Scottish Islands Explorer 45: Sep / Oct 2017

SCOTTISH 

ISLANDS 

THE UK’S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO EXPLORING THE ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND 

EXPLORER 

Arran 

Fine Walk 

MULL 

Museums & Mausoleum 

SEPT/OCT 2017 £3.95 

Arctic 

Terns 

Orkney 

Lifeboat 

Shetland 

Living 

Plus: Raasay - Colonsay - Boswell & Johnson - and much more ...

ISLAND AND WILDLIFE CRUISES OFF SCOTLAND’S 

BEAUTIFUL HEBRIDEAN COAST 

Museums of Mull 

Page 36 

Colonsay 

Raasay House 

Page 8 

Page 28 

SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER September / October 2017 Volume 18 / Issue 5 

NORTHERN LIGHT 

CRUISING COMPANY 

Exploring St Kilda, Mingulay, The Shiants, North Rona 

and many other Hebridean Islands. 

Small groups - maximum 12 guests • From long-weekends to 10 nights aboard. 

Great Food • Birds • Cetaceans • Walking • Photo Opportunities 

Call Michelle on 01599 555723 

info@northernlight-uk.com 

northernlight-uk.com 

Editor 

John Humphries 

editor@scottishislandsexplorer.com 

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Tom Humphries 

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Regular Contributors 

Tom Aston 

Roger Butler 

Marc Calhoun 

Richard Clubley 

James Hendrie 

Mavis Gulliver 

Jack Palfrey 

James Petre 

Stephen Roberts 

Andrew Wiseman 

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Front Cover 

Mid Thundergay Old Cottage and 

Kilbrannan Sound by Vivien Martin 

CONTENTS 

4 Editor John Humphries and Guest Columnist Cara McKinnon 

5 Vision for 2020 with A Tidal Walk and the Quiz 

6 Insights One from the Arctic to Eriskay with Climbing and Walking 

7 Insights Two on Transport, Relics, Sound and School Subjects 

8 Colonsay 

Roger Butler attracted by Kiloran Bay 

13 Ardanaiseig Hotel 

Jack Palfrey found a centre of hospitality on the shore of Loch Awe 

15 Islands Beyond 

Tom Aston delves into the discovery of Dundee Island 

16 Coire Fhionn Lochan 

Vivien Martin recalls one of Arran’s finest walks 

20 Stromness Lifeboat Station 1867 - 2017 

Richard Clubley reflects on aspects of its 150th Anniversary 

24 Readers’ Opportunities One 

Bags (and) a Seat 

25 Readers’ Opportunities Two 

The Pahar Trust Nepal for Secure and Spacious Schools 

26 Centrepiece 

Michael Steciuk sees Arctic terns as ‘angelic sea swallows’ 

28 Raasay House 

Mavis Gulliver visits an impressive residence on an active island 

32 Touring the Hebrides 

Stephen Roberts considers the Boswell & Johnson style 

36 Museums of Mull 

James Petre finds three of them to be remarkable and rewarding 

40 A Piece of Australia on Mull 

James Hendrie visits the Macquarie Mausoleum 

43 Living in Shetland 

Geoffrey Blackman sums up seven years there 

46 The Island Lighthouses of Scotland 

Tom Aston thoroughly recommends a highly-informative account 

48 Responses 

Richard Evans recalls trips to Aran and Arran 

49 Crossword Sponsored by the Islands Book Trust 

Tom Johnson compiles his 30th challenge 

50 Island Incidents 

Roger Butler recalls the effects of a large pothole on Mull 

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER 3

Editor’s Welcome / Guest Columnist 

VISION FOR 2020 

Electorates throughout the free world have to make 

weighty decisions every few years or so. There are times 

when wonders quite how it’s done - for political thinking, social 

engagement and moral crusading are not popular pastimes at 

present. Everyone, of course, has opinions, but even the waving 

of banners is undertaken by the few, not the many. 

The Great Leaders of the past two millennia can probably be 

counted on our fingers and toes. Yet there is a demand to know 

more about ‘leadership’. Apparently some 200,000 books are 

available on the topic and yet, in the end, the advice and values 

conveyed by the authors should have been absorbed by the 

end of attendance at nursery school. 

It’s an area when intuition plays as vital a role as tuition. Time 

can be saved in reading volumes by trying to simplify the 

volume of advice given. Weigh up, for example, the guidance 

given by dieting. Since food products have become both 

plentiful and skilfully marketed, many people need to heed just 

four words - ‘eat less; exercise more’. 

When it comes to endeavouring to lead a fulfilled life, we 

need to be able to take stock of situations, prioritise what we 

value, engage our energies and, perhaps, above all to heed the 

advice of the American thinker, Henry David Thoreau, who 

observed: ‘Affect the quality of the day - that is the highest of 

the arts.’ Conscious endeavour is required, to hone the details 

of living to lift the everyday to the elevated. 

For those of us who like the exploration of islands, effort is 

required to fulfil our aspirations to visit them or to participate 

through the experiences of others. For the former it’s about 

selecting, planning and preparing for that journey; for the 

latter it’s simply a matter of renewing your subscription to this 

magazine and encouraging others to do likewise! 


Editor 


tries to see simple 

solutions 

For the Editor’s daily item on Scottish islands, go to 

john-humphries.blogspot.com 

Guest Columnist 

Cara McKinnon 

Crawford on ‘Islands 

in the Sun’ 

Iwas born in Campbeltown and brought up in the 

Highland village of Strathpeffer. This has, undoubtedly, 

fuelled my love and connection to water and islands. Lochs, 

rivers and the ocean are the source of much continual 

stimulation for me as an artist and for my painting. 

Across from Campbeltown sits compelling Arran with 

its highest mountain, Goat Fell, rising out of the sea and 

a wee taster of what’s to come further north. The Cuillin 

ridge, Skye, has been a subject for me many times and 

the panoramic view from Loch Coruisk is, perhaps, my 

most inspirational. 

What a privilege it is to gaze over two stretches of water, 

crossing the sea from Elgol, with Eigg and Rum in the 

distance, and then to discover the great secret ahead. Over 

the small stretch of land and river on a cloud-free day is this 

most majestic of mountains perfectly reflected in the waters 

of Coruisk. 

Back on Kintyre, and just to the right of Campbeltown 

Loch looking out from the town, is the tidal islet of Davaar, 

famous for, on the walls of a cave, an almost life-size painting 

of Christ on the Cross. My father, the late John McKinnon 

Crawford, was an artist, who restored it in the 1960s. 

Further around the Kintyre peninsula, to the north, is the 

island of Gigha (‘God’s Island’) and there, right at its tip, is 

the islet of Cara, after which I was named. So my connection 

to the islands has been evident from the beginning! 

However, most of my childhood was spent in Strathpeffer. 

The West coast is an hour away and I spent many of my 

weekends playing on the beaches of Applecross, looking 

across to the islands of South Rona, Raasay and Skye. We 

also visited Ullapool and Achiltibuie, and I have vivid 

memories of the enchanting Summer Isles, basking in the 

glistening sea. 

Wonderful inspirations are imprinted on my soul, finding 

expression, through my painting, of how I feel about the 

visual world. ‘Islands in the Sun’ have provided so many 

happy memories. 

Cara McKinnon 

The phrase ‘Indian Summer’ refers to a warm spell of weather later in the year and derives from 

a thread of vocabulary associated with North American Indians. It first appeared in literature 

in 1778, but was not widely used in Britain until the 1950s. Etymology is one thing; meteorology 

another - especially when considering where and when to travel. Consider how the Scottish 

islands often experience attractive aspects of the Gulf Stream well into autumn. Think north 

and west; plan routes; pack for the worst; perhaps enjoy the best. 

Walk with a Tidal Awareness 

Getting to Vallay is relatively simple so long as 

walkers realise that the expanse of sands is, in effect, 

a tidal causeway. The first thing to do is to consult the 

local tide timetables. Then it’s to head to Aird Glas, 

west of Malacleit, North Uist, and to the spot marked 

Cladach Bhalaigh on the OS Map. This is the start for 

the route that has to be completed before the fastmoving 

tide returns. 

Aim for the islet of Torogaigh, with the dilapidated 

Vallay House on the left and its ruined farm buildings 

on the right. You will be walking towards an island 

which once was the home of 60 people and where, from 

1902-05, the wealthy linen-manufacturer from Fife, 

Erskine Beveridge, built a baronial residence with 

Quiz: Puffins 

The puffin is perhaps our most recognisable and popular 

sea bird. Its population may be in decline, but colonies are 

still to be found on many Scottish islands. Identify the 

following ‘puffinaceous places’. 

1. A National Nature Reserve east of Bressay 

2. An archipelago four miles south west of Mull 

3. The highest island in Orkney 

Vallay - To be crossed with care - Fotosearch 

central heating, 365 panes of glass and a different 

design of fireplace for most rooms. 

He was a social historian and an archaeologist who 

led research on his island, Vallay. Head across to the 

sandy bay on the north side and explore Orasaigh and 

the ancient chapel, with four-foot thick walls, at 

Teampull Orian. Erskine died in 1920 and his son, 

George, 25 years later in a boating accident. Their 

home is classified as ‘a building at risk’ - something of 

an understatement. 

Here is a walk to somewhere that can be 

encompassed. Vallay has approximately the same land 

area as the City of London. So the square-mile is there 

to be explored; the return walk to be planned in 

advance; and the total distance to be covered is some 

five miles. Traipsing across the sands can be heavygoing, 

but the elevation to be reached is only 70ft. 

4. A coastal island north west of Scourie, Sutherland 

5. An island west of Mull, also notable for its geology 

6. A World Heritage Site forty miles west of North Uist 

7. A small archipelago five miles south east of Lewis 

8. A National Nature Reserve in the Firth of Forth 

9. The UK’s most northerly inhabited island 

10. An island connected to Canna by a bridge 

Answers on Page 50 

4 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 


Page 

INSIGHTS 

Index Header 

From the Arctic to Eriskay with Climbing and Walking Transport Titles - Dynamic Relics - 

Sound Waves - School Subjects 

INSIGHTS 

Page Index Header 

Arctic Light 

by David Bellamy 

£25.00 Search Press 978-1-78221-423-6 

Eriskay 

by Angus Edward MacInnes 

£12.99 Birlinn 978-1-78027-381-5 

A Hebridean Alphabet 

by Debi Gliori 

£9.99 BC Books 978-1-78027-358-7 

This is a book about exploration - of the 

incredible landscapes, wildlife and people 

of the Arctic, through the words and 

paintings of watercolour artist, David 

Bellamy. Here is a raw, cold world in 

which travels involve endurance and risk. 

Some of the images could reflect scenes in 

the Northern and Western Islands of 

Scotland during the Ice Ages. Sir Chris 

Bonington referred to the publication as 

‘an absolute delight’. 

Walking on Jura, Islay 

and Colonsay 

by Peter Edwards 

£14.95 Cicerone 978-1-85284-720-3 

The Southern Hebrides could have been 

designed for walkers. The tranquil 

Colonsay can be circumnavigated in 

two days; Jura’s uninhabited west coast 

is given ‘five-day’ status and its 

proximity to the; Gulf of Corryvreckan 

is well-featured; Islay has its linking 

roads to transport walkers to its areas for 

birdlife, historical sites and distilleries. 

Here is a guide with that all-enticing 

attribute - variety. 

The author follows in the tradition of 

storyteller, a famed occupation in the 

Hebrides. The sub-title of his book is 

‘Where I Was Born’ and the topics 

develop from his environment in a Gaelicspeaking 

community, to its involvement 

with the SS Politician and then to his warservice 

as a ship’s radio officer and careers 

as a deep-sea fisherman and CalMac 

captain. Professor Donald Meek fully 

endorses his work. 

