ISLE OF SEIL
Bairdstravel travelled to the wonderful Isle of Seil Easter 2010. The weather was poor but we enjoyed the superb setting. Some of the photographs are from past visits.
One of the Slate Islands, Seil is small island on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Oban, in Scotland.
Seil has been linked to the Scottish mainland since 1792 when the Clachan Bridge was built by engineer Robert Mylne. Also known as the Bridge Over the Atlantic, the bridge is still used today and in early summer is covered in fairy foxgloves.
Yvonne and Jessica 2010
The main settlement on Seil is former slate-mining village Ellenabeich, where parts of Ring of Bright Water were filmed. The Ellenabeich Heritage Centre which opened in 2000, is run by the Scottish Slate Islands Trust. Located in a former slate quarry-worker's cottage, the centre has displays on life in the 19th Century, slate quarrying and the local flora, fauna and geology. Another village is Balvicar. Ferries sail from Ellenabeich to Easdale, and from Cuan on the island to Luing.
Tigh na Truish Inn (The House of Trousers:- After the Jacobite Risings when kilts were banned, the islanders were reputed to change out of their kilts and into trews here, when going the mainland).
The Tigh an Truish is famous amongst the regular crews of yachts which moor in the Phuilladobhrain anchorage on the other side of the island
(Pronounced :- Pol dor an, meaning pool of the otter).
The crews have the added attraction of a 15 minute walk over the hill on the public footpath which runs down the side of our property.
A wander over this footpath is well worth the effort with views over the Firth of Lorne to Mull, Kerrera, Lismore and other small islands, with Morven in the distance. Had a beer in the Oyster bar .
The Clachan Bridge is a simple, single-arched, hump-backed masonry bridge spanning the Clachan Sound, 13 kilometres southwest of Oban in Argyll, Scotland.
The bridge links the west coast of the Scottish mainland with the island of Seil. Originally designed by Thomas Telford, and built between 1792 and 1793 by engineer Robert Mylne, the bridge became known as 'The Bridge over the Atlantic'. It was designed with a high arch, of roughly 22 metres span and about 12 metres above the bed of the channel, to allow the passage of vessels of up to 40 tonnes at high tide.
The bridge is still in use today, forming part of the B844 road, and is in the care of Historic Scotland.
