A swarm of dykes at Kildonan.

In view of the mid day forecast on 23rd May we decided not to risk paddling across the south end of the Kilbrannan Sound to Davaar Island on the 24th. The prospect of a 20km open crossing in F4-5 increasing 6 north wind was not very appealing to us. Our next planned camp site was to be the SW point of Arran some 9km further on round Bennan Head. Bennan Head can be a rough place as the tide close in (the so called Black Tide) continuously flows east and when it meets the main west going ebb things get a bit stirred up. Pladda is only 700m north to south yet the tide on the north turns 2 hours before the tide turns on the south.

 We had a decision to make press on before the tidal window closed round Bennan Head or...

... sit back and enjoy the view aided by some sports recovery drinks.and

 ...steak sandwiches at the excellent Kildonan Hotel. Having missed the tidal window and enjoyed lunch so much, we booked a table for our evening meal. We booked a night at the Seal Shore camp site next door to the hotel. As commercial sites go Seal Shore is very good. It easily accessible from the sea, the toilets are very clean and there is plentiful hot water. It is mainly used by couples and young families and even though it was a bank holiday weekend all was quiet by 10:30pm. The camp site owners also support a charitable educational project in the Gambia.

However, although the camp site covers a large area of well mown grass, we discovered that other campers like to be really close. After we had pitched our tents other campers pitched theirs so close that guy lines crossed and Ian even suggested to one camper that he could always just use one of Ian's pegs!

On previous occasions I have stayed here I have pitched my tent on a bit of ground outside the main camping area above the shore. This would probably have been better. However, we met some nice people on the site including a young family who were island hopping in a restored 1974 VW camper van.

 Once we had pitched the tents we decided to walk along the Kildonan shore. This old  fishing boat has seen better days.

 The flag irises were already out on Arran....

 ...they normally arrive about the same time as the midges.

On the raised beach at Kildonan Shore you will find this beautiful carved sandstone bench. The inscription reads "Does the sound of the sea end at the shore or in the hearts of those who listen?"

From the raised beach there is a view of the many basalt dykes that radiate out from the south shore of Arran. This swarm of dykes from the volcanic activity in the north of Arran broke through lines of weakness in the existing sedimentary rocks. These have now been eroded away leaving the harder basalt dykes standing above the main beach level. The south end of Arran is one of the best examples of a swarm of dykes in the world. It was a warm afternoon, we were rather hot and for some reason this geological wonder made Ian think of his favourite cup of tea.

This Bing Maps view shows just a tiny fraction of the Kildonan dyke swarm, which extends for 13 km of the south Arran coastline. When you do a Google search on a small place you usually end up with a list like "Estate agents in Brigadoon, PPI claims in Brigadoon, Plumbers in Brigadoon or Meet XXXX in Brigadoon". However, if you do this for Kildonan, you get "A swarm of dykes in Kildonan".

This lichen covered dyke even has a window through...

...which I photographed the dawn on a previous visit.

 Behind the beach this waterfall cascaded over the sandstone cliffs.

There was plenty of drift wood on this beach including this oak trunk with...

 ...its wonderful bark. For a moment I wished we were wild camping here but we were looking forward to dinner in the Kildonan Hotel.

This was the view as we were enjoying the starter of scallops and black pudding.in the dining room. The MV Isle of Arran ferry was making her way out to Campbeltown passing between Pladda with its lighthouse and Ailsa Craig..

 Before heading to the tents for the night we went down to check the boats but all was well as the sun slipped away behind the dark and brooding outline of Bennan Head, on our intended route in the morning...

Planing a a fully loaded expedition sea kayak: paddle sailing through the Pladda tide race.

I was just timing my departure from the little harbour at Pladda when a baby seal popped up right in front of me (it's just below the highest bit of the wave). I hung back before powering....

 ...through the narrow entrance into the Sound of Pladda which was...

 ...surprisingly bumpy.

