The Scottish Isles

Published 09:33 on 28 Sep 2023

Armed with our copy of the Scottish Islands by Hampshire Hanwell-Smith and the knowledge that these waters have been sailed over 1,500 years we left  Oban to start our two week tour of the islands with Peter and Lynette. The wind was favourable so we headed for a lovely small anchorage on the Ross of Mull. It could have been a tropical island were it not for the temperature.

The following morning we had a short sail to visit Iona and the Abbey. St Columba arrived here in AD563  and set up a monastery. We then sailed up the Sound of Iona. On our way to Coll we passed Staffa and Fingalls cave where the caustics are amazing. Unfortunately the swell was too great to land so we sailed past it and had a great view.

Our destination was Coll, a lovely island which is the home of the childrens character Katie Morag. For officiados the streets look very much like the book!  It was the home of the Maclean clan and they managed to avoid becoming a Campbell vassal after Culloden. Unfortunately following the potato famine the Laird was in dire straights and had to sell the island. We arrived in beautiful sunshine. 

A lovely meal ashore at the Coll hotel (a must visit) was followed by a bumpy night as the anchorage was exposed to swell.

The following day we set sail for the island of Rum. A great sail in 15-20 lots of wind as we sailed through the straight between Eigg and Rhum. We arrived in a lovely bay and picked up a mooring, which was challenging in the middle of a squall! At the head of the loch was KInloch Castle. This was built by George Bullough in 1900. He paid the builders extra if they wore kilts and tuppence a day for tobacco, midge money! His eccentricities extended to live turtles and alligators and humming birds in the conservatory!!! The castle has been mothballed by Scottish heritage and unfortunately is deteriorating. 

~ by C.Cameron