20-Sep-2014 Holy Island (Off Arran)

Saturday 20^th September - Island 22 of our 100 Island adventure

Our wedding anniversary and it was cycling up the steep hill again out of Brodick towards Lamlash after a lovely breakfast. We were taking the boat to Holy Isle at £12 return each. It was a grey day and probably raining on the mainland. There was to be a charity swim across the 1½ mile stretch of water to the island. As we reached shore on the very small boat with just 4 of us passengers, it became windy and a lady from the retreat on the island was there to welcome us and tell us a bit about Holy Isle. The island belongs to Samge Ling Buddhist community, originating from Tibet.

 There was a group of horses (from Eriskay) on the grass below the retreat (out of bounds today) and we were asked not to interact with them as they roam and forage wild. They seem healthy enough living on the grass and bracken, several with foals.

Next came the Saanen goats. We were told we would smell them before seeing them but the wind blew in the wrong direction. They had fantastic horns, especially the larger males. They were eating seaweed- maybe dry bladder-wrack. All along the shore was a straight band of red seaweed marking the high tide line.

 We visited the 6^th century cave of St. Molaise, shallow, paved and open to the elements despite being in a sheltered spot but with a good view to sea. Runes can be seen on the ceiling, the legacy of a visiting Viking ship.

 There was a reputedly healing spring and Bob was brave enough to try it. I was a bit wary of it because of the animal thoroughfare. He said it was OK though. We stepped over many large manure heaps on our way round to the lighthouse!

 The rock paintings were a surprise. They were engraved in beautiful colours with intricate patterns depicting figures from Buddhism like White Tar and Green Tara which were painted in 1999! People had left shells, tiny gems and bits of driftwood as votives before the paintings.

 The path was well kept between the bracken and the sun came out giving us clear sea views. As we passed round the island after the 1^st lighthouse( Inner)and cottages of the closed women’s retreat we went by some pods where the “monks “live. They were built into the side of the hill with glass fronts. One dressed in maroon working outside her pod waved to us.

The lighthouse keeper on his monthly inspection of the lighthouse lights caught us up on the path. We sat on a concrete bunker watching him at the one at Pillar Rock soaking up the brilliant sun and eating our lunch from Brodick’s bakery.

 
Soay sheep roam the island, horned and brown and they were by the beach on the way back. We narrowly missed treading on huge hairy caterpillars. Gannets were diving for fish constantly. We watched a kestrel hunting.

 There were few people around when we arrived but more had arrived. At the boathouse comfortably furnished with round tables made from electric cable wheels, we had a cup of tea paid for by donation. A visitor staying at the centre sat practising his guitar then started to sing some plaintive songs.

 The boat took us back to Lamlash along with the Lighthouse keeper who seemed to cover the miles really quickly.

 

 

It was hard riding up out of Lamlash and the traffic was very busy for Arran. A mountain bike track off road looked very attractive so we took it. We needed to push the tandem up the rough track quite a way but then we were able to ride- some up some down until we reached the top at a car park and there rejoined the road to arrive shortly after a steep descent into Brodick.

We sat on a bench hoping to see otters with the mainland clearly visible 15 miles away, especially the wind turbines near Glasgow.

We enjoyed a meal at Fiddlers. I had chicken stuffed with haggis and no prizes for guessing what Bob had. Despite there not being vegetable son the menu they provided me with plenty when I asked. We liked the ambience of the place or was it the bottle of wine we had with our dinner! We left before the live music though we would have liked to listen. We were scouring the shore for otters again.

Here is a link to Bob's Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRRypgjnboY