Isle of Eigg - 57° 52' 38" N 06° 07' 40" W

Chinook at anchor in Galmisdale Bay

Another motor and we headed to the Isle of Eigg in the Small Isles, population ... 135!  With our shallow draft, we were able to anchor at Galmisdale Bay in front of the village.  It was stunning, dead calm and a magnificent orange sunset.  

Sean is getting to be quite the drone pilot.  Sunset with An Sgùrr in the background.

Marie and Kate decided to climb An Sgùrr, the island's highest point.  Although Sean is improving and nimble on his crutches, he decided a scramble was a bit beyond him at this stage of recovery! The route took us through carpets of bluebells, sheep pasture, bogs and pitchstone (the same volcanic rock for which the Giant's Causeway is famous).

The bluebells and wild garlic were stunning 

It was not well marked.  We missed the turn and ended up following a dirt track for a kilometre or so.  We were rewarded with stunning views across to the Isle of Muck so were not too fussed about adding the extra distance.  Once we realized our mistake, we back-tracked and found the very discrete turn.   Back on track, we worked our way across heather and bracken moorland and started to climb.

Yep, our goal is the tippity-top of the rock - if we can find the path....

The ground became very boggy despite it not having rained for weeks. We managed to get our feet wet so it must be extremely boggy normally.  There were very few people on the trail, we saw only one other group who overtook us just before we started up the ridge.  A very persistent cuckoo found the perfect perch in the rock from which his song was amplified and his cuck-oo, cuck-oo continued both on our way up and down.

Boggy and rocky with perched lakes scattered here and there.

Working our way up the ridge

Although steep, the ridge was well protected and we made steady progress.  As we scrambled up the final rocks, we heard bagpipes playing.  Had we gone slightly mad and started hearing things? But no, as we rounded the last rock, there on the summit was a kilt-clad piper...  What great timing!!

The guide from the group who passed us, giving his tour the full Scottish experience!

The summit

Celebrating at the summit - just look at that view!

On our return, we decided to have dinner ashore at the cafe.  We met a few of the locals - John who owns the guiding shop and school teachers Kieran and Jenna.  We learnt about the community on the island.  After a community buyout in 1997, Eigg has thrived under community ownership and is now the poster child for the community land ownership movement. 

The island is owned by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust which is a partnership between the Isle of Eigg Residents' Association, The Highland Council and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The aim of the Trust is to provide and create opportunity for economic development, housing and infrastructure while conserving natural and cultural heritage.  

The Trust has three subsidiary companies - Eigg Trading, Eigg Electric and Eigg Construction.  Eigg Trading owns and manages the building where the cafe is and other facilities such as the showers and laundry.  It also operate the pier, the camping pods and the community wood fuel company.

The view across to the village of Galmisdale,
you can just make out the camping pods in the foreground

Eigg Electric builds and manages the island's electricity grid.  Through a combination of wind, hydro and solar, Eigg's power is generated from renewable sources - the first community in the world to do so. They do have a back-up diesel generator but it is used infrequently.  Eigg Construction carries out the construction work on the island.  

Of the 130-or-so full-time residents, eleven are kids at the K-8 school on the island.  When they advance past the local school's grades, the kids are then weekly boarders in Mallaig to finish school.  The community has doubled in size since the buy-out and the community is seen as forward-thinking, sustainable and, most importantly, long-term viable. 

The Eigg Trust is planning to install seagrass friendly moorings in the bay. 
This will protect the sensitive seagrass areas and provide safe moorings for visiting boats

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