I spent 8 hours on the beautiful island of Canna in late August 2011. With the current CalMac timetable the only day of the week when you can go to Canna for the day is Saturday, so I was surprised to find that I was the only day visitor. 4 other people got off the ferry at the same time but they were staying for several days. The ferry leaves Mallaig at 7.30am and arrives at Canna at 10am having first called at Rum.
It was overcast when we left Mallaig and it started raining on the way across but it was extremely calm and we saw porpoises surfacing nearby on several occasions. Half an hour after I arrived on Canna the sun came out and it shone all day. I walked 10 miles around Canna and Sanday but only explored a small part of the islands. I always think that it is a good idea to leave something to come back to and I liked Canna so much that I will be back again.
Canna is composed mainly of basalt lava flows from a volcano that was probably on Skye about 60 million years ago. This explains the island’s terraced topography. The lime rich basalt has lead to the formation of unusually fertile soils and there is a remarkable absence of that classic highland terrain – bog! The east-west orientation of the island means that it is sheltered from the coldest winds. There are coniferous and deciduous woodland areas on the south facing slop above the harbour. The island also has a good sheltered deep water harbour.
The seabird numbers on the cliff are now increasing again since the rats on the island were all poisoned in 2005. Rats had caused the number of seabirds to decline rapidly in the 1990s. Before the poison was put down as many of possible of the unique Canna mice had to be found and collected up and sent off to Edinburgh. They were then returned to the island when the rats were all dead. Shags, kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, gulls and guillemots currently breed on the island and the offshore stacks. Corncrakes can occasionally be heard and seen as can white tailed sea eagles. I saw a sea eagle soaring high in the sky as I was walking along the beach on Sanday. 248 native flowering plants have been recorded on the island.
Canna belonged to the Benedictine monks from Iona and then to the Norwegians. From medieval times it was administered by the MacDonalds of Clanranald. There were townships at Coroghan, Keill, Tarbert and Garrisdale. The island was leased and later owned by the MacNeills from the late 18th century. In 1821 the population of Canna and Sanday was 436 but by 1861 the population had fallen to 127. Many people had emigrated voluntarily or involuntarily to the New World. The island was cleared by Donald MacNeill. He had Canna House built for his wife Isabella.
In 1882 Canna was sold to Robert Thom, a Glasgow businessman. It passed to his son Allan after his death in 1911. Allan died in 1934 and his son Robert sold it to the Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell in 1938.
John Lorne Campbell and his American born wife Margaret Fay Shaw Campbell, who was a well known photographer and collector of Gaelic songs and folklore, lived on Canna for the rest of their lives. Mr Campbell gave the island to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981. He died in Italy in 1996 but his body was later brought back to Canna and he is now buried in a small wood on the site of St Columba’s 7th Century chapel. His wife died in 2004. John Campbell's life and his relationship with Canna has been documented in the book The Man who gave his Island Away by Ray Perman.
In 1882 Canna was sold to Robert Thom, a Glasgow businessman. It passed to his son Allan after his death in 1911. Allan died in 1934 and his son Robert sold it to the Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell in 1938.
John Lorne Campbell and his American born wife Margaret Fay Shaw Campbell, who was a well known photographer and collector of Gaelic songs and folklore, lived on Canna for the rest of their lives. Mr Campbell gave the island to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981. He died in Italy in 1996 but his body was later brought back to Canna and he is now buried in a small wood on the site of St Columba’s 7th Century chapel. His wife died in 2004. John Campbell's life and his relationship with Canna has been documented in the book The Man who gave his Island Away by Ray Perman.
There was an important monastic site of Canna 1,500 years ago, possibly linked to St Columba and Iona. The remains of the Nunnery can be seen on the south coast of the island towards the west end.
The highest point on Canna is Carna a’Ghaill at 210 metres.
At An Coroghan there is a medieval prison tower at the top of a steep cliff. This was built by John MacLeod of Dunvegan in 1666.
Impressive escallonia arch - entrance to Canna House
Canna House was built in 1865 overlooking the harbour. The gardens and house are open to the public. Only 3 rooms of the house were on show when I visited but the NTS hope to open more in the future. The rooms that you can see are packed full of interesting artefacts and books and the guide was friendly and knowledgeable.
Canna House
Stained glass windows in St Columba's Catholic Church
Canna Post Office - it's the shed!
There is no shop on the island. There is however a café/restaurant. When I visited the owners were away, so it was operating for limited hours and offering a limited menu of sandwiches, soup and cake. I had a slice of delicious carrot cake.
You can stay in a B&B on Canna or there are 2 self-catering properties. If you want to go as a volunteer the National Trust for Scotland organises several Thistle Camps on the island each year.
http://www.nts.org.uk/ThistleCamps/
You can stay in a B&B on Canna or there are 2 self-catering properties. If you want to go as a volunteer the National Trust for Scotland organises several Thistle Camps on the island each year.
http://www.nts.org.uk/ThistleCamps/
Graffiti from passing yachts and fishing boats over the last century
Church looking towards Compass Hill
The Protestant church was built in 1914 as a memorial to Robert Thom.
Am I the only one who thinks that the church looks like a rocket from this angle?
The Protestant church was built in 1914 as a memorial to Robert Thom.
Decorative iron gate at the church
Lonely Memorial
North Coast from Compass Hill
Compass Hill is so named because the large amount of iron in it affects compasses.
Beach at An Coroghan
John Lorne Campbell's grave on the site of St Columba's Chapel
Early Christian Cross
This is located at A’Chill, where the main settlement on the island was located until 1851 when it was cleared.
This is located at A’Chill, where the main settlement on the island was located until 1851 when it was cleared.
Punishment Stone
There is a semi-circular hole in it is said to have been where wrongdoers had their thumbs jammed in as a punishment. Ouch!
Looking over Sanday to Rum
Looking towards Church and Ferry Terminal
Fish Seat at Ferry Terminal
Calmac Ferry Loch Nevis - approaching Canna
Farewell to Canna
I was disappointed to find that no enterprising resident has set up the Canna Soup factory!
No comments:
Post a Comment