Inchtavannach Campsite 2

A few years ago I spent a night atop the Hill of the Bell on Inchtavannach. It was here that St Kessog rang his bell, and carved into the rock of the summit is graffiti dating back two hundred years. 

Sadly the islands in Loch Lomond are often overrun by thoughtless visitors, including many who let their dogs run loose to harass sheep and kill wallabies. But fortunately on the night of my stay I had the summit all to myself. If you zoom in on the photo you might spot a wee bottle of Lagavulin. I was flying home the next day, and since they won't let you take an open bottle through security I had to drink it all up. I slept like a baby.

The Hill of the Bell

This is the view looking south from the top of Tom na Clag, the hill of the Bell, on the island of Inchtavannach. It was up here that St Kessog rang his bell to call the faithful to service. Sadly the bell went missing a few centuries ago. I try to climb the hill once a year, but that's always been in the spring or summer. How I wish I could have been here on December 31, 2009, when a bell was brought up here to ring in the new year.