The Guide to Scotland's Islands on the West Coast 2021

Name of section

THE GUIDE TO

SCOTLAND’S

ISLANDS ON THE WEST COAST

INSPIRING IDEAS

WHAT TO DO

CULTURE & EVENTS

ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

ISLE BE BACK When will you?

Post an Instagram story of the last time you were on the islands with our Isle be Back sticker, and tag @calmacferries so we can share it.

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CONTENTS Journey and Ticket Information 4 Adventure Sports 8 Island Dreams

This fully updated new edition of our guide to the islands of the west coast of Scotland offers a glimpse into the landscapes, lives, culture, activities and natural life of a unique and much-loved corner of the world. Providing an insight into some of the area’s special characteristics and distinctive identity, it’s designed to be an informative, inspiring and attractive read, tying together the practicalities of getting to the islands by road, rail and ferry with features capturing a taste of the diverse magic of locations from Arran in the south to Lewis in the north. Independently compiled in partnership with CalMac, we hope this guide helps enrich your experience of the west coast and, above all, helps you to enjoy the journey.

NB: Many of the locations and venues mentioned in this guide may be affected by Covid-related restrictions. You are strongly advised to check on local and national guidance, access arrangements and opening hours that might be in place before you travel or visit.

CalMac's ferries are the gateway to the islands of Scotland’s west coast, with its fleet carrying passengers, bikes, cars and commercial traffic right through the year as part of Scotland’s public transport network integrated with ports on the mainland. For information about planning your journey and booking tickets, see pages 4 to 7.

Project Editor Donald Reid Writing and Research Deborah Chu, Jo Laidlaw, Carol Main, Helen Moat, Ailsa Sheddon, Jay Thundercliffe Subeditor Jennifer Crichton

Design & Production Seonaid Rafferty Photography Rachel Keenan, rkeenanphoto.com Cover Pic Colonsay by Rachel Keenan Publishing Director Sheri Friers

©2021 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

12

Campervan Touring 14 Historic Ferries

18

Food Specialities

20

Ferry Route Map

24

The Story of Peat 26 Musical Islands

28

Tweed 32 Photography

36

Wildlife for Kids

40

Travelling West

42

Weather Forecasting 44

Venues 46

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

JOURNEY AND TICKET INFORMATION

Travelling If you’re planning to travel with CalMac, we look forward to welcoming you on board. As you might imagine, travel has changed. We’ve shared some tips and guidance here to help you prepare for your journey with us.

SAFER TRAVEL WITH CALMAC Coronavirus measures remain in place at the time of publication. If you’re travelling with us – it’s important to plan ahead.

Firstly, visit calmac.co.uk for all the latest travel guidance and information. Whether you’ve sailed with us recently, or not for a while – read over our online guide ahead of your planned journey.

Wherever possible, book your journey prior to travel, even if you’re travelling by foot. by foot. Also, please 4 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

double check on current guidance on travel for your origin and intended destination, and adhere to any safe travel guidelines in force.

LOCAL RESEARCH Please also check your local destination website(s) for important information on how individual islands, locations, attractions and businesses are managing the safety of their communities and their visitors.

If you plan to stay overnight at a location, including with a campervan or motorhome, please

JOURNEY AND TICKET INFORMATION

with CalMac A’ SIUBHAL LE CALMAC

don’t travel without confirmation of accommodation or an official camping pitch or space. (See page 16 for more details.)

MAKING YOUR RESERVATION We encourage everyone to reserve tickets for our bookable routes via calmac.co.uk, wherever possible.

You can find full details about our ticket types online but for now, here’s a summary:

SINGLE

are included at calmac.co.uk. Please do plan ahead and be prepared – physical distancing measures are in operation, so your first choice of sailing may not always be available. There may also be an extended wait time for your journey.

ISLAND HOPPING Island hopping tickets allow you to build your own itinerary by booking a number of consecutive ferry journeys, travelling from port to port at a pace that suits you. They are valid for 31 days from the date of your first journey. For more details, visit calmac.co.uk/ islandhopping

Single tickets offer travel in one direction on the route and date stated – perfect if you are planning to stay for longer than a month, or if you want to keep your options open.

RETURN A return ticket is ideal if you are travelling to and from the same destination within one month.

CHILDREN We offer discounted fares for all children aged 5-15 and children under 5 years old travel for free.

PET TICKETS Pets travel for free, but they will need their own ticket*. If you’re travelling with your pet, request a ticket for them as soon as you’ve confirmed your own reservation. You’ll find an online pet ticket form and details at calmac.co.uk/pets. *Support dogs do not require a ticket prior to travel.

TURN UP AND GO A number of our short or frequent services are Turn Up and Go routes. These services aren’t bookable.

You can turn up at the port, buy a ticket and go on the next available sailing. You can find out which sailings The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 5

JOURNEY AND TICKET INFORMATION

PLANNING YOUR JOURNEY AND STAYING UP TO DATE OUR ROUTES AND TIMETABLES You’ll find a network map of the routes we operate on pages 24–25, while timetables of each sailing are available at calmac.co.uk

JOURNEY PLANNER Our public transport journey planner is designed to help you navigate your journey from door to door using public transport. Visit calmac.co.uk/ get-online for more information.

STAYING UP TO DATE Once you’ve made your reservation, please choose a way to keep in touch with us about your sailing.

You’ll find route specific information on our service status pages at calmac.co.uk. Alternatively, please download our app or follow us on Twitter @CalMac_Updates for the latest information on our service.

CHECK IN TIMES Check in times are very important. They vary from route to route and can be between 4 and 45 minutes before your advertised departure time. You can confirm this with us before your journey by checking your booking confirmation or our timetables – which can be accessed at calmac.co.uk

CYCLISTS If you are a cyclist, and especially if you are part of a group of cyclists travelling together, please contact your port of departure or call us direct on 0800 066 5000 or +44 1475 650397 (for international customers) 24 hours before you travel to check availability of cycle space.

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE PASSENGER ASSISTANCE If you need assistance, have reduced mobility, are travelling with young children or have lots of luggage, we will try our very best to make your journey as stress-free as possible.

If you would like assistance, please let us know when you book or at least 48 hours before your departure time. You can do this by emailing assistanceteam@calmac.co.uk

PORT FACILITIES To check what facilities are available at and around the port you are travelling to, or from, visit calmac.co.uk/destinations/ports

6 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

JOURNEY AND TICKET INFORMATION

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 7

I T ' S G R E AT OUTDOORS

Above: Newton, North Uist; below: Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye 8 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

ADVENTURE SPORTS

In recent years, the range of outdoor activities happening on and around the west coast and islands has taken on some new dimensions – often featuring bright trainers or a wetsuit, and sometimes both. From wild swimming and trail running to triathlons and adventure races, Ailsa Sheldon dips her neoprene-covered toe in the water

H

ill walkers in the Highlands and Islands have got company. While there’s nothing new about jumping on a bike or swimming in a loch, running up a hill or getting muddy, new combinations of outdoor adventure are offering locals, visitors and urbanweary Scots a chance to experience the rugged landscape in dynamic new ways.

Glencoe-based Girls on Hills was founded in 2018 by Keri Wallace and Nancy Kennedy with an aim of empowering women to run in the mountains. Keri explains that while women's participation in trail races has increased, ‘it is nowhere near 50:50’. Girls on Hills is helping women to gain the skills and confidence to enjoy hill running with a motto of ‘You can run free’.

They’ve seen a huge demand for their courses, on which you can learn how to safely cross a river and ‘run like a child’, bounding over heather and scree without twisting an ankle, plus mountain safety and navigation training. In memorable scenery, with great camaraderie and white-tailed eagles circling overhead, trail running couldn’t be further from a sweaty treadmill in an urban gym and that’s why people love it.

This popularity is reflected in the increasing number of competitive running events, joining the traditional hill-races that have long been popular in the area. There are half-marathons on islands like Coll, Mull and Skye, marathons in Glencoe, Arisaig and on Harris, and technical sky-running challenges around the peaks of Lochaber. ‘Ultra races’ see athletes willing to attempt extreme distances – from 74 miles at the Skye Trail Ultra to the 400km-long Cape Wrath Ultra, billed as the UK's answer to the Marathon des Sables. Rural races have a different atmosphere to large city marathons – Marathon Hebrides finishes with a ceilidh on the machair at Seilebost. The unpredictable weather, variable terrain and integrated scenery are all part of the package.

Mountain bikers come to Fort William for the UCI Downhill World Cup and 10 Under the Ben, while long-distance riders enjoy the challenge of The Caledonia Way or The

Hebridean Way. Cycling races are diversifying too: in Wester Ross, Bealach Mor challenges cyclists to pedal 144km with 2100 metres of sweaty ascent including up and over the notorious Bealach na Bà to Applecross.

Outdoor swimming has claimed many new devotees in recent years, who find a bracing dip in the turquoise waters of Luskentyre or chasing waterfalls on Skye a very different experience to a chlorinated pool. Vicky Allan and Anna Deacon’s book Taking the Plunge is packed with stories of people discovering the joys of swimming outside in Scotland, often yearround. As Allan explains, ‘One of the reasons the Highlands is so amazing for swimming is the range of different spots and the absolute drama of the locations.’ She believes a reason for the rise in popularity is that, ‘people are now looking to find things that are properly an experience – and don’t involve getting in an aeroplane. Wild swimming is really transporting. You get in the water and you feel like you are in another place.

It gives you a different perspective.’

For many people, running, cycling and swimming in the Highlands and Islands is less about getting the fastest time and more about finding an adventure. Allan calls wild swimming, ‘a form of microadventure. You can do something that feels really dramatic and heroic and you don't have to be some pumpedup athlete to do it.’ Triathlons and adventure style multi-sports events also offer this feeling of an adventurous journey. The Craggy Island Triathlon starts with a swim across the Sound of Kerrera before the race continues on the island.

ITERA challenges teams to run, bike and kayak 600km in teams. Whether careering down a hill in the lashing rain or breaking the ice on a loch, adventure sports are a way to connect with and explore Scotland and, as Allan says, ‘it’s a laugh too. It feels childish, silly and ridiculous and I think in these times we need that as well.’

For wild swimming safety advice, see wildswimming.co.uk. For links to activities and events mentioned, go to list.co.uk The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 9

ADVERTISING FEATURE

CalMac Clothing

Social Recluse recently designed a line of merchandise for CalMac, which was launched earlier this year. The brand's designer and founder, Robert Chambers, who has built up a following world-wide, talked to us about good design, good shoes and good Hebridean neighbours If you visit the Social Recluse website, it introduces you as: ‘…Lovers of the Beautiful Game. The Number 10. Casual. We are Bowie.

Blondie…’ Robert, tell us more about why you love them and how they influence your design?

I love music, football and fashion. Social Recluse and our designs are a crossover of each of these.

As a youngster, my art teacher threw a book of record cover designs in front of me. At that age, all I ever wanted to do was football. Hamilton Accies wanted to sign me, but after seeing that music book I decided to follow a path in design. I loved how those designs created an identity for the bands. That’s what started things off for me.

10 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

What do you hope someone thinks and feels when they buy one of your designs?

We’re all tribal. Most of us will identify with something – running, music, whatever. My designs are an overlap of that. I design what I like and I’m lucky others like it. I’m still blown away that people buy things from my shop and that we now send our products worldwide – from Liverpool and London to Argentina, Los Angeles and Japan.

How did people first begin to find out about your designs when Social Recluse began?

Some of our best-known designs marry a song with a classic pair of trainers. Years ago, I heard about an event called ‘Laces Out’ in Liverpool.

Knowing absolutely nothing, my friend and I drove down the M6 to the event. We pitched up in this warehouse and my designs proved popular. There were already people drawing Adidas trainers back then, but what I do, where I link them to a band or a song – that was the first time someone had done that kind of design, and it worked for people.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

by Social Recluse

Why shoes?

Clothing can define people. If I’m in a corporate meeting, I love looking at what people wear on their feet. Although everyone there is probably wearing a suit, if I look at their feet, I can often tell a little more about them. That became a project for me. I drew shoes and linked them to celebrities or music. The first ones I did were Adidas trainers. There are now some Social Recluse prints of Adidas trainers hanging in the Adidas offices in Portland, USA. Tell us how you went about designing the CalMac range?

I picked up on that same tribal element. If you’re on a CalMac boat for leisure, you’re probably looking for adventure or an experience. So, the designs are all about those adventures, their stories and the people who enjoy them, from hiking or climbing to music or cycling. I wanted those who wear the designs to see they’re part of something bigger – they’re part a group of people who love the islands.

Do you love the islands?

Yes. I grew up in Lanarkshire. Our neighbours were a family from Barra, the MacNeills. They were at the centre of the street and somehow, with them involved, any celebration lasted a week. I loved that. That experience is a bit similar to a wedding I went to on Jura. The bride was Scottish, and the groom was Irish. It was a wedding you definitely wanted to be at. They got married in the distillery, the reception was in the village hall, with the old wooden floor. You could really feel the spirit of the place and the whole thing lasted for three days.

Finally – is there a story behind the name ‘Social Recluse’?

I’ve had the name since I started working in design, and it still suits me. I’m outgoing but also shy. I don’t like getting my own picture taken, I prefer the products to do the talking – and that’s also reflected in the name.

Visit shop.calmac.co.uk to see CalMac’s new clothing range, featuring exclusive island designs by Social Recluse.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 11

ISLAND DREAMS

in search of

D I STA N T In his book Island Dreams: Mapping an Obsession, published in 2020, Edinburgh-based GP and writer Gavin Francis weaves cartography, philosophy and literature into reflections on his own travels to islands around the globe. The following extracts include some of his explorations on Scotland’s west coast

I

was in search of distant islands, in love with the idea that, on a patch of land, protected by a circumference of sea, the obligations and irritations of life would dissolve and a singular clarity of mind would descend. It proved more complicated than that.

Iona. Blaeu Atlas Maior, Vol. 6, Æbudæ Insulæ sive Hebrides (1662–5)

One November at the close of the millennium, when I was starting out as a junior surgical trainee, I left the hospital wards behind for a week’s camping on the Hebridean island of Barra. The forecast was for storms: after a couple of nights in a shaking tent I swapped canvas for a hotel room, and set up my camp stove in the en-suite bath. Each day I walked: over the high blustery freedom of Ben Scurrival, around the western reaches of the island, down to Vatersay Sound, across beaches raked by waves.

There were families of otters, endless horizons, abandoned homesteads, inquisitive seals. There was a beach that doubled as an airport runway, its landing timetable rotating with the tide.

The open bays were chopped into textual, symmetrical lines of waves. The agitation kindled by my hospital work was gradually extinguished. As the days passed I began muttering as I walked, random subconscious connections, snatches of songs, memories. Their content didn’t seem to matter, my voice being lost in the sound of the wind and waves.

12 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

At age twenty-one the writer Adam Nicolson inherited the Shiant Isles, a tiny archipelago between the Scottish mainland and the island of Lewis. In his book about them, Sea Room, he wrote: Perhaps . . . the love of islands is a symptom

of immaturity, a turning away from the complexities of the real world to a much simpler place, where choices are obvious and rewards straightforward.

And perhaps that can be taken another step: is the whole Romantic episode, from Rousseau to Lawrence, a vastly enlarged and egotistical adolescence?

Thinking of islands often returns me in memory to the municipal library I visited as a child. The library was one of the grandest buildings in town – entered directly from the street through heavy brass doors, each one tessellated in panes of glass thick as lenses. As my mother browsed the shelves, often as not I’d sit down on the scratchy carpet tiles and open an immense atlas, running my fingers over

ISLAND DREAMS

ISLANDS L TO R: (NLS 108520521) USED WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND MAP COLLECTION; FROM HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE CLANS OF SCOTLAND BY THOMAS BRUMBY JOHNSTON AND JAMES A. ROBERTSON

love of them. This may have been what first drew me to Iona, an island off the west coast of Mull, and the adopted home of Brendan’s contemporary Columba. Columba sailed there from Ireland on the same kind of leather boat Brendan used. In common with many of the islands I’ve been writing about, Iona is often now considered ‘remote’; but when people connected more easily by sea than by land, it was much less so. For Columba, Iona was central to the Irish world. This was a time of shifting borders: Irish Scoti pushing east into the lands of the Picts.

Skye. Map of the Clans of Scotland (1899)

distant and unreachable archipelagos as if reading Braille. I hardly dared hope I’d reach any of them; that I have reached a few is something of a relief.

And so the love of islands has always, for me, been inextricable from the love of maps.

Around 1,500 years ago an Irish monk known as Brendan explored the archipelagos north and west of the island of Britain – his oral account has survived in a Latin text dated to the ninth century, the Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis. The Navigatio sees Brendan and his companions beaching their leather boat on an island carpeted in flowers of white and purple. White, the narrator informs us, represents innocence. Purple, on the other hand, with its undertones of papal, imperial and Byzantine authority, represents maturity.

That sense of awe or reverence, of seeking after the sublime, that so many others have sought and found in islands, has without doubt influenced my

On Lewis I met a buzz-cut banker from New York who had quit his job to spend three months cycling around the Hebrides, hauling his surfboard behind him on a trailer. He had already cancelled his flight back.

I’d begun to doubt it was possible to feel this free, he said. It reinforced to me that my fascination with islands – my isle-o-philia – was far from unique. There seemed to be a connection between a certain kind of sparsely populated island, remote from urban centres, and dreams.

Or perhaps it is that such islands have the power of concentrating dreamers.

Extracts, published with kind permission from the author, are taken from Island Dreams (Canongate) © Gavin Francis 2020 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 13

CAMPERVAN TOURING

CRUISIN' IN A CAMPERVAN Ten Top Tips for Free-Wheeling Touring Campervan travel has taken off in recent years as a way to explore the Highlands and Islands. With all of Scotland to explore and a comfy bed in the back, the appeal is clear.

However, rural communities are understandably nervous about this upward trend, as many rely on traditional tourism for their income. So, with guidance from Andy McCluskey from Open Road Scotland and Rob Dawkins from Big Sky Campers, Ailsa Sheldon outlines ten tips to help you make the most of your campervan adventure and ensure you are a considerate, welcome visitor to the west coast and islands

1.

Plan ahead. While spontaneity is part of the joy of a camper holiday, travelling in rural Scotland does require some forward planning. Know where your next stop is for fuel and food, where waste disposal sites are, and definitely book ferries in advance – particularly in summer. Before your trip, investigate your options – remember there is much more to Scotland than Skye and the North Coast 500 (NC500).

2.

Be curious. Be open to changing your plans, and listen to local recommendations. Keep your eyes peeled for posters for Highland games, concerts and other local events that might be taking place. In many places you’ll find qualified guides offering wildlife walks or boat trips, even sailing and kayak lessons.

Take advantage of these experts to go deeper and learn more about the place you’re visiting.

14 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

3.

Learn the rules of the roads. Rural Scotland has many narrow single-track roads that require you to use passing places. The driver closest to the passing place should pull in if the space is on their left, if the space is on the right stop beside it allowing the approaching driver to safely drive around. Practice reversing your vehicle before you have to do it under pressure.

Many companies will give you a lesson before you set out.

On two-way roads you must let other vehicles pass, particularly if you are driving under the speed limit.

You may be enjoying the views but accidentally holding up local commuters, emergency workers or people trying to catch a ferry. Never travel in convoy with other campervans – passing places are designed for one vehicle and travelling in convoy puts others at risk. The Campervan and Motorhome Professional Association (CAMPA) has some useful demonstration videos for safe campervan driving.

CAMPERVAN TOURING

4.

Consider taking bikes. Many campervan companies, including Open Road Scotland, have installed bike racks on their campers. Being able to park your van and then explore on two wheels is a brilliant way to experience a new place.

Even if you don’t manage any round-the-island bike trips, a bike is far more convenient for a quick run to the shop.

5.

Leave no trace – it’s the most important mantra for any camper or campervan visitor. Familiarise yourself with, and follow, Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code. It asks that you use a portable stove rather than light fires (most hire companies will include a stove if you ask). Many campsites have fire pits so you can have a small fire without damaging the landscape.

Use toilets wherever possible. When you need to ‘go’ in the great outdoors, do so as far away as possible from open water, rivers or buildings. Take a trowel to bury human waste and a resealable plastic bag for your toilet paper (never leave the paper or bury it). Take all rubbish with you and never leave rubbish bags beside a full bin. >> The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 15

6.

CAMPERVAN TOURING Name of section

Try not to do too much. Just because your ideal itinerary is possible in a few days doesn’t make it a good idea. Take your time and stop often – you’ll see and appreciate so much more. Talk to your hire company for help planning your perfect trip.

7.

Pack light. Campervans vary widely but often there isn’t much spare space.

Leave hard suitcases at home and choose smaller soft bags that can be flattened. There’s nothing relaxing about tripping over everything you own. Check what’s supplied before you pack – many include everything for cooking plus bedding and even camping chairs. Be prepared for changing weather but don’t overdo it.

8.

Whenever possible stay in campsites – you’ll find hot showers, clean bathrooms, great local knowledge and contribute to the local economy. Informal camping is legal in most of Scotland but can sometimes be unwelcome. If you stop somewhere for the night, try to arrive late and leave early and don’t set up camp for days on end. Never stop in a passing place, block a gate or park anywhere with signs asking you not to.

9.

Be respectful of other people, whether on a campsite or elsewhere. Keep the noise down and give others as much space as you can.

10.

Eat out! Scotland’s food and drink is exceptional, and if you load up in a large supermarket you’ll really miss out. Aim to use small shops, try local produce and seek out the best places to eat. This helps the local economy, and it’s also the more enjoyable option. While breakfast in the van may be part of the fun, so is a seafood supper in a great local pub while immersing yourself in the landscape and culture – that’s what memorable holidays are made of.

• Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code outdooraccess-scotland.scot • CAMPA (The Campervan and Motorhome Professional Association) campa.org.uk • Big Sky Campers Edinburgh bigskycampers.co.uk • Open Road Scotland openroadscotland.com 16 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

CAMPERVANS ON FERRIES • If you’re travelling to the islands with a campervan, a lot of pre-planning is now required. The main and longer ferry routes need to be booked in advance. A number of short or frequent services are ‘Turn Up and Go’ routes – while no advance booking is necessary on these sailings, you will need to build in more time for your journey as your first choice of sailing may not always be available. See page 5 for details on making a reservation.

• If you have a reservation, it's a good idea to stay connected with CalMac. You can do this by downloading the CalMac app or following the @CalMac_ Updates account on Twitter for the latest information on each route.

Their service status pages provide timely updates containing the latest information available.

• Campervans and motorhomes are charged according to the length of the vehicle, which includes any racks, towbars etc, and any overhanging roof rack items. If you don’t give an accurate length when you book you may have to pay an excess charge, and there may not be room on board at busy times.

• When purchasing a ferry ticket for a campervan or motorhome from the mainland to Islay, Colonsay, Coll/Tiree or the Outer Hebrides, you will have to confirm that you have secured a pitch or have otherwise agreed overnight provision prior to travel to the islands.

FUELLING YOUR ADVENTURES Name of section

Get your favourites on-board and look out for a range of other options too.

calmac.co.uk

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 17

HISTORIC FERRIES

The predecessors of today’s CalMac ferries are fondly remembered icons of days when the waters of the Clyde and Hebrides bustled with maritime traffic. Donald Reid explores a rich history now fading from memory

PS Waverley

WHEN SEAWAYS F

or all the timeless beauty of the rugged, ragged western coast of Scotland, it’s a scene that has changed profoundly in just a couple of generations. What has gone from the seascapes of Scotland is traffic.

For at least 100 years before – and some 20 years after – World War Two, these coastal waters were busy with craft of all sizes, styles and endeavours: fishing smacks, puffers, barges, cargo boats, warships, yachts, famous liners built in the Clydeside shipyards, the daily Dublin and Belfast overnight ferries and, most distinctively, passenger steamers.

Such activity is a distant notion for today’s ferry passenger, with relatively unpopulated seas on view and only occasional sightings of vessels other than fishing or leisure craft. Yet within living memory in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, steamers plied regular routes from all around the Firth of Clyde and its finger lochs to the main railheads at Gourock and Helensburgh, as well as right into the Broomielaw dock in the heart of Glasgow. Coastal settlements such as Arrochar, Tighnabruaich, Lochgoilhead, Blackwaterfoot and Ardrishaig were well known from timetable

18 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

lists and shouted destination announcements, and their most familiar aspect was their seaward front as viewed over the rail of arriving or departing steamers.

As the primary transport link, the coastal traffic reflected the realities of life: used not just by holidaymakers but by city workers, school children, tradesfolk and salespeople, carrying goods, post and cargoes as varied as building materials and livestock. In addition to their morning and evening commuter runs, a number of steamers would offer pleasure cruises in the summer months which were principally aimed at residents of the dense, industrial suburbs of Greater Glasgow. These outings ‘Doon the Watter’ offered an escape into the fresh air, green scenery and open spaces just a couple of hours away up fjord-like Loch Long, the verdant Kyles of Bute or towards the shimmering peaks of Arran.

Turbine and paddle-steamers such as Jupiter, Columba, Queen Mary, King George V and Jeanie Deans, along with their liveries, routes and timetables, were an entrenched part of the daily narrative of life. Posters advertised excursions

CLYDE RIVER STEAMERS CLUB CRCS.OR.UK

WAVERLEY EXCURSIONS LTD

MacBraynes' Inner Islands mail boat Loch Earn at Castlebay, Barra c.1950

WERE HIGHWAYS and adventures including the glamorous ‘Royal Route’ run by David MacBrayne’s shipping company, which once whisked passengers from Glasgow to Ardrishaig, through the Crinan Canal, up by connecting steamers to Oban and Fort William, then through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. MacBrayne, based in Oban, was the dominant name in the passenger, freight and mail steamer services in the Hebrides, as well as the operator of fleets of red, cream and green liveried motorbuses that extended the transport links around the coastal areas and islands.

The one remaining legacy of such days is Waverley, the last sea-going paddle-steamer in operation in the world. Built just after World War Two after her namesake had been lost at Dunkirk in 1940, she was initially commissioned by the LNER railway company. With nationalisation in 1948, British Rail took over not just the railways but their associated shipping fleets too.

Running a route between Craigendoran by Helensburgh to Rothesay and Dunoon, in the 1950s Waverley was only one of many elegant paddle and turbine steamers on the Clyde. By the 1960s the transport picture was

changing. Ships reaching the end of their lives weren’t being replaced and as the motor car became more important, car-carrying ferries were required. In 1969 the second-last Clyde paddlesteamer, Caledonia, was withdrawn, and in 1973 British Rail’s subsidiary Caledonian Steam Packet Company was merged with David MacBrayne’s Western Isles services to form Caledonian MacBrayne.

Waverley, not required by CalMac, was gifted for £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society to become a full-time pleasure cruiser, a role she continues to this day – not just on her home waters of the Clyde, but around the British Isles on an annual itinerary which has her offering trips to Oban and Skye, Liverpool and North Wales, the Bristol Channel, the Isle of Wight and even up the River Thames and under Tower Bridge. Water-borne traffic was once common in all these areas too, so her annual appearance is greeted with enthusiasm and nostalgia, the distinctive thrashing of her paddles and steaming funnel a glimpse into a world of fading, but still cherished, maritime memories. n waverleyexcursions.co.uk The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 19

FOOD SPECIALITIES

ICONS OF THE

ISLE OF MULL CHEESE

STORNOWAY BLACK PUDDING

Through history, Scotland’s islands attracted a steady stream of religious pilgrims, but these days you’re just as likely to find a cheeselover on a journey of reverence to Sgriob-ruadh Farm near Tobermory. The dairy farm is home to Isle of Mull cheese – quite probably the nation’s most famous and distinctive farmhouse cheese. Set up in 1980 when the Reade family moved up from England and took over the derelict farm, the cheddar-style cheese has been made on site for 40 years (a second, Hebridean Blue, joined it ten years ago).

The unpasteurised milk used is as fresh as it gets – the time it takes to move from milking parlour to cheese vat. Provenance is guaranteed, food is grass and spent grains from the distillery, and no colouring is used. Isle of Mull cheese is a fixture for cheesemongers across the UK, who will eulogise it with words like fruity, sharp, savoury, full-bodied, upfront and boozy. The operation has expanded to an on-site shop and café (housed in the impressive Glass Barn) with everything powered by their own wind turbine and hydro-electric system – and selfguided tours are on offer to round off the pilgrimage. n isleofmullcheese.co.uk

Ask anyone to name Scotland’s most famous sausage and they will, of course, nearly always nod to the haggis, or ‘Great chieftain o’ the pudding race’ as the bard Robert Burns dubbed it. In these parts, however, it has a rival known in Gaelic as the marag dubh, the black pudding – and in particular the variety produced on the Isle of Lewis, officially, and very specifically, called Stornoway Black Pudding. The pudding is still made using the same few ingredients – beef suet, oatmeal, onions, blood, salt and pepper, nothing else – that crofters have used on the island for hundreds of years. The blood can come from sheep or cows as well as pigs, while the suet and rough oatmeal give it a unique and lighter consistency, while deepening the savoury flavours. The Stornoway pud has protected geographical status – formerly granted by the EU, and now bestowed by the UK similarly to protect its integrity – only allowing the label ‘Stornoway’ when the puddings are produced in the town or parish of Stornoway. The marag dubh has helped lift the reputation of black pudding – showing that this premium sausage isn’t just for a breakfast fry-up but can now grace dishes in the fanciest of restaurants. n charlesmacleod.co.uk

20 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

FOOD SPECIALITIES

ISLES

When it comes to expressing the character of a place, food can talk. Jay Thundercliffe introduces four island specialities that have plenty to say

GIGHA HALIBUT

ISLE OF COLONSAY WILDFLOWER HONEY

Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), the large flatfish that can reach nearly 5m in the wild, is an endangered species, with conservation groups recommending we avoid it. Its usual habitat is the cold waters of the North Atlantic but the fish is also to be found on the small Isle of Gigha off the Mull of Kintyre, thanks to Gigha Halibut – the only landbased halibut farm in the UK, and one of only a few around the world. It’s not easy farming halibut due to the protracted early growth stage and the poor survival rate. The project began on Loch Fyne in the early 1990s but it wasn’t until 2006 that the fish were moved to Gigha, ready for harvest the following year. It’s a process that has taken 20 years to perfect. The resulting halibut is not only recommended by the Marine Conservation Society as sustainably produced but top chefs including triple Michelin Star holder Alain Roux, and Scot Pam Brunton at Inver, sing its praises. The company also smoke the fish (to order) using oak chips from whisky barrels. Many awards have since come its way for innovation and sustainability, as well as for the great taste of their produce. n gighahalibut.co.uk

Bees have endured a rough time of late with diseases and disorders, plus human impact, significantly disrupting global populations. The situation is rather rosier on two west coast islands – Colonsay and smaller neighbour Oronsay. In 2013, the islands became the UK’s first official bee sanctuary – protecting our native honeybee, the European Black Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera). Instrumental in getting the official stamp on the sanctuary was Andrew Abrahams, who moved to the island in 1978 and began his concerns of oyster raising and beekeeping. He now has 60 colonies – from which he produces his highly prized Isle of Colonsay Wildflower Honey. As the awareness of the bees’ plight grows, so does our appreciation of their contribution to the environment and our lives – and also to the quality of their honey, akin to an expensive single malt that you dip into occasionally for a treat. The hardy island bees feast on an unusually varied diet that includes an abundance of wildflowers – half of all the British wildflower species can be found on the islands.

This mixed diet will produce variations in the honey depending on the season and weather, but the fragrant and unique wildflower flavour will always be there. n colonsay.org.uk/shops-food/colonsay-honey The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 21

ADVERTISING FEATURE

If you’re bound for Arran on board the MV Caledonian Isles, your taste buds are in for more of a treat than usual thanks to our new and improved menu – full of your favourite CalMac dishes, alongside some new twists. Each item showcases the best of Scottish produce, as Executive Chef Dave Gannon explains

Taste the Best of the West with CalMac

What’s different about the new menu you’ve created?

The new menu offers our passengers a really good mix of their favourite dishes alongside a number of new items. For instance, we’ve still got our hot Scottish Breakfast, but we’ve also introduced a wonderful new vegan version. Our ever-popular CalMac and Cheese is joined on the menu by a great noodle dish, served with a succulent, smoked ham hough. As well as the steak pie, we’ve added a venison sausage and mash dish, as well as a new, delicious roast vegetable pie.

The menu we’ve come up with showcases the quality and expertise of our Scottish producers and suppliers – which our team has carefully sourced.

Can you take us through some of the producers and produce you’re using in your menu?

Our current menus on vessels across the fleet have a passion for the quality and provenance of ingredients. In this new menu on the MV 22 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

Caledonian Isles, we’ve really worked hard to build on that approach.

So, for example, our new haggis and Arran chutney bridie uses chutney from the Isle of Arran as well as delicious all-butter puff pastry from William Sword – a family business based in Central Scotland, that has been making and baking since the late nineteenth century. Its Scottish Soup Co soups are also on offer – all of which are based on their Mum’s traditional recipes.

Our lovely gourmet hotdog is sourced from Brigston & Co – an independent maker from Dumfries and Galloway which has developed a unique, hand-crafted smoked hotdog from Scottish Farm Assured beef and pork. They say they’re on a mission to change the perception of the hotdog – and they’ve created something really brilliant.

The provenance of the menu goes much deeper too – our fries are seasoned with traditional Scottish sea salt from Blackthorn Salt in Ayrshire, made using age-old methods and the country’s only graduation

ADVERTISING FEATURE

thorn tower – along with sea water and west coast winds, both of which we know pretty well at CalMac! And you’ve also changed the way you serve the dishes?

Yes, that’s the other main change. It’s a short crossing, so we wanted to increase the time and flexibility passengers have so they can make the most of the journey – so that means that the dishes are ready and available when our customers board.

You can grab your CalMac and Cheese and enjoy it with a wooden fork from wherever you wish to – whether that’s on board, on deck or perhaps you’ll decide to keep it to enjoy just after you’ve disembarked.

Why did you decide to make the change to the menu and the way it’s served?

We’re acting on customer feedback from our passenger questionnaires. If our items are ready and waiting for our customers as they join us on board,

this helps to address waiting times on what is a short crossing, giving our customers more time to enjoy the journey.

As well as changing the serve, the menu allows us to offer more choice for different dietary requirements – vegetarian and vegan. Both of those aspects are really important to us.

How are you balancing using packaging with our commitment to protect the environment?

