Spoon Island: Willow Weavers Big Birthday Invasion Of Sanda!
Posted: Thursday, 05 October 2006 |
Ever been to Spoon Island( It's that lumpy one at the bottom of the Mull of Kintyre)? The Basket Weaver decided to organise a mass expedition to Sanda for her Big (guess which) Birthday and it was absolutely perfect! Thanks Julie, you are a diamond star!
The First party of intrepid explorers left Brodick courtesy of The Arran Adventure RIB at about 5.45 on Friday night. Some of the party had already had long journeys to get to Scotland and then Arran so to face 40 miles of open sea on a tiny inflatable says a lot about how the weekend was going to go. These people are not wooses!
Look, opposable thumbs!
Holy Isle
Lamlash at speed (nothing new there then)
First sighting of our destination as we finally round the South End of Arran. A few people thought it was a bit small then realised it was a bit far away.
Mull of Kintyre
It was a beautiful night for the crossing, there was a bit of screaming... ok I did a bit of screaming but we soon got used to the waves and saw some fantastic seabirds including an indignant puffin.
Finally arrived, the farmhouse and pub were a welcome sight. Boats make people thirsty, must be the sea air.
Finally made it into the Byron Darnton. The pub is called this after the last ship to be wrecked on the island. The wreck is still visible at low tide. We had a lovely dinner which Dick, our host, cooked brilliantly despite being all alone as his wife and the rest of the staff were stuck on the mainland, with Julies' birthday cake and tomorrows' supplies. Apparently the ferry driver wasn't as brave or daft as we were. The plan was to have a quiet drink and early night as there was another boatload of guests coming the next day for the massive party. Then the conversation turned to whiskey tasting and you can guess the rest.
The Birthday Girl
Saturday dawned bright and stormy or at least so someone who got up for the loo said. We surfaced around noon, enjoyed a leisurely lunch then set out to explore the island. It's about a mile by a mile and a half and doesn't look much like a spoon at all. The spoon shape seen from Arran is made up by three islands; we were on the main one. Laing had an argument with someone about what the one off the bay was called. They wouldn't believe it was called Sheep Island because it's not shaped like a sheep.... It had been a very late night. Some of the group went up to the trig point but I could see it quite clearly from the beer garden so didn't bother. It is a wildly breathtaking place.
Sanda Lighthouse is built up the rock in stages. I've never seen one like this before. Clever eh?
Doing big arms for scale.
This is a closer view of the rock formation next to the lighthouse. The big slab at the top must be a fallen stack.
After all that exercise there was a general need for cheese, crisps and gallons of champagne as aperitif. We were ravenous so dug into the copious provisions we had brought with us including a dozen eggs. The first sign you see when you get to Sanda is an advert for fresh layed free-range island eggs, and we were tripping over chickens so the COOP eggs were perhaps a little unnecessary. The Saturday RIB full of all the people who couldn't get to Arran for Friday or were working Saturday arrived and after lots of gossip we went for Birthday Dinner.
Tucking into a fantastic meal. The menu was outstanding and the food was perfectly cooked. All washed down with lashings of ginger beer!
Julie Cutting her double chocolate birthday cake!
Kate and Susanna demonstrating the ancient art of bar mat wearing. Kate was fantastic as self appointed entertainments convenor. We had had a practice on Friday night but Julie maliciously cheated, the trollop, so Kate had devised a cunning and dastardly game of mass murder for Saturday night. It was absolute carnage all night with people luring each other into bizzare place to be done to death with unlikely weapons. I was murdered by Alan in the window with a noughty forty spangle from the table decorations. You get the drift... lots more cheating. Guests were still being bumped off the next morning as they attempted to leave.
Diana has converted to the Order of Sanda Promotional Hoodies
Happy Birthday Julie, more gorgeous than ever!
Dick, our host, popped open the champers at midnight, which was truly lovely of him and a welcome surprise for us!
Laing trying, and failing, to remonstraight with the Birthday Basket Weaver.
Power Napping
The party carried on in our cottage until one by one everone drifted off and I got to bed about 6ish.
The first boat left about 2ish with all the people who had ferrys and flights to catch. It looked a bit rough so I was happy for the opperchancity to have a nice lay in, do a bit of shopping in the shop and chill, after clearing up which was a major operation, some of the others went for a wander to the pirated caves. This gave the sea some time to get over it's hangover and calm down for a very plesant return crossing.
The ride back on the RIB was hysterical.
Didn't get a lot of photos, as it was a bit bumpy. Arran looked amazing as it started to get dark approaching the east coast. The clouds were low, the skies darkening, here be Dragons!
We dropped all the weather gear off at Arran Adventure and thanks the boys very much. That boat makes you hungry so we took ourselves along to Hotel Ormidale for a slap up dinner, listened to the beginning of the folk night, then hit The MacAlpine Hotel to see Stewboss, a fantastic band from California who are going to be massive! We boogied the night away. Best Birthday Party I've ever been to EVER! Thank Julie for a fantastic weekend and huge thanks to The Gannons of Sanda for making us so welcome and looking after us so increadably well! I thoroughly reccommend it.
N.B. We took the longship out on it's last sail, a couple of days ago, before going into dry dock for the winter. It was a stunning day and the porpoise were leaping along side us, took loads of snaps but kept missing them. Margo, did you get any? Would you believe this is October?
The First party of intrepid explorers left Brodick courtesy of The Arran Adventure RIB at about 5.45 on Friday night. Some of the party had already had long journeys to get to Scotland and then Arran so to face 40 miles of open sea on a tiny inflatable says a lot about how the weekend was going to go. These people are not wooses!
Look, opposable thumbs!
Holy Isle
Lamlash at speed (nothing new there then)
First sighting of our destination as we finally round the South End of Arran. A few people thought it was a bit small then realised it was a bit far away.
Mull of Kintyre
It was a beautiful night for the crossing, there was a bit of screaming... ok I did a bit of screaming but we soon got used to the waves and saw some fantastic seabirds including an indignant puffin.
Finally arrived, the farmhouse and pub were a welcome sight. Boats make people thirsty, must be the sea air.
Finally made it into the Byron Darnton. The pub is called this after the last ship to be wrecked on the island. The wreck is still visible at low tide. We had a lovely dinner which Dick, our host, cooked brilliantly despite being all alone as his wife and the rest of the staff were stuck on the mainland, with Julies' birthday cake and tomorrows' supplies. Apparently the ferry driver wasn't as brave or daft as we were. The plan was to have a quiet drink and early night as there was another boatload of guests coming the next day for the massive party. Then the conversation turned to whiskey tasting and you can guess the rest.
The Birthday Girl
Saturday dawned bright and stormy or at least so someone who got up for the loo said. We surfaced around noon, enjoyed a leisurely lunch then set out to explore the island. It's about a mile by a mile and a half and doesn't look much like a spoon at all. The spoon shape seen from Arran is made up by three islands; we were on the main one. Laing had an argument with someone about what the one off the bay was called. They wouldn't believe it was called Sheep Island because it's not shaped like a sheep.... It had been a very late night. Some of the group went up to the trig point but I could see it quite clearly from the beer garden so didn't bother. It is a wildly breathtaking place.
Sanda Lighthouse is built up the rock in stages. I've never seen one like this before. Clever eh?
Doing big arms for scale.
This is a closer view of the rock formation next to the lighthouse. The big slab at the top must be a fallen stack.
After all that exercise there was a general need for cheese, crisps and gallons of champagne as aperitif. We were ravenous so dug into the copious provisions we had brought with us including a dozen eggs. The first sign you see when you get to Sanda is an advert for fresh layed free-range island eggs, and we were tripping over chickens so the COOP eggs were perhaps a little unnecessary. The Saturday RIB full of all the people who couldn't get to Arran for Friday or were working Saturday arrived and after lots of gossip we went for Birthday Dinner.
Tucking into a fantastic meal. The menu was outstanding and the food was perfectly cooked. All washed down with lashings of ginger beer!
Julie Cutting her double chocolate birthday cake!
Kate and Susanna demonstrating the ancient art of bar mat wearing. Kate was fantastic as self appointed entertainments convenor. We had had a practice on Friday night but Julie maliciously cheated, the trollop, so Kate had devised a cunning and dastardly game of mass murder for Saturday night. It was absolute carnage all night with people luring each other into bizzare place to be done to death with unlikely weapons. I was murdered by Alan in the window with a noughty forty spangle from the table decorations. You get the drift... lots more cheating. Guests were still being bumped off the next morning as they attempted to leave.
Diana has converted to the Order of Sanda Promotional Hoodies
Happy Birthday Julie, more gorgeous than ever!
Dick, our host, popped open the champers at midnight, which was truly lovely of him and a welcome surprise for us!
Laing trying, and failing, to remonstraight with the Birthday Basket Weaver.
Power Napping
The party carried on in our cottage until one by one everone drifted off and I got to bed about 6ish.
The first boat left about 2ish with all the people who had ferrys and flights to catch. It looked a bit rough so I was happy for the opperchancity to have a nice lay in, do a bit of shopping in the shop and chill, after clearing up which was a major operation, some of the others went for a wander to the pirated caves. This gave the sea some time to get over it's hangover and calm down for a very plesant return crossing.
The ride back on the RIB was hysterical.
Didn't get a lot of photos, as it was a bit bumpy. Arran looked amazing as it started to get dark approaching the east coast. The clouds were low, the skies darkening, here be Dragons!
We dropped all the weather gear off at Arran Adventure and thanks the boys very much. That boat makes you hungry so we took ourselves along to Hotel Ormidale for a slap up dinner, listened to the beginning of the folk night, then hit The MacAlpine Hotel to see Stewboss, a fantastic band from California who are going to be massive! We boogied the night away. Best Birthday Party I've ever been to EVER! Thank Julie for a fantastic weekend and huge thanks to The Gannons of Sanda for making us so welcome and looking after us so increadably well! I thoroughly reccommend it.
N.B. We took the longship out on it's last sail, a couple of days ago, before going into dry dock for the winter. It was a stunning day and the porpoise were leaping along side us, took loads of snaps but kept missing them. Margo, did you get any? Would you believe this is October?
Comments
Sounds like a dream birthday party. Forty miles on that inflatable seems rather dangerous to me: flotation vests are fine, but how cold is the water (and how long before hypothermia sets in?). Is the transportation a licensed operation, or was it just a private lark? Was the prayer gesture in the bar for a safe return trip? # The Sanda Lighthouse looks wonderful: rather unique I should think, though lighthouses are often found in remarkable locations.
mjc from NM,USA
I note that Arran Adventure RIB ran the transportation, and thus the trip was doubtless safe. Does not look as if you were having gale force winds to whip up excitement further!
mjc from NM,USA
of course it was a licenced operation! The sea is lovely and warm as we learn to swim in it and small children can stay in it for hours! Thank you everyone for a lovely fortieth!
Willow Weaver from Arran
Wow, that is a quality blog! Do you ever do any work????
John from Devon
I really enjoy your blogs, as you know. What can i say, who else would bring us powernapping standing up, sum wummin! Just a wee ps for mjc...considering the amount of booze consumed by this lot I'd be less worried about hypothermia and more worried about pollution should the go over board.
GrannyE. DBE.RM from Auchenshuggle swabbin down the veranda
Our crossing was reletively calm, although as I said, the Campbeltown Ferry didn't run the night we came accross. The Saturday lunchtime boat was much rougher apparently. The RIB is self righting and everyone was issued with a full set of waterproofs so very little could go wrong and GrannyE is right about the immenent polution risks! The power napping isn't standing up, it's in the traditional face down position on the sofa. The Basketweaver who is calling herself Willowweaver as you can see had lots of different photos and is going to write her own blog, aren't you? Thanks John from Devon, yes we all work but are allowed weekends off! Being self employed does help. Good to see you back GrannyE where have you been?
Sunny from Arran
"The sea is lovely and warm as we learn to swim in it and small children can stay in it for hours!" Willowweaver. # You must be kidding? # Should I write to George W. and warn him that you folks will be emailing him with thanks for global warming?
mjc from NM,USA
what can I sy sunny, they pissyeyecoalagist confiscated my knitting and I threw a bit of a wobbler. Have also spent part of the summer trying to sign up the beloved Godwin for Countryfile, alas and alak, to little avail. And finally secured a temp post as the nanny to a certain wildlife presenters little darlings!!! It would appear that Dermot of BB fame is interested in signing a contract for the Fank, any ideas of dates this time round?
GrannyE. DBE.RM from Auchenshuggle whatchin the numpties tryin to drive
More pictures of this can now be seen on my blog and I will add more when I get back from the Scottish Basketmakers Circle AGM this weekend!
Willowweaver from Arran
MJC didn't you know that Scottish parents have a particuarily sadistic streak when it come to exposing their offspring to extreme weather conditions? Despite experts insisting the a human can't survive North Sea temperatures for more than two mintutes we were thrown in to learn to swim and spent whole days splashing around in the nuddy. Infants are expected to walk a couple of miles to school in a blizzard dressed appropriately in short trousers or kilt and a felt blazer. The only widproofing the blazer provides is the extra density gained when it's sodden with rain or snow. The difference between summer and winter school uniforms constitutes a wafer thin school scarf the sole purpose of which is to make goal posts. However all this is fine as we all know that we can only fall in deep water if we are wearing our pygamas.
Sunny from Arran
and I thought I had a tough childhood ...
mjc from NM,USA
Naughty Sunny. You know mjc is going to want to know what a nuddy is. Never mind how a scarf can constitute a goalpost......... I'm glad GrannyE is back, cos I never knew mine. Never knew ma daddy either now I think of it. He and pussyma were like ships that passed in the night.........
