NR6654 : Looking north from Na Crogachan
taken 8 years ago, 3 km from Tarbert, Isle of Gigha, Argyll And Bute, Scotland
A small island off the west coast of Kintyre, reached by an hourly 20-min ferry ride from Tayinloan. Gigha was bought by the Scarlett family in the 19th century, who built Achamore House; it was then bought by Colonel Sir James Horlick [of ‘Horlicks’ drink fame], a Rhododendron breeder, who filled the gardens of Achamore with rhododendrons and rare and unusual plants from around the world. They also host at least seven British or Irish ‘Champion trees’. In 2002 the islanders of Gigha bought the island in a community buy-out and, amongst other things, began a restoration project of the gardens.
The island is 10km long [N-S] x 3km [W-E], a mix of farmland and low rocky outcrops. There is magnificent coastal scenery and views westward to Jura and Islay.