The Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge - Season 3, Episode 2

The Continuing Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Belnahua

Exploring the Isles of the West Cruise    June 2-11, 2018

Sunday, June 3 - Island #2 - Belnahua

The fog was starting to lift as we left Aileach to make the five-mile transit to Belnahua, one of the Slate Isles. It is an historic island, one whose slates are said to have roofed the world.

Belnahua in the mist

Tidal currents can make an anchorage at Belnahua problematic. But Mark and Anna made it look easy, and soon after they dropped the hook we were ashore. Landing here is always interesting; for as you approach the island it quickly becomes obvious what it was used for, as the beach is covered by countless shards of slate rubble.

My last visit to Belnahua was in 2016, and at the time I'd noticed a white-washed building with a roof; a building that had been a roofless ruin when I'd passed this way in 2006. My guess, when I saw it in 2016, was that the renovation was intended to make a visitor information centre out of what had been the island shop. It is the only structure on the island not included in the Historic Monument designation for Belnahua, which probably was done to allow the renovation to occur.

So the first thing I took the group to was "The Shop", to see if anything had been done with it.  But no.  It looked as unused as when I saw it two years ago. If anyone knows what's intended here, please let me know.

Roofless Shop seen in 2006 

Shop building in 2016

We then made a circuit of the island, visiting the ruins of two row houses, workshops, the school, and the flooded quarry pits. At its peak over 150 people lived here.

Belnahua is in essence an open-air industrial museum of an industry that ceased here 100 years ago. The largest mechanical ruin is the powerhouse, a complex matrix of hand-levers, winding gears, and drive shafts rusted solidly in place.  

After our circuit of the island everyone spread out to see places that interested them. Liz climbed to the top of Beinn Belnahua (my name for it), from where there is a great view east to tiny Fladda and its lighthouse. When it comes to hill classifications, Beinn Belnahua is neither a Munro, a Corbett, a Graham, a Marilyn, or a Donald. And at only 22 metres, it also fails the TuMP classification (30 metres). I'd like to propose a new classification that, a Slate Island lump, of any height, be called a SLump.

Liz atop Beinn Belnahua

Fladda light seen from the airy slopes of Beinn Belnahua

As we left Belnahua the sea-fog completely cleared, and we sailed under sunny skies south to an island much larger than Belnhua. An island that would turn out to be our third, and last, of the day: Scarba - Guardian of the Corryvreakan Whirlpool.