Overview

Our final destination on the mainland of Scotland before we catch the small ferry across and onto the ISLE OF SKYE. We have just enjoyed the 9 mile drive on one of the most stunning routes in the highlands, going along the 1100 ft hairpinned pass of Mam Ratagan, and down to the small village of Glenelg. You will then arrive at a small “Y” junction, and you need to TURN RIGHT on the small white FERRY sign ( YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS TURN ) An this was small hamlet, over to you right and hidden by the tree lined countryside are the ruins of the Bernera Barracks, built in 1719 to house the Redcoat British army who were trying to control the Scottish Jacobites that threatened the peace the British wanted. Following their rising of 1715, Glenelg was chosen to house a barracks, along with other barracks at Fort William, Fort Augustus, and Fort George. It was not needed after the Highland Clearances, so allowed to become ruins. The road will take you past the ruined barracks, but you still can’t really see anything. Just follow any Ferry signs for the short drive to reach the ferry. ============================================================ JUST FOR INTEREST PURPOSES. GLENELG the main small village is known as “Kirkton of Glenelg” It has a small shop (part of a grade B listed building) the Glenelg Inn, has a reputation for good, and reasonably priced food, there is a grass roofed building that houses the Glenelg candle shop, with a small cafe and a workshop. and a war memorial, erected in 1920 by Sir Robert Lorimee. In 2001 the census showed a population of 283 Just a few miles away at Glen Beag, are the remains of two of the best preserved “Brochs” on mainland Scotland. Dun Telve and Dun Troddan. These are 2,000 year old towers, standing just 500m apart, Dun Telve stands 10m tall, built without any mortar, using just drystone construction. A broch is an ancient dwelling, found only in Scotland, an imposing solid stone tower, of the Iron Age period, probably the home of some ruling elite person. Read more on, and see pictures on. www.thearchaeologist.org ==================================================================== GLENELG FERRY We have a few of our own photos for you for the ferry crossing. It can only take 6 cars, plus foot passengers, and crosses over to KYLEHEA. www.skyeferry.co.uk MV Glenachulosh is the ferry which only operates during the summer months, and was built in 1969, the last manually operated Steel turntable ferry in the world. Named after a Glen near South Ballachulish, but since 1982 she has operated to carry cars across the powerful currents of the Klyehea narrows. It only takes about 17 minutes or so to cross and is just a trip of 600 yards. It runs seven days a week between Easter and October from 10.00 till 6pm. It is an attraction in its own rights, where you can watch the crew at work when its ties up alongside the slipway, (designed by Thomas Telford in 1818, and now Category B listed) and they manually turn the deck, which has been built on a turntable Keep your eyes open as you cross, you may just spot a pair of resident Sea Eagles, which are seen most days as they fish close to the ferry crossing. KYLERHEA This was our first point of call on THE ISLE OF SKYE, we landed on just a small slipway on Kyle Rhea, a strait that splits Skye from the mainland. The river, known as “Narrows” is a tidal river, and can get quite shallow at certain times. For centuries, this was a crossing point for cattle to be waded across from Skye onto the mainland. Cattle from the outer islands were herded and taken from the north of Skye, driven down to join other herds further south, and on to reach KYLERHEA. Then the drovers would wait for a suitable tidal flow, and when the river was low enough, They would then tie the cattle together in dozens, the nose ring would be used to tie one animal to another animals tail. The cattle would then be made to wade into the river, while the drovers climbed aboard a rowing boat, and make the cattle swim across for 534 metres to the mainland, before being herded together again, and taken along the old drovers road and through Glen Beag, by-passing Glenelg, then driven along for miles to the markets at Sterling and Falkirk and elsewhere in the Scottish lowlands.

Transport & Parking

No need to park, as using the ferry

Access

Toilets

Staff

Photos