The Top 500 Summits 

by Barry K Smith 

£20.00 Where2walk.co.uk 

[£5 off from publisher] 

978-0-995-67350-2 

The author has been visiting Scotland for 

over 30 years and has incorporated the 

island summits in his mountain lists. His 

personal views, routes, key details and 

interests feature in the nine walks around 

the 18 highpoints of Arran, Jura, Mull, 

Rum, Skye and Harris. His background 

of climbing Munros, Corbetts, Grahams 

and Wainwrights put matters into 

context. 

The background, tone and pleasures of 

this book were inspired by the 

landscape, seascape, weather, animals 

and birds of an area of Britain with 

outstanding scenery. How different are 

the lives of its characters - a girl, a boy 

and a dog - from the lives led by many 

children in the Hebrides only a couple 

of generations ago. Readers will be aged 

from five to seven years, but adults will 

relish their adventures. 

Walking on Uist and Barra 

by Mike Townsend 

£14.95 Cicerone 

978-1-85284-660-2 

It’s almost 40 years since the author first 

glimpsed the Uists and Barra from the 

Cuillins of Skye. He went on to climb in 

the Alps and Greenland, became a 

mineralogist in South America and 

Australasia, and taught geography in 

Barra and South Uist. So his experiences 

of rocks worldwide and of the proximity 

to his subject-matter have given him 

unparalleled insights. 

A Saab 340 freighter has been 

delivered to Loganair to be involved 

with mail services in the Northern 

Isles. RMA Shetland Flyer revives the 

1930s tradition of bestowing the RMA 

title ‘Royal Mail Aeroplane’. 

The ‘Paddle Steamer’ title was given 

to the PS Waverley which made its 

maiden voyage 70 years ago. It 

continues to create coastal pleasure 

trips and was recently in Skye, Raasay 

and that most insular part of the 

mainland, the Knoydart. 

The original Waverley was 

destroyed at Dunkirk in 1940. A 

reminder of wartime dangers 

occurred in June when a piece of 

ordnance was found off the tidal 

island of the Brough of Birsay, Orkney. 

For how long will such dynamic relics 

be washed up? 

The appeal of tidal islands 

continues. Davaar, close to 

Campbeltown, is accessible for parts 

of the day when those who rent the 

four units of accommodation - two 

lighthouse cottages, The Lookout and 

the Lightkeeper’s House - can come 

and go. 

Island anniversaries keep appearing. 

The £1.5 million community buyout of 

Eigg took place 20 years ago. Since 

then the population has increased 

from 65 to over 100. Residents now 

include a graphic designer, drone 

pilot and brewery entrepreneurs. 

Nottingham-based, Peter Fletcher is 

a music producer who dreamt, with 

audible overtones, of sound waves 

from sea waves. He has now 

converted a former crab-processing 

factory on Great Bernera, Isle of 

Lewis, into a fine music studio. 

The sound of a well-paid appointment 

must have appealed to anyone 

applying for the headship of Foula 

Primary School, Shetland. The salary 

of £50k per year comes with three 

months holiday, available rental 

accommodation and … just one pupil. 

Former residents, girls of secondary 

school age from outlying Orkney 

islands, held a reunion and recalled 

their time at the hostel on the Old 

Scapa Road, Kirkwall. The building 

had been a wartime communications 

centre and is now a youth hostel. 

Some primary schools have had 

‘mothball’ status - such as those on 

Egilsay, Rum and Papa Stour; some 

have been converted, such as 

Stockinish, to a youth hostel and then 

Davaar Credit: Mavis Gulliver 

Iain Robertson taken by Scott Mooney. 

carpentry workshop; many to become 

accommodation. 

The conversion of Borodale House, 

Raasay, into a new distillery and 

visitor centre continues, ready for a 

September 2017 opening. Bere 

barley growing is ongoing and a new, 

young distiller, Iain Robertson, has 

been appointed. 

Alastair Humphreys excels in 

extracting new concepts. He believes 

in ‘micro-adventures’ and the opportunities 

in life to make everyday matters 

come alive without, necessarily, the 

expense of travel or kit. Go to 

www.alastairhumphreys.com 



Colonsay 

‘Many will recall crashing spray 

and ceaseless waves ...’ 

Colonsay 

Kiloran Bay certainly attracts Roger Butler 

It was 40 years ago, on Colonsay, when a tall 

man with a broad Lancashire accent 

stopped a group of adventurous schoolboys 

who had just spent the night in a cave by 

Kiloran Bay. He looked serious, but I wasn’t 

expecting his short and solemn announcement: 

“The King is dead”. 

We all looked quizzical and didn’t know how 

to respond. He continued: “The King is dead. 

Elvis Presley. Things won’t be the same again.” 

We politely smiled, but since our ears were fully 

tuned to glam rock, as well as the emerging 

punk scene, we couldn’t really understand what 

he was so upset about. 

Back then, one of Scotland’s finest beaches - 

some say it is actually number one - had yet to 

feature as a huge photo in the ferry waiting 

room at Oban or appear as an eye-catching 

image on a CalMac mouse-mat. But, today, 

there is still the same tingle of anticipation as 

the lane beyond Colonsay House takes a sharp 

left turn and runs out towards the carpet of 

machair at the back of the towering dunes. 

Perfect Bookend 

It passes the stumpy gateposts by the track 

which twists north to Balnahard and then 

gently climbs to the scrubby woodland below 

the cottages at Uragaig. The small parking area, 

with fine uninterrupted views across the sweep 

of golden sand, is a little like a seat in a 

hospitality box at a major sporting event and 

the island’s highest point, Carnan Eoin, forms 

a perfect bookend at the far end of the beach. 

The mile-long magic of Kiloran Bay and the 

sands of Tràigh Bàn (the White Strand) 

captivate everyone who comes to Colonsay. 

Many will recall crashing spray and ceaseless 

waves; others will smile as they remember 

afternoons spent damming the river at the 

south end of the beach. Some might wish to 

revisit hidden coves and caves; a few will be 

reminded of kayaking jaunts or perhaps a first 

attempt at surfing. 

Botanists will dream of springtime primroses 

and bluebells; bird watchers will picture 

wheeling choughs or the silhouette of a 

soaring eagle; geologists will tell you that the 

bay is the most interesting part of the island 

and will no doubt mention the band of black 

slate which cuts across the beach like a sharp 

kitchen knife. 

Limestone Curves 

Kiloran’s sedimentary rocks are arranged in 

the form of a giant symmetrical basin and the 

bedding planes to the north of the bay dip 

and arc to the south before swinging round to 

recede towards the north. Limestone curves 

around the bay, too, and a weathered gingerybrown 

protrusion can be seen below the gate 

by the parking area. 


Colonsay 

The Vikings considered Colonsay as an 

important outpost and, since the island 

would have been at the heart of their trade 

routes to and from Scandinavia, it is likely 

that the grave was prepared for an important 

merchant or chieftain. The burial site appears 

to have consisted of a boat inverted over a 

rectangular stone chamber which contained 

a male skeleton, as well as the remains of a 

horse and harness. 

Viking Burial 

The whole structure was covered by a 

mound of sand and a sketch prepared after 

the excavation described the grave as ‘much 

displaced, undermined by rabbits, and 

probably disturbed by searchers for 

treasure’. Rivets and nails survived from 

the boat and two of the stone surrounds 

were carved with crude crosses, making 

this one of a very few Viking burial sites to 

include such Christian overtones. 

A range of iron and bronze artefacts were 

unearthed, together with coins dated 

between 808 and 854 and items are now 

displayed at the National Museum of 

Scotland in Edinburgh, a far cry from 

wandering through the marram grass, 

jumping over the river and taking one 

more look at Kiloran Bay with the sun 

setting and the sands have already turned 

into deep shades of ochre and orange. 

A line of gulls - as white as washing 

powder - takes flight, turns and lands next 

to a set of incoming ripples. A horse rider 

gallops north, slows down and trots back 

through the gentle evening breakers. 

Oystercatchers pipe and sanderlings 

scurry. Watty’s house is now a cliff-top 

silhouette. Over on Mull, the cloudbubbled 

summit of Ben More - Britain’s 

last active volcano - looks ready for 

another eruption. 

Darkness draws near and the sound of the 

waves is a soporific island lullaby. A cuckoo 

makes an evening call, a corncrake rasps 

from damp meadows and any remaining 

sandcastles are slowly submerged by the 

tide. Tomorrow will dawn bright and clear 

and I think I’m going to run across the 

beach before breakfast. 

Page 8: A sunset to remember is 

reflected in the still waters of 

Kiloran Bay. 

Opposite: The impressive dunes rise 

steeply at the rear of the beach - 

sometimes you can have the whole 

beach to yourself. 

Below: The glorious sweep of 

Kiloran Bay, seen from the top of 

Carnan Eoin, with the houses at 

Uragaig on the south side of the 

beach. 

Photographs taken by the author, 

Roger Butler. 

The prominent finger of dark slate at the north end of the 

bay is worth a closer look. A dyke of olive green lamprophyre 

cuts through the rock nearest the dunes and this igneous 

intrusion clearly shows the raw power of our earth’s 

primitive processes. It can also be traced, a little further to 

the north, as it crosses a strange jumble of rough rock known 

as volcanic breccia. 

A scramble towards the caves at the north end of the bay 

then reveals both white quartz and attractive pink feldspar, 

beyond which a series of jagged cliffs always seem to be 

pointing the way out to Iona. The largest cave is known to 

have been inhabited by Neolithic people, but nearby ‘Lady’s 

Cave’, accessed via stone-cut steps, was named after it was 

used as a shady bower in Victorian times. 

An Island Icon 

At the other end of the beach the road narrows beyond the 

parking bay and takes an unexpected hairpin to emerge on 

the sea-girt plateau at Uragaig. Regular visitors do not come 

up here just for the fabulous view of the bay, but to treat 

themselves to a few of Watty’s eggs. The chickens peck 

around the first whitewashed croft where his old red tractor 

- an island icon now more than 50 years old which still chugs 

into life. 

Half a dozen houses lead out to wild cliffs and an ancient 

fort which seems to be suspended above the waves. From 

here, paths and tracks climb up the heathery slopes to Loch 

an Sgoltaire. The first time I came this way we clambered over 

the hills to the small original dam and looked towards the 

Ross of Mull before dropping down to explore the secret 

hard-to-find caves below Uragaig. 

Stonechats swayed on the gorse as the haunting sound of 

bagpipes echoed off the cliffs and danced out to a sparkling 

blue sea: a treasured Hebridean memory. No visit is complete 

without climbing Carnan Eoin. The track at the back of the 

dunes dips into a valley, passes through a gate and climbs 

steeply up the western side of the hill. 

Perfect Scale 

An isolated aspen tree, tucked against the crags, is a notable 

landmark on the right and, as the track bends left to contour 

above rocky Port Easdail, a path forks up towards the summit 

which is capped by a large cairn, facing directly down to the 

beach. Everything seems to be in perfect scale: the croft 

houses on the far headland; the woodlands around Colonsay 

House; the inland cliffs of Càrn Mòr in the far distance. 

The Paps of Jura hover on the horizon and rough moorland 

tumbles to the east where, only a stone’s throw from the trig 

point, it is possible to find a cluster of ancient circular stone 

chambers. Bands of wiry heather lead back down to the 

dunes, where a remarkable 9th or 10th Century Viking boatburial 

was discovered in 1881. 



Iona’s Argyll Hotel 

Ardanaiseig Hotel 

Jack Palfrey found a centre of hospitality on the shore of Loch Awe 

Purpose-built for Pleasure 

Iona’s Argyll Hotel, the island’s first purpose-built 

hotel, is celebrating its 150th anniversary. It is 

owner-operated, has been accredited Green 

Tourism’s gold standard - reflecting an environmental 

ethos within an hospitable atmosphere. 

