Blog — PeterCobley.com
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Oban: day and night

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Sat in the Hostel at Oban, which if you’ve never stayed here is more like a hotel, and situated along the esplanade giving a pictures view of the curving harbour, and out to sea in the other direction taking in Lismore, Kerrera, and Mull.

I landed Thursday on a morning ferry to good weather, if but fresh, that has continued. My photo, heading into Oban Thursday night but looking out to the islands, was spectacular with an orange sunset atop the silhouetted islands.

I’ll soon pick up a scribble book for some planning whilst it is quiet here; mind you Gorillaz is playing on the radio. But I can put up with some background elevator noise.

Claire is home in Tobermory and I miss her, but it’s okay because I have a feeling I’ll be heading over on Monday or Tuesday.

It’s a special place here. I’m kinda a tourist but feel much more embedded as part of the landscape, more so than I’ve ever felt as an adult. I feel I blend in and do my business in Oban, hopefully not being mistaken as a tourist. And on the island of Mull I feel local, having an interest in things, and being settled. It’s a nice feeling. It is one of peace.

The sheer distance from all of England and the fact we are on an island gives us (Claire and I) a separation from Mossley, Macclesfield and other unlike any other I have felt, whether London, Lancaster, or any other location I’ve lived in. It’s a good feeling to have, a sense of belonging and being part of somewhere.

(And with someone you dearly love.)

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A room with a view (and beyond.)

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I sit here at a desk looking out across Tobermory toward the Ardnamurchan peninsular and the rugged height of Ben Hiant that dominates the background. Recent days have seen land and seascapes that have abounded with colour, warm orange to cold grey, and have inspired me to turn of the music, to instead listen to and see all about me. I am lucky to live within such a beautiful place, both the island and mainland.

We have been lucky to have a snap in the weather after a series of gales and storms, some with names, others unnamed. All of which shouted the house down atop the cliff overlooking Tobermory’s bay. But we survived with no more than a few more twigs and small branches in the garden, the trees clearly over the years having previously shed major limbs or succumbed and fallen over. I have a suspicion that where we now live is prone to wind and an expected occurrence on Mull, and I like it, the rough and raw sound is soothing to me and world’s apart from inner city noise that I was previously subject to.

I rejoin this post and it is now Thursday and I head over to Oban on the MV Isle of Arran for some business and to register with an NHS dentist! Claire’s joining me afterwards from school and staying over.

So something to look forward to.

I feel so lucky to be living her and for Claire to have made that first step for the both of us. I’ve only been here roughly 5 months and already I feel a part of the island and community. I still have roots back in Macclesfield and Manchester, and for that matter the north of England.

Claire - Oban Thursday 13th March

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Oh, the grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men..... Ben More

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Saturday 1st March saw the A-Team head up, in unexpectedly lovely weather, Ben More, followed by a dip in the sea at Calgary Bay. Both were great. One was friggin freezing and it was not the one that involved a 961 meter high Munro.

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

When they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only halfway up,
They were neither up nor down.[2]

Courtesy of Wikipedia

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Deery me... it's the cheeky deer of Tobermory

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The battle is ongoing and a war of attrition, and one of ritual. Namely me keeping an eye out for the deer that think they own the garden and that it is fair game to scoff the bird seed from the feeders I put out, and have to take in at night!

The four legged monkeys even have the audacity and bravery to strut their stuff in the garden, when The Boss if off to work teaching!

The making of a lovely day in Mull

It is a little “pert” in terms of temperature but it looks as though it will be a cracker of a day in terms of views, colours, sounds. I can already here the small birds chirping away in the garden and watch the Blue Tit pair raiding the feeders before the Chaffinches get out of bed. It is something just to watch to take you mind off all, and to remember that life is simple, and we people complicate it.

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Cobley in an Isle of Mull winter

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Well, it is changeable weather here on Mull with rain, extreme wind, interspersed with rain squalls or downpours. For some grim, for me exciting, dark and brooding, and it makes me really feel alive to be in the centre of it all. So I can safely say with us coming into March that I have not only survived my first Mull winter, but have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Calgary Beach

But is has not all been harsh weather over January and February, there has in fact been some stunning days which allowed for swimming on Calgary Beach, and a snow clad climb up to the summit of Ben Cruachan - more on these below.

