Island of the cowled women - Scottish Natural Heritage

Island of the cowled women

Loch Lomond is famous the world over for the beauty of its wooded
shores and islands. Part of the loch is a national nature reserve, including
the wonderful island of Inchcailloch. The rocky isle is covered with rich oak
woodland and gives stunning views over the loch. It also has an ancient
burial ground and a golden beach that’s ideal for picnicking. The best time
to visit is from mid-May to June when the bluebells and wild garlic are at
their peak, and the woods are alive with summer migrant birds

36 The Nature of Scotland
1

Inchcailloch Trail

Make your way to the boatyard in North Bay
Balmaha where you can hop on
one of the old clinker-built ferries North Jetty
for the short trip across to the
island. You could complete this 1
woodland walk in an hour and a
half, but you’ll probably want to Alder Burn North
spend at least double that and Hill
take time to enjoy all the island
has to offer. The summit path Burial Ground andFarm Burn Alder
across to Port Bawn is steep in Summit pathMarsh
places but well worth the effort.
Use the numbered map and Church Ruins 7 2 Coffin
directions in the text to guide
you round. If you want to cut the Endrick Viewpoint Valley
walk short, then you can take the
central path, which takes about 3
15 minutes to walk.
6
1 Farm Ruins
After being dropped at the North Jetty,
wander up the hill until you come to a Barn End
junction. Take the left-hand path that
leads to the summit. Oakwoods like Summit Viewpoint 4
the one you’re walking through once
surrounded the loch. Over thousands of Main RidgeMacFarlane Burn
years they disappeared as trees were
cut for firewood, building and charcoal. Central Valley
Central path
Then, around 200 years ago, there
was a demand for leather belts to drive Church Ridge
machinery in city factories. Leather is
softened and made supple with tannin, Low path
a natural material found in oak bark. So
Loch Lomond’s landowners planted Tait Burn
more new trees around the loch, and
on islands like Inchcailloch, to meet the 5 South Ridge
demand.
Port Bawn
Look out for the island’s fallow deer Jetty
on your visit. King Robert the Bruce
probably introduced fallow deer to West Promontory Port Bawn
Loch Lomond in the 1300s. The islands
were used as deer parks where only Key Clearance Beach
the king and his nobles were allowed South Promontory
to hunt. The Inchcailloch deer vary a lot Passenger boat to Balmaha
in colour, from pale to dark brown, and Trail
many have attractive white spots. Boat
Toilet
Picnic area
Viewpoint
Historic structure

0 200
metres

www.snh.org.uk 37

2 2
Walk on for about 10 minutes and you’ll
notice a small valley heading down
to the loch side. This is called Coffin
Valley. For hundreds of years, the dead
were carried up here on their way to the
burial ground.

This was also where they hauled
timber out. Before the North Jetty was
built, boats were beached on the shore
below you. During the oak harvest,
peeled bark was piled close by the
shore before being taken to Glasgow
on boats.

3
Carry on climbing up the path until you
reach the seat. You can take a break
here and enjoy the magnificent view
looking south to the mouth of the River
Endrick.

The river feeds the loch’s shallow
waters. Insects and minibeasts thrive
in the water and provide food for
abundant fish and birds. Look out for
ospreys fishing here in summer.

3

1
The Highland
Boundary Fault runs
through Inchcailloch
and other islands in
Loch Lomond.

2
A white fallow deer doe
on the island.

3
You may be lucky and
spot an osprey hunting
fish at the mouth of the
River Endrick.
38 The Nature of Scotland

4

4 5
Visitors can opt for the
lower path or head for 4
the summit. After taking in the view, walk on for
another five minutes until you reach the
5 summit viewpoint. If you’re visiting on a
The sheltered, sandy clear day you’ll enjoy one of Scotland’s
bay at Port Bawn is a finest views of Loch Lomond and the
popular spot for surrounding mountains.
picknicking.
Around 450 million years ago, the
www.snh.org.uk rocks of lowland Scotland collided with
those to the north, and the ‘crumple
zone’ formed the Highland Boundary
Fault. The collision forced up the
mountains you see around you. The
fault goes straight through Inchcailloch,
so you can stand with one foot in the
Highlands and one in the Lowlands!

5
From the summit, follow the path down
the other side of the ridge. At the next
junction go left and head down towards
Port Bawn. With reasonable weather,
this is a lovely place for a picnic and
even a paddle in the shallow bay.

39

6 7
From Port Bawn take the low path Carry on along from the Farm Ruin
along the north side of the island until and you’ll finally come across the old
you come across a pile of stones and burial ground and the kirk ruin. This is
ruined walls. These are a reminder of an atmospheric place where it’s worth
the last folk to live here. They were spending a bit of time.
farmers who grew a few crops and
kept some livestock. However, by the Tradition has it that around 1,300
end of the 18th century landlords were years ago Saint Kentigerna, daughter of
replacing small farms with large-scale an Irish king and mother of Saint Fillan,
sheep farms or woodlands. Around settled here and set up a nunnery. She
1796, the farmer was asked to plant died here in AD 734 and is remembered
acorns and more than 2,000 years of in the name of the island Inchcailloch,
farming tradition on Inchcailloch came meaning ‘island of the old or cowled
to an end. women’.

Five hundred years later, a church
was built here and dedicated to her
memory. It was in constant use until
1770. Long after the church fell into
ruin, local people continued to use the
burial ground. The last burial took place
in 1947.

6
Stone carving of a cow
on a gravestone in the
island’s burial ground.

7
School group on a visit
to the island.

6

40 The Nature of Scotland

Essential information

Boat

The ferry from Balmaha (Macfarlane & Son, tel: 01360 870
214) runs on demand but you’re best to book your trip in
advance, especially if it’s outwith the main visitor season.
The ferry operator can drop you at either North Jetty or Port
Bawn. If steps are too much for you, ask to be dropped off
at Port Bawn. It’s a relaxing spot with a picnic site, a lovely
beach and toilets.

Bus and rail

The nearest railway station is at Balloch and from there you
can take a bus to Balmaha. A few minutes’ walk will take you
to the boatyard.

OS maps

Landranger 56 (Loch Lomond & Inveraray), Explorer 347
(Loch Lomond South).

Trail length

About 3 km/2 miles.

Terrain

The paths at Inchcailloch are well surfaced, narrow in places
and with a few flights of steps. They can be a bit muddy in
places after rain. The summit path gradually climbs to 75
metres (246 feet) and is rugged in places.

Dogs 7

If you have a dog with you, please make sure it’s kept on a Nearby natural attractions
short lead or under close control, especially during the bird
breeding season (1 April to 1 July). Please also make sure Why not combine your trip to Inchcailloch with a visit to
you pick up after your dog and dispose of waste carefully. another site close at hand? You could try:

A fuller walking guide can be downloaded from the NNR – the Aber path to Loch Lomond NNR, which gives a taste
website (www.nnr-scotland.org.uk) or you can pick up a of the Endrick Mouth area and starts next to the
guide at the National Park Centre in Balmaha. You can also Gartocharn Millennium Hall. There’s a car park and bus
get further information from the National Park Centre (tel: stop nearby. See www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/downloads/
01389 722 100 or email: info@lochlomond-trossachs.org). publications/AbertoLochLomond.pdf

– the walk from Gartocharn up Duncryne Hill (an extinct
volcano known locally as ‘The Dumpling’), which takes only
30 minutes to walk up and back but gives great views.

Inchcailloch is one of 58 national – the walk up Conic Hill from Balmaha, which takes a couple
nature reserves in Scotland. Find out of hours. It’s very steep in places but provides wonderful
more at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk views of the loch and islands.

www.snh.org.uk 41