Locally-resourced produce features in the handprepared 

meals from a kitchen at the heart of the 

hotel. Lunch and afternoon tea can be eaten in our 

front garden bordering the shore. Dinner is served 

in the traditional, leisurely style. 

Our one-acre, Soil Association certified organic 

garden produces vegetables and fruit as well as 

decorative flowers for the restaurant. Tours can be 

arranged. Views from the dining room over our front 

garden and the Sound of Mull are ever-changing. 

Visiting Staffa’s Fingal’s Cave as well as seeing 

numerous puffins give pleasure to many visitors, as 

do the different perspectives on the half- and fullday 

sailing trips on the Birthe Marie, a converted 

1940s Danish fishing boat. 

For those preferring dry land, a guided walking trip 

around the island can be organised while golfers 

may like the challenge of a machair course on 

common grazing land with sheep and cattle 

providing obstacles. 

The last ferry leaves at 18.30, but a boat can be 

organised for those wanting to remain for an evening 

meal. Better still be booked in for a stay, settle back 

in the lounge, with its coal fire, have a good book 

and a drink to hand before retiring to bed. 

www.argyllhoteliona.co.uk 

Enjoy the website before calling 01681 700334. Mention Scottish Islands Explorer and do take an advantage 

of the special October rate which includes a three-course dinner, bed and breakfast. 

A 

way to some of the Inner and Outer Hebrides is 

through the port of Oban. Significant road and 

rail routes converge at Crianlarich and again at 

Dalmally on the A85. At the head of Loch Awe it is possible, 

if you know where to look from the car or train window, to 

glimpse the outline and the grounds of the Ardanaiseig 

Hotel. To reach it involves taking a road turning at Taynuilt 

and then another at Kilchrenan. 

However, a glimpse at the website - www.ardanaiseig.com - 

soon becomes an illuminating experience, for here is an example 

of technology taking you to the heart of an establishment that 

has history, décor, facilities, location and awards. Even if your 

journey to the Scottish islands does not involve these directions, 

just see how a place can excite through broadband. 

The owners of the house and, latterly, hotel, were all aware 

of how contemporary construction, methods and specific 

techniques could transform a building and make it splendid, 

matching the splendour of its lochside setting and mountain 

landscapes. Innovations occurred from 1801 onwards 

through various well-established families until the current 

owner, Bennie Gray, acquired the hotel in 1995. 

He has, for some 50 years, invigorated and rebranded the 

London antiques scene with his Alfies Antiques in Church 

Street, Marylebone, and Grays Antique Centre, in Davies 

Street, Mayfair. When he saw Ardanaiseig, he immediately 

realised its potential and invited Finlay McLay, the costume 

and theatrical set designer, to collaborate with him on the 

hotel’s interior. 

The result is memorable for everything appears to be in place 

and have authenticity and yet, suddenly, there is that 

unexpected piece of furniture, painting, statue, figurine, 

embellishment or, in the case of the approach to the front door, 

a penny-farthing cycle. This iconic means of transport was also 

known, in Victorian times, as a ‘high-wheeler’ which suggests 

an apt description of the house-style of the hotel. 

Guests are transported to a level of hospitality that is over and 

above the conventional, with luxurious rooms, stunning views, 

fine cuisine, generous portions, a gamut of beverages and service 

which displays that vital attention-to-detail. Add to these the 

120-acre grounds in which such activities as fishing, clay-pigeon 

shooting, kayaking, archery and croquet are available. Here is a 

plethora of pleasures. 

Celtic myths are associated with Loch Awe. The tormented 

and anguished cries of the goddess, Bheither, who once 

preserved her youthfulness in a magic well, can, allegedly, be 

heard clearly on the night of the winter solstice. What is certain 

is that life-reviving and commemorating-rituals are available in 

this centre of hospitality, an ideal venue for the celebration of 

weddings, family occasions and special events. 

The website gives full details of the ‘Ardanaiseig Experience’ 

and it is not difficult to picture the wonders of a winter stay. 

A 15% discount is on offer to Scottish Islands Explorer readers 

and details are below. Consider being looked after in a fabulous 

manner, while by the shore of the loch ... sure that any past 

accommodation experiences of legendary figures have long 

been laid to rest. 

Further Information 

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Tom Aston delves into the discovery of Dundee Island 

Antarctic Blue Ice Cliffs - Fotosearch. 


When we consider that human beings evolved with a 

sufficiently strong sense of direction to move out of 

East Africa or Morocco, perhaps, some 300,000 years ago, it 

does indicate that we have moved a long way since those 

times. The ability to record information was mastered only 

around six thousand years ago. So the discovery of places 

worldwide has taken a comparatively short period. 

Among the last was Severnaya Zemlya, a polar desert off 

Siberia, which was seen by explorers for the first time in 1913 

and then not fully investigated until 1930. At the other end 

of the globe is the Antarctic Peninsula and at the north-east 

tip, Dundee Island, which was come across by Captain 

Thomas Robertson of the Active when leading the Dundee 

Antarctic Whaling Expedition in 1893. 

Jumped Ship 

In the September of the previous year, the ship, moored in 

Dundee, was having trouble acquiring a full complement of 

crew-members. Interest must have been aroused locally, for 

shortly after it set sail, some 30 lads, all stowaways, were 

discovered on board and put ashore in the Firth of Tay. Two 

were overlooked, but came in useful on the Falkland Islands 

where two regular sailors jumped ship. 

There were three ships in the group and when they reached 

Joinville Island, discovered a channel, which they called the 

Firth of Tay, and then a strait that became Active Sound. 

There was their third christening, Dundee Island. It had been 

sighted in the 1842-43 expedition by James Clark Ross. 

However, it now had identity and was the subject of the first 

Antarctic photographs, by Dr Charles Donald. 

The island has another claim to be a place of pioneering. 

American millionaire aviator, Lincoln Ellsworth, accompanied 

by co-pilot, Herbert Hollick-Kenyon, took off from 

Dundee Island on 23 November 1935 for the first crossing 

of the Antarctic by plane. It was a Northrop Gamma 

monoplane, the Polar Star, which headed for the Bay of 

Whales on the Ross Ice Shelf. The prospective 14-hour 

journey took 14 days. 

Enlarged into a Station 

The Argentinian authorities set up a refuge hut at Petrel 

Cove, the western point of the island, in 1952. In 1967, they 

enlarged this into a station, Estancion Aeronaval Petrel, and 

fully manned it for ten years until the operation became one 

of temporary occupation. The location may have some 

strategic significance, but little commercial viability, as the 

Dundee whalers had found over 80 years previously. 

The south-east edge of Dundee Island is an ice-cap which 

exhibits several areas of blue ice, created by high winds 

periodically blowing freshly fallen snow from the surface. 

Such phenomenon attracts passengers on cruise ships which 

come and go with an ease that would have astonished those 

explorers from Tayside in the last decade of the 19th Century. 


Coire Fhionn Lochan 



Vivien Martin recalls one of Arran’s finest walks 

There are few sights more enthralling than 

the approach to an island as the ferry 

sweeps into the harbour and berths at the pier, 

and Arran is no exception to this. Coming into 

Brodick Bay, the hills of Arran rise majestically 

before you, inviting you to come and explore. 

It’s an island that draws thousands of walkers 

every year, with everything from gentle strolls 

along the beach to climbing Goat Fell, or even 

attempting some of the more challenging 

neighbouring ridges. On this wonderful island 

there’s something for everyone, whatever their 

ability. In fact, on Arran you’re spoilt for choice 

when it comes to walking. 

However, there’s one particular walk that for 

me is very special. It starts from the shore road at 

Mid Thundergay, on the north-west coast of the 

island, and takes you two miles right up into the 

hills to the stunning little lochan that sits corried 

into the hillside. A loch at the top of the world. 

Add to this the appeal of the descriptiveness of 

Gaelic place-names. 

A Blue Gem 

This lochan is called Coire Fhionn Lochan - 

the Little Loch of the Pale Corrie - and is 

regarded by many as the most beautiful 

mountain lochan on the island. The walk up the 

hillside, alongside the rushing water of the Uisge 

Soluis Mhóir burn - the Big Bright Water burn 

- finally brings you to the lochan itself - a blue 

gem in a sheltered corrie fringed with beaches 

of pure white granite sand. 


At the start of the walk there’s a parking bay by 

the main road, the A841, below the small hamlet 

of Mid Thundergay. To the north is Lennimore, 

or North Thundergay, to the south, Auchamore, 

or South Thundergay. An unusual name, 

Thundergay comes from Tón-ri-Gaoith, the 

original Gaelic meaning ‘back to the wind’, often 

relating to exposed hillsides. 

It’s found in both Scotland and Ireland with the 

spelling altered over the years for ease of pronunciation, 

eventually being transposed into names 

such as Thundergay, as here on Arran, or 

Tandragee in Armagh and Tonderghie in the 

Galloway Hills. This small settlement sits on one 

of Arran’s many ancient raised beaches which 

were formed more than 15,000 years ago, when 

sea levels were much lower. 

Eleven Buildings 

As the glaciers retreated, the land gradually 

rose as it was freed from the enormous weight 

of the ice. This glacial retreat also explains the 

numerous caves that dot this coastline. At one 

time Mid Thundergay was a farm and 

steading, and consisted of eleven buildings, 

including a mill. 

Legend has it that Thundergay and other 

nearby ancient farm settlements, held their 

tenancies directly from the kings of Scotland, 

some even from Robert the Bruce himself, as a 

reward for their assistance during Bruce’s time of 

exile on Arran. While there could well be some 

truth in this, no-one knows for sure. 

‘The views across to Kintyre and further 

to the Paps of Jura and Islay are glorious.’ 




In the sunshine the bare granite intrusions 

in the surrounding corrie are reflected in the 

still water and it’s possible that here is the 

source of the description ‘pale’ in the corrie’s 

name. The views across to Kintyre and further 

to the Paps of Jura and Islay are glorious. 

With mountains on three sides the lochan is 

protected from the wind and a lovely place for 

a picnic. 

Amazing Speed 

Although only two miles up from the shore, 

there is a strong sense of solitude here. On one 

still and quiet occasion, an eagle appeared 

high above us, circling almost lazily over the 

corrie. It glided above the lochan until 

something must have caught its eye when, 

with amazing speed, it disappeared over the 

shoulder of cone-shaped Meall Biorach. 

Watching it disappear so quickly, the closing 

lines from Tennyson’s poem, The Eagle, 

sprang to mind: 

‘He watches from his mountain walls, 

And like a thunderbolt he falls.’ 

That was not the only poem that sprang to 

mind though, for in 2013 the theme for 

National Poetry Day was ‘Water’ and Thomas 

Clark, a poet whose compositions often 

reflect his experiences walking in the remote 

landscapes of Scottish islands, composed an 

eponymous poem to Coire Fhionn Lochan. 

A visit there and you can understand why he 

felt inspired. 

Better and Better 

If you are feeling more energetic you can 

take the opportunity to go further and walk 

up and around the ridge of the corrie itself. 

It’s a more challenging climb than the route 

up to the lochan while the views keep on 

getting better and better - especially looking 

down on the water itself. 

Coire Fhionn Lochan is a remote and 

mountainous spot with some of the most 

magnificent views on Arran. On a fine day it 

possesses great peace and tranquillity and is 

rightly considered one of the finest walks on 

Arran. On an island with so much to offer the 

walker that is high praise indeed. 

Page 17 top: Coire Fhionn Lochan 

Walk, Mid Thundergay, old cottage. 

