Scottish Islands Explorer 44: Jul / Aug 2017

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ISLAND AND WILDLIFE CRUISES OFF SCOTLAND’S BEAUTI- FUL HEBRIDEAN COAST Happy Valley Page 40 Outposts & Milestones Fionnphort Page 16 Page 32 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER July / August 2017 Volume 18 / Issue 4 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 01379 890270 Publisher Tom Humphries publisher@scottishislandsexplorer.com Production Design Deborah Bryce production@scottishislandsexplorer.com Proofreader Linda Spiteri Circulation and Enquiries Steve Tiernan www.magazineworkshop.co.uk 01422 410615 Regular Contributors Tom Aston Roger Butler Marc Calhoun Richard Clubley James Hendrie Mavis Gulliver Jack Palfrey James Petre Stephen Roberts Andrew Wiseman Administration Ravenspoint Press Ltd Kershader Isle of Lewis HS2 9QA 01851 830316 info@scottishislandsexplorer.com www.scottishislandsexplorer.com Published bi-monthly Printed by Buxton Press Ltd Palace Road Buxton SK17 5AE 01298 212000 Next issue on sale: 18 August 2017 ©Ravenspoint Press Ltd All rights reserved. ISSN: 1476-6469 Distribution Warners Group Publications Plc The Maltings West Street Bourne Lincolnshire PE10 9PH 01778 391000 Front Cover The Stone Circle on Erraid by Richard Holland CONTENTS 4 Editor John Humphries and Guest Columnist Vivien Martin 5 Vision for 2020 with Walks, the Quiz and Winners 6 Insights One on Ways, Means and Images of Island Life 7 Insights Two on the Wild, Remote, Attractions, Generations & Heavens 8 Impressions of Ulva Barbara Sellars assesses the ‘barren’, ‘rough’ and ‘of no extent’ 13 The Roost on the Black Isle Jack Palfrey enjoys the innovations and activities of hidden secrets 15 Islands Beyond Tom Aston shows how Alistair MacLean brought limelight to Bear Island 16 Outposts and Milestones Robin Cooke responds to Sylvie Sarabia’s paintings 20 Rum’s Kinloch Castle Emily Richard’s learned to love and be inspired by island and castle 24 Readers’ Opportunities One For Hospitality and Travel 25 Readers’ Opportunities Two Shaun Fraser’s First Solo Show & Kevin Percival’s Exhibition 26 Centrepiece Shona Grant, landscape photographer, is drawn back to South Uist 28 It’s a Shore Thing Roger Butler looks at seaweed in the Scottish islands 32 Fionnphort Richard Holland sees more than Mull’s gateway to Iona 36 Island Shopping Mavis Gulliver saw how community shops serve their localities 40 Happy Valley Stephen Roberts on a hidden oasis in Orkney 42 The Blind Piper Andrew Wiseman focuses on Lachlan Bàn MacCormick of Benbecula 46 Uist - Archaeology in Focus Tom Aston keenly anticipates a conference in early August 48 Responses Tim Farquhar on Tanera Mòr 49 Crossword Sponsored by the Islands Book Trust Tom Johnson has put together his 29th challenge 50 Island Incidents Barbara Sellars reveals more of Inchcailloch in Summer JULY / AUGUST 2017 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER 3
Editor’s Welcome / Guest Columnist VISION FOR 2020 Editor John Humphries considers island profiles Emeritus Professor Barry Higman, of the Australian National University and the University of the West Indies, is an enthusiast for both islands and insularity; for landscape, in general, and planarity, in particular. His recent book, Flatlands, compares parts of the world which some people would consider unexciting, those apparently endless plains which stretch to the horizons. So he examines the African Savannah, the Great Plains of America, the Tibetan Plateau, the Russian Steppes, the Low Countries and the English Fens. What excites him is summed up by what he calls the ‘notion of invariance’. However, he does bring to life the differences that they create, while suggesting that many modern sports are bound to be boring because of their requirement for a level playing-field. So turning from those running tracks, race-courses, chessboards, cricket pitches, football fields, even ping-pong and snooker tables - that all have to be as standardised as possible - consider the profiles of islands, especially in the waters around Scotland. The ‘invariance’ element here is the sea, at least on a calm day, while each island and islet has a shape that can captivate and be etched in memory. Those of us who like islands - and there must be very few of our readers and subscribers who do not - will all have various outlines that can be quickly summoned to mind. My cherished ones are Steep Holm in the Bristol Channel, from childhood visits to Weston-super-Mare, and North Rona, observed for the first time at 4:00 am from the bridge of the cruise ship, the MV Professor Molchanov. Take a map of the Scottish coastline, trace the coastal outlines and then picture profiles. For me, there’s Davaar in the southwest; Bass Rock in the south-east; the St Kilda group in the north-west, Foula in the north-east. The one that will probably elude me is in the ‘Far West’ - Rockall. Witnessed by some fortunate travellers and, allegedly, scaled by fewer people than have walked on the Moon. Dream on! John Humphries For the Editor’s daily item on Scottish islands, go to john-humphries.blogspot.com Guest Columnist Vivien Martin finds real adventure Living in the West of Scotland, islands have always been part of my life. As a child, school holidays meant heading to Arran for a much-anticipated break from everyday routines. Arran heralded freedom, and setting foot on the ferry was always a moment of great excitement - it marked the start of the adventure. On Arran we holidayed in a tiny white-washed cottage in High Corrie; raced around in rowing boats in Brodick Bay trying to catch the wake from the huge Calmac ferries; leapt across stepping stones at North Sannox; climbed Goatfell; explored caves; found ‘treasures’ washed