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Isle Of Coll
Isle Of Coll maps
Historic maps of Isle Of Coll and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Isle Of Coll maps
Isle Of Coll area books
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Memories of Isle Of Coll
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Isle of Coll memories
Peace on Earth
First visit, New Year 1972/73 with Donald McIntyre [Donald Baan] brother of Rory, sons of Mary & Rodger. Continued every Hogmany till 2002/3. Moved to Colonsay 2003, Craig Mhor, built 2004/5, health, and incomers deteriated so had to return to England [reluctantly], fond memories of good friends, my heart lies there.
Bentangval
I was broutht up at 16 Bentangval with my grandfather Phoom, also my grandmother. I have great memories. I believe the house has now been knocked down and a new house is there now. I have not been there for 33 years.
Visit to Jura 1972
Arrived by the ferry and stayed at Knockrome. I think the owner was called Boyle. There was certainly a Paddy Boyle. THere were some really old standing stones around Knockrome and you could climb up to the peninsula called Rubb' an Leanachais where there were some amazing beaches and you could view the sea from both directions.
Used to go to the hotel in the evenings to escape the midges and met a Frank Riley Smith who I seem to remember spent the whole evening abusing the locals and the following evening apologising for his behaviour the night before. The Riley Smiths were land owners and Frank told us that he had been given one of the little islands off Craighouse for his birthday. Outside the hotel were these tropical trees able to survive I suppose due to the gulfstream.
Walked across the island to Glenbatrick where my friends and I were invited in for tea with the Astors at their shooting lodge. I remember a bloody great whalebone attached... Read more
School Holidays 50s & 60s
I was born in Portnahaven and so were my brothers, I still have a brother living there. We moved to the mainland but every summer we went over to Portnahaven, all my cousins would be there and then when we met the local kids at night we would all see how many of us would fit in the kiosk. Then we would go for a walk round the village, the lighthouse light would be going round and we would try to duck as it came our way. It does not sound like much but they were the best times of my life. Playing down on the shore, catching crabs. I live in the USA now but one day I will return to Portnahaven and take my grandchildren with me to play on the shore, go over to the stones and over to Currie sands. Cant wait for that day to come.
Lingerbay, Growing up
I was brought up in Lingerbay in a house that I believe was built by my grandfather in 1926. The family are still in that house and there have been many changes to it over the years. There in the family home were eight children - four girls, four boys. And, from my own recollections a happy childhood was had by all.
Finsbay Lodge
I have enjoyed visiting Harris ever since 1970. I was fascinated to learn that there had been a large and charismatic fishing lodge/hotel at Finsbay; even more odd was the fact that its origin and history were hardly known. I delved into its history, and it was remarkable to find that this had been one of the largest fishing organisations ever in the UK, founded by a group of prosperous, but highly philanthropic and wide-thinking, Glasgow businessmen who formed a company, The Hebridean Sporting Association Ltd, in 1903. Local people in the South Harris community supported the venture which was greatly beneficial to everybody concerned. It provided a lot of employment and probably marked the start of a new era of welcoming visitors to the Isle of Harris.
Unfortunately, the financial aspects were over-ambitious. When the First World War was declared, visitors to Harris were virtually embargoed, yet the Hebridean Sporting Association's rents and leases still had to be paid. Financial failure became inevitable, and the fine Finsbay... Read more
Stayed in Quidinish
My father Ewen Mackay was born in Quidinish. He came to New Zealand after the Second World War and died in Dunedin in 1958, aged 35 years. In 1991 my brother Ian MacKay, his wife Pauline and I travelled to Harris to meet our family and see where our father had spent his early years. My thoughts of our time there are tinged with sadness as my uncle Allan MacKay and aunt Rebecca Gillies (my father's siblings) have since passed away.
