Back To Eigg
09th September 2024
There’s always a risk when travelling to any island in February that it’s going to be wet and windy. On my two previous visits to Eigg, it didn’t disappoint, with storms and sunshine in between. This trip was to be much the same on this trip, although thankfully without the terrible ferry crossing on the way over.
There is something really lovely about returning to a place that you enjoy exploring and things that seemed perhaps slightly odd, now seem just to be part of life there. Although the car propped up on a beer keg in a passing place could probably only have been something that would happen on Eigg. I found out later who had done it, and they somewhat sheepishly admitted that they had jacked it up with the tractor to allow their neighbour to inspect the undercarriage of the vehicle. I don’t think Health and Safety would have approved!
The forecast was mixed, as I’ve alluded to above, so we decided to make the most of it by getting out about on a couple of weeks which I hadn’t done. We decide to park down at Kildonan farm and pay a visit to the cemetery where my friend Mark’s relatives are buried. Also located there are the ruins of a chapel and Crois Mhor (large stone cross). St Donan's Church is said to have been erected by John Moydartach, Captain of Clanranald in the 16th c. The 14th century cross-shaft is mounted on a modern base on a rise to the S of the church. A dig back in 2012 established that St. Donnan, who bought Christianity to Eigg in the 7th C, had founded a ‘muinntir’, a small monastic community on the fertile sloping land near Poll nam Partan on the south east side of Eigg. The church Donnan had built for his muinntir gave its name to that part of the island ‘Cill Donnan’, or Donnan’s Church in English.
From there we headed up through the fields on the cliff edge, intending to walk up to the top of Beinn Buidhe. However, once the rough grazing land petered we found ourselves knee deep in heather and bog, so we decided to cut the walk short and headed back to the cemetery where the light was raking the stone walls, turning everything a honeyed colour - perfect photography conditions.
As predicted the next two days saw the island lashed by storms, and there was little or no point in heading out walking. Luckily there was a supply of books in the house, and when Mark popped over the field to see his uncle and aunt, I was happy enough to stretch out with a mug of coffee and some literature.
The weather brightened up considerably on our last full day and we decided to head down to the ‘Massacre Caves’, which we didn’t have time to visit the last time I was here. The Spring of 1577 was a particularly dark period in the Isle of Eigg’s turbulent history. The island’s entire population sought refuge in a hidden cave on the south coast, taking cover from the MacLeods of Skye who had just landed on Eigg during a clan feud between themselves and the MacDonalds. Apparently, the MacDonald’s had broken each and every limb of the MacLeod Chief’s first-born son before discarding him in a boat, devoid of oars and bound to perish at a glacial pace. The vengeful MacLeod’s returned to Eigg. But after searching in vain for three days amidst snow and freezing temperatures, they Ma departed to return to Skye. Just as the islanders seemed safe, the MacLeods spotted a lookout. Returning to Eigg they followed his tracks through the snow to discover the cave, lighting a fire at the entrance. Trapped, nearly 400 islands were suffocated inside the cave by the smoke. The gruesome history of the place continued with Victorian tourists would take pieces as souvenirs, before islanders insisted that the bones were buried. I was quite glad to get away from the place……..
So, it was back to the mainland the next day, with the inevitable ferry shambles, and I can’t wait to do it all again in February.
There is something really lovely about returning to a place that you enjoy exploring and things that seemed perhaps slightly odd, now seem just to be part of life there. Although the car propped up on a beer keg in a passing place could probably only have been something that would happen on Eigg. I found out later who had done it, and they somewhat sheepishly admitted that they had jacked it up with the tractor to allow their neighbour to inspect the undercarriage of the vehicle. I don’t think Health and Safety would have approved!
The forecast was mixed, as I’ve alluded to above, so we decided to make the most of it by getting out about on a couple of weeks which I hadn’t done. We decide to park down at Kildonan farm and pay a visit to the cemetery where my friend Mark’s relatives are buried. Also located there are the ruins of a chapel and Crois Mhor (large stone cross). St Donan's Church is said to have been erected by John Moydartach, Captain of Clanranald in the 16th c. The 14th century cross-shaft is mounted on a modern base on a rise to the S of the church. A dig back in 2012 established that St. Donnan, who bought Christianity to Eigg in the 7th C, had founded a ‘muinntir’, a small monastic community on the fertile sloping land near Poll nam Partan on the south east side of Eigg. The church Donnan had built for his muinntir gave its name to that part of the island ‘Cill Donnan’, or Donnan’s Church in English.
From there we headed up through the fields on the cliff edge, intending to walk up to the top of Beinn Buidhe. However, once the rough grazing land petered we found ourselves knee deep in heather and bog, so we decided to cut the walk short and headed back to the cemetery where the light was raking the stone walls, turning everything a honeyed colour - perfect photography conditions.
As predicted the next two days saw the island lashed by storms, and there was little or no point in heading out walking. Luckily there was a supply of books in the house, and when Mark popped over the field to see his uncle and aunt, I was happy enough to stretch out with a mug of coffee and some literature.
The weather brightened up considerably on our last full day and we decided to head down to the ‘Massacre Caves’, which we didn’t have time to visit the last time I was here. The Spring of 1577 was a particularly dark period in the Isle of Eigg’s turbulent history. The island’s entire population sought refuge in a hidden cave on the south coast, taking cover from the MacLeods of Skye who had just landed on Eigg during a clan feud between themselves and the MacDonalds. Apparently, the MacDonald’s had broken each and every limb of the MacLeod Chief’s first-born son before discarding him in a boat, devoid of oars and bound to perish at a glacial pace. The vengeful MacLeod’s returned to Eigg. But after searching in vain for three days amidst snow and freezing temperatures, they Ma departed to return to Skye. Just as the islanders seemed safe, the MacLeods spotted a lookout. Returning to Eigg they followed his tracks through the snow to discover the cave, lighting a fire at the entrance. Trapped, nearly 400 islands were suffocated inside the cave by the smoke. The gruesome history of the place continued with Victorian tourists would take pieces as souvenirs, before islanders insisted that the bones were buried. I was quite glad to get away from the place……..
So, it was back to the mainland the next day, with the inevitable ferry shambles, and I can’t wait to do it all again in February.