Yesterday we walked around Torr na Moine (torr hill, moine moor), a craggy feature to the northwest of the hauntingly beautiful bay of Camas nan Geall. The purpose of the walk was to visit the two ruined villages of Bourblaige and Tornamona - the latter's name obviously derived from the hill beneath which it stands. We left the car by the B 8007 Salen to Kilchoan road and took the track which enters Ardnamurchan Estate land at NM553629. The track peters out after half a kilometre but, by carrying on southwest across fairly rough ground, we came to Bourblaige (NM546623).
Both Bourblaige and Tornamona were cleared by their landlord in 1828 (see yesterday's post) so all that remains of the villages are their fallen drystone walls. As if to compensate for the horrors of their destruction, the land around them is a mass of wildflowers, with delicate stems of foxgloves growing round the walls, and the interiors of the buildings a yellow carpet of birdsfoot trefoil. The orchids were out in profusion, their petals in shades varying from the palest lilacs and pinks to bold purple, each flower patterned in deeper colour.
We also made the acquaintance of this beautiful, delicate flower, the bog asphodel, which seemed to be in full bloom here earlier than expected. It is not an asphodel but a member of the lily family, and produces a fruit in autumn. In parts of Scotland it was used as a substitute for saffron and as a yellow hair dye. Sadly, it can be poisonous to both sheep and cattle.
By following the estate fence steeply downhill we came to the beach just to the east of MacLean's Nose, its lonely, windswept pebbles scattered with flotsam. The small bay, called Port a' Chamais, was obviously used by Bourblaise's inhabitants for their fishing boats. A rough path along the back of the beach leads eastwards towards Camas nan Geall. At the small point called Sgeir Fhada (sgeir a rock or skerry, fada distant), where there is a small fortification which guarded the entrance to Camas nan Geall bay, we turned north, climbing the flank of Torr na Moine.
We were led to the village of Tornamona by this lovely butterfly, a silver-washed fritillary, which disappeared as we approached the ruins, to find them occupied by a small herd of red deer.
From the village, we followed the fence northwestwards, rejoining the road just by the bridge across the stream called Allt Torr na Moine.
Total distance: 4km. Rough walking. A map of the area is here.
It's a dark green fritilary, the silver washed doesn't occur in Scotland AFAIK.
ReplyDeleteAnd your orchids are Heath Spotted.
Nice blog, very interesting stuff.
Steve
Many thanks for the comment, Steve, and for your kind words. As you will have realised, my knowledge is limited, but I know what is beautiful - and the orchids, this year, are simply stunning.
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