A Maid of the Forth sightseeing tour to Inchcolm

Inchcolm bound on Maid of the Forth

I recently enjoyed a boat tour on the Firth of Forth on the Maid of the Forth. Joining me for the trip to Inchcolm Island, were Mr G, the boy and The Teen.

We’d booked a Maid of the Forth, Inchcolm Island landing sailing. It takes around 35 minutes to reach Inchcolm. Then there’s 90 minutes of free-time to explore the small, historic island.

We sat on the outside deck of the boat to enjoy the view and sea air.  The wee dug was in his element, peering overboard and enjoying the smells of the sea.

En-route to and from Inchcolm an audio tour played. It relayed lots of interesting facyts about the Firth of Forth and land bordering it.  There were tales of ghosts, murder, conspiracy and more. I won’t spoil it for you, as you should take a tour yourself and hear the stories first hand.

As the Maid of the Forth neared Inchcolm we spotted grey seals basking on a small rocky outcrop.

A spot of sightseeing on Inchcolm Island

Inchcolm is often referred to as the Iona of the East. It’s easy to see why, when you catch a first glimpse of the island. With its beautiful medieval abbey, sandy beaches and blue waters, there’s definitely a feel of Iona to it. Inchcolm Abbey was originally a priory founded by King David I who reigned between 1124 and 1153.

Like Iona, it’s thought Inchcolm was once a significant holy island. Somewhere it was considered a great honour to be buried.

Preserved inside a small museum at the visitors centre is a rare 11th century hogback tombstone typical of those from the Viking era.

Inchcolm Abbey’s feathered friends

We explored the abbey from outside first, since it was such a lovely day.

No sooner had we stepped into the abbey grounds than an angry duck flew into Mr G’s face. The Teen and I struggled to keep a straight face as he rocketed 10 feet into the air with fright. The poor duck had been snuggling with her babies, when along stomped Mr G like Gulliver in Lilliput.  Once she realised he wasn’t a threat she settled back down and let us admire her adorable new brood.

The medieval abbey

Inside, the abbey was shady and cool. The cloisters and courtyard garden reminded me of Iona Abbey, but with a more authentic medieval feel.

We explored a maze or interiors rooms and corridors, all remarkably well-preserved, gaining a good understanding of what life must have been like for the medieval holy men who once lived and worked on the island.

Up on the roof

I dashed from room to room exploring, knowing it was only a matter of time before I would encounter my Inchcolm Abbey nemesis. The terror that I’d failed to conquer on my last visit. A narrow, claustrophobic handrail free, staircase that twisted and turned to reach a precarious wooden platform. The platform leading to a near vertical wooden ladder to reach the abbey roof.

The Teen refused to shoehorn herself into claustrophobia hell. Mr G shot straight in and ascending like a rat up a drain pipe.

Knowing he’d spend the rest of the day waxing lyrical about the amazing rooftop view, I cautiously followed. I’m no giant but the staircase felt like it completely enveloped me. Even my tiny UK size 4 feet struggled to find purchase on the narrow steps. I inched up slowly on my hands and knees, trying not to think about how I’d get down again.

Once out of the coffin like stairwell, the precarious platform and near vertical ladder were a breeze.

I was delighted I’d conquered my fear as the view from the roof was amazing. I could see the whole island, Edinburgh and Fife too.

Trophy photos snapped, I descended backwards, slowly and inelegantly.  Once my feet were planted safely back on firmer ground I felt ecstatic and relieved.

The bird, the birds

Back outside our plans to explore the island’s WWI & WWII buildings were scuppered when we realised nesting season meant that much of the island was off-limits to visitors.

I’d visited the island before so I was happy to potter around the abbey area, but as Mr G was a first time visitor he was keen to see more.

He decided to explore a field directly behind the abbey.  Seeing a large number of Herring gulls sitting in the field The Wee White Dug, The Teen and I decided to observe his efforts from afar with bemused curiosity.

We didn’t have to wait long for what turned out to be the highlight of the day – pure comedy gold.  Mr G tiptoed into the field, clearly deciding that a stealth approach would fool the gulls eyeing him suspicious.

I stood poised, camera at the ready.  The gulls were having none if it, and a small formation flying posse swooped angrily down on the fool hardy intruder sending him packing.

How I managed to capture the scene on camera without doubling over with laughter I’ll never know.

It reminded me of the cheesy old joke.  What do you call a man with a seagull on his head? Cliff.

For the rest of the day Mr G was dubbed Cliff.

We spent the remainder of our time on Inchcolm  relaxing by the two small beaches near the abbey, well out of reach of any nesting gulls.

More sightseeing on the Maid of the Forth

When the Maid of The Forth returned to collect us, we grabbed a table with a window view, inside the bar for our return sailing to South Queensferry.

As the Maid of the Forth sailed past Inchcolm I snapped some final shots of the island, keeping my eyes peeled for the points of interest being covered on the audio tour.

The return crossing was much choppier than our journey to Inchcolm.  The Teen slumped on our table, eyes closed and head in hands.  When I asked if she felt sea sick she vehemently denied that she did, claiming to be exhausted instead.

When I looked around the bar there appeared to be several equally exhausted passengers on board.  It’s amazing the toll a 90 minute potter around an old abbey can have on your energy levels!

I loved sailing under the iconic old rail bridge, and the Forth Road Bridge which I cross regularly on my Scottish travels.  It was also great to get a close up sea view of the new Queensferry Crossing.

As a child the thought of crossing the rail bridge terrified me as I believed the trains travelled along the top of it and over the humps!

I must have been a naive child as I also thought San Fransisco and the USA were very close to where I lived.  After seeing the Golden Gate Bridge on TV, I was absolutely convinced that it was the Forth Road Bridge.

Food after a fun sightseeing tour of the Firth of Forth

Back on dry land and disembarked from the Maid of the Forth The Teen’s sudden tiredness passed as if by magic, so we all enjoyed a tasty lunch at the dog friendly Little Bakery in South Queensferry.

Banana milkshakes, toasties and red velvet brownies were devoured in record time after a morning of fresh sea air – delicious.

A big thank you to the Maid of the Forth for a great day out. Although our trip to Inchcolm was provided on a complimentary basis, all opinions are my own.

If you enjoy thism you may also like this blog which features trips to the Isle of May and Bass Rock.

Until next time …