25th August – the Garvellachs

Ever since Léonie paddled to the Garvellachs and camped there, we’ve been wanting to visit these remote islands – and yesterday we finally got the chance.

The Garvellachs (in Gaelic, Garbh Eileaicha or ‘rough islands’) lie in the Firth of Lorn, just north of Jura and to the south of Mull. Wild, rocky and uninhabited, in the 6th Century they attracted the attention of St Brendan who was a Christian missionary from Ireland and a contemporary of St Columba.

The most southerly island, Eileach an Naoimh (‘isle of the saints’) still has some wonderful early remains in the form of a stone-built chapel, a medieval church, a monastery and two circular ‘beehive cells’ or dwellings, believed to date from the 7th Century.

Unless you’re a competent kayaker (which, sadly, we’re not!) you have to go by boat charter to the Garvellachs. We went with Seafari Adventures who operate out of Easdale on Seil Island; at 2 pm yesterday we were speeding across some quite bumpy waves on a 12-seater RIB, under some sudden and very welcome sunshine. Léonie came with us for the day – she’s been kayaking to the Garvellachs four times already, and she loves the place.

After a quick scramble up some black basalt rocks with interesting granite-filled cavities, we made our way through grass, bracken and an abundance of wild flowers to the beehive cells.

These cells have probably been largely re-built since their first construction, but it’s still possible to get an impression of what it might have been like to live there. Circular, with a domed roof made entirely of stone, they must have made their occupants feel a bit confined – although I suspect that the early monks wouldn’t have had much to say about modern-day phobias. The cells are now roofless, giving an opportunity for creative photos with a wide-angle lens, if you have one with you. Unfortunately, I didn’t – but I tried my best!

Just up the hill were the stone walls of an early chapel, again possibly re-built, but with origins in the 10th or 11th Century. They were almost smothered in light green lichen intertwined with wild flowers. A few yards away, some steps led down to a shallow dip in the ground, at the side of which was the entrance (only a foot or so high) to an underground food store. We peered into the dark, stone-lined interior which was dripping with water and covered with ferns and moss; we could make out a small shelf and a lintel above.

Next were the low remaining walls of some dwelling-houses, again covered in lichen and harebells; the ruins of a monastery and a Medieval church; and the rectangular base of an early cross. On the hillside, with magnificent views towards Jura and Scarba, is a simple, cross-engraved stone slab marking a grave that is presumed to be that of Eithne, St Columba’s mother. Words can’t even begin to describe such a place.

Before it was time to return to the boat, Colin made it more than half-way up the highest hill in a quest for wild flowers, some of which are still giving him a challenge to identify. Léonie and I admired the views and I tried to make the most of just being there, because our stay was limited to a little over an hour. Léonie says that waking up there, having camped on the mown grass just by the chapel, is a totally different experience, and I believe her. Especially if you’ve been kept awake half the night by pesky corncrakes, apparently!

Few people are lucky enough to visit the Garvellachs at all, let alone on a lovely, sunny day; but such is their beauty that, in an ideal world, you really do need lots of time to experience the peacefulness. If we go there again, I hope we might be able to stay overnight, or at least spend a whole day. But, for now, here are some images which I really hope will give you an idea of the atmosphere of the place.

On the way home, we stopped to photograph some spectacular rainbows around Crianlarich; the eastern and central parts must have had a deluge of rain. For once, we weren’t there to see it!

P.S. We’ve got so many photos that I could create an article just about the wild flowers of the Garvellachs, so that’s what I’ll do… I’ll save these and publish them in The Hazel Tree over the next few days. Keep an eye open for them, because they’re amazing!