The beautiful Easdale Island is the smallest inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides – with just 59 people calling this lovely little island their home. At one point, there were as many as 500 quarry workers living and working here, as Easdale was once the centre of the British slate industry. Nowadays, one of the flooded quarries is home to a very different activity – each September it is the location for the wacky but rather wonderful wonderful Stone Skimming World Championships.
The Stone Skimming Championships is generally held on a Sunday, but celebrations tend to kick off on the Saturday night before when the Easdale Island Community Hall plays host to a wonderful Pre-skim Party. Headlining the party this year on the 28th – 29th September will be the festival favourites Kava Kava, the psychedelic funk soul band from Huddersfield who have previously played Glastonbury 3 times and even South by South West!
The stone skimming is fun, of course, and hugely competitive, but it’s not this that makes a visit to Easdale Island so magical: the place has a true sense of community; one that it’s extremely rare to see. Many of the competitors are the 59 residents themselves, and the local pub the Puffer gives you an idea of what a true community pub can be. Not to mention, the festival feel of the place and the freely flowing ale provide a sense of true harmony and community, just for one day.
If you like the sound of this tiny festival of music and slate, why not think about booking a luxury cottage in Scotland?
The World Stone Skimming Championships 2013, Sunday 29th September. Travel to Easdale Island is by a passenger only small ferry (there are no roads on Easdale) from Ellenabeich on the Isle of Seil, 7 miles to the south west of Oban. Seil has been linked to the mainland via the “Bridge over the Atlantic” since 1792. The ferry costs £1.80 return for adults, £1 return for children. Entrance to the Championships is charged at £4 for adults, £2 for juniors and £1 for under 10s.
