Little Minch crossing, Tarbert to Rona 28 May 2024

 

Rona Lodge

Left Tarbert shortly after 09.00 this morning, to make the journey back across the Minch, this time at its narrow middle where it’s known as Little Minch.  The weather was cold and grey, but the SE wind just a little lighter than we were expecting, and the rain didn’t appear.  Consequently the crossing was better than expected.

Our route took us to the north of Skye and as soon as we were in the shelter of the island the sea got calmer.  Still cold and grey.

Skye looked well as we passed - much greener than Lewis and Harris.

Some of the cliffs on Skye looked like the basalt above the chalk on the Antrim coast.  I suspect these cliffs are of basalt of the same age as that in Antrim.

Our destination was the island of Rona, and specifically the inlet of Acairseid Mhor.

Rona as we approached 

The inlet is quite narrow, with lots of rocky obstacles but once in it is well sheltered and beautiful.  There are 5 visitors moorings, one of which was already taken, so we hooked up the one we think is the best - what a location!

After lunch we took a hike:

Three views of Lazaway moored in Acarseid Mhor, on Rona.

One the highlights of Rona is the Cave Church on its east coast, so our hike was up and over the island and down the other side.  The advice was that the descent to the cave was ‘not for the faint hearted’ and indeed that was the case. 

The Cave Church on Rona

It comes with rows of stone pews, a stone cross, built-in cathedral acoustics, and a lectern with bible, donations and a note book.  What more could you need?

Prior to the construction of a church on Rona at Acarseid Thioram in 1912 (now converted to holiday lets), the population of Rona worshipped in the Cave Church. The entrance to the cave is akin to a large Gothic arch beneath which is a low stone pillar which served as a pulpit.  To the right of the pulpit there is a depression in the stone floor which was fed by a drip of water from the cave roof.  This depression was used as a font.  Inside the cave there are rows of stones used as pews by the congregation.  Reputedly even after the church at Acarseid Thioram was built, the infants born on Rona were taken by their fathers to be baptised at the cave.  The church was last used in 1970s, until recently, when a wedding was conducted.

As we got back to the anchorage it started to chuck it down.  We bought some frozen Rona venison burgers and a frozen venison steak to BBQ tomorrow (or whenever), and got back on the boat in a very wet state.

The boat bird list was 27 species, including Bonxie and Common Sandpiper.  Not bad.

Our route:







































































































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