Real Life Treasure Island: The Isle of Gigha

By Robin McKelvie

If it were not for a serious lack of coconuts, the Argyll and Bute island of Gigha would be a real-life Treasure Island. This sinewy charmer only measures seven miles by one and a half miles, but it packs in a sweep of gorgeous white sandy beaches, superb places to savour the local seafood and, yes, swaying palm trees, just not of the coconut-bearing variety. Then the most appealing attraction of all – something that the novel never had – is a real-life, co-operative community that impressively runs its own affairs.

The Isle of Gigha

I’ve been closely following Gigha’s fortunes since the community buy-out back in 2002. The buy-out was financed by £3.5 million from the Scottish Land Fund, via the National Lottery, and £500,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The community agreed to repay £1m over the following years, a huge undertaking for the fledgling community.

Back then the population was less than 100, but now it has zoomed up to closer to 200, with the recent announcement of more community housing hopefully helping swell it further, with young families in particular keenly sought. The rising population also helps secure the primary school's future. I love too that Gigha not only generates its own electricity using second-hand turbines but makes enough for the community to sell back into the National Grid at a profit. And they churn any profit back into the community.

Achamore Gardens

More good news is the rebirth of the 54-acre Achamore Gardens I found this summer. Nature's wildness seemed to be winning the battle here for a while. The gardens were revamped in 1944 by Colonel Sir James Horlick. He employed professional gardener Kitty Lloyd Jones and head gardener Malcolm Allan, who worked here for a remarkable 52 years. The fertile soil and the balmy Gulf Stream's moderating effects have helped encourage the eclectic flora and fauna in these life-affirming gardens. Today Achamore Gardens employs two full-time gardeners, as well as helpful community volunteers. The gardens are glorious and a Gigha must-do, worth hopping over on the ferry for alone.

The Boathouse

You can say the same about the Boathouse. This legendary seafood temple overlooks a starched white sand beach and aquarium-clear waters just around from the CalMac ferry pier. They have creel-caught local lobster and Machrihanish brown crab. 

Gigha Activity Centre

On my most recent visit, I was delighted to find new craft operations and that the watersports hire from Gigha Activity Centre has expanded. Handily, they now have a modern fleet of 20 e-bikes, as well as more traditional bikes and watersports gear. They also provide child seats, tagalongs and canopy buggies too for younger children and toddlers. Bikes are a great way to get around the island, especially with a new off-road bike track connecting the new campsite with the north of the island. In total, 9km of new and upgraded paths help visitors weave between the bountiful farmland and the beach-kissed coast.

The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust always seems to have plenty of ideas and projects in the offing. And ready to help open up Gigha is the Isle of Gigha Ranger Service, with their excellent guided walks. On a hike, you will see that the most southerly of the Hebrides is one of the most fertile islands in the archipelago - any walk or cycle around Gigha reveals this. The island's bountiful farms and their cows provide creamy milk for the renowned local cheese and help make delicious Gigha ice cream. The island also produces world-class beef and lamb, remarkable for such a compact island. Gigha offers the kind of fresh local produce many of us struggle to find in our own supermarkets these days.

Even though Gigha is small, there seems to be something else to discover on every visit. This time I hiked north to check out the ‘Dwarf Stone’. Also known as the ‘Hanging Stone’, the distinctive cleft in the rock saw local lovers shaking hands through it to seal their union. It’s a romantic spot right enough, peering north to the majestic hills of Jura and Islay. Wherever you look on low-lying Gigha, there is always drama on the horizon.

Image: Ogham Stone on Gigha

I used my Scottish Islands Passport App for this latest trip, which handily works offline if you download it first. The Gigha entry told me of a beach at Cuddyport, which I’d never chanced upon before. It’s a wonderful escape, and I have it all to myself. Well, that is apart from the deeply historic quern stone carvings. It’s hard not to fall for Gigha’s beaches, which for me are some of the best not just in Argyll and Bute, but in all of Scotland.

As I bounce away across the surf from Gigha, I am already missing this island, charmer. Maybe I’ll come back to check out the Gigha’s Dark Skies community group or perhaps to see how Gigha fits into the Hebridean Whale Trail. And I’ve not yet been to check out the newest arrival on Gigha's food scene - the Wee Isle Café at the Craft Units, which is run by family-owned Wee Isle Dairy, who produce that lovely ice cream, made with whole milk. There is always more to discover on this real-life Treasure Island