This is where Gran and Gordo (Lily's grandparents) live. At the front of their house is Loch Gilp and at the back of their garden is the Crinan Canal. The Crinan Canal goes right across the Mull of Kintyre from Ardrishaig (where Gran and Gordo live) to Crinan.
The Canal was built over 200 years ago to save the Clyde Puffers, which carried supplies around the west coast and the islands, from taking the long trip around the Kintyre peninsular. The VIC 32 in the picture is one of the last Clyde Puffers and is moored in the Crinan basin. Crinan is a very pretty village and I enjoyed the little trip there. Gran showed me the sea lock where the boats can go from the canal to the open sea.
This animation shows how locks help the boat to rise up and go down to different levels of water.
Even though the Puffers aren't used anymore there is still a lot of traffic on the canal. Nowadays it is mostly yachts with people taking holidays sailing around the islands. I like to wave to all the boats as they pass by Gran and Gordo's garden gate.
Paul McCartney wrote a song about the Mull of Kintyre, maybe some of the older people you know (like your grandparents) might know this song.
We forgot to take any pictures of me with both Gran and Gordo, so here is an old one of them with Lily.
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