we began to cross the Firth of Lorn, the Lismore lighthouse, built in 1833, hove into view on our port side:



Looking back to Mull we could see the rain clouds gathering which, although forecasted, had kept away until we were well on our way back to the hotel:



A perfect day on a fantastic Isle, and blessed with gorgeous, warm sunshine! We are determined to return - and stay for longer next time, and even get to Iona which we did not have time to include on this trip. Tomorrow we head north and east as our tour continues.

To be continued.