Caves, cairns and chapels

Day 4: Sunday 3rd May 2026.

Gigha to Craignish Lagoon, Ardfern

Duration - 4 hours : Wildlife seen - 3 porpoises, lots of seabirds including some eider ducks and lots of low flying shags, and a very lonely duckling)

Hats and gloves weather as we went ashore to explore the "Fisherman's Cave", which served as a refuge for Fishermen and their equipment, as well as an area for drying and salting fish...

... and then on up to the Watch Cairn at Gigha's most northerly point, where in ancient times the dead were buried and lookout was kept- with views of Islay and Jura to the west, mainland Kintyre to the east and Mull in the far distance to the North.

Back aboard, and anchor raised, for the short and sunny passage to Loch Craignish, Ardfern.

Safely anchored in the thick mud of Craignish Lagoon, the bow thruster failed again and needs stripped down once we tie-up in Oban) we ventured ashore to stretch our legs, and explore the old, and very atmospheric chapel of Kilvaree (a 6km round trip)...

This peaceful chapel ruin is said to date back to the early 1200's and was abandoned in 1692 .

It sits atop a wee knoll that looks out to Loch Craignish and beyond...

and houses some very old grave slabs from the surrounding graveyard - most dating back to the 1400s and 1500s...

The cloud rolled back in as we went back to the boat for a very quiet and settled night.