[Note: Smoky just told me that he shot more photos on this day than any other on our trip. Total photos: over 900! I'm having trouble narrowing them down for the blog!]We had the alarm set early today so we would be sure to get to the ferry terminal in time for the first leg of our three island tour. Fortunately, our B&B was just a short walk from George Street, the main street in Oban, and the ferry terminal was just a couple of blocks from there.
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| Outdoor seating on ferry to Craignure. |
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| Boarding the ferry. |
The Caledonian Macbrayne (or just CalMac for short) ferries do a hopping business in the inner and outer Hebrides. The ferry we were on made the trip from Oban to Craignure on the isle of Mull in about 35 minutes. The ride was smooth, and you had your choice of seats -- topside with view, one of several floors inside, or in the bar or restaurant.
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| Lighthouse on Eilean Musdile, a rocky islet in the Inner Hebrides. |
As the ferry took us to Mull, Smoky got some interesting photos of the lighthouse on Eilean Musdile, a small islet in the entrance to Loch Linnhe southwest of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides. This striking lighthouse was built in 1833.
We also passed Duart Castle (known as Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic) as we were approaching our port on the Isle of Mull. This 13th century castle is the seat of Clan MacLean. As with other Scottish castles, this one has a long history of changing hands. It is currently under restoration.
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| Castle Duart, as seen from the CalMac ferry from Oban to the Isle of Mull. |
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Seals (above) and cormorants were basking in the sun on a rock just off
the isles of Mull and Iona.
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On arriving on the Isle of Mull, we climbed aboard a large tour bus for the 1.25-h drive across the island. We got a good lesson in how to drive on one lane roads with pullouts from watching our bus driver! Once in Fionnphort on the southwest point of the Isle of Mull, we were met by Staffa Tours, who carried our small group in their tour boat out to Staffa Island.
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| Approaching Staffa Island. |
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| Fingal's Cave is visible as we approach Staffa. |
We could see our destination as we approached. Staffa Island is small, about 0.6 miles long and 0.3 miles wide (~82 acres), and entirely of volcanic origin. The middle layer of basalt cooled slowly, resulting in mostly hexagonal columns which form the faces and walls of several caves on the island. The most famous one, known as Fingal's Cave, was our destination today.
The waves around Fingal's Cave were too high for the boat to enter the cave and it was quite windy, but our captain parked on the leeward side of the island so we could get out and explore. This meant we had to walk along the side of the island to get to the cave opening.
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| Tour boat parked on leeward side of Staffa. |
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| Walkway from dock area along side of island. |
By the time we got to the cave entrance, some of the people were already coming out. I heard some lovely sounds over the wind and wondered if this was similar to what Felix Mendelssohn heard in 1832 when he wrote
his Die Hebriden (Hebrides Overture opus 26).
As it turned out, I heard Bob and Melinda playing music they wrote and played on their violin and guitar. On talking with them, Smoky found out they were from Bozeman, Montana, and were touring Scotland by bike! I love this photo of them sitting on the side of the island playing their lovely music.
But I digress. Back at the entrance of the cave, we can now see into the opening. This cave is amazing! The waves are crashing into the entrance, rumbling their way to the back wall, and sliding out again. Everything inside glistens, and the sounds are incredible.
We hold tightly to the handrail and walk gingerly into the cave as far as we can go. Turning around and looking out to sea, we notice someone just entering the opening of the cave. This was the view that gave us a better idea of just how large the cave was.
The ceiling looked other-worldly. Check out this photo Smoky made and see if you don't agree.
We made our way back around the side of the island to the launch where our boat was picking us up. Smoky spent the few extra minutes before we left taking photos of the columns of basalt that made up this intriguing island.
Heading to Iona
We board the boat and head away from this remarkable island and toward Iona, ready for the next phase of our day-long adventure.
Iona is a small island, about 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. Our boat docked near Iona's only village, Baile Mor, just a short walking distance from the Iona Nunnery and Iona Abbey, so we headed in that direction. The nunnery, now in ruins, was established sometime after the nearby Benedictine monastery in 1203. The gardens around the nunnery were stunning, showing the love and reverence for this historic place.