Below: Coire Fhionn Lochan path 

and Kilbrannan Sound. 

Left top: Uisge Soluis Mhóir burn, 

mini-waterfalls cascading down 

the hillside. 

Left below: Signpost from Mid 

Thundergay. 

Below: A perfect spot for a picnic! 


Vivien Martin. 

Although no longer a farm, it’s a charming settlement with 

most of the houses occupied as well as the site of Tobar 

Challumchille, which means St Columba’s Well. A pure 

freshwater spring with a brick surround, this would have been 

the source of water for the settlement - not only clean and 

clear, but also with St Columba’s blessing. Though it has to 

be said that it’s very unlikely he ever stopped here for a drink! 

The Legend 

The steep path from the shore road is a curved track, 

passing the settlement. Even at this level, some 200ft up, 

there are already lovely views across the Kilbrannan Sound. 

As the track snakes past the last house you reach a wooden 

signpost pointing up the hillside bearing the legend Coire 

Fhionn Lochan. 

Past the first gate, the grassy hillside has been recently 

planted with young deciduous trees which will, in time, 

become woodland offering shelter to the houses but also 

providing homes for birds and animals. At the second gate a 

ladder stile crosses the deer fence. From this point on the 

terrain changes and becomes more mountainous. 

The path turns right beside a stand of birch trees where large 

stepping stones make for an easy crossing of the burn. And 

then it’s upwards. However, the path is clear and follows 

alongside, and occasionally over, the Uisge Soluis Mhóir 

burn. As the path becomes steeper the burn cascades down 

the hillside in a series of mini waterfalls, while granite slablike 

steps take you up the steepest section of the walk. 

Almost as a Surprise 

The slopes of Meall Biorach, Meall Donn and Meall Bhig 

begin to appear ahead and it’s within their solid, encircling 

walls that the corrie lies hidden. At the crest of the path, the 

lochan comes almost as a surprise. Corries were created by 

glaciers, gouged out of the mountains by the massive force of 

the ice. Coire Fhionn Lochan is almost round, about a quarter 

of a mile across, very sheltered and often without a ripple. 

There are no reeds around the lochan, just white beaches of 

weathered granite sand. The water is clear and shallow around 

the edge, but then becomes suddenly very dark as the bed of 

the lochan dives down deeply. No one is really quite sure just 

how deep it is. 



Stromness Lifeboat Station 1867 - 2017 


Stromness Lifeboat 

Station 1867 - 2017 

Richard Clubley reflects on aspects of its 150th Anniversary 

Orcadian writer, George Mackay Brown, observed, ‘A community like 

Orkney dare not cut itself off from its roots and sources. Places like 

Rackwick and Eynhallow have no meaning if you try to describe or evaluate them 

in terms of a newspaper article. They cannot be described in that way.’ 

The same could be said of the lifeboat service and yet I will try in under 1300 

words. The Orkney lifeboat is not a service imposed upon the community - it is 

a benefit freely given, by members of the community, often to seafarers passing 

through and sometimes to friends and neighbours. 

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was formed 1824. In 1867, it 

was decided to station a boat in Stromness, Orkney, in response to the wreck of 

the Albion, just off Stromness, with the loss of eleven lives. A small piece of land 

was provided for the building of a lifeboat shed, at the Point of Ness, just outside 

the harbour. It was felt this would be a handy position from which to launch the 

boat directly into Hoy Sound and so more quickly into action. 

‘ ... the men and women who go to 

sea in our lifeboats are all people 

who live and work by the sea.’ 

Store of Ladders 

The shed cost about £200 to build and still stands in a corner of Stromness golf 

course. The roof is almost lost, but it makes a useful store for ladders. 

Unfortunately the shed was never very useful as a lifeboat base, as launching the 

heavy boat across the beach at low tide was hard, slow work. A new shed and 

slipway were built, inside the harbour, in 1901. 

The Red Shed survives and is home to a dive shop. Today’s lifeboat - Violet, 

Dorothy and Kathleen - lies afloat at her pontoon, at the inner end of the harbour, 

next to the even newer shed. Motor power, in the form of the John A Hay, came 

to Stromness in 1909 and the crew very quickly came to appreciate the increased 

speed and range she offered. 

John A Hay was the first lifeboat to be purpose-built as a motor boat, for 

previous motor lifeboats had been converted from sail and oars. She was replaced 

in 1928 with the JJ KSW (full title: The John and Ann Moody, J.P.Traill, 

W.M.Aitken, Sam Wood and William Notting), the boat having been provided 

by a combination of legacies. 





Jimmy’s wife, Greer, said ‘Once the emergency was over 

people onshore piled into a neighbour’s house, where a large 

volume of soup had been prepared (our neighbour always 

prepares soup in a crisis). This was enjoyed by all the 

coastguards and others who had turned out to help.’ 

Stewart Taylor, Operations Manager at Stromness, told me 

‘That service will have meant a lot to Fred because he was a 

Birsay man too. Those men that went to the fishing together 

knew each other like brothers.’ In January 2014 Fred received 

a letter from RNLI chief executive, Paul Boissier. It read: 

Dear Fred - I am delighted to inform you that in recognition 

of your devoted service over many years, to the cause of saving 

life at sea, you have been awarded the Royal National lifeboat 

institution’s long service badge. On behalf of the RNLI’s 

Council, the staff and myself, I send you warm congratulations 

together with my personal good wishes. 

The Look in Their Eyes 

This did not seem like much of a letter to me, to thank a 

lifeboat man for all he has done. I thought it should have been 

more effusive, but then how do you thank someone for saving 

a life? If my life had been one of those saved, what more could 

I have said than thank you? Fred has pulled men from the sea, 

he has seen the look in their eyes as they shook his hand and 

said thank you. There probably is not much more than this 

anyone could say. 

Stewart Taylor started as a crewman on the Longhope 

lifeboat after the TGB was lost with all hands - eight men 

from the village of Brims, near Longhope in Hoy - one of the 

worst tragedies in RNLI history. TGB was overwhelmed by 

the sea on her way to a casualty on 17 March 1969. By April 

a new crew of ten was in training. 

When all is taken into account, the men and women who 

go to sea in our lifeboats are all people who live and work by 

the sea. They all understand the pull of the sea and the need 

many of us have to be on it, sometimes in poor weather and, 

occasionally, ill-equipped. They recognise that mistakes will 

be made and do not punish us too harshly when we make 

them. They will turn out when we need them and, as Fred 

said, they will search all night if they have to. 

Stromness Lifeboat Station celebrates 150 years of saving 

lives at sea, with a dinner dance, speeches, raffles, tea towels 

and a new history book on sale. All to raise funds to support 

what must surely be one of the highest aspirations anyone can 

have - to put to sea, in a small boat, on a cold, wild Orkney 

night, to be of service to anyone who has need of them. 

Where do we get such men and women? 

Find out more about the RNLI and how you can help at 

www.rnli.org 

*Jimmy, apparently, still has to take Greer out for that 

anniversary celebration. 

Pages 20-21: Violet, Dorothy and 

Kathleen off Old Man of Hoy. 

Above: Exercising in Hoy Sound 

with the inflatable. 

Opposite: Lifeboat shed and 

slipway, now home to Scapa Scuba 

Dive Centre. 

Photographs supplied by the 

author, Richard Clubley. 

Finest Hour 

The JJKSW was built by naval architect J R 

Barnett in collaboration with G L Thomson 

of Stromness. The resulting design - called the 

Barnett (Stromness) type would be used for 

several subsequent lifeboats. JJKSW’s finest 

hour came in February 1929 when, under the 

command of Coxswain William Johnson, she 

went to the aid of Grimsby trawler, the 

Carmania II, on rocks in Hoy Sound. 

After a long night and early morning all but 

five of the crew had been rescued, although 

then the line from the lifeboat to the casualty 

parted. A ship’s lifeboat had been washed 

overboard in the storm and was still tethered 

at her side. The remaining men managed to 

get into it and were pulled (almost) to safety 

by Coxswain Johnson and his crew. 

Five men were saved, but two were washed 

away in the boat. Johnson now ran the 

JJKSW between the casualty and the beach, 

plucking the last two men to safety. William 

Johnson made a trip across to Scrabster 

shortly afterwards, where he was presented 

with the RNLI bronze second service clasp by 

the Duchess of Portland. 

His first bronze medal service had been with 

the John A Hay, in 1920, when men were 

rescued from a life raft in Eynhallow Sound. 

When questioned by reporters afterwards, he 

said, “We have a grand boat, and we are afraid 

of nothing above water if we have plenty of 

water below us. I like no’ when I see the redware 

(seaweed) churning up alongside of us.” 

The Glint of an Oar 

Fred Breck, the current coxswain at 

Stromness, told me of a service that stuck in 

his memory. In 1997, they were called one 

evening to a yole drifting off Birsay, in the 

north of Orkney Mainland. It was dark and 

the night was ‘not too bonny’. The lifeboat 

went up and down using its searchlight and 

eventually spotted the glint of an oar. Jimmy 

Norquoy, his engine having failed, was 

drifting away, but trying to keep his boat off 

the rocks by rowing. 

‘When Jimmy stepped onto our boat he was 

mightily relieved,’ said Fred. ‘It was 4 

September, my wedding anniversary*,’ Jimmy 

told me. ‘My engine was only back from 

service that day and I wanted to try it.’ 



Page 

READERS’ 

Index Header 

OPPORTUNITIES 

READERS’ OPPORTUNITIES 

Page Index Header 

Bags (and) a Seat 

Apparently 70% of Britons have no plans 

to holiday away from the UK during the next 

five to ten years and almost 90% sense 

they will be healthier and happier in the UK 

than abroad. So for ‘staycations’ there are 

many appealing products through Go 

Outdoors. The Kentucky Classic Chair - 

available through www.gooutdoors.co.uk - 

is compact, has a carrybag, is of a durable 

steel construction, weighs only 3.75 kg and 

opens and closes in seconds. Stay, sit and 

survey the scene! 

The secret of successful 

travel, whether at home or 

a b r o a d , i s b e i n g w e l l - 

organised. To have a place 

f o r e v e r y t h i n g a n d 

e v e r y t h i n g i n i t s 

place is perhaps, a 

fantasy. However, 

the hanging wash 

bag by Reisenthal 

at Happybags does 

supply room (some 

six litres) for kit and / 

or cosmetics, a 

large internal area, 

eight pockets and 

a mirror. The 

specialist bag can 

be fully opened 

and hung on the 

back of a bathroom 

door. Look more 

closely at www.happybags.com and secure 

from this source. 

The surge in cycling’s popularity has meant an increased range of 

accessories. Among them is a variation on the ‘musette bag’ by Vel-Oh. 

It’s called the ‘Nip Out Bag’ and serves a dual role for carrying while on 

the bike or while on foot. The 100% heavyweight waxed cotton is from 

British Millerain, the leather strap is hand-cut and the internal zip pocket 

is ideal for valuables. The adjustable roll-top makes expansion easy. Go 

to www.vel-oh.com for full details. 

If you are tempted to go 

abroad or stay at premier 

hotels, then your suitcase 

matters. Samsonite has 

introduced its new top-ofthe-range, 

Lite Box TM, to 

give lightness, manoeuvrability, 

design and stylish 

impact. The Spinner comes 

in 97 and 124 litre sizes, 

has eye-catching corners, 

detailed construction that 

gives maximum strength, 

soft-touch premium internal 

fabric and four smoothrunning, 

multi-directional 

wheels. Investigate through 

www.samsonite.co.uk 

The Pahar Trust Nepal 

for Secure and Spacious Schools 

Nepal has been described as a 

‘tiny mountainous kingdom’, but 

it does have an area of 57,000 square 

miles and a population of 29 million. 

