This short walk visits the interesting buildings and historic remains around A'Chill - the main settlement on Canna. It includes a fine Celtic carved cross, Canna House, and Coroghan Castle.
Tracks and paths; Satur's woodland path is rough underfoot.
Canna is served by the Calmac ferry service from Mallaig.
Canna pier.
Starting from the jetty, walk northwest along the track, passing Saint Columba's Presbyterian Church which is seen up to the right - its distinctive tower giving it its nickname as the 'Rocket Church'; it houses an archaeological exhibition.
Ignore a track off to the right and instead continue along the main track by the shore, passing the island's cafe in a whitewashed cottage. Continue past the post office shack and telephone box. Just after a building with a cross on the gable - now serving as the island's church - the route turns right through a gate (orange waymarker).
Follow the grass track beside the wall and then as it curves away to the right. Pass through an iron gate to reach the wooded enclosure. A path leads into the trees - a stunning bluebell wood in late Spring - passing the grave of John Lorne Campbell, the Gaelic scholar who owned Canna and gifted it to the National Trust to Scotland.
Emerge from the wood and pass through a gate into a field. The remains of an early Christian Cross stand in a small enclosure with an information board; the cross - which has lost three of its arms - dates from the 7th to 9th centuries when this was the site of an important religious community. The cross is carved with animals and Christian symbols.
Continue up to the prominent standing stone beyond, atop a mound. There is a small indentation on one side of the stone, and the local story is that an offender's thumb would be jammed into this as a punishment. Turn left from the stone, heading between a fence and a rocky mound, to reach a stile in a field next to the old graveyard. Cross this and keep left to head through a gate at the far corner. Soon the outward grassy track is rejoined; turn right and follow this back to the main island track by the farm. Turn left along it, still retracing steps.
Pass the telephone box. Soon afterwards the entrance to Canna House is on the left; the house is open to tours by National Trust for Scotland (NTS) staff on certain days, whilst the gardens are always open - and are entered via a tunnel of escalonia. The house was the home of John Lorne Campbell - the last owner of the island who gave it to the NTS; he was a folklorist and Gaelic scholar and the house is home to important collections.
Return to the track and continue past the cafe and cottage, then turn left through a gate immediately alongside the cottage (blue waymarker). A path passes sheds and then runs alongside the walls of Canna House gardens to reach the woodland beyond. The path climbs into the trees then swings left - leave the main path here to follow a narrower one ahead (blue waymarker on the tree). A rough path now continues, undulating through the woodland, before eventually descending to a gate giving access to a field. This section could be avoided by those not wanting to take a rough path by instead sticking to the main island track.
Cross the field diagonally to the furthest corner, where a gate leads to a telephone exchange building with satellite dishes. There is a great view of the coastal rock on which stands Coroghan Castle - which was used as a prison in the seventeenth century. Do not try to ascend as it is very dangerous.
Return through the gate and then go left through another gate by a stone barn. It is possible to descend from here to visit a beach of fine volcanic sand. After doing so follow the track leading inland from the barn. This soon joins the main island track; turn left along this to the return to the pier.
Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands.
