The morning of the 3rd June dawned bright and sunny (not that we saw the dawn, but you know what I mean). After breakfast I called Chris and we agreed to meet in Kilmartin, about 30 miles south of Oban, where he lives with his wife Tracy. This we did and, after a 'getting to know you' cup of coffee at Kilmartin museum, Chris and Tracy piled Jim and me into their 4-wheel drive and very generously gave us a conducted tour of their local territory, which they very obviously love so much. Here is a view of Duntrune Castle, home of the Chief of Clan MacCallum/Malcolm, and the oldest continuously inhabited building in Scotland:


Chris, Tracy and Jim with Duntrune Castle in the distance:



Then it was on to Crinan, a delightful little place which is at the northern (or western) end of the Crinan Canal.



Chris then drove us past many of the locks on the canal and so back to Kilmartin, pointing out numerous standing stones and historical sites along the way. Back at Kilmartin, Jim and I decamped back into our own car and followed Chris and Tracy along the winding roads to Inveraray, on Loch Fyne. Our first port of call there was at 'Redshank Scotland' to meet Ann Campbell who tailored the fine Ardbeg tweed kilt I wore that day. What a charming lady and what an Aladdin's cave of unusual items 'Redshank Scotland' is! Here Tracy and Jim are browsing through some of the treasures to be found there:



and here are Ann and myself:



Ann is devoted to kilts and to her kiltmaking, the skills of which she is thankfully passing on to others. At 'Redshank Scotland' she is surrounded not so much by bolts of tartan fabrics, although they are in evidence, but more so by shelves of the most beautiful tweeds, some of which are woven exclusively for her. Going there is living a whole new experience. Both Jim and I came away with beautiful new locally made sporrans and I with an unusual kilt pin.

It was but a short walk to the village centre and The George Hotel for lunch.

To be continued.