Standing Stone at Kilmartin

A word in the ear of the weatherman and we got a dry sunny day to cycle to Crinan via Kilmartin, the Standing Stones at Templewood and the Crinan Canal.
These standing stones and the burial cairns which dot the landscape around Kilmartin date from 3,000 BC which certainly makes for an appreciation of how short in the span of civilisation is the life of an average man or woman today.

The primroses were blooming along the verges of the roads and the fields were full of sheep with their new lambs. There doesn't seem to be much arable land up here.

Crinan was at its most beautiful with whitewashed cottages along the shore and yachts at anchor in a deep blue sea. Sadly there was no ' Vital Spark', the well known puffer boat, anchored today. One yacht was starting it's journey on the canal and entering into the first lock. It will make slow progress as there are very many locks to navigate between Crinan and Lochgilphead.
It makes for great audience participation.

The road between Ford and the Kilmartin- Oban junction is dire, with potholes and badly finished tarmac patches making the Edinburgh roads seem almost reasonable after all. It's probably just as well that it is fairly quiet and one can take avoiding action most of the time.

Back to the cottage for a well earned glass of cider and a sit in the sun with my book. Happy Days!