Coillabus to Beinn Mhor

At last!!! The forecast looked good for the weekend and so I phoned Chris and Sandy Taylor and asked if they fancied coming with me on this stretch. Yes, they most definitely did.

They brought Andy and Rachel, so I was in the company of three doctors and one medical student - useful if anything went wrong!

We parked at the beginning of the track to Glen Astle and walked past the Old Manse and Lower Coillabus towards Ballychatrigan. Here, at a silhouetted ruin, we carried straight on towards the coast instead of following the path towards the farm and Stremnishmore. We followed the burn and an old, grass-covered wall instead.

They day was delightful - no sun yet but not cold and no rain. The ground was wet but not as wet as I had feared. I felt very excited to be exploring new territory and we all gasped and ahhed at each new vista that opened up before us as we made our way west. Plenty of small beaches, each with the usual medly of flotsam and jetsam.

At Stremnishmore we stopped for a snack (with the tantalising promise of home made soup to keep us going!) We climbed Beinn Mhor and so closed another gap of coastline. The sun came out and shone over the weirdly shaped Dun Athad. We made out the distinctive shape of a pair of Golden Eagles hovering with carefree ease over its summit.

Rather than go back the way we came, we continued to Upper Killeyan and followed our noses to the smell of very welcome soup! Next time i'll follow the same route to ballychatrigan and then turn left instead of right. Then i'll only have the Glen Astle stretch to do. Yippee!!!

Seal Bay to Knock Bay

Seal Bay

Oh dear! I'd better go and find out what their proper names are - Loch an t-Sàilean to Loch a-Chnuic.

Another of those - looks easy on the map stretches but, as with most of the east coast, believe me, it isn't! Ages ago I had asked Fiona Middleton, wife of land owner, George Middleton, if she would accompany me for this stretch and we finally set off on Saturday 12th January to do it. There having been two Loggerhead Turtles recently washed up on Islay's shores, we scoured the storm battered beaches for 'bodies' but, fortunately, didn't find any. The tide was quite low, enabling us to cross briefly to Eilean Imersay before cutting across to Kildalton House for refreshments before setting off on the more arduous section of the walk. Yes, we missed out some nooks and crannies, but the last time I attempted this difficult section I had to make a hasty retreat as the coastline is impassable. The path from Kildalton House to Knock Bay is now largely overgrown with rhododendron but we bravely fought our way through bush, brier and bog to the small bay. Just to make sure we also walked this tiny sandy bay before retracing our steps to the road and the car.

Ardnave to Kilnave

Granny Rock, near Machir Bay

The 'gravewood' at Kilnave

This was another 'niggly situation'. I knew I had done most of the coastline from Ardnave to the head of Loch Gruinart, but that there was a tiny stretch inbetween Ardnave and Kilnave that I hadn't done so, just to be on the safe side, I did the whole stretch again - yes, all one mile of it! (or there abouts). My younger brother, Tim, and my parents were here for Christmas so Tim and I walked this short stretch of coast and mum and dad came to meet us at Kilnave in the car. We took the obligatory photos through Kilnave chapel window and decided this would be a good place to rest in peace. Lots of old gravestones here, but the most interesting is the 'gravewood', a grave marked with a carved piece of inscribed wood. Nice! Later we discovered that a Loggerhead Turtle was washed up at Ardnave on 29th December. We did this walk on the 27th December and the circular walk round the peninsula on the 30th December and didn't see anything! Typical! The gaps are closing up but those two longish stretches on The Oa loom heavily on my mind. I had arranged a walk at the beginning of this month, but the weather wasn't suitable. Weather providing, I'll close up another short gap at Kildalton Estate. Here's Granny for you, Armin!

Kilchiaran to Granny's Rock

I thought it was about time I updated my blog, even though I haven't really done any 'new' bits, but a few weeks ago the weather was actually nice (it has been nice the past couple of days too) and I decided I ought to rectify a niggly situation. A couple of years ago I walked with Walkislay from Kilchoman to Kilchiaran via the masts on the hill and back again, but didn't really go close to the coast; or at least, not as close as I like to go.

So I set off one Sunday afternoon with my friend Lynda with the aim of walking from Kilchiaran to Machir Bay - not a long distance by any means. But we had a time limit and the sun was setting so as soon as we got to Granny's Rock I said, 'Right, I've done this bit already; we'd better turn back.' It is a beautiful walk and we were entertained by croaking Ravens and hares en our way.

As we turned back, the sun began to set and we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the western sky.

I haven't forgotten my walk and hope this settled spell lasts into the New Year when I might have chance to go and finish the bits on The Oa. Now that I'm goose counting I've had chance to do a bit of 'reccy' work which has motivated me to get out again.

British Telecom - the mystery building

I've now discovered that the mystery building shown under post for 13th September is BT's cable hut. I think it's rather elaborate for its purpose and was hoping for a more romantic explanation, but there you go! My authority on the subject admitted that he'd only been to the building by boat, confirming my suspicions that this is a very inaccessible place! :-)

Bunnahabhain to Gortantoid 28th September 2007

Red Deer near Rubh a'Mhail

Sunset over Nave Island

Waterfall and Natural Arch south of Bolsa

View east from near Bolsa

This was the long one; the one I'd been waiting and planning for since I first arrived on Islay (well, just about). Several times my plans had been thwarted so I am delighted to have finally completed this section of the walk and want to thank Fiona MacGillivray for accompanying me (and for gallantly and successfully throwing me one welly!) and her mum for her prolonged babysitting stint.

We set off far too late (I'm embarrassed to say just how late!) In fact, I think this was the latest I have set off for any other part of the walk, which is silly because this was the longest section. The first part of the walk, up to Tràigh na dha dhoruis, I had done before, but it is probably my favourite walk on Islay, because you can see so much. Today, however, we had no time to stop and stare, except at a pair of Golden Eagles, many herds of Red Deer, an otter, some funghi and some Dung Beetles. So, OK, we did a fair bit of stopping and staring, but nowhere near as much as I usually do. In fact, that was the single most frustrating thing about this walk. We were passing the most spectacular of scenery; natural arch after natural arch, cave after cave, waterfall after waterfall, Colonsay and Oronsay spread out on a sparkling sea - and we just couldn't afford to stop - too often. I'm determined to come back with a tent next summer and climb Mala Bholsa, that curious lump of a hill with deer paths traversing its entire bulk. We didn't find Bolsa cave either, although we did find a huge cave earlier on. There is so much to explore here; it's probably my new Number One in Islay's Top Ten Walks. We were distressed to see a Red Deer Stag caught by the antlers on some discarded rope. It was throwing itself all over the place in an attempt to disentangle itself. To approach it to help would have been foolish so we had to leave it and vowed to phone the gamekeeper upon our return. Other stags were roaring and herds of deer galloping up the hills. We also came across a big herd of Wild goats. All that is wild inhabits this place and defies exploration by its very wildness and inaccessibility. Yet others have been before us and still others will follow, including, I hope myself. Walking back, we watched the sunset over Nave Island - a real treat for tired eyes. We swiped ticks off our legs with the little energy we had left and returned to the car just before dusk fell. I throughly recommend this walk given: 1) you can get a lift from Gortantoid (to avoid extra 2 plus miles walk to Kilinallan) 2) you can get a lift to Bunnahabhain (this minimises the time spent on driving to and fro the start and finish destinations) 3) you start A LOT earlier than we did or, even better, camp en route.

Port Ellen to Seal Bay 7th and 13th September 2007

The mystery building. Any ideas?

I have to confess I did this short stretch in two goes. But before you scoff, go and try it for yourself!! I set off to do it in a oner, but was defeated by the time I got to Lagavulin. Anyone wishing to repeat this exercise should have the following:

1. wellies (walking through water necessary)
2. a stick
3. insect repellent
4. nerves of steel.

Also, NEVER attempt it when bracken is high and best check tides before you set out. Failing possession of all of the above, this walk can be achieved if you have:

1. a death wish

As it was, I had none of the above (no, not even a death wish!) and the bracken was very high (taller than me, which admittedly Armin, isn't saying very much as I'm only 5 foot 3) but tall enough to not see the edge of the cliffs sometimes. Perhaps the walk is achievable without bracken and at very low tide, but I for one, will not be attempting it again. This was the only time on the coastal walk that I have felt truly scared and wondered what on earth I was doing. It took me from 10.15 am to 3.15 pm to walk this distance (about 2 and a half miles) The ground was so uneven I kept falling over and the shoreline was sometimes impassable, making it necessary to wade through awful bracken. I did come across a square building which intrigued me and I've posted a picture of it on here. If anyone knows what it is, I'd be interested to hear from them, because it seemed such an inaccessible place for it to be. By the time I got to Lagavulin, I could take no more and phoned Ann for a lift back to Port Ellen. Then today I returned to Lagavulin to complete the walk. This time it was very pleasant and I was able to walk the short distance completely along the shoreline. In summary:

Four ticks, four miles

Three falls, no stiles

Two walls, too much

One walk I won't retouch!