Once more we drove round the island. 5 of us (myself,
Shuttle-Bored, QF Hammer, ajamieson and
Brian_1) were booked into the
Castlebay Hotel in three rooms - but that was what we’d had between us at the Isle of Barra, so not a huge problem.
The hotel was pretty much in the middle of Castlebay, the urban metropolis of Barra, set up on the hill overlooking the village, and of course Castlebay itself. The castle in Castlebay is the historic home of the MacNeill family. It was one of those solid Victorian type hotels, and the staff welcomed us with open arms. After the 1970’s splendour of the Isle of Barra, the Castlebay seemed like the Four Seasons by comparison – the warm cosy splendour of the décor of the lobby set the tone for the remainder of the hotel. And the showers were not of a variable temperature which either scalded or froze one, and I managed to have my first shower which did not involve screaming since I’d landed on the island!
We checked out the menu at the Castlebay, and it seemed a little more adventurous than at the Isle of Barra – they served Greek Salads (complete with feta cheese!) for example. Heeding the pleas from some of the inhabitants, err, residents of the Isle of Barra, we agreed to a few of them joining us for dinner. The meal may be a bit more expensive, but it also looked a better menu (a bargain £30 a head for two courses and drinkies
). Having arranged this, and that
Shuttle-Bored would go to pick them up, we had a few drinkies and then retired to get ready for dinner.
Shuttle-Bored tootled off at the appointed hour, and we met up for drinkies, whereupon we managed to bemuse the barmaid by ordering long vodkas… queue a search for Angostura bitters! But they were found, and long vodka is very nice drink…
Shortly after the IOBers arrived, after an apparently hairy "six in a five seat car" journey
. Our party had been relegated to an out of the way corner, but that was probably to the best, and did keep us out of the OTT dining room. The menu was very nice, and the food excellent. Personally, I can recommend the home-made chips! But there was a great selection of local sea food on the menu, and everyone enjoyed the meal.
Following dinner we retired to a very pleasant private drawing room/conservatory, replete with big, comfy leather sofas. Rather more alcohol was consumed and the world put to rights - even if the room arrangement did perhaps seem set out ready for a seance....
But it had been a long weekend, and sooner rather than later, the group was ready for bed.
Spotwelder took the car back to the hotel with instructions to bring it back the next morning for airport runs and the Castlebay group had <ahem> several more drinkies before retiring to bed… with only a few strange noises coming from one of the bedrooms!
