Kelpie

Treshnish Point, in the North West corner of Mull. A glimpse of the Treshnish Isles in the background. Commanding the entrance to Calgary Bay. Looking across the sound to Coll, where some of the oldest rocks on earth have endured for over two thousand million years. A watchpoint. A little tricky to reach; no established paths; guide books don't go this way; bogs to skirt; brambles to stumble through; rock-falls to clamber around; the buzzards and the water spirits are accustomed to solitude; the sheep debate our competence among themselves, unconvinced

A few days ago, far from any tarmac, well away from the coast, we encountered a towering pile of scallop shells. Mystified, we sought local knowledge. They are a by-product of scallop fishing boats, and associated processing on shore. They are crushed and spread on farm land to reduce the acidity of the soils and boost production. The scallop producers get rid of their waste, the farm benefits; a win-win

But industrialised scallop fishing ploughs the sea-bed, massively disturbing and damaging ecosystems, reducing the productivity of the sea, limiting the population of sea birds. Not everybody wins

On Treshnish Point, the Kelpie bides its time, contemplating vengeance