The Scotland Chronicles – part three

Isle of Barra.

“the blood is strong, the heart is Highland, And we in dreams behold the Hebrides”

– The Canadian Boat Song

Before and after we arrived in Scotland, when asked what she most wanted to do in Scotland, she replied “to see the McNeill castle on the Isle of Barra.” Today was finally the day to fulfill Omi’s wishes – we were bound for the aptly named Castlebay, the ancestral and current home of the McNeill clan, which we count ourselves as members. Beyond seeing the castle, known as Kisimul, Omi hoped to visit the castle itself. Omi’s desire for a boat trip to Kisimul Castle in Castlebay remained unfulfilled, as circumstances conspired against us. The local historic society responsible for island boat trips had ceased operations during our stay. Furthermore, the castle’s interior was off-limits due to renovation disputes and liability concerns. Adding intrigue to the story, the castle’s owner, an American MacNeil, loomed large over the narrative. The original Omi, born Jean Eleanor McNeill, was over the moon to meet Roderick MacNeil, the chief of Clan Macneil of Barra. (The spelling of McNeill by various clan families was highly variable). Chief MacNeil was an imposing figure who always wore a kilt and was happy to host visitors to the castle. His personal tours had left an indelible impression that persists in the imagination of Eleanor McNeill’s daughter and grandson.

Wandering in Glasgow before going to the airport to catch our flight to Barra.

On the plane, a Twin Otter, to Isle Barra

Our destination – Castlebay. The airport is on the northern part of the island, 30 minutes away.

Landed safely on the beach!

Made it to the Eilean (Scots Gaelic for Island)

View from our AirBnB with our taxi driver and guide Asty (short for Alistair). The castle appears in the background, an ever present landmark as we explored the area around Castlebay. Asty was born on the island and his first language was Scottish Gaelic. Asty told us that many still spoke this ancient idiom, and that his daughter helps keep the tradition alive by teaching Scots Gaelic to students in Glasgow.

There are few places in the word where you can buy a MacNeil tartan travel pillow. Bùth Bharraigh, pronounced “Boo Bar Eye” is one (perhaps the only?). Omi enjoyed talking to a knowledgeable local woman there who had once had a job at the castle when it was open to the public. She was not a MacNeil but she knew all about clan MacNeil history.

Haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner at the Craigar hotel

Trail to Ben Heaval summit (highest point on the isle)

One of the few places on the island with trees

Brilliant morning

View of Castlebay from my bike ride

Feeling fortunate to have such great weather

Tour with Asty. Asty regaled us with tales of his family members, many who live on the island, including a 104 year old aunt. He informed Omi that the distinctive stone houses dotting the hillsides are inhabited by year round locals, not seasonal vacationers. Historically, Barra islanders were fishermen, crofters (small scale tenant farmers raising sheep mostly). Now many work in tourism or for the ferry company, including his nephew.

This is where our plane landed the previous day

Twin Otters (same as the plane)

The most Capey part of the Island, but with bright white sand

Ready for my swim at one of the twin beaches at Vatersay

Omi at Vatersay beach

Vatersay beach swim. Cold but entirely swimmable and pleasant after the initial shock.

Kisimul castle at low tide. I met an scallop and abalone-gathering diver at this site.

Should I climb to the summit?

Atop Ben Heaval elevation 1,257′

North from highest hilltop on the island

Old Brevig Schoolhouse

Bikes are the way to go around the island. I was provided an e-bike by Tony at the local shop. Many people rent bikes and travel from island to island by ferry.

Sea culture

Scots Gaelic. this translates to something like Road of the Potato patch.

Lobster pots. Scottish emigres who made their way to Nova Scotia found a very similar way of life by the sea.

Eilean equines

Old Catholic church in Castlebay

McNeils, spelled the same way as our ancestors, attended this church. Many also were Protestants

Castle and ferry from church steps

Still from 1949 movie Whiskey Galore showing the same church and the Kisimul castle. Omi and I watched Whiskey Galore at the recommendation of our taxi driver Asty. The plot line is based on a true story and involves a shipwreck at neighboring Eriskay island in which 10,000 bottles of whiskey in the cargo risked being lost to the waves, all during a time of whiskey rationing during the war. Much of the precious cargo was illegally recovered by the islanders in a daring nighttime operation. In the movie, the salvage crew was pursued by a hapless English military official who was ostensibly in charge, portrayed in comic fashion. We enjoyed it!

Next up: Mingulay

“There is probably no more interesting island in Britain than this island of Miuthlaidh [the Gaelic name for Mingulay] with its wonderful precipices, long narrow sea galleries, several hundred feet high in the perpendicular sides and marine arcades, winding their gloomy subterraneous ways under the precipitous island. To boat these galleries and arcades needs a calm sea, a good crew, and a steady nerve.”

– Alexander Carmichael 1883

The Mingulay Misadventures:

Our boat journey to Mingulay took us to a locked gate at the marina, just minutes before our scheduled 9:00 departure. As the rest of the group boarded, we braved the brisk coastal wind. A crew member called out, “Mingulay?” stating the obvious. He let us through the gate and we stepped onto the twin hulled boat. As the vessel picked up speed, the wind and waves grew more formidable. To disembark, we had to navigate a narrow path to the platform near the prow, balancing precariously on a 5-gallon water jug—a feat Omi could not attempt. Her disappointment was palpable.

The rest of us ventured forth, exploring the island. While I hiked to the Barra Head lighthouse with a fellow passenger from Bonn, Germany, I returned early to keep Omi company. Regrettably, I missed the opportunity to hike past the lighthouse, reaching sheer cliffs teeming with seabirds, a Neolithic stone circle, and an exclusive tour of the lighthouse. We heard about this later from another passenger and her daughter – both were descended from early Mingulay island pioneers. While we had absconded, leaving Omi bobbing on the waves in the boat, Omi was given tea and biscuits from the captain and crew. Omi relished captivating stories from one of the captains, who had explored Barra Head as a boy and had ancestral ties to Mingulay. Residents had abandoned these islands, partly due to the perilous conditions of launching and landing boats, making evacuations during medical emergencies fraught with danger.