Meanais of Coco is Crubagan

Last month I had the privilege of a guided walk with Alasdair MacEachen to two of the abandoned settlements of Nunton Hill. Nunton Hill lies in the centre of Benbecula, between the highway and the sea, and I wanted to visit it due to two books I'd read. The first was Coco is Crubagan: A Hebridean Childhood (published by the Islands Book Trust in 2009). The book tells the childhood story of Flora MacDonald, who grew up in the Nunton Hill croft known as Meanais in the 1940s and 50s. I read it in depth multiple times as my Gaelic class spent many lessons reading and translating the text in 2010. 

The second book that made a visit to Nunton Hill imperative was Bob Chambers' Off the Beaten Path: The role of roads and other infrastructure in the life or death of remote Hebridean communities (Blurb, 2018). It tells the story of several land settlement schemes in the Hebrides, many of which, like Nunton Hill, failed due to the lack of a road.

Getting to Nunton Hill involves a bit of a walk, as you can only drive a regular car as far as the recycling center at Market Stance. The total roundtrip distance to Meanais and back is about eight miles.  Adding in a visit to Haka (which we did), adds another two miles. Thanks to Aladair's Land Rover, we were able to save a few miles of walking.

Our first stop was the settlement at Haka. It consisted of one large farmhouse with four smaller outbuildings. It was the site of kelp processing in the 1800s, and on the shore below was a sizable landing place. 

The tide was low, and the landing high and dry. But when the tide is high it floods a quarter mile up a nearby narrow gully. As we headed back to the track along the gully, we passed an odd series of fences draped with seaweed stranded by the falling tide.

After making the hike back to the track, Alasdair drove us another mile to the east, where we set off on foot to find Meanais. A half-hour's walk led to the site of the Nunton Hill Side School, which Flora MacDonald attended. The school was originally in North Glendale (see Chapter 2.3 of Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides). When it was no longer needed there, Flora's father moved the corrugated iron structure to Nunton Hill in 1946, just a quarter mile from their house at Meanais. Sadly, like its original location on South Uist, the only remnant of the Nunton Hill School is a vacant foundation. Even so, thanks to Flora MacDonald its memory lives on. (The third photo below is from Flora's book and shows the school before they dismantled it in 1951.)

We then followed an overgrown track to the MacDonald house at Meanais.The roof was gone, but the walls still stood. Looking inside it was obvious that the house had been altered to hold sheep.

The date of construction was proudly displayed above the main entrance. The second image below is the back cover of Coco is Crubagan, which shows Flora standing at the entrance when she returned to the site decades after leaving.

It had been a memorable day out. And I'd like to thank Alasdair for showing me the area. Be sure to read Coco is Crubagan, and then do this walk yourself. Nunton Hill was abandoned because a road was never provided, but while it was alive it had been a remarkable place, made immortal by Flora MacDonald's book. 

Note that Alasdair MacEachen will be guiding walks through this area on June 15 and June 22. See this link for more information:  https://islandsbooktrust.org/pages/events-1

Book Launch News

I've just returned from two weeks in the Western Isles to attend the book-launch events for Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. We had a good turnout at the Harris Hotel on May 14 and the Uig Community Centre on May 21 - some photos below. 

I also managed to do several hikes, as the weather was stunning. The hikes were to the beehive cell of Sron Smearasmal, the Calbost shieling of the one night, the rocky summit of Cracabhal, and the abandoned settlement of Meanish on Benbecula. (Meanish was the childhood home of Flora MacDonald, who wrote about it in Coco is Crubagan.) I was also fortunate to join the folks at the Rhenigidale Hostel for a boat trip to Mulhargarry and Valamus on the remote shores of Pairc. I will be posting on those new adventures In the coming days.

Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides be purchased from the Islands Book Trust at the following link:

https://islandsbooktrust.org/products/thirty-years-of-adventure-in-search-of-the-past

Two Weeks and Counting

As you can see in the photo, it's a beautiful day here in Seattle. It was on this spot where the first settlers arrived in 1851. I hope the Hebridean weather is as kind over the next few weeks, as I will be coming over to launch my book, Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. The first launch event will be at the Harris Hotel on May 14 (5pm). The second will be at the Uig Community Centre on May 21 (5:30pm). I hope to see you there!

 

Advance Order Available - Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past

I am pleased to announce that the Islands Book Trust is now offering an Advance Order option for my new book - Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. Advance orders will be filled after the book launch in May.

https://islandsbooktrust.org/products/thirty-years-of-adventure-in-search-of-the-past

Book Launch Dates

The Islands Book Trust will be hosting two events for the launch my new book Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. The first will be at the Harris Hotel on May 14th (5 pm). The second event will be at the Uig Community Centre on May 21 (5:30 pm). Please stop by if you are in the area.

If you are interested in seeing first-hand some of the islands in the book, consider joining me on my guided cruise with Hebridean Adventures. It is a nine-night journey from Oban that departs on September 11th. There are only 4 spots left. For more information see the following link.

https://www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk/products/adventures-in-search-of-the-past-cruise

New Book Update - Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past

Design work has been completed for my upcoming book Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. The book tells the stories of adventures on forty islands of the Outer Hebrides and includes over 150 colour photos. The Islands book Trust is aiming for publication in May, and book launches will be held on Lewis and/or Harris. The venues and dates have not been set. As soon as they are I will update this page.

September 2024 Cruise

This coming September I will have the privilege of guiding another cruise on Hjalmar Bjorge. Built in 1963, Hjalmar Bjørge served for thirty-three years as a rescue ship for the Norwegian fishing fleet. Seventy-five feet long, and twenty wide, this ninety-ton powerhouse, with her name proudly emblazoned in bold, chrome letters on the wheelhouse, draws an appreciative eye from all who see her. When it comes to adventure cruising, safety, and stability you'll find no finer ship for a Hebridean cruise.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of my first voyage on Hjalmar Bjorge. On that journey so long ago, we visited Taransay, Scarp, St Kilda, Ceann Ear of the Monachs, and Mingulay. The stories of those island visits, along with many other adventures on Hjalmar Bjorge, are included in my book Thirty Years of Adventures in Search of the Past: The Outer Hebrides. The book recounts voyages to forty Hebridean islands and is due to be published by the Islands Book Trust this spring. Information on the book launch events will be available shortly.

On the September trip we are aiming to make an orbit around the Uists to set foot on several islands in the Sound of Harris, the Monach Isles, and the Barra Isles. On the way back to Oban we are also planning a full day ashore on Rum. As always, the weather and sea-state will have the final say on where we can go. As it happens, a partial lunar eclipse will occur during the cruise. If the sky is clear, it should be visible from the ship early on the morning of Sept 18.

Currently, four of the six cabins have been booked. If you are interested, more information can be found at the following link:

https://www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk/products/adventures-in-search-of-the-past-cruise