ron-t kayaking blog
09 October 2012 .............. Insh Island
Since it was another excellent day with tides near to the Neaps, I fancied a trip out to visit Insh Island, just off from Seil. It is not a long trip, but for a while now I have fancied a trip over there to have a look at Insh Island.
I left from Ellenabeich, and paddled out and across to the south end of Insh Island, then up the west coast, all the time looking for somewhere to land.
There was nowhere. So I carried on right up to the top end, round the top, and started down the east coast, eventually found somewhere where the rocks were not so sharp as the rest of the coast, and landed.
The OS map shows a cave up at the north end of the island, I hadn`t paddled past it at sea level, so I was looking for it above sea level.
Eventually I found it - but it wasn`t really a cave anymore. Someone had built a wall right across it, complete with windows and a door, and turned it into a house of sorts. I don`t think it had been visited in a while, they hadn`t cut the grass outside their door.
Then I headed off to get to the highest point on the island, which is at the south end. This was an absolute nightmare of a journey - very very thick foliage, cliffs across the island, and big patches of very hard spiney bushes which were completely impenetrable made for very slow progress.
From the high point at the north end of the island, you get a good view looking down the island of how rugged the island is.
I did get to the highest point eventually, and it did provide some excellent views out to the south and west. Mull was as usual looking splendid -
To the south, all the usual islands were laid out to be seen - Fladda, Belnahua, Eilean Dubh Mor and Eilean Beag, the Garvellachs, Scarba and Lunga, and the Paps of Jura were just visible. And out in the middle on its own was Dubh-fheith. It is a fabulously visual area.
Even more eventually I made it back to my boat. I think it took me the best part of two hours to go there and come back. Not the best use of two hours, it was a very unpleasant journey.
One of the noticeable things about all my time on Insh Island was the complete absence of any kind of wildlife. There was a crow-like bird at one point, but that was it - no other living thing.
It was like my trip to the Paps of Jura, I am glad to have done it, but I have no interest in ever going back.
On the way back, I headed round Easdale Island, and had some playtime rock hopping around the long stretch of rocks that stick out to the south west of Easdale - there was no swell out to sea, but there certainly was where the sea met the rocks.
Finally back to the car park just as the sun was setting.
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