Glenelg
Looking over to the south of the Isle of Skye, Glenelg is a picturesque settlement which until less than 200 years ago was the main crossing point to the island. A small ferry still makes the short crossing - the only family owned commercial ferry in the UK and the only manual turntable commercial ferry in the world!
The narrow strait has fierce currents but these make an ideal playground for numerous seals and otters which can easily been seen from the boat as you cross. It is a memorable drive to the ferry on either side with narrow winding roads reaching an impressive elevation on the mainland.
Even before the ferry this was where the cattle were driven over to the mainland before heading south to market, each cow had a rope tied from its horn back to its tail then to the horn of the cow behind. In this way they were led by a boat and swam across! It was from here that Martin Martin crossed in the 1630's, his journal was to be the first published account of a journey to Skye. Johnson and Boswell also made the crossing in 1773 and went on to publish "Tour to the Hebrides" which provides a fascinating insight to the period.
The importance of this route to Skye is underlined by the presence of Bernera Barracks. Built in the aftermath of the 1715 Jacobite uprisings, it was a fortification and base for the government troops. It remains standing today and is relatively intact giving a good impression of the layout (very similar to Ruthven Barracks in Strathspey).
Nearby are arguably 2 of the finest Brochs on the Scottish mainland. A Broch is a type of defensive dwelling unique to the Iron Age farmers of Scotland. Looking for all the world like a cooling tower, these formidable buildings were sometimes over 15 metres in height, built with a double skinned dry stone wall. They had a small single entrance which would only allow one stooping person at a time, stairways and galleries allow access to the upper reaches and may very well have been used to store foodstuffs. In the uncertain period 2000 years ago they would have provided a welcome refuge for the people and their animals, they would also have been a powerful status symbol.
Dun Telve is the best preserved and largest of the 2 still standing 10 metres high. Dun Troddan is still in a reasonable state considering its age and stands 7 metres tall, it is believed that the much of its stone was robbed to build Bernera Barracks. Another Broch is to be found further up the glen but it is in a far less impressive state of repair.
What we can do in Glenelg:
- Take the wee ferry to Skye
- Visit the Brochs
- History and legends
Tours that may visit Glenelg are:
Other places that may be of interest include:
