The Guide to Scotland's Islands on the West Coast 2020

Name of section

THE GUIDE TO

SCOTLAND’S

ISLANDS

20 0 2 ON THE WEST COAST

INSPIRING IDEAS

WHAT TO DO

CULTURE & EVENTS

ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

SCOTLAND’S

LEWIS

ISLANDS

Stornoway

ON THE WEST COAST

CALMAC FERRY ROUTE MAP

HARRIS Tarbert

Ullapool

Leverburgh Berneray NORTH UIST Lochmaddy

Uig

BENBECULA

SKYE

RAASAY

SOUTH UIST Sconser Lochboisdale ERISKAY

BARRA

CANNA

Armadale Mallaig

RUM

Castlebay

EIGG MUCK Kilchoan COLL Lochaline

Tobermory

TIREE

LISMORE

Fishnish Craignure KERRERA MULL IONA

Oban Gallanach

Fionnphort

COLONSAY Dunoon Colintraive Portvadie Tarbert Rhubodach

ROUTE COLOUR KEY –- Winter and Summer routes –- Winter routes –- Summer routes

JURA Port Askaig

Kennacraig

ISLAY

Port Port Ellen

Rothesay

Tayinloan GIGHA

Claonaig BUTE

Gourock Wemyss Bay Largs

GREAT Lochranza CUMBRAE Ardrossan ARRAN Brodick

For timetable information, go to calmac.co.uk Campbeltown

CONTENTS

The 2020 edition of our guide to the west coast of Scotland and its islands brings you a fresh, revealing glimpse of the landscapes, people, culture and diversity of the area. Contributing to Scotland's Year of Coasts and Waters, it inspires you to explore and discover events, arts and activities happening through the year, to engage with contemporary life and activity on the islands, and above all to enjoy the journey. Independently compiled, with the support of CalMac, we hope to reflect the richness of what these islands have to offer and encourage you to set off and experience them for yourself.

CalMac’s ferries are the gateway to the islands of Scotland’s west coast, connecting to, from and between Arran and the Kintyre peninsula in the south to Skye and the Outer Hebrides in the north. The fleet carries passengers, bikes, cars and commercial traffic right through the year as part of Scotland’s public transport network integrated with ports on the mainland. Journeys can be planned and tickets booked online at calmac.co.uk or you can find a handy journey planner at calmac.co.uk/journeyplanner.

Consulting Editor Donald Reid

Subeditor Jennifer Crichton

Project Editor Deborah Chu

Design & Production Lucy Munro, Seonaid Rafferty

Writing and Research

Photography rkeenanphotography.com

Craig Angus, Deborah Chu, Robin Hodge, Deborah Martin, Lynsey May, Donald Reid, Caroline Rye, Ailsa Sheldon, Keith Smith, Jason Thomson, Gareth K Vile

Publishing Director Sheri Friers CEO David Low

©2020 The List Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of The List Ltd.

ISSN: 2632 9751

Standing Stones

4

Arts & Culture

6

Whisky

10

Seafood

12

Firth of Clyde

16

Books

20

Skye Boat Song

22

While You Wait

24

Winter Journeys

26

Wildlife

28

Dark Skies

30

Community Buyouts 32 Events

34

Venues

38

Published by The List Ltd 14 High Street Edinburgh EH1 1TE 0131 550 3050; list.co.uk Extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however the publishers can accept no responsibility for any errors it may contain.

Printed by J Thomson, 14 Carnoustie Place, Glasgow, G5 8PB

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 3

STILL STANDING

STANDING STONES

4 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

A visit to any of the standing stones, circles and brochs of the Hebrides and west coast will deepen your understanding of, and respect for, those who built their lives on the fringes of the Atlantic millennia before us, as Ailsa Sheldon finds

I

n a world of instant online answers, there is something wonderful about historical mysteries that offer, as yet, no definitive explanation.

One of the pleasures of visiting the Hebrides and the west coast is the chance to immerse yourself in a remote, windswept landscape and wonder about those who lived here thousands of years ago. Calanais (also often spelled as Callanish) may be the best known, but there's a wealth of fascinating archaeological sites that tell the story of ancient Scotland across the west coast and islands.

Standing stones are the oldest monuments in Scotland, with sites found on Arran, Islay, Jura, Mull, Coll, Barra, Harris and, most prominently, Lewis. The Calanais standing stones (pictured) predate Stonehenge and are at least 5000 years old. These slabs of Lewisian gneiss are arranged in a cross shape with a circle at the centre, and there is evidence of 2000 years of ritual use. Near Calanais, there are other smaller standing stones and stone circles from the same era that attract fewer visitors, some signposted from the road. To visit Calanais without the crowds, get there first thing in the morning, or after 3pm when the tour buses leave.

Theories abound on the purpose of standing stones. Many experts suggest they were astrological observatories used to track the movements of the sun and the stars, perhaps for ritual or religious purposes. We know

that some marked burial chambers.

Like all good mysteries, with more answers come more questions and there is much still to know about these Neolithic megaliths.

Brochs are unique to Scotland and are among the most advanced Iron Age constructions in Europe.

Windowless dry-stone buildings in a tall ‘cooling tower’ shape, they feature stone steps spiralling between concentric inner and outer walls that provide access to upper floors, with smaller rooms entered from the central area. Archaeologists believe brochs had wooden floors and conical thatched roofs. We don’t know for sure what purpose brochs served, and usage may have changed over time depending on local politics – perhaps for refuge in tumultuous periods and storage in peacetime.

STANDING STONES

There is also much to suggest brochs played an important role in asserting status. Pottery fragments found in brochs show evidence of imported Mediterranean wines and olives (predating Romans in Britain) which gives a useful indication to the wealth of broch owners.

Scotland has over 500 known brochs, with the Broch of Mousa on Shetland the best-preserved example, still standing at 13.3 metres and the tallest prehistoric building in the UK. However, the west of Scotland is home to many important examples.

The Glenelg brochs Dun Telve and Dun Troddan were constructed between 2000 and 2500 years ago in beautiful Gleann Beag near Kyle of Lochalsh. Built unusually close together, these two brochs retain many distinctive architectural features and

much of their original walls. Over the water, the hilltop location of Dun Beag on Skye suggests it was used for defence, and the strong walls show the skill of these early builders.

Medieval coins discovered at Dun Beag invite questions about how long this structure was used for. Dun Carloway on Lewis still stands close to its original height at around 9m tall, and shows signs of differing use over time, including as a stronghold in the 1500s and allegedly as a home in the 1870s.

Standing stones and brochs are our most prominent ancient monuments but there are many more interesting structures to discover across the region, including cairns, souterrains, Iron Age forts and crannogs.

Neolithic and Bronze Age cairns (not to be confused with mountain

cairns) are found all over Scotland and were used to bury high status individuals. The Nether Largie Cairns at Kilmartin, south of Oban, are a very well-preserved example.

And they're probably not alone.

Many of our archaeological treasures were once buried in peat, which played an important role in preserving these ancient structures.

It is highly likely that, hidden just below the surface, there are still many more of Scotland’s stories to discover.

Historic Environment Scotland cares for many of Scotland’s historic sites. Visit historicenvironment.scot to learn more about the places mentioned here and many more, including directions to find them.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 5

ARTS & CULTURE

FRINGE PRODUCT A

PHOTO: LEEDS ANIMATION WORKSHOP

cross the islands of the west coast, art and culture are on the move. From the Aros Community Theatre in Portree, through the Uist’s Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre – which partners with the University of the Highlands and Islands to offer courses in fine art to degree level – to the multiple venues of Mull’s Comar, arts organisations manage to both cultivate local creativity and attract tours from around the country. Alongside the buildings that maintain a constant stream of events and exhibitions, local spaces such as Arran’s Whiting Bay Hall or Minginish Community Hall on Skye can be pressed into service, ensuring that there is a year-round provision of performance, while museums frequently rotate exhibitions to include contemporary visual art alongside more traditional work.

This means that not only do the islands receive their share of touring productions – or in the case of Comar, events made on the island by Mull Theatre – and visual art exhibitions, but that the organisations promoting the arts are engaged in sophisticated and inclusive community-orientated curation.

On Skye, ATLAS Arts is developing an ongoing series of community meals that combine food activism, film, public discussions and a grand night out under the name of Plural Futures. With a commitment to encouraging makers to produce durational and temporary work that ‘creates connections between artists and audiences and responds to the unique qualities of the region’, ATLAS combines a contemporary aesthetic sensibility with a recognition of Skye’s distinctive identity.

Across on Arran, Arran Visual Arts’ Summer Exhibition (23–29 May) allows members to show and sell their work, while May sees Ruth Bond’s oil paintings of the outer Hebrides arrive at Talla na Mara on the Isle of Harris.

Like ATLAS’ programme, these events engage with the environment and culture of the islands: since the beauty of the landscape attracts artists, it is unsurprising that communities can generate their own exhibitions.

Comar, based in Mull and incorporating multiple forms of art – the organisation evolved from the merger of Mull Theatre and the artist space An Tobar – hosts exhibitions and touring theatre. Three shows, all of which have garnered awards and praise on earlier tours of the UK and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, are arriving in Comar in the upcoming months.

Like Animals comes from Glasgow’s Superfan, known for its blend of theatre and live art. With deeply personal touches taken from the real-life relationship between the two

PHOTO: RUTH BOND

6 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

ARTS & CULTURE

UCTIONS

Up and down the western fringe of Scotland, Gareth K Vile finds a range of venues and multi-art spaces offering compelling visual art, performance and cinema in the course of 2020

PHOTO: MIHAELA BODLOVIC

performers, Like Animals considers communication through the perspectives discovered in the study of animal languages.

Superfan’s bold dramaturgy draws on circus and dance, setting it in the rare position of being both experimental and accessible.

Waves, which follows the fictional biography of the woman who invented the butterfly stroke, is both performed and written by Alice Mary Cooper. Telling the story of a woman born on Australia’s Gabo island, it began as a short story but evolved into a celebration of ‘the pioneering women swimmers of the early 1900s’. Although the main character is Cooper’s invention, the show opens up a rarely discussed period of swimming history and speaks of those who developed the sport but remain unacknowledged, or even mentioned, in the textbooks. Waves concludes its Scottish tour on the Isle of Mull.

2Magpies’ Ventoux arrives in Skye at the beginning of May and, interestingly, revisits another sporting event – the 2000 Tour De France – in which the champion, later to be disgraced, cyclists Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantini went head-to-head. Restaging the race, with video footage, commentary and two actors on bicycles, 2Magpies’ reinterprets what was, at the time, a contest of respected athletes but has become, in retrospect, a meeting of tarnished heroes. With adventurous staging – the actors and video footage work together with a soundtrack that includes Kraftwerk’s famous ‘soundtrack’ of the Tour – Ventoux is a creative response to the sport itself and a subtle analysis of cultural values.

Perhaps the most ambitious project around the islands, however, comes from the National Theatre of Scotland.

Supported by Caledonian MacBrayne, with community projects accompanying the shows in Stornoway, Rothesay and Craignure, Ferry Tales is a new script from Isobel MacArthur – most recently praised for her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – with Perth Theatre’s Lu Kemp directing. Told in English, Gaelic and BSL (British Sign Language), and with music from Josie Duncan, Ferry Tales reflects on the routes to the isles, the people who make the journeys and the unique sense of time and place that happens along the way.

Far from being disconnected from the mainland’s cultural production, the islands have plenty of visits from national companies, but at the same time, have generated a distinctive approach to how art and theatre can be appreciated, while using them both to speak of their locality, communities and culture.

From top left, clockwise: Alice in Wasteland screening, as part of Plural Futures; Like Animals; Ventoux; Croft Yellow Grasses by Ruth Bond The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 7

Get Involved!

Check out westcoastwaters.co.uk OUTER HEBRIDES

WESTER ROSS SKYE & LOCHALSH

LOCHABER

ARGYLL & INNER HEBRIDES LOCH LOMOND, FIRTH OF CLYDE & CLYDE ISLANDS

IMMERSE YOUR SENSES Come, immerse your senses in the wild beauty of Scotland’s west coast, during the Year of Coasts & Waters 2020. With an abundance of coastal destinations, stunning islands, memorable maritime experiences and rich food and drink to savour - Scotland’s west coast has it all.

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Indicative Route Feb 2020

WHISKY

SMOKE SIGNALS For many, peat-fire smokiness is the definitive flavour of island whisky. However, Jason Thomson finds that the story of distilling on various islands reveals some surprisingly divergent styles

T

here is a prevailing idea of what Scotland’s islands are – and then there is the reality. In fact, the Scottish islands might be among the most misunderstood archipelagos in the world. This isn’t to say the islands aren’t beautiful. They are. On the right day, their views and vistas are breathtaking.

However, the Scottish islands painted in the minds of people through their memories of Whisky Galore are far from the truth. In fact, they do a disservice to the people that live there, and even to group them all as 'islanders' doesn’t ring true. Each island presents its own challenges. Living on Orkney is not like living on Mull, and life on Eigg has its differences to life on Skye. Each island is its own and, in some ways, that helps shape the people that live there.

This carries over to the whiskies made on the islands.

They each have their own particular style, often shaped by their particular island. There is no common flavour or technique – instead, like the people, they each have their unique way of doing things, with some islands even being home to several styles.

Mull, for example, has been home to the Tobermory distillery (in some shape or form) since 1798, 10 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

making it one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland. Over the years, distillers have had different thoughts on what a whisky from Mull might be, and this has led Tobermory to have not one, but two distinct single malts being produced at the same distillery. The whisky named Tobermory is light, fruity and holds a hint of spice. The other, Ledaig, is most recognisable for its sweet smoke and earthy character. The only difference between the two whiskies is the use of peat to dry the barley at the start of the process, but this singular change makes for two very different drams.

The Isle of Arran is in a similar situation. When the distillery first opened in 1995, it was producing both a fruity, Speyside-style malt and a much heavier, peated spirit. The global demand for single malt whisky has exploded in the ensuing years and Arran, like many distilleries, has had to grow.

Instead of splitting the time of one distillery to make two styles, they built a new distillery (The Lagg distillery) to make their peated whisky. One island, one company, but two distilleries making two very distinct whiskies.

WHISKY

Clockwise: Tobermory; Isle of Raasay; Bruichladdich; harvesting barley on Raasay

Arran isn’t the only whisky isle that’s seen innovation though. On the Isle of Raasay, the island’s first ever distillery hasn’t only been experimenting with its spirits, it has been holding trials for its ingredients. Raasay’s team has been working to bring barley back to the island, with the first crop in 40 years being grown in 2017. It’s hoped the trials will find a barley that can be used to make single malt at the distillery, helping it further its own unique style.

If any island is thought to have its own ubiquitous style it is – without doubt – Islay. The whiskies from Islay are thought to be big, bold and dripping with smoky intensity. This is especially true of the south coast of the island, home to Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg, the trinity of big Islay smoke. But even on Islay there are outliers. On the northern shore lies Bunnahabhain, which bucks the norms of Islay and forgoes the use of peat in its core range. Their whisky is better known for its rich, smooth and nutty texture.

Bunnahabhain isn’t alone in shunning smoke.

Re-opened in 2001, Bruichladdich has a very different

idea of what a whisky bearing the Islay name could be. It was about the place and the provenance more than about the peat and the smoke. On opening, the signature Bruichladdich style was sweet, honeyed and citric, a huge counterpoint to most drams made on the island. The ethos of the distillery is one of experimentation, with many unusual wine casks being used in the maturation of its more limitededition expressions. As the years have passed, a more traditional peated selection known as the Port Charlotte has been added to the ranks, but the Bruichladdich ethos still holds firm. Bruichladdich, in a similar vein to Raasay, work closely with local farms to grow barley for its whisky. This symbiotic approach has yielded terrific results – helping local farmers and allowing Bruichladdich to become a vital part of the island itself.

This is true for almost all the distilleries on Scotland’s islands. Distilleries are essential cogs in the everyday workings of the community, and the whisky they make is shaped just as much by their island home as the people that live there. To think otherwise would be to do them a disservice.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 11

SEAFOOD

Top: Kishorn Seafood Bar; Bottom, left to right: Mara Fish Bar & Deli, Nanny's

12 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

SEAFOOD

AW, SHACKS There's something about seafood delivered fresh off the boat, cooked simply and eaten outdoors with a view of the sea and the hills. Caroline Rye celebrates the joy of no-frills coastal dining with a roundup of the west coast's finest seafood shacks, stalls and takeaways

P

iles of creel-caught langoustines or oysters from the cold, clear waters of Scotland's west coast aren’t just for fancy restaurants or upscale hotels.

Some of the best seafood can be enjoyed from the simplest of operations, no reservation required (though do remember that openings can be seasonal). Think juicy lobster in a cardboard tray, dripping with butter mopped up with a paper napkin, eaten perched on a bench at the end of the harbour or, perhaps more realistically, as you take shelter in your car or camper van.

For those getting on or off the boat at Oban, or even just visiting for the day, the Oban Seafood Hut serves everything from lobsters, cooked fresh to order, to stuffed seafood sandwiches. Grab a table beside its cheery green hut on the pier behind the CalMac terminal. Down the coast, The Oyster Bar and Restaurant at Ellenabeich on the Isle of Seil does feature four walls and a roof, but offers takeaway and outdoor seating to enjoy a plate of oysters with a view of the Atlantic.

Further south on the Kintyre peninsula, the Skipness Seafood Cabin serves filled rolls, locally caught shellfish and salmon from the Skipness Smokehouse.

Enjoy outdoor seating in its pretty garden or huddle under

CREELING Creels or pots have been used to catch crustaceans such as lobster, langoustines and brown and velvet crab around the west coast and Hebrides for generations. The creels are small, baited, basket-like traps that sit on the seabed and are hauled up at regular intervals to inspect the catch.

Smaller specimens or unwanted species can then be returned to the sea alive, making this a relatively sustainable method of fishing, especially on a small scale.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 13

SEAFOOD Name of section

Top to bottom: The Boathouse, Mara Fish Bar & Deli, The Oyster Shed

14 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

the handy awning if the rain rolls in. Nip over on the ferry to Lochranza, meanwhile, and down the east coast of Arran at Corrie you'll find Mara Fish Bar & Deli serving up the local catch.

If you’re rolling off the ferry from Oban on to Mull, veer southwest to discover another wooden cabin, the Creel Seafood Bar at Fionnphort.

Nestled on the pier for the crossing to Iona, you don’t need to be making the pilgrimage across to enjoy Isle of Mull scallops fried in garlic butter or bowls of cullen skink. If you like your seafood early doors, they also offer a fishy breakfast menu. Or head north to Tobermory, where the Fishermen’s Pier Fish Van serves all manner of local seafood to accompany a stroll around the famous harbour.

Venturing out to the community-owned island of Ulva, don’t miss The Boathouse for its homegrown oysters and local potted crab. On Islay, SeaSalt Bistro & Takeaway, while not strictly a shack, does offer seafood to go, with lobster burgers and seafood and chips on the menu, offering an alternative to pizza and kebabs.

Heading north across the waves to Lewis, the family-run Uig Scallop Shack is another unpretentious spot; try a fat, white bread roll piled high with scallops and Stornoway black pudding. On the island of Grimsay, just below North Uist, the unprepossessing venue of a marine supplies shop also hosts the Namara Seafood Café, selling lobster, crab and mussels, including takeaway options.

Returning to the mainland, whether you’re travelling via Ullapool or just visiting the area and its spectacular scenery, The Seafood Shack serves up locally landed seafood from a trailer near the ferry terminal. Dishes such as langoustines in garlic butter, crab cakes or haddock tempura fly out the serving hatch in eco-friendly takeaway packaging.

As the road winds south, Nanny’s at Sheildaig, Torridon, offers squat lobster sandwiches, locallysmoked salmon and a child-friendly menu. Or for a slightly fancier affair, venture down to the head of Loch Kishorn, where the pastel blue cabin of Kishorn Seafood Bar serves everything from a fish finger sandwich to a super-sized seafood platter. At Kyle of Lochalsh, seek out Buth Bheag’s Fisherman’s Kitchen for cullen skink, seafood salads and even more langoustines, served from a timber-clad shop.

Whether you travel by bridge or ferry to the Isle of Skye, The Oyster Shed at Carbost is handily located for a visit to the nearby Talisker distillery. Selling a wide selection of local fish and shellfish, including platters and unshucked oysters if you fancy the challenge, it’s testament to Skye’s popularity that this is open all year round.

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The Best Produce of the West There’s a story behind most of the produce available on board CalMac’s vessels. From the delicious morning roll you’ll order on your early sailing, to the famous CalMac and Cheese you might enjoy at lunch – each item is locally sourced with care and steeped in tradition and pride PHOTO: RACHEL KEENAN PHOTO: RACHEL KEENAN

CalMac’s menus showcase the best produce the west coast has to offer. The first-ever ferry company to achieve VisitScotland’s ‘Taste our Best’ accreditation, the CalMac team work with suppliers and producers all over Scotland and their west coast network to bring the best quality produce to passengers.

At breakfast, you can savour fresh morning rolls delivered to the vessels before dawn by Macleans Highland Bakery and Wooleys of Arran. They’re the perfect accompaniment to the free-range eggs sourced from the hens roaming around the pastures of family-run Balvicar Farm at the southern end of the Isle of Seil.

Order the well-known CalMac and Cheese for lunch and you’ll savour the Mull of Kintyre cheddar from the Kintyre Peninsula.

It’s been crafted in the same Campbeltown creamery for more than 90 years, using timehonoured methods. Sources say it’s enhanced with the ‘angel’s share’ of whisky left over from when the creamery used to be a distillery. Maybe that’s why this dish is one of their most popular.

If you’re sailing later in the day and have the option, perhaps you’ll have the chance to sample a taste of the west in liquid form?

From ales brewed on the beautiful islands of Arran or Islay; to gin made from botanicals growing

freely and gathered by hand on the beautiful isle of Jura; to a dram from one of the many whiskies CalMac not only serve on board, but also help transport via their vessels to whisky bars and enthusiasts across the country and the world.

The produce CalMac spend time sourcing for their menus from the skilled master bakers, crofters, farmers, brewers and distillers of the west coast are an introduction to what passengers can expect from the bountiful larder at their destination.

You’ll certainly have a pleasant onward culinary journey when you explore this unique part of the world.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 15

FIRTH OF CLYDE

ROAMIN' IN TH Strange as it may sound, your own two feet – with a bit of help from the ferry and the bus – are perhaps the best way to navigate the Firth of Clyde, as Keith Smith explains

A

t almost 1500 square miles, and with the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles, exploring the Firth of Clyde by foot might seem something of an odd choice. But thanks to an extensive network of way-marked footpaths, it’s possible, with relative ease, to explore the coastlines and interiors of the peninsulas, promontories and islands that populate the Clyde waters.

Many sections of the walking trails are fairly accessible, and won’t require much more than a stout pair of boots, some appropriate clothing and basic vittles to negotiate them.

On the western side of the Firth is the 100-mile-long Kintyre Way. Offering views of Islay, Gigha and the Paps of Jura, this seven-stage trail stretches from Tarbet 16 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

in the north and works its way down to Southend, where the Firth of Clyde meets the Irish Sea proper, before traversing back round to Machrihanish.

From Tarbet, it’s just a short ferry hop to a slightly shorter, but no less awe-inspiring walk. Described as ‘Scotland in 57 miles’, the Loch Lomond & Cowal Way snakes across the Cowal peninsula from the dock at Portavadie up to Inveruglas on Loch Lomond.

One of the refuges of the red squirrel, along with Arran and Kintyre, the forest sections of the walk are also home to foxes, badgers and barn owls. On the coastal segments, it’s common to spot otters, seals and porpoises in the water, while further north on the open hillsides, you might see one of the area’s four pairs of golden eagles in the skies.

The splendid shell of Dunans Castle and the hidden remains of Asgog Castle can be found along the route, while at Glendaruel, Kilmodan Church is noted both for its 15th-century carved burial stones and its unusual interior layout. Legend has it that the three separate entrances, staircases and galleries were designed to ensure

FIRTH OF CLYDE

THE GLOAMIN' (ON THE BONNIE BANKS O' CLYDE)

three local sparring Campbell families could each talk to God, without having to talk to each other.

Around the delightful village of Tighnabruaich, the Loch Lomond & Cowal Way skirts along the shores of the Kyles of Bute, across which you can virtually see some of the West Island Way – a 28-mile trail on the Isle of Bute itself. Opened in 2000, it was Scotland’s first official long-distance island pathway and is, in essence, two circular walks with a middle joining section bringing them together. Most people tend to base themselves in Rothesay, tackling the parts separately and returning to the town each night. It’s possible to complete it without doing so, of course, with some terrific wild camping opportunities for the adventurous.

The southern walk, a circuit from Kilchattan Bay, showcases some of the island's most dramatic scenery, as volcanic rock meets the power of the sea. Other highlights include St Blanes, a ruined 12th-century church, and panoramic views of Little Cumbrae, Great Cumbrae and Arran.

As the name suggests, the 63-mile long Arran Coastal

Way follows the outline of the island, with minor deviations inland and the odd alternative path that can also be used to turn some of the stages into circuits. It’s challenging in places, but well worth the extra effort.

From its position in the centre of the Firth, Arran is perfectly situated to provide the most expansive view of the region. Depending on where you are (and the weather, naturally) it’s possible to see the peninsulas of Cowal and Kintyre, the Isle of Bute, much of the Ayrshire coast, Ailsa Craig and across the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland. Other offshore rewards include the chance to see bottlenose dolphins, basking sharks and minke whales.

Onshore, it’s no less interesting, from the ruins of Lochranza Castle and the neolithic Machrie Moor standing stones, to the King’s Cave, where Robert the Bruce supposedly had his famous arachnid encounter.

And if you do want to try, try and try again, then it's worth keeping in mind that the area is also the perfect gateway point for the 100-mile Ayrshire Coastal Path from Glenapp to Skelmorlie, and the 34-mile Three Lochs Way, connecting lochs Lomond, Long and Fyne.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 17

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A Sense of CalM

We like to think that every journey with CalMac starts a story: one full of great memories. This year we’ve teamed up with some of the best tourism operators and attractions all over the west coast to create our CalMac Adventures – a series of memorable day trips that are sure to be page-turning chapters in your CalMac story

18 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

There’s something for everyone in our CalMac Adventures: they’re perfect for the history lovers, wildlife spotters and seaside explorers amongst you. A perfect combination, teaming the excitement that comes with a ferry journey to somewhere new at your own pace, or with the insight and knowledge of local guides and experts who live and breathe all this part of the world has to offer.

Treshnish Isles and Staffa

A journey from Oban to the beautiful and uninhabited Treshnish Isles and Staffa. Lying just three miles off the coast of Mull, the Treshnish Isles are home to a thriving wildlife community.

Cruise through the islets and rocks before docking at Lunga. From April to early August, you’ll be

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lMac Adventure

able to see the beautiful seabirds that frequent this part of the world – including the cheeky and characterful puffin – before setting sail for Staffa and the famous Fingal’s Cave.

Three Isles Tour

Set sail from Oban to begin this hat-trick of islands, taking in Mull, Iona and Staffa. Travel through Mull by coach where you’ll be introduced to its famous majestic landscapes, before setting sail for Staffa, home to the natural phenomenon of Fingal’s Cave and its towering basalt columns.

Depending on the timing of your visit, you might also be in for a wonderful dose of puffin therapy.

Finally, the island of Iona awaits: a tiny island that played a huge role in history as the cradle of Christianity in Scotland and the burial place of

ancient kings, from McAlpin to MacBeth.

