(In which we see the sights of the island, and almost bite off more than we can chew, and Cate meets with her knitting Hebridean soul-mate.)
As planned, we set off at 1000 in wet-walking shoes and water and sausage rolls on my back to catch the tidal window to cross to Oronsay, a small  lump at the southermnost tip of Colonsay, which becomes accessible across The Strand, a mile long sand flat, for 3 hours around low water, 1200 that day.  The first   error occurred at about 1100, when we realised we had somehow missed the only junction on the track, and after stopping an RSPB van for  directions we turned back to the correct road, adding an extra mile or more to the trip, and putting our tidal window at risk.  The track now seemed endless, and much more up and down than we expected, but we eventually arrived at the Strand close to low water.  En route we passed through the Valley of the Temple, where a tiny ruined chapel stands on a site where St Columba is said to have established a church before he went to Iona.  We set off across the very wide open stretch of sand, not all of it fully dry (therefore wet feet) following footprints and car tracks.  Once we reached the 'island' the track became very rough and our feet were already starting to suffer, and we were more than a little dismayed to be told by a returning 4-wheel drive that there was at least another hour to go to reach the Priory, the target of the pilgrimage.  We pressed on nonetheless and when we did reach the site it proved well worth the journey (pacé Dr Johnson!).  It is quite well preserved, with interesting cloisters and doorways, and a wonderful hall filled with gravestones and other monuments.  It was in existence by 1353, perhaps founded by John of Islay, Lord of the Isles.  It was dedicated to St. Columba, but very little is known about it because of the absence of records.  The priory continued in operation until at least 1560, the year of the Scottish Reformation, with the last known prior, Robert Lamont, having been elected in 1555. The lands and property of the priory were given ''in commendam'' to Maol Choluim MacDubhthaich in 1561. They were later given to the Bishop of the Isles by King James VI of Scotland after his ascendancy to the throne in 1583.
We only learned much of this later, and we could only spend a short time there before we were in danger of missing the crossing of the Strand because of the rising tide.  We set off at a fast yomp, with increasingly sore feet and muscles, Cate almost in tears - it was still less than six months since her bunion surgery!  We did make the wet crossing (which seemed twice as wide as it had been going south) and were duly met by Yasmin, who dropped me at the harbour and took Cate home with a promise of hot tea, a comfy chair and an afternoon's knitting.  Our boat had been re-tied by our now departed neighbours, and I climbed down and scooped up a bucket of seawater over the side, and plunged my blistered feet into the icy liquid to anaesthetise them!
Neither of us had any energy left to go to the hotel, and we later ate aboard and took our weary but self-congratulatory bodies to bed early. Subsequent measurement on the chart showed we had walked over 14 miles, much of it rough going, so we did feel duly proud of the day's work.  No need for an early departure next day, as the target  was to be Oban, only 30 or so nM, with no significant tidal gate until Kerrera Sound, so we slept soundly and long.