Island dwellings in Loch Linnhe.

 From Castle Stalker we enjoyed a brisk paddle sail across the Sound of Shuna in the offshore wind.

There are some modern conifer plantations on Shuna which being limestone is much more fertile than many of the west coast islands.

Shuna Castle is barely visible in the trees. It was built about the end of the 16th century by the Stewarts of Appin and used for about 200 years.

Shuna farmhouse which was built in the 1740's was a much more comfortable residence than the old castle.

 We were circumnavigating Shuna clockwise* and made the most...

*see comment from Frank below!

 ...of the SE wind until...

...we fell into the lee of the island which was a wild...

 ...place with rivulets running down the mossy rocks into the sea.

Near the north of the island we found a sheltered spot out of the SE wind for first luncheon. From here we has a grandstand view right up Loch Linnhe surrounded by the mountains of Ardgour, Appin and and Lochaber. Needless to say the view was enhanced by a dram of Mikes Jura Superstition.

Right in the centre of the view lay little Eilean Balnagowan which we had visited the day before. You can see the new "bothy" which has been built by the island's new owners.

Ginger haired locals and abandoned piers.

On Eilean Balnagowan the SE wind had increased and was now F5 gusting to F6. We decided that further progress southward would be futile especially since the tide had now turned and was also running north. We decided to return to Ballachuilish.. Mike thought that the conditions were not ideal for paddle sailing but Ian decided to give it a try. He hoisted his sail in the lee of Balnagowan and set off at a cracking pace. Once out into the full strength of the wind and the tide he decided that perhaps Mike had been right and that discretion was the better part of valour  and dropped his sail.

I shouted to Mike and Ian to keep a lookout for each other and I  hoisted my sail and set off for the headland some 1.1km distant. It was a broad reach with a 3km/hr flood tide running R to L across our path. The water became increasingly confused as we approached the headland as the west going tide, pouring out of the sweep of Cuil Bay, met the main north going flood which had gone up the west side of Eilean Balnagowan. It was superb fun.

I paddle sailed the 1.1km in 5minutes 7 seconds and averaged 12.9km/hr and Mike in the Aries and Ian in the Cetus MV paddled it in 9 minutes 55 seconds and averaged 6.7km/hr.

My Aries was only planing for short distances as the waves were rather short and confused. However, the power of the sail helped me catch just about any wave available, even if only for a short ride. I think the speed difference would have been even greater if we had had more even following seas.

 As we proceeded north we gradually entered the lee of the mountains,  the wind dropped and...

...Ian and Mike got their sails going again.  But soon it was back to...

 ...paddling until we reached...

 ...Rubha nam Moine...

 ...with its distinctive trees. We stopped just round the point where...

 ...we were joined by some ginger haired locals.

We took a diversion into tiny Kentallan Bay the entrance of which is marked by its distinctive pier house above the old pier.
.

 The west side of the bay is composed of the steeply wooded slopes of Ardsheal hill. The Bay is a submerged geological fault and at its head...

...there is an old landing place where...

...the sad remains of a flat bottom turntable ferry. These were used on both the Ballachuilish and Corran routes until the mid 1970's. This one had seen better days, though its engine block was still in situ.

 It wasn't just old boats that had seen better days...

We set off home along the east coast of Kentallen Bay passing...

 Ardsheal pier on the way. Steamers used to deliver goods here until the railway from Oban to Ballachilish was built in 1903. At that time a new pier was built beside the Kentallen Railway Station, which is now a hotel. The rock on the north side of Kentallen Bay is an unusual igneous intrusion called Kentallenite.

 We hugged the shore to keep out of the increasingly cold wind and before long...

 ...the Pap of Glencoe reappeared in the east.

 Not much remains of...

 ...the timber part of Ballachuilish Pier but...

 ...the slates of its stone part are still in good shape.

The flood tide now carried us at a good rate of knots as the snow clouds gathered over the Glen Coe mountains.

It was good to see the hotel coming up and we made sure we broke out of the current in order to land at the old ferry slipway.

The Ballachuillish hotel proved really excellent. After a nice warm bath  nothing beats a pint of sports recovery drink by a warm log fire followed by an...

...excellent meal. Mike had mussels to start, Ian had Cullen Skink and I had the vegetarian haggis, neaps and tatties starter. We all had shank of lamb as main course. Yum yum.

All in all another truly excellent day.

Rain storms on the roof of Scotland.

We landed on an inlet on the west side of Eilean Balnagowan in Loch Linnhe to take advantage of a break in the rain. After an excellent luncheon, we set off to explore the island. A great deal of the hillside was covered by dense growths of brambles, which we thought would puncture our dry suits.


It was easy enough to cross the little isthmus that joins the two halves of the island. We emerged on a grassy bank behind the east beach. It Seems that the east beach belongs to the geese and the west to the gulls. The two species seemed to respect a line of demarcation that ran through the spine of the island. We saw no border disputes.

I have searched the Internet and a library of books but there is little mention of Balnagowan. Even the usually reliable Hamish Haswell-Smith dismisses it with a single mention in a sentence about a view to Ben Nevis. The only sign of antiquity was a low circle of moss and grass covered stones. It seem that poor wee Balnagowan was one of the few Scottish islands not to have been blessed by the presence of a resident Saint. Still, the staff of seakayakphoto.com have now enjoyed an excellent luncheon there!


With a following wind and gentle seas we made speedy progress across the mouth of Cuil Bay and up the coast of Appin.


Rounding a low point near Back Settlement, we gazed across the Loch to the shore side settlement of Onich and the mountains of Lochaber behind. In the distance the foothills of the Mamores were streaked with snow and disappeared into the clouds. Above their summits, lay the unseen roof of Scotland, Ben Nevis 1343m.


All the while our course was gradually bearing eastwards and as we approached Rubha nam Moine (Point of the Morass) more heavy rain showers came our way.


We were well past Rhuba Moine before the skies cleared again. I always think it is worth bringing a camera, even in bad weather. Clouds are very photogenic.

28/09/2009

A sunbeam on Balnagowan

Heavy squalls of rain were driving up Loch Linnhe and hiding the mountains of Appin.


Then a chink appeared in the grey clouds...


... and a beam of sunlight fell on Eilean Balnagowan. A flock of black headed gulls wheeled in the sky round the isle. Their wheeling wings flashed white against the gloomy grey of the mist shrouded mountains.


The distant mountains of Lochaber and the Corran Narrows were calling us on to the NE but first it was time to take luncheon on this lovely isle.

28/02/2009