Big Bird Trip

If you want to focus solely on the wildlife the west coast is famous for, our Big Bird Trip is the perfect adventure. Sailing from Oban to Mull and then out to the Treshnish Isles, you’ll have four hours to spend watching and taking in the wildlife, sights and sounds of Harp Rock Sea Stack – including guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and puffins – before sailing to Staffa to see the unmissable Fingal’s Cave.

Every journey starts a story and our CalMac Adventures will help you write your best chapter yet. Find out more about our full selection at: calmac.co.uk/adventures The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 19

BOOKS

BY THE BO ARRAN

SKYE

Set in the scenic town of Lamlash, The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle by Kirsty Wark tells a multigenerational story of life on Arran, in which a modernday daughter discovers the storied past of one of the island’s most enigmatic residents, the eponymous Elizabeth Pringle. Lamlash itself has a stunning view of the historic Holy Isle and is an excellent starting or stopping-off point for anyone hoping to explore Arran on foot. Also featuring in the book is the majestic Goatfell, the highest of Arran’s mountains, standing sentinel above Broderick Castle. Climb the granite peaks to be rewarded with views of Jura, Ben Lomond and even – on clear days – Ireland.

The lovely white sand beaches and rocky cliffs of Arran will also resonate with fans of Sarah Maine’s historical novel The House Between the Tides. This intriguing story sees intemperate painter Theo Blake sustain himself despite an obsession with a woman he can’t have, thanks to his passion for his island home. Discover the sort of sights that inspired Blake’s devotion for the land and seascapes by exploring Silver Sands, Whiting Bay and Sannox Beach. A trip to the atmospheric and ancient Machrie Moor stone circles, dating back to 3500BC, also offer a sense of the island’s long history.

Known for its medieval castles, craggy cliffs and charming seaside villages, the Isle of Skye offers an excellent setting for mystical and mysterious tales.

The Story Keeper by Anna Mazzola is a historical novel about Audrey Hart, who visits the island hoping to be taken on as an assistant to a folklorist researching folk and fairy tales on Skye, before the discovery of a young girl’s body sets her adventure in motion. Set off on your own quest with a visit to Glen Brittle with its sparkling Fairy Pools, long rumoured to be a spot loved by fairy folk and now popular with wild swimmers. You’ll also be perfectly placed to admire the rocky crags of the Cuillin mountain range while you’re there.

If you’re in search of invigorating walks and stunning views, we recommend taking a tour of some of Skye’s spectacular routes. The Old Man of Storr is a firm favourite but if you’re a fan of espionage adventures, be sure to include the Hill of the Red Fox (Sgurr a Mhadaidh Ruadh) to bring to mind the book of the same name, a children’s classic by Allan Campbell McLean. In McLean’s novel, suspected Soviet spies and a Cold War plot grip the island, but today you’ll find nothing but peaceful views from the summit of Trotternish range.

20 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

BOOKS

BOOK

From the excitement of Robert Louis Stevenson to the drama of Peter May and the fun of Alexander McCall Smith, Lynsey May discovers how the dramatic landscapes of the western islands have fuelled many an author's imagination

LEWIS

MULL

The breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, medieval architecture and gorgeous green spaces might make visitors feel as though they’ve stepped into a romantic fantasy tale, but author Peter May chose this stunning island as the setting for his chilling crime trilogy. From the eye-catching township of Ness, with its beautiful beach and low cliffs (once home to protagonist Detective Inspector Finlay Macleod), to the intriguing Bridge to Nowhere featured in The Chessmen, May makes use of many brilliant locations. Other highlights include various locations around the striking bay of Uig in south west Lewis, including the ancient graveyard at Baile na Cille which is small but unforgettable.

Also set on Lewis is Kevin MacNeil’s powerful novel The Stornoway Way. Often compared to Trainspotting, this no-holds-barred look at island life explores the characters of Leodhasach (people from Lewis) and also has memorable scenes set in Ness. Be sure to raise a glass of the amber to MacNeil’s protagonist while you’re there, or get right to the source with a visit to Abhainn Dearg Distillery (Red River Distillery). Don’t take too many pages out of MacNeil’s protagonist’s book, however, and do spend some time exploring the island’s other delights, including the Calanais standing stones and Lews Castle.

Mull has long been renowned for its connection to Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, one of Scotland’s best-loved adventure novels. Some of the action takes place on Erraid, a small, rugged tidal island just off the tip of the Ross of Mull. If you take a day trip to explore it, pay a visit to Traigh Gheal – known as Davie Balfour’s Beach, as a homage to the place where Stevenson’s hero washed ashore after a shipwreck – on the south side of the island. If you like your beaches, be sure to check out the lovely Calgary Bay on the northwest coast of Mull too.

If you’re travelling with children, then make sure to introduce them to Alexander McCall Smith's School Ship Tobermory series to help inspire their trip. In these charming books, the children set off from their home on Mull to explore the surrounding lochs and islands while travelling in their school, which just happens to be a well-equipped boat. An excellent array of boating day trips departs Tobermory, including cruises, trips to surrounding islands and sea life safaris perfect for little learners. Of course, there’s plenty to enjoy on Mull itself, including six castles, the Lochbuie standing stone circle and many Iron Age brochs.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 21

SKYE BOAT SONG

OVER THE

SEA TO

SKYE The famous Skye Boat Song commemorates Bonnie Prince Charlie's escape from under the noses of government troops.

Robin Hodge on a stirring story of heroism and danger

Flora Macdonald by Johannes Faber (National Galleries of Scotland) 22 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

T

he Skye Boat Song recounts part of one of the greatest manhunts in Scottish history. In the spring and summer of 1746, the might of the British state scoured land and sea in a ruthless effort to capture Bonnie Prince Charlie following the Jacobite defeat at Culloden (see opposite). A reward of £30,000, a vast fortune at the time, was offered to anyone who betrayed him. None did.

Contrary to popular belief, the boat was crossing, not from the mainland but, in fact, back to Skye from the Outer Hebrides, where the Prince had been hiding in caves and abandoned bothies for ten long weeks following the battle.

The Royal Navy was patrolling the coast in frigates and large numbers of troops were combing every corner of the islands, closing in on the Prince and his band of supporters.

Fionnghal (generally called Flora) Macdonald came to the rescue. A young woman of 24 who was staying with her brother on South Uist, she was known to visit Skye from time to time and keep house for her stepfather at Armadale.

Flora knew she could get the relevant papers giving her permission to travel and she proposed disguising the Prince as her maid and taking him on her clan’s boat over to Skye. The Prince was reluctant as the penalties for those caught helping him were severe – confiscation of family lands and execution for some, with transportation to indentured labour (akin to slavery) for others.

But the net was closing fast and there was no other way out. Flora brought some women's clothes to the Prince’s bothy and dressed him, adding a headdress and cap to conceal as much of his face as possible.

They set out on the grey, rainy evening of 28 June 1746 with a crew of five who rowed through the night, helped by a westerly wind. Having avoided a patrol, they landed at Kilbride on the Trotternish peninsula of Skye.

Leaving her ‘maid’ sheltering at the top of the beach, Flora went to the nearby house at Monkstadt where she encountered Lieutenant MacLeod of the local progovernment militia, who insisted on inspecting her papers. She kept her nerve and distracted him while secret preparations were made to find a guide to take the Prince across the island to Portree.

The Prince went on to spend another ten weeks living rough in the heather, roaming as far east as Ben Alder.

Eventually he escaped back to France on the French naval ship L’Heureux.

Flora Macdonald was subsequently arrested and taken to the Tower of London, but was later released and returned to Skye. Some 20 years later, she was visited by Dr Samuel Johnson who predicted that her name would be ‘mentioned in history, and if courage and fidelity be virtues, mentioned with honour.’

SKYE BOAT SONG

SKYE BOAT SONG Traditional Lyrics

Robin Hodge gives a brief account of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745-6 that continues to cast a romantic and fateful shadow over Scottish history Prince Charles Edward Stuart – more commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie – arrived in Scotland for the first time on 23 July 1745 aged 24. He landed on Eriskay between Barra and South Uist with just a few companions, no troops, some muskets and little money.

He had failed to win the full backing of the French king and what few soldiers he had managed to gather on a sister ship were intercepted by the Royal Navy and forced to return to France. As a way of launching a rebellion which aimed to topple the British state, it was an inauspicious start.

Such was the personal charm, determination and courage of the Prince, however, that a number of Highland chiefs and the few thousand men loyal to them rallied to the standard raised at Glenfinnan. After marching south, initial success over government troops at Prestonpans in East Lothian led to joyful partying in Edinburgh, followed by a march into England. Charles' Jacobites evaded two larger government armies and reached Derby on 4 December with the road on to London open before them almost unopposed.

PHOTO: SEAFOOD SCOTLAND

Bonnie Prince Charlie and the '45

Prince Charles Edward Stuart

by Allan Ramsay (National Galleries of Scotland)

A debate raged in the Prince’s camp as to whether to march on and attempt to take London or to retreat. In one of the great what-ifs of British history, the Prince allowed the advance to be postponed in the hope that reinforcements would soon arrive from France. These never came and the army retraced its steps all the way back to Scotland, fighting skirmishes along the way.

The final showdown came on 16 April 1746 on Drummossie Muir near Culloden, to the east of Inverness, when the depleted and weary ranks of the Prince’s Highlanders faced fresh government troops with their superior numbers and plentiful cannons. It was a short but bloody battle. Around 1,500 men on the Jacobite side died and many more were butchered across the Highlands in the repression that followed.

