While we were wandering around Oban, we met Jim, his sister lived in Sydney. We had quite a long chat and, as with many people we have met, (who have visited Australia) they have seen more of the country than we have! He suggested instead of Mull, we might like to drive down to one of the Slate Isles – Seil. So glad we did! We drove over the Clachan Bridge and stopped to see the Tigh an Truish Inn. (House of Trousers) Islanders would change into trousers before heading to the mainland when kilts were banned after the 1745 rebellion.

Ellenabeich was a lovely surprise at the end of the road. We visited the museum and walked around the village. The local school has 17 children at the moment, numbers fluctuate. Loved the comments from Angus about their teacher.

A very short ferry trip took us over the channel to Easdale Island. The bridge had obviously been out of action for a while! There were beautiful clear pools around the island, formed from quarrying the slate which was sent all over the place. We chatted to a couple of Scots now living in Texas, it’s amazing how much we have in common when we start talking.

On the way back to Oban, we turned off to look at Kilbride Historic Church and Grounds. We met the very amicable Liam Griffin, trustee of the site, who spent about an hour telling us all sorts of stories and singing us a few songs too. (We chuckled over the story of the pen pal lady friend he had met from near Orange, NSW when he was on shore leave back in 1966)