Tuesday, 19 April 2011

Island 79 - Coll, Inner Hebrides

Coll is 13 miles long by 4 miles wide.  The island has been inhabited since Neolithic times and there are also Iron and Bronze Age sites.  The population peaked at 1,400 in 1841 but the Potato Famine in the 1850s led to large scale emigration to Canada and the population is now 160. There are no tourist attractions on Coll - just wonderful beaches and lots of solitude - it is a place "to be" rather than "to do".
 
North West Coast


Sorisdale

Ben Hogh - highest point on the island - 104 metres. 

Feall Bay

Hogh Bay
Coll has lots of great beaches, especially those at Killunaig, Hogh and Feall Bays


Crossapol Bay

Ben Hogh from below
 
Arinagour - main settlement on the island
Location of the hotel, shop and café.  I had an excellent beetroot and horseradish soup for lunch in the café one day made with home grown beetroot. 

Beachacha Castle is a 15th Century rectangular tower house, which has been restored but is not open to the public.

The RSPB have a nature reserve at Totronald, where it is possible to hear/see corncrakes. 

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