Oronsay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring
We’ve only been to the tiny isle of Oronsay once before.
This was back in autumn 2020, before the 2nd pandemic lockdown happened.
Conditions on that occasion were cloudy, flat, and grey. But still, the scenery and views were stunning and we vowed to return again.
And so we did, this time with bright spring skies. A world of difference!
Oronsay can be found in Loch Bracadale, along with lots of other little islands, sandwiched in between the Duirinish and Minginish peninsulas. It’s possible to access Oronsay on foot via a tidal causeway consisting of ankle-breaking fist-sized rocks.
Though only 44 acres in size, it features cliffs 240 ft high, which means it offers incredible views to either the cliffs and hills of the Duirinish peninsula, or the cliffs and Cuillins of the Minginish peninsula.
We didn’t see another soul.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Pentax SMC 28mm F3.5 prime and Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f2.8–4.0 zoom lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom using RNI Films’ Kodachrome film profiles, edited and finalised in Photoshop.
Oronsay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
From the mainland at Ullinish it’s a simple, if squelchy, walk from the settlement to the coast. The way to Oronsay then becomes clear; at low tide, the sea is parted by a causeway of boulders and rocks.
Once on the island it’s simple enough to navigate your way towards the highest cliffs. Once there, you get stunning views like this. Zoomed in, the island of Wiay is clear and you can even make out the cliffs and sea stacks of MacLeod’s Maidens.
Looking further east, the eastern end of Wiay gives way to the two distinctive flat-topped hills on the Duirinish peninsula, known as MacLeod’s Tables. The one on the left―MacLeod’s Table South or Healabhal Bheag―is 489 m/1,604 ft. The one on the right―MacLeod’s Table North or Healabhal Mhòr―is 469 m/1,538 ft.
From Oronsay’s tallest cliff, the view northeast down the island and across the loch all the way to Skye proper is just stunning.
Looking back at the tallest cliff, it’s contrasty shape and shadow is used to frame the distant island of Wiay and Duirinish cliffs.
My little Lisabet hiking her way up to the next cliff, whilst I shuffled as close as I dared to the precipitous edge for this monstrous view.
A simple leading line of Oronsay’s cliff edges, all the way back to Ullinish and the moorlands of Skye.
Returning to the lowest part of Oronsay, I venture around its more boggy eastern area for a view back to the craggy cliffs, again using the harsh light and shadow to aid in a leading line composition.