Island 260 - Bernera Island, Lismore, Argyll

Bernera Island is linked to the south west coast of Lismore by a rocky tidal causeway.  The causeway is covered in seaweed which was quite slippery.  I visited an hour and a half before low tide and the causeway was only about 6 metres wide at its lowest section.

There is an indistinct path down the south east coast but there are lots of small holes which aren't very visible and in which you could twist or break your ankle, so I didn't venture too far.  When I visited in September 2014 the island harebells and scabious were in flower and there were plenty of blackberries to eat.  Although there were cows grazing on the shore of Lismore adjacent to the causeway, there were no cow pats on the island.  There were however sheep droppings, so presumably they sometimes wander over at low tide.

There used to be an ancient yew tree on the island under which St Columba preached.  However it was chopped down in 1850 to make a staircase at Lochnell Castle on the mainland.

There was also a small chapel on the island but the remains of it have all but disappeared.

 North east coast of Bernera looking south west

Unusual rock formation

Lismore from Bernera Island - Achadun Castle can be seen on the horizon

 Lismore from the north east coast of Bernera Island

 Small cave on Bernera Island
 

 Unusual rock pillar

 Bernera Island from Lismore - seaweed covered tidal causeway

Bernera Island from Lismore showing the narrow tidal causeway