Arran - Islay - Jura

A montage

Happy Friday-ish

And welcome to edition 323.

👋 My name is David and I’m a writer, outdoor instructor and cyclist-at-large with Thighs of Steel. I write stories that help you and me understand the world (and ourselves) a little better.

Apologies for the late running of this service - I neglected to bring the little duberry that magics words from my typewriter to my phone.

What that means is, rather than nothing at all this week, this newsletter will be down on words and high on images.

I hope that's okay by you. I also hope it might encourage you to travel in whatever sense of the word works for you this weekend.

If you do decide that the Western Isles is the place to be, then I must mention one huge / tiny element of the trip scandalously not shown in any of my images: midgies.

My advice? Grow a thick skin, or come in winter.

Tattie scones and Goat Fell, Arran

As old as the Pyramids and twice as Scottish, Arran

Sunset, Islay

Deep fried veggie haggis, Jura

On my way to not reaching the bothy, Jura

Current status: I think I just heard the heavy splashing of a basking shark or similar (but what do I know?)

If you're stuck inside in the rain and feeling envious, please remember: I am covered in midgie bites and itching all over. The image is not the experience.

(It's still bloody nice, though!)

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100 Days of Adventure

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What is this?

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Gift Economy

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Three Small Things At The End

• Every year, Islay has a whisky festival over the last two weeks of May. Each of the island's 629,682 distilleries has its own special ‘open day’, with music and dancing and free drams for all.

• George Orwell nearly died in a boating accident when he got caught in the whirlpools of Corrievreckan off Jura.

• In Sweden, apparently, secret beauty spots, away from the tourist tramp lines, are called ‘wild strawberries’.

I hope you find a few wild strawberries this weekend. Normal service resumes next Friday…

Big love,
dc: