Loch nam Buadh

The low lying land at Ceann Ear lends little protection from the winter gales and the probability is that this old iron beacon was washed up there in an Atlantic Storm.

We'd retreated from St. Kilda as the increasing swell would soon make the Village Bay anchorage uncomfortable, if not untenable, for our mother ship the MV Cuma. The low cloud and the first of the wind had arrived, but we still had a few hours to play around the Monachs before we needed to scurry for shelter behind bigger islands. We had been able to haul our boats over the tombolo beach linking the islands, to reach the surfy side and found good sort as the tide rose, and the break advanced further into the gap. By the time we set off again for the eastern end of the island, we could paddle over the tombolo.

The eastern end of Ceann Iar, looking south-east towards Shibhinis.

Between half and low tide it is possible to walk across from Ceann Iar to the neighbouring island of Shibinis (Shivinish). The tide was high when the photo was taken.

Loch nam Buadh, the loch of Virtues, on the isle of Ceann Ear. On far side of the loch lie the ruins of the island village, which was once the site of a nunnery.

Bothy ruin once used by lobster fishermen at Port Ruadh, a bay on the east side of Ceann Ear, which was the main landing point when the Monachs were inhabited.

Dunes on Monach Isles