Allowed out ... day 5

Miles today: only 88

Miles so far: 866

u-turns: none - amazing, but there is virtually one road round Mull

Ruins: none - the monastery at Iona is still closed although we really should have stayed there for a little while at least. But leaves us something to come back to this magical place for.

Arrival into Oban: 6pm!!!

Wow, what a day! Relatively little riding - its not often we do less than 100 miles - but we spent a good part of the day on and going to/from the Isle of Staffa - home of Fingal’s Cave. Although the riding we did do was all on single track roads across the Isle of Mull. That too was pretty magical.

For almost 15 minutes Rob and I virtually had the place to ourselves - largely due to good luck rather than planning on our part. We could listen to the Atlantic swell that inspired Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Suite in peace and tranquility. Not to imply anything, but Eric was looking for puffins! Which, to be fair, he found and we missed!

The beauty and grandeur of Fingal’s cave is hard to exaggerate. It is both immense and manageable. Remote and yet strangely accessible. Just walking across the basalt columns to reach the entrance is enchanting and the feeling inside is hard to describe - the sound is of the Atlantic swell repeatedly and rhythmically pounding the rocks, slowly but surely eroding it; like everything it will one day disappear. But perhaps more importantly are the sounds in ones head, be they Mendelssohn’s great work or just the reflections on ones good fortune to be there right now! Ooo, getting a bit lyrical and mystical. That mindfulness stuff really does get under your skin.

We also met a fellow biker, Amy, who was unfortunate enough to engage me in conversation there and on the boat all the way back to Mull. It really was a pleasure to meet you. Anytime you are anywhere near Brighton on your Multistrada (or without), I hope you will look us up. I can always be found via alan@baldjournal.com or What’s App - or if you are really mad you can sign up to this bilge on a regular basis. Top right hand corner of the page.

We had started the day early with a walk round Tobermory to drink in the chocolate box atmosphere (!) of the place. There can’t be many prettier harbours than this and early on a Sunday it is quiet, peaceful and virtually deserted. With beautiful painted houses providing reflections in the calm harbour water it was almost hard to tear ourselves away back to the hotel for the promised full Scottish. But we did, but not before we had taken a few award winning pictures! And if I didn’t get the best one, I simply stole it from Eric or Rob!

So to sum up, we had a brilliant day - on the bikes, on the boat and on the island of Staffa! It doesn’t get much better - or does it???...

The day was rounded off with some excellent grub in the Oban Inn on the harbour front, in which (I won’t bore you will all the preceding details) I was challenged as to the origin of Smokehead whisky, a bottle of which my brother Brian had bought me for my last birthday. I knew it was an Islay distillery but I was required to name which one (there are 8) and how my years it had been aged. Of course I would not be reporting this if I had not nailed it! Bunnahabhain, 8 year old, since you ask! I got the drink on the house! So we rounded off a brilliant day with a brilliant evening. And as I write this drivel the only thorn in the ointment (to mix my metaphors) is we are in a crap hotel - although the view from the window is pretty good! But having refused the breakfast on the grounds it is likely to be rubbish, there is a Costa across the road and to be honest we could really do without the full Scottish ... again. So coffee at 8 tomorrow and on the road to Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Eileen Donan and finally Skye. Another great day beckons...

Just a couple of pictures to round off today’s nonsense...

How are we supposed to park our bikes here? At the Fionnphort ferry!

Rob, hiding in Fingal’s Cave!

Again, night night.