The Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge - Season 3, Episode 4

The Continuing Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Eilean Mòr Mhic O' Charmaig

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

Monday, June 4 - Island #4 - Eilean Mòr Mhic O' Charmaig

On Monday morning we left Scarba behind as we sailed 15 miles due south, passing along the way the old jetty at Keills on the mainand, where cattle from Jura were landed many years ago.

Keills Jetty - Jura in the distance (photo from 2010)

Just past the jetty we came to Rubha na Cille (the point of the chapel), where we made a hard turn to port to enter tiny Loch na Cille (loch of the chapel). Near the head of the loch the anchor was dropped off the small settlement of Keillmore (the great chapel). There are certainly a lot of 'chapel' place names here, and they all refer to what stands on the hillside above the shore, Cill mo-Charmaig, the chapel of St Charmaig.

Cill mo-Charmaig (photo 2002)

Just above the landing place we passed by HMS Cheddar Cheese. She looked like a sturdy Kraft; but I don't think I'd venture out on her sister ship, HMS Swiss Cheese.

It was a short road-walk to the restored chapel, which stands on the site of a settlement founded by St Charmaig in the 7th century. There is nothing left of St Charmaig's cell, although it would be a good bet that some of its stones were used to build the chapel in the 11th century. The chapel stood roofless for centuries until re-roofed in 1978, when all the elaborate medieval tombstones, and a high cross (dating to the 8th to 9th century), were moved inside. See this CANMORE link for a photo of the chapel in 1898.

Our visit to Keills was an appropriate precursor to our next stop, the island of Eilean Mòr Mhic O’Charmaig (the great isle of St Charmaig). This little island lies only three miles south of Keills, and had once been a pilgrimage destination, the pilgrims paying their respects to the hermitage cave, and the grave, of St Charmaig.

Eilean Mòr landing

Once ashore we paid a visit to St Charmaig’s Chapel. It is thought to date to the 13th century, and was used as an inn in the 1600s (perhaps for pilgrims). 

Inside the chapel is an elaborate effigy stone that may have once covered the tomb of St Charmaig.

Effigy of St Charmaig?

From the chapel it was a short hike to a knoll, the highest point of the island. Atop it stood an ancient cross pedestal. The 14th century cross that once stood on it was moved to the National Museum in Edinburgh in 1937, and a well-made replica stands in its place.

The two sides of the replica cross - and the original

The cross in 1900 (photo MEM Donaldson) - the head was found on the shore below the knoll

Our next stop was St Charmaig's Cave, which lies in a small gully below the cross.

My last visit to Eilean Mor was in 2002 (see the January 2005 issue of Scottish Islands Explorer). At that time I had considered dropping down into the cave to take a look at its mysterious hidden side chamber. Tradition says there was a tunnel from the chamber that allowed access to the cave, and I was curious to look for it. But I was alone at the time, and as there was no way I could pull myself out of the pit, I decided not to try.

Even though on this visit I had a lot of helping hands if I needed assistance getting out, the very narrow mouth, and the drop of eight feet, led me to make the same decision I'd made 16 years ago: not to drop down into the pit. I did, however, examine the terrain all around the site, and there was no sign of a tunnel exit anywhere. If there was a tunnel, its exit is either cunningly camouflaged, or it does not exist.

The cave floor - and the opening to the mysterious side chamber (right)

We ended the day with a two-hour sail down to Gigha. The anchor was dropped off Ardminish, well out of the ferry route, and then we were treated to a meal of Chicken Balmoral. I don't think the skipper of the Calmac ferry liked where we were anchored, because he made a point of coming quite close to us several times that evening at full throttle. (The skipper of the morning ferry gave us a much wider berth.)

The next morning would see us visiting two amazing things; the garden of Gigha, and the Brownie's Chair of Cara.

The Gigha Ferry comes calling