We left Scotland for home, travelling via the Lake District
so we could visit Piel Island from Roa Island off Barrow-in –Furness. It was
late in the afternoon 3.15 but we thought there might be a boat today. The sea
was a lovely blue where it was charcoal and choppy the last time we considered
going across. Several people milled around but they were mostly taking in the
sun except for three people from the Council who were going over “ for 10
minutes” according to them. They came with us in the little outboard motor boat
that was licensed for 12 people. The sea was calm as a mill pond and it took
between 5 and 10 minutes. Both jetties were very slippery and with a few holes-
stilettos beware! We reckoned we had
only 20 minutes as the boat man wanted to finish at 4 though he did say we had
about an hour. We just thought he couldn’t do the maths.
Piel is small but with a terrace of grey houses, a pub, animal
enclosures holding pigs and hens,
a castle ruin and a duck pond. It was lovely, quite a sun
trap. People we met in the pub garden often took their boat by way of Piel.
They had just sailed from the Isle of Man and said the last time they came they
couldn’t moor the boat at the island, the storm kept them at bay for 3 days and
the lady was black and blue from the rolling of the sea.
There was no sign of tadpoles in the pond but it was clean
with some birdlife. The 14th century castle, owned by English
Heritage, is mostly just a massive keep which seemed to be barricaded up. Outer
building ruins and walls were there to walk round and the grass is kept short
by somebody. The walls have been repaired in places with pink sandstone.
Below us on the shingle beach a family were paddling and
collecting shells in buckets. Most people were sitting at tables in the pub
garden. At 4pm the little boat came and went with its allotted 12 people and
there were still nearly that number left on the island. The Council people were
still drinking tea (we had beers) -so much for their 10 minutes! Well the ferryman
couldn’t leave the important people could he? Though later he said, “He would!”
So we had an extra 20 minutes and got a glimpse of Piel’s King-the pub landlord
out and about the island.
The tradition of crowning the landlord of the Ship Inn is
thought to be a mocking 19th century reference to the attempt of
putting 10 year old Lambert Simnel on the throne in1487 which ended in a
crushing defeat. Each new landlord is sat on a wooden throne wearing a helmet
and brandishing a sword. After dousing him in alcohol he is proclaimed king and
has the power to make knights and baronesses of Piel of anyone who does a
service for the islanders ( 4, I believe) The pub has regulars from further
afield – kayakers and boat crews. There are cars on the island and we did see
one waiting for the tide to cross but this worried the council workers some and
it could be an expensive trip if they get stuck in the sand. Presumably the
locals know the safest route.
Our ferry dutifully came back for us stragglers. He said he
always says he is finishing earlier than he actually does- usually an hour
after stipulated- an easy going jolly fellow. The American’s with us were
excited by the eider ducks. There are many on this bit of coastline. So back at
the car by 5 we continued on our journey home, satisfied that although they
were small we had completed another 3 islands.
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