Flooding, Campbeltown

I had appointments and a surgery in Campbeltown today but when I was woken by the wind in the middle of the night I was pretty sure I would have to drive round rather than take the ferry.

There was a gale blowing and the rain was torrential when I left home just after 7.00 and it took me 3 hours to make the 114 mile trip. The road was flooded in many places in Glendaruel and there were deep and foaming streams coming across the carriageway in Strachur.

The journey was very difficult all the way down Kintyre too, with fields and the adjoining roadway covered in water in many places. This picture is from the outskirts of Campbeltown itself.

I heard that the "Rest & Be Thankful" on the A83 was closed just as I got to Cairndow, but Transport Scotland did a tremendous job during the day and have got it open again.

The fire brigade and others have also been active in Argyll and across Scotland helping those who have suffered. It must be terrible to be in Comrie (from where the local MSP, Roseanna Cunningham has blipped this evening) and other places where people have had to leave their homes and are facing loss and heartache over many months.

The Tarbert / Portavadie ferry was back on by the time I started to come home but there seems to be a repeat of all this in the offing tomorrow morning if the weather forecast is to be believed. Let's hope not.