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 ]

Another extract from Uig, A Hebridean Parish, compiled by HA Moisley and members of the Geographical Field Group, Universities of Glasgow and Nottingham.  This section was written by Pamela M Gough; see also the further detail on life in the townships. Soils are generally deep, and there are few rocky outcrops on the crofts which are fairly level.  In Brenish and Islivig, the soils are mainly peaty, becoming wetter in the west.  Where visible the subsoil is gravel or stony boulder clay.  In Mangersta the [ » read more ]

A Mhealisbhal bhòidhich ‘s do mhullach air chòmhdach Le uisge agus ceò agus frasan de d’fhuachd Bho làithean m’ òige bha mise ort eòlach ‘S tu ag èirigh cho còmhnard os cionn a’ Chuan Siar. Cha robh maidne a dh’eirinn nach fhaicin do shlèibhtean Do ghillean ‘s am beulan’s iad daonnan bho ghruaim, ‘S e sealladh tha gleusta gad amharc ‘s a’ Chèitean ‘S a’grian, an àm èirigh ri lasadh do ghruaidh. Air feasgar an t-sàmhraidh ‘s a’ghrian ort a soillseadh ‘S a’chur dathan tha [ » read more ]

Written by Dave Roberts; this appeared previously in the Uig News. Naturally the Each Uisge or Waterhorse was known in Uig in past centuries. It lived in the darkest lochs and was feared and respected, as it would emerge from the lochs and took on human form, perhaps apprearing as a handsome young man, whose origin was occasionally betrayed by strands of waterweed in his hair. Another guise was as an old lady: when the Each Uisge visited in the form of a cailleach, there [ » read more ]

A mysterious cave full of swords was once discovered on Mealisval, but the could not be found again.  Dave Roberts gave the story of the discovery of the cave in an article for Uig News and here gives a range of possible explanations. In the Iron Age (2000 years ago) people often deposited weapons made of bronze or iron into water. They also built and used underground passage ways – thought by some to have been routes to the ‘underworld’. In Orkney there are a [ » read more ]

From an article in Uig News by Dave Roberts. It appears that shielings were constructed so that one airigh could easily be seen from another, but it is said that very often the girls from a number of shielings would sleep in one building for company. The ancient shieling grounds for Brenish, Islivig and Mangersta were way beyond Raonasgail valley, in the moors north of Loch Craobhaig, at Fidigidh. The people of Carnish had their shielings by Loch Raonasgail, and at Ceann Chuisil. There are also [ » read more ]

From an article for Uig News by Dave Roberts: John Murdo Maclean’s great grandfather prided himself on knowing every inch of Mealisval. There wasn’t a nook or cranny that he hadn’t investigated, and not a spot that he couldn’t return to the next day or even the next year, with pinpoint accuracy. If you were working sheep on the hill, it was essential to have an intimate knowledge of the terrain. Mealisval is notorious for quickly disappearing into a cold, thick, all enveloping ‘cheo’ and [ » read more ]

From a piece by Dave Roberts for Uig News. At the north end of Mealisval there is a valley called Tealasdale. The floor of the valley is a chaos of enormous boulders. Beneath some of the gigantic rocks are crevices and hollows into which a person could crawl. Blocking the gaps and holes around some of the boulders are small stone and turf walls, which have been built to create cosy, if cramped, sleeping places, free of draughts. There are at least six of these [ » read more ]

I am informed that this is not the real Clach Aonghais Bhig, and the real one is situated up the valley, perched on the south rim… has anyone got a picture?  It is certainly true that you don’t get much of a view of Brenish from the top of this one.  Some maintain that Angus Beag lived in Mangersta in any case.   See also the comment below and William Matheson’s assessment of the story. In 1645, three hundred Lewismen fought for Seaforth on the side of the [ » read more ]

Tradition in Uig tells of a “footprint stone”, a regularly-shaped block about 18″ square with a footprint depression, of the type associated with a saint and used for the crowning of local kings. The provenance and significance of the stone have been lost to local knowledge (unless someone can enlighten us) but it was highly prized and fought over by the men of Uig and Harris. On one occasion a band of Uigeachs travelled over the hills to take it from Harris (perhaps Rodel) – [ » read more ]

Last night – followed by more sun. The hill is Mealisbhal.