A cold second breakfast at dead end beach, Jura

We woke on the morning of our fourth day of our trip round Jura and Colonsay on the machair of Shian Bay on the west coast of Jura. A cold NW wind was blowing  and it felt like spring had retreated to allow the return of winter.

As we had no intention of paddling through the Gulf of Corryvreckan against the west going flood tide, in wind over tide conditions, we wanted to arrive at the west end of the Corryvreckan at slack water before the east going ebb started. That was not until late afternoon and as the Corryvreckan was only 24km away, we had some time to kill. Unfortunately there was not a scrap of shelter on Shian Bay so, on the one morning we could have enjoyed a relaxed start, we had to get moving to keep warm.

We donned full winter attire and...

...Sam even had his pogies on. What a contrastv to the previous few days.

As we left Shian Bay the wind had just a little too much north in it to get our sails up which...

...pleased sail-less Sam. Then, as soon as we rounded the first headland (backed by huge raised beaches of cobbles),...

...the wind freed enough to get our sails up and we were soon making excellent progress up the...

...remote NW coast of Jura, which is always a delight.

In addition to the raised cobble beaches there are several levels of raised cliffs, which feature dry arches and caves and are interspersed by sand dunes. They represent the varying sea levels after the last Ice Age. The west coast of Jura is one of the geological wonders of the World but it gets hardly any visitors.

Our first stop was at Corpach Bay, some 7km further on from Shian Bay. Corpach Bay is backed by caves which were once used to store corpses from Argyll on their final journey to Iona for burial. Iona is 45km away on the horizon at the extreme left of this photo. Often sea conditions were too rough to complete the journey, especially in winter. One can imagine the smell in the caves come springtime when the mourners returned.

We needed some shelter for second breakfast and, not fancying the caves, we spotted a dry sea stack at the back of the beach.

This provided excellent shelter for a most convivial second breakfast. We were all in excellent spirits as we were in no hurry and had no dead to bury.

Read Ian's account here.

Enchanted again by the remote west coast of Jura.

The sudden feeling of remoteness when you enter West Loch Tarbert on Jura never ceases to surprise.

 Gradually the inner loch narrowed until it looked like we were heading into a dead end...

 ... however a hidden right angled bend took us through the constriction at Cumnann Beag. The tide runs through here at a peak of 8 knots springs.

Once through into the middle part of West Loch Tarbert, the easy option would to have been to stop at the comfortable bothy of Cruib Lodge. However, by doing so we would have committed to a 50+ km following day, if we wanted to get round Colonsay. So we pressed on but...

...once we passed the second narrows at  Cumhann Mor we could not resist stopping at...

...the magnificent raised beach at the entrance to the outer loch. These sparkling clean cobbles are nearly 20m above sea level and though the tide last uncovered them 10,000 years ago, it looks like it just went out yesterday.

It was now getting late and we pressed on down the southern shore of outer West Loch Tarbert.

Seven years previously, Phil and I had scouted out a campsite near Glenbatrick so we decided to check it  out.

It proveed to be a fantastic location for both tents and a view to the west.  We unloaded the boats and set up the tents just as...

 ...a magnificent sun sank below...

...the distant silhouettes of Oronsay and Colonsay on the western horizon.

 After sunset, we prepared our evening meals under the light of a near full moon before...

...washing our things in a nearby river which flowed down from the summit of Beinn Shiantaidh (the Enchanted Mountain) which at 757m is the second highest of the Paps of Jura.

Well over an hour and a half after sunset there remained a deep glow in the west from the departed sun. It was too late to light a fire but we sat round the tents and cracked open flasks of Jura Origin and Caol Ila malt whiskies, which were distilled just 13 and 14 km away on Jura and on the neighbouring isle of Islay respectively. We talked long into darkness, planning for the following day and reminiscing about past expeditions together.

You can also follow this trip on Ian's blog here...

Raising expectations of the stunning raised beaches of West Loch Tarbert, Jura

We paddled on round the west coast of Jura leaving the Sound of Islay behind and entering West Loch Tarbert which nearly bisects the island.

On our way we passed many more basalt dykes which ran down the hillside into the sea. This one looked like Chief Running Deer of Jura complete with war bonnet.

 At this turquoise lagoon the waters were...

 ...crystal clear and we stopped on its...

 ...sands below...

 ...an incredible raised beach which soared up towards the slopes of Beinn an Oir. We had spotted some well seasoned driftwood which had been cast high above the high watermark.

We gathered arm fulls before returning to the boats. We were bound for Cruib Lodge at the head of West Loch Tarbert and we knew there would be little wood there.

The view of the Paps of Jura gradually changed as we entered  West Loch Tarbert and started paddling east.

 Ben More on Mull rose above the Ruantallain peninsula on the north side of the loch as Hazel Ann CN373, a creel boat from Port Askaig motored out of the loch.

 Glen Batrick, a gap in the hills behind the south shore opened up a view of the Paps of Jura again.

 At the mouth of the glen lies Glenbatrick house.  It is locally pronounced Glenabatrick after the original name Glenabedrig. It belongs to Viscount Astor who is David Cameron's stepfather in law. The Camerons have spent several holiday's here, far from the pressures of Westminster.

 From Glenbatrick we paddle sailed east up the outer loch in an...

 ...increasing NW wind. The combination of wind...

 ...sun and spray made for some incredible paddle sailing conditions but we took a break from the fun at...

 ...Rubha nam Meann (headland of the young goat) to explore one of the most intriguing locations on the British coastline.

The cobbles on this beach rise high above the current HW mark and it is one of the best examples of a raised beach in Britain. I have been here many times before but it was Ian and Mike's first visit. As I had raised their expectations and built the place up, I hoped they would not be disappointed.

As you climb towards the summit...

 ...of the beach you are stepping back in time until you reach the...

 ...summit of the beach where the tide last went out some 10,000 years ago.

It is like a time machine because despite the passage of the millennia, the cobbles are as clean as if the tide had just receded that morning. Since the great weight of ice over the land melted, this part of the Earth's crust under Scotland has been steadily rising from the magma below.

There are so many cobbles here that they have created a dam across the glen behind which retains a fresh water loch, Lochan Maol an t-Sornaich, (lochan of the rounded hill of the boulders). No river flows from the loch. Its waters seep gently to the sea through the spaces between the cobbles.

 Near the summit of the beach the largest cobbles are to be found and on some of the oldest specimins ancient colonies of lichen have formed.

There are only a few patches of vegetation that have become established on the beach and when...

...seen from above (photo by me September 2009) they are situated most harmoniously within the landscape showing that Slartibartfast had a good understanding of the principles of Feng Shui. Indeed he was probably the founder of this ancient art which symbolises the harmony between wind and water. 

 Each of us wandered with our own thoughts in the vastness of this quintessential Jura landscape...

...we realised how privileged we were to be able to visit this special place that few of our countrymen are even aware of.  The "paths" across the cobbles were not made by  the feet of men but are where countless generations of deer have picked their way carefully across the beach.

Reluctantly we left this special place where time has stood still.