 Once out of the harbour we turned SE to circumnavigate Pladda clockwise.

 The spring tide had nearly finished its fourth hour but...

 ....the water was still stirred up a bit.

 We got some good runs...

 ...running diagonally down the waves.

 The water stirred itself some more as we approached....

....the east point of Pladda then...

 ....yee hahh...

 

 ...I just love sea kayaking.

 Rounding the east point freed the wind so it was time to launch the sail...

 ...and the speed picked up even more.

 What a great feeling, .flying down wind,...

 ...overtaking the waves in front and...

 ...planing a fully loaded expedition  kayak for...

 ....hundreds of meters at a time.

 Sadly the bouncy bits...

 ...all too soon came to an end as....

 ...we broke out into the lee of Pladda.

 We completed our circumnavigation in calm conditions before...

 ...crossing theSound of Pladda and landing...

...on a sandstone slab between basalt dykes on the Kildonan Shore of Arran. Time to do luncheon!

If you fancy expedition sea kayaking with a sail, we use Flat Earth Kayak Sails from Australia. In Europe they are available from Kari-tek and P&H also supply their sea kayaks with sailing rigs.

Better days and leaving Pladda.

The keepers' cottages at Pladda lighthouse have the Stevenson trademark flat roofs. They have been sold by NLB after the last of the lighthouse keepers left in 1990 when the light was automated. After he left the service, former keeper Peter Hill wrote an excellent book called "Stargazing: Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper". In it he describes some of the time he spent on Pladda. Another former keeper Fred has an interesting web site with a page devoted to Pladda, which he worked on in the 1970's.

When Tony and I visited in 2007 the cottages were occupied by someone who I believe worked in the London fashion industry. Tony and I had a good chat with him and Tony even climbed onto the roof to fix his TV aerial. The cottages are slowly lapsing into disrepair compared with the immaculately maintained lighthouse towers..

On this occasion no one was at home and the door was unlocked... only a check list for leaving was found on a table along with...

 ...a candle and a copy of the Arran Banner dated 27th July 2013.

 The curtain-less window looked south to Ailsa Craig and sadly...

 ...this dead butterfly on the window sill could not leave through the glass.

Below the window this old speedboat had been cast high and dry by a great storm. Like the butterfly, she had seen better days and will never leave the island..

 As we left we passed the four great paraffin tanks that once kept the original lantern burning but...

...all were now empty.

It was now time for us to leave and we returned to the little harbour where we had left the kayaks.

A lot of hot air and blowing your own trumpet on Pladda.

 As we walked round the silent lighthouse buildings we came across this sign.

 An old door opened to reveal...

...an amazing clockwork mechanism which was...

...surprisingly delicate given its function to control....

 ....the blasts from the mighty foghorn which could be....

...rotated on a semicircular track to point to all quarters of the approaches to the Firth of Clyde.

It has been left at pointing at....

 ...Ailsa Craig some 19km away to the south where a...

...similar horn points north to Pladda.

Fortunately for us the fog horn has been long silent and the northerly air stream had brought not fog but great clarity of air with it.  In the distance to the SW lay the coast of Antrim in Northern Ireland. Little Sanda lay off the long Kintyre peninsula and the SW corner of Arran framed the view.

?

Thrift was also growing here in any available crack in the walls. Its pink flowers matched the faded...

...red oxide painted tanks which once...

 ...contained the compressed air to operate the horns. The first fog horn was installed in 1876 and was an American siren design powered by a hot air engine. This was later replaced with the current fog horn which worked into the 1970's. It was driven by Kelvin diesel engines which required starting with petrol. It must have been quite good fun starting the beast but I would imagine the novelty wore off after no more than the first minute or two.

We felt rather pleased with ourselves for taking time out to explore Pladda it proved to be time well rewarded. Our little group seem to lack that headland to headland urge which would have missed this exploration out.

My next post will look at the abandoned keepers's cottages.