A stinking end to a stunning trip on the north west coast of Jura.

 From Shian Bay to Ruantallain on the west coast of Jura the coastline consists of an...

 ...unbroken wall of raised beaches and dry cliffs caves and arches. At sea level there are sharp reefs in an almost unbroken band for six kilometres.

 Rounding one headland we caught sight of Islay and the northern entrance of the Sound of Islay. The north going spring tide was running until early evening so we planned to wait for the south going tide somewhere on the Jura coastline to the SW of the entrance to West Loch Tarbert.

 This was truly superlative sea kayaking. We paddle sailed almost effortlessly under blue skies...

 ...and sparkling blue seas.

 As we travelled south the Paps of Jura heaved above the horizon. The rain that falls on these...

 ...mounds drains into the burns that are used to make our favoured tipple, Jura malt whisky.

 Headland after...

 ...headland sped by. We did try to land...

 ...at Brein Phort (stinking port) but since the map was drawn, what was shown as sandy beach is now just a boulder beach.

 A little further on we rounded the headland of Ruantallain, which marks the northern boundary of entrance to West Loch Tarbert, a deep sea loch which nearly bisects Jura. Under the cairn on the skyline is the cave of Corpach Rubh' an t-Sailean (place of the corpse at the point of the inlet). This was one of the caves where corpses were stored until safe passage could be made for burial on the holy island of Oronsay. No doubt by the time the corpses could be transported they would be stinking to high heaven. Perhaps that is why the local port was called stinking port, or perhaps it was because the port gathered seaweed washed up after winter storms, who knows?

As we crossed the wide mouth of West Loch Tarbert, the British sail training brig STS Stavros S Niarchos drifted up the Sound of Islay being carried by the tide. She spent the night anchored off Colonsay and we would get a better view of her the next day as she made her way back down the Sound of Islay on her way to her current home port of Greenock.

Tony, Phil and I have crossed wakes with the Stavros S Niarchos several times over recent years such as on this occasion on 24/5/2012 off Ailsa Craig in the Clyde. She is named after a Greek shipping tycoon and philanthropist.

 As the wind sped us down the coast of Jura, we could see a great plume of smoke...

...rising from two muir burns on Colonsay. Impressive though this plume was it would have been dwarfed by the plume when our ancestors visited Colonsay 9,000 years ago. In one autumn they cut down all the hazel trees on the island then roasted all the nuts in a huge fire pit, then left. Scorched earth or what?

When we crossed to the south side of west Loch Tarbert we had covered 9km without a break. We badly needed a stop to stretch our legs so we landed at an unnamed beach beside Rubha Lang-aoinidh (the falsely steep point). Well judging by both Ian's and Mike's  expressions they were rather disappointed at their first arrival on Jura's west coast. Indeed I propose to name this beach. From this day forth, let it be known as not as disappointment beach but as Brein Phort Deas (south stinking beach!). Holey Moley this beach was stinking. In fact it was fair minging. I couldn't see rotting corpses of any ancient Juraburghers so I suppose it was just a collection of rotting seaweed. Whatever, we did not stay and I could see that Ian and Mike both thought the highlight of their day had already passed. However, I knew better, I had been this way before (several times before in fact)!.....

Corpach Bay to a stag do at Shian Bay, Jura

 We had hardly left Corpach Bay before...

 ...we came across another stunning beach backed by a huge dune system at Traigh a' Mhiadair. (beach of the meadow). The dune system is enclosed by a wall of steep cliffs and the rabbits here are all black.

In a rock arch at the south end of the beach, the environmental artist Julie Brook lived and worked for a year between 1993 and 1994.

 The northeasterly breeze began to pick up and to the north the distant hills and mountains of Mull looked magnificent in the clear air.

 However it was the amazing cost of Jura which held our attention.

 The only other sign of human life on this stretch of coast was the creel boat Challenger SY46 from Skye.

 As we passed beach after beach, the Paps of Jura...

 ...gradually came into view.

 The sea became shallower as we approached Shian Island and...

 ...the clear water made it look like the reefs were...

 ...just inches from our keels.

 Our sails sped us on under a glorious blue sky which was broken only by...

 ...a pair of honking greylag geese.

 We were now within the reef system which guards Shian Bay (stormy bay).

...the turquoise water in this bay was stunning. Ian and I were tempted to stop for a swim and second breakfast.

However, there was still a cold breeze so while Mike enjoyed his lunch with a view to Colonsay, Ian and I had a quick, actually very quick, dip in a pool of the Sruthan Glac na h-Atha (burn of the narrow valley by the drying kiln). Feeling very refreshed I enjoyed the view with Mike while Ian went beachcombing.

