Two
Islands in the Trossachs
On Thursday 26th October we drove to Dumbarton
where we would stay 2 nights. We decided that Autumn, just before the boats
stop running, might be a good time to visit Loch Lomond and its islands. We
wanted to do the short trip in the old wooden post boat that leaves from Balmaha
Boat Yard a 30 minutes drive away from Dumbarton.
There was the first frost since last winter, for us anyway,
and we had to scrape the windscreen. The temperature gauge showed low single
figures but the sky was blue and the autumn colours were beautiful as we
expected. As we drove the temperature went as low as 1 degree and frost was
still on the fields. We parked for free at the information centre which opened
at 9.30. Down beside the pub we followed the track to the boatyard. A fantastic
old oak tree grows at the entrance- large enough for Bob to sit, dwarfed,
within its huge low branches. The site seemed devoid of people but dotted with
boats and boat paraphernalia.
We found a building that could have been an office, but no
one was around. Then we saw a sign saying they were in the workshop. We
followed a murmuring of voices and then asked if the boat was running today. We
were really surprised when the boatman said that the jetty is flooded and the
water level needs to go down at least 4 inches before the boat can go out.
Apparently, Loch Lomond’s water level can rise, up to 4 feet in the winter. The
jetty was indeed under water and we didn’t have wellies! He told us to ring and
try again tomorrow.
After using the computer in the information centre Bob put
the coordinates in the sat nav for Lake Monteith in Stirlingshire. Historic
Scotland run a small boat out to Inchmahome from Port Monteith till the end of
October. There is a pub here and a lovely looking church.
The boat had just come over from the island and a young
family of five sat inside. There is a signal post that potential passengers
need to turn with the white side facing the island to call the boat which can
take up to 12 people. It rocked somewhat at the jetty and Bob and I had to sit opposite
sides to balance it. The boat took about 10 minutes to cross to the island. 1.5
mile long and 1 mile wide, Lake ( no one knows why it isn’t called a Loch)
Monteith is full of fish that are continually restocked. Fish can be caught by
line and hook only and we saw several fishermen in boats on the lake. Because
of the plentiful fish supplies osprey are often seen by boat passengers, though
the boatman says he needs to keep his eye on steering and usually misses a
sighting.
Apart from the man in the ticket office (£6 each as
concessions) on the island, us 7 were the only ones on Inchmahome and we soon
separated to different parts. Surrounding trees made it difficult to have
unobstructed views. The trees are special here- several very old and a pine from
as far as North America and 3 chestnuts from Spain. Visitors are told not to
climb the ruined abbey walls, but they can climb the trees though it’s not
recommended. Work is being done to
restore part of the 13th century abbey, but the fencing doesn’t impact
that much on the beauty of the building.
We walked at the water’s edge as much as we could, listening
to the calls of the swans and geese as they began collecting together in groups
for migration. I have since learnt that there is an increasing population of
resident greylag geese ( as well as Canada) who are the offspring of geese
injured by shooting. The young were reared with no knowledge of migration
paths. An increasing number of these birds seems to worry the experts
Looking across to a
neighbouring island we saw a tree with more than 10 cormorants on it, some with
wings outstretched in the sun. As we walked we noticed many different types of
fungi, some normally ground growing, sprouting horizontally from the tree
trunk. An oak tree felled by high winds had beech trees growing from its
massive roots. The resulting entanglement looked like an art installation in
its natural trellis design.
The western walls of the church have fine decorative carvings
and it is thought that an existing church may have been added to when the prior
and 10 to 15 canons arrived. They spent most of the day in silence and in 7 or
8 services spread through the day and night marked by church bells. They were
mostly self- sufficient and with allowances for daily living (food, clothes
etc) but by the 16th century they had accumulated a great wealth.
The church, quadrangled cloister, nave, choir and chapter
house comprise substantial ruins. Inside the rectangular chapter house are
stone benches where the canons would have sat to discuss the business of the
Priory. It now houses memorials brought in from the church to preserve them,
the most touching being 13th century double effigy of Walter Stewart
entwined with his countess wife Mary.
Bob found the time capsule in a wall by one of the doorways.
The children’s letters inside were damp and the inks were running. Perhaps they
should be put in plastic bags. A fun thing to do though.
We never found the wooden red squirrels. Perhaps our view
point wasn’t right as the young family managed to see them.
We drove back to Balloch where we parked in what we thought
was another national park information centre but it was loch Lomond’s Head
office. The building did seem overlarge. Staff let me use their loo though and
didn’t seem to mind us leaving our car there for several hours. We built the
tandem and set off towards Luss on the cycleway. We thought it would hug the lakeside
but quite a bit was beside a busy, noisy road. On the way back we found a newer
route that we’d missed going towards Luss. This took us through a golf course
and was prettier and easier on the ears!
We found that a ferry goes from Luss to Inchcailloch so we
decided to try Saturday morning. After arriving back at Dumbarton and we’d
eaten, we were tired after our 18 mile ride. Despite looking flat the route had
undulated quite a bit.
