Duart Castle and Alice
Today, the last day of September, and Shakesha's 37th birthday, I took the ferry to the Isle of Mull to see the Duart Castle of the Clan McLean.
I had a moment of panic when I tried to buy a ticket to the castle and the website said nothing was available for September. So I tried October and it said the same thing. That's when I knew something was wrong. I asked Reception and she got a ticket for me and printed it. This is an advantage to staying in a ridiculously expensive hotel! Even more, they gave us washcloths! And had a lighted swivel mirror for close-ups!
Of course, it was raining but I could spy the castle from the ferry ride, though I heard a man say to his child, look at the really big house.
I talked to a German woman on the ferry about the castle and had the nerve to ask her and her friend to give me a ride there but they looked alarmed by my request. Germans!
So I walked and was glad the rain was fairly light. Part of the way was a "forest walk" and was pretty. There was a wee bit of leaves changing colors and a pretty mushroom which might be a Amanita parcivolvata.
Walking on the road was difficult as there was often only room for a vehicle. I had to step off the road into weeds.
Finally, an hour later, I reached the narrow road to the Duart Castle. A half hour to go and a woman stopped to offer me a ride! I accepted gladly but her front passenger seat was full of stuff including very big leaves like yucca. But she cleared space and off we went. Her appearance scared me at first because of tattoos on her face but I quickly learned she was Maori from Christchurch, New Zealand and the plant leaves were for her weaving work*and a class she was planning on teaching in Scotland. Best of all, she was like me, a McLean interested in the clan history of Duart Castle!
We spent the rest of the afternoon together, going to a charity shop near the ferry to wait for the return trip.
I walked off the ferry and went to the hotel. Later I went to my booked spa appointment. It was nice but having the steam room in a different room from the hot tub and changing room and having to wear a "swimming costume" wasn't ideal (the doors were accessed with a highly secret code, 1-2-3-4 but don't share that).
I was hoping to see stars but it was cloudy. At least it wasn't raining since the hot tub wasn't covered.
I slept well though maybe it was the Bloody Mary.
*Alice's website:
https://www.alicespittle.co.nz/
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