CTC
by Derek Houghton
Not the Cyclists' Touring Club or the Coast to Coast, but Colonsay, Tiree and Coll, not forgetting Oransay.
"The good Lord made the sky above and also made the rain, but everything else in the Western Isles belongs to MacBraynes"
Colonsay
The above will be apparent when you attempt to travel to the above isles. Colonsay, our favourite, was our first island call. Hillier than the other two (or three), it has the potential of more rough-stuff, modest although this will be. It is essentially an estate island with about 150 residents, the road system being good with track offshoots. A feature is its raised beaches at various points on the western coast indicating varying sea levels over very many thousands, if not millions, of years. Also meriting inspection are the medieval chapel of Kilchatton and some standing stones rejoicing under the name of Fingal's Limpet Hammer. By the size of them he must have been a strong lad.
The back entrance to Colonsay House overlooking Torraman Loch gives a short but rewarding track from the road hairpin to the dilapidated entrance pillars.
For horticulture buffs the exotic gardens and valley of Kiloran, all part of Colonsay House, are a delight. Palm trees, eucalyptus, magnolia, rhododendrons, azaleas and flame trees are in profusion.
Kiloran Bay is a place to while away an hour or two, or you can take a rough track to the north of the island, switchback and steep in parts. This gives a round trip of seven or eight miles so allow plenty of time.
Approach the crossing to Oransay with caution. It is accessible for two hours either side of low tide but with wet sand covering the causeway bare feet would be prudent. At high tide the causeway is covered by about two metres of water, so be warned!
The Priory with its attendant cross is well worth seeing. The western road on the island's main circuit passes a peculiar Baptist church, very dour, and a primary school. Also surprise, surprise, a hut and barn that houses a very good second hand bookshop and a publishing house called "House of Colonsay". How far can you get from the London literary chattering classes!
Tiree
A complete contrast this one, flat and windblown, with two hills at the southern end, Beinn Hough 388ft and Ben Hynish 460ft, both heights in old money. These are worth climbing on a day of good visibility. Roads wander gently from croft to house; these roads were made up during the 1939-45 war to service the airfield. Traffic is surprisingly heavy but mainly based around the airfield with its industrial units. Any rough-stuff will be short and down to the shoreline and back, all the way round the coast.
We used the 1963 one-inch map and comparing it with the latest 1:50,000 only minor differences were apparent. You can't lose yourself.
Coll
MacBraynes will deposit you at Aringour which has one shop and one inn and is where all the action, such as it is, takes place. At Arnabost, at the junction of the western road and that from Aringour, there is an earth house discovered during road making activities in the nineteenth century. It is one of a number in the Isles. Westward from Arnabost takes you to Ballyhaugh, a sort of young people's training centre. Further on crossing a sandy track takes you to Totronald, near to which are some standing stones, and thence back to Arinagour.
Practical Matters
There are no youth hostels, but Colonsay has what is called a backpackers' lodge, in reality a well-equipped simple hostel run by the Colonsay Estate. Camping is not allowed on the island. I do not know about camping on Tiree or Coll.
Essential paperwork will be the Argyll & Inner Isles Accommodation Guide, obtainable from the Tourist Information Centre in Oban. Ignore the hype and concentrate on accommodation for all three islands. In addition MacBraynes' ferry timetables will be essential. O.S. Landranger 1:50,000 sheets 44 and 51 cover these islands. An eight-day rover ticket is a saving, bikes go free.
Not a lot of rough-stuff I agree, but an experience of a way of life most probably not familiar to you. The information given was current at the date of our visit, June 2003. No prices are given as these can rapidly get out of date.