Guide to Rural Scotland - The Western Isles

8/6/2019 Guide to Rural Scotland - The Western Isles

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oRuralScotlandTHEWESTERNISLES

F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craftI entertainment and sport J walksA historic buildingB museum and heritage C historic siteD scenic attraction E flora and fauna

Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk


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WESTERNISLES

Gramsdal(Gramsdale)

Baile a Mhanaich(Balivanich)

GlenbrittleHouse

Milovaig

Ramasaig

Elgol

Torrin

Staffin

Brochel

Carbost

Portnalong

Talisker

Kinloch

Cleadale

Galmisdale

Bhaltos(Valtos)

Breanais(Brenish)

Borgh(Borve)

Carlabhagh(Carloway)

Crosbost

An T-ob

Amhuinnsuidhe

Airidh abhruaich

Leumrabhagh(Lemreway)

Cairinis(Callanish)

igh a Ghearraidh(Tigharry)

Manais(Manish)

Kilmaluag

Mallaig

Ardvasar

Portree

Dunvegan

Uig

Loch Baghasdail(Lochboisdale)

Bagh a Chaisteil(Castlebay)

Loch nam Madadh(Lochmaddy)

Port Nis(Port of Ness)

Steornabhagh(Stornoway)

Tairbeart

(Tarbert)

LOCATOR MAP Towns and

VillagesBallantrushal pg 10

Barra pg 16

Barvas pg 8

Benbecula pg 12

Callanish pg 7

Carloway pg 8

Great Bernera pg 7

Harris pg 5

Isle of Lewis pg 5

North Uist pg 11Rodel pg 11

Scalpay pg 10

Shader pg 9

Shawbost pg 8

South Uist pg 13

Stornoway pg 6

Tarbert pg 10


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The Western Isles look like a

huge kite with a long tail

streaming out behind it. The

body of the kite is the island

of Lewis and Harris, and the

tail consists mainly of the

smaller islands of North

Uist, Benbecula, South Uist

and Barra. The whole length

between Barra in the south

and the Butt of Lewis in the

north is about 130 miles, and

they are separated from the

mainland by a stretch of

water called The Minch.

These islands are the last bastion of true

Gaeldom in Scotland, and in some places

English, though spoken and understood

perfectly, is still a second language. Some are

also bastions of Free Presbyterianism, where

the Sabbath is strictly observed, and work or

leisure activities of any kind on a Sunday is

frowned upon. To complicate the position

further, there are some islands that are almost

wholly Roman Catholic, never

having been influenced by the Scottish

Reformation in 1560.

The Western Isles are full of such

contradictions. Gaelic culture is cherished

and preserved, but there are more Norse

influences here than Celtic, and many of the

place names (especially in the north) have

Norse origins. Up until the Treaty of Perth in

1266, the Western Isles were ruled by

Norway. In that year Magnus IV surrendered

all of his Scottish possessions, with the

exception of Orkney and Shetland, to

Alexander III of Scotland.

The Western Isles

The weather in the Western Isles, especially

in winter, can be harsh, though there are

occasions where it can be astonishingly mild

and sunny. Snow is rare because of the GulfStream, but there are between 45 and 50

inches of rain a year, and the winds blowing in

from the Atlantic are invariably strong. The

compensations, however, are enormous. The

long summer evenings can be still and warm,

and at midnight in the north of Lewis it is still

possible to read a newspaper out of doors.

And the wildlife is astounding. Deer and

otters abound, and the machair (the meadowsbordering the sandy beaches) brim with

flowers in summer. The seas are home to

dolphins, basking sharks, whales and seals. In

fact, some people claim that the waters

surrounding the Western Isles are the most

populated in Britain.

Of the main southern islands, Berneray,

North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay

are joined by causeways. North Uist connectsto Harris by a ferry between An t-Obbe and

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis


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Berneray, and Barra has a ferry connection

with Eriskay. Each island in the chain has its

own flavour, and all are noted for their quality

of light, especially in summer.

