Postcard 73: All at Sea ...

Puffins again!

A year ago I much enjoyed reading Sea Room, a book about the Shiant Islands by Adam Nicolson, who inherited the small archipelago from his father. Those who follow my blog posts will not be surprised to learn that the Puffins were among the star members of the cast for me - all 240 000 of them. It came as something of a shock, though, to read that some of these Amber Conservation Status birds ended up - and not so long ago - as food for humans.



Last month, we spent a happy afternoon at the Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir on Skye [above]. This fabulous museum is situated between Flora MacDonald's grave and the cool waters of the Minch.*




The visibility was quite good on the day of our visit: we watched a Golden Eagle hovering above us in the distance, and noticed some very strange landforms out at sea.



We looked at our map and discovered that these islands, a mere 12 miles from our shore, were indeed the Shiant Islands.

Above: the stone in the foreground is on Skye.
The Shiants are in the middle distance.
Harris lies beyond.

Above: close-up of the Shiant Island rock structure,
with steep column-like cliffs.

The islands consist of columns of Dolerite, and geologically are more akin to Staffa [of Fingal's Cave] than to the plethora of rock types found on Skye. They are home to huge colonies of Black Rats.

It may only be early August, but already the trees are turning here in South Wales, and there are signs of autumn. I have just read the update on the Skomer Island blog, informing us that following the fledging of this year's Pufflings, members of the Puffin colony have already left their island off the coast of Pembrokeshire for their winter voyage. You can read about them here. I find it incredible to think of these birds travelling so far north ... and then south again!


* On a previous visit we witnessed a scene of the purest light we have ever seen. It may not have been the aurora borealis, but it was the next best thing.

• Great photos of the Shiant Islands scenery
• Bird art from Romania - a lovely blog [and the illustration made me smile!]
• Rats at natural World Heritage sites
  

Postcard 58: Calum's Road on Raasay

I wonder if you are still trying to find that last minute gift or to secure a little holiday reading for yourself.

We are devastated that our Borders store is closing down, but back in the summer I stumbled across a book by Adam Nicolson called 'Sea Room'*, all about the Shiant Islands, with their wild and rugged beauty, their puffins and their rats. I loved some of Nicolson's descriptions, but did not feel on balance that the puffins had as good a press as I would have liked (but then I may be biased, as those of you who have read my puffin posts will have realised!).

However, this book prompted me to seek out other books about the wild corners of Scotland's highlands and islands. If you like out-of-the-way places where the sea meets the mountains, you might enjoy the following books, too.

• Calum's Road by Roger Hutchinson (Birlinn Ltd), RAASAY (near Skye)
  
• I Remember: Memories of Raasay by John Nicolson (Birlinn Ltd), RAASAY (near Skye). I am just coming to the end of this fascinating memoir.
  
• For the Islands I sing by George Mackay Brown (Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited (30 Jun 2008). I knew virtually nothing about George Mackay Brown until 'A Poet's Guide to Britain', the television programme presented by Owen Sheers earlier this year. I have not been to the Orkney Islands, but maybe one day I will venture out in that direction... THE ORKNEYS
  
• Sea Room by Adam Nicolson (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd) THE SHIANT ISLANDS

I thought you might like to join us on our tour in the footsteps of Calum of the road...

We left Sconser and the Cuillin mountains on Skye in misty sunshine, and thoroughly enjoyed the short CalMac ferry ride to Raasay...

... where - wonder of wonders - we were greeted by White-tailed (Sea) Eagles.

We drove along the road, passing this glorious inland loch...


... until we reached the eastern shore, and the landmark of Brochel Castle. David ran down to explore while I got out my watercolours and did a quick sketch.


We had not realised that we were so close to the start of Calum's Road, which is marked by the sign above and the cairn below.


The inscription on the cairn explains that the footpath to Arnish, a distance of one and three-quarter miles, was 'widened to a single track road with passing places and prepared for surfacing by Malcolm Macleod B.E.M. (1911-1988)', (aka Calum), who carried out the road-building work over a period of ten years. It was an extraordinary feat.


I love pigs - and I love unusual 'wildlife' road signs. This really made me smile! We didn't see any pigs, though, except...

... this one on another Raasay road sign. (Click the picture for a close view of the spots!).


We got out at the point where the road became impassable to motor vehicles, and found this spade propped up against the rock face. We just wondered if it might have belonged to Calum...

Do let me know if you have any favourite books about wildlife or off-the beaten track destinations.

I would also love to know what unusual animal road signs you have encountered on your travels.

* The expression 'Sea Room' is a nautical term.

Postcard 3: Mwnt and the Bardsey Island Trail

The little church of the Holy Cross at Mwnt, near Cardigan Island

We love coming to Mwnt for a picnic, and it was good to see the little church featuring on S4C's 'Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol' programme last night. We joined the Friends of Mwnt Church some months ago, and enjoy receiving a calendar of events. The 12th century font is older than the current church.

Mwnt has a splendid coastal position, and we have often seen a seal or two. We watched a couple of bottlenose dolphins on one occasion. Cardigan Island, home to a number of seals, is nearby: the Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park is well worth a visit.

I have selected Mwnt, not so much on its own literary merit, but on account of the fact that it marks a convenient resting point on the ancient pilgrimage route (a) between St Davids and Bardsey Island - aka Enlli - and (b) between St Davids and the beautiful abbey of Strata Florida. Poets R.S. Thomas, Gillian Clarke, Fflur Dafydd and Christine Evans have all had close links with the island.

• 'Pilgrimage Wales' and Mwnt Church, The Western Mail, 29 Nov 2008
• BBC panoramic view of Mwnt Church and Foel y Mwnt
• Mwnt Church in Wales's Best Hundred Churches, T.J. Hughes (Seren)
• Directions to Mwnt from activitywales.com
  
• Read about Island of Dark Horses by Christine Evans
• The Poetry Society: Gillian Clarke at Bardsey Island
• Enlli and the Arts
• Visit Bardsey: Enlli Charters