A lifetime of Islands: Island 443 - Eilean Orasaidh, Cromor, Lewis

Tuesday, 28 August 2018

Island 443 - Eilean Orasaidh, Cromor, Lewis

Eilean Orasaidh is a rocky, uninhabited tidal island located off the east coast of the Isle of Lewis 1 km to the east of the village of Cromor. It is 750m from north to south by 600 metres from east to west at its widest point and the highest point on the island is 53 metres above sea level. The name means "tidal island" in Gaelic.

There is a waymarked 2.25 mile circular walk from Cromor, which offers the option of crossing to Eilean Orasaidh at low tide. However there aren't enough waymarks to see from one to the next, the path is not always discernible and if you want to do the full circular route, you have to cross the outflow of Loch nam Bodach, which involves wading through knee deep water over slippery rocks. There are also several steep ups and downs.

I visited on an overcast but warm and humid morning and was getting a bit cross at the lack of waymarks, when I walked to the crest of the hill overlooking Eilean Orasaidh and looked up in the sky just as a golden eagle flew by! A minute later another golden eagle flew by. This was the first time I have definitely seen a golden eagle - I waited half a century for this moment and then two came along at once!

There is an unnamed grass covered island in between Eilean Orasaidh and mainland Lewis and then there is a section of slippery seaweed covered rocks to negotiate to get on to the island. There is then a dry stone wall to climb over to get on to the island but there is a gap in the wall at the northern end. The island is covered in rough grass, bracken and heather. Tormentil was in flower when I visited in June 2018 and I spotted an orchid in flower.