10th February - Calgary Beach

The 10th saw Claire in the water at Calgary, which can be found on the west side of the northern part of the Isle of Mull. It’s a fantastic location and out of season only sees locals dog walking, swimming, or running the adjacent peninsulas.

It is a wide crescent shaped beach sheltered from the open waters of the Irish Sea, sandy bottomed, with no real currents, and gently sloping. It’s a fine place in which to outdoor swim and practice it. A short grassy walk from the car park. You can also surf but suspect that being more the case when the weather wild.

Climbing Ben Cruachan with its peak in snow - 12th February

Two days later on the way to Killin and Hamilton we stopped near Lochawe, parking up on the Pass of Brander near the Cruachan hydro electric plant and right by the Falls of Cruachan train station where access to Cruachan starts.

Beneath the railway line at the Falls of Cruachan station

We set off through forest clinging to the very steep hillsides of Loch Awe to then reach the access road for the Cruachan dam that feeds the hydro electric plant.

From the dam it’s a sharp left up a river gully to take you to a col beneath the summit. It started with grassland which then became covered with wintery snow and ice which we worked our way up carefully, not armed with crampons or ice axes.

The snow section to the Col was hard going and yet not cold and without wind, with our eventually reaching the col (Bealach an Lochaline) about two and a quarter hours into the walk.

Bealach an Lochain

From the col/bealach it’s a steep climb up a rocky scree ladden route to the summit, except in this case the first couple of hundred metres could be seen, the rest hidden in deep snow, some of which scoured by wind into a smooth treacherous surface. On this stretch the steep wind would hit us from the west edge of the ridge at a brutish rate forcing us to keep away from the edge for safety.

The weather report had the ambient temperature at minus four degrees centigrade, and a wind chill of minus fourteen. And that we felt was correct. We ran the risk of being knocked over and becoming dangerously cold, and dealt with this via proper gear, gloves, a hat, and a balaclava. It was tough going indeed on the snow on what is a steep climb. Despite the gear we did have a spell of cold fingers due to the wind chill.

It was worth the effort for the view of the surrounding landscape and ridges, and it was quiet, stunningly quiet with no wind on the summit.

At Ben Cruachan summit with Loch Awe behind

Looking from the summit across the ridge linking Ben Cruachan to Stob Daimh

Cruachan Reservoir and Loch Awe

We had the Munro all to ourselves having only seen two Drax workers in a vehicle atop the dam. It was magical just Claire and I together.

Heading down from the summit back to the col was going to be tricky as we needed to navigate a deep snow covered rocky ridge with a strong wind and our weight behind us in our rucksacks. The snow was smooth in places from the wind and dangerous to walk on, so we made use of Claire’s walking poles which were vital for testing snow and carrying our weight where we had to step down from rocks.

It was slow and arduous but worthwhile for the views. On making it safely down to the col, we could then start the snow covered grassland part of the climb running alongside the river in the clough (Coire Dearg) back down to the reservoir track.

We had to be careful due to the ice which had formed on the path, which was also obscured by snow in a number of places. It was safer to keep off the path and walk on the snow covered grassland even if it was not the most direct route. It took a short while before we reached the path out of the snow and enjoyed the easier walking alongside the river.

From the track we retraced our steps back to the train station with the walk taking 6 hours in all. The route we took down after the dam followed the official path, whereas we’d taken a non-official route when climbing up to the track and dam. It was tough going due to heavy erosion, probably man made and natural and involved clambering down a number of stepped drops through a forest, hanging off and using trees.

Despite this final effort we were not too tired as we took our gear off and began the drive to Killin.

Feeding a very inquisitive and hungry Robin Red Breast by the parked campervan

Western Isles Hotel in Tobermory

Earlier today I warmed myself against a wood fire at a Banjo Beale designed room whilst I played pool, sipped coffee, and watched Calum and Claire play pool and darts.

Yes, that’s me, in my new Adidas three stripe shirt.

And boy am I living and loving living in Mull; a far cry from Tameside and my working in Manchester.

And it’s the same for Claire.

First game of pool saw me beat Calum, then Calum beat Claire, followed by a darts match where Claire beat Calum. (No animals or people or children were injured in the proceedings.)