Scotland, meanwhile, has its 

mountains, but is overall half-the-size 

with one-fifth of the residents. A major 

difference is that most Nepalese will 

have never set eyes on the sea, for it is 

a landlocked country. 

Until the Education (Scotland) Act 

1872, school provision, particularly in 

the Highlands & Islands depended on 

charities - such as the Ladies Highland 

Association which started in the mid- 

19th Century. The first formal school in 

Nepal actually opened in 1853, but was 

intended for the elite. State universal 

education was not hastened until 1971 

when the need for schools at all levels 

was recognised. 

Literacy rates have risen from 5% to 

64% in the past half-century, assisted 

by such organisations as The Pahar 

Trust Nepal (pahar-trust.org) which 

has focused on the building of 

schools - 111 completed and opened 

plus 24 renovated - since it was 

founded 25 years ago. Two warrant 

officers in the Queen’s Gurkha 

Engineers, Tom Langridge and 

Chandra Bahadur Gurung, were the 

inspirations behind Pahar. 

School construction is linked with 

hostel accommodation, water and 

health projects, particularly in the 

remote areas of East and West Nepal, 

where 35,000 children are currently 

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benefiting. Partner organisations are 

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/expeditions/nepal), Charity Challenge 

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Scotland Association (www.nepalscotlandassociation.org). 

Please take this opportunity to 

donate to the Pahar Trust Nepal and 

consider how the other three groups 

could assist those from the UK 

wanting to combine travel with 

effective volunteering and school 

friendships. For further knowledge of 

the area, the House of Snow: An 

Anthology of the Greatest Writing 

about Nepal edited by Ranulph 

Fiennes and Ed Douglas, published 

by Head of Zeus, is an effective way 

to start. 



Michael Steciuk 

sees Arctic terns as 

‘angelic sea swallows’ 

Arctic terns are summer visitors to the Scottish islands and 

their arrival in May is considered with feelings of long-awaited 

optimism. Their long-haul, annual flight is astonishing for 

they come to breed all the way from Antarctica. It is the 

longest migration of any bird on Earth. 

Considering that they live for 30 years, over their lifetime 

they can potentially clock up nearly one and half million miles 

- and that’s with each bird weighing under four ounces. 

Owing to these flight patterns the terns never see nor 

experience a winter and enjoy more hours of sunshine than 

any other bird species. 

Here are energetic creatures, with a vivid coral-red bill and 

white semi-transparent, outer-wing primary feathers. Their 

long, delicate tail streamers make them particularly 

photogenic. However, they are a challenge to photograph, 

being lively in flight and bold in defence. I see them as 

‘angelic sea swallows’ ready to be captured on camera. 



Raasay House 

Raasay House 

Raasay House 

Mavis Gulliver visits an impressive residence on an active island 

It was early in the season when we crossed to Raasay 

and saw Raasay House for the first time. Standing 

above the shore against a backdrop of hills and fringed 

by trees, it is an impressive sight. However, it is not the 

building that housed the MacLeod Chief of Raasay in 

the 16th Century. His support for Bonnie Prince 

Charlie, led to the original house being burned down by 

government troops after the 1745 defeat of the Jacobites 

at Culloden. 

It is the house in which Dr Samuel Johnson and James 

Boswell stayed during their historic tour of the Hebrides 

in 1773. The present residence was started in 1746 and 

Johnson wrote of his visit there - ‘Our reception 

exceeded our expectations. We found nothing but 

civility, elegance, and plenty’ - although it is said that his 

apparent dislike of mountains led him to request a room 

at the back of the house. 

We were unable to stay in the house, but Lyn Rowe, 

the Managing Director, introduced us to her daughter, 

Freya, who manages the business along with her partner, 

David. We were then taken on a tour of the building and 

treated to tea and delicious cake in the café-bar while 

Lyn told us about the building’s chequered history. 

Georgian-style Wings 

In 1843, John Macleod, the last Laird of Raasay, 

emigrated to Australia. Over the next hundred years, 

the house changed hands several times and it was in 

the 1870s that the then owner, Henry Wood, 

commissioned a new frontage and Georgian-style 

wings. A subsequent owner operated an iron ore 

mine before the impressive home was sold to The 

Board of Agriculture in 1923. 

From 1937 to 1960 Raasay House was run as a 

sporting hotel before being bought by Dr John Green 

from Sussex for £6,000. In 1979, The Highlands and 

Islands Development Board purchased the building, 

but by 1981, when Major Rod Stewart set up the 

Scottish Adventure School, it was in a desperate need 

of repair and his venture closed within two years. 

This is when Lyn, together with two colleagues, set 

up the Raasay Outdoor Centre Ltd. The HIDB 

landlords made some repairs to the fabric of the 

building, but by 1994 Lyn informed them that the 

project was at risk if urgent refurbishment were not 

undertaken. Although no improvements were made, 

the business managed to continue. 

Fire Gutted 

In 2007, the Raasay House Community Company 

(RHCC) purchased the house, grounds, walled 

garden, some areas of forestry and other land at a cost 

of £30,000. They had embarked on a multi-million 

pound renovation and refurbishment scheme when, 

for the second time in its long history, fire gutted a 

major part of the building. 

Happening just weeks before the completion 

date, this was unimaginably devastating. 

Fortunately, the premises were insured, but further 

difficulties arose when the company undertaking 

renovation work went into liquidation. It was 

2011 before another contractor took over and 

March 2013 when the house was finally leased to 

the Raasay Outdoor Centre. 

There was much relief, in April 2013, when the café 

opened and the first overnight guests arrived. It was 

inspiring to hear Lyn’s account of how a relatively 

modest outdoor-centre grew into one which now 

provides accommodation, equipment and instruction 

for a range of activities, including sea kayaking, 

coasteering, sailing, gorge-walking, climbing, 

abseiling and archery. 

‘They had embarked on a multi-million 

pound renovation and refurbishment 

scheme when, for the second time in its 

long history, fire gutted a major part of 

the building.’ 



Raasay House 

Raasay House 

Page 29: Raasay House as seen 

from MV Hallaig, named after the 

poem by Sorley MacLean, who was 

born at Osgaig on the island in 

1911. The ferry takes 25 minutes to 

cross from Sconser. 

Above: The walled garden is huge 

and will require a lot of voluntary 

labour. 

Opposite: Fortunately, the 

beautifully ornate staircase 

survived the fire. 


Mavis Gulliver. 

Lounge and Library 

Raasay House has now developed to such an 

extent that it has accommodation for 86 

guests and employs 15 full-time and seven 

part-time staff plus a number of freelance 

instructors. Much of the business is conducted 

online with Caroline Anderson, who is in 

charge of marketing the activities and 

promoting the less energetic pursuits, such as 

walking in the vicinity of the house and 

relaxing in the comfortable lounge and library. 

A not-to-be-missed mini-bus tour takes 

visitors to Brochel Castle and Calum’s 

Road. The one and three-quarter mile road, 

built single-handedly by Calum MacLeod 

over a period of ten years, is breathtaking. 

An excellent book by Raasay resident, Roger 

Hutchinson, tells the story of Calum’s feat 

of determination and endurance. 

With 22 bedrooms, ranging from de-luxe 

hotel-style to budget, bunk-bedded hosteltype, 

there are options for every taste. The 

height of luxury is the family room which 

sleeps four, has its own lounge with a 

flatscreen TV, a huge bathroom with bath 

and shower, a sea-facing balcony and 

spectacular views of the Cuillins on the Isle 

of Skye. 

Comfort Zones 

At the other end of the scale the hostel 

accommodation is ideal for trips organised by 

schools. Amelia, a young friend who much 

enjoyed her stay, described the house as 

comfortable, the food as great and the views 

as amazing. Her favourite activity was rock 

climbing. She was impressed by the instructors 

who encouraged the more timid 

members of the party to attempt activities 

which would normally have been beyond 

their comfort zones. 

The aim of everyone on the island appears to 

be to maintain and extend their vibrant 

community. Welcoming visitors is important 

to the viability of the local economy and we can 

certainly recommend a holiday there. Just take 

a look at the Facebook page, Raasay House, 

and its website www.raasay-house.co.uk - 

both of which will keep you up to date with 

activities, facilities and opportunities. 

‘Kitchen Stuff’ 

Behind Raasay House there is an impressive 

walled garden. In 1773, Boswell indicated, ‘I 

observed a good garden plentifully stocked 

with kitchen stuff - vegetables and strawberries, 

raspberries and currants.’ Community Engagement Officer, 

Katherine Gillies, told me that grants of nearly £61,000 from 

the Climate Challenge Fund and from RHCC were making 

it possible to get the garden back into production. 

From its start on 1 April 2017, the year-long ‘Raasay Roots 

Shoots and Fruits’ project aims to reduce CO2 equivalent 

emissions by supplying locally-grown seasonal produce. In 

addition to two gardeners on full-time job-share, Katherine is 

employed on a part-time basis. Volunteers and the Walled 

Garden Action Group are busy renovating the garden and will 

be running courses for residents and visitors throughout the year. 

The gardeners and around a dozen volunteers have already 

undertaken a lot of work. Box hedges have been trimmed, 

ivy has been removed from the walls and self-seeded plants 

and trees have been removed. Undergrowth has been cleared 

from derelict greenhouses and cold frames as well as the main 

area prepared and planted. 

Results of Their Efforts 

The Raasay Walled Garden Facebook page, with 

photographs of gardeners and volunteers at work, tracks 

progress. Results of their efforts will be sold from the garden 

as well as through the Community Stores. Visitors to the 

House and the relatively-new Distillery will also benefit from 

meals made from this fresh locally-grown produce. 

Without mainland conveniences such as retail outlets, ready 

entertainment and activities, island residents have to accept their 

situation or strive to improve it. Raasay appears to be a prime 

example of what can be achieved by a relatively small number of 

dedicated, hard-working people. It would be good to see such 

high levels of community interaction outside the islands. 

The newly-opened RAASAY GALLERY shows 

paintings by Gordon J Cheape, postcards and 

prints, as well as artwork, pottery and jewellery by 

other artists. Gordon Cheape is a professional 

member of the Society of Scottish Artists. 

Only a 20-minute walk from the pier or Raasay 

House, the gallery is situated in a modern purposebuilt 

house with wonderful views of the sea and the 

Cuillins of Skye. Gordon & Christa also have a 

beautiful and spacious guest bedroom (B&B). 

Opening times are Tuesday - Saturday 

11.00 - 17.30, but if you are visiting outwith these 

hours, just pop in or call to see if we are around. 

01478 660241 

www.raasaygallery.co.uk 

info@raasaygallery.co.uk 



Touring the Hebrides 


Touring 

‘Crucially Boswell was also a Scot who 

wanted to show Johnson his homeland.’ 

the Hebrides 

Stephen Roberts considers the Boswell & Johnson style 

e must be mad!” I can imagine Boswell saying to 

“WJohnson, or vice versa, as they set off on their tour 

of the Hebrides in the late 18th Century. It would be a hard 

enough trip to undertake now, but more than 200 years ago? 

Boswell had apparently mentioned it to Voltaire, who looked at 

him askance, as though he had proposed a trek to the North Pole. 

James Boswell (1740-95) was a Scotsman and a biographer; 

Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84), around 30 years senior, was 

his favourite subject and an Englishman, most famous for his 

Dictionary, which occupied him for eight years from 1747. 

They had already been friends for a decade. 

The company was convivial to both parties. Johnson, of 

course, is one of our most quoted and quotable men of letters, 

a lexicographer, critic and poet, who was ‘Sorry when any 

language is lost, because languages are the pedigree of nations,’ 

a gem recorded dutifully by Boswell on that Hebridean 

sojourn. It was September 1773. 

