The Broken Heads of Eilean Mor

It was the OS map that sparked my initial interest in Eilean Mor. Some 15 years ago I was perusing Landranger 61 (Jura & Colonsay), thinking about possible hikes on Jura. Off to the right of Jura I noticed a tiny island on the map. What caught my attention were two words printed on the island in the font they use for ancient monuments; the words were Chapel and Cross.

Eilean Mor is so off the beaten path that there are no regular boat trips to the island. And so to get there to see this Chapel and Cross I had to arrange a day-charter. That was way back in 2002, when Mike Murray ran the catamaran Gemini out of Crinan Harbour. In addition to Eilean Mor, over the following four years I would charter Mike to take me to Scarba, Northern Jura, Belnahua, Dun Chonnuill, Cuil-i-Breannan, Garbh Eileach, and Eileach an Naoimh.

Gemini at Eilean Mor

The first interesting thing I came across while wandering on Eilean Mor was a headless cross.

This cross is said to have marked the spot where St Charmaig is buried. Seton Gordon, in his Wanderings in the Western Highlands and Islands (1935), describes that the cross was broken during a failed attempt to steal it from the island.

Standing next to the headless cross is St Charmaig's Chapel. It is about forty feet by twenty, and at one time had a second story where the priest lived. The western half of the building contains the nave and the eastern half the chancel where, at some point in time, a fireplace had been installed. The chapel dates to the 12th century, and was operated as an inn in the 1600s; perhaps housing pilgrims to St Charmaig's Cave, which lies on the coast of the island, 300 yards south of the chapel.

St Charmaig's Chapel - summit cross at upper right

In the fireplace of the radically altered chapel there rests a thin, grey-stone coffin lid, with the effigy of a man in a cassock. The stone dates to the twelfth century and may have once covered St Charmaig’s coffin. Pilgrims were said to have dropped coins into his coffin through gaps around the lid. The stone certainly looks like the image of a saint, for in one corner is carved a chalice, and a nimbus surrounds the head.

Coffin-lid effigy

When MEM Donaldson visited Eilean Mor 100 years (or so) ago, she commented on how the effigy in the church was headless. As you can see in the next photo, the 'head' was subsequently found, and cemented back in place. (Note the seams in the stone at the shoulders.)

The repaired (once-headless) effigy

When MEM visited the island she also photographed a cross that stood on the highest point of the island. It, too, was headless for many years. TS Muir, in his Ecclesiological Notes on the Islands of Scotland (1885), describes how the cross-head was found in 1864 when he was on the island, and how he considered taking it away, but in the end set it in the chapel next to St Charmaig's effigy. The cross-head would lay there until it was stolen in 1924.

MEM Photo of the headless Eilean Mor Cross - c. 1900

I do not know how the cross-head was eventually recovered, but it was, and you can see the complete restored cross standing in the National Museum of Scotland. In its place a cement replica was installed on the island. The following composite photo shows the two sides of the replica, and a front view of the restored original.

Eilean Mor Cross - the original at right, and two views of the replica

It was good to see that two of the headless stones of Eilean Mor have been restored, but sad that St Charmaig's cross, the one that once stood over his tomb, will remain forever headless. See this CANMORE page for more on St Charmaig's chapel and cross.

Getting to Jura

Three boats been taken me to Jura: the Eilean Dhiura, the Sound of Gigha and Gemini. Sound of Gigha began life in the spring of 1966 as the Isle of Gigha. She capsized in the winter of that year, and after being refitted to be more stable she was renamed Sound of Gigha.

According to Wikipedia, Sound of Gigha made the Islay-Jura run from March of 1969 until July of 1998, when it was replaced by Eilean Dhiura. Something is wrong there, because my first visit to Jura was in the spring of 1999, and it was on Sound of Gigha. That visit included an amazing walk around the north end of Jura to see Corryvreakan (book 1, chapter 5).

Below are some photos of the three boats that took me to Jura. The other way to get there, and one I want to take someday, is the passenger ferry from Tayvallich.

Sound of Gigha at Port Askaig in 1999

Gemini arriving at Jura in 2005- Scarba in the distance

Eilean Dhiura at Port Askaig (2010)

Eilean Dhiura and the Caol Ila distillery (2010)

Eilean Dhiura on its way to Jura (2010)

Gemini - Epilogue

It is time to say goodbye to Gemini. Between 2002 and 2005 she took me to nine remote isles; trips that inspired five chapters in the book. They are days I will always remember. I had not seen Gemini since July of 2005, when she took me to Jura for a camping trip (see January 9 post). So it was a pleasant surprise last August when I came across her berthed in Tobermory. She's now under different ownership, and for information on her current offerings see this link.

Gemini at Tobermory - August 2013

Gemini - 4

Another voyage on Gemini took me to the Slate Isles of Belnahua and Fladda. Belnahua is now a shell of an island, much of it quarried out to roof buildings around the world. Tiny Fladda lies a quarter mile from Belnahua, and its lighthouse and large walled garden cover almost all the available land. These days a sign on Fladda warns against landing on the island, so as to not disturb the birds. The sign was not there when I visited in 2004.

Below are a few photos from that trip. See book 1, chapter 10, for a description of the visit to the Slate Isles.

Gemini arrives in Crinan Harbour

Landing on Belnahua - Scarba in the distance (left)

Flooded quarry on Belnahua - Fladda in the distance (right)

Inside ruined quarry building - Belnahua

Gemini at Fladda

Fladda Light

Fladda light and walled garden

Gemini - 3

Another island journey I took on Gemini was to Dun Chonnuill and Garbh Eileach of the Garvellachs. Dun Chonnuill is a great lump of rock, and atop it once stood 'the great castle of Dunquhonle'. Garbh Eileach, the largest of the Garvellachs, is home to Cladh Dhubhan, a burial ground said to have used by the royal house of Dalriada. But the bracken was so thick that I could not find the burial ground. See book 1, chapter 9, for a description of the visit to Dun Connel and Garbh Eileach.

Dun Chonnuill

Gemini off the south end of Dun Chonnuill

Looking down to Garbh Eileach House

Garbh Eileach - a bracken jungle only passable by following deer trails

Ruined croft house - Garbh Eileach

Stone enclosure next to Garbh Eileach House

Garbh Eileach House - House sign above the front door

Close up of worn house sign

Gemini - 2

My second time on Gemini we visited remote Eilean Mor, to see St Carmaig's Chapel and his hermitage cave. The island's name, Eilean Mor, is a shortened version of 'Eilean Mor Mhic O' Charmaig', and was once home to Saint Abban Mac ua Charmaig. The island lies off the coast of Knapdale, 15 miles south of Crinan. There are no regular boat trips to the island, so you are on your own to find a way to get there. See chapter 4 of book 1 for the description of a visit to Eilean Mor.

Gemini at Eilean Mor - summit with cross in the distance

Eilean Mor Chapel and the vandalized cross

Pilgrim Chapel and Cave

Standing at the highpoint of the island is this replica of the Eilean Mor cross. The original was severely damaged, and the head of the cross was lost for a while. But the cross has been mended and is on display in the Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh. See this link for a photo of the 'severed head', and this one for an early drawing of the cross.

Atop the island stands this replica of the Eilean Mor Cross - the original is in the Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh

Gemini - 1

I have fond memories of the catamaran Gemini. Between 2002 and 2005 I chartered her five times. Back then she was owned by Mike Murray, who ran the boat out of Crinan. These days she's under different ownership and does day trips from Tobermory. The first time I charted Gemini, Mike dropped me off on the south shore of Scarba near the Corryvreakan Whirlpool. I spent the day wondering across Scarba and climbing to the top of the island. The day was capped by an exciting ride through the whirlpool before returning to Crinan (see book 1, chapter 6).

The other trips I took on Gemini were to Eilean Mor (of St Carmaig); the four Garvelach Islands of Dun Connel, Garbh Eileach, Eileach an Naoimh and Cul-i-Brennain; Belnahua and Fladda of the Slate Isles; and a camping trip to the north end of Jura. Below are a few photos of the trip to Scarba. Over the coming days I will share photos from the other trips.

Mini whirlpool off the stern of Gemini

In the centre of the Whirlpool

Gemini coming in to take me off Scarba

My wife happy so see me safely back to Crinan

Automatic cattle feeder on Scarba - Kilmory Lodge in the distance

Happy Hour on top of Scarba

Lighthouse Cruise 8 - Tobermory

From Canna we motored into the Sound of Mull past Rudha nan Gall lighthouse, and then tied up to the pontoon dock in Tobermory harbour. The weather was still wet, the sky grey and gloomy.

Also berthed at the dock was the catamaran Gemini. I'd been to many an island on her back when Mike Murray was the owner (see book 1, chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10). These days she's in different hands.

Tob was full of tourists, so I escaped them by climbing up to the Western Isles Hotel where I enjoyed a solitary pint on their deserted patio overlooking the harbour.

Our cruise was, sadly, almost over. We spent the night in a calm anchorage off Ardtornish Point, and then motored into a busy Oban Harbour the following morning. By the way, you can read John Humphries' account of our trip at this link.

I will be sailing again with Northern Light next year, that's an easy decision. The hard part is to decide which of their many cruises to take.  This link will take you to their Halmar Bjorge cruises, and this one will show you their Zuza sailing cruises. If you want to experience the islands, I can suggest no better way than taking a cruise with Northern Lights.