TWO relatives, visiting me on separate occasions, remarked that they found the island to be claustrophobic. As someone who suffers from severe claustrophobia and would walk up a lot of flights of stairs to avoid being in a lift on my own, I found this astonishing. To me it is the opposite. To me it feels spacious and free. Within a few minutes walk of where I live I can see 360 degrees for miles and miles. If I lived in a town or city I would be like Heidi, climbing up the church tower desperate to see beyond where I was.
Standing at the ferry terminal in Oban, watching the boats coming in and out and seeing the cruise liners moored in the bay (when there were any), makes me feel connected. Sea lochs, large rivers too make me feel the same. To think that you could get on a boat and go anywhere in the world is very exciting.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon announces planned lockdown easing won't go ahead
Historically, boats were a crucial means of getting around. That Lismore is so strategically placed at the head of Loch Linhe is the reason why it has a broch, two castles and numerous duns (forts). It was a place worth defending.
Crossing inlets and sea lochs on modern bridges, it’s easy to think it has saved the locals a long way round when you look at the original route. But it didn’t. They just used to go straight across by boat. Island hopping was also important. Cattle could be driven overland and then swum across short stretches of water or loaded into boats to reach the mainland and markets.
We have a very fixed mindset today of how to get between places. Before the military roads were built (to subdue the natives) the natives were managing very well criss-crossing the country on tracks and paths in-between what are now the modern roads needing easier gradients. Moluag in the sixth century managed to get from Lismore not only to other islands but also right across to the east coast to plant two more monasteries. Feet (human and horse) and oars managed what we struggle with today. The latest landslips on the A82 at The Rest and be Thankful made the UK main news. The detour is horrendous and even using the old military road means long delays. All the modern engineering solutions utilised at vast expense over the past decades have not stopped nature winning.
READ MORE: SNP MP Margaret Ferrier travels to Scotland after testing positive for Covid
On the island here we have one main road, which is technically a “B” road, running along most of its length before reaching the cleared area in the south where it gradually deteriorates to a rough track and finally reaching the tip by the lighthouse just as a path. There are also offshoot metalled roads to small settlements and tracks to individual houses and farms. Plus now grassy tracks to abandoned settlements, and tracks that seem to go nowhere at all. And also abandoned settlements that seem to have no visible means of access. The people moved about primarily on foot and used boats to go some place else, not necessarily leaving much trace for us to follow today.
When the five-mile travelling limit was announced I am sure that there were wry smiles by the many for whom to travel five miles would get them somewhere very little different (and useful) from where they started out. As I live in the centre of the island, if I travelled more than five miles I would need an amphibious vehicle or a wetsuit. My daughter texted me on hearing the news, enquiring as to whether they threw us overboard on the ferry half way to Oban? Fortunately they didn’t.
After the freedom of the summer we are now most of us in Lockdown Lite. We have been asked not to travel abroad over half-term and some places are already suffering tighter local restrictions. And who knows when it will get tougher for us all?
So, back to exploring and appreciating our local areas.
And of course there is always the internet. There you can travel “virtually” anywhere in the world whilst curled up with a mug of tea – or stronger. I think I’ll get my fire lit.
Rosemary Barry
Lismore
PS: We cleaned the church at the weekend ready to hold an indoor service or a “drive through”, depending on the weather, but it turned out sunny enough and we sat outside in the car park again listening to the birds singing while the visiting minister preached his sermon.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel