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Isle of Bute

 Another Landmark Trust tick - this time Ascog House on the Isle of Bute - stunning as always... a very comfortable warm accommodation for the usual 8 suspects. This time we had a wee tower house for Dr Fred and myself - a lovely bedroom up the stairs with a big window and a bathroom al to ourselves - having said that all the other bedrooms in the big house were large and serviced by two bathrooms so there was no hardship for any visitors!  

The grounds of the house were very extensive with ponds and secret passages - hidden paths and we even spotted a deer late afternoon - there were lots of old features - ornate staircases and a lovely hidden door which I did a quick sketch of.



Bute provided quite a lot of entertainment as well - the weather was kind and we did a a muddy wander down the south of the Island taking in St Blanes Monastery and Kilcannon Bay.  The views were spectacular and it was fabulous to be out in the fresh (and it was fresh on the tops) air and we even had some some sunshine.  

Rothsay has some amazing Victorian houses and a castle with a fantastic moat- being out of season a lot of businesses were closed but it was a nice place to wander around.  


Ascog house is sited a stones throw from the beach and we spotted seals and found a massive amount of sea glass - the bay is fairly sheltered and the sea relatively calm and I should imagine very cold not that that stopped one of our party taking a dip one day!!!! 


We ate and drank well - and the company was entertaining - we have already decided on our next Landmark - down in the midlands for a change of scenery - meanwhile we are back home preparing for our next adventure - campervanning around western Australia.. the company we booked flights with has a count down to the first flight and as I type this we are 15 days 19 hours and 42 minutes until we leave!!!

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