Saint Columba's Island is to be found at one end of Loch Snizort, near Skeabost which is to the north of Portree on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.  It is a rather extraordinary place with its ancient ruins of chapels and monastry buildings although, to be fair, if you didn't know this you might just think it is a bit of rough land with some pleasant views.

These photographs were taken at ground level so don't show that this is an island - use the Map of Area link above and use the Satellite view to see it as an island.  Looking at the island using this view did highlight to us there appears to be four ruins on the island and we have only distinguished two of them.  It may be we did photograph them all, but when we later sorted through our photographs it was difficult to work out which details go with which ruin - so please bear this in mind when looking at these photographs that it is highly likely we have muddled some of them up.

If you are able to visit, the first obstacle is finding it!  The map website link above uses a postcode to find the location and in this instance only takes you close to this island.  Study a map before you leave and look for the A850 at the end of Loch Snizort.  As you approach the new bridge over River Snizort (the river is indicated by signs), look out for the signpost for Skeabost Hotel and turn down this tiny lane.  You can park the car here on the old road and will see the old bridge.  If necessary walk over the bridge - you want to be on the opposite side of the river to the Hotel - and take a sharp left turn which will take you down a small pathway.  Within a very short distance you will see a wooden footbridge.  Head for this bridge, which is the only access to the Island by foot.

This is one of the few places on Skye sheep are unable to graze so it has native plants that are no longer to be found in other areas.

Our thanks for discovering this Island go to Janet and Chris Mitchell who at that time ran a B&B; we stayed with them for a few nights and they were full of information about the area - it's flora and fauna, it's weather, places off the tourist track, and just about anything you might wish to know!  Chris's enthusiasm for lichen certainly rubbed off on us and we have now started a collection of photographs of lichen - we never knew just how fascinating they can be.