A long and winding road on Eigg.

After breakfast at Lageorna, Sue offered to run Ian and myself the 7km back to the jetty at Glamisdale where we had left our kayaks. We thanked her for her kind offer but we had already decided to walk. So we loaded our possessions into that ubiquitous luggage carrier of itinerant sea kayakers...the Frakta Ikea bag. We breathed the fresh still air deep into our lungs. It's aroma was a mix of sea and natural countryside. Closer to the crofts there was also the smell of cattle and sheep.

As we passed each croft we could not help but notice the antennae for the HebNet terrestrial wireless broadband system.

Eigg also has an older communication system. This post box dates from the reign of King George V, who reigned from 1910 until he died in 1936. Ian and I had originally thought it would have dated from the reign of George VI but the typeface of GR confirms it as the Royal Cypher of the earlier monarch. Interestingly there are no specific times of day for collection of the post. Instead, the collection is made 1 hour prior to the departure of the ferry.

Some of the crofts were in better state of repair than...

...others but all shared...

...a marvellous view of the Bay of Laig. Ian and I were so glad we had decided to walk and to savour the atmosphere of this wonderfull island.

A new hedge of willow wands had recently been planted alongside the brae that leads from Cleadale to the watershed of Eigg.

Primroses adorned the banks on either side of the road.

Behind us, the Cuillin of...

...Rum slowly receded as we made...

our way up the long and winding road that led to the watershed of Eigg and...

...a view of the Sgurr of Eigg.

Where do the eggs on Eigg come from?

 As the sun rose on the face of the Sgurr of Eigg, the low clouds slowly lifted and ...

 ...to the NW, we finally got a view over the Sound of Rum to the magnificent Cuillin mountains of Rum.

We had stayed the night in the comfortable B&B at Lageorna, which was still deep in the shade of the steep hill behind. I wondered where the passengers on this early morning high flying jet had come from and were going to.

My eye followed the jet's contrail t and I noticed something on the hill side. It was part of the HebNet system which the community on Eigg has commissioned to bring broadband to the island. I used it to check the weather forecast before...

...enjoying a wonderful breakfast in Lageorna. There was no need to ask where this fried Eigg egg had...

...come from.

Putting down roots at Lageorna, Eigg.

True to her word, Sue waited for us to get changed out of our kayaking gear at Glamisdale jetty and ran us in her car the 7km over the spine of Eigg to her BandB at Lageorna in the township of Cleadale on the west side of the island.

We were welcomed by Sue's lovely collie bitch.

Sue told us that she was an incomer to Eigg, she had only been there for 35 years or so but Alastair her husband had been born at Lageorna.

Alastair's great grandparents had owned the croft and it had been in the family ever since.

The large sycamore tree that now stands at the croft gate had been planted by his great grandmother.

When we visited on 1st March there were bunches of snowdrops growing under the tree. It's nice to have roots.

Sue showed us to our rooms, the first thing that struck me was the beautiful beds which had been made by Sandy Fraser from Ivy Cottage on Rum. We had chatted to Sandy and his wife Fliss during our visit to Rum. Fliss runs a BandB from Ivy Cottage.

My room also had a bed settee and a window looking out to Rum which was still shrouded in fog.

Ian's room had a view...

...over to the Sgurr of Eigg which had a wisp of mist blowing round it like the peat smoke from a croft's chimney.

After showering Ian and I walked a little way up the Cleadale road and enjoyed the view from the war memorial. From this tiny place, 11 marched off to serve in WW1 and 3 were killed. 29 served in WW2 and 3 were killed. They fought for what was dear to them.

Lines of swell were still marching into the Bay of Laig and we...

...were glad our kayaks were safely drawn up on the jetty at Glamisdale. We had no worry about leaving them and most of our gear Eigg is far removed from the vandalism and petty crimes of the city.

As we returned to Lageorna, the mist lifted just for a moment revealing just a bit of the Cuillin of Rum.

It was with some anticipation that we returned to the crofts of Cleadale with their reeks of peat smoke.

Sue has a reputation as a fine cook and we were not disappointed by the fine three course dinner she prepared. Lageorna is also open to non residents for dining.

Outside the sky darkened over the Bay of Laig but...

...just for a moment, the Cuillin of Rum put in their first appearance of the day. Far below the summits a light betrayed the presence of a fishing boat working the Sound of Rum.

Ian and I so enjoyed Lageorna that we intend to return with our wives.

We did not want to spend Easter on Eigg.

Ian and I had enjoyed an excellent luncheon on Camas Sgiotaig at the NW corner of Eigg but it was now time to paddle the remote west and SW coasts of this lovely isle. In the winter this surf beach has dangerous surf breaking for weeks on end. We were keen to move on as we did not want to spend Easter on Eigg. Fortunately a wait was rewarded with a relatively calm spell and we both launched safely.

Although the sun threatened to break through...

...the fog lowered again and we could only see the lower reaches of Eigg. Of the classic view NW to Rum and her Cuillin mountains there was not a trace.

As we paddled across the Bay of Laig, we caught sight of Lageorna, where we had arranged to stay the night.

As we continued the wind dropped to nothing...

...and the only sound was...

...the rumble of the surf breaking...

...along the base of the cliffs.

The rock architecture on this coast of Eigg is superb...

...and the fog added to the atmospheric conditions by...

...lifting like a veil; revealing the splendor bit...

...by bit.

The basalt and pitchstone upper rocks sit on a bed...

 ...of more ancient sedimentary rocks. Fossilised tropical trees have been found below the edges of this volcanic layer.

We had hoped to see the iconic pitchstone ridge of the Sgurr of Eigg but it remained hidden by the mist.

Our main concern during this change of plan was that we would meet an adverse tide in the Sound of Eigg.

However, despite it being springs, we met no tidal current whatsoever and soon arrived at the old pier of Glamisdale. As we pulled our kayaks up the jetty we thought we were alone but two youngsters ran down out of the mist. "Are you the Canoe Boys?" "Sue says she is just shutting the shop but she will wait till you get ready and run you up to the B&B!"