drewbhoy

I started my evening’s walk by parking at the small car park next to Colonsay’s golf course. The four legged greenkeepers were still hard at work preparing the course for the weekend’s Colonsay Open. They also, like me, had something else to contend with – this part of Colonsay had not missed the previous nights storms.

To start with underfoot conditions were fine, head south west, past the airstrip and onto a track, best described as a very long mud bath. Keep going until the beach is almost reached then head south east along a ridge with small valleys, some of which had turned into small lochans.

The stone appears to be having a rest and is propped up up by some possible chokes and rocks. Originally it must have stood at well over 2m. Canmore suggests that perhaps was a small stone circle at some point, I didn’t see any other stones. What I did see through a gap in the ridge were the Paps Of Jura and a small climb to the top ridge gives views of the Oronsay and the south of Colonsay.

After a look round for the possible stones that made up the circle it was my intention to head further south but the weather had other ideas.

This time I headed north east to return to the track. Somehow avoiding falling into bogs to return to the track, airfield and eventually the car park along.

Difficult to get to and find but worth it if just to see through the gap in the ridge to Jura.

Visited 13/08/2024.

After taking in the wonderful views at Garvard we headed back, east, past Garvard farmhouse to the car park. From here I walked north on the B8085 until the first track that heads east. I followed this track to just before the first serious corner to approach the fort from the north east. The terrain here is also flatter and luckily fairly dry as the area had just missed the previous nights storms.

By taking this route the fort can be entered by the front door on the east, facing stones are still in place. Whoever built the fort must have strong, building stones that remain in place are huge. Most of the defences are on the east with the walls being almost 6m wide. Steep cliffs protect the other sides, their walls being only 2.5m wide. Beneath the south there is a tremendous amount of fallen building material. Even these walls must have been massive. They would have surrounded an area of about 54m east to west, and 25m north to south.

Views are fantastic, Jura, Islay, Oronsay can all be seen as well as views to the mainland. To the north Loch Cholla and my old / new friend Dun Eibhinn which dominates the centre of the island.

Fantastic site.

Visited 13/08/2024.

Oronsay was going to be a target but the tide clearly had other ideas, luckily we had other ideas as well. There is a small car park at the end of the road and to the west another intended target. Garvard standing stone, on top of Cnoc Eibriginn, invited us to take the flat walk along the track, past Garvard farm to the small hill.

The approach from the east is the easiest climb to the summit and it’s well worth it as Oronsay, Jura and Islay all come into view, what a marker for prehistoric and later boats to safely come ashore.

People have ups and downs, so do standing stones – after 1878 it had fallen and was re-erected in 1935, it fell again only to be put back up in 1960 by the farmer at Garvard. The 1.75m tall stone seems quite happy to remain in place for many years yet.

Luckily the storm the previous night, only a couple of miles north, had missed the south of Colonsay as the ground was bone dry.

Visited 13/08/2024.

Dunan Nan Con (Glen of the dogs) is located near to the B8085, the road that leads to the south of Colonsay. My dog was also delighted to be on what he thought was home territory.

There is an old quarry just to the south of dun so plenty room to park. A short hike to the west leads to the 5m high rock mound on which the dun sits.

Not much remains of this badly ruined site except the traces of wall and the entrance on the north east. Ferns now occupy the interior. Still the view is good, to the east Dun Cholla and Loch Cholla, further south the island of Oronsay.

Nice way to start the day.

Visited 13/08/2024.

From Tobar Fuar Dun Gallain is easily spotted to the south west, from where we were staying in Killchattan, we could see the dun and just to make sure we realised what it looked like there was also a painting of the site on the kitchen wall. All of this proved that Dun Gallain is in a fantastic location with superb all round views.

The wind was picking up up as I walked across the golf course, underfoot conditions would change as walked on to a rougher surface but they remained dry. It was quite a hike as the wind grew stronger and as I reached the top, approaching from the south east, I did well to remain on my feet.

The dun measures 30 by 20m, with best walls on the south and east. Climbing beneath these walls is quite risky but gives a good indication of the surviving stonework. No such work needed for the north and west as sheer cliffs do the needful. On top of the west cliff sits a walker’s cairn probably made from stones taken from the dun’s walls.

Weather plays a big part in Hebridean life and it would play a huge part later on. Far out at sea I could see flashes of lightning which told me it was time to get a move on back to safety of the car.

A superb site.

Visited 12/08/2024.

Tobar Fuar, cold well, is a site that can be added to the ‘used as part of a golf course’ list.

Parking is easy as the golf course’s car park is next to the B8086 on the west of the island. The dun is a short walk to the west and easily spotted. Not much is left to see except for some stonework marking the outer edges of the site. A bigger than usual gap between outer stones, seen in one of the photographs, probably reveals the entrance in the north-east.

With the Colonsay Open happening at the end of the week, this would prove to be a busy place. I can vouch for the greenkeepers, the sheep were still hard at work as I marched to the next site, the Atlantic providing a cooling breeze for the evening’s hike.

Visited 12/08/2024

It was good to get back to daylight, A and B, and head east to find the track that heads north to Balnahard. A reasonably steep climb leads to the cairn at Beinn Bheag which has tremendous views looking south.

