Ailsa Craig

With the weather set so fair, Mrs B and I decided to declare the next week a holiday and do lots of things we haven't got round to before.

Today was the day to do Ailsa Craig, that lump of rock that can be seen from so many parts of the Firth of Clyde and beyond. We can see it from our house and use at as a barometer of the weather. If we can see it clearly the weather is good. If it disappears in clouds we are likely to get rain soon and if we cannot see it then it probably is raining!

Friends kindly gave me a voucher for my birthday for Mull of Kintyre Seatours, which operate a large rib out of Campbeltown. Neither of us were that keen on the idea of bouncing about in a rib for a couple of hours in the cold and wet, but with the weather being so good we decided to give it and go and do the two and a half hour trip round Ailsa Craig. Turned out there were only three of us on the rib along with the captain, Michael Taylor. Well the trip turned out to be absolutely brilliant with us whisked over to the island in 45 minutes at break neck speed. If we saw something on the water Michael stopped the boat and let us investigate and get pictures. Mostly we saw lots of Manx Shearwaters flying away furiously from the fast advancing rib!

When we pulled up under the cliffs of the island we were overwhelmed by the number of seabirds on the rocks and sea or flying over our heads. More than 30,000 gannets breed on the island and they were everywhere. The air was filled with their cries and those of puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars, cormorants, razorbills and too many other birds to name. I was really taken with seeing my first puffins and found it quite magical when they flew overhead. Our half hour going round the island passed all too quickly and before we knew it we were speeding back to Campbeltown.

Hard to decide which blip to go with but settled on this one of part of the island where, although there are less birds, the rock formations and colours were spectacular. I had also left on the polarising filter which enhanced the sky, although it did nothing to help capture the fast moving birds!

If you are ever in this area on a good day do try and take in this trip - it was worth every penny of the £30 and more!