Western Scotland

[Jonathan Cummings]

We were in Islay for two days and made it back to the mainland at the Kennacraig ferry but had to turn south to Campbelltown and have been holed up here for a few days.  Torrential rain and numerous mudslides closed off all ways out of the Campbelltown peninsula.  I even tried to charter a jet for the 8 of us - no deal.  We are going to try to drive through today.  If we get to Edinburgh, I am supposed to turn around and come straight back to Inveraray then over to Jura.  Not holding my breath.


If you have plans coming this way check on status.  The Scotland hwy link is mostly useless.  Go to the A83 page on Facebook - much more current.

[JohnVDB]

I was in Campbeltown Monday and Tuesday. Glad I got out before all that.  Safe travels.

[Niall C]

There are landslips on the A83, or the Rest and Be Thankful to give the road its proper name, almost every other year. It's a pain in the arse because it adds about an hour onto a 3 hour journey for those travelling between the Kintyre peninsula and Glasgow but it hardly means Kintyre is cut off.


You could even take a couple of local ferries in Tarbet to Portavadie and Dunoon to Gourock and do it in roughly the same time as the detour. Yes there would be an added cost in taking ferries but much less than the cost of accommodation for staying two nights. Alternatively take the ferry from Claonaig to Lochranza on Arran, travel round the island possibly playing Shiskine on the way, and then get the ferry from Brodick over to Ardrossan on the "mainland". Or then again if you are in Campletown and you really wanted to be lazy take the ferry from there direct to Ardrossan. I appreciate Scotland's ferries are a bit of a shitshow at the moment but some of them are working !


Niall

[Jonathan Cummings]

Oh we looked into the Dunoon Ferry alright.  Problem was there were mudslides on both sides of Dunoon and the state was helicoptering folks out of there.  One of the ferries, which takes 7 or so cars at a time, had 70 cars waiting. 


LOL about the Campbelltown Ferry.  It went into drydock months ago and won't be back in service for about a year.  Believe me Campbelltown was cut off by all means other than air.  If you want additional conformation, The Royal Hotel ran out of Guinness and sadly told us, until trucks can get in, it was Budweiser for us (kidding on the Bud but not on the Irish Chocolate Milk.) 

[Tom_Doak]

You poor man. Marooned at Machrihanish!


I dunno, maybe go play some golf?  /s

[Jonathan Cummings]

There's golf near Campbelltown???  :-)


Some of the boys played Mach.  The Dunes was closed.  I've played Mach a few times before.  I spend the time on the phone and internet trying to plan a way out of there.  An alternate secondary route opened up over the mountains yesterday so we got out and back to EDI.  I dropped the group off, got a car, turned around and came straight back to the peninsula and on now my way to Islay and Jura.  Completely loonie I know but I really want to see Ardfin.  Predicting more heavy rain tomorrow.