It remains at 10m wide and is 1m high, large boulder kerbs remain in place, massive stones on the east and west. In the centre, there might be the remains of a cist, field clearence has also been dumped on to the cairn adding to the confusion.

At this point the camera decided to work again, maybe it had been affected by the damp of the caves.

This track heading south leads straight back to where the car was parked, this place would get a couple of more visits.

Visited 12/08/2024.

Head almost to the north of Colonsay on the B8086, then head slightly north west on the minor road, then take the farm track where there is plenty of parking at Kiloran Bay. Spencer would know these roads very well.

Follow the beach north, jump a wee burn, then jump a fence near what could only be the bones of whale and then look north west. The entrance to the cave is in front. Getting there is tricky as it means clambering over rocks and small rock pools.

Once inside, sound seemed to vanish but I kept going until I found the junction of two other chambers, there is a fourth, but at that point the camera decided to stop working, a pity, but I’ll return. Luckily I had my phone as by this point it was completely dark and the idea of getting lost in caves didn’t have much appeal.

Worth another look.

Visited 12/08/2024.

Dun Eibhinn has superb views and from its north east entrance you can see Buaile Riabhach, slightly to the north of a white coloured building. The descent isn’t very steep, some high ferns and a couple of fences to jump.

Like many others who have seen or written about Buaile Reibhach, its a confusing site. Definitely two standing stones (one standing perfectly, the other looking like it has visited the nearby hotel), possibly a kerb cairn, or perhaps a chamber cairn. Whatever it is, its well placed next to the well used track, leading to Loch Turraman, that has probably been used for centuries.

I looked for and found two nearby cairns, however, they were completely covered in high ferns so another visit required.

With that it was back to the track and the B8085 to walk back to the car at Scalasaig (village). The first major walk on the island completed.

Visited 11/08/2024.

After battering my way through all types of gorse and jabby stuff I headed north west to climb the reasonably steep slopes to Dun Eibhinn, one of quite a few impressive defensive sites on Colonsay.

Two walls surround the fort, which can be seen from many places on the island, some parts in decent condition some badly ruined, especially on the outer wall which has seen its stones used for nearby dry stane dykes.

The building of the outer wall on the north is somewhat curious as the the drop is almost straight down. However, it protected the 20 by 18m site well. Entrance to the fort is on the North East, at this point you can see how wide the walls must have been – 4m in some places. Also an idea of height as the entrance’s walls made use of a small gully.

Traces of Iron Age dwellings inside the fort are barely visible, the remains of probably Medieval dwellings can be clearly seen.

A great place to look south, east and west, to the east is Buaile Riabhach which would be my next stop.

Visited 11/08/2024.

From the standing stone south of the B8085 I headed back, north, towards the church, crossed the road and walked past the hotel on the track heading towards the aptly named Turraman Loch. Long before the well named loch head west, following a fence, at Scalasaig Farm. A short walk of no more than 100m awaits.

Thanks to the gorse I spied the stone when I was directly below the site. (You can see the top of the stone from the B8085.) Luckily you can get to the stone via some clearings.

It is an impressive stone standing at 2m high and 2m wide. The smaller stone in the Canmore photos is still there.

Towering over me to the north west is Dun Eibhinn, a decent climb ahead.

Visited 11/08/2024.

From the Dun at Scalasaig head back to ferry port then walk west following the B8086. Directly opposite the hotel there is a road to the church, follow this track south for about 500m then head west. I could only see one standing, another stone I spied was a boulder and another possible standing stone mentioned in Canmore was invisible.

The stone that remains is just over 1m tall and has great all round views despite being slightly hidden by the undulating land. Dun Eibhinn, dominates the skyline to the north and was to be my big target for the day. Before that, another standing stone.

Visited 11/08/2024.

Every petrol station on Colonsay should have a dun, there is only one petrol station on the island. Parking is very easy, there is a car park at the post office and excellent shop. Simply walk across the road and jump into the ferns behind the pumps.

There are large rocks marking the dun’s edge to the south and east, not much stonework remains elsewhere. A gap in a ruined bit of wall is probably the entrance in the north east section.

Not that much to see, the covering ferns didn’t help but a good start to the looking around Scalasaig’s prehistoric monuments.

Visited 11/08/2024.

To get a birds eye view of Dun Meadhonach I decided to climb to the top of Beinn Na Caorach. It’s a worthwhile thing to do as the views are magnificent, you also look straight down (or north) to the dun plus the nearby Limpet Stones.

The summit of Caorach can be seen from the Limpets, a reasonably steep climb going up various wee valleys. Colonsay’s dry spell meant that underfoot conditions were good so it was a pleasant summer’s stroll up and then down to the dun.

As can be seen from the birds eye photo the dun is nearly oval shaped being 21m long by 13m wide. Walls still survive, best kept on the west. Some courses of stonework can still be seen. A gap on the north east would, to me, indicate an entrance but at this point the walls are badly ruined.

A great site and an opportunity to spy some other sites from high vantage point.

Visited 11/08/2024.