We then walked home greeted by one of those Tobermory sunsets.

Some Scottish photos - where do you want to be?

It is a delight to be able to post these photos, some of which are breath taking. I am enjoying island life on Mull with regular visits to Oban and elsewhere on the mainland. Claire loves her school and is very happy.

I do miss the good people who were in my life back in England and I keep in touch with a number of them.

I don’t miss those people who only think of number one and occupy the societal group of individuals that are both morally bankrupt, and in less salutary language would not even piss on you if you were on fire. So to these I extend my arm, then bring it back to place my thumb on my nose, to then wiggle my fingers rapidly. I really don’t miss you, and if anything pity you.

I am in fact a castle against you marauders - people who only seek to break into another’s mental, emotional, and spiritual sanctity; ransacking and making off with their ill gotten gains, whether money or ego. In my opinion people who do not give back to life but instead only service their selves and ego. People who think they are nice, but are not (see Brigden, Ulwin-Bishop, Sarjant, Burke, Jones, Hutchinson etc. etc. etc. They are all the same.)

So were do you want to be? I know where I am.

Blowing a Hooley as they say in Scotland (Tobermory)

I can safely say from the safety of my lounge that Storm Eowyn is battering Tobermory, yet I am singularly amazed that our garden’s small birds are in flight and feeding off the seeds I left out, including hanging off a swinging bird feeder that lurches about like a deranged pendulum. Blue Tits and Chaffinches, nothing bigger apart from Seagulls soaring above.

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Friday 17th January and found us

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Morning people. It’s is Friday 17th January 2025. I’ve a day off! Whoop whoop. Later on catching up with Claire for a coffee after she finishes teaching at the wonderful Western Isles Hotel.

Today I am going to attack personal resentments (actually business as well) that I still harbour. I intend putting pen to paper, fingers to keyboard and so remove them from me. I find that writing and typing such things out takes the power out of them. You see them in front of you, minuscule, unimportant, pointless.

I’ll also do a bit of work on my business website, www.foundus.co.uk, and lovingly write some interesting copy, even if it is only for me. At the moment I am on the hunt for consulting business and search and selection briefs.

But I am now up in Scotland in Tobermory, and have not chased or been in touch with people. And unfortunately the ad’ game likes to have egos massaged, and is notorious at not contacting suppliers like myself, and soon forgetting them to look at the new shiny thing (in this case fecking AI) that they think a) a customer needs, b) can charge for, c) or wax lyrical over, consuming reams of editorial on how it’s to be the next big thing to save the world. Yawn…. And it’s all BS and blah, blah, blah.

People are only really interested in attention being focused on them as they position self as an advertising expert, and in current climes AI. It’s all BS to be frank and the driving of Ego. Rant over.

You don’t need an ad agency to sell you what you don’t need.

Ad agencies in the UK are a waste of space in my opinion for the most part.

A pretty bold statement but one I believe more fully in as I’ve grown older. But like all statements has flaws.

A reputation for charging and piss poor service or Groundhog Day schedules does not endear many to ad’ agencies, and please do avoid them. They damage the institution of advertising and those agencies that do a bloody good job of strategising, implementing, and delivering on a company’s marketing, and quite rightly charge their rate.

And we too can be piss poor and live Groundhog Days.

Like the repetitive agency not taking risk and reinventing the marketing schedule, we can be creatures of habit or dangerous repetition. Dull, staid, and acting out the same narrative. But what we can do is launch a new marketing plan for ourselves as in one sense we are all like a limited company, maybe even a plc. We can at any moment change our marketing narrative to both ourself and world.

We can market of how we live in the moment, that the past is gone, tomorrow yet to come; and in focusing on the now our full attention is devoted to living life and enjoying each moment, not obscuring the next moment.

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha

Footnote

Avoid all the bollocks that is the newsfeed on LinkedIn. You are better than that, as is your business. Time spent on you and your business will attract customers and like minded people; not ego centric posts whose motives are questionable.

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The found us office view - Thursday 16th January 2025

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A panoramic view from the found us office over Tobermory and the Sound of Mull.

Today is a splendid day for found us. Glorious morning up until 1pm whereupon I catch a lift to Craignuire to meet up with some fellow islanders. Back for a nice dinner this evening.

