Jim’s journey

Jim Henderson sends an account of his travels this summer through some of Scotland’s other islands. The first section appears here, and there will be more in subsequent issues.

I left Arran our own braw Island, on the 08:15 ferry to Claonaig, heading for Oban to connect with the ferry for Barra. Weather conditions were glorious and the roads wonderfully smooth. In the 63 miles to Oban, I only saw one pothole, and it was so small that I nearly missed it. With time to spare before the ferry departed, I had a walk through the harbour area, main street and shopping area of Oban, overlooked by McCaig’s Folly, standing up there on the hill. I looked with new interest at the link span for the ferries, as the new one proposed for Brodick harbour will be based on the same design.

The Clansman was an old friend, as she is used so often as a relief boat on the Brodick-Ardrossan route. She was pretty full with cars, motorbikes, commercials, caravans and camper vans, so my relatively small car was directed to the mezzanine deck. From Oban, it’s a 5-hour sailing to Castlebay, Barra – a pleasant journey through the Sound of Mull, passing Craignure and Tobermory. The sea was relatively calm and the time passed comfortably, reading papers and magazines. Visiting the cafeteria for a meal just after 17:00, I was surprised at the range and quality of the food on offer.