Читать книгу An Island Odyssey - Hamish Haswell-Smith - Страница 12

SANDA

. . . the isle Avon, above a mile in circumference, lies to the south of Kintyre Mull; it hath a harbour for barques on the north. . .

. . . If any man be disposed to live a solitary, retired life, and to withdraw from the noise of the world, he may have a place of retreat there in a small island, or in the corner of a large one, where he may enjoy himself and live at a very cheap rate.

Anyone who steps on the tiny 300-acre island of Sanda which lies off the Mull of Kintyre could be seriously at risk. Legend claims that St Ninian was buried here and an ancient curse warns anyone who steps on his grave that they will die within a year. The site used to be marked by an alder tree but there are no longer any alder trees on the island and so the position of the grave is unknown.

I suppose this risk is tolerable for a short visit but it must be a continual worry for the farmer-owner, John Gannon. Whether or not he had inadvertently stepped on the grave, Mr Gannon nearly lost his life in 1996 when his boat capsized and he was trapped beneath it. Luckily there was sufficient air in the hull for him to survive until he was rescued by the Campbeltown lifeboat. Such incidents highlight the dangers of a lonely island existence and should be considered carefully by all would-be island purchasers.

Incidentally, it was the Campbeltown lifeboat which carried out the renowned rescue in 1946 of all fifty-four passengers and crew of the SS Byron Darnton. They were saved from the wreck in the nick of time as she broke up on the rocks on the south side of Sanda.

The Norse sometimes referred to Sanda as ‘Havn’ because it provided a reasonable offshore haven or harbour for boats. For many centuries this led to the island being called ‘Avon’ and even led to one eminent geographer wondering why an island had been given the Gaelic word for river (abhainn).

But if for no other reason, its anchorage makes Sanda a useful stopping-off point when waiting for a suitable tide to round the sometimes-treacherous Mull of Kintyre. It is worth going ashore on such occasions for it has the enchantment of all our islands. The farmhouse, which has been restored by the owner, is just beside the jetty and slipway and the old schoolhouse is nearby. In the 1890s this was the home of an active fishing community of thirty-six souls.

. . .a conspicious cruciform snapea stone. . .

On our last visit, en route for the Mull and waiting for the tide, it was Craig’s unfortunate turn in the galley. Only a light lunch was required but he opted to stay aboard. We landed and followed the earth road which winds across the island from the slipway to the lighthouse. The roofless ruin of St Ninian’s Chapel, pre-14th century, is beside a knoll within the burial enclosure. It has a stone basin or piscina set in the wall under one of the window embrasures and in the corner a worn Early Christian slab is incised with a cross. Near the centre of the burial ground is a conspicuous cruciform-shaped stone nearly two metres high and just west of the chapel are the footings of a small square structure. A 1630 record states: ‘at the syde of that Chappell there is a litle well or compass of stones. . . And they say that the bones of certaine holie men that lived in that Illand is buried within that place.’ It was a Sanda tradition that if there was a severe storm when the fishermen were still at sea the islanders would gather in the burial ground, say a prayer for them, and then solemnly pour a cup of fresh water on the ground.

Ian stayed to photograph the chapel ruins while Peter and I set off to see the lighthouse. Peter, at six foot five inches, is a useful spare mast but with his long legs he could be wearing seven-league boots. A gentle stroll can become a marathon. There was a cool wind, but the valley is sheltered and traps the sun, so our sailing jackets and jerseys were discarded by the roadside. The island had not been seriously farmed for many post-war years but now the fences had been repaired, sheep were grazing peacefully, and the owner’s tractor could be heard fitfully in the distance. The lighthouse, which is on a rocky promontory on the south shore, is called ‘The Ship’ because, to an imaginative person on a misty day, it has that appearance. It was built in 1850. There is a huge natural stone arch beside it which frames a distant view of Ailsa Craig. There was only time for a very quick sketch before returning to Jandara.

When we climbed back on board, hot and thirsty, we found lunch prepared and Craig smiling happily, cool and relaxed.

‘The Ship’ lighthouse

The ruined chapel on Texa