Departure from Islay - Scotland Summer 2006

	After a fantastic time on Islay reality set in again and I had to start the long journey home. The morning was spent packing and saying good bye. Well, and some shopping at Islay Ales. In the afternoon I drove to Port Askaig to board the ferry to Kennacraig. Soon the boarding was complete and after a last view of Port Askaig and Dunlossit House sitting proudly above the Sound of Islay the ferry turned south. The weather was quite nice, plenty of gaps with blue sky in the clouds. Visibility was quite good as well, allowing nice views down the sound and over the hills both side of it. I was hoping to take a few nice pictures, something I hadn't been able to earlier in the year as well as the previous summer.

I wasn't to be disappointed this time. The weather remained quite nice throughout our journey through the Sound of Islay. Approaching McArthur's Head I was able to take the pictures for a quite nice Quicktime VR panorama of view over the southern end of the shore of Islay at the Sound of Islay:
	Leaving the Sound of Islay I had a nice view of the lighthouse at McArthur's Head. I had walked to McArthur's Head earlier in the year, it was nice to clearly see where we had walked. A longer lense would have helped for even better pictures, but I wouldn't get that until later in the year (which I didn't know back in August). An opportunity to take more pictures during another visit in the coming years. As the ferry continued over the open sea towards Kennacraig there were nice views back to Islay and Jura. The sun breaking through the clouds created some nice light and a slightly moody atmosphere. I've tried to capture it in the Gigha, Islay and Jura from the Ferry Quicktime VR 180° panorama:

	After arriving in Kennacraig I drove to Arrochar with a short stop at the supermarket in Lochgilphead. I had a reservation at the Lochside Guest House, where I checked in before I had my dinner. Dinner was sandwiches and fruit at the deck area near the loch, overlooking The Cobbler in the Arrochar Alps. Then it was time to go to bed to get some sleep for the long drive to Swindon the next day. Unfortunately my room was out to the main road, quite noisy after the quiet week on Islay even though the traffic reduced significantly during the night. If you stay here for longer make sure you get a room overlooking the loch. The next morning was fairly cloudy and dull, making leaving Scotland a bit easier for the drive south. Another great holiday in Scotland over and a firm resolution made that I was going to come back.

If you are interested in more information about Islay, Colonsay and Jura you might also be interested in my Isle of Islay, a visit to the beautiful island off the west coast of Scotland pages. There you will find many more pictures and further information about Islay, Jura and Colonsay.

Previous: Finlaggan, Caol Ila and The Strand, Islay <- Scotland Summer 2006