Day 12 – To Glenuig

Saturday 8th May

Tried to beat the rain today and fit in the short hike to Bourblaige (a clearance village) before it arrived. I had partial success, it started, but didn’t get heavy until I was back.

Bourblaige is the best preserved of the Ardnamurchan cleared villages, sheltered by the shadow of the volcano that is Ben Haint.

In the early 1800s the owners of the Ardnamurchan Estate, the Riddell family, were in financial difficulty. In 1806 they conducted a survey that found there were potentially 100 acres of arable land and 450 acres of pasture, enough for a sheep farm, but at present ‘oppressed by too many tenants’.

In 1828 Borblaige and the neighbouring settlement Tornamona, were brutally cleared.

An observer recorded, “To clear Bourblaige, the laird’s men shot the dogs, shot the goats and drove away the cows. Then they took the roofs off. It was wintertime. The potato pits were ploughed so they would spoil in the frost. And the people walked to Swordle (on the north coast) through the snow. “

Those cleared (7 families, 9 men, 11 women and 15 children) were cleared again from Swordle in 1858, then headed to such places as Glasgow and the New World.

The sheep farm was not a success and the land soon to the Estate.

Not a lot of driving today either, just 20 odd miles up the coast to Glenuig. It’s Inn attracted me; a couple of different beers and the chance to use their WiFi to watch the rugby.

The Inn is a regular stopover for sea-kayakers and there was a group staying in campervans celebrating their day. The rain cleared, but wet seats, a strong wind, and still only 7C meant it unattractive to drink outside for very long.