Dunstaffnage

Dunstaffnage has been the summer home for Calypso off and mostly on since 1988, not because it is of huge interest to the cruising yachtsman, but because it is the closest place to Edinburgh to keep a boat on the west coast, and what is more it is quick and easy to get in and out with no tidal problems – turn right for Lismore and Loch Linnhe, straight ahead for the Sound of Mull, turn left for the Firth of Lorne! But don't try and enter under sail unless there is a lot of wind or you have the engine on, because the wind dies at the entrance and there is more often than not a strong tide against you.

For the visitor there are significant pluses. First, it is an excellent place to change crew who can get there by train, bus, car, seaplane from Glasgow to Oban, or even private plane to Oban airport (a rather grand name for a mere airstrip at the mouth of Loch Etive in North Connel) . Second, the marina staff are friendly and the toilets and showers are excellent. Third, there is not a bad bar and restaurant which goes up and down in quality but as of April 2010 it was closed 'for the winter' - aka until further notice (Wide Mouthed Frog); the views across the bay from your dinning table are exquisite (they have rooms too if any of your crew want to sleep in a proper bed for a night). And fourth, you can stock up with anything you need in Oban, just a ten minute taxi drive away (or a rather nice walk along the coast via Ganavan beach or the cycle track which takes a bit over an hour). In 2010 a very pretty garden centre called Poppies opened just next to the marina (the green shed north of the big house); it does excellent cafe style food (great meringues) but not unfortunately in the evenings. But you do have to walk round to it by the main road with no pavement.

But what people are in danger of missing is on the other side of the bay. Dunstaffnage Castle –originally another MacDougall stronghold but owned by the Duke of Argyll since the late 15th century. It is a small but splendid semi-ruin, its massive and almost complete stone walls seeming to grow straight out of a huge volcanic plug of rock. It is well worth a visit, especially for the views from the castle walls overlooking the bay. Also plenty of latrine chutes to amuse the children. It was begun in the 13th century and, as usual, various bits have been added and fallen down over the centuries until it was more or less abandoned after a fire in 1810. It is now lovingly looked after by Historic Scotland, except for the 16th century crow-stepped harled gatehouse which is kept on by the hereditary keeper, the so-called Captain of Dunstaffnage, who clearly doesn’t care it is falling to pieces. Very near by, in the woods, is the now roofless 13th century Dunstaffnage Chapel which is also worth a visit. Bits of gothic architecture remain, but the burial aisle to the east is an 18th century addition for the Campbells of Dunstaffnage. All this is surrounded by delightful deciduous woodland with loads of bluebells in the spring, and rabbits anytime. A wander around here on a warm sunny day is a definite highlight of any Hebriddean tour; views of the bay with Connel bridge and Ben Cruachan in one direction and the Firth of Lorne in the other. The one negative is the sound of the main road but even this does not drown out the seductive cooing of the eider ducks in the spring, and certainly not the oyster catchers.