That was the weekend that was..

[f4f3]

In case any of you were fretting, I did manage to cycle to the cottage. With the strategic deployment of one train (from Glasgow to Wemys Bay) and three ferries (from Wemys Bay on to the Isle of Bute, from Bute to Cowal and from Cowal to Kintyre) that left me to cycle 45 miles, only 44 of which were uphill (well, it seemed that way).
I arrived in Ardrishaig about 5 o'clock, and spent the next day recuperating. unblinkered  and the pets arrived by car on Friday afternoon, and we headed down to Tarbet and the commercial shellfish seller Noel Prentice, where we acquired 6 lobsters from his tanks (around £8 each). Next morning dawned wet and windy, despite which we headed off with Eric and Lindsay for a hurl on Kay and James' boat (a 34 footer called Alatash). We headed straight out of Tarbert to Portavadie, replicating one of my ferry journeys only with a lot more style. We had lunch at the new marina there, which is a very surprising place to find in the wilds of Cowal.

James got us back ashore, and we made the lobsters the centre of an excellent pre-birthday feast, accompanied by lashings of great wine, pates, smoked venison and cheeses. There was the inevitable game of Singstar, and we toddled off happily to bed at around two.

Next morning Kay, James and unblinkered  helped a friend get through some of the canal locks, while I made brunch for the others. We all met up in the afternoon for tea and scones at the Kilmartin heritage centre, and a walk through some of the more accessible neolithic sites in the Glen.

After we said goodbye to all of our guests, unblinkered  and I headed over to Kilberry, and the remarkably, wonderfully good Kilberry Inn for her birthday feast. We suprprised each other by having the same starter and mains - mackerel smoked on the premises with mini meatballs followed by rosey veal from Mull. I've said it before, but you can eat like royalty up here and never taste anything that's travelled more than a dozen miles. The lobsters on Saturday were landed a dozen YARDS from the place we bought them, the fish caught locally, the veal from a mile or two away. The Kilberry Inn also had beef from Ormsary Farm - two miles down the road from the Inn, scallops from the Sound of Jura, lamb from Mull, and local cheeses. The wine came from France, admittedly, but it could have been washed down with a fin selection of Campbeltown whiskies.

We stayed up here last night, and went back down to Noel's place for a big tub of scallops and a smaller on of crab meat -  £10.50.

Ah well, time to have our lunch and then pack up...

Comments

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

I think I would like to spend a fortnight with you, just cooking and eating. We would both be the worse for it, but what a way to go.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I'm taking that as a compliment :)

[dead-damien.livejournal.com]

Ahh, sounds absolutely fantastic. You've made me long after proper seafood, which I haven't had in years. MmmMMMMmmmm! Also, standing stones.

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

I'm having life envy. But I'm glad you had such a wonderful time.

And please pass on my bestest birthday wishes to your lovely lady. I hope her new project is progressing happily.

:D