A Walk to Isle Ornsay

One by one, over the years, I've made a point to visit sites associated with Gavin Maxwell. My interest dates back nearly 50 years to the movie Ring of Bright Water. The movie made quite an impression on me when I saw it at age 12 in the Orpheum Theatre in Seattle.

The first Maxwell site I visited was in 2008, when I set foot on the island of Soay (near Skye), where he had his shark-oil factory (see the December 17, 2016 post). The story of the shark fishery is told in his first book Harpoon at a Venture (1952).

Soay

My next Maxwell pilgrimage was to Eilean Bhan, the lighthouse island now under the Skye Bridge, that Maxwell owned for a while (see the July 18, 2013 post). Of all the Maxwell sites, Eilean Bhan is the easiest to visit, as there are regular tours. On the tour you will be able to see inside the cottage, climb the lighthouse, visit a beautiful wildlife hide, and see Teko's memorial stone.

View from the top of Eilean Bhan lighthouse

Teko's memorial stone

Of course the premiere Maxwell pilgrimage site is Sandaig, a small bay south of Eilean Bhan, and the site of his Camusfearna. I made the hike there last year (see the August 30, 2016 post).  A memorial to Maxwell lies on the site of his house, which burned in 1968. Under some nearby trees is Edal's memorial, the Ring of Bright Water otter that died in the fire.

There was still one remaining Maxwell site I wanted to see; so before heading to the Western Isles last July my wife and I spent a few days at the Eilean Iarmain Hotel on Skye. On the first full day, which was overcast with occasional rain showers, I checked the tide tables. Low water was at 4pm, and so at 2pm I left the hotel to walk a short way to the shore. Off to the east lay my destination: the lighthouse of Isle Ornsay. Along with the cottages on Eilean Bhan, five miles to the northeast, Maxwell bought the Ornsay cottages in 1961 (some sources say 1966).

The tide flats were a bit muddy, but very walkable if I kept close to the shore. The total distance to the lighthouse is a mile, and the halfway point is the island of Ornsay. The lighthouse is actually on yet another tidal island, Eilean Sionnaich, which means either fox or seagull island. I would guess the latter definition is correct, as there were no foxes around, but there were plenty of gulls wheeling high overhead.

Tide flats to Isle Ornsay (at left)

Low tide crossing to Eilean Sionnaich

A curious set of seahorse-balustrades topped the seawall that guards the tidal track up to the island. (Or maybe they're water-horses?)

Just above the seawall lay the forlorn walled garden. A garden of grass and weeds; it's been a long time since any crops have been cultivated here.

Between the garden and the lighthouse stood the two side by side cottages. Maxwell's intent for the cottages, as well as those on Eilean Bhan, is summarized in this excerpt from Richard Frere's excellent book Maxwell's Ghost:  'His idea was to renovate his purchases and, using their splendid wild situations and his well-known name as joint inducements, let them to the public at enormous rents.'

As described in Frere's book, the Isle Ornsay cottages were refurbished and let out to holiday makers during Maxwell's ownership. These days the cottages are private residences for the Sedgwicks. They are fortunate to have a place like this. In an area busy with tourists a more isolated place would be hard to find. (Except for the occasional nosy hiker passing by.)

There was no one in residence when I visited. Which was for the best, as I would not have gone near the cottages if anyone was there. For that matter, I'd have felt awkward even passing near them to see the lighthouse. Set next to the cottages is a beautiful memorial stone to the actress Paulita Sedgwick.

Just beyond the cottages a walkway leads to the lighthouse. On 10 November 1857, both this light, and the one on Eilean Bhan, became operational. Keepers lived here until automation came in the early 1960s.

I enjoyed a snack before crossing back across the still dry shingle beach to Isle Ornsay. Before continuing I took a look at the map, and noticed there was a burial ground and chapel site on the nearby slopes of Isle Ornsay. I love finding these old chapels, and since the tide was still out I had time to look for it.

Once on Ornsay I made my way across a soggy field carpeted with tall grass. Since you can not see the ground, it can be treacherous to cross this kind of terrain. So I slowly made my way to a gate in a fence; a wire fence that seemed to encircle the whole island. Greeting me at the gate was a sign, its red letters not specifically saying 'KEEP OUT', but words to that effect: 'Please respect the privacy of the owner, and keep to the shore side of the fence.'

