Basking in Sunshine 2

Another beautifully sunny day today, but sunshine of a slightly different sort, the one which is rather less damp.  However, instead of enjoying it in the garden, the Diary was obliged to go over to Tobermory to see the dentist.  For many, dentists are a pretty grim experience, but we have the most charming dentist at the little practice at the top of the hill in Tobermory, and going there involves a 35-minute trip on the local Cal Mac ferry which, if it isn't already, should be world famous for the warm welcome extended by its crew to all passengers.

The journey passes close to Tobermory lighthouse which is so photogenic that it gets a picture every time.  In the distance is Cal Mac's Clansman heading down the Sound of Mull for Oban.

Tobermory is at its best in sunshine, with the brightly-painted houses glowing along the waterfront.  Usually the RNLI lifeboat is moored at the end of the High Street, at right in this picture, but its pier is covered in netting while a major refurbishment takes place.  For the moment, the lifeboat is operating from the yacht marina.

It's good to walk up the hill to the dentist as the road follows the burn which supplies both a hydro-electric plant and - far more important - the local distillery....

....the 10-year old product from which is one of the lightest and most pleasant of whiskies, famous for being as good with breakfast as any other meal, and even better unaccompanied by food.

The day's business done, the two-thirty sailing to Kilchoan was perfectly timed to pass close by Le Boreal, a French cruise ship which was heading in to Tobermory.  She's a relatively small and exclusive-sounding cruise ship operated by Compagnie du Ponant, a company named after an 88m, three-masted yacht: their website is here.

Buoyed up by a pleasant chat with the ferry's crew, the Diary landed in Kilchoan in a very good mood, but was immediately delayed upon the road by a herd of anxious cows.  They had every right to their anxiety, because of a couple of the Ardnamurchan Estate's workers were busy doing very personal things to the little male calves by the roadside.