The Globe Travel Guide | |
Scotland | The
Globe Travel Guide www.globe-travel-guide.co.uk © David Williams |
Paddleship Waverley trip to Tiree 9 May 2004 |
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Page 3 |
The Clansman
passes on our starboard side; this is the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry which
links Oban with Coll, Tiree and South Uist.
I focus my binocculars on the ship`s stern but there`s no sign of porpoises
which are sometimes seen following a ferry`s wake. We give a friendly
blast on the ship's whistle but we don't get one in return; are the ships
not on speaking terms ? The islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Skye gradually come into view to the north, their distant mountainous outlines rather hazy. The wide-ranging views are magnificent and the horizon is dotted with islands. Soon the port side`s view opens out and the Treshnish Islands appear, the most distinctive being the Dutchman`s Cap (or Bac Mór in Gaelic), its name an apt description of its shape. Behind it is Staffa which the Waverley had visited the previous day, allowing passengers to disembark and enter the marvellous Fingal`s Cave, one of Scotland`s great natural treasures. The Waverley
now nears Coll, the low rocky island which the ship visited last
year on another historic trip as it was the first time a paddleship had
landed on Coll since the Second World War.
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