Dunoon - North East Railtours

Today was never about a railtour but nautical nostalgia when I spent teenage school holidays watching a trio of boats. This particular boat ( MV Jupiter) is the only one left in regular service as the Saturn works a relief summer service to Rothesay and the Juno no longer has a passenger certificate. Interestingly enough, today's boat trip was originally meant to be going to Rothesay, on possibly the Saturn, but the Northern Belle train stole the all day slot in Weymss Bay (Rothesay departure point) forcing the NER organiser to re-arrange another destination at seven days notice. This was Calmac's premier route from Gourock to Dunoon.

Departing from Gourock with a porthole view

Lifeline .... to escape people I was placed next to on the train. ( Some of these trips have seat vacancies  and one of the problems of solo travelling is the people you are thrown together with. One had repetitive conversation & the other .... I still have no idea what they were talking about !!)

The re-routing of the trip gave me the opportunity to view, via zoom lens, the large house (in the trees with the turret on the left) where I stayed in Kilcreggan.

The Firth of Clyde is rather different to what people expect who have never had the opportunity to see it. The view north is to Loch Long and the Arrochar Alps.

...while to the south is the lighthouse at Cloch point through a ship porthole. This particular picture was quite difficult to take as I had to stand well back from the hole to gain maximum zoom of the lighthouse. I had a few staring passengers unable to understand what I was photographing !

On arrival at Dunoon, the sight of greeting was the Castle which houses a museum and was the scene of a wedding today.

Behind the castle, there was a good view south down the west side of the Firth of Clyde.

Highland Mary keeps a watchful eye on the Firth but unfortunately not looking after herself as she wasn't wearing a hat !!

Dunoon Mugs

The shopping centre in Dunoon is nothing to write home about, but ever the eager eye looking for a photo opportunity..... had to resort for something in a mug shop.

Policing the view for a few chips

Dunoon Pier

All too soon, it was time to return from the solitude of the park and return to the MV Jupiter for my very last trip on it and the verbal torture on the train at Gourock.