A new pair of knees please!

Last night, we said farewell to a young lady who is leaving Mull to seek her fame and fortune in the "big smoke" (that's London to us cockneys!). Our party took over the little Italian restaurant in Salen - indeed, we were the only ones in that restaurant but a great time had by all. It made me think when I was that age and the world was my oyster - a lot has happened - good and bad - as everyone encounters on life's rocky road - but now I'm on Mull and this is home for me. Maybe one day she will come back for good but she has a whole wide world to discover. Love and best wishes wherever you go.

It was during this meal, I received a text to say our geology field trip was arranged for the following morning - to meet at 9am outside the Spar - this message arrived at 10pm - fortunately I had only been drinking orange juice so had a good chance of making the 9am meet and feeling fairly decent this morning.

Having finally fallen into bed at half past midnight, I managed to make 9am as wet set off for Carsaig. Carsaig is on the south coast of the Ross of Mull is quite sheltered. The black sands and rocks are a great place to look for fossils. It is also the starting point for the 3 hour walk west along the coast to Carsaig Arches, which are spectacularly formed out of sea worn basalt columns. So in geological terms, loads to see - but in wildlife terms also lots to see. Where do you look - up, down, out to sea??

We saw sandstone that had been exposed under the basalt - basaltic columns, ammonites, dykes and sills and lots more.

As we stopped for lunch, we watched two otters playing in the bay just in front of us - we were then joined by 2 seals who came to say hello. On the beach the wild goats munched nonchalently at the seaweed - up above several buzzards and a kestrel - and then a pair of golden eagles displaying to each other - such a fantastic sight to see.

We climbed rocks, ran thru rivers, sank up to our ankles in mud (I only fell once!) - I think every bone in my body aches - my knees are really complaining but what a fantastic day. As we left, a very clean 4x4 pulled in and parked on the remains of the crumbling pier (I would loved to have watched him reversing out but saved them the embarrassment) - the occupants climbed out, pointed a camera out to sea and then jumped back in their pristine vehicle. How much they had missed! Off for a Radox bath (can you still get Radox?)