Neptune’s Staircase, Loch Linnhe and Oban
During breakfast the morning mist and misty heads cleared and we got the most gloriously sunny day.
Neptune’s Staircase lowered the Lord of the Glens over a space of 500 yards and eight locks by 64 feet. This is a masterpiece of 19th century engineering – of course all thought out by Thomas Telford. Once we had cleared the sea lock at Corpach, we are on the Atlantic. But before sailing off into Loch Linnhe, we waited on the Jacobite steam train passing us. With a friendly exchange of whistles between the train and the Lord of the Glens we set off into the Atlantic Ocean.
The sail to Oban was magnificent – the sun was beating on to the sea, the hills in many shades of green and the occasional cottages and fluffy clouds were reflecting in the mirror-like sea. After an entertaining talk by Rick Atkinson on sailing and wildlife around the west coast of Scotland and after lunch we sailed into Oban. This is a wee extra on our trip – we are still doing everything that is on the itinerary in the next few days, but have some time for shopping and exploring this lovely port. Later in the afternoon Steve Blamires lead an informative and breathtaking (due to the gradient and the views) walk up to McCaig’s Folly. This Scottish take on the Roman Coliseum dates back to the turn of the 19th/20th centuries and was paid for by the banker and burgh councilor John Stewart McCaig who wanted a monument to himself and his family.
Many of us went for another stroll watching the sky turning to shades of red and orange before settling down for the night after this lovely day.
