Saturday 09/04/05

Today there is a royal wedding. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles are tying the knot in Windsor. Not universally supported, this happy union, as the couple involved have been courting for 34 year, right through Charles' marriage to Diana. I go out at 11, do some typing in the library and head for Tolsta on the 12.15 bus. Weather is not great, it rains. And it rains right through my picnic off Traigh Mhor. The inlet is flooded. Walk down the beach, then up to the moors via a small river. The fun starts on the top, where I have to cross a number of very boggy dykes. The cape rises about 75 m (250 ft) above the sea. Visibility is rather poor, can just about make out Point and Cellar Head. Once back towards the village, I run into barbed-wire fencing. Trying to circumvent those by going down to Traigh Ghioradail is no option, as I'd have to jump down 10 metres to get on that beach. Find a gate and sop back into Tolsta proper. Still loads of time before the bus goes back at 4, so go back down to Traigh Mhor via the cemetery. It's an absolute mess outside the perimeter fence, rubbish flying around, cards from graves and a broken headstone. The busshelter shakes in the force 6 to 7 wind, and the bus is a minute or two late, but finally brings me back into town at 4.40. The royal wedding went off without a hitch, but the bride was nearly sick with nerves. Probably due to the negative publicity and the icy treatment from HM.