Gairloch In North-West Ross-Shire Part 44

Marcasite--Glen Logan, Coppachy, &c.

Muscovite--Loch Fionn, &c.

Oligoclase feldspar--Loch Fionn, &c. &c.

Pyrite--Glen Logan, Coppachy, &c.

Pyrolusite (Dendritic markings)--Loch Fionn.

Quartz--Common.

Quartzite (common)--Glen Logan, &c.

Rock crystal--Black Rock, Tollie (small crystals).

Serpentine--Black Rock, Tollie.

Smoke quartz--Tollie Rock.

PART IV.

GUIDE TO GAIRLOCH AND LOCH MAREE.

CHAPTER PAGE I. Gairloch of the Present Day 293 II. Approaches and Roads 299 III. Achnasheen to Kenlochewe 301 IV. Kenlochewe to Talladale 305 V. Talladale to the Gairloch Hotel 308 VI. The Gairloch Hotel to Poolewe 312 VII. Poolewe to Aultbea 318 VIII. Excursions from Kenlochewe 321 IX. Excursions from Talladale 326 X. Excursions from Gairloch 327 XI. Excursions from Poolewe 332 XII. Excursions from Aultbea 337 XIII. Excursions by Steamer on Loch Maree 340 XIV. The Fionn Loch and its Dubh Loch 349 XV. Loch Gruinard 355 XVI. Angling in Sea Lochs 359 XVII. Angling in Loch Maree 361 XVIII. Angling in Fresh-water Lochs 363 XIX. Salmon Angling 366 XX. Deer Forests and Grouse Shooting 372

_NOTE._

In addition to the references to preceding Chapters given in this Part, the reader is recommended to consult the Index for other references to pages where the various places and persons noticed have been previously mentioned.

Chapter I.

GAIRLOCH OF THE PRESENT DAY.

There is no town, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, in the parish of Gairloch, and there is no village that, properly speaking, bears the name of Gairloch. Of villages or towns.h.i.+ps there are about thirty-four.

They contain the greater part of the population of the parish, which according to the census of 1881 numbered 4594. Many of these villages are so small that in the lowlands they would only be termed hamlets.

They have no separate legal existence as villages or towns.h.i.+ps; but in those which are towns.h.i.+ps there is a bond of union, in so far as the crofter inhabitants have their hill pasture in common, and club together for the purpose of herding their cattle and sheep thereon.

All these villages are on the sea coast except the five first named.

They are as follows:--

Near the head of Loch Maree--Kenlochewe.

On the north-east side of Loch Maree--Coppachy, Innis Ghlas, and Fuirneis.

On the south-west side of Loch Maree--Talladale.

At the south-west extremity of the parish--Diabaig (part of).

On the south or south-west side of Gairloch (the sea loch)--South Erradale, Openham (or Opinan), Port Henderson, Bad a Chrotha (Badachro), and Charlestown.

On the north side of Gairloch--Gairloch (the hotel, Free church, &c.), Achtercairn, Strath (including Smithstown, Upper and Lower Mioll, and Lonmor), Sand (or Big Sand), North Erradale, and Melvaig.

On the west side of Loch Ewe--Cove, Meallan na Ghamhna (Stirkhill), Inverasdale (including Midtown, Brae, Coast, and Firemore), Naast, and Poolewe (including Londubh).

On the east side of Loch Ewe--Aultbea (including Tighnafaoilinn), Badfearn, Buaile na luib, Ormiscaig, Mellon Charles, and Slaggan.

On the west side of the Bay of Gruinard--Oban, Mellon Udrigil, Laide, Sand, First Coast, and Second Coast.

There are the following churches in the parish of Gairloch:--

Of the Church of Scotland (Established) at--

(1) Gairloch, the parish church; (2) Poolewe, the church of the _quoad sacra_ (or ecclesiastical) parish of Poolewe.

Of the Free Church of Scotland at--

(1) Kenlochewe; (2) Gairloch; (3) Poolewe (meeting-house); (4) Aultbea; (5) North Erradale (meeting-house); and (6) Opinan (mission church).