The Prince was forced to flee into the hills and islands for months, evading capture and most famously crossing to the Isle of Skye, in disguise, in the company of Flora MacDonald (see main feature).

He eventually left Scotland in September 1746, never to return.

Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing, Onward! the sailors cry; Carry the lad that's born to be King Over the sea to Skye.

Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar, Thunderclaps rend the air; Baffled, our foes stand by the shore, Follow they will not dare.

Many’s the lad, fought in that day Well the claymore did wield; When the night came, silently lay Dead on Culloden's field.

Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep, Ocean's a royal bed.

Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep Watch by your weary head.

Burned are their homes, exile and death Scatter the loyal men; Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath Charlie will come again.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote alternative lyrics in 1892 and it has been further adapted for the theme tune to the TV series Outlander.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 23

WHILE YOU WAIT

TWO HOURS I

OBAN

GOUROCK

Even the shortest visit to Oban is likely to include to include some food and drink: in the ferry terminal there's a café and shop run by the Food from Argyll producers cooperative, while just along the pier is the Oban Seafood Hut. For a slap-up lunch, sample the Mull scallops, Luing lobster and Loch Linnie langoustines at family-run Eeusk. Whisky fans will appreciate the Oban Distillery and Visitor Centre, one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, predating the town itself. Their 14-year-old single malt has notes of seaweed, salt and smoke. For the sweettoothed, try The Oban Chocolate Company's handmade treats or coorie in with a hot chocolate in the café. If you're arriving by sea, you can’t miss McCaig’s Tower on the skyline. Commissioned by local banker, philanthropist and Greek architecture aficionado John McCaig, the planned museum inside was halted by a family legal challenge in 1902, leaving only the outer walls complete. The views of Kerrera, Lismore and Mull easily make the climb worthwhile, there's a car park for the less able or time-strapped, and the landscaped gardens inside are perfect for a picnic too. Alternatively, just out of town is 13th-century Dunollie Castle, built by the McDougalls of Lorn, as well as a local history museum and the popular Kettle Garden Café (seasonal).

Once a popular seaside resort, Gourock still retains that leisurely atmosphere. If you visit between May and September, then a dip at Gourock Outdoor Pool is a real treat. One of only three outdoor pools left in Scotland, this saltwater facility has benefitted from a recent £1.8 million renovation and is heated to 29 ºC, with a terrace overlooking the Clyde Estuary. For a walk, choose from nearby Lunderston Bay, a pleasant beach and great picnic spot, or head to the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre at Loch Thom a few miles inland. From here, you can access the Shielhill Glen nature trail, a one-hour walk which includes part of the 1820s aqueduct The Greenock Cut, or, if you've got more time, walk the the Cut's entire five-and-a-half mile length and enjoy sweeping views across the Firth of Clyde. In the town, popular coffee and brunch spot The Cove offers rye sandwiches, big salads and delicious cakes, with beautiful views over Cardwell Bay and the Firth of the Clyde. Kai Smokehouse serves excellent flatbread sandwiches, burgers and smoky ribs, and My Kitchen near the train station offers a large menu and a warm welcome. Some seaside traditions are worth keeping, however, and Bluebird Café is the spot for homemade icecream or a poke of sweeties.

24 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

WHILE YOU WAIT

IN...

Do you ever find yourself with a couple of hours to fill while waiting for a ferry or train connection? Ailsa Sheldon rounds up the most intriguing diversions surrounding the main ferry departure points

MALLAIG

ULLAPOOL

As one of the principal landing spots for fish on the west of Scotland, as well as the destination of the Jacobite steam train and a ferry port, Mallaig is a busy wee place at times. After a potter round the harbour, visit the Mallaig Heritage Centre to learn about the area's maritime history, as well as crofting and the Highland Clearances. Browse Way Out West for some locally-made products and outdoor equipment (including midge repellent). Artisan bakery The Bakehouse is the best place to lunch, with excellent bread, sausage rolls, pastries and focaccia, while superb wood-fired sourdough pizzas – some featuring local venison or Scottish cheeses – are served in the adjacent Crannog. The Steam Inn offers pub classics including local fish and chips, and The Chlachain Inn makes a cracking cullen skink.

For a walk, there are lovely options a short drive away.

Head to Morar Cross from Morar train station, a short woodland walk with a panoramic view of Loch Morar and the Small Isles. Alternatively, visit the Silver Sands for pristine white beaches (car parking on the B8008, four miles from Mallaig) or make for the sand dunes at Camusdarach Beach (five miles from Mallaig then a short walk from the car park). Without needing to drive, the Mallaig Circuit walk has stunning views of Skye, but do take a map.

On the shore of Loch Broom, fishing village Ullapool is postcard perfect. A walk up Ullapool Hill is a fantastic way to get your bearings of the area (signposted from the A835 after Highland Stoneware). The path leads steeply up through the heather before opening out to reward your efforts with gorgeous views of the Summer Isles. With time to spare, head to the summit of Meall Mor, otherwise turn back after the viewpoint bench.

The Ceilidh Place is an Ullapool treasure – pop in for a meal, a pint in the bar or a browse in their excellent bookshop. If you have a night in Ullapool, it’s great for live music too. The Arch Inn is a good choice for a seafood supper with wonderful sea views, while The Highland Liquor Company, from the same owners, is the place to try the new local gin, Seven Crofts. For something more casual, The Seafood Shack serves delicious fresh seafood bought directly from local fishermen. For fish and chips, you can’t go wrong with The Chippy – sustainable fish and crispy batter, even better when eaten by the harbour wall watching the boats (though watch out for seagulls).

North West Outdoors is a helpful place for last minute outdoor kit, or binoculars to spot marine wildlife if you’re heading across the Minch.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 25

WINTER JOURNEYS

CHILL OUT Though the Scottish islands and west coast seem to be at their most appealing when bathed in the long, bright light of summer, Donald Reid finds that there’s just as much to enjoy there in the winter months

T

he nightly weather bulletin isn’t, if truth be told, the best advertisement for this part of the country, with splodges of rain and large wind arrows plastered over Scotland’s western seaboard. And make no mistake, the seasons are meaningful in these parts: in summer it’s busy and bright, while in winter things are significantly darker and less populated. But life goes on, and it can be a special privilege to experience it.

OK: the weather. Sure, the ferries can be disrupted, but it’s not the norm, and if the wild weather comes in it can be dramatic and bracing, nature in the raw, the ferocity compelling. What’s more, it changes. You appreciate better how the landscape has been shaped by its proximity to the Atlantic ocean.

Being by the sea, snow and frost are rare, though you’ll get vistas of snow-capped peaks further away, and there is some winter hill climbing to be done on Skye, Arran and Jura. On cool, crisp days in winter, the sharpness of light and clarity of air can be breathtaking – and very special for photographers. When the dark falls, the star-dappled sky and opportunities to see the aurora are magical – there’s even a Dark Skies Festival in Lewis in February.

If it is a bit chilly, then all the more reason to appreciate a cosy nook, a glowing fire, a hearty meal and perhaps a warming dram of island whisky. The winter – or ‘off’

26 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

season – is the time for cheaper rates and packages at the hotels, guesthouses and restaurants, with rooms that might be out of reach (or booked up) in the summer. The level of luxury is the same all year round, and with a shorter to-do list you’ll probably find your stay all the more relaxing.

An edited choice when it comes to things to do isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. A number of island attractions remain open throughout the year, albeit with reduced hours: places such as Mount Stuart on Bute or museums and heritage centres in the main centres such as Brodick, Stornoway and Portree. Food producers don’t close their operations to fit the tourist season either, so you may well be able to pop in to see them at work, distilleries and breweries included. Local arts centres generally programme for the resident population rather than visitors, so keep an eye out for exhibitions, gigs and even a few festivals, such as Faclan, the Hebridean Book Festival, held in late October. It could be said that without the noise and distraction of all the tourists, wintertime in the west offers a more intimate insight into what life is like for those who live here. And plenty of them love it.

For further evidence of what’s going on, check out the website winterharris.com, or look for the hashtag #winterinthewild on social media.

EXPLORE THE SHORE DURING SCOTLAND’S YEAR OF COASTS AND WATERS Find out more at visitscotland.com/ycw2020 Join the conversation #YCW2020 Hosta Beach Or Traigh Stir, North Uist

WILDLIFE

CRUISE IN COMPANY

A number of ferry routes in the Hebrides have a Wildlife Officer aboard during the summer months to point out, explain and record the creatures that can be viewed en route. Anna Bunney, from ORCA, explains to Donald Reid what can be seen on one of the best routes for sightings between Oban and Castlebay on Barra

28 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

'T

he MV Isle of Lewis, which departs from Oban at lunchtime and arrives in Barra early evening, is a nice ship to watch from, and there's lots of time to be out with plenty of wildlife to enjoy.

'As soon as you're leaving Oban harbour, the first thing to see are seals, both common and grey seals, either swimming in the sea or hauled out on the rocks.

When they're in the sea they do a behaviour called bottling, which is when they're dozing in the water with their heads sticking out. The Hebrides is a really important pupping area for seals because there are plenty of beaches and caves and nooks and crannies for the seals to give birth and bring up their young safe and sheltered from storms. Grey seals pup in October to December, with those really cute pups with fluffy

WILDLIFE

white fur – common seals are born around June-July time with their first adult coat.