We’re privileged to work and sail in a beautiful but fragile marine environment. We all have a role to play in protecting it. The packaging we’re using in place of washing plates and cutlery is Vegware – a plant based and compostable type of food packaging. It’s made from plants and designed to be commercially compostable. New bins will be installed to allow passengers to help us recycle and compost packaging. We have two packaging options which aren’t yet compostable, and we’re currently working on replacing these too.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 23

THE STORY OF PEAT

Much of the very earth in the islands is made up of peat, and there's much more to the story than smoky whisky, as Jo Laidlaw discovers

26 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

W

hat covers three per cent of the world’s surface, yet holds a third of the earth’s soil carbon? What heats the home, cleans the water, flavours the whisky and – somewhat controversially – makes the garden grow? It’s peat, an enduring (and often misunderstood) aspect of the land and life of the north and west of Scotland.

For centuries, island and coastal communities have hand-cut peats to heat their homes and croft houses, carefully managing what’s both a scarce commodity and a communal resource. It’s less common to cut your own peats these days – it’s back-breaking work and takes lots of time for the peats to dry – and many islanders have embraced cleaner, greener or just plain easier forms of energy. That said, you can still spot the distinctive lines of the old peat banks, piles of drying peat and the distinct aroma of a peat fire as you travel around.

There are also lessons to be learned from the islanders’ collective experience and expertise. Peatlands actually cover around 20 per cent of Scotland’s total land area and we’re only just beginning to recognise the role they play in tackling climate change. Healthy peatlands lock in carbon as well as providing an important habitat for wildlife. Much of the country’s drinking water is filtered by peat before it reaches streams and reservoirs, and peat plays an integral role in managing flood risk. Yet many peatlands nationally have either been poorly managed or ignored for decades, which led to the launch of Scotland’s first ever National Peatland Plan in 2015.

THE STORY OF PEAT

delicate flavour of the fish to be overwhelmed by the strong aroma of peat smoke but the Hebridean Smokehouse, based on Uist, has the balance cracked. It offers a choice of peat-smoked salmon and scallops, as well as salmon smoked over more traditional beech or oak whisky barrels.

Nowhere, however, is peat more celebrated than in whisky making.

The lure of the peaty dram brings Raasay Distillery travellers from far and wide to the islands in general, and Islay in particular. What many don’t fully appreciate is that peat isn’t an ingredient in ‘peaty’ whisky – at least not directly.

Single malt whisky can only ever come from one single distillery, and single malt can only be made from barley. The grain is steeped in water until it starts to germinate, then after a few days it’s spread out to dry over a heat source. The distiller makes a key choice here, as one option for this heat source is a smouldering peat fire. The heat stops Peat doesn’t come without controversy around the germination process and, meanwhile, the barley who can use it, who can burn it and how it grains absorb the flavour profile of the smoke. The should be managed. The flip-side of being such dried barley is then ground into mash and mixed a superb carbon store means huge amounts of with hot water, allowing the peaty flavours to infuse carbon are released when it burns, and the practice into the clear Scottish water. The mixture is then of burning peat bogs to encourage new heather cooled, fermented and distilled before being left growth to feed grouse for shooting provokes a to mature and develop its unmistakeable flavour good deal of debate. Peat extraction hasn’t been – expect sweetness, salt and seaweed to feature as widespread in Scotland as in other countries, as much as the famous smoke. Remember, too, where industrialised removal for fuel and products that while the Islay whiskies in particular have a such as garden compost has led to deeper issues. reputation for big-hitting peatiness, there are lots of Nonetheless, a careful balance needs to be struck different levels of flavour to explore both among the between tradition, pragmatism and protection of Islay malts and those from other islands. this vital resource.

Finally, there are now other ways to experiment Ever since there’s been fire, humans have used if you have a taste for smoke in a glass. Look out smoke to preserve food. Home-smoking is having for Tongue In Peat tomato juice – it’s made in a moment right now and you can easily buy peat Glasgow using Islay peat to smoke the tomatoes pellets to have a go yourself. But if that sounds before juicing and makes an unusual take on the too much like hard work, smoked salmon – Bloody Mary. Or if gin is your thing, Glasgow’s another potent symbol of Scotland – is available Illicit Still smoke juniper berries over peat smoke to everywhere. Peat-smoked salmon, however, is an create its Blacklist gin, which is perfect for a Smoky altogether rarer beast indeed. It’s easy for the Martini. Slainte! ´ n The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 27

MUSICAL ISLANDS

ORCHESTRAL MANOE Many different strands of musical tradition can be found in the Hebrides.

Carol Main pinpoints the inspiration four different islands provide

STAFFA

JURA

From its opening bars, Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture captures the grandeur of the island of Staffa’s famous Fingal’s Cave. The majestic basalt columns of its entrance, the waves rolling in from the Atlantic swells and the sense of nature’s wonders are all heard as fresh today as when the finished piece was premiered in Berlin in 1833 with the composer conducting. It was four years earlier that the 20-year-old Felix Mendelssohn had visited Staffa on his tour of Britain, next on his bucket list after visits to Italy, Switzerland and France.

A day trip from Oban took him to Fingal’s Cave, where the first musical phrase of his overture was scribbled down on a postcard and sent off to the family back home. Mendelssohn was particularly close to his sister Fanny and, in a special note to her about his exciting new music, wrote: ‘In order to make you understand how extraordinarily the Hebrides affected me, I send you the following, which came into my head there.’ The full autographed manuscript of everything else which inspired Mendelssohn’s glorious music is now held in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. n mendelssohninscotland.com

2020 reset the dial on how vital it is to have nature’s open spaces somewhere in our sights. Yet it was over 20 years ago that musician Giles Perring realised that there had to be something different to life than darting across London at 2am delivering scores to TV producers. Knowing the value of taking his children out on the road to give them a change of scene from inner city life, a couple of chance holidays led to the family settling on Jura.

Now Perring works on a variety of music projects from the old schoolhouse at Lowlandsman’s Bay, his World Organ gaining increasing attention. Don’t think organ pipes in the usual sense – although there are similarities in the physics – but a sound sculpture in Giles’ Sound of Jura studio garden.

‘It’s a different way of representing the landscape of Jura,’ he says. ‘It’s not Edwin Landseer and Scottish Romanticism. It’s more about what it sounds like, asking: What is this landscape, how do we connect with it and what is it doing to us?’

Bees, birds, wind, rain can all be heard through it.

‘It’s a response to this wild place,’ he says, ‘a place where you can’t hear any other humans.’ n soundofjura.com

28 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

MUSICAL ISLANDS

UVRES IN THE WEST

TIREE

RAASAY

‘Where the music meets the ocean’ is the evocative tagline of Tiree Music Festival. Long before the festival came into being, music and the sea were inextricably linked for its founder Daniel Gillespie. Growing up on the island, learning accordion while his younger brother, Martin, learned pipes, music was intrinsic to Tiree community life. ‘People gave their time freely to teach us’, says Daniel, ‘and that made us more committed to learning music.’ As teenagers, the island was how and why their award-winning, internationally acclaimed band, Skerryvore, came into being. Holidaying on Tiree, two other Scottish teenage musicians heard the Gillespie brothers playing in the local pub. Before long, they were performing together, the trademark fusion of styles introducing jazz and pop to Gaelic folk traditions. ‘Alec brings the feelgood buzz of Tiree summers into his lyrics, while all of us can’t help but be influenced by the sea.’ Martin’s haunting Gairm A’Chauin – Call of the Sea – is but one example. Skerryvore is Britain’s tallest lighthouse, built on a treacherous rock formation 11 miles southwest of Tiree. Derived from Gaelic for ‘big rock’ there’s an apt synergy that’s more than place alone. n skerryvore.com

There’s an excitement in visiting somewhere new on holiday, enticed by the unknown. One stage further, bass clarinettist Sarah Watts bought her Raasay home without having put a foot on the island. Twelve years on, it’s not only a place beloved by Watts, but the dozens of musicians who come from all over the world for educational courses focussed on bass clarinet and bassoon. Neither instrument is exactly mainstream; even Watts says ‘it’s all completely off the wall, to be frank.’ The market is mainly adults, with regular participants from the USA, Canada and Australia.

Taking place in April and October, the courses give trade to local B&Bs at the start and close of the main tourist season, as well as business to Raasay House and free concert admission for island residents.

‘Usually on music courses everyone meets in the bar,’ says Watts. ‘Here on Raasay they meet taking photographs of the Cuillins. They’re here for the island experience as well as the music.’ Raasay’s influence is heard in special commissions, such as Dun Caan

by Antony Clare, inspired by the main volcanic peak, and Ten Wee Drams, 2019’s series of new pieces premiered, appropriately, in the Isle of Raasay Distillery. n raasaymusiccourses.com The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 29

ADVENTURE ALL YEAR ROUND Book now for autumn and winter trips.

Check our website for information on flexible bookings.

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TWEED

Jo Laidlaw pulls at the threads of one of Scotland’s most distinctive and enduring traditional products – Harris Tweed

32 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

D

epopulation, tough economic conditions and subsequent lack of employment for young people is the vicious cycle that stalks many small island and rural communities. But the fascinating tale of Harris Tweed shows how creativity, community control and a willingness to embrace change can preserve old industry in new ways for the benefit of all.