up on the shore after storms; saw seals and basking sharks; and cycled everywhere - no matter how steep the hills! Other islands followed. Over the years we’ve travelled the length and breadth of the Outer Hebrides; house- and chicken-sat on Coll; been stormbound on Colonsay; spotted otters on Skye; radioed for rescue from Eileach-an- Naoimh; explored Iron Age duns on Bute; looked for St Kilda from North Uist; stood before massive standing stones on Orkney and Lewis. The thrill of visiting islands has never diminished. But why islands? What draws us to them? I think it’s partly because, bounded by water, they have a distinct ‘containedness’, a completeness, which few other places have. Given time it becomes possible to understand their individual histories, culture and nature as a recognisable whole. Moreover, they are places apart, reachable only by crossing water. Throughout history, islands have been seen as mysterious places: unknown; on the horizon waiting to be explored. Even today, boarding the ferry and leaving behind the every-day, the mundane, the normal, there is a sense of excitement as you set sail towards another world. Then there’s the sea itself. The endless changing faces of water: from huge Atlantic breakers crashing onto the shore during a storm, powerful and elemental; to the continuous changing patterns of light on water that speak so deeply to the human psyche. Islands fascinate me. I love learning ever more about them. Along with that greater understanding comes the glorious realisation that there’s always more to discover ... and that’s a real adventure! Vivien Martin The Scottish Islands Explorer blog [http://john-humphries.blogspot.com] made its entry on 11 May 2011, with a piece on the Barra airport, and a different topic has appeared every day since then. Some weeks ago the half-millionth page-visit was made by a reader from somewhere throughout the world. A new item surfaces at 8:00 in the UK or at midnight, Pacific Time, where the 2,200 plus entries are hosted. Please log on and, perhaps, drill down for information of interest. Walks It is the ambition of many to reach St Kilda and to step foot on Hirta. Continuing to walk to parts of the island is highly recommended. Priorities are needed before starting out in Village Bay. Basically it is to look up and judge your head for heights; look across to Dun to get a sense of perspective; look into the Quiz Photograph of walkers in the Village Street by Angus Bruce. David Hoult presents his 40th challenge with an emphasis on ‘Islomania’. It’s a condition in which a fascination for islands can increase according to their remoteness. Identify the following far-flung fragments of Scottish land. 1. Forty miles north of Lewis, a rocky islet visited annually by men from Lewis to harvest young gannets. 2. Between Orkney and Shetland, it is often described as the most remote inhabited island in the UK. 3. A privately-owned archipelago situated five miles south east of Lewis. 4. Twelve miles south of Barra, and uninhabited since evacuation in 1912. church and school, the houses and cemetery as well as the shop. However, don’t look too closely at the installations on the shoreline, dating from the time of the Army occupation. It’s where physical or mental photo-cropping is needed! Then comes the decision about how far to ascend. The road to the radar station at Mullach Mor is metalled and evident throughout its course. The views at its summit are fine, taking in Boreray and with a detour, Soay. For the fit and keen the full threeand-a-half miles in a comparable number of hours provides the full panorama and the sense of being an indigenous St Kildan with a climb to just over 1,500ft. This is Conachair, the highest sea cliff in Britain; with the route over The Gap and views to Gleann Mor, inhabited in ancient times, but long-deserted. There are tracks, but with some slippery surfaces beneath and often disturbed birds above. Some feats are to be avoided - with emulating the requirements of the young on the Lover’s Stone being one of them. The St Kildans were so agile on the steep slopes that an evolutionary feature became evident – prehensile toes. Just make sure that your footwear is sound and legs are sturdy. 5. An island 20 miles west of Shetland Mainland, where Christmas Day is said to be observed on 6 January. 6. An archipelago west of Lewis, notorious for the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in December 1900. 7. The northernmost island of Orkney, notable for its distinct breed of sheep, which feeds on seaweed. 8. An archipelago designated a World Heritage Site, situated 40 miles west of North Uist. 9. An island in the Firth of Clyde, colloquially known as Paddy’s Milestone. 10. A granite rock 230 miles west of North Uist. Answers on Page 50 Winners of Orkney - A Special Place Anne Cormack / Irene Dendle / Rod Wallis 4 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER JULY / AUGUST 2017 JULY / AUGUST 2017 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER 5
Page 1: SCOTTISH ISLANDS THE UK’S ONLY MA
Page 5 and 6: Impressions of Ulva Impressions of
Page 7 and 8: THE CRASK INN A traditional Highlan
Page 9 and 10: Outposts and Milestones Outposts an
Page 11 and 12: Rum’s Kinloch Castle Rum’s Kinl
Page 13 and 14: Page READERS’ Index Header OPPORT
Page 15 and 16: It’s a Shore Thing Roger Butler l
Page 17 and 18: Fionnphort Fionnphort Fionnphort Ri
Page 19 and 20: Island Shopping Island Shopping Isl
Page 21 and 22: Happy Valley Happy Valley Condition
Page 23 and 24: The Blind Piper SCOTTISH ISLANDS EX
Page 25 and 26: RESPONSES Responses One of the Tane
Page 27: CYCLING RED DEER OTTERS MINKE WHALE

Scottish Islands Explorer 44: Jul / Aug 2017

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