For all their seeming isolation, the islands

have a long history. The standing stones at

Callanish - the second largest stone circle inBritain - are over 4000 years old, and were

built for pagan ritual and to record the passing

Vatersay

of the seasons so that crops

could be sown and

harvested. And there are

individual standing stones,duns, brochs and old forts

dotted all over the landscape.

Norse invasions began in

earnest in the

8th century, and by about

850AD Norsemen ruled all

of the Outer Hebrides. In

1266 the islands came into

Scottish hands through theTreaty of Perth. However,

this did not stop the Lords

of the Isles from acting almost independently

of the crown. This caused much friction

between them and the Scottish kings, though

the kings gradually imposed their authority.

The islands eventually accepted the situation

and became fully integrated into Scotland.

Some historians claim, however, that theNorse language did not fully die out until the

late 16th century.


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Isle of Lewis & Harris

The main island is divided into two parts,

Lewis and Harris, an ancient arrangementgoing back as far as the 13th century. Though

joined geographically, they are usually

considered to be two separate islands, and

indeed the differences between them are

marked. A natural boundary of mountains and

high moorland runs between Loch Resort on

the west and Loch Seaforth on the east,

explaining the differences.

Lewis is the northern, and larger part, andup until the mid 1970s was within the county

of Ross and Cromarty. Harris (and the smaller

islands to the south) came under Inverness-

shire. Now they form one administrative area,

with the capital being Stornoway.

The underlying rock of Lewis is gneiss, one

of the oldest in the world. It is largely

impermeable, so does not absorb water. For

this reason, the interior of the island is a large,

empty peat moorland dotted with shallow

lochs, while most of the settlements are on thecoast. Harris is more mountainous, and has

peaks reaching 2500 feet. It is also an area

where the underlying rocks break through to

the surface like bones, giving an essentially

bleak, but nevertheless attractive, landscape. It

in turn is divided into two parts, North and

South Harris, with the narrow isthmus

between West Loch Tarbert and East Loch

Tarbert being the boundary.Various attempts have been made over the

years to encourage industry, most notably

when Lord Leverhulme bought both Lewis

and Harris in 1918 and tried to promote

fishing. Today, the islands rely on fishing,

crofting and tourism, with the weaving of

Harris Tweed being an important industry on

BORGH POTTERY

Fivepenny House, Borgh, Isle of Lewis HS2 0RXTel: 01851 850345e-mail: [email protected]: www.borghpottery.com

Owned and run by Alex and Sue Blair, Borgh Pottery was

established in 1974 as Stornoway Pottery. The workshop and

showroom moved to their present premises in Borve in 1978

and later became known as Borgh Pottery. Alex and Sue use a

selection of their own rich and muted glazes which have a depth

and quality only to be found in high-fired stoneware. For a smallpottery, there is a wide range of glaze colour and finish, from

gloss to matt. Their pots are all hand-thrown or hand-built using

traditional techniques. This method of working allows flexibility

and scope in design; it is therefore possible for Alex and Sue to

accept commissions for a variety of work in stoneware or

porcelain. The stoneware is ovenproof and also safe in the

dishwasher. The attractive showroom at Borgh is the sole outlet

for the pottery which is sold alongside other quality gifts.

An additional attraction here is the Borgh Pottery Garden which was started in 1995 and has

now created a sheltered environment for birds and other wildlife. A stroll around the garden will

reveal a surprising variety of plants, shrubs and interesting finds from beachcombing on the nearbyAtlantic shore.


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Lewis and Harris. Weaving is a cottage

industry, with the weavers working at home or

in sheds at the back of the house. Some will

welcome you into their weaving rooms andexplain the processes involved in turning wool

into fine cloth.

Stornoway

A Church of St Columba

A St Peters Episcopal Church A Free Church

B Museum nan Eilean H An Lanntair Arts Centre

A Stornoway War Memorial B Lewis Loom Centre

A St Columbas Church

With a population of about 6000, Stornoway

(from the Old Norse stjorna, meaning anchor

bay) is the only town of any size in the

Western Isles. It is the administrative,

educational and shopping centre, and is a

surprisingly cosmopolitan place, with a sizable

Asian population.The town has a fine natural harbour and an

airport. On Lewis Street is The Parish

Church of St Columba, dating from 1794,

and in St Peters Episcopal Church (1839) is

David Livingstones Bible and an old font

from a chapel on the Flannan Isles, about 33

miles west of Lewis in the Atlantic. Its bell,

which was made in 1631, was once the town

bell that summoned the people to importantmeetings. The Gothic-style Free Church in

Kenneth Street has the distinction of being

the best attended church in all of Britain, with

the Sunday evening congregation regularly

exceeding 1500.

Lews Castle, now a college surrounded by

public gardens, was built in the 1840s and 50s

by James Matheson, a businessman who

earned a fortune in the Far East trading in teaand opium. In 1843, he bought Lewis, and

began a series of improvements in what was

then an isolated and inward-looking island. He

built new roads, improved the housing and

brought running water and gas to the town.One of his pet projects was a plant to

extract oil from the peat that blanketed the

island, and in 1861 the Lewis Chemical Works

began production. But problems beset the

plant, and it actually blew up, putting the

citizens of Stornoway into a state of fear and

alarm. The venture finally folded in 1874.

The Museum nan Eilean in Francis

Street, was opened in 1984 by the then localauthority. It has artefacts and exhibits

highlighting the history and archaeology of

both the island of Lewis and Stornoway

itself, and makes a good starting point if you

want to explore the area. TheAnLanntair

Arts Centre sits across from the ferry

terminal, and has contemporary and

traditional exhibitions, as well as varied

programmes of music and dramahighlighting the Gaelic culture.

One of Stornoways most famous sons was

the 18th-century explorer and fur trader Sir

Alexander Mackenzie, who gave his name to

the Mackenzie River in Canada. In Francis

Street, on the site of his house, is Martins

Memorial, built in 1885. More than 1150 men

of Lewis died in the two world wars, and the

Stornoway War Memorial must be the mostimposing in Britain. It stands on the 300-feet-

high Cnoc nan Uan, and itself rises to a

height of 85 feet.

The Western Isles are synonymous with

Harris tweed, and at the Lewis Loom Centre

on Bayhead you can find out about its history

and how it is woven. To attain the orb

symbol of genuine Harris tweed, the cloth

needs to be woven from virgin wool producedin Scotland, then spun, dyed and hand-woven


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in the Outer Hebrides.

West of Stornoway, on the Eye Peninsula,

are the ruins of St Columbas Church, built

in the 14th century on the site of a smallmonastic cell founded by St Catan in the 6th

century. It is said that 19 MacLeod chiefs are

buried here.

Around Stornoway

GREAT BERNERA

18 miles W of Stornoway off the B8059

B Community Centre & Museum C Bostadh

The small island of Great Bernera measures

only six miles long by three miles wide at its

widest. It is connected to the mainland by the

Great Bernera Bridge, opened in 1953, and the

first bridge in the country made from pre-

stressed concrete girders. The Community

Centre and Museum has displays about the

island, and also sells tea, coffee and cakes. Onthe lovely beach at Bostadh, an Iron Age

village has been excavated, and a

reconstruction of an Iron Age house built.

A cairn commemorates those men who

took part in the Bernera Riot of 1874, when

crofters stood up for their right of tenure.

Three of them eventually stood trial, though a

later Act of Parliament gave them the rightsthey were fighting for.

CALLANISH

16 miles W of Stornoway on the A858

C Callanish Stone Circle

Dating back at least 4000 years, the Callanish

Stone Circle (Historic Scotland) is second

only to Stonehenge in importance in Britain. It

is more than just a circle of upright stones.Four great arms made up of monoliths radiate

from it to the north, south, east and west, with

the northern arm (which veers slightly to the

east) having a double row of stones as if

enclosing an approach way. And in the middle

of the circle is the tallest stone of them all,

measuring more than 15 feet in height.

It is a mysterious place, and has attracted

many stories and myths over the years. Onestory tells of a race of giants who met to

discuss how to defeat the new religion of

Christianity that was spreading throughout the

islands. This so incensed St Kieran, a Celtic

monk and missionary, that

he turned them all to stone.

Another says that the stones

were brought to Lewis by a

great priest king whoemployed black men to

erect them. The men who

died building the circle were

buried within it.

Plus, there are the more

modern, and unfortunately

predictable, theories that the

stones were erected by

mysterious beings fromouter space as a means of

Callanish Stone Circle


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guiding their spacecraft, though why people

with such technology should need a guidance

system made of stones seems equally

mysterious.A visitors centre next to the stones tries to

uncover the truth behind the stories, which

may have something to do with primitive ritual

and predicting the seasons for agricultural

purposes.

CARLOWAY


CDun Carloway Broch

C Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

The 2000-year-old Dun Carloway Broch,

overlooking Loch Roag, is one of the best-

preserved brochs in Scotland. It is more than

47 feet in diameter, and its walls are 22 feet

high in places. Some of the galleries and

internal stairways are still intact. The Doune

Broch Centre has displays explaining what

life must have been like within fortifications

such as this.

One-and-a-quarter miles north of Carloway

is the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. It

faces the Atlantic, and is a huddle of

traditional thatched cottages

dating from the 19th century.

They have two distinctive

features: there is no chimney

and they housed animals as

well as people. The animals

made the house warmer and

meant fewer buildings were

needed. The smoke rising

from the peat fire into the

roof was also practical - it

killed bugs and the smoke-

enriched thatch made

excellent fertiliser for thefields. These cottages were

lived in up until 1974 and were restored,

complete with box beds, by the Garenin Trust

between 1991 and 2001.

SHAWBOST


B Sgoil Shiaboist Museum A Norse Mill & Kiln

Housed within a former church, the Sgoil

Shiaboist Museum (Shawbost School

Museum) has artefacts and objects collected by

school pupils 30 years ago as part of a project

that illustrates the way people used to live in

Lewis. Nearby is the thatched Norse Mill andKiln, a restored water mill of the type used in

Lewis up until the mid 20th century.

The Shawbost Stone Circle, near the shores

of the small Loch Raoinavat, only has two

stones left standing. They are difficult to find,

and good walking gear is recommended if you

want to look for them.

BARVAS

13 miles NW of Stornoway on the A858

A Arnol Blackhouse

At one time, most of the population of Lewis

lived in small cottages known as blackhouses.

Dun Carloway Broch, Carloway


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On the west coast of the island, at Arnol, is

theArnol Blackhouse (Historic Scotland),

which shows what life was like in one of them.

People and animals lived under the one roof,

separated by thin walls, with the roof usually

being of thatch and turf. They had tiny

windows because of the seasonal gales and

rain, and because glass was very expensive.

The thick, dry stone walls (with a central core

of clay and earth) kept the cottage cool in

summer and warm in winter.

The Arnol house has been furnished in

typical fashion, and has a clay floor. There is

no fireplace, the fire being placed centrally,

with no chimney. The houses got their name

in the mid 19th century to distinguish them

from the more modern white houses, which

had mortar binding the stones. There is also

an interpretation centre in a nearby cottage,

which has a model of a typical blackhouse

showing how they were made.

During archaeological excavations at Barvas,

a 200-year-old Iron Age cemetery was

uncovered. One of the finds was a beautiful

iron and copper alloy bracelet, the first of its

kind to be found anywhere in Scotland.

SHADER

16 miles NW of Stornoway on the A857

C Steinacleit Stone Circle

The Steinacleit Stone Circle and Standing

Stones sit on a low hill, and date from

between 2000 and 3000BC. The stones are

placed more in the shape of an oval than a

circle, and archaeologists are unsure whether it

is indeed a stone circle, a burial cairn or the

remains of a settlement of some kind.

Butt of Lewis


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BALLANTRUSHAL

15 miles NW of Stornoway on the B857

C Clach an Trushal

The Clach an Trushal (Historic Scotland), at

18 feet high, is the tallest standing stone in

Scotland, and is said to mark the site of an

ancient battle. In the 19th century, several feet

of peat were cut away from around its base,

revealing the true height.

TARBERT

33 miles S of Stornoway on the A859

A Amhuinnsuidhe Castle

The small village of Tarbert has a ferry

connection with Uig on Skye. This is the

starting point of South Harris, and an isthmus

no more than half a mile wide separates East

Loch Tarbert, which is an arm of the Minch,

from West Loch Tarbert, which is an inlet of

the Atlantic. In fact, Tairbeart in Gaelic means

isthmus or place of portage, where boats were

dragged across land from one stretch of water

to another.Amhuinnsuidhe Castle was builtin 1868 by the Earl of Dunsmore who owned

Harris. It was the Earls wife who introduced

the weaving of Harris tweed to the island.

The castle was subsequently owned by the

Bulmer family, which founded the cider firm.

It was here that J M Barrie wrote his play

Mary Rose. It is now used as an upmarket

conference centre.

SCALPAY

33 miles S of Stornoway

The tiny island of Scalpay, measuring three

miles by two, lies off Harriss east coast. It is

connected to the mainland by the 7m Scalpay

Bridge, the biggest civil engineering project

ever undertaken in the Western Isles. It was

FIRSTFRUITS TEAROOM

& RESTAURANT

Pier Road Cottage, Tarbert,Isle of Harris HS3 3DGTel: 01859 502439

Firstfruits Tearoom & Rest is the perfect spot where

you can enjoy the Harris hospitality. The tearoom has

a friendly, family run atmosphere, and serves meals

made from fresh local produce all cooked to order.

Choose from a variety of tea options including

everything from a smaller tea with delicate

sandwiches and scones to a hearty spread with

nourishing savouries and delectable sweets. From

May to August evening meals are available, though

booking is essential, and you can also bring your own

bottle at no charge.

The traditional white washed building was once a

house built in the mid 1800s, inside the original

wooden beams run wall to wall across the ceiling.

The walls are adorned with stunning art from Ivor

MacKay who has been displaying his art work here

for years. Ivor is inspired by the changing moods and rugged expanse of the Island in all itsseasons. The light in the Hebrides is unique and this is reflected in his work.


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opened in 1998 by Tony Blair, the first serving

prime minister ever to visit the Western Isles.

The visit is also remembered because of the

biting criticism he received from one of theislands more militant inhabitants - culiciodes

impunctatus, more commonly known as the

midge. The first official crossing of the bridge

was made in December 1997, when the

islands oldest inhabitant, 103-year-old Kirsty

Morrison, was taken across it in a vintage car.

RODEL

48 miles S of Stornoway on the A859

A St Clements Church

Rodel sits near the southern tip of Harris, and

is famous for St Clements Church, burial

place of the MacLeods. It was built in 1500 by

Alasdair Crotach (Hunchback) McLeod, who

lived in the churchs tower from 1540 to his

death in 1547. He is still within the church, in

a magnificent tomb that shows carvings of his

home at Dunvegan on Skye. By 1784, the

church was in ruins, but in that year AlexanderMacLeod of Berneray, a captain with the East

India Company, restored it.

Other Western Isles

NORTH UIST

59 miles SW of Stornoway

H Taigh Chearsabhagh C Barpa Langais

C Pubull Phinn Stone Circle C Battle of Carinish

E Balranald Nature Reserve

Like most of the Western Isles, North Uist is

low lying, with more water than land making

up its total area of 74,884 acres.Loch

ARDMAREE STORES & LOBSTER POT TEAROOM

5a Borve, Berneray, North Uist HS6 5BJTel: 01876 540288e-mail: [email protected]

Ardmaree Stores & Lobster Pot Tearoom share the same

building in a wonderful location on Berneray Island, just

700 yards from Berneray ferry terminal and the

causeway.

The Lobster Pot tearoom is a light and airy space, with

the tables overlooking the sea to Harris, it is a great

stopping off point before heading down to the beach or

on your way back up from the beach. Subtle touches of

the seashore create a clean, crisp environment where you

can enjoy a relaxing meal or snack. The tearoom serves

light snacks including soup, sandwiches, toasties, melts

and cakes. Breakfast is available in the mornings, with

sausage, egg and bacon rolls and the mighty fry-up on the

menu. Local artwork is often on display in the tearoom,

and is available for purchase.

Ardmaree Stores is a well stocked shop, providing

grocery provisions, wines, spirits and beers. Deliveries of milk, bread, cakes and other fresh

produce arrive several times a week. Local smoked salmon, other fish, meats and cheeses are

available. The freezer and fridge sections add to the large range of food produce. The stores also

stock ladies and gents clothes as well as outdoor wear and, in addition, there is also a DIY suppliessection. For long-term visitors, newspapers can be ordered through the shop.


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Scadavay is the biggest of the lochs, and

though it only has an area of eight square

miles, it has a shoreline measuring 51 miles in

length. It was given to the MacDonalds ofSleat in 1495 by James IV. They sold it in

1855, having cleared many of the tenants to

make way for sheep. The highest point on the

island, at 1127 feet, is Eaval, near the southeast

corner. The island has a ferry service to An t-

Obbe in Harris from Berneray, and one to

Skye from Lochmaddy, the islands capital

where most of the hotels and B&Bs are to be

found. Taigh Chearsabhagh, a museum andarts centre is housed in an old inn dating from

the early 18th century. Near the village is

Barpa Langais, a Neolithic burial cairn with

its burial chamber almost complete. Half a

mile south east of it is the Pubull Phinn

Stone Circle.

The stark ruins of Teampull na Trionaid

(Trinity Temple) stand on the southwest shore.

This was once a great place of learning in theWestern Isles and some people claim that it

was Scotlands first university, with scholars

and students making their way here from all

over the country, one being Duns Scotus (see

also Duns).

It was founded in the early

13th century by one Beathag,

a prioress from the priory on

Iona and daughter ofSomerled, Lord of the Isles.

By the end of the 15th

century, however, its

influence began to wane, and

during the Reformation it

was sacked. Valuable books,

manuscripts and works of

art were tossed into the sea,

and so much of the islands

heritage was lost. The other

building on the site is Teampull MacBhiocair,

(MacVicars Temple), where the teachers were

buried.

It was in this area, in 1601, that the Battleof Carinish took place, the last battle on

British soil not to have involved firearms. A

troop of MacLeods from Harris was raiding

the island and took shelter in the Trinity

Temple buildings when attacked by the

MacDonalds. The MacDonalds ignored the

status of the temple, and slaughtered every

MacLeod clansman except two, who escaped.

On the islands west coast, off the A865, isthe RSPBs Balranald Nature Reserve,

where you can see waders and seabirds in

various habitats.

BENBECULA


A Nunton Chapel A Borve Castle B Lionacleit

Benbecula is Beinn bheag a bh-faodhla in

Gaelic, meaning mountain of the fords. It issandwiched between North and South Uist,

with a landscape that is low and flat and

dotted with shallow lochans, though Rueval,

its highest peak, soars to all of 403 feet. The

island marks the boundary between the

Borve Castle, Benecula


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BRIDGEND COTTAGE

9 Torlum, Benbecula, Western Isles H57 5PPTel/Fax: 01870 603296e-mail: amacdo5131@btinternet

Offering quality 3-star self-catering accommodation, Bridgend Cottage is an ideal for bird

watching, walking and cycling, as well as for exploring the islands of North and South Uist. Set

in a peaceful location, the cottage has

3 bedrooms, (a double, a twin and one

with bunk beds), a comfortable

lounge, bathroom with shower, toilet

with cloakroom, and a kitchen/dining

area. Outside, theres a small garden

and a storage shed. The beach is just

half a mile away; a local community

school with swimming and otherfacilities is of a mile; and shops

about 2 miles.

Protestant islands to the north and the Roman

Catholic islands to the south. There is no ferry

terminal on the island, as it is connected to

South Uist and North Uist by causeways.