No-one owns Harris Tweed. It’s famously the only cloth with a provenance protected by an Act of Parliament. It has the oldest continuously used trademark in the UK and its very own Harris Tweed Authority, whose job is to protect the tweed and make sure that only cloth woven on Harris is stamped with the coveted orb.

Yet the Authority’s board is made up of volunteers, and the whole industry has been held in trust for the benefit of the people of Harris since 1909.

This unique set-up doesn’t mean Harris Tweed has weathered every storm. In 2009, only 450,000 metres of cloth were produced, down from an all-time high of 7.6 million yards in 1966. This was partly due to the financial

TWEED

THE STORY OF THE BLUES

THE WARP AND THE WEFT

Indie weavers Carol Graham and Rob English of Borrisdale Tweed first visited Harris in 2009 to look for a holiday home. But, as islands tend to do, this one got under their skin – just a fortnight later they were back, trying to work out how to make a more permanent move. With long careers in the textile industry, Harris Tweed played an important part in their decision. ‘The fact that there was a successful, vibrant local cloth industry was exciting to us,’ says Rob. ‘It meant we could see a way to make things work.’ It took until 2017 for them to make a full-time move, buy a loom and learn their trade, with help from the existing weaving community.

A pop-up shop convinced them there was a market for making their own finished products, still relatively rare locally. As independent weavers, they’re able to indulge their life-long love of colour and form, inspired by the ever-changing landscape. ‘Colour has always been really important to us

crash and subsequent recession, but it was also because times had changed; islanders had to face the fact that their traditional market had all but disappeared. After all, when was the last time you pulled on your trusty woollen jerkin to nip to the shops? Technical fabrics, central heating, the rise of the car and the decline of traditional country sports meant volumes would probably never recover. So they sought a new direction – and by focusing on the global luxury market a smaller, yet much more sustainable, industry has risen from the ashes.

Fast forward a decade or so and Harris Tweed is buoyant. Its recovery is a blueprint for how clear sight, community effort and clever marketing can revitalise traditional industry, while preserving what makes it special in the first place. Uniquely, Harris Tweed is still ‘dyed in the wool’ – one of only three commercial mills dye the raw wool before it’s turned into yarn. The yarn is then sent out to around 180 home-based weavers (who must be based at home and home must be on Harris) to weave lengths of cloth to the mills’ patterns,

both,’ agrees Carol. ‘Sometimes I go to the mill to buy red thread, then I get caught by a pile of blue. We are playful, yet restrained, in the way we put colours together, often using a more Scandi-inspired palette. Colour makes us happy!’

>> The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 33

TWEED

which is then sold on the global market.

This new stability has brought changes. In the past, weaving was rarely a full-time job. This was seen as a benefit – it was a seasonal occupation that could be fitted around crofting or fishing. Now, although there are fewer weavers, there’s a growing trend towards full-time work. Traditionally a man’s job, there has been an influx of women weavers as well as a small – though growing – group of independent weavers who buy yarn from the mills and develop their own designs and products. Jobs across the whole industry are prized, and the Harris Tweed Authority holds a database of young people keen to work in design, weaving or social media. That’s a source of pride. A thriving industry means a thriving island, as Lorna Macaulay from the Authority notes: ‘I feel a huge responsibility, because Harris Tweed really matters here. There’s enormous passion for this thing we’ve nurtured and protected. We have a duty to keep it special for the next generation.’

BUYING TWEED – AND OTHER ISLAND CRAFTS The Harris Tweed Authority has piloted a Harris Tweed Trail, with a map of visitor centres, shops and weavers. ‘The idea is for visitors to get up close and personal with the tweed,’ says Lorna Macaulay of the HTA. ‘Check the trail map, find a local maker, phone ahead to check they’re open, then visit safely to find out more.’

There are plenty of opportunities to buy

tweed across the islands too, whether it’s a simple length to take home and make up, or a finished product like homeware or clothing. They include Isle 20, a digital platform set up in 2020 to help craft businesses on the islands sell online.

A social enterprise with 500 small-scale, independent businesses listed across 30 separate islands, the platform sells arts, crafts, gifts, food and drink, and clothing. harristweed.org isle20.com

34 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

Rhoda Meek, Owner Isle 20

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BRING THE ISLANDS HOME Shop home accessories at calmac.co.uk/shop

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The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 35

PICTURE PERFECT

Above: Our Lady Star of the Sea, Isle of Barra; below: Isle of Harris

PHOTOGRAPHY

While there are many ways to engage with the lives and landscapes around you, one of the most rewarding is to invest a bit of time and creativity in photography. Helen Moat looks through her viewfinder at the rich potential provided by a Photography Trail in the Outer Hebrides

SNAP HAPPY: SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE Photographer Rachel Keenan's work can be found throughout this guide, as well as in other CalMac materials. Here, she shares her top tips and tricks for photography around the west coast and islands

T

he beauty of photography is that it draws us into the landscape. It focuses the eye on its detail – the curve of a bay, the interlocking contours of lochan and land, the ripple of tide, the pattern of shell or sea eagle’s feathers.

Whether it’s the rich colours and textures of the machair or the luminous light, cobalt blues and aqua-greens of the coast, the Western Isles provide the photographer with something unique.

The ever-changing weather only adds to the richness of the Hebridean palette; within minutes skies and seas can turn from pale turquoise to bruised purple.

On the shore, the wildflower plains of machair are a tapestry of delicate yellows, pinks and purples.

Far from being a specialist hobby, taking pictures is something most of us with a smart phone in our pocket can attempt fairly easily; in addition it can be taken up by young and old, on your own or in family or larger groups, and it’s a reminder that outdoor pursuits don’t always have to be all-action physical adventures. The memories have a long shelf-life too, whether in a frame on your wall or as a screensaver.

The range of possibilities for the photographer provided by the countless islands, islets and skerries of the Outer Hebrides has been acknowledged in a Photography Trail created by Outer Hebrides Tourism. It reminds us that throughout the Western Isles the photographer can experience heartsoaring upland wilderness as well as the soul-restoring splendour of coastal bays, sea lochs and fresh water lochans.

Capture the pounding surf of the rugged Butt of Lewis or the razorsharp sea stacks off Garry Sands and

>>

Rachel Keenan

I have too many favourite places. I enjoy climbing the crags of the Cuillin Mountains, photographing the surf atop the cliffs at Neist Point, or camping near one of Harris' beaches. The changing light and seasons of these islands mean no two visits are the same, supplying endless views for the landscape photographer.

In outdoor photography, it is as important to pack your patience and resilience as your tripod and lenses. In my job assignments don’t often allow for time to wait for a sunny day, even in summer.

I try to reframe outrageous weather as an opportunity to create something moody and dramatic, using long exposures to turn waves into smokey panoramas, or snowy scenes into something abstract.

While touring the islands I have had some terrific wildlife encounters, often quite by chance. From the deck of the CalMac ferry I’ve seen a​​ minke whale mother with a calf in tow and the blue-eyed majesty of

gannets following the ship.

If you’re mapping out your photography wildlife spotting mission to the islands, I’d suggest using The Hebridean Whale Trail app or following The Bird of Prey Trail. These excellent resources pinpoint areas of likely sightings as well as useful wildlife resources such as the stunning Otter Hide on the Isle of Rum, a beach-facing shelter at the end of a path through dappled woodland.

A boat trip to the Treshnish Isles will take you to the puffin colony that summers there. Also on this tour is the geological and geometric wonder of Staffa with its peculiar shapes and volcanic basalt columns.

Also keep in mind that these are islands for all seasons, so​​ don’t be put off by the shorter days of winter as this is the perfect time to capture the cosmic marvel of the Aurora Borealis. It’s a gift to those who photographically persevere during the colder months of the year! n rkeenanphoto.com The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 37

PHOTOGRAPHY

the neighbouring sweep of strand at Traigh Mhor. There are countless beaches of pale sands and shallow waters of jade: don’t miss the shell sands of Bosta Beach on Great Bernera or the exquisite coastal colours of Hushinish and Luskentyre on Harris. Heading onto the Uists via Benbecula, you’ll find a watery landscape of marsh and loch, and a western seaboard that echoes all the coastal beauty of its northern neighbours. At its southern tip, the islands of Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay offer up the magic of the Hebrides in miniature.

The eastern seaboard generally presents a very different character: a rocky coastland with a hinterland of lochans and moors. Here you may encounter otters and seals, and with so much water – sea and fresh water lochs as well as ocean – there’s no shortage of birds from ducks and divers to the islands’ most elegant waders: curlew, oystercatchers, redshank and sandpipers. Visit the islands in October to experience the mighty roar of a rutting stag and capture red deer on the water’s edge or high on the hills. All that’s needed is a long zoom camera and oodles of patience.

