Inner Hebrides

Waterfall on the northwest shore of the Isle of Skye

Cruise ship off the Isle of Skye

Neist Point lighthouse, Isle of Skye

Waterfalls of every size and height

Macleod's Maidens at the mouth of Loch Bracadale, Isle of Skye

Steep cliff shoreline of Wiay Island, Loch Bracadale

The rugged Cuillin Hills on the SW side of the Isle of Skye, as seen from Loch Harport

Pilgrim in Carbost, Loch Harport, Isle of Skye, near the Talisker Distillery

Carbost, Isle of Skye

Talisker Distillery, Isle of Skye

Pilgrim in Loch Harport, Isle of Skye

The head of Loch Harport, Isle of Skye

Storm brewing in Loch Harport, Isle of Skye

Piper from Ontario, Canada at the Talisker Distillery

Bridge over the stream flowing by the Talisker Distillery, Isle of Skye

VIP arrival at Talisker Distillery

Talisker warehouse. Most maturing is done on mainland. This is for the tourists

The closest we could get to photograph the Talisker stills

Tax is payable as soon as the barrel leaves the warehouse

Cuillin Hills shrouded in clouds

Skye sheep

The head of Loch Harport, as seen from high in the hills above Carbost (Pilgrim is sailboat with 2 masts)

3 classic beauties

Lobster traps on the quay at Carbost, no longer in use by Talisker Distillery

Narrow gague rails used to transport whiskey barrels to the boats in bygone days (Talisker Distillery)

Lobster and whiskey are the current economic drivers

Kevin in his molded plastic sea kayak in Loch Harport, Isle of Skye

Cuillins with a fog bank in the valley, Isle of Skye

The Inn and Pub in Carbost, Isle of Skye

Sailing off the southwest shore of Skye in a downpour

Loch Scresort, Rhum. The ferry slipway

Storm clouds building over Rhum. Pilgrim preparing for Force 11 storm (55-63 knots of wind)

Kinloch Castle, at the head of Loch Scresort, on Rhum

Three wild red deer in the hills

Sunset on Rhum before the big storm

Moonrise over Rhum

The other sailboat anchored in Loch Scresort, Rhum, during the big storm

Kinloch Castle, Loch Scresort, Rhum

The trailor was stuck on the ramp due to the sharp angle with the dock, Loch Scresort, Rhum

Pilgrim at rest in Tobermory

Tobermory neighborhood watch

Tobermory colour

Tobermory Distillery

Tobermory main street

water for the distillery (note the peaty colour)

Jane making a Gavin call

Tobermory sand castles

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Rainbow over Tobermory Harbour

Main street at harbour level and Argyll Terrace above, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Single land road for two-way traffic. Something's gotta give

Bunessan, a small village on the main road on the SW coast of Isle of Mull; on our way to Iona

So why did the chicken cross the road ... to make the bus driver stop

Must be a North American rental car, trying to pull over to the right (and really annoying the bus driver)

Just in case you wanted to know, the sheep do have right-of-way

Sand beach at Fionnhort on Isle of Mull at the ferry dock for Iona

Iona Ferry ... it took some of the mystery out of the Island

Ferry to Staffa from Fionnphort on Isle of Mull

Sound of Iona. Dark-hulled sailboat is at anchor in a fairly strong current

The rocky shoreline of Iona

Argyll Hotel on Iona

Local fishing boats at Martyr's Bay, Iona, looking northeast torward the Isle of Mull

The Abbey (in the background) and houses at Martyrs' Bay, Iona

Houses along Martys' Bay, Iona

The Nunnery south range ruins, Iona

The cloister, Nunnery ruins, Iona

The church ruin, the Nunnery, Iona

The chapel of the church, Nunnery ruin, Iona

The Nunnery ruins, Iona

The wall around the Nunnery ruins, Iona

Teampull Rònain at the Nunnery ruins, Iona

Iona's Parish Church, 1828 ... where sheep may safely graze

A chia-pet gone wrong

MacLean's Cross, Iona

Dùn I, the highest point on Iona

Brian at the Nunnery ruin on Iona

Sailboat anchored off the east shore of Iona, Isle of Mull in the background

View from Dùn I, the highest point on Iona, looking NE towards Staffa

Brian and Jane at the summit of Dùn I, the highest point on Iona

The downwards trek from Dùn I, Iona

Brian on the summit of Dùn I, Iona

The Abby on Iona

Question is ... who is training who?

St. Oran’s Chapel surrounded by ancient burials in Reilig Odhráin

The west face of St. Martin's Cross is carved with scenes from the Bible, 8th century

This medieval street is the extension into the abbey of the "street of the dead," the roadway running from the Monks' landing place at Martyrs' Bay to Reilig Odhráin, the graveyard

The east face of St. Martin's Cross sculpted from a single slab of stone imported from the Argyll mainland sometime between 750 and 800

Replica of St. John's Cross

Interior of St. Columba's Shrine, a small chapel to the left of the west door into the church, restored in 1962

St. Columba's Shrine, a small chapel to the left of the west door into the church, restored in 1962

The cloister, the abbey, Iona

Sculpture in the middle of the cloister, the abbey, Iona

The cloister, the Abbey, Iona

Sculture detail, the cloister, the abbey, Iona

The font in the nave, giften in 1913, made from Iona marble, the abbey, Iona

The nave, the abbey, Iona

The crossing, the abbey, Iona

The master mason, Donaldus O Brolchan, looking down from the east crossing arch

The alter, the abbey, Iona

Carving detail, the choir, the abbey, Iona

Bishop's House ruin, Iona

Remains of the St.John's Cross, Abbey Museum, Iona

Abbey Museum, Iona

the Abbey, Iona

Seaside garden, Iona

Bishop's House, Iona

Beach at Iona

Ferry arrival platform at Iona

Looking for lunch, Iona

Fishing boat in Tobermory Harbour

Fog lifting over Tobermory Harbour

Tobermory Harbour as seen from Argyll Terrace

Aros Park, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Freedom sailboat anchored at the south end of the harbour at Tobermory, near the mussel farm

Aros Park, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Tobermory from the south end of the harbour

Aros Park, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Robin in Aros Park, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Aros Park, Tobermory, Isle of Mull

Moonlight over Tobermory harbour

Duart Castle, Isle of Mull

Overfalls (the ripple in the water) at the south end of the Sound of Mull

Pilgrim at Oban Marina

McCaig's Tower, Oban

Downtown Oban

Tasting Chart, Oban Distillery

Oban at dusk with a full moon

30 knot winds with a strong current near the Gulf of Corryvreckan

Basking shark off the west coast of the Isle of Jura

Anchorage in Loch Tarbert, Ilse of Jura

Raised beaches on Isle of Jura