Arran File Three:
Monday April 21st. Easter Monday.
Activity: Beinn Bharrain from Pirnmill. Another circle which
takes as much time and climbs higher than our Goat Fell walk (AGAIN!).
Weather: The best so far. Even nicer than Easter Sunday.
Clear, sunny and the warmest we’ve had so far. Windy on the summits but that’s
only to be expected!
Refreshments: Packed lunch with hot and cold drinks. Cake,
chocolate bars and fruit.
Incidents: Starts disappointingly through pine trees but
these are soon left behind plus there are some sylvan cascades among the trees.
The only major snag was a ladder stile over the deer fence which Callie refused
to cross. YT had to pick her up and stagger over carrying 30 kilos of dog! Not
good. The contours levelled for a while as we skirted and then head straight
for Meall Donn. This was almost pathless! The route through the boulders was
much easier than it looked and we seemed to be on Beinn Bhreac before we
realised it, looking due south over the Firth of Clyde to Ailsa and the Rhinns
of Galloway as clear as anything in the distance. We had a small snack here
looking at the view then pressed on to the summit of Beinn Bharrain itself.
Roughy and quite rugged this was an interesting place for our lunch and the
rocks made a good shelter from the wind at across the summit. The descent
followed one of the ridges down we crossed the burn and met up with the same
bloody deer fence! This time Callie was filthy as hell so I put my waterproof
on before lifting her across it. Why can’t they put dog gates in things as huge
as this? Back in Pirnmill we sat in the car and finished off our flask of tea
only to discover, about an hour later, that we had both nodded off to sleep in
the car!
Evening Meal: We had great plans of cooking something for
ourselves when we got back in but our little snooze in the car made us realise
that we perhaps ought to get something bought in. As we drove through Brodick
Laura called the Shanghai Take Away (which delivers) and ordered a meal for us
– stewed chicken and pineapple for me and sweet and sour king prawns for her,
with two lots of rice, one ordinary one special egg fried plus prawn crackers
and spring rolls. I was still in the shower at the van when the meal arrived!
Luckily they serve the food in microwaveable containers so Loll was able to put
the food on Hold Warm until I was dry.
Extra Incident: We went down to Kildonan again to see the
seals. There were lots again. Rah rah rah!
Tuesday April 22nd
Activity: Auchrannie Spa day.
Weather: Variable, disappointing after the last few days but
we did feel a bit whacked out.
Refreshments: Included in the price of the day at the Spa.
Incidents: We had a facial treatment and the Spa’s famous
massage. The latter was unbelievable. We had the facials after we had swum in
their indoor pool for most of the morning and alternated between the pool,
sauna and steam room. We had lunch and then more pool time followed by the
massage, facial and a manicure and pedicure. Bliss.
Evening meal: Pasta dish with bacon and mushrooms. Home
cooked. Yummsville!
Extra Incidents: Our bodies smelled so nice, we spent an
evening examining them and our new odours!
Wednesday 23rd April.
Activity: Boat trip around Holy Island, Pladda and the
Southern Coast of Arran.
Weather: Relatively calm. Cloudy with sunny intervals. Not
as warm as previous days.
Refreshments: Bought in Lamlash again at the same
establishment (Old Pier Café).
Incidents: Took the pup to her Dog Creche again for the boat
trip (using the same place in Whiting Bay we’d used for the Spa Day). She
seemed fine with the ideal and the owner told us she didn’t howl last time!
Parked up in Lamlash and caught the boat from the jetty there. Out northwards
and skirted the east side of Holy Island, along past Whiting Bay and then round
the corner to Pladda. We went south of the island – I supposed the bar would be
difficult, if not impossible, to cross in boat. The farthest point was Bennan
Head where we turned round and went back along the Kildonan Shore. We drifted
here for a while to seal spot and them made a leisurely way back to Lamlash
this time passing to the west of
Holy Island.
Evening Meal: A chicken casserole and vegetables. Home made and scrumptious!
Thursday 24th April.
Activity: Pottering round Whiting Bay and Kingscross Point. Cleaning the
van. Looking at the seals again.
Weather: Patchy. Clear mainly with occasional showers. Temperature about
14 degrees.
Refreshments: Drink and a cake in the Café at Whiting Bay. Evening drink
at Kildonan Hotel.
Incidents: Spent the morning dawdling on the beach and ambling to
Kingscross Point. Spent an age examining the historic remains at the point and
having a good old snog down at the water’s edge. Stopped at the café on the way
back and had a cuppa and a cake. Talked with the lady in the newsagent who
remembered me from last year helping her unload the newspapers from the
delivery van in the mornings. She was pleased we’d bought a caravan and even
more pleased when I explained why we hadn’t bought a cottage. Back at the van
spent some time giving it a thorough clean (not that it really needed it).
After our evening meal we went seal watching again – it’s addictive. We had a
swift snorterino in the Hotel and were chatted up by two guys who obviously
fancied their chances. We let them buy us a drink and talked with them a while.
I think they sort of sensed we were a couple after a while even though we had
only mentioned things we did together – nothing about our sexuality at
all. I suppose talking about our house together and how Laura had moved from
her University to mine to study sort of gave the game away.
Evening Meal: We pushed the boat out tonight and had some steak for our
meal. I had mine as rare as possible and even the darling one tried hers medium
rare. She was surprised that it was tender and not as chewy as it is when she
has it cooked really well done.
Extra Incidents: When we got back from Kildonan we made love in the
lounge with the French windows open, so we had the sound of the waves breaking
on the beach outside as the waves of our passion welled up inside us. It was a
truly memorable experience. We did try venturing out onto the deck but that
proved a little too cold, plus we were a bit scared someone may wander over to
discover what the strange noises were!
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