I started my hike walking in the same direction as the day before. Instead of turning off early to follow the coast I continued on the well hiked path down to St Columba’s Bay.
I believe it’s a later tradition that says Columba arrived on Iona here. Still, it was nice to see, and since I got to it early in the morning there were no people around. I took some time then to sit for a while writing and sketching. It is striking however to look out from this bay and imagine how long a journey Columba and his companions took to reach this small island. The grey ocean space between Iona and Ireland almost looks infinite from here.
Almost as soon as I left the bay it started to rain. Powerful winds lashed the rain into me. I’m sad to say this was my least favourite hike around Iona – the rain made the damp marshy uplands even harder to traverse. Trying to reach a stony ridge in order to avoid this ground, I eventually came across a trail sign that I assumed to be directing hikers towards the bay. Reaching higher ground a woman below shouted up at me asking whether I’d found the quarry: I can only assume this was the intended direction of the trail sign, and that I in fact had missed the quarry.
Climbing and climbing I eventually got some good views of the town from the south. At this point the rain had stopped and I was able to enjoy the hike a little more, even if the rain clouds moving above me continued to be threatening.
The walk ended by a little beach before the main road started. The white sands of Iona and the clear waters are always a welcome sight. I lingered here for a while before heading back to camp.
An Eye on the Sail 