a hill and a mill

Here in Kintyre we have been enjoying a glorious spell of golden September weather, and tried to make the most of it the other day with a wee trip to Gigha, an island neither of us have visited before.

Gigha is reached by a short ferry ride from Tayinloan. No need to take the car: the island is relatively small (7 miles by 1.5 miles) and the laudable work of the community trust in developing and maintaining a well-designed path network means that the island is super-accessible and easy to get around for pedestrians and wheeled users of all types and abilities.

We’d come to visit a hill and a mill. The hill came first: Creag Bhàn is one of those superb Scottish summits that is diminutive in scale but spectacular in view.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Creag Bhàn has one of the best views in Scotland’s west.

On a clear day, like the one we had, it’s a truly panoramic prospect, from Knapdale and Kintyre to the Antrim coast and Arran.

To the North, beyond Eilean Garbh and West Loch Tarbert, we discerned the distant peak of Ben More, on the island of Mull, more than 50 miles away.

While closer at hand (indeed, these islands almost felt at touching distance) are the familiar outlines of Islay and Jura.

The day was so still that we could hear a dog barking in Craighouse, and voices rising from the vessels fishing in the sound below.

September walks like this are a rare and precious thing: we all really enjoyed Creag Bhàn.

If you are wondering about the dog’s headwear, this arrangement means quick lead control is hassle free and (for me) completely manageable when encountering a cow or two (not that the dogs are remotely interested in livestock, but it is good to be respectful when walking around working farms)

After descending Creag Bhan, we followed the path as it wound down to the coast at Port An Duin.

. . .to find an old watermill, which, like ours, has recently been restored. This mill once served the surrounding township of Ardailly, and indeed the whole of the island of Gigha, by grinding oats and corn.

Like “our” mill, the wheel of this one is operated by an overshot mechanism; unlike “ours” (with its restored wooden paddles) this wheel is formed entirely of cast iron: an impressive piece of engineering!

“Our” mill is just over a kilometre from the coast, and, when operational, diverted the fast flowing Connieglen water into its lade. The Gigha mill is situated right on the shoreline, and, with the help of gravity, was supplied with water from two mill ponds, higher up the hill, which, as reservoirs, now provide Gigha households with water. As a self-confessed historic mill-nerd, I observed many other differences and similarities, from the chaff-house (the single-storey building in the foreground) to the presence of old mill stones, such as this pair of oatmeal grinders . . .

. . . which have here artfully been incorporated into the mill’s surrounding wall. The old mill at Ardailly has certainly been converted into a truly lovely dwelling, and though we did not see anyone at home, I hope no-one was disturbed by our furtive mill-ter-loping. If you have any interest in the history of “our” mill, I can assure you I’m working on it and will say more of it in time!

Surely the perfect end to a day out and about in the September sunshine is a fresh dressed crab from the van by the ferry? Local seafood – highly recommended! I don’t think it will be long before we are back for another Gigha walk.