It’s not just the Hebrides’ extraordinary natural beauty that provides great subject matter for the photographer, as the islands are rich in man-made heritage. When the mists roll in, ancient standing stones, burial chambers, brochs (Iron Age roundhouses) and duns (ancient hillforts) provide ample opportunity for moody images. Just half an hour’s drive away from the bustling fishing town of Stornoway, the Neolithic Callanish Stones stand surrounded by sea lochs. Wander uninhibited among the slabs of 300-millionyear-old Lewisian gneiss at dawn or dusk when the light is particularly atmospheric. Not too far away, Gearrannan open-air museum is a fine example of a thatched blackhouse village, while Howmore on South Uist boasts beautifully restored blackhouses alongside the ghostly ruins of a medieval ecclesiastical complex.

For additional inspiration, pay a visit to some of the galleries, museums, visitor centres and art venues celebrating Hebridean photography. While waiting for your ferry, pop into An Talla Solais in Ullapool, which promotes the region’s art and photography. In Stornoway itself, An Lanntair Arts Centre regularly holds photography exhibitions along with a permanent collection from Lewis-based Mhairi Law. Don’t miss Hebscape Gallery and Tea Room at Ardhasaig on Harris featuring the work of Darren Cole – the views from the picture windows echoing the extraordinary light and colour captured in his images. Displays at the striking Talla na Mara Community Centre a little further south, Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre on North Uist and the equally fascinating Kildonan Museum in South Uist can all often showcase local talent and perspectives.

For further details, search for Photography Trail at visitouterhebrides.co.uk. Details of arts centres and cultural venues can be found on page 46.

38 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

From top: North Uist; Callanish Standing Stones, Isle of Lewis; Cliff Beach, Isle of Lewis; Traig Mhor Beach, Isle of Lewis

LONDON, PARIS, NORTH UIST

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The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 39

WILDLIFE FOR KIDS

where the T Never work with children or animals, they say. But holiday with them? Jo Laidlaw explores some ways introducing small children to nature and wildlife can make a coastal holiday memorable

40 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

WILD

he isles of the west have always been a popular destination for family escapes. While each Scottish island has its own unique identity, many of them feature the things that make most family holiday wish-lists: stunning beaches, room to run and the chance for the whole family to get back to nature.

On an island break, immersing yourself in the flora and fauna can start from the moment you board the ferry. Some ferry sailings in summer come with an ORCA Wildlife Officer on deck, who can help spot and identify all sorts of sea and air creatures. But even without their expert help you’ll see plenty of birds – and you certainly won’t be the first canny grown-up to keep a cranky wee one diverted by keeping a look-out for something larger breaking the waves: a seal, dolphin, porpoise or even a whale.

The adventures continue on land with the daddy of all the beasties – dinosaurs. (Extinct they may be, but they very much live on in the hearts and minds of most small children.) Skye is home to Scotland’s dinosaur coast. It’s still very much a ‘live’ site, as the recent discovery of what are thought to be new stegosaurus prints around Bothers’ Point shows. Head for Staffin or Duntulm at low tide for the best chance of standing in the footprints of these prehistoric monsters: they’re tricky to find, but that’s half the fun, and if you run out of time or energy the engaging museum at Staffin can point you in the right direction. Visit after some wild weather and you may even make a discovery of your own – but note that removing fossils or prints is strictly prohibited.

Birds are the dinos’ closest living relatives and there are plenty of them to see as the islands’ skies and shores teem with ducks, divers,

WILDLIFE FOR KIDS

THINGS cormorants and curlews, to name but a few. Head to Mull, which is home to a population of golden eagles as well as the stunning white tailed (or sea) eagle, an incredible conservation success story.

While still rare, these huge birds do tend to stick to a familiar habitat, so with a little bit of luck and local intel, there’s a reasonable chance of spotting one. Mull Eagle Watch is based out of Craignure Golf Club (around a mile from the ferry terminal) and runs from April to September. It’s a great source of information as well as guided walks.

For rainy days, try Mull Aquarium in Tobermory which is Europe’s first ever catch and release aquarium. That means the sea creatures on display are collected by local divers and fishermen, hanging out at the aquarium for a maximum of four weeks before being released back into the sea, so there’s always something different to see with less of an impact on the fish or wider environment. As with all these attractions, phone ahead just to check their opening times and other arrangements.

If your children don’t quite have the patience required for spotting the big birds, the RSPB Scotland reserve at Balranald in North Uist has pushchair-friendly trails, a play area and an outdoor cafe´ in the summer. Depending when you visit,

are

you may see corncrakes, plovers, terns and skuas – and possibly one of the white tailed eagles too.

While on North Uist, the Langass Woodland is a fun wee jaunt. A community wood planted to aid biodiversity, it’s home to the Hercules the Bear Trail, as well as a life-size statue commemorating the iconic TV bear’s great escape back in the 1980s, when he went on the run while filming a TV commercial on the island, roaming free for 24 days.

Beaches are probably going to be a big part of your holiday, so if you fancy getting a slightly different view of those sparkling sands and crystal waters, then the Uist Community Riding School (based in Benbecula) might be just the ticket. It offers family ride-outs for all abilities (over the age of four), with plenty of cute ponies to pet.

You’ll find boats offering whale and dolphin spotting trips all over the islands, but if enclosed spaces and prolonged periods of horizon-scanning aren’t quite the right mix for your kids, just grab a net and a bucket and head to the shore. You can’t beat rockpooling and crabbing – pro tip, use bacon for bait – and simply messing about in the shallow waves. Chat to the local fishermen about their catch, count the flowers in the machair and relish the simple pleasures in this most special of places. n The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 41

TRAVELLING WEST

ROADS TO THE NEILLWPHOTO

Arisaig

Kilchurn Castle

THE ROAD TO … MALLAIG

THE ROAD TO ... OBAN

The original ‘Road to the Isles’, the drive to Mallaig never fails to inspire, taking you through dramatic glens and past lochs with Scots Pine-covered islets before views of Skye, Rum and Eigg accompany the final few miles. In Fort William stop at Crannog on the pier for a slap-up seafood lunch with views across Loch Linnhe, or try Garrison West for excellent pub food and live music. On the way out of town, The Highland Soap Company offers factory tours, a lovely café and an excuse to explore the 13th century ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle.

Continuing west it’s hard not to stop at Glenfinnan, whether seeking a glimpse of the ‘Harry Potter’ steam train on the sweeping viaduct or exploring Jacobite history at the Glenfinnan Monument.

It’s a busy spot so if none of the car parks have space then save it for the return trip (however tempting, never park on the verges). Train enthusiasts will love Glenfinnan Station Museum. Continuing on, harbour village Arisaig is a short detour from the main road and with time to spare you can take the scenic ‘old road’ which hugs the coast from Arisaig to Mallaig, and stop at any of the pristine beaches.

Heading from the central belt, Tyndrum offers the chance for a quick pit-stop before heading towards Oban on the A85. The Real Food Café is a reliable option for a coffee and the fish and chips is always good. Look out for atmospheric Kilchurn Castle by Loch Awe, which you can visit on foot if you’ve got wellies. Also on the shores of Loch Awe, the Cruachan Visitor Centre is the portal to the ‘Hollow Mountain’, where you can travel along a kilometre of tunnels to view the turbine hall of the hydro-electric plant built inside Ben Cruachan.

Connel, five miles before Oban, is a picturesque village for a wander by the water where you may spot The Falls of Lora, a tidal rapid where the Firth of Lorn meets Loch Etive. Visit The Oyster Inn for a selection of fresh seafood dishes, or try the Glue Pot Bar for more casual pub meals. As a final stop before Oban, visit Dunstaffnage Castle and climb the battlements of this ancient ruin and former stronghold of the MacDougall clan, built before 1240 and captured by Robert the Bruce in 1308.

Dunstaffnage Chapel in the grounds dates from the 13th century.

42 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

TRAVELLING WEST

ISLES

Trips to the islands don’t generally begin at your port of departure. Instead of racing for the ferry, Ailsa Sheldon suggests some ways you can make a day of your journey to the west coast

Rememb check ah er to all openin ead for gt and acce imes arrangem ss ents

Torridon

Loch Fyne

THE ROAD TO ... ULLAPOOL

THE ROAD TO ... TARBERT, CLAONAIG AND KENNACRAIG

From central Scotland Ullapool is quite the trek, but the mountains and big skies make it all worthwhile.

Stop at RSPB site Tollie Red Kites to watch these elegant birds of prey through outdoor viewing screens. There are also expansive views across Easter Ross to Ben Wyvis, plus nature trails and a picnic area. The site is signposted between Maryburgh and Contin on the A835. Cafés are few and far between Inverness and Ullapool – you can try the Museum Café in the old railway station in Strathpeffer, or pack a picnic. The road splits at Garve: stay right for the more direct route to Ullapool; hang left for a long but spectacular detour via Achnasheen that takes you past the towering Torridon mountains, lovely Loch Maree and Gairloch with its sandy strands. Just beyond Poolewe, Inverewe Gardens are impressive botanical gardens created in the 19th century.

