Eilean a' Chuirn

Island in Argyllshire

Scotland

Eilean a' Chuirn

Rainbow above Fionnphort From the A849. — Rainbow above Fionnphort Credit: Andrew Abbott

Eilean a' Chuirn is a small, uninhabited island located off the western coast of Scotland in Argyllshire. It is situated in the Firth of Lorn, approximately 3 kilometers northwest of the larger island of Lismore. The island covers an area of around 0.3 hectares and is mainly composed of rugged, rocky terrain.

Eilean a' Chuirn is known for its natural beauty and is a popular destination for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts. The island is home to a variety of seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills, and puffins, which nest on its cliffs during the breeding season. Visitors can also spot seals and dolphins swimming in the surrounding waters.

The island has a rich history, with evidence of human occupation dating back to prehistoric times. It is believed that Eilean a' Chuirn was used as a burial ground, as numerous ancient cairns and standing stones can be found on the island. These stone structures are remnants of the island's early inhabitants and provide insight into its past.

Access to Eilean a' Chuirn is primarily by boat, with several local tour operators offering guided trips to the island. Visitors can explore the rugged shoreline and take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding sea and neighboring islands. As the island is uninhabited, there are no facilities or amenities available, so visitors are advised to bring their own provisions and be respectful of the island's natural environment.

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Eilean a' Chuirn Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.34282/-6.3606689 or Grid Reference NM3025. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Rainbow above Fionnphort

From the A849.

Andrew Abbott

The Beach at Fionnphort

Des Blenkinsopp

Fionnphort Beach and Iona

A view across the Sound of Iona.

Des Blenkinsopp

Split boulder at Fionnphort

A distinctive feature of the shore at Fionnphort, this huge split boulder of Ross of Mull Granite can only be approached dryshod at the bottom of a spring tide when an easy walk across the soft sand gives close up views from any angle of choice. The split is most obvious with the sky behind, looking north (its clear from the other side, too, of course, but then the rock is in shade and not so attractive to photograph). This rock must have been dropped here by ice - it's definitely a boulder, not bedrock. In some parts of the world, not too far away, the explanation would undoubtedly be that it had been lobbed by an angry Troll and had split on hitting some warrior's helmet.

Andy Waddington

Mooring on Fionnphort beach

I usually encounter mooring buoys by paddling past them in a sea kayak, but this one is at the bottom of a spring tide and entirely stranded, so the huge chain link to which it is attached can be inspected.

Andy Waddington

TÃ²rr MÃ²r quarry pier from Bull Hole

Bull Hole is a sheltered channel between Eilean nam Ban and the Ross of Mull, which forms a convenient anchorage for any vessel with a shallow enough draft. This includes the Iona ferry, which beds down tied to the island each night. The pier and buildings here are associated with the granite quarry at Tòrr Mòr and the jetty would have provided a secure place to tie up boats exporting the product elsewhere, out of the swiftly flowing tide in the Hole itself. It's looking a bit decrepit now, however, and what boats are here are pulled up safely on the grass above the beach.

Andy Waddington

Eilean Dubh na Ciste

Eilean Dubh na Ciste is a rocky skerry at the NNE end of Bull Hole, a narrow channel and anchorage between Iona and the Ross of Mull. Its advantage from my perspective is that the two main rocks are linked by a small sandy tombolo beach which provides a convenient place to land a sea kayak and wander around getting the best views. This view looks northwards to more skerries outside Kinta harbour, where the water is a lot calmer than on my last visit NM3125 : Paddling into the sun - Eilean Corrach.

Andy Waddington

Landing on Eilean Dubh na Ciste

Eilean Dubh na Ciste is a rocky skerry at the NNE end of Bull Hole, a narrow channel and anchorage between Iona and the Ross of Mull. Its advantage from my perspective is that the two main rocks are linked by a small sandy tombolo beach which provides a convenient place to land a sea kayak and wander around getting the best views. This is the full extent of the beach - my back is almost against the rocks looking over my landing spot towards the bay south of Kintra.

Andy Waddington

Sand on Eilean Dubh na Ciste

Eilean Dubh na Ciste is a rocky skerry at the NNE end of Bull Hole, a narrow channel and anchorage between Iona and the Ross of Mull. Its advantage from my perspective is that the two main rocks are linked by a small sandy tombolo beach which provides a convenient place to land a sea kayak and wander around getting the best views. These are the rocks on the eastern edge of the beach, beyond which lie the shallow bays and rocky coast hiding the settlement of Kintra.

Andy Waddington

Rock-hopping towards Rubh na Cearc, Ross of Mull

Like most sea kayaking trips, we'd chosen our time of day to get the tides working for us - soon after this shot was taken, the ebb tide was whisking us south down the Sound of Iona with very little effort on our part. That meant that we were passing Rubha na Cearc close to the top of the tide (and getting towards evening). These skerries look a lot bigger on the map and on aerial photos which are mostly shot near low tide. Even with this much water covering them, the small swell was causing the occasional breaking wave, one of which had just knocked Pete somewhat off-course, needing a swift reactive steering stroke to avoid the biggest barnacle-encrusted bit of granite.

Andy Waddington