I have decided to blog on petercobley.com and not foundus.co.uk, but talk about found us, my 10+ year consulting business in advertising, marketing, and media.

What the scores on the doors, found us?

Well the business is 10 years old since inception on 28th February 2014. I am now 53 and back then was 43. A lot indeed a lot has happened to me, the business, life, the world.

Me

As mentioned I am now older, more experienced, wiser (Claire my wife may disagree vehemently), and have over ten years of running a solo business through economic malaise, COVID, world disorder, and anarchy, a move to Tobermory, Isle of Mull from Saddleworth, and last but not least an advertising industry that was over staffed and bloated and needs consolidation.

If I am also honest, and I need to be, those ten years were plagued with deteriorating mental health due to progressive addiction to alcohol, my OCD, and childhood trauma that finally was brought to bear and dealt with.

So I am right royally pleased with myself for having survived when the odds were certainly stacked against me, of my almost losing myself, and of having to bear cruel judgement by others of my addiction and being ill from it.

But, and we don’t always see past out strife to and beyond the but’s, I have a peace and serenity I’ve never had, and a clear view of the seabed floor like a swim off Mull, where I can see all shapes and things in real time. And my being able to see, listen, and experience the moment, not the past or future, is a true gift. I can dip my head under the surf and waves of life to see my gentle and clear waters beneath, and it is my choice to choose where I look. My view is no longer opaque with my life’s turbulence sullying the water.

Life and the World

There has been a lot happening over the last ten years of business and I oft wonder that if I’d had a crystal ball whether I’d have embarked on starting a business. That said the decline my business has seen is self inflicted. But I’ve also been subject to some bad players I suspect, a downturn in the market over which I have no control, and the simple fact of running an advertising business whereby if you don’t speak to people you get forgotten about, with advertising adhering sadly to the old adage of he who shouts loudest gets heard.

Yet I am always a big believer that in adversity one can see great opportunities in which to prosper (and this does not purely mean money) and in this present moment as I type in the office I am blessed with having come to the end of a long period of upheaval and shittiness, and can now embrace the what next, the fun and challenge of change, being able to re-launch and enhance (not re-invent) what I am and what found us is. I also have the beauty of choice honed by experience so allowing me to not to have to work with advertising arseholes. And believe you and I they are plenty apiece.

So, please don’t forget my little but perfectly formed found us which can offer some absolutely (excuse superlative) honest hard graft to help you grow you business and people. I love it, love working with nice people and companies, and live life with renewed vigour and calmness, of which someone out there, a business out, there will benefit from.

Say hello to founds us. And have a marvellous Thursday.

Looking South from the found us office.

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Tobermory, Craignuire, Oban in a day

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A photo this afternoon of the Calmac Craignuire ferry terminus.

A productive and good day today, which involved catching up with AA chums on a morning meditation Zoom, followed by a face to face/Zoom in Craignuire with Carol, and now typing as I head back on the MV Loch Frisha from Oban to Craignuire. A 35 minute drive to Tobermory, and should be back home before 11pm.

A long day but well worth meeting a team, a group, a tribe of honest, decent people, striving to live good giving selfless lives.

Arriving in Oban on the MV Loch Frisha.

A quiet cabin on the MV Loch Frisha as she heads to Craignuire, Isle of Mull at 21.39.

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Western Isles Hotel - Tobermory, Isle of Mull

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Yesterday saw a mirror being installed at Indigo’s house in Tob, 10 minutes walk from our pad, followed by some shopping and then a sojourn to the Western Isles Hotel overlooking Tobermory, for a male 50 something bitch and stich talk session, whereupon the world was put to rights.

Hippy mirror

I’d highly recommend the Western Isles Hotel as a delightful place blending modern with old in its various rooms. With great food its glass covered restaurant commands a stunning view over Tobermory and its bay, whilst I’ve never had a bad meal there.

Tobermory and Mull, to me, always looks stunning no matter the weather and the decision by my wife Claire to take the teacher’s role at the High School ground breaking.

Friends, family, and nice folk (no riff raff) come visit Claire and I in our humble but beautiful abode, atop a hill, with sea views to boot! (Oh, and no members of the Saddleworth Runners Club, the ever so bigoted and un-inclusive fell running Club.)