'You can sometimes see cetaceans really close to Oban. The harbour porpoise is the only species of porpoise that we see in UK waters, and they can be seen all year round, and all across the Hebrides. You need a calm day to spot them: they're quite shy and they don't jump out of the water like dolphins. They only grow up to about one and a half metres long, so they're quite small. They appear in pods up to about six in number and just quickly surface to breathe, when you see their equilateral triangle-shaped dorsal fin, and they'll surface three or four times. They're also a good species to see from land, particularly from headlands where there are tidal currents mixing.

'Coming into the Sound of Mull, you can get quite a lot of bottlenose dolphins here: we think there might be a resident population of these dolphins around Mull. We're at the northernmost extreme of this species' global range, and they're most frequently seen in inshore waters around headlands and bays.

'We're not always just looking into the sea, but also into the sky, and you have the chance to see the world's fourth-largest eagle, the white-tailed sea eagle. Golden eagles are regularly spotted in the skies around Mull as well. There are lots of seabirds thanks to the amount of food that's available. Sand eels are particularly important for puffins, and the health of the bird population depends on the fish in the area. The biggest seabird colony is on Lunga, with puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes, guillemots and fulmars, and the rare corncrake also nests there.

'As the ship heads out of the Sound of Mull into the Sea of the Hebrides, you come past the northern tip of Coll. There are quite a lot of changes in water depth here and many currents mixing. In recent years we've seen hundreds of common dolphins here – once we had over 250 dolphins – and you can see nursery pods of mothers with calves. The dolphins come to play in the bow wave and the wake of the ship. They're quite energetic and acrobatic, and they also have really beautiful patterns on their flanks, yellow at the front and grey at the back, so they're quite easy to identify.

The crew on the MV Isle of Lewis say that they see them all the time there.

Another route that's really good for sighting common dolphins is the Uig to Lochmaddy ferry, about 20 minutes out of Uig. 'The warming waters of the Gulf Stream cause plankton blooms in the summer, and this attracts huge numbers of basking sharks to the Hebrides, especially around Mull, Coll and Tiree. Minke whales are pretty well-known in the area: they're one of the smallest baleen whales, so unlike dolphins and porpoises they don't have teeth but have these thick keratin brushes hanging from their top jaw, which they use to filter small fish from the water. They're very slender and streamlined, and they grow to about ten metres long. You know you've seen a minke whale if you see quite a small dorsal fin two-thirds of the way along the back; if you see quite a big dorsal fin in the middle of the body, then that's usually a dolphin.

'If you're super-lucky you might see more mobile species such as the orca (or killer whale) which can travel hundreds of miles in a day. There's a west coast community of eight killer whales which has become quite famous. There are also migratory species such as humpback whales – often they're much further offshore, but sometimes they do take a route through the islands.

'And then it's the same on the way back from Barra to Oban. The ship leaves early in the morning and gets back just after midday, so again you get a good five hours of watching time going across a number of different habitats.'

WILDLIFE MINI-CRUISES The presence of ORCA Wildlife Officers on certain ferry routes are advertised in advance through social media channels: search for the hashtag #HebridesWildlifeOfficer on ORCA’s (@ORCA_ web) and CalMac’s Twitter feed. In particular, look out for Wildlife Officers aboard the MV Clansman route from Oban-Coll-TireeBarra-Oban in one day (departing around 7am, returning around 9pm) on the last Wednesday of each month. On board, listen out for announcements about the presence of a Wildlife Officer or look out for them on the outside decks.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 29

DARK SKIES

LIGHT UP THE For those on the lookout for the aurora borealis – that most glorious and unpredictable of natural phenomena – Deborah Martin looks into the best dark sky areas in the west Highlands and Islands

F

or millenia, the aurora borealis has haunted the imaginations of those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it. But many don’t realise that Scotland is a fantastic place to spot this natural wonder, as we're on the same latitude as northern lights hotspots in Alaska and Norway. We also have some of the largest stretches of dark skies in Europe, meaning that, under the right conditions, you can gape at endless glittering vistas.

Scotland’s west coast islands make for great destinations to see these ‘mirrie dancers’. Outside the October to March northern lights season, it’s still worth heading out to see constellations, comets, meteor showers and nebulas blaze across the sky. With this in mind, here are some spectacular dark sky locations where you can view this magical phenomenon.

ISLE OF LEWIS AND HARRIS OUTER HEBRIDES

ISLE OF COLL INNER HEBRIDES

ISLE OF SKYE INNER HEBRIDES

Due to its remote location, the Outer Hebrides is a fantastic place for both stargazing and aurora chasing, and Lewis and Harris offer plenty of dark sky sites to explore. The Gallan Head promontory is Britain’s most north-westerly point and makes for a dramatic star-spotting setting. Tolsta village in the east has a long sandy beach where you can listen to waves crashing against the shore while wishing on falling stars. Over to the west of the island are the haunting and enigmatic Calanais Standing Stones, which look unearthly when illuminated by the northern lights.

Stargazing hotspots: Gallan Head, Tolsta village, Calanais Standing Stones, Gravir village, Hushinish, Lower Shader, Scalpay and Trumpan Car Park.

Beyond its beautiful beaches, the Isle of Coll is notable for being one of Scotland’s few official Dark Sky Parks, as well as being the second Dark Sky Island in the entire world. That’s because Coll has no streetlights whatsoever, meaning you get incredible black canopies.

Coll has three official spots for gazing at sights like the Beehive Cluster, Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy. For truly panoramic views, head to the Cliad football pitch. For a group experience of these starry skies, the Cosmos mobile planetarium makes regular visits to the isle to run stargazing weekends.

Stargazing hotspots: Arinagour, Cliad Football Pitch, RSPB Totronald Nature Reserve.

Enchanted Skye is a stargazer’s heaven, with no less than nine official Dark Sky sites. Three are based at Armadale in the southwest and include the gardens of the Clan Donald visitor centre. Three are north-westerly in the Waternish area, including the Stein Jetty at Loch Bay. The other sites are Camas na Sgianadin near Broadford, Kylerhea village and Kinloch Forest.

Star-spotters who fancy the forest option should head to the remote car park just off the A851 between Skulamus and Duisdealmor. The forest also offers dramatic views over the Sound of Sleat and Knoydart Munros.

Stargazing hotspots: Camas na Sgianadin, Kylerhea village, Kinloch Forest, Armadale, Waternish.

30 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

DARK SKIES

HE NIGHT TOP TOOLS FOR STARGAZERS If you’re looking to track down the northern lights or just the very best dark skies in the country, then the following sites and apps will come in handy • Aurora Service Europe Run by passionate aurora watchers, this site will help you to find the mirrie dancers (aurora-service.eu).

ISLE OF TIREE INNER HEBRIDES

LOCHABER WEST HIGHLANDS

Tranquil Tiree is the most westerly of the Inner Hebridean islands. Like Coll, it has no streetlights, creating dramatically dark conditions for counting constellations. Moreover, its small size and flat topography makes it ideal for exploring.

The isle’s official Dark Sky Discovery Site is at Balevullin Beach, which offers dreamy views of meteor showers, the Milky Way and, if you’re lucky, the northern lights. There's even an official island telescope that you can borrow from the Tiree Trust Office for a £20 deposit.

Stargazing hotspots: Balevullin Beach, Balephuil Bay, Sorobaidh Bay, Hough and Salum.

If you’re looking to stop off for a bit of stargazing en route to the isles themselves, then head to Lochaber.

Due to its minimal light pollution and showstopping destinations, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Known for its appearance in the cult film Local Hero, Camusdarach Beach at Mallaig offers a pretty arc of white sand to relax on while meteor spotting. Further inland is the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, which featured in several Harry Potter films. Surrounded by mountains and overlooking Loch Shiel, it’s about as photogenic a stargazing spot as you can get, and looks incredible beneath the aurora.

Stargazing hotspots: Camusdarach Beach and Glenfinnan Viaduct.

• Dark Sky Discovery A list of official Dark Sky sites across the UK (darkskydiscovery. org.uk) • My Aurora Forecast For Apple and Android Real-time information on weather conditions for northern lights hunters.

• Star Chart For Apple and Android A nifty app that you can point at the sky to see exactly what’s above you.

• SkyView Free for Apple and Android An app which lets you track your favourite constellations as they move across the sky.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 31

COMMUNITY BUYOUTS

NEW COMMUNITIES

Two of the best-known examples of community landownership in Scotland involve the west coast islands of Eigg and Gigha. Craig Angus spoke to some of those involved to discover what life is like a few years on from the heady days of headlines and deadlines Left, top: Gigha; bottom: Eigg, right: Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust 32 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

M

aggie Fyffe has a wonderful laugh. A joyful rasp, heartily deployed whenever she drops a memorable anecdote, which happens frequently.

The secretary for the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust (‘I am trying to retire’, she insists, ‘but it’s proving quite difficult’) has a lot of stories to tell about her 44 years on the island.

It’s impossible not to politicise the notion of community ownership. For some, the idea of idyllic Scottish islands remaining the property and plaything of multi-millionaires is in itself anathema. The reality is more complicated, however; a straw poll of residents would suggest there have been good ‘owners’, well-meaning types who have, in time, struggled to invest. And then there’s the Isle of Eigg, with a cast of villains and eccentrics you couldn’t make up if you tried.

COMMUNITY BUYOUTS

Fyffe and her husband, Wes, were working at a craft centre in Banff when they first met Eigg’s then owner Keith Schellenberg. ‘He turned up at the place we were involved with’, she recalls, ‘and decided that he needed us on Eigg.’ Then comes that laugh again.

