The poetry of distant mountains' names.

Leaving the Cairns of Coll, we paddled down the NW coast of Coll. As we did so a cold SE wind got up as a front moved in across the sky. We knew that this would bring rain and force 5 winds but that it would pass through within 24 hours. We had come to this area in search of the pod of orcas which yachting friends has recently spotted here. We left without seeing any but sharp eyed Jennifer drew our attention to two breaching minke whales. Fantastic stuff!


We found this bay, which was protected by an offshore island. Magicseaweed.com had predicted a surf height of 4.5' for the next day, so it would make for an easier launch than some of the bigger surf beaches.


We set up camp with the distant mountains of Barra and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides breaking an otherwise empty Atlantic horizon.


A disadvantage of such a sheltered spot was that the entire local midge population joined our evening meal in what proved to be a feeding frenzy, until we donned midge hoods and jackets. Fortunately our midge jackets still allow you to enjoy a cup of coffee in relative peace.


We then set up a little heart warming.


Fortunately as the breeze got up, the midge attack lessened and we were able to emerge into the night from our jackets like giant insects casting off a chrysalis. The aurelian paddlers of Coll were now masters of the night again and not the pesky Culicoides impunctatus.


As we enjoyed our Bowmore and Glenfiddich, the sun slowly went down behind the hazy blue mountains of South Uist. These lay 80km distant, over the now dark Sea of the Hebrides. From the left, we saw Beinn Ruigh Choinnich 276m, Triuirebheinn 357m, Stulabhal 374m, Beinn Mhor 620m, Beinn Corradail 527m and Hecla 606m. We pondered the poetry of their names as the pink clouds slowly faded to ruby red and their summits disappeared into the night.

12/06/2009

The Monach Lighthouse and 60 years' of pigeon shit!

Paddling round the SW coast of Siolaigh in the Monach Islands we became aware that there are actually two lighthouses.


The original light was established in 1864 after it had been built by David and Thomas Stevenson. It is a 41m red brick tower but it was switched off in WW2 and abandoned in 1948.


It was replaced by a fully automatic minor light in 1997.


It is powered by solar cells.


We found a party of NLB workmen restoring the Stevenson tower. They lived on the Orkney Islands but were spending the summer here. The old light is shortly to be reestablished as oil tankers from the North Sea are going to be rerouted from the Minch on the east side of the Outer Hebrides to pass by their west coast. Three months of hard labour were required to shovel 60 years of pigeon shit from the tower's interior. The shit bags are piled up outside the lighthouse walls.


We were lucky enough to be escorted to the top of the tower by one of the Orcadians. This is the view to the NW and we were excited to see the tops of the islands of the St Kilda archipelago 64 km distant


The view to the SE extends over the Caolas Siolaigh to Cean Iar and the distant hills of North Uist and South Uist. On the 15th November 1936 two lighthouse keepers were drowned rowing back across the Caolas from the post office in the village.


The view to the NE extends from the distant hills of Harris to the hills of North Uist.


We were very grateful to our Orcadian friend for the privilege of seeing the view from the tower. It was his 22 ascent of the tower that day! Under the green sheeting, the new light and lens were already rotating.

This post should have appeared a few years ago but for some reason I saved it as a draft and forgot! 01/06/2008

The Monach Islands

The Monach Islands are little more than low dunes that are swept over by Atlantic storms. In the distance are the mountains of South Uist.


The whole area is fringed with reefs but Siolaigh is the most western of the more substantial isles. It is dominated by a large brick built lighthouse that has been disused since the 1940s.


Cuma anchored in the lagoon on the south side of Shibhinis and Ceann Ear.


We made our way along the south side of the islands.


We crossed Caolas Siolaigh still sheltered by offshore reefs but on rounding Siolaigh we were exposed to the full strength of the Atlantic swells.


Siolaigh was covered with a carpet of thrift. On the horizon we could just see the peaks of the St Kilda archipelago.

01/06/2008

Fingal's Cave, Staffa

Until 1829 this great sea cave on the island of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides was known by its Gaelic name, Uamh-Binn or Cave of Melody in English.



Approaching Staffa, you are struck by its three layered structure. The lowest is a layer of tuff (or compressed volcanic ash). The amazing mid layer is composed of dark basaltic hexagonal columns. These formed as a layer of lava from the Mull eruption slowly cooled. The top layer is another layer of lava which has cooled to form a uniform layer of basalt.



On the day of our visit a boat load of tourists landed as we approached the island. But by the time we pulled our kayaks up on the little beach beside the jetty, the tourists had all “done” the cave and made their way onto Staffa’s summit plateau. We made our way round to the now deserted Fingal’s Cave and slowly entered, our eyes adjusting to the darkness into which soaring basalt columns disappeared like the pillars supporting the vault of a great mediaeval cathedral. Our ears were filled with the gentle surge of the surf and our thoughts naturally turned to Mendelssohn’s Hebridean Symphony, which had been inspired by this natural music of the cave.



Then it started, out of the darkness came the most beautiful singing of Handel’s Messiah. The Glorias rose as a duet to the roof of the cave then echoed round till a whole chorus of harmonies filled our ears. The hair prickled on the back of our necks and we were captivated by the sound as we stood silent in the darkness. When the singing stopped, two German music teachers emerged from the gloom of the cave. It was a reminder of how Mankind’s own works can sometimes challenge even the most remarkable of Nature’s wonders. We congratulated them and were delighted when they asked if they could stay and watch while we brought our kayaks round to paddle inside the cave!



Then in 1829, Mendelssohn subtitled his manuscript for Hebridean Overture "Fingal's Cave" after the mythical Scottish/Irish Giant. The name has stuck.


PS added 21/1/07

This was a perfect day and at its end, we enjoyed a perfect sunset from the summit of Lunga in the Treshnish Isles looking over Coll in the Inner Hebrides to the distant mountains of Barra and South Uist.

Hebridean roots and island community buyout.

Benbecula



South Uist



Eriskay

My daughters have ancestral roots in several places in the outer Hebrides including Solas and Greinetobht in North Uist, Baile a' Mhanaich and Cill Eireabhagh on Benbecula and Loch a'Charnain and Staoniebrig in South Uist. Generations of depopulation have led to our family leaving the islands for places like Glasgow, Australia and New Zealand. My friend Cailean is a more recent emigrant from Lewis to Inverness which is near where I grew up in Dingwall.

I was delighted to hear that the remaining residents of the South Uist Estate, which includes Eriskay and parts of Benbecula, have been awarded £2 million Lottery funding towards a community buy out of the estate.

Other remote Scottish estates have been successfully bought by their communities. Gigha for example is now thriving again. I wish the residents of South Uist Estate good fortune in the future.

PS 14/11/2006 Highlands and Islands Enterprise has donated a further £2 million to the buy out fund.