The Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge - Season 3, Episode 3

The Continuing Adventures of Hjalmar Bjorge

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Scarba

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

Sunday, June 3 - Island #3 - Scarba

By the time we left Belnahua the sea-fog had started to clear, and as we passed Fladda it was good to see the sun glinting off the lighthouse.

And so it was under sunny skies that we sailed five miles south to anchor off Scarba, pausing along the way as several porpoise paid us a visit. They were a beautiful sight, but what was following them was not so beautiful. It was a small boat stalking the porpoise; its crew, equipped with a camera on a long stick, trying to get underwater footage of the porpoise.

Porpoise Stalkers

Although we’d already set foot on two islands, there was time for another. From our anchorage off the northeast corner of Scarba a short trip in the inflatable took us to Kilmory jetty, which lies just below Kilmory Lodge. The tide was too low to use the jetty, so we had to scrabble ashore on some nearby rocks.

Kilmory Lodge - jetty in foreground

The mercury was on the rise as I led the group past the lodge, and then on up the rough pony track that climbs the shoulder of Cruach Scarba. Our destination: a viewpoint over Jura and Corryvreakan.

Passing Loch Airigh a' Chruidh

Although the distance was only about two miles, it seemed much longer; both on account of the elevation gain (1000 feet), and the temperature. It had been 16 years since I’d made the walk in this direction, and I’d forgotten how many false summits would be encountered. After two hours in the sweltering heat we reached Carn a' Chibir, a pyramid of stones that marks the high point of the path. Here we took a seat to enjoy some fantastic views across the Gulf of Corryvreakan.

Carn a' Chibir and a view to Jura

We were so fortunate with the weather. Below is a photo of Carn a' Chibir I took last time I was there: visibility was about ten feet. (See the June 3, 2016 post for a description of that walk.)

After soaking in the view for a while we started back down the track. There were completely different views on they way down, including this one north to the island of Lunga.

Around 6 pm we were back aboard Hjalmar Bjorge. After a very full day (three islands, no less), we relaxed over a wonderful meal of roast pork.

The next morning the generator wake-up call happened, as always, at 7am. After the previous day's three-island walkabout, sore legs made it harder than usual to get out of the bunk. But the coffee called, and after a few cups, and a full breakfast, the anchor was raised and we set a course south to Keills on the mainland. At Keills we would visit Cill mo-Charmaig, the chapel of St Charmaig, and then attempt to land on his hermitage island, Eilean Mor Mhic O' Charmaig.

Amidst Swirling Waters

I will be offline for a while visiting the isles of the Inner Hebrides. Two sights I hope to witness again down Scarba way are the swirling waters of Bealach a' Choin Ghlais (the Strait of the Grey Dog), and the Corryvreakan whirlpool. I should have some interesting stories and photos to share in a few weeks.

Bealach a' Choin Ghlais

Gulls and gannets fishing in Corryvreakan

Scarba Revisited

I am just back from a few weeks of motoring around the Hebrides aboard the ships Elizabeth G and Hjalmar Bjorge. We visited some 20 islands, and one of the many highlights was returning to Scarba. I'd only visited Scarba once before; way back in 2002 (see book 1, chapter 6), when I visited Kilmory Chapel and then climbed to the top of the island. Prior to that visit I had read of some reported sightings of beehive cells on Scarba, a possible monastic settlement near the chapel. Now beehive cells have always fascinated me, and so I searched for them around the Kilmory area in 2002, but I did not find any signs of them.

It was only after that visit that I came across Patrick Gillies' Netherlorn, Argyllshire and its Neighbourhood (1909). In the chapter on Scarba (which you can find at this link) I came across this mention of the Scarba beehives, including the author's conjecture that they may have been Columba's Muirbulcmar, also known as Hinba:

Six beehive cells, of a nature similar to those found in Eilach a' Naoimh, but in a more ruinous condition, are clustered together on a sheltered depression leading down from the terrace to the bay called Iurach, the only landing place on this side (west side) of the island. It may be that these cells formed the hermitage of Muirbulcmar; no such name has been preserved to us in the place-names of the district; but the probable derivation of the words (Muir, the sea; bolg, surging or soft; mor, great: the great surging sea) would indicate proximity to such a wild ocean as may be seen so frequently from this spot, caused by the rush of the tidal waters of Coirebhreacain.

One of the mysteries of the Hebrides is the location of Hinba. The usual contenders are Colonsay, Oronsay, Jura, Canna, Seil, and Eileach a' Naoimh of the Garvellachs. Reading Gillies' book was the first time I'd heard that Scarba might also be a possible site of Hinba. And so a visit to Lurach Bay to search for its beehive cells became a must do. But I hadn't the slightest idea of when I'd ever get the chance to land on that remote part of Scarba.

But good things come to those who wait, and so it was on May 17, that three passengers of the good ship Elizabeth G, Christina, Chris, and myself, were dropped off on the shore of Lurach Bay. The ship then motored away to go around the north of Scarba. The plan was that after searching for the beehive cells, the three of us would hike across the island to meet up with the boat at Kilmory.

Under a bright, but unsettled sky, the three of us started looking around the foreshore. Based on other mentions in Patrick Gilles' book, I knew that the beehives lay on a terrace about 25 feet above the sea. And sure enough, snuggled between a natural rock wall, some six feet high, and a cliff face with a large cave, we found a cluster of small beehive cells. They had collapsed, but were still recognizable under clumps of dead bracken. There were about six of them, and they were very small, shelter for one person at most.

It was amazing to find theses cells. Seeing them hiding in this secluded bay, just 30 miles from Iona, made me wonder if Lurach Bay may have been the legendary Hinba. As we climbed up from the terrace of the cells the weather made a turn for the worse - fog and rain were moving in. And as we climbed we came to another, and larger terrace. This one was covered with the mysterious ruins of several large structures, all buried under turf and dead bracken, structures that could have been another part of the monastery. We continued climbing and, after taking one last foggy look down onto Lurach Bay, headed up into the mist.

From there it was a hard march upwards in the fog and rain, losing our way a couple of times. But Chris' excellent navigational skills kept us on track to find the start of the stalker's path at Carn a Chibir.

Christina at Carn a Chibir

From the cairn we followed the path all the way across the island to Kilmory Lodge. Where a descent through the trees, and then a march across a nasty bit of swamp took us to Kilmory Chapel, and then on to the pier at Kilmory.

Kilmory Chapel

It had been a long, wet, and memorable hike. I never thought I'd have the chance to visit Lurach Bay and search for its beehive cells. And I have to thank the skipper, Rob Barlow, for the opportunity to be dropped there. Also many thanks to Christina and Chris for enthusiastically accompanying me on my beehive quest. One of the sites on Scarba we decided to skip was the mysterious 3-holes of Scarba (see the January 16, 2016 post). We came close to them, but it was raining, and the holes were down a steep, soggy hillside from where we were. So I'll need to return to Scarba someday to take a look at them.

Over the next few weeks I'll be describing visits to the other islands visited while aboard the ships Elizabeth G and Hjalmar Bjorge: Oransay, Eileach a Naoimh, Garbh Eileach, Dun Connel, Jura, Belnahua, Eilean Righ, Nave Island, Pabbay (Barra), Vatersay, Ceann Iar & Shivinish (Monachs), Scarp, Pabbay (Harris), Boreray, Shaints, Canna, Rum, Eigg, and Muck.  

Scenes from Scarba

I really want to return to Scarba. There are two mysterious places that intrigue. One of them, the three-holes of Gleann na h-Airigh (shieling glen, NG 7087 0432), can be see in this GoogleEarth image.

The three holes

There's been some speculation as to what the three holes are (or were). And if you are interested, you can find a very long thread on the subject (with many tangents) on Andrew Gough's Arcadia Zone. The CANMORE page on the site says that they may be retting ponds, where flax straw was soaked to allow the fibers to be separated. Whatever they were, it would be interesting to see them up close. Unfortunately I was not aware of the holes when I visited Scarba, and I missed seeing them by about a quarter mile. 

