Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Puffing Puffins Tour Day 7 Mull: Fionnphort to Calgary Bay Friday 14th June 2019

Day 7

 Today 94 km 1116m Ferries: 0
Tour to date: 471km 5146m Ferries: 7 Islands: 4
Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull

We wake to a strong wind at Fidden Farm near Fionnphort, still northerly. We strike camp and fight the flapping tent into it's stuffsack, tents are made of spinnaker material these days and do a good impression of wanting to sail off when I just want to get it into as small a space as possible! Bikes loaded we set off at 10am to retrace our steps for 30km. We know there is no café stop at Pennyghael Post Office today, as the post mistress told us yesterday she was off to a textiles exhibition on the mainland, her only weekend off all summer. So we stopped early on at the shop in Bunessan for the day's supplies, fairly certain that's the only shop today. On we plod into the wind. Then the rain starts. We find several cyclists despondently reading the sign on the closed PO door in Pennyghael and confirm what we know. They are heading to Fionnphort. We take the left and notice a sign for Whitetail Gin and a café and a hotel. We are cold and wet and quite despondent but decide to tackle the extra steep hill and hope the sign is telling the truth. It was, past the hotel we find newly established Whitetail Gin and café and head inside, it's 12.30. Hot drinks and food made all the difference. Chatted with the enterprising young owners and fellow customers who apologised for being "twitchers." I'm not sure why they apologised, I'm jealous because I know nothing about wildlife and only see specks, good for them enjoying the stunning surroundings and having a fascinating interest and enjoying their holiday too.
Whitetail Gin Cafe
Fortified and pleased to see the rain has abated slightly, we head off out at nearly 2pm. We have another 50+km and some immediate sharp climbing round Ben More to conquer. We wend our way around the coast, sweat our way up a sharp pull and see Ulva looming below. Served by a daily ferry, except on Saturdays (today) we couldn't spare the time for 2 days on Ulva and Gometra and really you need mountain bikes if not walking, there are no paved roads on off-grid Ulva, one community café and Ulva Primary School is at the ferry jetty, on Mull! We have passed the escape route to Salen so are committed to getting to Calgary Bay tonight now.
Ulva looming ahead
Ben More off to the right




Basking seal
As we continue skirting the coast we are distracted by all the birds, the sky is clearing and we even "sunbathe" for a while. Steve spots an eagle and I did manage to glimpse it. There is now enough blue sky for a pair of sailor's trousers. It is drop dead gorgeous here.

Looking back to Ulva

We plod up the last big pull of the day and Calgary Bay comes into view.  What a reward for our efforts.
Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull
We swoop down and immediately spot the community camping space by the southern end of the beach with a public toilet block/bins/recycling and water tap funded by donations. There were about half a dozen tents and we easily found a flat spot with a picnic bench and a view. What a view.

Badly Pitched tent
Camping Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull
Finally I get my wild swim, it's perishing cold, campers walking their dogs are wrapped up in fleeces but after shivering into the water eventually, it was a long walk out to get deep enough, two others joined me, in wetsuits. We had a sociable chat about outdoorsy things. Once fully submerged the cold is actually warm, hard to explain but your core gets warm and I wasn't freezing, although I can never feel my hands and feet. quite a long time later I emerged (I did swim too) to Steve holding both micro towels and my fleece to wrap myself in. The exhilaration of cold water wild swimming is so worth the first few minutes of discomfort. Once dry and wrapped up my skin tingled for hours, feeling alive and lucky to be here.
Wild Swim Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull
Calgary Bay
After a nice brew we actually ate a dehydrated chilli we had been carrying all round the Cairngorms last summer. It was food, everything tastes good after a day out in fresh air and in such glorious surroundings. Your senses are so heightened. A lovely sunset concluded a memorable day.


From Insta: #Day7 Yesterday was a day of two halves. Very hypothermic morning to #WhitetailGin from #Fionnphort Finding the café saved abandoning back to ferry. The afternoon up to #CalgaryBay was utterly gorgeous #cycling Rain abated, sun came out, plenty of #hills ending in the most perfect #wildcamp and #wildswim ever. Half way through #PuffingPuffinsTour2019 already#InnerHebrides #cycletouring #Mull



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