A Thin Place

A fine day for a figure of eight loop around Iona with the St Columba Hotel conveniently at the intersection.
I climbed Dun I, found St Brigid’s pool and could just about make out the laps of Jura to the south and the Rum Cuillin to the north. The tide was out exposing the magnificent White Strand if the Monks, main blip, and I revisited the rocks which I like to think are the ones Peploe painted.
Then I embarked on the south end of the island. My goal was the remains of the Marble Quarry last active in 1918. The trail was reasonably well marked and the rusted remains of a large winch and cable, a cutting frame, water tank, gas engine, wheeled platform and white cut stone blocks were intriguing.
After walking another 500 metres south I reached St Columba’s Bay, retraced my steps minus the mildly tricky diversion to the quarry and spent what remained of the afternoon at Port Ban. A fabulous swimming spot with turquoise water even when its cloudy. On this occasion I just paddled.
Returning to the St Columba I unfortunately spotted a mink, boldly swimming about close to where the they are dredging the harbour. It was reported to the Ranger.
An evening wandering around the deserted Abbey and another unproductive otter watching trip.