The second place I'd like to see is Lurach Bay, due west of Cruach Scarba (NM 680 045). Lurach may mean lovely, and the bay is one of the few, if not the only, safe place to land on the west side of Scarba. It is here that Patrick Gillies, in his Netherlorn and it's Neighborhood (1909), says there are a cluster of six beehive cells, possibly a small monastery. Gillies suggests the site may be another contender for the location of Hinba (along with Colonsay, Jura, and the Garvellachs). See this CANMORE page for more on the beehive cells of Lurach Bay.

A visit to Scarba is described in chapter 6 of book 1. Below are a few photos that did not make it into the book, including a shot of the submarine hide atop Cruach Scarba.

Wartime submarine hide atop Cruach Scarba - I wonder if they ever spotted any subs

Tombstones at Kilmory Chapel

Scarba bothy at the foot of Glen Mhaoil

Landing craft at Scarba's only jetty - Bagh a Bhan-Rubha

Looking across the Gulf of Corryvreckan to Jura

Automatic cattle feeder - Kilmory Lodge in the distance

Kilmory Cave

The view through a misty sky from the summit of Scarba

Scarba Bothy

Here are two photos of the bothy on Scarba. The first was taken in 2002, when I was set ashore to spend the day (see book 1, chapter 6). I took the second photo four years later from one of the Seafari boats that operate out of Easdale. Someday I hope to spend a couple of nights on Scarba. See this account of a group that did just that a few years ago.

Scarba bothy - 2002

Scarba bothy - 2006

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

Corryvreakan Whirlpool

I have been through Corry a few times now. The whirlpool was very active the first time, but was disappointingly quiet on all the other crossings. This photo, from that first time in 2003, shows one of the many mini-whirlpools that make up the maelstrom. There is no better expert on the whirlpool than Mike Murray, who skippered the boat I took this photo from. You can find out more about Mike and the whirlpool here.

Jura Journey - Day 7

We'll end this week-long visit to Jura with another long walk from the end of the road. On this one we'll go around the north tip of the island to see Breakan's Cave and Corryvreakan. 

Corryvreckan - 7 long miles

Along the way you'll pass Knockinsaul (Barnhill) where George Orwell stayed.

Barnhill

From there a steady traverse of the north end leads to a view of Scarba and Corryvreakan. When I did this walk the tides were not good to see the whirlpool at its best. But I would return two more times over the next decade to see it in action (book 1, chapters 6 & 7).

A quiet Corryvreakan

Continuing around the coast will take you to Bagh Gleann nam Muc (Pig Glen Bay) and Breakan's Cave. At one time there was a tomb in the fortified cave, but the only sign of it now is a large stone slab. Also inside is about 20 tons of Goat droppings.

Breakan's Cave

Below is a view of Bagh Gleann nam Muc from above the cave. I would return in a few years to camp on the beach here (book 1, chapter 7).

Bagh Gleann nam Muc

After a climb up Gleann Beag you are rewarded with this view before starting the long walk back to the car. By the way - always check on deer-stalking activity before you wander through this area.

Looking down on Bagh Gleann nam Muc

This ends our week-long sojourn through Jura. I had to leave a lot out. We didn't climb any of the Paps, and that's because I have yet to ascend them. Neither have I seen the great raised beaches on the north shore. So I need to go back to Jura to do that. The following photo of a raised beach was supplied by Christina Macaulay, who visited the area during a cruise aboard Elizabeth G.

Raised Beach

Jura Paradise

Jumping three miles north of Glengarrisdale we come to this view across a calm Corryvreakan to Scarba. As you can see, the bracken was lush and head-high. I stomped a bunch down to make a spot to pitch my tent on a ledge above the sea. Then a day was spent watching the tide spin round the whirlpool.