He was delighted when he found an antler from a stag. Unfortunately it was not one of a pair but...

...it became a feature of Ian's back deck for the rest of the trip!

Dead beat and washed up at Corpach Bay, Jura.

Well in need of a break, we were delighted to find a breach in the NW cliffs of Jura at Corpach Bay.

The name tells a little of the history of this lonely spot. "Corpach" means place of the corpse and it was here that the people of Kintyre, Jura and Islay would leave the corpses of the deceased if it was too stormy to cross to the burial isles of Oronsay and Iona. Caves near Ruantallain to the SW were mostly used for the passage to Oronsay to the south of Colonsay. The caves at Corpach Bay were used for the passage to Iona. One of the largest is called Corpach Challuim-chille which loosely translated means place of the the corpse of the church of St Columba.

 Anyway after our hard paddle through the Corryvreckan the previous day and our early start, we were feeling dead beat and so where better too rest than Corpach Bay?

 After swapping paddles over, (we are currently comparative testing the excellent new VE Voyager paddle) we...

 ...unpacked our second breakfast things...

 ...and made our way up the beach.

Corpach Bay was easy to land on when we visited but it is often exposed to heavy surf and I would not like to meet these boulders in a loaded boat being driven in by surf.

 We could hardly belive how quickly the swell had dropped as less than 48 hours previously, the ferries were not running.

 I  thought this boulder buried in the sand looked a bit like a misshapen skull.

 Anyway, the sky was blue, the sun was shining and what a spot...

 ...we had found for second breakfast. Ian and briefly considered a quick swim in the sea as a wash up but a chill wind from the north had picked up. We were not the only ones to be washed up on Corpach Bay...

...these lobster pots and cobbles from the beach had been washed up by winter storms and were now left lying well inland from the beach.

Exceeding expectations on the NW coat of Jura.

We had a big day ahead of us so we rose before dawn at Glengarrisdale in NW Jura. The dawn light spread through the Gulf of Corryvreckan which separates Jura from the dark brooding cliffs of its northern neighbour, Scarba.

 After cleaning up the bothy fire and having our breakfast we had carried our things to the shore and...

 ...were on the water by eight am. The tide was rapidly emptying the bay so there was a bit of catch up involved as we carried each loaded bout to the water's edge.

 It was great to be floating and weightless again after the heavy work on land. It was a perfect day with a blue sky, light breeze and a dropping swell.

 We waved goodbye to our new friends, Tom and Frances, who were watching the sunrise from the rocks at the entrance to the bay.

 On a last look through the Corryvreckan, we spotted the still snow streaked...

 ...summit of Ben Cruachan some 54km away to the NE.

 Ahead the NW coast of Jura stretched away in a series of bold headlands to distant Islay on the horizon. The series of cliffs, headlands and deep rocky bays gives no landing for 10km until they are breached at Corpach Bay.

 Above our heads we spotted the first of many mimetoliths on Jura..Iguana Rock.

The island of Jura has always been one of the least populated in the Hebrides. This is due to it being formed mostly of metamorphic quartzite interspersed with igneous basalt dykes. It produces a thin acidic soil, which is not conducive to agriculture.

 As we travelled SW we left the stronger tides of the Corryvreckan area behind and it was a pleasure to...

 ...take our time enjoying the views of the bold headlands...

 ...in the early morning light.

 Sometimes we entered the deep shade below the cliffs and were surprised to see...

 ...goats scrambling along ledges above precipitous drops.

To our right, the low outline of Colonsay beckoned. It was within reach being just 15km away. We would have had time to explore Oronsay then catch the 18:15 ferry down to Port Askaig in the Sound of Islay. Both Ian and Mike had expressed an interest in visiting Colonsay during pre-trip planning. But as I expected, they had both already been captivated by Jura and had decided to spend time exploring this wonderful coastline instead.

We soon came to the first raised beach of quartzite cobbles. Ian and Mike started snapping away with their cameras but I told them they would see plenty more!

 We passed a wreck of a dinghy which had been tossed high above the beach by winter storms.

 We were so glad to be here in such benign conditions, just two days previously the ferries had been storm bound!

The coast is riddled with caves. This now dry sea cave has a waterfall running down its back, The burn enters it through an ancient blow hole in its roof.

We had an exciting moment when a white tailed sea eagle rose from a skerry just a few metres beyond us then perched on the clifftop after just a few lazy beats of its wings.

Low tide reveals many offshore skerries with long passages running parallel to the shore. Some were blind and we had to retrace our wakes but fortunately this one lead through a tight gap to open water beyond. My goodness we needed a break to take it all in!