MV Isle of Cumbrae

After 3 hours of waiting at Tarbert here we are at the front of the queue, for the next crossing in one hours time. Extra services being run to help clear the backlog. The ferry will take us to Portavadie on the Cowal peninsula and then a drive to Western Ferries at Hunters Quay, Dunoon for the service to Gourock, an hour from home.

Not so fast Mr Bond, road to Dunoon now closed due to bridge damaged by storm. After much going round in circles ended up at Tighnabruich B & B as wind whips up and rain continues, hard to get accommodation and seriously thought it would be a long night in the car.

No coordinated comms, Road closed Sign and that was it no information as to alternative routes. Closure not on Traffic Scotland website. Phoned 101 all lines busy you are in a queue, gave up waiting. Where were police where were roads dept staff.

Our day started on Arran and our lunchtime ferry to Ardrossan was cancelled due to auxiliary generator failure, rebooked on 1920, later took view this too would be cancelled so left Arran at Lochranza for Claonaig on Kintyre to discover all roads out of Kintyre closed due to land slips.

PS No apologies from CalMac who blithely advised next available booking would be Tuesday i.e 3 days later!

PS PS All was not bad, today we met good people and some real characters whom we would never have encountered had it not been for our minor adversity.