Beinn Dubh Valley

Despite the strong east wind, Jim and I headed to the east of the island on Monday for a circular walk from Bayllgrant to Beinn Dubh valley, Lochs Fada and Leathann and back to Ballygrant. The main reason was to explore the  archaeology and natural features there. There's a fascinating nearly quarter of a gridsquare without a single contour line that is like a bowl of marshland and where the Lapwings were rolling and tumbling. There seems to have been an influx of them this year, which is truly delightful. For the more energetic, climb Beinn Dubh and view the natural dyke from on high as it rolls over the top of a dun.
Becky

Mysterious, solitary iron post?

'Bowl' of marshland with no contours. Beinn Dubh to right of picture.

View towards Beinn Dubh from more westerly of the duns.

The natural dyke runs just right of centre from summit of the dun towards the foreground.

Eacharnach ruin (translates from Gaelic as Park for Horses)Also known as Mullach Dubh (Common Knapweed - I think!)

Wonderful - spring is here!

Probably Peltigera membranacea (turns from grey to brown when wet)

Some sort of parasite?

The natural dyke viewed (in summer) from summit of Beinn Dubh, running across the dun.

Aberdeen Angus Cattle - Rockside Farm

Sand dune - Machir Bay

Rubbish sign at Machir Bay

How not to do a sign.  Not sure which public body decided to erect these information plaques - but they have not survived the Islay climate.  This one is at Machir Bay.

Sheep - Rockside dunes

Avinlussa

I went out to inspect the frog spawn on the Avinlussa track on Saturday. It seems to be doing OK. I also saw this attractive fencepost!
Becky

Avinlussa Ruin

Fencepost on Avinlussa track

Frog Spawn on Avinlussa track

Machir Bay this afternoon

Unfortunately this view has a limited lifespan.  A huge windfarm is planned which will stretch the whole length of the west coast of Islay.

Witches Broom

These growths on this Silver Birch tree are caused by the fungus Witches Broom, Taphrina betulina. It gets under the bark where it has been damaged, perhaps by insects, and causes this multiple sprouting of small twigs. From a distance, one could imagine this tree was supporting a rather successful rookery! An infestation as dense as this is thought to reduce the vigour of the tree and lead to up to a 25% reduction in size over its lifetime. The specific name of the fungus is taken from the generic name, Betula, of the host trees, i.e. the Silver and Downy Birch.
Malcolm

Brent Geese

I opened the curtains this morning to see these 11 Brent Geese picnicing across the road! Whatever next? (It was White-tailed Eagle flying past on Sunday - a great Mother's Day present!)
Becky

Brent Geese

Corra-ghoirtein and Coille Mhòr

Two more old Islay farmsteads. Corra Ghoirtein translates as Corncrake and is evocative of a time when this now rare farmland bird once inhabited our land in dense numbers.

Coille Mhòr (Big Woodland) is another poignant title as it suggests a time when woodland was more extensive than it is today, although I was encouraged to see evidence of the Rhododendron eradication/native woodland regeneration project at Coill' a Chorra Ghoirtein.

Fiona and I saw a quality total of 7 species of birds today: Golden Eagle (fantastic - never tire of it!), Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Teal, Twite, Meadow Pipit and Common Gull. We saw a plethora of unknown lichens though on the old walls and an interesting pellet.

My only regret (and some would say I was being petty) is that we chose the one dull day sandwiched between two glorious days. Still, it was a joy to explore territory neither of us had really seen before - and that's saying something! Thanks for the company, Fiona - and the excellent map reading!
Becky

Coille Mhòr (Big Woodland)

Regenerating woodland at Bun an Uillt

Interesting pellet

Lichen at Corra Ghoirtein

Corra Ghoirtein

Fuscidea Cyathoides

Loch a' Chnuic Bhric

Olistadh and Grimsay - in the snow!

What a fantastic walk I had yesterday. I've spent the most indulgent day today (shunning the sunshine) in favour of manipulating over 100 photos (oh, and going to the dentist, but that's less interesting!) I'm often amazed at how many places on Islay I have still failed to visit, and these were two of them. Olistadh is Old Norse for Olaf's Town and is situated west of Gearach (off the Kilchiaran road). Grimsay is a veritable township (albeit ruined), lying in an elevated position and 'guarded' by its very own standing stone north of Gearach. Here's a selection of photos.
Becky

Doorlet at Olistadh

Olistadh (look closely to see the snow!)

Large piece of quartz at Grimsay

Recumbent Standing Stone near Gearach

Dun Glas an Loin Choir

Part of ruined settlement of Grimsay

Summit of Dun Glas an Loin Choir looking towards Loch Gearach

The 'Guardian' of Grimsay village

Barnacle Geese at sunset - Loch Indaal

Saligo burn

Pictured on Sunday

Ploughing at Sunderland on the Rhinns

Gulls following the plough at Sunderland.

Loch Indaal

Loch Indaal pictured from a skyjack being used to erect a new warehouse at Bruichladdich Distillery.

Signs of spring

Everything is shivering in the strong and cold easterly wind of the last few days, but at least the sun was out today.

Malcolm

Daffodils

Hazel catkins

Hazel tree - plus spot the Buzzard!

In search of ancient Islay

Three very amateur archaeologists set off in search of a variety of features shown on the Ordnance Survey map off the 'back road' to Gruinart. We were so amateur that we did not really know what the words in fancy writing indicated: - 'hut circles', 'burnt mounds' and 'tumuli' all had to be looked up and pages printed off from Scotland's Places website before we ventured forth into the unknown at Lagstoban. We paused to admire an old ruin west of Lagstoban 

and from there it wasn't far to the hut circle 

 which was really quite obvious when you knew what to look for . 

Then it was on to the tumuli which I'm afraid turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. We saw several 'tumuli' possibilities before we saw the real ones - slightly elevated mounds in the grassland. 

After this tiny walk we strolled back to the car where we picked up our lunch things and set off up the Borichill track to examine the fort. This proved extremely interesting. The fort is situated on top of Borichill Mor. Scotland's Places records 'The dun on Borichill Mor is roughly circular, with a diameter of 100ft to 130ft. There is much exposed stone on the S and W side. A cairn occupies the summit. 

We found several interesting stones near the summit, possibly cup-marked stones 

Gazing  eastwards we saw the very prominent hut circles which we descended to examine at closer quarters and found a myriad tiny lichens adorning the banks of these erstwhile dwellings.

Lynda standing at the edge of one of the hut circles.



wonderful lichen

With one more destination I clutched my GPS and negotiated tussocks and burns until we arrived at my first ever (knowing) burnt mound (probably a cooking area - very likely with all these ancient dwelling places dotted round the vicinity).




Burnt mound

Scotland's Places records 'At NR 3164 6452, on the south bank of a stream, is a burnt mound. It is crescentic, the open end facing onto the stream, and measures some 9.0 by 11.0m across and 1.3m high. Probing of the heather overgrowth reveal an admixture of black earth and friable fragments of reddened stone. There are hut circles in the general neighbourhood. 

This would almost certainly have gone unnoticed by the previous Becky (oblivious to ancient history whilst totally immersed in natural history). I shall certainly have my eyes wider open for crescentic (and other) features whilst reading the terrain in future!
It proved a very interesting, if short, walk.Becky