Rhu and Holy Loch

Whilst in the area, we loitered about a bit. First stop was Rhu, just around the corner from Faslane the nuclear submarine base. Rhu is much prettier we are pleased to report with great views across the Clyde.

As we left Greenock, the old paddle steamer Waverley was going past en route to Helensborough reliving her history with trips "doon the watter":

She still looks impressive.  For more information have a look at History of doon the watter and for more on the last sea going paddle steamer in the world look at Waverley website.

From Rhu we walked into Helensborough and back. Very good for the crew's step count of course and lovely views of the yacht  racing activity. The marina in Rhu is a bit sad. Strange kind of a place for Quay Marinas to run- really you don't know why they bother. Scruffy car park, little bunker of an office, marquee erected to try and entice folks to look at brokerage boats etc. The owners, the Crown Estate, must be so proud of it. We guess and hear that each winter the pontoons get seriously shaken up as they are so exposed too.

Leaving Rhu we took another short trip, this time to Holy Loch. Then the nice walk along the waterfront into Dunoon, passing the Hunters Quay ferry terminal:

The beautiful old listed building that is the Royal Marine Hotel:

and, like so many of its kind, had become a 3 star establishment inside. Hope it survives! The town of Dunoon was as sad as ever. It just has that barely surviving look about it. The high spot that we had found before (Livingstones restaurant) was shut on Monday lunchtimes so even that temptation was removed from us. Pity as the location is great and the walk further south around the little bay is very pretty.

Back in Holy Loch we had another first - a "gawper" who had come to look at the boat (nothing unusual in that) but this one brought his own chair:

Astern of us a timber boat was being loaded:

and it was fun watching the loader. Each time it grabbed 10 or so tree trunks from the trailer and lifted them, the big articulated truck shook like a kid's toy. The truck driver, who sat inside for the whole unloading time, must have had double vision afterwards. Good thing that the local roads are not too busy.