Something a bit scary today. I’m not sure how I came across these in the David Ramsey Historical map collection a while ago, but essentially it looks like there was at least some material covering Islay for plans by the German Wehrmacht to invade Britain during WWII (known as Operation Sea Lion, which would have mainly focused on England, but they also seem to have prepared information about Scotland). The material seems to be from 1940 and 1941, i.e. still during the early years of the war. A search for Islay initially turns up three results:
The first one is a drawn coast profile of entrances into Loch Tarbert (on Jura) and the Sound of Islay. The second is called south coast of the Isle of Islay (showing mainly Port Ellen and around). The third one is called north coast of the Isle of Islay and shows the north coast near Rhuvaal.
After a bit of digging around I found a bit more (which for some reason doesn’t show up in a search for Islay):
- River mouth of Allt Bun an Eas (Isle of Jura)
- Drawn coastal profile of the southern entrance of the Sound of Islay (with McArthur’s Head)
- Drawing of McArthur’s Head lighthouse (this I found very interesting as it shows the old lighthouse keeper’s house, which is now long gone)
- The village of Port Ellen (a view from the Ard, very similar to the view today, not that much has changed)
Luckily the plans were abandoned quite quickly but now provide us with some interesting historical pictures.
Fascinating. Why is the lighthouse keeper’s house gone? Demolished (!) or just crumbled away? ?
demolished as no longer needed after automation. Some foundations are still there I think, but that’s about it.
Oh dear (Imagine the holiday rental potential!). I suppose not accessible by road…
not even by quadbike I’d say. Only by sea. And even that might at times be tricky.
Indeed. We couldn’t even find a way over to it on foot from Proaig, ha!
I’ve been a couple of times, but you have to know where you’re going. I certainly is tricky to get there.
One day…