A Wonderful Photographic Week on Mull

Nothing really to report as such, except that it has been a wonderful week experiencing Mull. Whether it was the loss and search for an iPhone, deer eating the seeds from the bird feeder, or a bracing icy Loch Ba walk, or lunchtime on Friday in the sun of Tobermory’s Main Street.

So thought to do a photo bomb as such on the blog. Enjoy…. Friends are welcome to visit us, we have a nice spare room; and as Basil Fawlty would say, “no riff raff.”

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Captain's Log - Lost Phaser, Tobermory Golf Course (no dogging)

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If anyone had cast their eye Friday night across the expanse of Tobermory Golf Course they may have thought something was up, as a pair of head torches bobbed about on the course and in the wilderness surrounding it.

Dogging people may have cried aloud, or that the local deer have been on a shopping spree at Brown’s, the local general store, for head torches.

In fact it was Captain Cobley with crewmate Claire Cobley looking for a misplaced phaser (iPhone) that fell out of a running bum bag earlier that evening. Said phaser was recovered (eventually…)

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Tobermory crime scene

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This week saw a band of ruthless criminals invade Ardshona South’s gardens and carry out a heist, depriving the small birds of Tobermory of their breakfast, nay sustenance in times of winter famine.

After Peter Cobley laboured hard in icy weather and danger to install a three tier seed feeder for his small fluffy friends, he became concerned at a noticeable run on the seed he bought, and the discovery of perches on the ground that should have remained in the feeder. He was perplexed.

But all became apparent one winter morning when he observed local deer around 9am acting as a “smash and grab” team. The cheeky so and so’s.

The bird feeder now has to be retired at night.

(All said and done, he is worried as to the deer since they must be staving heading into Tobermory at that time and eating bird seed in a feeder a good 6/8 foot up a tree.)

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Loch Ba walk

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Desperate to get out of the house and enjoy the scenery here on Mull, we drove Minty to Knock near Ben More, parked up at Knock Farm and began a walk on the south west of the Loch - 2 miles out and 2 miles back in windy, icy, and cold conditions.

But what a walk! Bracing yes, but the views and atmosphere of being alone in the wild weather wonderful.

It turned out to be a nice 4 mile walk with great views and chatting. After the walk we drove alongside Loch Na Keal toward the “Burg” (Ardmeanach) with the intention of having lunch. But the wind was that wild and rotary that two doors of the campervan were snatched out of my hands; so we enjoyed the views and then drove home to Tobermory for lunch.

Full photos can be seen on Flickr.

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When suffering from serenity.

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And that is what I am suffering from, and boy am I happy to be in such a state. This is a culmination of really working on myself, help from others, and some quality reading. And lastly living on a beautiful island in the Inner Hebrides, which has made such an impact to my mental well being.

Crater Loch as known locally (which is not actually a crater and is instead a glacial feature.)

I now enter my 12th week of living full time on the Isle of Mull in Tobermory and that’s not a great deal of time when I think about it. Roughly two and a half months. And what a good two and a half months, with each day getting better and better. And what is better?

Better is a sense of peace, where I don’t miss the rush, the litter, the depravation, the claustrophobia, and behaviour of people in Tameside and Dukinfield where I last lived after we sold the house in Mossley. I don’t wish to slag off or critise Tameside, but the district of Manchester is a result of its governance and people.

It’s Council is Labour, and from my own experience is too long in power, untouchable, and pooly run with a number of Councillors riding a gravy train.

It’s residents seem for the most part not to have an interest in where they live, or the people around them. A crying shame for those that do care.

It is said that one should not do a geographical to escape unhappiness as you only take your head with you, but in some cases that is not the case and I can safely say the move out of all of the sh*t in both Mossley and Dukinfield was the most inspired and correct thing to do.

But it all comes down to change and the adage, “nothing changes, if nothing changes”. Embrace change as this is what I did. Is it frightening? Yes. Is it unpredicatable? Yes Can it go wrong? Yes.

My advice is do something of change that you have dreamed of, but never had the courage to carry out. Take that leap of faith.

Looking out over the sea toward Rum and Eigg.