Gairloch is one undivided civil parish, but has been divided for ecclesiastical purposes by the erection of Poolewe into a _quoad sacra_ (or ecclesiastical) parish.

The minister of the parish of Gairloch is the Rev. Duncan S. Mackenzie, of the manse at Strath of Gairloch, and he officiates at the parish church at Gairloch.

The minister of the Poolewe _quoad sacra_ parish is incapacitated, and his duties are performed by an a.s.sistant-minister. The _quoad sacra_ parish of Poolewe includes the west side of Loch Ewe, the east side of Loch Maree, the River Ewe, and Loch Ewe, and all places in Gairloch parish lying to the east of Loch Ewe. It extends along the north-east side of Loch Maree as far as Fuirneis, Letterewe. The rest of the parish of Gairloch is attached to the old parish church of Gairloch. Gairloch is in the Presbytery of Loch Carron and Synod of Glenelg.

There are two Free Church ministers, viz., the Rev. John Baillie, who officiates at the Gairloch Free church, and at Opinan and North Erradale, and who resides at the Gairloch Free Church manse; and the Rev. Ronald Dingwall, who officiates at the Aultbea and Poolewe Free churches, and resides at the Aultbea Free manse. Mr Baillie has the a.s.sistance of Mr John Mackenzie, of Melvaig, as catechist; and Mr Dingwall is a.s.sisted by Mr William Urquhart, of Cove, as catechist. A catechist can conduct ordinary services, just as a minister can. Mr Dingwall also officiates occasionally in a room in the old schoolhouse at Inverasdale, and in the caves at Cove and Sand, as well as in rooms at Mellon Udrigil and Slaggan.

The parishes or districts attached to the Free churches, are the same as those of the Established churches.

A Free Church minister is provided at intervals, as can be arranged, for the church at Kenlochewe, but there is no manse.

There are ten and a half schools in the parish of Gairloch, all conducted by certificated teachers. They are situated at Kenlochewe, Achtercairn, Opinan, Big Sand, Melvaig, Poolewe, Inverasdale, Buaile na luib, Laide, Mellon Udrigil, and Diabaig, where the school is shared with the parish of Applecross.

The School Board of Gairloch has the management of these schools, and consists of nine members, who meet periodically at Poolewe, with the Rev. John Baillie as chairman. Mr John Ross, of Strath, and Mr Mackenzie, of the post-office, Aultbea, are the officers appointed by the School Board for looking after the attendance of the children.

Mr James Mackintosh, postmaster, Poolewe, who is clerk of the School Board, has furnished me with the following information regarding the ten princ.i.p.al schools in Gairloch relating to the year 1884:--

Numbers of Scholars In average School. On the Rolls. attendance.

Kenlochewe 35 27 Opinan 53 36 Achtercairn 107 55 Sand 40 26 Melvaig 60 51 Inverasdale 89 66 Poolewe 34 21 Buaile na luib 97 63 Laide 55 33 Mellon Udrigil 55 30 --- --- Totals 625 408

Besides the above about twenty Gairloch children attend the school at Diabaig.

The following are the present teachers of the ten schools:--Kenlochewe, Miss Maclean; Opinan, Mr A. Nicolson; Achtercairn, Mr M. Lamont; Sand, Mr J. Mackenzie; Melvaig, Mr J. MacRae; Inverasdale, Mr J. Maclennan; Poolewe, Miss Ferguson; Buaile na luib, Mr H. Murray; Laide, Mr H.

Macleod; Mellon Udrigil, Miss Johanna Mackenzie.

Mr Mackintosh tells me that the number of scholars in all the school districts of Gairloch is decreasing, with the exception of Achtercairn, and perhaps Inverasdale. At the commencement of the Education Act in Gairloch, the number of children of school age for whom accommodation was then provided was 850.

There are also what are termed side-schools at Letterewe and Slaggan, for a few children at each of those places whose homes are at a considerable distance from any board school. The school-rate is one s.h.i.+lling and sixpence in the pound.