Gigha
- pengodber
- Mar 11, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 12, 2024
How pretty a camp site is that? Photo Neil Buckland
A pretty little tea cup of an adventure. Say you had just two days of perfect weather and the right pals and you happened to be on the Kintyre peninsula then Gigha would be just the slice of happiness you would choose. That’s what Amy, my daughter, her partner Neil and I decided.
My boat Ethel can carry camping kit for a week. Photo by Neil Buckland
We launched from Tayinloan next to the ferry terminal. There’s a warm and welcoming cafe there: Jessie’s Tea Room, all buckets and spades decor and an inviting fug from the all day breakfast. The only challenge of the trip was to drag ourselves out of there, load the boats and set off across the sound. We were round on the west coast by tea time and that’s where the most perfect little camp site beaches begin. The island is just 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide so you don’t have to worry. You just choose the beach which will give you the best possible sunset view of Islay and Jura.
Sunset over Islay and Jura by Neil Buckland
Tents up, boats up, peace. Photo by Neil Buckland
Amy and Neil are perfect company. I’m so delighted they don’t mind me being along but I try to put my tent up at a respectful distance. You can just see my tent top right. I found the perfect spot perched on a tent sized patch of grass enclosed by sparkly gneiss boulders. You can just see it in this picture. I poddle about picking up shells and loving the flowers. Amy and Neil take photos, they capture the moment.
Fresh as...Photo by Amy Goolden
This water goes all the way to Ireland. Photo by Neil Buckland
The sunset was unbelievably romantic. The view of Isla and Jura was evocative of happy times last year: I circumnavigated Isla with Alan, Keith and Spike; Amy and Neil had a perfect week circumnavigating Jura.
Ireland feels so close you could touch it. Now that’s a crossing I would dearly love to do. After all, when Antrim and Argyll were the Kingdom of Dalriada it was coracles that made the journey. The sea was the highway that connected us. That evening, with the sea barely rippling the beach anything and everything seemed possible.
Taking it easy up the east coast. Photo by Amy Goolden
Next day we pootled up the West coast. Gigha doesn’t do desperate and challenging. The highest point is Creag Bhan at 100 metres. It’s not a place for challenging cliffs. Along the west coast are a succession of inlets and tiny anchorages. Gigha’s attraction is pastoral. It’s good farming land with excellent protected moorings. It’s made for good living. That’s what the Vikings liked and that’s why their King Hakon called it “the Good isle”. The Vikings found the Sound handy for mooring war fleet. We like it for the ice cream made from the dairy herd at Wee Isle Dairy and The Boathouse, a pub you can paddle to to enjoy hospitality that has been Michelin listed for 4 years running.
You don't grab your camera at moments like this. Photo by R. Davies, Science News
We paddled in silence exploring every inlet and rock island. We were rewarded by the company of a pair of otters that seemed oblivious of us until I touched a paddle to stop the flow taking me onto the rocks. Then she looked intently at me, so close I could have touched her, before she snorted and dived for cover.
Night two had us camping on the East coast. It was tempting to paddle and camp on Cara Island on the Southern tip of Gigha but the weather was turning. The eastern shore is as pretty as you like but very much 21st century. No pink sunsets, no dreams of Dal Raida this night. Just some cows looking at us benignly across the machair whilst doing their bovine bit for ice cream production at the Wee Isle Dairy.
Pastoral bliss. The Cows of Wee Isle Dairy. Photo by their owners.
If Mingulay, in my last blog post, and the Vatersay Raiders were torch bearers for 19th century land reform the people of Gigha are the pioneers for the 21st century. The Scottish Land Fund was established in 2001, the community bought Gigha in 2002. It’s looking good. Gigha looks like a vibrant place to live.
Tourism is important and it's managed for the good of the island: an island wide walking trail and an excellent campsite at the ferry head are recent initiatives. You can bring your camper van but the campsite should give visitors encouragement not to “wild” camp indiscriminately.
Bluebells in Achamore Gardens, photo by Amy Goolden
Achamore Gardens, one of the great gardens of Scotland are now managed by the community and looking well on it. There are two salmon farms in the sheltered water of the Sound. Employment on the farms is really important but there is a community battle to prevent a third. There are holiday cottages so tourists can share this little but of paradise but local housing looks sound as well. It was good to see so many children out playing football and riding bikes on blissfully quiet roads. I bet the school time ferry is lively. But it was time for us to go, paddling back across the Sound before the wind started.
Packed and loaded. Photo by Neil Buckland
On this trip we only bagged one island for Aban, we circumnavigated and camped on the island of Gigha. That means I am donating another £11 pounds to this brilliant charity that works to give disadvantaged youngsters the experience of adventure. If you would like to find out more about their work please click the link for their website.
Amy and trip pal, photo by Neil Buckland
Gigha Community Campsite is at the ferry head
The Boathouse Inn
Wee Isle Dairy
If you're moving on, maybe towards Oban, Argyll Kayakayers Cove at Cuan on Seil Island is a great campsite plus bunkhouse that is very welcoming to kayakers. They opened everything for us so we could wash and dry all our kit ready for the next adventure.
Another great sunset caught by Neil Buckland, this time from Argyll Kayakers Coves
You can see more of Neil's work at
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