These new-to-us pictures come from the albums of the late Roberta Maclennan, whose brother Duncan was the doctor in Uig during WW2 – though the pictures date from 1926, and were taken in Glen Valtos, before the quarrying started there.  Many thanks to John J Maclennan for providing them, and others.

From West Over Sea by DDC Pochin Mould, 1953. To go to Uig is to go to a different country from the rest of the Lews, to go from the moors into the mountains, to the great massif which, with the Forest of Harris, builds the highest ground in the Outer Hebrides. It is only 32 miles from Stornoway to Uig, but the single-track road, which is untarred beyond the turn to Bernera, makes the way seem much further. It turns off at Garynahine on [ » read more ]

David Watson was ordained as minister of Uig in 1845 but as the congregation had mostly migrated to the Free Church, his Church remained largely empty. He was at odds with the people and the estate, as the following notes in the 1851 diary (published by Acair) of the Chamberlain John Munro Mackenzie attest: Thursday 13 February Walked to the Manse of Uig and found Mr Watson busy planting potatoes and clearing his arable land of Stones with a number of men employed. Went to [ » read more ]

On the day in November 1913 when the Reef Raiders drove the stock from Reef Farm, the local Constable made the following report (the list doesn’t correspond exactly to the men identified in the photo): Charge, Breach of the Peace Police Station Miavaig, 28th November 1913 Sir, I beg to report to you that between the hours of 10am and 1pm on Friday the 28th day of November 1913, on Reef Farm, occupied by Alexander Macrae, Farmer in the Parish of Uig 1. Malcolm Macritchie [ » read more ]

Some of the Reef Raiders:  Alexander Mackay, Valtos (Alasdair Dhomhnaill Aonghais) Allan Morrison 3 Kneep (Ailean Tharmoid Tharmoid Ruaidh) Malcolm Macritchie Kneep (an Irish) Murdo Mackay 30 Valtos (Murchadh Aonghais Aonghais) Angus Mackay 18 Valtos (Aonghas Tharmoid Aonghais) John Morrison 13 Kneep (Iain Tharmoid Tharmoid Ruaidh, or an Cupair) Donald Maclennan Reithmir (Domhnall Ruadh, the youngest at 18) Donald Morrison, Kneep (Domhnall Tharmoid Tharmoid Ruaidh, or Màirtean) Donald Smith Valtos (Domhnall ‘ain Duibh) Andrew Mackay Valtos (Anndra Chaluim Aonghais) Murdo Morrison Reithmir (Murchadh Seumais) The [ » read more ]

Travelling east down Glen Valtos from Timsgarry, just past the first quarry on the left, you can see the stones which spell out JD. Ahead on your right is the steep zig-zag path, which the Uig women descended with the creels of peat on their backs. JD was James Drummond and this marks the spot where he used to pitch his tent. James Drummond was one of the travelling people who came to Uig in the summers of the late 1930s. Each summer they arrived [ » read more ]

Highland News, Monday 13 October, 1884: The Northern Chronicle publishes the following sensational statement which we trust is somewhat exaggerated:– Mr Wm Mackay, Chamberlain of the Lews, has for some time back been engaged in visiting the different parts of the island for the purpose of collecting rents.  On Monday last week [30 September 1884] he left for Uig, the people of which district were expected, as customary, to come forward and pay their rents on the following day.  The Chamberlain was at Miavaig on Tuesday, [ » read more ]

From the Stornoway Gazette, Local and District News, Friday December 3rd, 1920. Landslide in Valtos Glen On Thursday morning of last week, there was a repetition here of the previous Monday’s storm. Though it did not last so long, there were gusts during the early morning which were almost as strong as any we had on Monday. Before daybreak, however, the force of the wind had lessened considerably, and during the day it died down to a dead calm. Heavy rain was falling all the [ » read more ]

The place name Àite nan Ordaighean in Valtos Glen is still known today and a rough cairn is all that remains in this place of worship. Foot paths descending down the steep sides of the Glen to reach the place of worship are still visible. Those paths indicate the various directions from which many worshippers approached. People walked for miles to hear the gospel being preached in this sheltered spot.  There are few written records about the open air services in Glen Valtos but it [ » read more ]