The main settlement is Balivanich, or Baile

na Mhanaich, meaning Monks Town. Itstands on the west coast and beside it is a

small airstrip. The scant ruins of Teampall

Chaluim Cille, founded by St Torranan, lie

close to the village.

To the south of the village, on the B892, are

the ruins of Nunton Chapel, supposed to

have been a nunnery built in the 14th century.

It was Lady Clanranald from nearby Nunton

House (built from the stones of NuntonChapel) who gave Charles Edward Stuart his

disguise as a serving girl when he escaped

from Benbecula to Skye in 1746.

Borve Castle, about three miles south of

Balivanich, was owned by Ranald, son of John

of Islay, in the 14th century. The ruins show a

typical tower house of the period. Within the

school at Lionacleit, three miles south of

Balivanich, is a small museum.

SOUTH UIST


H Our Lady of the Isles

E Loch Druidibeag Nature Reserve

G Flora MacDonald B Kildonan Museum

A Ormiclate Castle F SS Politician

Running down the east side of South Uist is a

range of low mountains, with Beinn Mhor

being the highest at 2034 feet. The west side

of the island is gentler, with fine white sandy

beaches. Lochboisdale, in the southeast corner,

is the largest village on the island, and has a

ferry connection to Mallaig, Oban and

Castlebay on Barra.The island is one of the few places in

Scotland never to have fully embraced the

Reformation, and is predominantly Roman

Catholic. To the northwest of the island, at

Rueval, is the famous statute of Our Lady of

the Isles, overlooking Loch Bee. It was

sculpted by Hew Lorimer of Edinburgh and

erected in 1957. It stands 30 feet high. At the

Loch Druidibeag Nature Reserve, which isclose by, many birds such as greylag geese and


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mute swans, can be observed.It was in South Uist, near Milton on Loch

Kildonan, that Flora MacDonaldwas born

in 1722. Her house is now completely in ruins,

though the foundations can still be seen. She

was no simple Gaelic lass, but the daughter of

a prosperous landowning farmer who died

when she was young. Her mother then

married Hugh MacDonald, a member of the

great MacDonald of Sleat family. She wasbrought up in Skye and went to school in Sleat

and Edinburgh.

Kildonan Museum, north of Lochboisdale

on the A865, has displays and exhibits on local

history, as well as a tearoom and shop. The

basis of the museum is a collection of

artefacts gathered by the island priest, Father

John Morrison, in the 1950s and 60s. Further

north along the A865 are the ruins ofOrmiclate Castle, built between 1701 and

1708 as a sumptuous residence for the chief

of Clanranald. Alas, the chief s stay there was

short lived, as it burnt down in 1715 after a

rowdy Jacobite party.

Off the south coast of South Uist is the

small island of Eriskay (from the Norse for

Erics Island), which is joined to South Uist by

a causeway opened in 2002 and costing 9.8m.It is noted for one of the most beautiful of

Gaelic songs, the Eriskay Love Lilt. It was here,on July 23 1745, that Charles Edward Stuart

first set foot on Scottish soil, when he stepped

off a French ship to reclaim the British throne

for the Stuarts. The beach where he landed is

now called Princes Beach, and legend says that

his first action was to plant the sea

convolvulus, which now thrives here.

It was in February 1941 that another event

took place that was to make Eriskay famous.The SS Politician was heading towards the

United States from Liverpool with a cargo of

260,000 bottles of whisky when it was

wrecked off Calvey Island the Sound of

Eriskay. Legend has it that as soon as the

seamen were removed from the ship to safety,

work began on rescuing the cargo. Eventually

Customs and Excise men appeared on the

island, but by this time the bottles had beenspirited away into peat bogs and other hidey-

holes. Only 19 people were charged with

illegal possession.

Sir Compton Mackenzie used the incident

as the basis for his novel Whisky Galore, made

into a film in 1948. The wreckage can still

sometimes be seen at exceptionally low tide. In

the late 1980s an attempt was made to get at

the rest of the cargo, but this provedunsuccessful.

