Ten days on Zuza - 15th June - A few hours on Eigg

 

Eigg is certainly a very beautiful island. It has white sandy beaches, a hilly interior along with wildlife, archaeology and even a shop. It is owned by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust who manage the affairs of the island after a community buyout in 1997. It generates its own electricity from renewables and leases the pier centre, An Laimrig, to the local shop, tearoom and craft shop. There are about 100 people living here permanently and few second homers.

Zuza anchored beyond the pier

The Sgurr, formed from a pyroclastic flow around 58 million years ago

Neil took us across to the pier on the tender. The water under the pier was crystal clear and inviting.

We walked around the beach and found some interesting rotting boats and other artefacts. The warm sun definitely brought out the midges and we liberally plied ourselves with Smidge.

We were lucky enough to see a golden eagle flying overhead. I managed to catch it with my camera but it was a long way off so it is a poor shot.

We then spent most of our time trying to find our way across footpaths to a historic church and graveyard at Kildonnan. There was supposed to be a footpath, but we kept losing it and retracing our steps through tall grass and boggy marsh, all the while being beset by the midge. We finally came out on a cliff edge overlooking the graveyard but with no way down except for flying.

A little dissatisfied we made our way back to find the shop had shut, but our more fortunate compatriots were sat at a picnic bench drinking cool beer in the sunshine. We probably made up for the lack of alcohol at dinner that evening and then watched the sun set on Eigg as it properly should do after a hot summer's day.