A Disappointing May

A kind word to describe the weather through the month of May might be 'disappointing'.  May is usually one of the best months here, with plenty of sunshine and the place green with the new shoots appearing on the trees, but there always has to be an exception.

Despite the unseasonal weather, there's been rapid progress with the work at Mingary Castle, with the huge scaffolding structure which has surrounded it finally beginning to come down.  Read more about  the project, which is due for completion by the end of August, at the Mingary Castle website, here.

For this who don't mind the occasional assault of rain and hail, then the sunny intervals are well worthwhile.  This picture, taken early yesterday afternoon, of one of the Ponant luxury cruise ships - I think it's the Soleal - beginning to turn in to Tobermory, shows some wonderful colours in the Sound of Mull.  Trevor Potts at the Ardnamurchan Campsite will be on a couple of the Ponant ships this coming winter on their Antarctic cruises, acting as a tour guide.

Rachael was on the other side of the peninsula yesterday afternoon, walking the dog on the hill above Swordle and looking out across the Minches to where another sharp shower was moving in on the brisk northwesterly wind.

Overnight the temperature in Ormsaigbeg dropped to 5C, and we woke to more of the same showers and sunny intervals - and, of course, to the accompanying rainbows.  This picture shows the Ferry Stores just before eight, with the Shiel bus waiting to leave on the daily service to Acharacle and Fort William.

Many thanks to Rachael for the picture.