‘He instantly regretted it!’ Schellenber's antics are well-documented – humiliating, disrespectful and, above all, neglectful – though this is all in the past now. Eigg was bought by the Heritage Trust in June of 1997 after the bizarre, fleeting stewardship of the German artist Maruma. ‘We had a go at working with him’, Fyffe says, ‘but he visited Eigg for a total of four days in the four years he owned Eigg, and he never replied to a single thing we sent him, most of which were really big issues.’

These days Eigg is a vibrant place, featured on television programmes and held up worldwide as a shining example of community ownership done well. ‘There’s always half a million things going on,’ Fyffe says of an island that boasts a brewery, Laig Bay, a music festival, Howlin' Fling, and and a thriving tourism industry that sees the island welcome visitors from far afield. ‘We’ve our very own Extinction Rebellion group, we’re working on an EU project around clean energy, we’re working with a group of other communities on our electricity supplies,’ says Fyffe, before detailing an extensive operation called Timber Eiggxport, a collaborative effort with the Knoydart Foundation, which will provide the islanders with three to five years worth of firewood. Then there’s the Pier Centre Am Laimhrig. ‘We’ve seriously outgrown it, so we’re trying to build an extension. It’s going to cost an awful lot of money so we’re just waiting to hear about funding. We built it in 1998 and we thought it was the best thing ever at the time! But the population has nearly doubled and the number of visitors has doubled, if not more.’

It’s no great surprise to hear that the fun-loving Fyffe was in Gigha back in 2002 for that island’s own independence celebrations, having followed the example of Eigg to pay £4 million via its own heritage trust to purchase the island from the businessman Derek Holt. I had been there myself for two summer holidays in 2000 and 2001. Returning in 2016 to visit the post-buyout community, I was immediately struck by how much had changed around Ardminish, where the ferry comes in from Tayinloan on the mainland.

Jane Clements was raised on Gigha along with her nine siblings at Tarbert Farm, which is still run by her family today under the name Wee Isle Dairy, producing renowned whole milk and ice cream. Clements currently serves as the voluntary board director of the Isle of Gigha Heritage

Trust, and has witnessed the changes on the island firsthand, noting a shift away from traditional agricultural industries and a push towards the economic diversification that an island community like this needs to thrive. ‘There were nine dairy farms at one point, says Clements, ‘and now there’s only two dairy farms and two beef/sheep farms. We’ve had a lot of businesses come to Gigha though: the Gigha Halibut farm, Gigha Oysters and the Scottish Salmon Fish Farm that has grown a lot over the last few years and is the biggest employer on the island.

There are three craft units that currently operate as a tearoom, a gallery and as the base for Gigha Natural Skin Care.

The Trust owns the hotel, the shop and post office and the Boathouse Restaurant, however these are all leased out – offering more independent business opportunities.’

The number of tourists coming to the island is increasing too, as more accomodation becomes available. Clements estimates that 10,000 visitors come to the island annually from all over the world. ‘The tourism season on Gigha is stretching, starting around Easter time and lasting until the end of October. We’ve more outdoor enthusiasts including walkers, campers and those that love landscape photography.’

A big challenge faced by communities such as Gigha and Eigg is retaining a young, dynamic population. Fyffe says that, post-buyout, Eigg has already noticed a change.

‘Although there are new residents who have moved here (Fyffe cites Dean Wiggin, currently a member of the island’s forestry team, who somewhat mysteriously "arrived in a kayak and never left"), quite a few of our younger generation have moved back too. They started seeing things happening. I think if people are thinking about having kids, or have just had kids, they want the same kind of childhood as they had.’

Over on Gigha, the 20-year-old son of Jane, Brandon Clements, joined the board as a voluntary director last year and has been instrumental in communicating the needs of young people on the island, highlighting a requirement for more housing, so those who wish to remain and work on the island, while living independently, may do so.

With developments like these, and more besides, Jane Clements is excited about the future for Gigha. ‘What keeps me on Gigha is my family connections and the opportunities available for the community. I am also very much invested in the aspirations for the future of the island. Although the community might not all see eye to eye all the time, we keep the focus on the sustainability of the island.’

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 33

EVENTS

EVENTS CALENDAR 2020 18 APRIL

GINTYRE: FESTIVAL OF SCOTTISH GIN

FO INFORM R AT MORE E ION ON VENT GO TO S

Tiree Music Festival

Campbeltown, Kintyre, gintyre.com Taste gins from across Scotland, meet the producers and enjoy a variety of 'fringe' events such as gin dinners and special cinema screenings.

LIST.CO .UK

17–20 APRIL

EIGG FILM FESTIVAL Eigg Community Hall, Isle of Eigg, isleofeigg.org This inaugural film festival, birdthemed for 2020, will screen documentaries, shorts and features about our relationship to birds, and the impact of climate change on their species.

23–26 APRIL

MULL MUSIC FESTIVAL Various venues, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, mull.co/mull-music-festival Four-day celebration of Scottish music, with the likes of Peat and Diesel, Chunks, Gonna Sound, Atlantic Reel and more on the 2020 roster.

25–26 APRIL

COLONSAY BOOK FESTIVAL Colonsay Village Hall, Isle of Colonsay, colonsaybookfestival.org.uk As well as readings and performances, the festival emphasises meeting and chatting with the writers, plus debate and good craic in the pub. This year’s line-up includes Catherine Brown, John D Burns and Karen Campbell.

27 APRIL–17 MAY

COLONSAY FESTIVAL OF SPRING 34 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

Various venues, Isle of Colonsay, colonsayspringfest.com Events showcasing the island’s natural beauty with workshops and tours, whisky tasting and cake baking, music, exhibitions and film screenings.

2 MAY

TIREE 10K AND HALF MARATHON Sorobaidh Beach, Isle of Tiree, tireefitness.co.uk Take on this circuitous route around the island, with the chance to enjoy views of Tiree’s famed white sand beaches, followed by a ceilidh at An Talla.

8–10 MAY

COLL BIRD FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Coll, collbunkhouse.com/coll-birdfestival Learn all about the birds that call Coll home, including the elusive corncrake, with a programme of guided walks, sea-safaris and evening talks.

9 MAY

MILLPORT CLASSIC CAR RALLY Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, millportclassiccarevent.com Showcase of classic and vintage vehicles, with a parade along the promenade and prizes to be won.

6–9 MAY

ISLE OF HARRIS MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Harris, iohmf.co.uk A week-long celebration of the island’s mountains, with a packed programme of walks, talks, ceilidhs, workshops and more.

15–18 MAY

ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Arran, arranmountainfestival.co.uk Embark on guided walks and scrambles along Arran’s hills, mountains and coastlines.

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EVENTS

19–21 MAY

CAMPBELTOWN MALTS FESTIVAL Campbeltown, Kintyre, explorecampbeltown.com The Victorian whisky capital hosts a programme of distillery tours, tasting masterclasses and an open golf tournament.

22–30 MAY

ISLAY FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND MALT Various venues, Isle of Islay, islayfestival.com Celebrating 36 years, the festival offers distillery tours, live music, a food fair, golf and bowling competitions and Gaelic lessons.

23 MAY

JURA FELL RACE Craighouse, Isle of Jura, jurafellrace.org.uk Take on seven summits and all three Paps – clocking in at 28km and 2370m of climbing – and be rewarded with spectacular views.

JUNE, DATES TBC

ISLE OF GIGHA MUSIC FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Gigha, gighamf.org.uk The smallest music festival in Scotland offers a perfectly-formed line-up of ceilidhs, headline concerts, sessions, workshops and a musical beach picnic.

11–13 JUNE

ST KILDA CHALLENGE AND FESTIVAL Various venues, Lochmaddy, North Uist, thestkildachallenge.co.uk Annual international yacht race from Lochmaddy to St Kilda.

13–14 JUNE

HAPPY DAZE Garrison House, Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, facebook.com/ happydazemillport Festival of tribute bands and local 36 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

musicians. The line-up for 2020 includes the Complete Stone Roses, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Carpets and more.

12–14 JUNE

ARRAN FOLK FESTIVAL Brodick, Isle of Arran, arranevents.com A weekend of folk, with sessions, concerts and ceilidhs. Particular highlights include free afternoon performances in the Douglas Hotel and the famous late-night sessions at Brodick Hotel.

27 JUNE

BARRATHON Castlebay, Isle of Barra, barrathon.org.uk This half-marathon around the ‘Barrabados’ boasts beautiful views out towards Skye and the Minch, as well as a shorter fun-run for kids.

3–12 JULY

THE SKYE FESTIVAL: FÈIS AN EILEIN Various venues, Isle of Skye, seall.co.uk Celebration of island culture and performing arts with a strong focus on traditional music. Relaunched as a ten-day event, with the theme of Scotland’s Coasts and Waters.

10–12 JULY

TIREE MUSIC FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Tiree, tireemusicfestival.co.uk Intimate, award-winning folk music festival, with the tagline ‘where music meets the ocean’ for 2020.

15–18 JULY

HEBCELT FESTIVAL Various venues, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, hebceltfest.com Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the festival showcases Celtic, traditional and contemporary music with a strong focus on Gaelic culture.

18–19 JULY

BUTE OPEN STUDIO TRAIL Various venues, Isle of Bute, Argyll and Bute, butestudiotrail.com View works by local artists and makers across the island.

