Lismore

There is no doubt, Lismore is an enchanting island. No pub, no hotel, no restaurant but instead peace and quiet, farming on remarkably fertile soil (the limestone), wild flowers, and not much of the holiday home pestilence. People on Lismore live there - there are about 200 of them. The most interesting things to see within reach of the anchorages are the church at Clachan, Castle Coeffin, Tirefour Broch, the Limekilns at Port Ramsay, the Heritage Museum (with the only café on the island) and the lighthouse – that’s quite a lot for a small island. It does not seem to be much visited by boaties, and even by others even though it is very close to Oban by Ferry and just a stone's throw from Appin, also by ferry but one which does not take cars. Once there you can hire bikes from an outfit that will deliver them to wherever you are on the island, but best to book ahead (ph 01631 760213). So it is all quiet and peaceful. But there is one blot on the lanscape and that is the coastal granite quarry at Glensanda on Morvern, the only coastal quarry in the UK. You see it from more or less everywhere on the west side of Lismore, and it is worse at night because of the lights. But then it does avoid the stone having to be driven out on roads, and it does employ a lot of local people - so more good than bad. For photographs either avoid it slipping into the background, or make sure it is in shadow.

Anchorages around Lismore, anticlockwise:

Achnacroish

Tirefour Broch

Port Ramsay

Port na Moralachd

An Sailean

Bernera and Achadun Bays

Lismore lighthouse