Once we walked around the nunnery, experiencing its remarkable energy, I parted ways with Smoky. The exertions of the day, indeed the whole trip, were catching up with me, and I opted to visit a local cafe for some soup and bread rather than walk further to the Abbey. At the time, that seemed the only decision I could make. Looking back on it and hearing Smoky's recounting of seeing the Abbey, I wished I had chosen otherwise. Hopefully, I can share some of his experiences with you.
The Isle of Iona is also known as St. Columba Island. Even though traces of early human occupation have been found on Iona, the island is best known for Saint Columba, who settled on the island in the 560s after he sought refuge there from Ireland. Columba, of royal lineage, studied in monastic schools and traveled over Ireland preaching and founding churches and monasteries.
By some historical accounts, he came to Iona after a disagreement with Ireland's ruler over ownership of a copy of a psalter Columba had made illicitly. He raised an army, fought the Battle of Cuil Dremhne, in which his warrior family prevailed, but the loss of life was significant. Columba, remorseful over the deaths caused by his act of defiance, fled into exile with his followers. It is said that Iona was the first place they found where he could not see the shores of his native Ireland.
Columba and his followers built the first church on Iona, and the charismatic Columba began to convert the Scots to Christianity. Nothing remains of that earliest church, but the site has since that time been an important location in the Christian religion.
Smoky spent time in the Abbey and its beautiful courtyard, around which is an enclosed walkway. He commented to me that the whole area had a strong, peaceful energy.
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| Bob and Melinda play their own composition inspired by Staffa and Fingal's Cave. |
As it turned out, I heard Bob and Melinda playing music they wrote and played on their violin and guitar. On talking with them, Smoky found out they were from Bozeman, Montana, and were touring Scotland by bike! I love this photo of them sitting on the side of the island playing their lovely music.
But I digress. Back at the entrance of the cave, we can now see into the opening. This cave is amazing! The waves are crashing into the entrance, rumbling their way to the back wall, and sliding out again. Everything inside glistens, and the sounds are incredible.
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| Fingal's Cave. Amazing! |
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| View from inside Fingal's Cave. |
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| Ceiling of Fingal's Cave. |
We made our way back around the side of the island to the launch where our boat was picking us up. Smoky spent the few extra minutes before we left taking photos of the columns of basalt that made up this intriguing island.
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| Cormorants love this island, too! |
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| Mother Nature paints with lichens. |
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| Close-up showing columns of basalt. |
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| Grass grows on part of Staffa's basalt. |
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| Leaving Staffa. |
We board the boat and head away from this remarkable island and toward Iona, ready for the next phase of our day-long adventure.
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| Iona nunnery, a beautiful ruin with great energy. |
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Iona Abbey, one of the oldest and most
important religious centers in Western Europe.
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By some historical accounts, he came to Iona after a disagreement with Ireland's ruler over ownership of a copy of a psalter Columba had made illicitly. He raised an army, fought the Battle of Cuil Dremhne, in which his warrior family prevailed, but the loss of life was significant. Columba, remorseful over the deaths caused by his act of defiance, fled into exile with his followers. It is said that Iona was the first place they found where he could not see the shores of his native Ireland.
Columba and his followers built the first church on Iona, and the charismatic Columba began to convert the Scots to Christianity. Nothing remains of that earliest church, but the site has since that time been an important location in the Christian religion.
Smoky spent time in the Abbey and its beautiful courtyard, around which is an enclosed walkway. He commented to me that the whole area had a strong, peaceful energy.
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| Enclosed walkway in Iona Abbey. |
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| Close-up of abbey stonework with flower. |
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| Beautiful Celtic cross. |
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| Small room off one side of the Abbey, said to be a most sacred place. |
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| Iona Abbey, front view. |
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| Close-up of front door of abbey. |
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| Window detail in the Abbey. |
Late afternoon we reboarded the ferry that took us back to Oban. Along the way, the sun set, leaving behind a colorful sky as we neared the harbor. Oban looks lovely at night, doesn't it?
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| Sunset viewed from ferry on the way back to Oban. |
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| Oban at night. |
--Shann
What a day!
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