Sunday, September 14, 2008

Up at 7:30 a.m. Nice breakfast made by Jane of link sausage, bacon, egg, toast and tea. Left about 9:00 a.m. and headed back south towards Perth on A9. Took side trip into Dunkeld home town of Rena Haxton, a former school teacher I know in Canada, who was born near there in 1910. Took some pictures for her. Retraced our steps through Doune and Callander. Just past Callander, at Kilmahog, went onto A821 and followed very winding road through the Trossachs to Aberfoyle. Turned west onto B829 for Kinlochard, where Diane and Ian Williamson live, just across from the post office. Diane’s mother is Mhairi (Fletcher) Campbell on Mull. Ian’s daughter, Eilidh, joined us later. Had a really nice lunch of homemade soup, assorted sandwiches (egg, prawn, cucumber, ham and tomato), sausage rolls, coffee and lemon iced cakes. Ian then took us out in his extended Land Rover, down to Inversnaid Hotel on Loch Lomond’s east bank. Standing on the pier, if you look left (south) you can see a point of land (the second one) which is where Rowhoish was. Grandfather Alexander Fletcher and siblings lived there until about 1904 and went to school at Inversnaid School, which we passed. Next we went to the pier at Loch Katrine where we saw the ‘Sir Walter Scott’ steamer just coming into the pier at Stronachlachlan. It was made in 1899, had sea trials in the Clyde River, taken apart, packed in crates and taken over Loch Lomond to Inversnaid Hotel and loaded onto wagons pulled by teams of 16 Clydesdale horses who were run up the steep hill at full gallop lest they slow down and couldn’t get going again! It was then reassembled and put on Loch Katrine. The original engine was only replaced recently. Went back to Diane and Ian’s for coffee. Had a chance to finally e-mail home. Left Kinlochard at 5:00 p.m. Back to Aberfoyle. Went down A81 to A811 and right through Balloch to connect with A82 north (Crianlarich direction) this time, taking A83 at Tarbet – not continuing up Loch Lomond side (A82) this time. Then we were into familiar territory as we came around Loch Fyne. Stopped for groceries at Lochgilphead Tesco shop. Then went out the Oban Road (A816) up behind Lochgilphead and through Kilmichael Glassary and Kilmartin, turning right at the Ford Road (B840), then then onto another poorer road to the right, marked with a ‘Kilmichael Glen’ sign. Arrived at Stroneskar about 8:00 p.m. Had tea in our newest rental caravan there. Dad went to bed at 9:00 p.m. Mum and I (Dad calls us the clarks!) wrote in our journals until about 9:30 p.m. Will know more where I am in daylight. Visiting locally tomorrow, I think. Looking forward to that as this area, Mid Argyll, is where I really feel ‘at home’ in Scotland.