Ian Griffiths (Griff)
Wildlife Artist

Lunga, Treshinsh Isles, Scotland

Most people have a place which is special to them, mine is a small island off Mull which in the early 70's was a regular weeks 'holiday' from Garforth Comprehensive school near Leeds. It was an expedition and it has been quicker to get to all the places I have traveled in the world than to reach this island. We took the east coast train then changing at Glasgow for the wonderful journey north. I missed the first trip in 1969 as I opted for a visit to Norway's Trondhiem. But made up for it in 70 & 71.

We camped on the island and in 1971 surveyed the birds for the BTO breeding atlas, following winning a competition on the Eider duck we were invited to Slimbridge to meet sir Peter Scott.

There was no way of communicating to the outside world and when the boatman turned up unexpectedly for our return he would not wait for a couple of the party and they had to wait for another boatman who was coming latter to check his cattle.

We used to go the last week in May just right for the large colonies of seabirds which were very unafraid of humans, we also 'discovered' a breeding population of Manx shearwaters and storm petrels. We found a Barnacle gooses skull and organized a trip in late October to see if there was any evidence of the birds, however the weather was so bad we made it half way and turned back, it was an open boat.

Even though I lived in Sutherland for 2 years I have never made it Back to Lunga - yet.

I do not have many photographs left of our visit but I do have our sepecies report which I will post soon or forward on request.

Ready for the trip after walking from Craignure		View from the top of the hill
Harp rock, legend has it that the Monks from Iona hid the church valuables to protect them from dissolution of the monasteries.		Castle rock which we would swim to. Seagull island in the forground

© 2007 Ian Griffiths  |  Links