This was a day that was supposed to be leisurely and important for the book. Castle Sween was on our list for today as we headed to Tarbert, where we will stay for 2 nights before going to Islay. Unfortunately the powers that be – perhaps the fairies? – had other plans and we found ourselves with a very very flat tire while on a rewilding preserve about 20 minutes out of Oban. Roadside assistance was slow in coming so we waited more than 2 hours on a single track road in the forest until the tow truck arrived and hauled us and the car back to Oban for repairs. What did we ever do without cell phones!? We were finally on our way around 5:30 and arrived in Tarbert a bit before 7:00 PM. So much for castles! Tarbert sits on a small harbor on a narrow strip of land in Kintyre that is so narrow it almost creates a complete passageway from the west to the east of the Kiintyre peninsula. There is a legend about this piece of land that we will recount in another post when we can get the exact story (myth)! Needless to say it was an adventure and all part of the travel experience. The local village sent their mechanic up to help us, Jack Reed, but there was no fixing the tire. The tow truck finally arrived with Iain at the helm and off we went. Everyone was efficient and capable of handling the situation. Once again, the Scottish people showed their hospitality and friendliness.
