Isle of Cumbrae
Great Cumbrae (Scottish Gaelic: Cumaradh Mòr) is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. The island is sometimes called Millport, which is the name of its main town. You can hop aboard, or even take your car, onto the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry which runs from Largs to Great Cumbrae, every thirty minutes and at the height of the tourist season, every fifteen minutes. The crossing takes ten minutes. The weather was cracking as we say here, so it was an ideal time to book a ticket online and get across early morning and take full advantage of the day. I had noticed the previous day that the queue for getting a car onboard was massive and it did look like quite a wait to get on. I chose to leave my car at the hotel as it was easy walking distance. Bikes are very popular and can easily be hired for getting around the island. There is a bus that meets the ferry and that takes about fifteen minutes to get into Millport. There are also walks around the island if you prefer.
The image accompanying this blog post is of the Cathedral of The Isles. This is not only the highest building on the island, it is one of the smallest cathedrals in Europe. It was designed by architect William Butterfield, the influence of the Gothic revival clearly on display with the building finished in 1849, and opening in 1851. It is set back in gardens and surrounded by woods. It’s quite an experience walking up to the cathedral, being able to catch glimpses of it through the trees as you ascend the hill, with the spire towering above you. It’s well worth making the effort and is one of those hidden gems that is typical of Scotland.
Another highlight for me was Garrison House in Millport, a great example of Gothic architecture. Built in 1745 as the residence of the Captain and officers of the Revenue Sailing Ship the Royal George. Smuggling was rife in those days and it is said the town of Millport came into being as part of the effort to clamp down on the passage of contraband along the Clyde. Stationed at Millport, the Royal George played a key role in tackling the smugglers. During the 19th century there were several amendments to the Garrison House. In 1908, the architect Robert Weir Schultz remodelled both the house and the sunken garden out front. I have read it is one of the few examples of his work in Scotland. There was a fire in 2001, leaving the building derelict, but fortunately has since been restored due to the find raising efforts of the local community.
No visit to Millport would be complete without catching sight of Crocodile Rock. This can easily be visited in the bay, on foot and is a rock formation in the shape of a crocodile, It even has eyes and a jaw full of teeth painted on it to complete the effect.
The Fiction Factory 