Monday 16 May
We were up at 7am and headed to a little village called Kilmartin which has the ' most important prehistoric site in Scotland'. This turned out to be a number of grey cairns, somewhere in the distance identifiable using a strong pair of binoculars, which we are becoming experts at now. Lisa spotted her first ever cuckoo.
After breakfast we continued to Campbeltown and by 1pm we were parked in our traditional spot on the front next to the public toilets which, helpfully, are unlocked as we head out for the day and are locked by the time we get back but at least we are out of everyones way.
Campbeltown is hardly a metropolis but where we have recently come from the following are sheer luxury:
1. Wifi, so Lisa can check on her peregrine chicks and all four seem to be doing well (see www.cms.walsall.gov. uk.)
2. Cash points, where we both discover money has vanished from our accounts which is where
3. a Phone Signal is useful. Lisa discovers that the meeting she had with her bank back in Feb to cancel her direct debits has not translated into action. Thanks to wifi we are able to sort both AI and Lisa's bank issues.
1. Wifi, so Lisa can check on her peregrine chicks and all four seem to be doing well (see www.cms.walsall.gov. uk.)
2. Cash points, where we both discover money has vanished from our accounts which is where
3. a Phone Signal is useful. Lisa discovers that the meeting she had with her bank back in Feb to cancel her direct debits has not translated into action. Thanks to wifi we are able to sort both AI and Lisa's bank issues.
 |
| Frazer, Bennie and Jesper |
 |
| Johan, Cameron and Morden |
Just before 10 pm they arrive and we are reunited with old Springbank friends and introduced to some new ones. Johan had kindly bought us a selection of beers from swedish breweries. He is such a very kind man.
Obviously as it's day one we need to pace ourselves so just five of them came back to Hamish, when it was kicking out time, to taste the whisky we had bought earlier in the day, we got to bed just after 2.30 AM. We'll pace ourselves tomorrow, hopefully!
 |
| In Hamish- apparently there were seven of us? Just pacing ourselves...... |
Tuesday 17
 |
| Fully engaged with the explanation?! |
 |
| Mash Tuns |
 |
| Bottling Hall- everything is done by hand. The ladies are filling Open Day bottles from a plastic bucket! |
 |
| Looks very posh! |
 |
| Connie (L) had just arrived- straight into our tasting! |
Absolute carnage. We tasted 9 drams including a rum and an amazing gin. Just aswell we are pacing ourselves.
 |
| Mark Watt delivering Cadenhead's CARNAGE! |
We later found out the Danes had come and knocked and we had set an alarm but clearly we were dead to the world. Alastair cooked some pasta which Lisa couldn't eat , nothing to do with the food, and we went back to bed.
Wednesday 18
Thankfully Lisa has some time to recover today and we spent the morning doing jobs. In the past we have headed to a local campsite every couple of days and paid them for water and use of showers. To save money and time this year we decide to get water from the sinks in the public loos. So once they are unlocked Lisa undertakes several trips with an empty jug and empty water bottles to get us enough water for a shower and a cuppa. We think as long as we boil it before drinking we shouldn't die and the excessive alcohol intake of the' water of life' is probably far more lethal. Anyway all of these survival jobs take time.
Eventually Alastair heads off for the Springbank Society tasting. Alastair favourite choice isn't the one that is picked.
 |
| Morden, Jesper, Johan! |
 |
| Grant (standing) with the Glasgow Boys |
 |
| And Chris (our american friend) arrived in time this year! |
 |
| Kate (right) leading a sensible discussion |
By now Lisa is able to down a 'half and a half', a dram and half a pint. We start chatting to a guy we have never met before but who is part of the Springbank Facebook group that Alastair contributes too (Kro Matik is the Best dressed person at the festival). He realises we are the people who have been on Papay and he knows Julian! Small world.
 |
| Gert, Johan, Steen and Jesper |
After food we move to Whisky Macs for the whisky quiz. Morten and Jesper join us to make a team and amazingly WE WON!
Alastair and Angus decide to head to the Black Sheep to celebrate, Lisa heads back to H. an earlier night but then realises her bracelet has gone so she grabs a torch and heads back but no luck. By now the Springbank meal has ended and most of them, apart from Johan, are in the pub so it's rocking. It's lovely to see Chris over from Seattle, Canada, again. Although we later find out it's America. We still love him, even so.
Alastair leaves Angus to continue the celebrations and he heads home, turning down several offers lots more drink. He is pacing himself.
Thursday 19
At 7.30am we get a knock at Hamish from Morten and Jesper who are on their way to the Glen Scotia distillery, Whisky Monsters. They are not pacing themselves. We decline the invitation to join them.
Still on the hunt for her bangle Lisa heads to the Ardshiel and amazingly they had the bracelet. Such lovely people!
Having eaten his breakfast Johan arrives at H just after 8 and we finally unload the 30 bottles we have carried to Orkney and back.
Angus arrives at Hamish looking slightly the worse for wear but is soon into the spirit of the day. Lisa is ready for today, having been a lightweight yesterday, and Alastair just needs to top up his alcohol levels. The rain is hammering down which is a shame for an outside festival but it does dry up.
We follow tradition: get a pint of Jarl, queue to buy the society bottling then purchase our 5 drams for a fiver ticket. Just after 1pm we head for the Springbank tasting led by Fraser and Grant. Very funny!
