Our 50th wedding anniversary! After breakfast we packed up and coasted down for the 10:10 ferry and set off back to the B8035 junction, the site of Thursday’s bus stop lunch. We stopped for food at the Bunessan Spar and I fell behind because of my gear problem, catching up with them as they waited for me outside the inn at Penygael. We’d hoped to warm up inside but it was closed until four o’clock so we settled for a takeaway coffee from the next door shop and ate our sandwiches at the inn’s picnic bench.
It wasn’t far to the junction and the car chaps had had their fun by then so no delay. We stopped outside our honeymoon cottage for photos, now boarded up with “keep out” signs. It’s two miles from the road junction, and even further from the next building, but on the shore of Loch Scridain. There was no electricity supply, bottled gas fuelled the cooker and a Tilley lamp was the only lighting. Luxury trumps romance now, there’d be little demand but it was perfect for us.
Soon after, the wind intensified so we all had to walk up the long climb over the pass and even downhill for a while, with added rain and sleet. Fabulous scenery as we skirted the south side of Loch na Keal, waves crashing against the wall protecting the road and almost hitting us with the spray. Lots of camper vans parked on the grassy shore sections.
The conditions were too fierce for full enjoyment of the views and we were relieved to reach our cottage at 17:30 to appreciate 21st century warmth and comfort.