I would indeed respect their privacy by avoiding any houses. But I had every right to look for the old burial ground and chapel. So I climbed the fence and hiked up the grassy hillside. There was no trace of a chapel ruin that was seen here in 1928, but I knew I was in the right place because of a large, worn tombstone, on a level site that looked over to the lighthouse. (See this CANMORE page for more on the chapel that once stood here.)

It was a beautiful spot, and the owners have done a wonderful job of landscaping.

After enjoying this lovely place for a while I headed back to the shore to follow a meager path to the tidal crossing. The return to Skye was as messy as the walk out, as the route is half on gravel, half on mud flats. Even so, I meandered a little, taking time to explore two small islets before the tide isolated them. Along the way there were good views over to the hotel - the pub looked especially inviting.

After changing out of my muddy pants my wife and I enjoyed an excellent meal at the pub. After that we walked to the shore below the hotel. The tide was high, and Eilean Sionnaich was, once again, an island; its tower lit to a brilliant white by the setting sun.

Soay of Our Forefathers

I love memoirs written by people that grew up on remote Hebridean islands. One good example is Angus Duncan's Memories of Scarp. Another one I recently re-read is Laurance Reed's The Soay of our Forefathers. I first read it in 2006, and during a cruise on the sailboat Zuza in 2008 I had the unexpected pleasure of spending a few hours on Soay. 

Soay was Macleod territory for centuries. But the Macleods left the island in the 1700s. It was resettled in the 1800s, and by 1851 over 150 people called it home. The population gradually declined after that. Gavin Maxwell bought Soay in 1944 where he established his basking shark-oil factory. Maxwell wrote about his shark hunting business in Harpoon at a Venture (1952). Also working the sharks with Maxwell was Tex Geddes, who wrote his own book, Hebridean Sharker, in 1960.

In 1953 most of the population, some 27 people, left the island to live and work in the Craignure area on Mull. Only one family remained: the Geddes, who eventually acquired the island in 1963, and lived in the old Mission Hall (built 1890). They had to sell the island shortly after that, but managed to re-acquire their property on Soay in 1993.

Mission Hall (1890), later the home of Tex Geddes & family

The only full-time residents of Soay these days (that I am aware of) are the Davies, who live in a beautiful house called Ceann a Stigh at the head of Camus nan Gall (Stranger's Bay on the east side of Soay). You can visit Soay on a day trip with Skye Boat Trips, and if you are lucky the skipper will be Oliver Davies of Soay. I was fortunate to meet Oliver on Muck last May (they also do trips to the Small Isles). What follows are a few photos of a beautiful sunny day spent on Soay in 2008. I hope to return someday.

Zuza (and a RIB from Skye) in Soay's Bagh Clann Neill

Ruins of the Shark Factory

Debris filled ruin of the shark-oil factory

Shark factory overlooking Soay harbour

Shark factory building - Fish curing station on ground floor and accommodation for fishermen on upper floor.

Site of the radio-telephone exchange

Phone box (Post Office behind it).

Below is a photo of the school built in 1878 (it was in use until 1950). Some point after that it re-opened, for when Hamish Haswell Smith wrote about Soay in his epic The Scottish Islands it was in use. But when I visited Soay in 2008 it was boarded up.

Boarded up schoolhouse (built 1878, photo 2008)

Ruin on Soay - Skye Cullins in the distance

Camas nan Gall

Sandaig - Ring of Bright Water - Camusfearna

In the November 29, 2015 post I mentioned that my first exposure to Gaelic, and the Hebrides, was in 1969, when my mother took me to see the movie Ring of Bright Water. Many years would pass before I actually read the books of Gavin Maxwell and, many years after that, the three fascinating books about him: The White Island by John-Lister Kaye, Maxwell's Ghost by Richard Frere, and the recently published Island of Dreams by Dan Boothby.   

After re-reading the Bright Water books a few years ago I became obsessed with the idea of visiting the lighthouse island of Eilean Ban, and Sandaig (Maxwell's Camusferna), his house that tragically burned in 1968, killing the otter Edal. Eilean Ban was easy to get to, sitting (somewhat sadly) under the Skye Bridge, and I paid it a visit a few years ago (see the July 18, 2013 post). But Sandaig takes some planning to see. It is fairly remote, a few miles south of the Glenelg ferry to Skye. And so after many years of thinking about it I decided to visit Sandaig on my way to the Western Isles a few weeks ago. Before taking the ferry from Uig out to Harris, my wife and I stayed for a couple of nights at the Tingle Creek Hotel in Erbusaig, a mile or so from the Skye Bridge.

