Inchcailloch
| Scottish Gaelic name | Innis Cailleach |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | Isle of the old woman |
| Location | |
  Inchcailloch | |
| OS grid reference | NS410905 |
| Coordinates | 56°04′52″N 4°33′18″W / 56.081°N 4.555°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Loch Lomond |
| Area | 50 hectares (0.19 sq mi)[1] |
| Area rank | 199= (Freshwater: 6) [2] |
| Highest elevation | 85 metres (279 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Stirling |
 | |
| References | [3] |
Inchcailloch (
The name Inchcailloch means "Isle of the old woman" or "Isle of the Cowled (Hooded) Woman" in the Scottish Gaelic language. Saint Kentigerna went to Scotland from Ireland to preach and spread Christianity and the island is thought to be named after her.
Geography and geology
There is a burial ground in the north of the island, and a bay, Port Bawn (
Like many of the Loch Lomond islands, it is quite heavily wooded.
Transport
There is a passenger ferry across the short channel separating it from Balmaha on the mainland. As a result, it receives more visitors than most of the Loch Lomond islands, currently 20,000 visitors per year. There is a camp site in the south at Port Bawn[5] and a nature trail.
History
Inchcailloch has been used as a hunting forest since the reign of Robert the Bruce. Deer still roam the island. White deer have been seen on the island in 2003. The narrow crossing is very shallow making an easy passage for deer to ford. The island was farmed until the early 19th century, being recorded in 1800 as producing good wheat and oats; the ruins of the farm can still be seen.[4][6] For around 130 years, Inchcailloch was an oak plantation. The resulting timber was processed at Balmaha (on the site of the Highland Way Inn), for making wood vinegar (pyroligneous acid), wood tar, and dye.[4][5]
Inchcailloch had a church dedicated to
Inchcailloch forms part of
Literary references
Inchcailloch is mentioned in Dr William Fraser's The Lennox (1874).
The travel writer,
- The isle is sacred to the MacGregors, and in the tangled branches and amongst the green trees is their ancient burial ground. It was on the halidom of him 'who sleeps beneath the grey stone of Inchcailloch' that members of this vigorous clan used to take their oaths.[8]
- A slender crosslet formed with care
- A cubit's length in measure due
- The shafts and limbs were rods of yew
- Whose parents in Inch Cailliach wave
- Their Shadows o'er Clan Alpine's grave,
- And, answering Lomond's breezes deep,
- Soothe many a chieftain's endless sleep.
See also
References
- ^ Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.
- 2011 census.
- ^ Ordnance Survey
- ^ ISBN 978-1-898169-34-5.
- ^ a b c d "Inchcailloch". Loch Lomond Net. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
- ^ Garnett, T. (1800). Observations on a Tour of the Highlands ... London. V.1. p. 40.
- ^ a b "Overview of Inchcailloch". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
- ^ Morton, H. V. (1933). In Scotland Again. London: Methuen. p. 145.
External links
