Okay, somewhat belatedly, this is the final chapter of our little Ardnamurchan adventure. Reluctantly dragging ourselves away from Mingary Castle pampering, we are heading back to the Corran ferry that brought us to Ardnamurchan. Although It’s part of the mainland it feels very like an island. The ferries probably have something to do with it. But the general isolation of the place makes it feel quite islandish.
Education
Anyway, just in case readers think that the educational aspect of this blog is solely dedicated to scones, let us purge any such dastardly thoughts with this little snippet from Café Sunart in the village of Strontian, population approximately 300.
The chemical element No 38 on the periodic table (a new species of earth) was discovered in a mine here in 1790. It was named after the village where it was found. Among other uses, strontium atoms are used in the world’s most accurate atomic clock; “accurate to one second in 200 million years“. Who is going to be around to check? Anyway, who says this blog isn’t educational?
Dancing
However, rather than chemical elements, we prefer to think of the village hall. Many years ago it was the scene of one of the best ceilidhs we have ever had the pleasure of attending. Eightsome reels and Strip the Willows galore. We wouldn’t have anything like the required energy these days.
All very well, we hear you say, but what about the scones? Unfortunately, they were nothing to write home about. The service was friendly enough but the place had a slightly utilitarian ambience about it. Compared to the other scones on our trip this was the most forgettable. However, the village is very pretty and it was nice to be back again.
Shortly after leaving Strontian we were back at the Corran ferry and sadly leaving the Ardnamurchan peninsula on our way home. We have had an amazing time.
Water of life
In the Olympics in Paris, the triathlon may be demoted to a duathalon. The river Seine is too polluted for swimming. Surely a damming comment on the profligate way in which we live these days. At the Ardnamurchan distillery the water is so pure they can magic whisky out of it. Pat even bought me a bottle of the Ardnamurchan Midge as a reminder of our trip … yeah!
PH36 4HZ tel: 01967 402277 Café Sunart
///bucks.imagined.currently