During the tasting Alastair, Angus, Morten and Jesper are taken out for their photo as the whisky quiz champions. We are sure it will make the national news at least.
The day continues with Jarl and whisky. Chippy for tea and a nip to the pub while we are waiting for the evening to start and we head back to the malting barns. The Glasgow boys have rented an amazing flat for the festival and we are invited back for a peek. Alastair buys himself and Angus a 'Glasgow Springbank Stallion' t-shirt and leaves his own shirt in their flat.
We head back to the ceidlidh and vaguely there was more drinking and some dancing. By now it was all getting very messy.
Someone thought it would be a good idea to head to The Feathers, a pub with a d.i.s.c.o. By now Angus had lost the power of speech, Lisa had lost her coats and we decided to head home. Vaguely remember a dream of pogoing to Franz Ferdinand with Frazer and Ranald. l'm sure it MUST have been a dream.
Friday 20
We are booked into the Kilkerran tasting today as it's the Glengyle Open Day, our livers are ready to pack up and head home. The three of us are feeling very fragile.
The tasting starts and Lisa manages a sip of each of the 7 drams, washed down with coke. Alastair and Angus overcome their DT's and make an admirable effort. After the tasting Alastair and Lisa nip back to H for lunch and to make Angus sandwiches.
Back at the Open Day Angus is doing well with the Lucky Dip choices. Scott is passing round a dram of what people seem to agree is possibly the best dram of the festival, Alastair and Angus decide to buy a bottle each and Fraser suggests Angus can draw his own bottle.
Lisa heads back to H to chill and catch up with T.M.S. and bumps into the gang who we arrange to meet for tea later. She then takes some flowers to the Ardshiel to say thank you for finding my bracelet .
Patience pays off and Angus is eventually given the opportunity to draw his own whisky from the barrel. An amazing experience that Lisa and Alastair had the opportunity to indulge in last year although Lisa was a little over enthusiastic on the suck and ended up swallowing half the barrel. Angus is a natural and gets Fraser to name the bottle after the winning whisky quiz team.
Eventually Angus and Alastair arrive back at H and we need food. Options are limited in Campbeltown, no chance of ordering a pizza so we head to The Ardshiel.
Tomorrow is the Macrahanish Open and the pub is full of golfers, thankfully they squeeze us in and we get tea, only Angus is still managing alcohol.
The Swedes and Danes just couldn't fit in so we headed off to find them. They had been taken by bus out of town to a sister pub that had space for them.
Alastair and I decide to resign and we head to H, Angus goes to find the Glasgow Boys. A few minutes later there is a knock on H and Alastair already naked panics and dives into bed. Thankfully it's Angus with Alastair's shirt that had been abandoned yesterday.
With alcohol coursing through our blood, sorry , more like with alcohol replacing our blood, we struggled with sleep.
About 9.30PM there was another knock on the door, it was Johan, Morten etc coming to say goodbye as they are heading off early tomorrow. Or was it a dream?
Saturday 21
Most people have left how or are heading home today. We decide to get out of Campbeltown for the day and begin to dry out.
We head towards Southend. Jesper and Johan told Alastair there is a brilliant little bakery that does amazing meringues. They did come to the Open Day with 90 meringues but Alastair decided to indulge after our tasting by which time he was absolutely gutted to discover they had sold out.
The woman had obviously recognised how mortified he was and as we went into the cafe she informed us they had sold out of meringues again. Alastair nearly fainted. Then said she was only joking. Brilliant timing.
Alastair ordered a meringue with butterscotch sauce, Angus a millionaire shortbread. The meringue was huge, stuffed with cream, slathered in butterscotch. Two minutes later there was evidence of it on Alastair's trousers, in his hair and on his beard but the meringue had been demolished. Angus was a lighter shade of green and we asked for his cake to be put into a doggy bag.
We parked Hamish in a lay by overlooking the sea and walked along a bay that was part of the Kintyre way. As we approached the rocks at the end Lisa spotted the head of an otter as it swam towards us. She managed to point it out in time for A and A to see it's back and tail as it spotted us and dived. We waited around for a while but it didn't reappear.
We carried on along the beach which edged a golf course so we collected stray golf balls as we walked. Huge black clouds started to gather behind us and aware that during storms people seem most likely to die on golf courses we decided to head back. Angus saw one fork of lightening but we made it safely back to H.
Restorative soup and bread for lunch watching a herd of cows go for a walk along the beach, appear to be fascinated by the waves lapping onto the beach then wandering back.
We continued driving and stopped to watch a golden eagle. Not bad, an eagle and an otter in one day.
Plan A had been to sample the delights of a Campbeltown curry but Angus hadn't got the energy for more entertainment and wanted an early night. Back in town we each got some tea and we took Angus back to his cottage.
We had to head off early next morning so wouldn't see Angus again so decided we could cope with a different view from the toilets and starting our journey tonight would help tomorrow.
We had a look around Tayinloan where the ferry to Gigha leaves but it was a bit busy so we carried on along the main road to a layby. We were set back from the road with a beautiful view of the Paps of Jura and a beautiful sunset, at least it would have been if we could have stayed awake long enough.
An alcohol free night we were asleep by 9pm and had a good nights sleep.
