Glenelg

Glenelg 

Some 35 years ago we rented a cottage in Glenelg and since then have always had a yearning to return to this beautiful spot. .  There is so much history in the area and Glenelg has its fair share. As our summer break was spent in the Lakes and Western Scotland we decided to fit in 3 further days.  So by staying the club site at Morvich we wouldn’t be too far away. 

Apart from the beauty of the area there are 4 main attraction for us.  

The Broch’s 

There are 2 in Glenelg dating to about 2000 years ago.  Dun Telve and Dun Troddan are both outstanding broch’s, in the beautiful valley of Gleann Beag. They are unusually close together for broch’s, standing just 500m apart. 

Their excellent state of preservation attracted attention from an early date, but they are also noteworthy for their design, scale and quality of build.  Dun Telve still stands to more than 10m in places. Dun Troddan is shorter, at 7.6m, but is better preserved. 

Even though partially ruined there is enough remaining to give and idea what the completed buildings would have looked like?  When we visited all those years ago there was no fencing, sign boards and certainly no one else around 

Bernera Barracks 

The barracks were constructed between 1717 and 1723 as part of a campaign by the British government to subdue the local population which had risen up in arms in the Jacobite rising in 1715 and again in 1745.  Some of the stone used in the construction was taken from a nearby broch. The Government troops who were garrisoned here during the Jacobite uprisings and were also intended to control the crossing to Skye 

Gavin Maxwell - Sandaig  

Maxwell the author of ‘Ring of Bright Water’ lived in a small cottage on the beach at Sandaig for a number of years until a fire destroyed much of the cottage in 1968.  When we previously visited |we| thought it a truly magical setting.  WE walked along a narrow steep path through a dense forest beside a stream and suddenly step out of the forest onto the beach with small islets just offshore and the cottage at the top of the beach backing onto the trees.  If you visit now the forest has been mainly cleared with a broad track running to within 200 yards of the beach. I shouldn’t be entirely negative as the views from the track over to Skye are stunning.  Unfortunately (for us) there was a number of people camping here this time playing loud music and in my view spoiling ambiance of the place.  It’s still a lovely setting but the house has further declined, is boarded up and there is no blue plaque or any other indication that Maxwell lived there. 

Kylerhea Ferry 

The ferry runs from about April to October and crosses the sea to Skye from Glenelg.  This is the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world. The cost for car and passengers is £15 so not cheap.  The ferry crew includes a border collie that pulls the mooring lines in.  There is an opportunity on the ferry to spot seals, otters and sea eagles.  There is a small car park 200 yards from the ferry, you could cross to Skye as a foot passenger and walk up to the RSPB hide which will take about 15 minutes.  This looks over the sound back to Glenelg.

They say you should never return to a place you have fond memories of and perhaps they are right but I’m glad we returned before the area gets completely overrun.