Loch Eishort - June 2009

One day I'll finish my write-up of my June 2009 trip!

For this particular day the weather forecast wasn't particularly brilliant but the sea still beckoned. Heading across the mouth of Loch Eishort towards Rubha Suisnish, the outline of Bla Bheinn is particularly difficult to ignore. The sea also slopes hereabouts. Honest!

The view north from the mouth of Loch Slapin is also one to sit and admire. There be eagles in them there hills, and a lot closer....

Heading back along the north shore of Loch Eishort I came across this cliff which had repeatedly collapsed in to the sea. Under my kayak were huge slabs of rocks and boulders, some disconcertingly close to the surface. Not a place to practice rolling!

The cliff line was broken in places by pebble beaches and interesting rock scenery. On this particular beach the smaller pebbles are on the right and they graduate to larger stones towards the left, presumably due to the variable affect of exposure to the prevailing wave direction and action.

Boreraig is a now a ruined village, having been cleared in 1853 by the owner, Lord MacDonald, in favour of sheep. Many of the people were shipped away to New Zealand. There is no romance in Scottish history.

Near Boreraig is this delightful waterfall and in the rocks along this section of coast there are some interesting fossils.

Lunch stop #1, complete with a view to Rum and a wrecked toy tractor. Otters hunted along the shoreline, oblivious of me and the kayak. Somewhere you could linger all day if you were so inclined, but I wanted to get on and complete a circuit of the entire sea loch.

I headed on past the community of Heast, working against the falling tide and exploring the interesting coastline in this area.

Towards the head of the loch what was presumably a mussel farm was located off Drumfearn. Beyond here the loch narrowed and then opened out again in a very large pool, in the loosest sense of the term. The tidal flow rotated around the loch here and I let the kayak drift with it while watching a black throated diver fishing. Curlews and other waders were flying in to feed on the newly exposed mud.

I paddled hard down the southern shore of the loch to the delightful islands lying north of Ord. Coral sand beaches are exposed on the falling tide and seals haul out on the exposed rocks.

This part of Skye is often ignored by visitors going for the more spectacular scenery on the island. You can't not like this largely hidden side of Skye.

Happy 50th Birthday, old man!

Vikings and Warriors

Ord was once part of the MacDonald lands on Sleat, with a farmhouse and steading together with some farm wokers' houses and several cottars. The main house later became a hotel (now a B&B). Other houses were built in the 1960's and in the late 1970's a small complex of holiday chalets was built, which were later individually sold off. The views from here across Loch Eishort to the Cuillins can be stunning, but more of that later. Today was the day for a trip down the east coast of Sleat.

Heading out in to the loch, the back views to the Red Cuillin clustered around the head of Loch Slappin dominate.

Pootling down the coast, accompanied by curious seals, black guillemots and oystercatchers ever so keen to see you off out of their patch, the ruins of a small castle come in to view. What chance, in an area of so few people, that a walker should just happen to be stood by the arch of the ruined bridge. A mad scramble for the camera ensued before they moved off!

Rounding the headland, the ruin of Dun Scaith is more obvious. The castle is thought to be one of the oldest in the Hebrides and has many myths and legends associated with it. It is said that here, Cuchullin chief of Skye in the third century, received training in the art of warfare from the Celtic warrior queen Sgathach.

The castle is situated on one of the headlands of Ob Gauscavaig, the bay lying in front of the small township of Tokavaig, a name of Viking origin meaning boisterous bay or bay of the whale. Take your pick with the meaning but neither was the case today.

Indeed, it seemed just the place to beach the kayak and chill out on some rocks whilst having a long lunch number 1. I don't know what it is about kayaking, but at least two lunches always seems a good idea.

After lunch a bit more exploring seemed in order. There are some very nice skerries in Loch Eishort, complete with coral sand.....

......... and some very nice views down towards Rum. We really mustn't over tax ourselves today.