Oilean, 2nd edition, David Walsh, Pesda Press Review.

I have been reading  David Walsh's Oileán –The Irish Islands Guide published by Pesda Press. It covers 574 Irish Islands that can be visited by kayak or small boat. David has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the islands having visited 503 of them!

Since the first edition, this book has grown from 218 pages to 292 pages and the number of islands covered has risen from over 300 to over 570. It is therefore definitely worth buying, even though you have the first edition. This Irish volume differs from the Pesda sea kayaking Guides to the British coast. Its pages include fewer maps and most of the photos are smaller and so it contains a lot more text. Although the book is primarily about the islands, it contains essential tidal information for major mainland headlands and of course relevant tidal information required for island crossings. It also includes a great many launch points on the mainland. Unlike the other guides it makes few suggestions for recommended routes but where tidal conditions dictate David does suggest a preferred option. Although it has been written by a sea kayaker it would equally be of interest to anyone with a small seaworthy boat. For yachties it complements the existing pilots (which lack this book's detail on the islands) but for them, pilots are still necessary as this book does not cover anchorage information. It is designed to be read with the appropriate maps and full grid references are given for key locations.

The concept of the book occurred in 1993 when David and Fred Cooney attempted to land on Davillaun island. They failed to find a landing spot and were later disappointed to discover that there was a hidden cove with easy landing. The core of the book is the description of the islands. Primarily this covers landing sites, camping possibilities, sources of drinking water and tides. Due to the comprehensive nature of this book and the sheer number of islands and launch sites I do not think there is any danger that it will create honeypot destinations which might suffer from undue numbers of visitors. If anything this guide will spread the load of increasing numbers of visitors to the islands which can only be good for both the islands and the visitors. It also includes fascinating insights into ownership of the islands and access (Ireland has no equivalent of the Scottish Land Reform Act). The book includes a wealth of historical information and describes the wildlife that may be encountered on and between the islands. The author has the gift of instilling the essence and character of each island into what may just be a paragraph for a smaller island.

A book of this type could easily have ended up as a dry gazetteer but not so with David Walsh's excellent writing. He displays an eye for keen observation and writes in a lively style with dry wit. For example in describing one island's wealthy owners desire for privacy and their concern for the welfare of the nesting bird population, he goes onto describes their unsightly rubbish dump which is out of sight of their house. He then describes their precious nesting sea birds and the tradition of harvesting their eggs. "Apparently the birds all feed on municipal dumps across on the mainland and the eggs do not taste fishy at all."

Oilean is highly readable, encyclopaedic and essential reading for those with an interest in the Irish islands. The book includes almost all of them. It even includes Rockall though I was somewhat disappointed to find no reference to Craggy Island. I must read it again!

New Pesda Guide: Oileán –The Irish Islands Guide 2nd edition by David Walsh

This completely revised second edition of  Oileán –The Irish Islands Guide was published yesterday by Pesda Press. It covers 574 Irish Islands that can be visited by kayak or small boat. David Walsh the author has an encyclopaedic knowledge of them, he has visited 503 of them! I have not seen this edition but the first was beautifully written, informative but also capturing the spirit and essence of each island.

An Art Deco landmark in the twilight at the Mull of Kintyre.

As we crossed Carskey Bay, on the east coast of the Mull of Kintyre, the wind dropped to nothing. Behind us, beyond Rubha MacShannaich lay the distant outline of Ailsa Craig, Sheep Island and Sanda.

Ahead the coast of Antrim in Northern Ireland merged with the lowering grey clouds. This was the last we would see of Ireland on this trip!

Above the bay, stood the sad remains of the art deco Keil Hotel. It opened in 1939 and during the war it was used as a Royal Navy hospital.  It was also a useful landmark for WW2 Atlantic convoys when all the lighthouses were extinguished. At certain times, the blackout curtains would be opened and the lights lit to guide expected shipping. It was also a welcome landmark for us as it meant we were nearly at our destination. After the war it reopened as a hotel but closed in 1990.

We arrived at our chosen campsite at 9:45pm, some 15 minutes ahead of schedule, despite that pesky headwind. This allowed us to get the tents up before it was completely dark.

Soon we had a roaring campfire going. We could hardly believe our adventure had begun so well and tomorrow, given fair weather, we would round the Mull of Kintyre. Slack water at the Mull would be at 06:40 am the following day, so we would need to have an early start!

A Bastard of a headwind and a Bloody rock..

Unfortunately the fair wind did not last long on our journey towards the Mull of Kintyre and we met a stiff head wind, which combined with an adverse tide, slowed our progress. At this rate we would not arrive at the intended campsite until well after 11pm!

 Due to my shoulder problem I found it hard to keep up with the others.