Company of Great Men 

Born in Edinburgh, the eldest son of a judge, Boswell was 

educated at the city’s High School and University, going on 

to study law, but his raison d'être was always literary fame and 

the company of great men. The first meeting with Johnson 

came when Boswell visited London in 1763, encountering 

him, in of all places, a bookshop. 

By the following year they were such good companions that 

Johnson travelled with Boswell on his way to Harwich and 

journeyed to Utrecht to continue his legal studies. In 1773, 

Boswell was elected to Johnson’s famous literary club, of 

which the latter had been a founder member in 1764, which 

would undoubtedly have had Boswell preening. 

By way of celebration, he then took the great doctor on the 

memorable journey to the Hebrides, which took place 

between mid-August and the beginning of November, taking 

in north-east and north-west Scotland, plus a number of the 

islands in the Inner Hebrides. Their inspiration was Martin 

Martin, whose description of the Western Isles had been 

published in 1703. 

Instructive and Entertaining 

Apparently Johnson had wanted to visit these parts as long 

as he could remember, but was now encouraged to do so by 

having a travelling companion possessed of the necessary 

conversation and manners. Crucially Boswell was also a Scot 

who wanted to show Johnson his homeland. That trip was 

amongst the most instructive and entertaining tours in 

literary history. 

Fortunately we have two complementary accounts of it. The 

first is Johnson’s, Journey to the Western Isles (1775), often 

described as ‘treasure trove’. On setting out, Johnson had no 

intention of penning travel literature; it was 18 days in, having 

switched from carriage to horseback that the great man 

surveyed the ‘bosom of the Highlands’ and decided he 

needed to start recording. 





Page 33: Painting of James Boswell 

1765 by George Wilson (1741 - 97) 

Scottish National Gallery. 

Below: Engraving of Samuel 

Johnson by W Holl - Fotosearch. 

Iona by Torsten Henning 2003. 

Opposite: Tobermory Bay and Calve 

Island 2013 courtesy of Colin. 

He was actually at Glen Shiel, surrounded 

by peaks - ‘one of the great scenes of human 

existence’ - when he had his revelatory 

moment and began scribing. His mood 

would not have been enhanced though after 

an arduous day saw them arrive at an inn in 

Glenelg where supper consisted of bread and 

a lemon. At least there was bread, for at 

another hostelry Johnson lamented ‘no meat, 

no milk, no bread, no eggs and no wine. We 

did not express much satisfaction’. 

A Month on Skye 

It was as well (for us) that Johnson did start 

to write, for he gives us detailed descriptions 

of everything from Hebridean stone 

arrowheads to the medicinal waters of Loch 

Ness, which they visited early on in their epic 

gallivant. The actual journey was undertaken 

anti-clockwise, beginning in Edinburgh, with 

one of the highlights being a month on Skye. 

This included eight nights at Dunvegan 

Castle, where hospitality hit new heights, 

such that Johnson felt he had ‘tasted lotus’. It 

was just as well, for he was already perturbed 

by the weather, which he recorded in a classic 

understatement as ‘not pleasing’. Johnson did 

enjoy the trip though in spite of acerbic 

comments seemingly to the contrary. 

If anything the land was not quite as wild 

and barbaric as he had expected or hoped. 

Perhaps he really did think he was going to 

the North Pole. At Ullinish Country Lodge 

(once a farmhouse) it is apparently possible to 

stay in the ‘Johnson Suite’, where the great 

man ‘allegedly’ laid his head. After Skye, it 

was time for Mull, which the intrepid pair 

reached via Coll. 

‘Remarkably Gross’ 

At Tobermory the two men frequented a 

‘tolerable inn’ (high praise indeed). At Iona, 

a sacred site surely deserving of revered tones, 

Johnson simply swatted away the locals whom 

he described as ‘remarkably gross’. Johnson 

and Boswell arrived by moonlight and 

embraced by all accounts. Perhaps they were 

relieved to get there. 

There was disappointment though at the 

lack of royal monuments. It sounds as though 

they were demanding tourists. For Johnson 

travel was a case of tempering imagination 

with reality; to see how things were, rather 

than thinking how they might be. 

It would only be after Johnson’s much lamented death that 

Boswell published The Journal of the Tour of the Hebrides 

(1785), its great success persuading him that a full-blown 

biography of Johnson should be next. This, his acknowledged 

masterpiece, the Life of Samuel Johnson, came out in 1791, 

with the earlier Journal serving as first instalment. 

Scottish Tourism 

Both Scottish journals would come to be seen as influencing 

the birth and growth of Scottish tourism. Mentioned in both 

accounts of the tour is ‘Anoch’, which has proved elusive for 

identification. Boswell describes it as eleven miles beyond 

Fort Augustus. Johnson says it was ‘a village in Glenmollison 

of three huts’, one of which had a chimney. 

Johnson’s account is both an early example of travel 

writing and a detailed piece of cultural anthropology. 

Johnson had barely travelled beyond the confines of 

London previously, so this was a major undertaking for him. 

As one critic has said, the Hebrides were as distant from 

London as Tibet is today. 

What he describes is remote and alien, with everything he 

witnesses confirming (to him) a lack of civilisation (absence 

of trees, the windows of Scottish houses, the primitive nature 

of Scottish shoes, the Gaelic language, drinking whisky 

before breakfast). He described vividly, in an opinionated, 

wide-ranging manner, a country still recovering from the 

Highland Clearances. 

Conversation and Behaviour 

He had a way of offending; his statement that oats were 

for English horses and Scottish people cannot have gone 

down well north of the border. Customs, religion, 

education, trade, agriculture were all aired, because the 

society was new to him. Boswell, on the other hand, a 

seasoned Scot, focused on the particulars of Johnson’s 

conversation and behaviour. 

As Johnson observed Scotland, Boswell observed Johnson. 

By the way, Boswell gave us a word, to Boswellise, meaning 

to make someone the subject of a thoroughgoing biography. 

It has been calculated that he met Johnson on 276 occasions. 

Boswell may well have been affected during some of these, 

as it is well-documented that he had a drink problem. 

Johnson meanwhile gave us a definition of ‘travel’ in his 

famous dictionary; ‘to make journeys of curiosity’. 

Although his journey to the Hebrides was yet to come, that 

is exactly what it would be. 


Their Route: Inch Keith to St Andrews / Arbroath to Aberdeen / 

Slains Castle to Fort George / Inverness to Fort Augustus / Anoch 

to Glenelg / Armadale to Raasay / Portree to Dunvegan / Ullinish 

to Armadale / Armadale to Coll / Mull to Inch Kennet / Iona to 

Mull / Oban to Inveraray / Tarbet to Edinburgh. 






James Petre finds three of them to be remarkable and rewarding 

There are a good many museums in the 

Highlands & Islands, most of which 

naturally focus on the history and archaeology of 

their local areas. In the main, they are small and 

staffed by volunteers who enjoy being, in a sense, 

stewards of the symbols and records of their local 

histories, bringing them to the attention of their 

communities and to the ever increasing numbers 

of visitors. 

The large island of Mull is particularly well served 

by its museums. The prime one is the Mull 

Museum in Tobermory. It began in the 1970s, but 

only moved to its present home, Columba 

Buildings on Main Street, in 1986. Given the 

popularity of Tobermory as a holiday destination 

and as a calling point for an increasing number of 

cruise ships, it is very likely the most visited 

museum in the Hebrides. 

Free entry no doubt contributes to this busyness, 

so that it is not always easy to manoeuvre within the 

compact premises. That said, the staff has worked 

miracles in organising the displays of information 

panels, artefacts, models and sundry paraphernalia, 

into an immensely attractive layout that allows you 

to move around and study everything closely. Not 

an inch of space is wasted. 

Model of a Broch 

The variety of the Mull Museum’s possessions is 

remarkable. There is, for example, a model of a 

broch which allows you to see how the structure was 

laid out and inhabited. There is a representation of 

an early attempt to poke around the wreck of the 

Spanish vessel which famously blew up and sank in 

1588, supposedly with its treasure, in the Bay. 

The submersible used was clearly very crude by 

today’s standards, being a bell-like structure 

trapping enough air for its sole occupant to breath 

for a while. His feet appear to stick out of its 

bottom so he must have had to be careful not to 

upset it! 

Another striking exhibit is the brass bell from the 

SS Aurania which was torpedoed in 1918 by 

U 67, 15 miles off the north-west coast of Ireland. 

The Museum’s explanation retells how it was 

taken in tow with the intention of moving it to the 

Clyde, but that it broke free near Mull, drifted 

onto Caliach Point, where it smashed to pieces on 

the rocks. 

Rescue Mission 

Perhaps even more dramatic, and from a more 

recent period, is a big chunk of the Dakota aircraft 

which crashed in poor visibility on Beinn Talaidh 

in winter 1945, killing some of its crew and passengers, 

leading to an extraordinary rescue mission by 

the hardy men and women living nearby. The relic 

is fixed high on a wall and at first you wonder what 

the twisted metal can be until you read the plaque. 

A better known chapter of Mull’s Second Word 

War days, enshrined in the Museum, is the story of 

Vice-Admiral Gilbert Stephenson, who 

commanded the Royal Naval training school based 

in the town. Known as ‘the Terror of Tobermory’ 

for the standards he required and imposed, he is 

said to have been an intimidating taskmaster. The 

Vice-Admiral is also celebrated these days by 

having a beer named after him - the Terror of 

Tobermory Ale brewed by the Mull Brewery. 

Whether most visitors first come to know of the 

Terror via the Museum or the beer is a tricky 

question to answer! My personal favourite items 

in the Museum are the panels and models relating 

to the Clearances on Mull and the castles on the 

island and adjoining coastlines from the days of the 

Lordship of the Isles. 





Clearances 

The centrepiece of the Clearances section is a map of Mull 

pinpointing the villages or ‘townships’ removed, when, by 

whom and indicating how many inhabitants were affected. 

It is a very solid piece of work indeed. It is complemented by 

a model of a typical blackhouse which stars in the street-side 

window of the Museum. 

Seeing these items really prepares you when trekking off to 

see the ruins of these now long lost communities. There are a 

great many, some being very near Tobermory itself and not 

to be missed by the student of this most controversial period 

of Highland history. 

The map of the Lordship castles is striking, but the model 

of one of these, Moy Castle at Lochbuie in the south of Mull, 

really catches attention. This castle, essentially a tower house 

built by Hector Reaganach MacLean, 1st Laird of Luchbuie, 

the brother of Lachlan Lubanach MacLean of Duart, has 

been assigned to the first half of the 15th Century. 

Central Hearths 

The model encourages tangible understanding of the academic 

descriptions of its structure. It is, in fact, a particularly sophisticated 

tower of its kind, for the model reveals how it had vaults 

and, ingeniously, two sizeable entresol chambers, formed partly 

within the haunches of the main vaults - which ran in opposite 

directions. In another respect, however, it was perhaps primitive, 

in that it had no mural fireplaces, having instead central hearths 

or braziers with vents to allow the smoke to escape. 

All this and more is located in the ground floor room. 

Membership, which at £5 per year is very good value, gives 

access to the library/archive upstairs. The archive is especially 

important, containing some highly important material, such 

as the Letter Book of Donald Campbell, factor to Hugh 

Maclean of Coll who owned chunks of north Mull. 

The book covers the period 1846-50, the terrible years of 

the great famine. They constitute a day to day narrative of the 

chronic destitution endured then, in Mull and elsewhere. The 

Museum’s work is not restricted to its building and its 

contents for, as an organisation, it contributes to external 

initiatives to expose and preserve aspects of the island’s past. 

The prime example is the work on nearby Baliscate, which 

went on earlier this century. This Museum is a gem which 

keeps visitors returning. Interestingly, there is another, quite 

excellently crafted, cross-sectioned model of Moy Castle at 

what is, in effect, if not in name, another museum. 

The Old Byre 

This is The Old Byre, just a mile or two beyond Dervaig. It 

has a children’s play area in an outer building and in the main 

building there is a café and shop downstairs, but upstairs is a 

fine collection of models and stuffed animals and birds. 

Perhaps most striking is the giant, diabolical fly fixed high on 

the wall. It must be a yard wide! 

Yet do not be deterred from lingering, for 

the models are especially superb. As well as 

Moy Castle, there are representations of a 

broch, a dun, a blackhouse, an entire pre- 

Clearance township and that lesser known 

castle of Mull, Dun Ara, to name but a few. 

Studying Dun Ara, especially makes a visit 

to the actual site up in Mishnish so much 

more meaningful. 

The care that went into the making of these 

models is outstanding. For the small 

admission fee, entirely necessary to pay for 

such things as lighting, an hour’s visit is very 

rewarding indeed. 

Ross of Mull Heritage Centre 

A third ‘museum’ which warrants 

mention is Tigh na Rois, the Ross of Mull 

Heritage Centre located in a cottage next 

to the old Corn Mill in Bunessan. Opened 

in 2009, it is notable for a genealogical 

research service it offers. For a fee, on site 

resources can be interrogated to provide 

details of one’s Mull ancestors. 

As in the case of the Tobermory Museum, the 

ROMHC produces a regular, informative 

newsletter and contributes to relevant initiatives, 

notably the preservation of the nearby ruined 

Kilvickeon chapel and the rescue of its Mariota 

stone - an inscribed grave slab from the 15th 

Century. You can be a member too - there are 

different grades according to where you live. 

In conclusion, Mull’s absorbing history is 

very well represented by these three 

institutions. In some measure they 

complement one another, so visiting one 

automatically encourages you to visit the 

others. And of course they will prod you to 

visit more, which may involve a ferry 

crossing, to somewhere like ... Iona! 

Page 37: Dakota’s cockpit. 

Left: The Old Byre - Dun Ara model. 

Above: Moy Castle model. 

Below: The Old Byre - the 

diabolical fly. 


James Petre. 



A Piece of Australia on Mull 


A Piece of 

Australia on Mull 

James Hendrie visits the Macquarie Mausoleum 

Iwas intrigued to discover a few years back on my first visit 

to Mull the Macquarie Mausoleum, owned by the 

National Trust for Australia and located at Gruline. It is in 

fact maintained and cared for by the National Trust for 

Scotland and contains the remains of Major General Lachlan 

Macquarie, his wife, and two children. 

Macquarie, who was born on the island of Ulva, had by the 

age of 16 embarked on a career in the military that lasted 30 

years. He travelled the world and served in North America, 

Jamaica, and India, a country where he had a long association 

and most of his active military service took place. He first 

married in 1793 to Jane Jarvis, but she died, and three years 

later he married Elizabeth. 

In 1809, he was appointed to serve as Governor of New 

South Wales, a role that he held until 1821. He, a soldier first 

and an administrator second, is recognised as being the 

‘Father of Australia’ and under his leadership New South 

Wales prospered. The colony was home to a number of 

convicts. He sought to encourage them as well to embark on 

a programme of extensive public works. 

Fair but Firm 

The previous governor had been William Bligh, whose 

methods of dealing with men had been shown as being cruel 

during the mutiny onboard HMS Bounty. His rule of the 

colony of New South Wales, as it was then, had been harsh 

and corruption rife. Macquarie set about changing things by 

being both fair but firm. This led to a number of former 

convicts becoming successfully integrated into society. 

He was not without his critics. Frustration with them and 

bouts of illness made him return to Britain. In 1824, two 

years after he had returned and in the same year as he retired 

to his Mull estate, he died. A number of years later, after his 

burial, the mausoleum was built in the grounds of his Gruline 

estate. It is simple in nature, a rectangular sandstone structure 

with a slate roof and two gables. 

It is contained within a grassy area by a circular stone wall. 

Resting there alongside Macquarie is his wife, Elizabeth, and 

their two children, Lachlan and Jane, who died in her infancy. 

It was Lady Yarborough, who lived at a neighbouring estate, 

who gave Macquarie’s mausoleum as a gift to the people of 

New South Wales. 

Resting Place 

The mausoleum, unlike many other tourist sites on the 

island, is reached after a half-mile walk from the car park. 

Perhaps fittingly, as this is a final resting place, the area around 

the mausoleum is quiet and peaceful. There are iron gates 

which give access into the grounds. 

There is an entrance at each gable-end and these are sealed 

by marble panels. One of the panels commemorates 

Macquarie and his wife and the other records his achievements 

as Governor of New South Wales, recognised by not 

all in his adopted country. 

There is a university in Sydney, rivers and a lake named after 

his fore- and surname. Also there is a pass, mountain, port, 

harbour, lighthouse and an island, such was his importance. 

Some naming was during his lifetime, by those seeking his 

support in political or business matters. 

‘Australia’ 

Towards the end of his administration in New South Wales, 

his governing methods were being called into question and 

he was under investigation. Consequently enlightened and 

progressive changes in the way future governors held office 

were instituted. However, he was the first person to use the 

name ‘Australia’ to describe the continent of which New 

South Wales was a part. 

The mausoleum was not always maintained to its current 

high standards. Prior to the gifting by Lady Yarborough, it 

was sadly neglected. After this, the tomb was repaired, 

maintained and care has been taken to remove trees 

surrounding the mausoleum and its enclosure for fear of 

storm-damage. 




Living in Shetland 


The surrounding stone wall has been repaired and has had 

new capping added. New iron gates have been installed. 

During the 1970s restoration work was carried out on the 

red granite inscription that Elizabeth prepared in memory 

of her husband. There is a regular care and maintenance 

programme in place for both the mausoleum and the 

grounds upkeep. 

Acrimonious 

There were errors on some of the inscriptions at the 

mausoleum, including the recording of the wrong dates for 

the deaths of Macquarie’s wife and his son. It appears that it 

was a family friend of Lachlan, William Drummond, who 

arranged for the building of the mausoleum six years after 

Macquarie was buried on the site, but only after an acrimonious 

court case. 

The case was bought after young Lachlan died. He left most 

of his estate to Drummond and this was disputed by a 

nephew, Charles Macquarie. He lost and Drummond wanted 

a fitting tribute for Lachlan as well as providing closure to the 

court proceedings. Tales suggest the errors occurred when an 

accident befell him and matters took Lachlan’s widow away, 

leaving no direct supervision of the works. 

Location is straightforward, with a brown road sign off 

the B8035 road. It makes clear that access is for pedestrians 

only and material below is about Macquarie and his 

Page 41: The Macquarie Mausoleum is set inside a stone wall enclosure with entry 

through simple iron gates. 

Top: Information board. 

Below: Distinctive roadside signage means it is quite easy to locate the Macquarie 

Mausoleum. (Note the now rarely-used spelling ‘MacQuarie’). 

Photographs supplied by the author, James Hendrie. 

importance to Australia. At the mausoleum is further 

information about the man from a small Scottish island 

whose achievements assisted the early development of one 

of the world’s leading countries. 

Shetland - what does that conjure up? Cute little 

ponies; sheep, lots of them; puffins; and, of course, 

North Sea oil? It is an archipelago of more than one 

hundred islands lying 87 miles off the north-east of 

mainland Scotland and 187 miles west of the Norwegian 

coast, opposite Bergen in fact. 

I first visited Shetland in 1966 on a bird-watching holiday. 

At the time, travel options were limited to the old P&O ferry 

from Aberdeen to Lerwick or a bumpy light-aircraft flight 

also from Aberdeen. Today travel is still either a 14-hour 

journey Northlink ferry or 55 minutes by air, but there are 

no discounted flights. So it is expensive to fly to Shetland. 

There are regular ro-ro ferries, inexpensive for residents, 

between all the main islands. There is also an inter-island 

air-service to most of the outer isles including Fair Isle, home 

of an internationally famous bird observatory. Shetland is 

not an uncivilised outpost at the edge of the known-world 

and many indigenous islanders do not like being called 

‘Scottish’. Tartan is not worn, nor bagpipes played and the 

local dialect has Nordic overtones. 

Geoffrey Blackman sums up seven years there 

High Standard of Living 

Thanks to over 40 years of North Sea oil revenue Shetland 

is one of the wealthier societies in the UK. The infrastructure 

combines good roads, stress-free motoring, a modern airport 

and seven leisure-centres catering for a population of about 

23,000. The local NHS Trust is acclaimed, a high standard 

of living maintained, many houses are capacious and selfbuild 

is common. 21st Century-style living standards are 

certainly evident. 

My wife and I initially went because it was an opportunity 

to escape ‘the rat race’ and retire early. When we arrived in 

2003, house prices were well below the UK average. By the 

time we left in 2010, they were creeping up, but still about a 

third less. Housing stock ranged from converted traditional 

croft-houses to large Scandinavian-style residences of 

timber-construction. 

Our first home was a hundred year old, modernised croft 

in Sandwick, South Mainland. After two years we moved to 

Twatt, West Mainland, and a contemporary Scandinavianstyle 

chalet with panoramic views towards Foula. 




SCOTTISH 

ISLANDS 

EXPLORER 

The village has access to some well-stocked shops, but there 

is a 40-mile round-trip to the Lerwick supermarkets, Tesco 

and the Scottish Co-op. 

Nagging Thought 

In summer it was a beautiful drive, but in winter there was 

always the nagging thought that snow could impede progress. 

However, Shetland Island Council snow-clearing teams were 

extremely efficient in keeping the roads open, even in blizzard 

conditions. If bad weather prevented Northlink services, then 

fresh products in supermarkets could be affected. 

In 2012, Christmas-time problems caused Tesco to charter a 

Hercules aircraft from the Norwegian Air Force to bring in 

supplies. We coped with the long dark winters and became a 

little irritated about being asked, for the difference between 

sunset and sunrise between Lerwick and Plymouth is only 

about 45 minutes. Towards midsummer, there are almost 24 

hours of daylight. In midwinter you close the curtains, turn on 

the lights and carry on with life. 

Lerwick’s shopping facilities can be limited. There is a small 

Boots the Chemist, a shoe shop, several outdoor and sea-faringgear 

retailers, but not a lot in the way of everyday clothing. 

Similar to many other high streets, there are numerous charity 

shops and hairdressers. A lot of purchasing is now, of course, 

done online, making the computer an essential retail device. 

Enthusiasts 

Every major village has a modern hall or community centre 

and throughout the year there are concerts, film-evenings and 

local dancing. Evening classes cover a wide range of subjects 

which are heavily-subsidised and free for the over 60s. For the 


Page 43: Whiteness Voe. Above: Our First House on the Hill. 

Photographs supplied by the author, Geoffrey Blackman. 

enthusiasts, there are classes in the Shetland dialect and poetry. 

Visiting and walking around the outer islands can be of great 

interest. A famous local naturalist, Bobby Tulloch, with 

whom I spent a day in 1966, was responsible for putting 

Shetland on the ornithological map. RSPB Scotland naturally 

promotes ornithological interests and has recently opened a 

visitor centre at the Sumburgh Head lighthouse. 

During the spring and autumn, the islands are a magnet for 

birds migrating from Scandinavia and much further afield. 

During the summer there are also regular boat trips to see the 

sea-bird colonies around Noss and Mousa. 

Petrol 

We found the cost of living comparable to that of the rest 

of Britain. Paradoxically, a more expensive commodity is 

petrol, owing to the cost of delivery by tanker to a central 

storage point. There are plenty of garages for car parts and 

repairs as well as several car manufacturer franchises, such as 

Kia and Landrover. 

