Friday 17 October

The weather is inclement on this island, we had a fierce storm last night and  this morning the clouds were low, very different to the on off sunny days we have been having. The temperature is sitting around 12-15 degrees but quite windy at times.

                                                                               Our adventure today is to travel to the isle of Iona. To get there we back tracked a bit on yesterday's Trip . We  turned left out of the house on loch na kreal (opposite inch kenneth) and drove to the turn off where we went right to Fionnphort . The scenery is so diverse. It is bleak in some places, then there is forests and just mountains. There were waterfalls everywhere after the big storm last night.

    

    

                                                                          The sun did try to come out at times and it lit up the mountains.

It was only a 50 min drive but seems longer as the roads are so slow with having to stop and let people pass. The wild life is amazing. We saw eagles swooping down for their prey, herons preening themselves

The island is also famous for its dolphins, whales, seals and birdlife, none of which we have seen, only the otters.

We arrived at Fionnphort to catch the ferry across to Iona. It was only a 10 minute ride but very pretty also very choppy on the way back as the wind had come up again.

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  The mull side had rocky outcrops which were stunning, they do a lot of lobster and crab farming as you can see from the crates

                                                                         The Iona side was more gentle, will rolling hills with the monastery in the background.

   The reason we chose Iona, was because of the history. The original monestery dates back to Columba AD563. Sadly the Vikings continually attacked it over periods of time and it was abandond in AD 849. It was rebuilt in 1203 and over the yearsithas been worked on till it has been fully restored.

                                                                     The graveyard had dates so they say , going back hundreds of years but unable to read the headstones.

The Benedictine nuns built a nunnery in 1208 but it is only a ruin now

Ooh look there is a nun!! Or maybe a saint. !

Here is the local post office!  Very quaint.

we did try to find the place that Louis STephenson wrote kidnapped but we couldn't get through as private property.

The water was so clear. You  could think at  times you were in  australia.

And here are a couple of locals having a good time.

                                                                       Back on the ferry and home again

Weather closing in on the drive home, but you never know here , what to expect. Will be sorry to leave here as it is very relaxing and so pretty.on the way home we had a chuckle at a sign saying "otters crossing" haha