Flying Cat from a cheshire grin
"Infants are expected to walk a couple of miles to school in a blizzard dressed appropriately in short trousers or kilt and a felt blazer." - Sunny # INFANTS? Are you SURE your memory is serving you right?
mjc from NM,USA
Sorry I've been absent. The laptop died. Yes Infants, the primary one and two class is made up of people aged 4 - 6, and is called the infant class. someone back me up here? It's wiered to think back to what sadistic gits the teachers were belting five year olds, seems quite barbaric now.
Sunny from Arran
Yes Primary 1/2 is the Infants class, and, by the time the wee sowels had trudged all the way to school and staggered through the door (after lining up in the playground) they were infantsinside! Did they really belt 5 year-olds??? Was this institutional sadism practiced on Wee Jeck? It would explain a lot.....
Flying Cat from Tawse Towers
Don't remember getting belted ("put your hand out" and down came the three layered leather hand whip: wonder where they got them? standard issue from Dublin?!) until high school (Irish brothers, but they were sparing, bless their souls). The sadist was the lay teacher who would grab me by the sideburns and shake when I was in Form 2: I get mad whenever I think of it (a big strapping grown up doing that to a young student: for the life of me, I can't remember why I got the punishment). Since then I have always had my sideburns short...
mjc from NM,USA
Did you get yourself a new laptop, Sunny? Are there many free "hot spots" (broadband wireless connection) in Arran? Hope you got a good deal.
mjc from NM,USA
Awwwwww mjc, do you really not look like a Teddy Boy? Disillusionment sets in..............
Flying Cat from The Sunroom of Eternity
I kept my nose clean till primary three so personally was never belted till I was seven. They used a tawse, leather belt split down the middle
Sunny from Borrowed The Basket Weavers Computer
Nope! Can't get long enough online to work out what to get! Help?
Sunny from Overpriced Net Cafe, Brodick
My Toshiba had lots of problems. Daughter at uni.seems to be very happy with Sony laptop. She got an extra 3 year total protection (incl. negligence) insurance from Sony: not cheap, but buys peace of mind for a total of 4 years (after which it would be time for laptop with new technology anyway). ## Anyone kind enough to suggest guide books/maps for your neck of the woods? There seems to be more than "Visit Scotland" website lets on!! Coll? Sanda island? We'd probably fly into Glasgow.
mjc from NM,USA
The Murder game. First played that game on a boat this summer. It was called Boat Murder, strangely enough. Great game. Of course, I would think that, as I was Supreme Murderess. I killed with shampoo on the companionway steps, with tomato ketchup in the heads, with a spoon in the engine room, and with a fender in a bunk. Didn't know murder was such fun.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Tomato Ketchup in the heads is rather disturbing, whichever way you look at it..........
Flying Cat from cookerybook cupboard
If you go to www.arranart.com and go to the yesterdays prints page, Suart who runs that page has done the voice over for a DVD of walks on the island. I've heard it's excellent. You could try looking for the DVD online, I think it has an origional title like, "Arran Walks". The laptop is still dead, waiting till the insurance coughs up
Sunny from Arran
Great Granddaughter of the Light Keeper on Sanda in 1860s. My grandfather was born on the island in 1867. Isn't it lovely? Imagine a childhood in such an idyllic place. Visited in 1995. I'd love to spend another day there!
C Ingram from Glendale California
To answer one blogger's question as to where they got the "three layered leather hand whip" used for corporal punishment in schools, those things were razor strops, designed for sharpening a straightrazor blade.
C Ingram from Glendale California
Wow! What did you do for your 30th! Are you getting dafter as you get older or is this you calming down?
Roddy from Ramsbottom
Wasn't my 40th was the Willow Weavers. I haven't had my 40th yet. Any ideas?
Sunny from Arran Exile
I can remember when at primary school between the late sixties and mid sevanties boys still wore short tousers both in summer and winter. At the time I think this was considered normal, At the time I think it was considered normal. I am also sure the winters were colder. So I suppose by modern standard some people would argue making boys wear short trousers in winter was sadistic. However I do not recall children being rude to teachers, I also remember one boy using a swear word and having his mouth washed out with soap and water by a teacher.
Alan from Southampton
Oh that happened to me, probably primary two so would've been abojut six years old. I'd just been stung my a wasp, don't even know what was said but had my head forced under a tap and mouth washed out with pink carbolic soap. Ahhh yes happy memories. Lets bring back witch hunts and torture! Oh... yeah, we already have.
Sunny from Arran Exile
Arran ExPat wandering the world, residing in Cyprus for now with the odd visit home.
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