I nearly had a heart attack when I got off the train and turned on Google maps to find the Claredon Hotel. I was sure it was the closest (and cheapest) to the station but the App told me it was 12 miles away in Connel Ferry. Thankfully the App was way off. £31/night, near the ferry and Tesco with a local pub in the first floor it served me well and 150 meter walk to get there. I didn’t know when I booked that there would be no Fort William bus on Sunday and therefore had to either add a day, which would have been no bother since I was the only guest, or leave on Saturday and eat the room. Well I did leave Saturday but the manager kindly handed me cash for the room I wouldn’t need. Not posh by any stretch but I’d stay there again.
In the Aulay I had a few whiskys and checked out this faded reference guide
Back at the Claredon pub the next night I noticed two men had turnips on the bar. Then another a bag of sprouts. A bag of carrots by one woman’s feet and a 50# sack of spuds in the corner. This lead to a few questions. Apparently either things fell off a truck or something as they were all purchased at 1/2 price! Then someone began selling these crackers for half. I was persuaded to buy a container which, after tasting one, I promptly handed to the bar keep as she “loved” them. Yuck.
In Glasgow I had picked up a packable down jacket from Mountain Warehouse to wear under my MW packable rain jacket I had purchased just before I left the States. I wasn’t happy with the combo so I went to the MW store in Oban to see about a trade in. The clerk, who by her pin we’ll call Happy Elf, was Sharon who had helped me out when returned the tent I never used which I had purchased to camp on Islay the year before. I couldn’t use it because the rain was far too heavy for this old man. She gladly exchanged both pieces for a great 3 in 1 waterproof with zip out down jacket. Detachable hood, at least 10 pockets and coupled with the fleece lined rain pants I added will have be set for the worst of a a Scottish winter.
My vintage, 35 year old London Fog was donated to the Cancer Research Charity shop, the chain I always donate to for the obvious reason that as a prostate cancer survivor, I want more people to live longer.
The point of Oban was once again to get to Iona. Getting to Mull is never much of a bother but the ferry to Iona is tiny and I’ve been thwarted twice. Friday looks like my best chance but today was fine enough to add Kerrera to my list of Scottish Islands I’ve visited. This was island #20
I think there is about 50 people year round on the island so other than walking, not much to do.
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