From West Over Sea (1953) by DDC Pochin Mould. Near the sheep fank on the flank of Benisval there is, so they tell me, a stone commemorating the visit of Lord Campbell, Lord Chief Justice in the 1850s. When I splashed through the Kinloch Resort river, I crossed from Harris into Lewis, and it was Lord Campbell’s boundary that I went over. There was a long dispute concerning the boundary line between Harris and Lewis in this part of the country. Along Loch Seaforth there [ » read more ]

Another bit from DDC Pochin Mould’s West Over Sea, published in 1953; at the time even quite substantial and central townships like Geshader were just getting their proper roads. Crossing the moor between Loch Raonasgail and the yellow road by the sea at Uig, I had plenty of opportunity to consider living without roads.  Probably the first thing one notices is the silence.  In a roadless community the noises that make up the background of our road-driven civilisation are lacking: the swish of tyres on [ » read more ]

New to us, a fine collection of pictures from the family of Roderick Mackenzie Sr, gamekeeper at Uig Lodge.  These were sent by Heather Maher, granddaughter of Roderick’s son Donald, who married Jessie Macrae of Glenelg and emigrated to South Africa.   Above is Roderick Jr with Donald’s children on holiday in Uig (1933?); the whole set is here. Thanks to Heather and her family.

An extract from the unpublished memoirs of Rev Col AJ Mackenzie, son of the gamekeeper Roderick Mackenzie.  AJ was born in 1887 in Kinlochresort and moved with his family to the keeper’s house at Uig Lodge, where he began at Crowlista School. In May 1892 after the spring holidays, I began my formal education. I had never been at school before except for one day at Kinlochresort when my mother sent me with the other boys thinking I would be happier at school, than alone [ » read more ]

Kinresort is the area on the border between the Isle of Lewis and Harris and the head of Loch Resort. On the Lewis side is the hamlet of Crola in Uig and the hamlet of Luachair lies across the river in North Harris. This area was the focus for several other small settlements along the coast. Lily Macdonald (nee Ferguson) born in 1918 remembers the community of Kinresort, having been born there while her father was an under keeper for the estate of Morsgail. Morsgail [ » read more ]

An account of the life of Murdo Macdonald, Crola, held by Bernera Historical Society (author unknown). Although Murdo Macdonald was an Uigeach, born and bred, and of Uig parents, he was well known in Scarp and North Harris where many of his relations lived. His paternal grandmother was one of a well-known family of Macleans from Scarp while four of his father’s family (three sisters and a brother) married Scarpaich. These family connections caused him and his family to have constant intercourse between the two [ » read more ]