24–25 JULY

EILEAN DORCHA FESTIVAL Liniclate Machair, Isle of Benbecula, edf.scot The 2020 line-up of this familyfriendly festival will feature Peat and Diesel, Beinn Lee, Trail West, Mànran and more.

4–5 JULY

TARBERT SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

24–26 JULY

Tarbert Harbour, Loch Fyne, Kintyre, tarbertfestivals.co.uk Sample internationally renowned seafood from the waters of Loch Fyne, with a parade, music and stalls to be enjoyed as well.

Various venues, Isle of Bute, butefest.co.uk A three-day family-friendly music festival featuring a host of live music, craft beers, ciders, family fun and entertainment.

5–10 JULY

31 JULY–1 AUGUST

Various venues, Isle of South Uist, ceolas.co.uk Annual summer school which explores the connections between Scottish traditional music and Gaelic song and dance.

Various venues, Isle of Bute, butenoir.co.uk Have a murderous amount of fun at the island’s crime writing festival, with a programme of author talks and writing workshops.

CEÒLAS

BUTEFEST

BUTE NOIR

VENUES

1 AUGUST

SKYE AGRICULTURAL SHOW King George V Park, Portree, Isle of Skye, skyeshow.org.uk Stock competitions, dog shows, a daredevil cycling performance, sheep shearing demonstrations, a Bake Off and more.

8 AUGUST

BRODICK HIGHLAND GAMES Ormidale Park, Brodick, Isle of Arran, welcometoscotland.com Heavy events lie at the heart of these Highland Games, complete with local stalls, children’s activities, pipe bands and dancing.

15 AUGUST

ISLE OF COLL HALF MARATHON An Cridhe, Isle of Coll, collhalfmarathon.org.uk Take in the island’s stunning views at this annual event, run entirely by local volunteers, with the choice between a 10km, 5km and 1km kids’ route.

27–30 AUGUST

ISLAY BOOK FESTIVAL Various venues, Isle of Islay, islaybookfestival.co.uk An intimate and friendly festival on the popular whisky isle that caters to Scotland's love of crime thrillers.

27–30 AUGUST

STORNOWAY ON THE OCEAN Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, cne-siar.gov.uk Four-day festival of music, art, sailing and food in celebration of the opening of the new Newton Marina.

SEPTEMBER, DATES TBC

SKYE LIVE

The Lump, Portree, Isle of Skye, skyelive.co.uk Acclaimed boutique music festival with line-ups that bring

a distinctive mix of genres, from electronic and contemporary to folk and traditional.

11–25 OCTOBER

5–6 SEPTEMBER

Various venues, Isle of Colonsay, colonsayfoodfest.co.uk Food and drink festival celebrating the best of Scotland’s larder, with tastings, foraging sessions and classes, as well as guided walks across the island.

ISLE MARTIN SEAWEED FESTIVAL Isle Martin, Ullapool, islemartin.org Ecologically-focused celebration of the rich seaweed life to be found along the shoreline of Isle Martin.

COLONSAY AUTUMN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL

23–25 OCTOBER 5–6 SEPTEMBER

BUTE MANOUCHE: SCOTLAND’S GYPSY JAZZ FESTIVAL

Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, North Ayrshire, millport.org Bid adieu to the end of summertime with sandcastle competitions, fancy dress and talent shows during the day, and illuminated displays and fireworks in the evening.

Various venues, Isle of Bute, butejazz.com Celebration of gypsy jazz heroes like Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.

MILLPORT ILLUMINATIONS

17–20 SEPTEMBER

CEÒL CHOLASA Colonsay Brewery, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, ceolcholasa.co.uk Intimate four-day folk fest with Siobhan Miller, Old Blind Dogs and Kinnaris Quartet on the bill, alongside late-night free-for-all sessions and a ceilidh.

8–11 OCTOBER

MULL RALLY Various venues, Isle of Mull, mullrally.org Popular car rally attracting top competitors from all over the UK to come race along gruelling island roads.

10–16 OCTOBER

BWA TIREE WAVE CLASSIC Various venues, Isle of Tiree, tireewaveclassic.co.uk There’s plenty of adrenaline-fuelled action to be had as some of the world's top windsurfing competitors compete in freestyle, wave jumping and supercross disciplines.

28–31 OCTOBER

FACLAN: THE HEBRIDEAN BOOK FESTIVAL An Lanntair Arts Centre and Cinema, Kenneth Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, lanntair.com/faclan This festival draws big names from across the literary world to the Hebrides, alongside a vibrant programme of film, music and art exhibitions.

NOVEMBER, DATES TBC

DUNOON FILM FESTIVAL Various venues, Dunoon, dunoonfilmfestival.org Autumn film festival entering its eighth year, which features an international slate of films covering a range of genres.

20–28 NOVEMBER

SEALL FESTIVAL OF SMALL HALLS Various venues, Isle of Skye, smallhallsfestival.co.uk Eight-day multi-platform winter festival taking big music to Skye's small halls.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 37

VENUES

VENUES WITH REGULAR PROGRAMMES AN CRÙBH A flexible gathering space with an added shop and café.

Sleat, Isle of Skye, ancrubh.com

Mount Stuart House and Gardens

AN LANNTAIR ARTS CENTRE AND CINEMA Multi-purpose arts centre, promoter and advocate of Gaelic culture, staging world-class performers and artists.

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, lanntair.com AN TALLA SOLAIS Visual arts centre with a focus on Scottish contemporary artworks, as well as offering a slate of classes, courses and studio spaces.

Ullapool, antallasolais.org AROS CENTRE Skye's only permanent cinema, which doubles as a theatre reminiscent of Shakespeare's Globe, also houses a shop, restaurant and a children’s play area.

Portree, Isle of Skye, aros.co.uk BURGH HALL Creative and cultural hub with a regular programme of theatre, comedy, music, visual art exhibitions and more.

Dunoon, dunoonburghhall.org.uk CEILIDH PLACE A rendezvous for travellers, musicians, philosophers and anyone else drawn to good conversation, good food and good living.

Ullapool, theceilidhplace.com COMAR, AN TOBAR ARTS CENTRE Vibrant multi-arts centre for visual arts, crafts, theatre and music, as well as the main base for producing company Mull Theatre.

Tobermory, Isle of Mull, comar. co.uk CORRAN HALLS Multi-functional live

38 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

entertainment venue with a bustling roster of music and theatre.

Oban, liveargyll.co.uk JURA HALL Community hall and regular venue for music events.

Craighouse, Isle of Jura, isleofjura.scot MOUNT STUART HOUSE AND GARDENS A 19th century mansion that houses an annual visual arts programme and one of the largest collections of private art and artefacts in the UK, as well as a 300-acre garden.

Rothesay, Isle of Bute, mountstuart.com QUEEN’S HALL Community venue with a thriving programme of theatre and comedy.

Dunoon, liveargyll.co.uk ROTHESAY PAVILION (RE-OPENING 2020) Bauhaus-inspired building set to boast an auditorium, exhibition space, cafe, workspaces and more.

Rothesay, Isle of Bute, rothesaypavilion.co.uk SABHAL MÒR OSTAIG Higher education college, known

for its Gàidhealtachd research, that hosts regular arts and culture events and programmes.

Also houses acclaimed rural performing arts promoters SEALL. Sleat, Isle of Skye, smo.uhi.ac.uk TAIGH CHEARSABHAGH MUSEUM AND ARTS CENTRE Arts centre with regular exhibitions, music events and educational programmes.

Lochmaddy, Isle of North Uist, taigh-chearsabhagh.org TAIGH DHONNCHAIDH ARTS AND MUSIC CENTRE Cultural centre that aims to preserve the traditions of local music and culture.

Ness, Isle of Lewis, visitouterhebrides.co.uk TALLA NA MARA Creative arts and entertainment centre with exhibitions, live music and more.

Paric Niseaboist, Isle of Harris ULLAPOOL MUSEUM Located in a listed church building, the museum houses a collection of historical objects detailing the social and economic history of the area, as well as the practice of crofting.

Ullapool, ullapoolmuseum.co.uk

Name of section

Be sure to join us in celebrating the reopening of Rothesay Pavilion following its stunning £14M restoration. Voted a top ten favourite Scottish building, it’s one of only a few Bauhaus inspired buildings built in the international modernist style in Scotland and the UK, and a must see cultural destination and gathering place.

I S L E

Ro t h

O F

B U T E

e s ay

P A V I

L I O N

w w w. r o t h e s a ypa vilion.co.uk

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 39

THE GUIDE TO

SCOTLAND’S

ISLANDS

020 ON THE WEST COAST 2 PHOTOS: RACHEL KEENAN

Go west: it’s some of the best advice if you’re after magical islands, sweeping vistas, a range of activities on land and sea, a rich seam of cultural life, terrific seafood and distinctive whisky. This detailed and informative guide introduces you to the broad range of things that make the islands of the Hebrides and the Clyde so vibrant and appealing, from ancient standing stones to harbourside shacks selling langoustine fresh off the boats, from wildlife to social life, aweinspiring night skies to challenging waymarked walking trails.

This Guide to Scotland’s Islands on the West Coast includes: n Features on events, venues and cultural highlights n Recommendations on books to read and how to make the most of a spare couple of hours in a ferry port n Insights into local whiskies, marine life and seasonal activities n 40 pages of inspiring images and ideas along with useful practical information