Mon 27th April
I’d parked back at the spot I’d found next to Davaar Island and woke to lovely views. After a slow morning getting ready, I decided to take the bike out for a ride into Campbeltown and back out the other side of the bay. I hadn’t had the bike out since I started and I needed to get back on it and moving again. Just as I was a bout to get the bike off the back of the van a misty shower came over, so I sat back and chilled for 20 mins until it passed and the sun came back out.
As always happens when I get on the bike, it felt great. It’s always the anticipation that makes you feel a little wary, and the faff of getting the bike and yourself ready. Cycling down the lane towards Campbeltown I could hear the birds singing, could take in the sights that you tend to miss in the van, a stream trickling through the woodland on the left, the smell of freshly cut grass, nosing at the houses at a more leisurely pace. It was only a few kilometres into the town, and when I reached it, I rerouted through the high street and out the other side, just to explore what the town was like, see what shops there were etc. I then continued out the other side of the town and climbed the road out and up the hillside the north side of the bay. Phew I hadn’t climbed on the bike for a while, but it wasn’t too bad, just keep going. I stopped a few times to take pictures and once the road started to descend into the next bay I decided to turn back. I wanted to get back in good time to be able to walk across to Davaar Island, which has a strip of land called the Dhorlin that separates it from the mainland, but the tide covers it at certain times. I’d checked the tide timetables and low tide was at 3.45pm, with a window of 3 hours either side to get access. A fair-sized window, but not one I wanted to get complacent over and cut fine.
Once back at the van I changed into my walking gear and prepped a pasta mug shot in my flask to have on the walk. I set off in a T-shirt as the weather was fairly warm and sunny, but I soon chucked on my jumper, feeling the chill of the sea breeze as I walked the crossing. As you reach the island there’s a sign to direct you to the Jesus Caves or the lighthouse. I took the lighthouse route first along a stone track suitable for vehicles. As I approached the lighthouse there were two cute log cabins on the edge of the cliff, which looked pretty new. After reaching the lighthouse and starting on my return I spotted a couple walking up the track and into the log cabin. I thought it seemed a romantic spot for a holiday with this nice weather we were having. Then thoughts turned to what if the weather was bad and wondered if the cabin was nice and cosy inside, where you could sit and read a book all curled up on a chair while the wind was howling and the waves crashing outside. Back to the starting point and I set off in the direction of the Jesus Caves. Apparently in 1887 a local artist painted Jesus at the crucifixion inside the caves. As I approached the caves, I saw the couple who were parked up behind me in their camper at the parking spot. I asked if that was where the painting was and they replied, ‘kind of, you can’t really see it, only a little bit’. I popped in the cave, which was quite small, and to be honest couldn’t see anything. I could see a bit of colour, but thought this just looked like the colouration of the rock. I googled Jesus Caves and from the pictures it didn’t look like this was the cave. I decided to continue walking round the island to see if there were more caves. The path wasn’t obvious and was basically a sea of rocks, but of course there was only one way to go, follow the cliff round the island. After several teasers I eventually got to a cave that had more substance than the others and you could actually walk further into. And hey presto there it was! I was glad I’d persevered. As I’d trapsed halfway round the island, I was now in some shelter from the wind, so picked myself a nice big rock and sat to have my lunch. It was so peaceful, no sign of anyone else, just rocks and sea. It could be quite disconcerting if you didn’t know the town was just round the corner. The sun was brighter now and I took the opportunity to lie down on my purposely chosen reclining rock, and bask in the sun’s rays.
After I’d had enough of a rest I embarked on my hobbly walk across the rocks back to the start, only with a slight diversion. I’d noticed there we some routes up over the hill, but as the sign at the start had also told people to stick to designated paths, I wasn’t sure if it included these lesser worn narrow paths. I looked up on OS maps if anyone had logged a route on the island and they had, so I took that as the go ahead and set off. The path was incredibly steep to start, but at least that meant I’d be at the top quicker! And what spectacular views they were once I got there. With the warm weather there was no cloud cover, and you could see across all the way to Arran, and fantastic views on Campbeltown and the bay. I walked off the back of the Island, which brought me round to the lighthouse again.
As I made my way back across the Dhorlin I watched the birds on the water, I then noticed they were diving. I had seen some gannets, when we were on the boat, diving, which was pretty cool, and now these birds were also diving. I wasn’t sure if they were gannets too, they didn’t seem as big to be honest. One went down, then another, then another. They fly above the sea perusing below, then they glide on the wind for a bit, then slightly change angle aaaand…boom, like a fighter plane, incredible! When I got back to the van, I made dinner and continued watching them diving as the sun gradually started to set. With such clear skies the sunsets have been great in Campbeltown, that kind of orange merging into blue that looks airbrushed onto a canvas.