However, I had insider knowledge that kept my spirits up. By the time we were below the steep slopes of The Bastard Hill we spotted the Isle of Sanda.

I knew that the tide would change before we arrived in Sanda Sound and that it would accelerate us on to our destination.

Indeed, we had 4 knots of tidal assistance by the time we passed Macharioch Bay and the monument to local landowner the 8th Duke of Argyll 1823 to 1900.

Rocky slopes gave way to undulating fields. The first cut of grass for silage was underway some 3 to 4 weeks late, due to the long winter and exceptionally cold spring.

At last we passed the communications mast that marks Rubha MacShannaich beyond which our destination lay. On the horizon we could see Fair Head in Northern Ireland, some 35km away on the other side of the North Channel.

As we entered Carskey Bay at twilight, we paddled in silence below the grim ramparts of Blood Rock upon which Dunaverty Castle once stood. It was a Clan Donald stronghold for centuries but that came to a bloody end in 1647. Covenanter troops besieged the castle as the Clan Donald were Royalists. 300 men, women and children surrendered after the castle's water supply was cut off. They were promised quarter by the Covenanter army but when they walked out of the castle they were almost all killed.

This marvellous reconstruction by Andrew Spratt shows how Dunaverty Castle once looked.

Some long views from Ailsa Craig.

On previous visits to Ailsa Craig we have gone in a high pressure system and the visibility has been poor due to haze. On this occasion, the atmosphere was crystal clear. To the ESE Girvan was very clear but in the middle of the photo, the summit of the Merrick was hidden in the clouds. The dip to the right of the photo is Glen Trool.

The view to the S showed Stranraer at the head of Loch Ryan with the Rhins of Galloway and its wind farm on the right.

A telephoto view to the W showed Sanda Island with the Mull of Kintyre behind. In the distance, flat topped Rathlin Island is 68km away off the north coast of Ireland, on the far side of the North Channel.

To the north, this view shows little Pladda Island (with its lighthouse) off the south coast of Arran and the pointed peak of Holy Island to the east of Arran. Right of Holy Island the view is all the way up the Firth of Clyde to the white villas of Dunoon. Beyond that, the snow streaked peaks are Ben Ime, The Cobbler and Ben Narnain in the Arrochar Alps. Ben Ime is 112km away. To the right of Dunoon, the dark island is the Little Cumbrae. To its right you can just make out the chimney of the Inverkip power station. The snowy mountain at the right edge of the photo is Ben Lomond.

Alan (see comments) asked "could I ask if you have a higher resolution photo of the Arrochar Alps, or was this photo already cropped?" This is the highest resolution I have with a 1:1 pixel ratio. It was a remarkably clear day. To the left of Ben Ime, which is the highest point on the horizon, you can see the dark slopes of Beinn Dubh Craig then to its left, the snow flecked ridge of Ben Oss. Lastly, to the left of Ben Oss, you can just see the fine peak of Ben Lui rising above a nearer flat topped ridge. Ben Lui is 1130m high and is 130km from Ailsa Craig, a long view indeed!

Although they don't show up well  on these low resolution photographs, we were surprised by the number of wind farms that had sprouted on the hills all round us. This regularly updated kmz file from weatherman22 will open in Google Earth and show the number of opened and proposed wind farms in the Scottish hills and mountains.

It was now time to make our way back down the steep path to the kayaks.

Views from the north of Gigha.

The north end of Gigha is a wonderful wild place. Its highest hill is only 56m high but from its summit this lovely isle can be seen stretching away to the south with the Mull of Kintyre and even Ireland beyond.


To the west, over the peninsula of Eilean Garbh, Islay stretches away to the Mull of Oa.


To the east, the mountains of Arran rise above the Kintyre peninsula and the Sound of Gigha.


Back at sea level, the Paps of Jura...


lie above the enchanting beach of white shell sand...


...which links Eilean Garbh to Gigha.


We hiked back over the rough country of north Gigha to our camp.


As we broke camp and loaded the boats, the MV Isle of Arran...


...was already well on her way back to Islay.

It was time for us to go.

Have you ever heard of Knockienausk Head?

The tide built up as the afternoon wore on...


...and we sped past Money Head.


To the west we could just make out the coast of Northern Ireland and to the east...


...we passed under the cliffs of Gull Rigging and indeed there were a few gulls getting ready to nest on its ledges.


From Knockienausk Head we looked back to headland after headland on the Rhins of Galloway coast. Thanks to tidal assistance, we had rounded quite a few of them on two occasions today!



The sun began to sink rapidly to the horizon above the distant hills surrounding Belfast Lough and we were nearly back in Portpatrick. We had so enjoyed paddling this remote coastline with so many strange names.