Our destination today was Holy Island which lies off the eastern side of Arran. It was originally called ‘Inis Shroin’ which means ‘Island of the water spirit’. After Saint Molaise (566-640) who was born in Ireland and raised in Scotland, lived on the island as a hermit the name was changed to ‘Eilean Molaise’ or Molaise’s Island. It is now owned by the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. They bought it from the previous private owner in 1992. There are several settlements on the island: the Centre for World Peace and Health, founded by Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, is on the north of the island, near the pier. This is a residential centre for courses and retreats. They are trying to live lightly on the land with solar water heating, a reed-bed sewage treatment system and they are talking about developing wind-powered electricity. They also have an organic garden which produces some of their food. More people now live on the island, the population having risen from 13 in 2001 to 31 in 2011.The ferry goes from the old pier in Lamlash, the first at 10am. One of the guys is Jim, originally from Sheffield who tried to inject some humour into the proceedings. There was only ourselves and one other couple on the first boat for the 15-minute journey. Sometimes on of the community will greet visitors but a retreat was on so that did not happen and the tea room was closed. We did talk to the volunteer who was renovating the stupas.

On the southern end of the island lives a community of nuns who are undertaking three-year retreats and a retreat centre for women. Much of the island is a nature reserve so there is no footpath on the eastern coast. They are re-planting native trees including the rare Arran Rock Whitebeam, a Sorbus. We walked the footpath which runs along the west coast of the island. It starts on the lawn and passes a wood has been planted as a memorial to the Dunblane massacre.

The cave Molaise lived in is still there, a little wet when we visited. There are some Viking runes visible inside.

A nearby well is said to have healing properties. There is an advisory notice next to a sheep skull, stating that the water does not meet EU standards and should not be drunk.
It is thought that a monastery was established on the island in the 1200s or 1300s. Little trace of it now remains, nor of anyone else who lived there before the clearances and enclosures.

The island has flocks of Soay sheep which were grazing along the path

and Eriskay ponies and Sannex goats which we only saw in the distance.
The southern end of the path terminates at Pillar Rock Lighthouse, a Stevenson lighthouse erected in 1904.


We walked back to the pier, enjoying the views,

and spotting a shag and a seal.


Scotland’s first ‘No Take Zone’ was in Lamlash Bay in 2008. This prohibits the taking of sea fish and shellfish with the hope of re-generating the sea-bed. The northern end of the island has the highest concentration of birds nesting on the shore, so I hope this means it is working. As our ferry was not due to leave until 2pm, I had a walk around the north end where Common Gulls were nesting on the beach,

as were Oystercatchers and a lone swan. All too soon it was time to head back to the pier and take the boat back to Lamlash.