Colonsay

Wednesday 8^th June, after a night in a lovely Band B on Oban’s esplanade, we left on the 3.30 ferry for Colonsay. Fog horns on the incoming ferries had woken us several times in the night and they sail really close to the house as they come alongside Kerrara to the port. We couldn’t see Kerrara or out to sea when we looked out in the morning but the fog slowly burnt off through the day with sun over Oban at least. We visited Oban’s museum and had a big meal for a late lunch in case there wasn’t any food on the 2½ hour trip to the island.

This morning we had spent a while watching a crazy canoeist in the fog, paddling down the ferry lanes. He would have been invisible to a large boat! Then here he is complete with numerous bags, wet suits drying off, canoe and paddles waiting beside us to be let on to the ferry to Colonsay, which would later arrive on Islay, his destination. I wondered how he would manage. In the end I carried some bags, he pushed his canoe on a trolley affair and then some Calmac employees joined the entourage. Bob pushed our tandem. We were glad that he was safe. He was going to canoe to a bothy on Islay but it will be quite late then. It doesn’t seem to get dark for long if at all here though.

Some ferries had been cancelled and it was still foggy at sea with more drones of the fog horn. It would have been nice to dolphin watch! The boat travels at 16 miles per hour according to the sat. nav. in Bob’s pocket. It is a lot cheaper to travel without the car- just £14 each return and the tandem went free.

We sit on deck for a bit watching the misty mountainous scenery of the islands, passing by the northern end of Kerrara where the monument to David Hutcheson, a founder member of Caledonian MacBrayne ferries, dominates. No boat services go here from Oban pier as they used to.

It was out into the Firth of Lorn and past Mull until the sea just around us was all that we could see, the visibility was so poor.

 

We arrived at Scalasaig around 6 o clock to blue skies and sun surprisingly. A welcome pack was exchanged for our boarding passes and we set off up a steep hill. At the top Bob realised we’d missed a right turn by the ferry because cars waiting to board had been queuing here obscuring the road. There weren’t many but enough. Every time a car drew near we moved to one side, as the roads ( with surfaces better than our local ones I might add) were only a car width. The island had plenty of cyclists going and coming.

 

The views were superb. Later mysterious mists swirled over a lake and there were long spells without habitation. Past Colonsay House, visited the day of departure and abundant fuchsia covered in buzzing bees, we came to Kiloran Bay with its beautiful white sandy cove. In Gaelic this means cave of the grave dust. Although the sun was still shining, mists were creeping across the beach towards us.

 

Our next written direction for the B and B was to pass the bins- no mention of the fantastic beach below! This was followed by some steep hairpin bends which we walked! There was a collection of a few houses then further round was our B and B that was enveloped in mist. Our host, Roger, said it had been like this all day and he was unaware that the sun shone less than a mile away!

There was a guest’s sitting room which made it a sociable place. As we sat chatting with a nice couple from Orkney, who wanted to see how other islanders “did it”, a baby thrush fell in front of the window then tried to get through the glass. There were many thrushes about but the most exciting bird was the corncrake. Maybe we were less enchanted when it called repeatedly through the night from the rough meadowland bordering the garden. We tried unsuccessfully to see one whenever we heard its “crux crux” call. There are no animal predators here like foxes, stoats, weasels but rabbits seemed to be considered a pest. They were introduced few hundred years ago for fresh meat for the islanders.

 

 

The purple orchid was all over the garden. Colonsay is rich in plant life -500 species of flora!

We hadn’t seen much of the B and B’s location because of the mist but in the morning sun shone on spectacular sea views from our window. Another bird we heard was the clocklike sound of the snipe.

After a hearty breakfast we set off on the only road going the other way round from the route last night which meant going straight on instead of forking left near Colonsay House. Buzzards were hunting as we went by another lake with cotton grass islands. We found a small museum in a little wooden building with 2 rooms. One side seemed to concentrate on war history while the other contained rock examples and was more on the area’s geology. The island’s school had designed a geological treasure hunt using photos of rock formations to find. The children had made their own illustrations and written how different rocks were formed and I thought it worth adding to the coin collection on the table.

 

We went down into Scalasaig( the hill we went up by mistake on leaving the ferry) and visited the Post Office where they will confirm the tide times for you for visiting the tidal island of Orinsay. We reckoned we could cross just after 1pm. We ate lunch at the Pantry, just left from the ferry. Their supplies hadn’t come in so we didn’t have too much choice. It seemed expensive but they were nice people who have gone to great lengths to make disabled people comfortable – the toilet had a soft back to lean against! They sold touristy things and we succumbed to a Colonsay tea towel. They sell local honey which I am told is fantastic but it costs £11 a jar and it probably wouldn’t travel that well with us!

After booking a table at the Colonsay Hotel for dinner we set off back until we could see the hill fort, Dun Eibhinn on our right. This was a royal residence in the 11^th century and a seat of Viking power.

Clan Macfie had possession of it in the 13^th century. In 1623 after the chef of the clan was killed it was abandoned to become a ruin. It is a fine landmark and not far from here we made a left turn towards the causeway for Oronsay. It was up a fair way and the road wound round for about 3 mile.

It wasn’t clear where the island actually began from the land masses round us but the instructions were to follow the tracks across the sand. Oronsay warrants a blog to itself….

 

 

 

 

 

We were tired after the expedition and made our way back to Scalasaig for our meal. The cuckoo on the telephone wire sounded like it was mocking us as we took the hill back to the “main” road.

As we had booked our table we assumed that our place would be at one marked reserved. This was not the case as we were moved from our original choice by a zealous waitress from somewhere East of Germany. Our next choice wasn’t right either which was becoming quite irritating especially as we were the only ones there. Then the couple from our B and B came in and they also sat at our first choice of table and were moved like us. For the whole of our meal there were only 3 couples there! Admittedly we ate early. Anyway the food was good and promptly served- haddock chips and peas and I had a lovely crème brulee rhubarb and shortcake for my sweet but I felt guilty as Bob didn’t want the goats cheese cheeseboard (only thing sugarless). He did enjoy the Colonsay IPA beer though which is made just up the road. They have a shop at the Brewery but visitors aren’t able to go round it.

We arrived back about 8pm after going the less hilly long way round. All the guests were watching Spring Watch companionably.

The corncrake made some noise for a short while which encouraged us to keep the window closed- it was hot!

Friday morning started grey with mists starting to form. Roger was closing his B and B for a week and he was travelling to Glasgow after leaving on the same ferry as us and the couple from Troon. He offered to take our bags but you never know when you might need something and the tools weighed the most!

We set off North hoping to see something of the golden eagle and its chick. We had to go through several farm gates and cattle with calves were milling round so we didn’t linger being able to ride the first part of the route. The track goes across the dunes beside Kiloran Bay. Bob pushed the bike through thick sand for about 1½ miles. At the 2^nd gate we left the bike attached to the fence post- though so unnecessary.

The view of the Bay was lovely. We were then walking between rocks split by weathering. Looking up I saw a goat with what looked like heather hanging from its mouth. There are 40 wild goats on the island thought to have descended from those left from shipwrecks of the Spanish Armada. They looked very large one was sandy with brown and white while another spotted nearby had a black head. We had a staring stand off and the goat won. On the way back we saw others with kids on a rocky outcrop.

Despite not seeing the eagle we thought it worth the excursion but it should be walked!

Our next destination was Colonsay House which has a lovely small tea room with freshly made cakes and soups with homemade bread which we had to experience. It was the best food on the island especially the rhubarb, almond and elderflower gateau. We saw several people we have met at other places on the island and the other couples from the B and B both arrived so there was another sociable hour spent. The gardens open on Thursdays at 12. It cost £2.50 to explore them. The house was built in 1722 by Malcolm MacNeil but it is partly converted to holiday flats. We met a lady staying there while crossing to Oronsay who said she still had to pay to visit the garden even though her bedroom overlooked it. We only had a good impression of the place which felt relaxed to us. Many of the trees were very old and bewhiskered with lichen. The old fashioned roses smelt wonderful and the whole setting seems romantically planted rather than formal. We found the carved stone depicted in the museum) with a monk carved one side while the other side is phallic which demonstrates how people kept faith with Christianity and the pagan-hedging their bets!

 

 

We met another couple “doing” islands, mostly Scottish, who came from W.Yorkshire. There are very limited things to do on the island so having places to chat with other folk is important.

We came back to the port at 4pm, walking on the hills. Mist was over the reservoir again.

Then the rain came so we had a pint or 2 in the hotel. They are very good at making everyone welcome. Where else could you sit playing cards on really comfy leather settees with a drink for hours- they even lent us the cards! It is a smart hotel and we are in cycling gear.

 The ferry doesn’t leave till 7 so we won’t be back at the B and B in Oban till nearly 10. Luckily we were trusted with our room key which means we don’t have to disturb anyone and we will have a seaview room too.

 We taught the couple from Toon cribbage after buying a packet of cards- to help the time go faster and to keep 2 of us from thinking about the motion of the boat as I had lost my wrist bands and the other lady is more travel sick than me. As it was, the crossing was as flat as a pancake with the fog horn going off periodically again.

It had been a good trip!