Introduction
A little island South West of Mull and near Iona that forged a lighthouse and the classic adventure book Kidnapped by RL Stevenson.
Location
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Erraid Robert Louis Stevenson and David Balfour
Erraid marked the beginning of our 2016 charity Kidnapped re-enactment. After a 500-mile non-stop sail from Edinburgh, we stepped ashore on Erraid to begin the long trek back.
The island features prominently in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Kidnapped. In the story, the sea maroons the hero, David Balfour, on Erraid after his ship founders on the nearby Torran Rocks. Stevenson’s father, Thomas, helped build the local lighthouses, and workers quarried the stones for the Dhu Heartach lighthouse directly from the island’s rock. These connections drew the young Robert Louis to visit the island several times.
From this far-flung western outpost, we faced the challenge of walking across Scotland. Our route led us through Mull, Morvern, Appin, Glen Coe, Rannoch Moor, and the Trossachs toward Edinburgh. Little did Willie and I know just how painful that journey would become.
The Trek across Scotland begins
Having sailed non-stop the 500 miles from the Forth Estuary we anchored at 2am in Tinkers Hole, one of Scotland’s most famous anchorages. We woke to blue skies and could not have asked for a better weather for our 270 mile walk across Scotland.
After breakfast Willie and I clambered into the dinghy and Richard rowed us ashore.
Local Scotisland Gigha Dutchman’s Cap Gometra Staffa
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