Carradale

Today being the quatorze juillet, the fête nationale, I ought by rights to be posting about France - and there are still things to say about last summer's trip, not to mention plotting the next visit... But today being the fête nationale, I opened a bottle of organic Jurançon to accompany our dinner, so instead I'll take the easy option, and post something I wrote while we were offline in Scotland, staying at Ferryman's Cottage on the Kintyre peninsula.

The nearest village - it has both a post office and a shop, though the shop is for sale - is Carradale. durham_rambler and I spent a morning exploring these retail possibilities, then followed the road which was alleged to lead to a good fish restaurant. We found a pretty, almost circular bay, and the adjacent hotel, which does not serve lunch.

Which is how we ended up at the Network café, and if I'd known we were going there, I'd have taken my notebook. Never mind. Words I never expected to write: I recommend the veggie burger (the beetroot and quinoa veggie burger). And to follow, good coffee and a litany of cakes, beginning: "Angus made Rocky Road this morning..." and going on from there. I could have ordered one of each.

Then walk it off with a hike through the woods. We chose the Deer Hill Trail, 3 miles long and allow 2 hours, says the leaflet. We allowed three: it marched us up to the top of the hill, and it marched us down again. When we were up there were extensive, if hazy, views across to Arran, the whole length of the island spread before us; when we were down there was a long return along the Kintyre Cycleway; and when we were only halfway up - or rather, halfway down - it was like climbing a neverending staircase, but with added midges. At one point, inevitably, I swallowed a fly - and we all know what that leads to, don't we?

Back home, D. and valydiarosada told us about their day (they had visited the Springbank distillery, and recommended it) and I had a bath. That's a day well spent. Next up, boat trip to Ailsa Craig.