Shetland can experience rough weather any time of the year, 

especially gales which can be ferocious. Generally speaking 

the worst weather is between late September and late March. 

Although we could experience snow until mid-April in some 

years, May to August are the calmest months. 

Do bear in mind the top summer temperatures are likely to be 

on average ten degrees below those on the mainland. On the plus 

side you rarely suffer from midges that plague some parts of the 

Scottish mainland. However, living in Shetland was not much 

different from living in the middle of, say, the Yorkshire Dales. 

Just winter-planning is needed for some food and other essentials. 

After all nearly everything comes in either by air or sea. 

Long-distance walking route through Scotland’s Outer Hebrides 

by Richard Barrett 

When you subscribe to 

Scottish Islands Explorer 

for two or three years 

Enjoy every issue of the magazine 

delivered direct to your home plus a FREE 

192-page book which gives invaluable and 

illustrated advice on walking The Hebridean Way. 

This offer is open to new, existing and gift subscribers 

Subscription renewals paid in advance through this offer will be 

extended by the appropriate period of time. Those sending 

the magazine as a gift may claim the book for themselves. 

The book will be delivered to UK addresses only 

Subscription Rates 

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The Island Lighthouses of Scotland by John A Love 

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Here is a small book (58 pages 

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extensive maritime network of lifesaving 

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some 6000 miles in extent; it has 

800 islands, mainly to the west 

and north; 208 lighthouses and 

almost 250 buoys, beacons as well as 

identification systems. 

The Commissioners for Northern 

Lighthouses, or the Northern Lighthouse 

Board, was formed in 1786. It 

was one of the first authorities of its 

kind, although the tradition of alerting 

ships to dangers by lighting beacons 

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5th Century by monks on Heisgeir, the 

Monachs, west of North Uist. The first 

NLB creation was at Kinnaird Head in 

Buchan in 1787. 

An era of lighthouse building had 

started, continuing until 1958 with 

Strathy Point, Ca ithness, and, 

appropriately enough, with the recommissioning 

of the Heisg eir 

Lighthouse in 2005. It is only six years 

since the publication of John Love’s 

book that focuses on the islands, which 

is no time compared with the 231 years 

of the NLB’s work. 

Dynasty of Builders 

The pleasure of reading this wellillustrated 

book is that it informs 

about the parameters of pharology, 

indicates the techniques of building 

and lighting that evolved, directs to 


what was happening in England and 

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responsibility for only 69 lighthouses) 

and depicts the personalities of the 

great dynasty of builders, the 

Stevenson family. 

We all know a thing or two about 

lighthouses, especially those that have 

legendary associations with Scottish 

islands, but this book helps us fit our 

scant knowledge into the full 

sequence of events, reactions to them, 

particularly the great storms, and to 

the actions taken to create safeguards 

for shipping faced with rocks beneath 

the surface, raging seas and fierce 

elements above. 

The basic divisions of lighthouse are 

of ‘shore’, ‘island’ and ‘rock’ with their 

comparable ‘relieving stations’ for 

families. The ways they were built 

changed with increasing technology 

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Rock off the east coast and Skerryvore, 

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In Storms 

In 1806, Robert Stevenson designed 

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vertically and horizontally; 28 years 

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impact of the waves. 

Alan’s younger brother, David, was 

faced with an ‘impossible’ task at 

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way in which the temporary building 

was devastated, is compelling. So the 

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RESPONSES 

Responses 

CROSSWORD 

Page Index 

30 

Header 

by Tom Johnson 

When you have solved the crossword, transfer the letters from some of the numbered squares 

into the small grid and so discover a tidal island in the Solway Firth. 

Iboarded the Happy Hooker ferry to the Aran Islands in 

Galway Bay from Doolin. Of the three islands in the 

group, Inishsheer, Inishmaan and Inishmore, the last was our 

destination. We called at each before arriving at Kilronan 

Pier, passing Straw Island, with its lighthouse. I was on an 

Irish Lighthouse Tour. 

It was inclement weather, but our small party of pharologists 

braved the drizzle to this remote outpost in the Atlantic Ocean. 

We boarded a minibus, one of many, which gives tourists guided 

tours, which wound around the narrow roads of Inishmore, 

characterised by miles of stone walls and field enclosures. 

Triple-walled 

We stopped for refreshments and some decided to walk to 

Dún Aonghas, one of the finest prehistoric monuments in 

Western Europe, a triple-walled hill-fort at the edge of 330ft 

high cliff. Others huddled into a traditional stone cottage 

café for a satisfying meal beside a roaring open fire, which 

conveniently dried wet clothes. 

Aran is an extension of The Burren, in County Clare, with its 

limestone pavements showing criss-cross cracks known as ‘grikes’, 

leaving isolated rocks called ‘clints’. The result is that its islands 

are among the world’s finest examples of a glacio-karst landscape 

where limestone, dolomite or gypsum were left bare and scarred. 

Richard Evans recalls trips to Aran and Arran 

Wreck of the MV Plessy by the author, Richard Evans. 

We arrived at the western tip and could just make out 

Eeragh Lighthouse across the bay to the most western islet 

of the Brannock Islands with its light barely visible in the 

mist. Herds of enchanting grey seals noisily lined the rocks 

in front of us. 

Another lighthouse tour, in 2012, started with Inishsheer, 

the smallest of the group of three and most easterly of the 

Aran islands. We were greeted to the sight of iconic wreck 

of the MV Plassy, its rusty hulk on the shoreline since 

March 1960 and a feature in the opening credits of the 

popular television series, Father Ted. 

Familiar Sight 

On arrival at Ballyhees Pier, Inishsheer, we took the horse 

and carriage service, traversing the rough tracks to see the 

black and white light tower close to Fardurris Point. The 

landscape of endless stone-walls was a familiar sight, with 

less motorised traffic than Inishmore. 

Wind the clock back 42 years, when my wife and I stayed 

for a week on Arran in the Firth of Clyde. We cycled 

towards Kildonan to glimpse one lighthouse, on the Isle of 

Pladda. Then we reached two other lighthouses, on Holy 

Isle. Here I was taken by surprise when butted by a lone 

goat wandering along the shore. 

ACROSS 

1. US coin (4) 

3. The P of ‘P & O’ (10) 

10. Agile tiro around an old Royal Castle, the seat of the 

Regality Courts of Atholl (9) 

11. Throw out of school (5) 

12. Unwell in Methil lately (3) 

13. Island location of the Knapp of Howar (4,7) 

14. The sea-ear, alternatively, sea in France (5) 

16. Lower pail around ‘little bay’ in Orkney (9) 

19. Waters overlooked by Slioch and Beinn Eighe (4,5) 

21. Conjuror's art (5) 

22. The isolated rock pillar, 450 feet high, in Orkney, first 

climbed in 1966 (3,3,2,3) 

24. Member of the Arrochar Motor Club (3) 

25. Gaelic name of the village on Lewis where President 

Donald Trump's mother was born in 1912 (5) 

26. Dug underground (9) 

27. The main settlement on Jura (10) 

28. ‘Isthmus island’ in Orkney (4) 

DOWN 

1. The largest village on Luing (9) 

2. Farage from Elgin (5) 

4. It's sat by A-Level pupils and set by AQA, say (4,5) 

5. I won't get bothered, going along with someone (2,3) 

6. It appears, sadly, sometimes that I'm leaving (5,2) 

7. The only whisky to carry the Royal Warrant of the Prince of 

Wales (9) 

8. Rachel ..., Countdown's ‘numbers’ girl (5) … 

9. … Rachel perhaps revealed her assistant (6) 

15. A comedian fooled a Balkan republic (9) 

17. The planes crashed - Jumbos! (9) 

18. Main settlement on North Uist (9) 

20. Village on Lewis at the head of Valtos Glen (7) 

21. Havoc, chaos (6) 

22. Pub device for dispensing alcohol from a bottle (5) 

23. Surpass alfresco party (5) 

24. Was 12 (5) 

Send your answer from the small grid to: 

editor@scottishislandsexplorer.com or text to 

07510 127014 or by mailing it to SIE Elm Lodge IP22 1EA 

to enter the competition for a free year’s 

membership of The Islands Book Trust. 

Small grid answer to Crossword 29 was Barra Head 

Winner of Crossword 29: Margaret Johnson 

Solution to Crossword 29 



ISLAND INCIDENTS 

Scottish Islands Explorer Store 

Roger Butler recalls the effects of a large pothole on Mull 

Ferries can sometimes leave you fraught. On one occasion 

we bought tickets at Mallaig - for once, with plenty of 

time to spare - only to be then told that the ferry had just 

moved onto ‘Amber Alert’. The wind had picked up and there 

was now only a 50/50 chance of landing at Eigg or Muck. 

In other words, the risk was ours - we might safely berth or 

we might be forced to return to the mainland, despondent at 

dusk and with nowhere to stay! However, a couple of hours 

later the wind eased again and we wondered what all the fuss 

had been about. 

Due to Board 

A few nails had been nibbled, but many more were 

chomped the day we hit one of Mull’s notorious potholes. 

There was a heavy clunk as the car swerved a little too late 

and careered over the crater in the road. We thought nothing 

of it as our early morning drive continued past Loch Scridain, 

through sheets of rain, and onto the ferry point at Fishnish 

for the first boat over to Lochaline. 

A rainbow arced overhead, the mainland beckoned and we 

would soon be on the mountainous road to Mallaig for the 

Small Isles. We joined the queuing vehicles and got out to 

stretch our legs. To our horror, the front passenger tyre was 

completely flat and, somehow, we had managed to bump our 

way across Mull in oblivious and carefree abandon. 

After some serious head scratching we realised our only 

hope of further progress was to sail over to Lochaline where 

we made it onto a strip of gravel and called our breakdown 

number: “Yes, I know we are miles from anywhere but we 

have a ferry to catch at Mallaig in less than four hours!” 

Photograph by the author and victim, Roger Butler. 

We waited anxiously for the call back: “He’s coming from 

the other side of Strontian - give him 40 minutes!” We 

unloaded the car in order to access the spare wheel and, as 

half the village gathered round in anticipation of a pop-up 

car boot sale, I started to wonder what would happen if we 

failed to reach Mallaig on time. 

Put on Hold 

The next ferry would not be for a couple of days and any 

plans to kayak around Muck were suddenly put on hold. 

Then the phone rang again: “I’ve got a problem! There’s been 

an accident and the road is blocked. I’ve been asked to help 

out, but I’ll be with you as soon as I can.” 

Time was now ticking and children were agitated. I paced up 

and down in despair. It rang again: “I’m towing someone out of 

a ditch, but I’ll be with you as soon as I can!” Then, 40 minutes 

later, a grey tow-truck rumbled down the hill. “Now, let’s get this 

sorted. You’ll be OK. It’s less than two hours to Mallaig.” 

I asked him if he wanted to see the remains of my nails and 

reminded him that we had yet to reload the car. Eventually, a 

frantic signature on a scrap of paper was the signal for our 

departure and a race against time. We made it - but only just - 

and as we charged and cheered down the CalMac slipway, our 

fishing rods must have resembled pugnacious medieval lances. 

In the Next Issue … 

Mallaig - Terminal 

Yell - Betwixt 

Longhope - Lifeboat 

Dance - Master 

American - Exchange 

Islands - Viewed 

Special - Offers 

On Sale 18 October 

1. Noss. 2. The Treshnish Isles. 3. Hoy. 4. Handa. 5. Staffa. 6. St Kilda 7. The Shiant Isles. 8. Isle of May. 9. Unst 10. Sanday 

- 

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50 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017

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Scottish Islands Explorer 45: Sep / Oct 2017

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