Mull-ing about

OK, starting to realize that my thinking I could blog this trip in three parts may have been a bit ambitious. But we're getting there! Hopefully you are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it.

Moving on. When last we were with our intrepid explorers they had made landfall on the Isle of Mull and made their way to Tobermory and the Western Isles Hotel. This was my kind of hotel. Fireplace in the lobby, only 26 bedrooms, late Victorian (1882), sitting rooms and a bar and restaurant. We checked in and headed to the bar. :-) This being Scotland we had to try the local whisky. In this case Tobermory and their upscale version Ledaig. Enjoyed them both very much. The Ledaig was a bit cleaner than the Tobermory. Unfortunately the distillery was closed for the season so we couldn't tour it. One of the things I love about Scotland is how different areas have vastly different whiskies.

We met up with our friends on the island and had a wonderful dinner at their home followed of course by whisky or tea. In my case a dram of Jura. Which I loved. While there we made plans for some sightseeing the next day. We decided to go see Duart Castle and a stone circle. Ever since reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander novels we've been intrigued by standing stones and stone circles. More on those in a bit.

Duart Castle, or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic, is the ancestral home of Clan Maclean. We could only walk the grounds since it was closed for the winter but it is a spectacular site. For some of the history of the place follow the link above. It's one of a chain of castles. For the Jubilee beacons were lit making a chain of these castles. That would have been done ages ago as a warning system. Picture the signal fires being lit in Lord of the Rings or Mulan. It was cold and rainy so after walking around the grounds and watching a seal swimming around we hopped back in the cars. When we left we were held up by a flock of sheep!

Hanging out in the sitting room at the Western Isles Hotel

The view from our room

More single track driving!

Duart Castle

Obligatory sheep flock traffic jam!

Off we went down more single track roads till we came to a field beside a stream with a gate. As we got out of the car we saw a herd of deer run across the bottom of the nearby hills. They blended in so well with the heather I can't imagine trying to hunt the things. The path to the standing stones was marked out across the field by white blazes on stones. Unfortunately the rain had turned the field into a boggy mess. Our daughter Natalie was hobbling about on a bum knee but she was a real trooper and we all tromped off through the mud and over streams. If you go, bring extra shoes just in case you happen on an adventure like this. 

Stone circles are monuments of standing stones, generally Neolithic, laid out in a circle. Stonehenge is the most famous of course but there are numerous sites scattered throughout the British Isles. Some believe there are supernatural powers attached to the circles. A stone circle is a key plot device in the Outlander novels. I have to admit it was eerily quiet as we approached and a compass app on a cell phone we had didn't work inside the circle. Coincidence? I hope not! This particular circle also had two additional stones laid out at due East and due North some distance from the circle. You could imagine some ancient ceremony taking place as the sun rose over the nearby hills to strike the stones. 

After taking a gazillion pictures we headed back. (spoiler alert! there may be a Christmas card photo in the bunch) Elizabeth was wearing her Hunter boots and may have been a bit overconfident because she nearly lost a boot in the mud! It took us several minutes to dig her boot out. This mud is nothing like the red Georgia clay we have back home. This mud is alive and attempts to suck you down into the earth. Eventually we made it back to the cars and headed back, exhausted. More after the pictures. 

Deer on the Isle of Mull

Off to the stone circle!

We didn't want to impose on our friends and we got back to town having not eaten anything since breakfast. It was too early for dinner but we hoped to find someplace to grab a quick bite. No such luck. But that was ok and this is where being flexible pays off. On the main street in town we stopped by a chocolate shop and grabbed some gifts and some chocolates for us. We then walked down to the food co-op. Think smaller Whole Foods, Scottish version, and you get the idea. We grabbed some drinks, some crackers, some cheese, some nuts and some cookies and we were all set for a hotel room floor picnic. That turned out to be one of my favorite memories, just recounting the day with my family, snacking on foreign foods and comparing notes. Sometimes the unexpected brings the most joy, in travel and in life. 
Slainte!