Whichever route you take, the spectacular Falls of Meseach and Corrieshalloch Gorge are just off the main road near the junction of the A832 and A835. The gorge can be viewed from a suspension bridge and there are various pretty woodland walks.

The main road along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond may have you bursting out in song, but celebrate your ascent of the Rest and Be Thankful pass beyond Arrochar with a stop at Loch Fyne Oysters, where you can enjoy fresh seafood including oysters from the loch. Alternatively, pick up a gourmet picnic from the deli and enjoy it in the pleasant courtyard of the nearby Fyne Ales brewery, which also offers tours. There are easy walking options in the area to stretch your legs, either up the glen behind the brewery or at nearby Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, with its Gruffalo Trail. Travelling on to Inveraray, a visit to the Duke of Argyll’s Inveraray Castle is worthwhile if you have time to properly explore. The gardens are beautiful and there are marked walks including the steep Dun Na Cuaiche Woodland Walk which will give you expansive views of the local area. Alternatively, get the family behind bars at Inveraray Jail. Further along the road, Auchindrain Township is a fascinating living musuem offering a glimpse of long-vanished rural ways of life, while at Ardrishaig you can stop off to watch boats making their way through the locks of the Crinan Canal.

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 43

WEATHER FORECASTING

It’s a frequent preoccupation with good reason. Jay Thundercliffe finds out what gives the west coast weather its character – and makes it so compelling

A

ccurate or not, everyone has a notion of Scotland’s weather, and most will include rain or wind, maybe a bit of mist. They wouldn’t be too far wrong, but how right are they? Who knows? More importantly for getting around the region – who needs to know?

Let’s start with the positive: Scotland’s climate is not nearly as bad as it might be.

The Gulf Stream helps keep the west coast winters relatively mild – relative, that is, to places such as Moscow and Labrador in Canada on a similar latitude (on the minus side we get cooler, wetter summers than them). It tends to be slightly warmer on the west side of Scotland thanks to a milder Atlantic climate versus the chilly North Sea on the east. The west is wetter, though, thanks to those Highland hills.

James Fletcher is UK Forecast Manager at StormGeo – a meteorological 44 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

WEATHER FORECASTING

service provider used by clients in industries such as the media and offshore and shipping companies including Caledonian MacBrayne. He explains more about the windy west coast: ‘Due to the west to east track of Atlantic low pressure systems, the prevailing winds tend to be moderate to fresh from the southwest, with mild conditions through much of the year.

Gales can occur any time of year, but are most prevalent – and more intense – during October to March.’

Which way the wind is blowing will have a bearing on how the day goes, more than people often realise. ‘The mild climatic conditions of the west coast can be greatly influenced by the surrounding topography during periods of easterly winds, which are more frequent in spring and summer,’ explains Fletcher. ‘These can result in very settled weather with often the only clear skies in the UK.’ StormGeo has been providing forecasts for the CalMac ferries since 2020. ‘It’s a close working relationship – CalMac provides us with real-time weather observations for selected sites, which are then incorporated into our forecasting tools to help with fine tuning the forecasts,’ explains Fletcher.

Glaswegian comedian Billy Connolly once said: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather . . . there’s only the wrong clothes.’ He was right – to an extent. The right clothes are fine if you’re going out for a walk, but if you’re navigating a vessel in the waters between Scotland’s islands, you’ll need more than the latest Gore-Tex jacket.

Byron Griffiths is a Master for CalMac, responsible for the MV Lord of the Isles – affectionately known as LOTI – navigating the route between mainland Mallaig and Lochboisdale on South Uist. ‘Changeable – and hard to predict,’ he says, in summing up the west coast weather. ‘The saying “If you don’t like the weather in the Hebrides, just wait ten minutes”, is not far from the truth.’

Masters in charge of safely

navigating the fleet of CalMac ferries between the many islands utilise all the data at their disposal to ensure safe passage. ‘I always try to use as many sources as possible for the weather forecast,’ explains Griffiths. ‘As well as StormGeo – which has been very useful, with lots of wind and sea state data – I’ll check several other sources, such as the Met Office, shipping forecast and synoptic charts.’

It’s not all about the latest technology – though of course that’s an essential tool. Human knowledge and experience on the ground and on the bridge is essential for filling in the inevitable gaps in an area where topography can have such a bearing.

‘Through experience, passed on through the crews as well as the port staff, we learn to account for the localised topography,’ says Griffiths.

‘Forecasts are more reliable in open water but it can get less predictable in port. In Lochboisdale, due to the surrounding hills, we know from experience that a wind reported as 20 knots becomes 40 knots to our minds on the ground.’

Like many a Scot, Griffiths admits to thinking about the weather a lot. ‘I would say I’m a little obsessive about it,’ he says. ‘When onboard it’s the first thing you do in a morning, and even at home on leave I find myself checking forecasts regularly, especially a few days before being back on the ship. You start looking for patterns, and if it looks challenging, I’ll start having conversations with the Master before handover.’

Of course, all of this isn’t to put a dampener on proceedings. Everything about Scotland’s west – from its wildflowers to its whisky – is intrinsically tied to its climate. To wish for better is to wish for somewhere else. The west coast is a dynamic, dramatic, unpredictable place, full of surprises and excitement, spawning many a meteorlogical adventure. As Billy Connolly went on to say: ‘Buy a sexy raincoat – and live a little.’ n The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 45

VENUES

ISLAND AND WEST COAST ARTS FIRTH OF CLYDE BURGH HALL Creative and cultural hub with a regular programme of theatre, comedy, music, visual art exhibitions and more.

Dunoon, dunoonburghhall.org.uk, facebook.com/dunoonburghhall 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, facebook.com/Mountstuart QUEEN’S HALL Community venue with a thriving programme of theatre and comedy.

Dunoon, liveargyll.co.uk, facebook.com/liveargyll ROTHESAY PAVILION Bauhaus-inspired arts and cultural venue.

Currently closed for major refurbishment.

Rothesay, Isle of Bute, rothesaypavilion.co.uk, facebook.com/RothesayPavilion

WEST COAST ISLANDS AN CRÙBH A flexible gathering space with an added shop and café, boasting the best in local produce.

Sleat, Isle of Skye, ancrubh.com, facebook.com/ancrubh

Above: An Lanntair Arts Centre and Cinema; below: Mount Stuart House and Gardens

46 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands

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, facebook.com/arosskye

VENUES

VENUES AND CULTURAL CENTRES JURA HALL Community hall and regular venue for music events.

Craighouse, Isle of Jura, isleofjura.scot, facebook.com/isleofjura 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, facebook.com/ AnTobarArts 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, facebook.com/sabhalmorostaig

WEST COAST MAINLAND 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, facebook.com/ antallasolaisullapool

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, facebook.com/UllapoolMuseum

OUTER HEBRIDES 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, facebook.com/ anlanntair TAIGH CHEARSABHAGH MUSEUM AND ARTS CENTRE Arts centre and museum

dedicated to the Gaelic language, culture and heritage, with regular exhibitions, music events and educational programmes.

Lochmaddy, Isle of North Uist, taigh-chearsabhagh. org, facebook.com/ TaighChearsabhagh 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, facebook.com/theouterhebrides TALLA NA MARA Creative arts and entertainment centre with exhibitions, live music and more.

Paric Niseaboist, Isle of Harris, tallanamara.co.uk, facebook.com/ TallaNaMara

NOTE: Scheduled events, opening times and access arrangement can change at quite short notice if restrictions to local travel or access arrangements come into force, so check websites, social media or phone ahead for up-to-date info.

Burgh Hall

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

Ullapool, theceilidhplace.com, facebook.com/theceilidhplace CORRAN HALLS Multi-functional live entertainment venue with a bustling roster of music and theatre.

Oban, liveargyll.co.uk, facebook.com/liveargyll

The Guide to Scotland’s Islands 47

THE GUIDE TO

SCOTLAND’S

ISLANDS ON THE WEST COAST

PHOTOS: RACHEL KEENAN

There’s something special about islands, and Scotland’s west coast has a whole bunch of them on offer: big or small, near or far, lonely or lively, rugged or restful. Enjoy the magical pull of the isles as you wind along the roads to the ferry ports, or use the boat trip itself as a chance to inhale the air, the vistas, the coastal sights, the reminders of history and the flashes of wildlife on, above and under the waves.

Surround yourself with the heritage and culture of island life, with literature and music, charismatic characters, vibrant venues, and distinctive local food and drink.

This Guide to Scotland’s Islands on the West Coast includes: n A series of engaging features on making the most of your island adventures n Handy information for your journey to the islands and on board n Ideas on activities from photography and campervan touring to wild swimming n Insights into unique aspects of island life including peat, tweed and the ever-dynamic weather