From Erbusaig I set out for the 30 mile drive to Glenelg via Shiel Bridge and the Mam Ratagan Pass. From Glenelg I continued south along the single track for another four miles, parking at the start of a forestry road that led down to the sea.

Start of the track to Sandaig

Any doubt you are in the right spot is helpfully resolved thanks to a sign that says "Ceum Sanndaig - Sandaig Path."

Sandaig - this way

I had directions on how to walk down to Sandaig that I found on the Eilean Ban website. But, as I quickly learned, they were obsolete due to all the timber harvesting on the hillside. And so I just carried on along dusty forest roads that led down to the sea. Maxwell would be saddened with how the area above his beloved bay looks, the trees have been clear-cut and it's an ugly mess.

Clear-cut fields above Sandaig

Once through the devastated hillside you drop down to the still beautiful bay of Sandaig.

Sandaig

The spot where Maxwell's house stood is marked by a large stone. On it is a plaque that reads:

Beneath this stone,

the site of Camusfearna,

are buried the ashes of

GAVIN MAXWELL

b. 15th July 1914, d. 7th September 1969

Memorial Stone -1

Memorial Stone -2

Memorial Stone -3

Under a large tree near the Sandaig burn is another memorial stone that marks where the otter Edal is buried. It reads:

EDAL

THE OTTER OF RING OF BRIGHT WATER

1958-1968

Whatever joy she gave to you, give

back to nature.    GAVIN MAXWELL

Edal's Stone - 1

Edal's Stone - 2

Next to Edal's stone the bright water of the Sandaig burn ran to the sea; an interesting rope bridge spanning the stream. (One walk description I've read says that if you're brave enough to cross the bridge (or ford the river), you can find an alternate way back up the hillside.) After spending a while in this peaceful place, touched by a man whose legacy of books will be immortal, I started back up the hill.

The rope bridge across the bright water of the Sandaig burn

Back at the car I decided to visit the original Sandaig lighthouse. It once stood on Eilean Mor, an island just offshore from Maxwell's house. In 2004 it was replaced by a solar-powered light, and the original moved to the Glenelg ferry. After looking in the mini-lighthouse (which is now a tourist shop) I drove onto the Glenelg turn-table ferry to go over the sea to Skye.

Old Sandaig light at Glenelg ferry

The turn-table ferry to Skye

If you are interested in visiting Sandaig, good directions can be found on the Walk Highlands website.

Ring of Bright Water & Maxwell's Ghost

Although I did not know it at the time, my first exposure to Gaelic, the Hebrides, and the west of Scotland happened when I was 12 years old. That was in 1969, when my mother took me to a theater in downtown Seattle to see the movie Ring of Bright Water. Some scenes were filmed at Ellenabeich (Seil) and in Oban. And there are views to several islands in the Firth of Lorne, including Scarba and the Garvellachs. The story of the otter, and the scenery, made quite an impression on me.

It wasn't until 1991 that I actually read the book, which is very different from the movie, and much more interesting. After reading Ring of Bright Water (published in 1960), I went on to read the other two parts of the Bright Water trilogy: The Rocks Remain (1963), and Raven Seek Thy Brother (1969).

After reading the trilogy I came across a book about Maxwell called The White Island (1972), by John Lister-Kaye, who was involved in Maxwell's plans to construct a zoo on Eilean Bhan; the White Island that now lies under the Skye bridge. It has a sad ending as the author describes how, after Maxwell died, the zoo-in-progress had to be dismantled, and that they were worried about finding a home for Teko, the last of the famous otters. But they did not need to find him a home, because Teko died of a heart attack not too long after Gavin Maxwell died of Cancer.

Another excellent book that describes much of the back story of Maxwell's life at Sandaig and Eilean Bhan is Richard Frere's Maxwell's Ghost (1976).

It is easy to visit Eilean Bhan these days, and tours are offered by the Bright Water Visitors Centre. On the island you'll find a memorial stone that marks where Teko is buried. Teko and Gavin Maxwell both died in 1969, the year I first saw Ring of Bright Water.

Stone on Eilean Bhan - TEKO 1959 - 69