AM POLITICIAN

3 Baile, Eriskay, Western Isles H58 5JTTel/Fax: 01878 720246 e-mail: [email protected]

Located on the beautiful island of Eriskay, Am Politician is

named after the SS Politician, a freighter which ran aground

off the island during World War II. Its cargo consisted of

15,000 bottles of whisky and the incident inspired the film

Whisky Galore. Some of those bottles and other artefacts

from the ship are on display in the bar of Am Politician which

is run by Stephen Campbell, a local lad. He is also the chef and his menu offers delicious dishes of

fresh local seafood, steak pies and snacks which can be enjoyed in the conservatory along with the

stunning views.


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The highest point on the island is Ben

Scrien, at 609 feet. It is an easy climb and gives

magnificent views. The islands native pony,

the grey and black Eriskay pony, was at onetime used to carry seaweed and peat on

panniers slung across their back. In the 1950s,

they nearly died out, but now are on the

increase again. They are the last surviving

examples of the once common Hebridean

ponies that were popular all over the islands.

BARRA

105 miles S of Stornoway

A Kisimul Castle F Clan Macneil

A Cille-bharraidh G Sir Compton Mackenzie

H Our Lady of the Sea

Barra (Barrs Island) is the southernmost of

the Western Isles, separated from South Uist

by the Sound of Barra. To the south, is a

string of tiny islands, including Sanday,

Rosinish, Mingulay and Berneray.

The islands airstrip is to the north of the

island, as is the fine sandy beach atCockle Bay,

a name richly deserved, as cockles are still

collected there today. The main settlement is

to the south at Castlebay, the terminal for the

Oban ferry.

On an island in the bay itself is KisimulCastle (Historic Scotland), the largest

fortification in the Western Isles. Its name

means the place of taxes, and it was the home

of the Macneils of Barra, chiefs of Clan

Macneil, who were granted the island in the

15th century, first by the Lord of the Isles and

then by James VI. Others say, however, that

the Macneils have been associated with the

island since at least the 11th century.The castle was originally built in about 1030,

though the present building dates from the

15th century. The island on which it is built

has its own fresh water wells, and this, coupled

with its position, makes it almost impregnable.

A story is told of how the castle was once

being besieged by the Vikings, who wanted to

starve it into submission. However, they soon

gave up when they saw the castle guards hangbloody sides of beef from the ramparts. It

was, of course, a ruse. What had been hung

from the ramparts

were cow hides used to

make leather, smeared

with dogs blood.

In 1838, the island

was sold to Gordon of

Cluny, who proceededto remove the islanders

from the land and ship

them off to the New

World. In 1937, the

island was bought back

by the 45th Chief of

Clan Macneil, an

American called Robert

Lister Macneil. The15th-century castle had

Isle of Barra


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Sunset over Barra

been burnt down in the late 1700s, and he set

about restoring it.

The old chiefs of Clan Macneil had the

reputation of being haughty and proud. When

one Macneil Chief had finished his dinner, he

would send a servant up to

the ramparts of Kisimul

Castle and announce to the

world: as the Macneil hasdined, the other kings and

princes of the world may

now dine also.

The ruined Cille-

bharraidh (Church of St

Barr) is located at the

north end of the island,

and was the burial place of

the Macneils. Also buriedhere is Sir Compton

Mackenzie, who wrote

Whisky Galore(see also Eriskay). The island is

predominantly Catholic, and at Heaval, a mile

north east of Castlebay, is a marble statue of

the Madonna and Child, called Our Lady of

the Sea.


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ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND

DRINKAm Politician, Eriskay pg 15

Ardmaree Stores & Lobster Pot Tearoom,

Berneray pg 11

Bridgend Cottage, Torlum pg 13

Firstfruits Tearoom & Restaurant, Tarbert pg 10

The Orasay Inn, Lochcarnan pg 14

ADVERTISERS AND PLACES OF INTEREST

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Borgh Pottery, Borgh pg 5

SPECIALIST FOOD AND DRINK

SHOPS

Ardmaree Stores & Lobster Pot Tearoom,

Berneray pg 11


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Guide to Rural Scotland - The Western Isles

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