Holy Isle...Mullach Mor

Holy Isle profile

There is a local saying here that if you cannot see Arran from our beach it is because it is raining and if you can see Arran it is going to rain. Obviously not always true but when I look across the water and see Arran I can also see the Holy Isle which sits just in front of Arran on its western coast.
It has been on my bucket list to get onto the island and walk to its summit, Mullach Mor, and hopefully look across the water to my home. The summit is categorised as a Marilyn, a sub 2000 hill.

Holy Isle from Lamlash Pier

It is not as easy as it sounds to get to as the island is privately owned. It is a Tibetan Buddhist retreat and is officially designated as a UK Sacred Site. It is a Centre for World Peace and Health. The island has introduced Soay sheep, Saanen goats and Eriskay ponies.
The owners will allow walking visitors subject to certain conditions. No smoking, drinking, dogs, fires etc. Probably swatting midgies not allowed either.
The island of Arran has an annual mountain festival and this was its 10th anniversary. One of the group walks was this one to the Holy Isle so I took the opportunity and booked up as soon as it became available this year. Fingers crossed that the weather was good enough to see across the water, the last 2 years this would not be possible due to atrocious conditions.

After a great weekend, mainly clear blue sky but chilly wind all weekend the day arrived for my trip with a forecast of cloud but reasonable temperatures and only a small chance of rain. My trip involved by driving to get a Calmac ferry at Ardrossan. A problem that I encountered when I arrived was that every other sailing was cancelled so my only return option was the last ferry of the day, hope I don't miss it. A 50 minute smooth crossing got me to Brodick on Arran where the group were bussed to Lamlash to get the ferry to Holy Isle. My surprise on meeting the group was that I was the only guy on the trip, didn't expect that. I usually walk solo or with maybe one other so a dozen or so people was going to be interesting, at least one of the trip guides was male so two's company.

Ailsa on horizon

I was delighted to discover that our ferry was to be a fast rib boat, a bit of fun expected. The normal ferry is a lot slower. As we had time on our side the rib, ran by Ocean Breeze, took us a full tour around the island, stopping to point out some highlights, animal and geological. Great fun especially when he increased the speed into the waves. 
After our island circuit we dropped into the jetty and we all made it ashore without falling in. A welcome noticeboard plus an array of Tibetan prayer flags adorn the field. There is a large building which is the guesthouse and a small building which operates a cafe but only open on certain afternoons in the summer season.

Lamlash bay & Goatfell

Look out for the common gulls on the rocks right beside the jetty sitting on eggs and hopefully no high spring tide to wash their nests away.
From this point the walk goes clockwise up through a field then through a short wooded section before coming onto open moorland. Then you start climbing up basically through the middle of the island. The eastern side is basically left natural for the wildlife and there are no paths on this side and walking here is not welcomed.

The path is narrow and gravelly, loose stones, so walking with care. A pair of meadow pipits fly upwards together, squabbling, having a territory fight, delightful. A cuckoo is heard calling.
We reach a high point just below Mulloch Beag 314 metres, with tremendous views of Lamlash Bay. Because it is a guided tour we are given an overview of the work of COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) and the benefits to the sealife that this has had, fascinating and keep up the good work. Not so attractive is the salmon fish farm tanks. Looking down to the jetty and the rib far below you realise you have climbed a fair bit to this point.

At this ridge there are stunning views of the mountains of north Arran, dominated by Goatfell. Further afield the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond are prominent along with the Cumbraes and northern Ayrshire coast.

Mullach Mor summit

The route dips down a bit before climbing to the narrow summit of Mullach Mor, a trigpoint with some Tibetan flags for colour.

We stop for lunch and I sneakily eat my pork pie as eating meat here is one of the no goes. I now have full views all around including Ayrshire and the southern coast, Ailsa Craig and southern Arran. For a small hill it does not get much better than this. We spot the medivac helicopter landing on Arran, possibly not good news for someone. Prawn fishing boats dot the sea and the fishery protection boat is also present. A line of gannets fly low heading back to Ailsa Craig.

The descent

The descent from the summit going towards the lighthouse is a bit tricky, some minor steep scrambling is required and this could be tricky on a wet day. We pass the plateau where breeding gulls are sitting on their nests and the goats feeding a short distance away.

A raven flies over being mobbed by some gulls. We saw plenty of the Eriskay ponies from the rib when circling the island but few on the walk itself.
The second lighthouse, Pillar Rock, now comes into view. There cannot be many islands as small as this with two.

Pillar Rock lighthouse

Still descending you now get sight of some homes built into the hillside, these are to your right, as always the chiefs seem get the better accommodation. The nuns retreat beside the lighthouse is strictly off limits.

The remainder of the walk is about a mile along the shoreline with 6 or seven stones with elaborate paintings of real and mythical figures important to this religion. Apparently they are repainted circa every 10 years when they have faded. There are small natural tree plantations developing well.

A common seal rises close in and seems to follow us for about half a mile.
The last attraction is St Molaises cave where there are scratchings on the cave walls apparently Norse/Viking runes, plus a large Celtic cross. Amazing to think these pilgrims/warriors stood on this very spot.

A short walk brings us back to the jetty and the rib back to Lamlash. About half way across the rib goes into a fast sharp turn cutting back across its own wake for a bit of bouncy fun to finish the day.
I will be on time for the last ferry home, a long but enjoyable day. And even time for an unhealthy fish supper whilst I wait on it.
I'm really pleased to tick this one off and I suspect I might repeat it in a couple of years. According to my GPS the walk was only 4.2 miles and we climbed 1090 feet.