West Coast And Waters On Visit To Isle Of Lewis Outer Hebrides Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish music, of the West coast and waters on visit to Isle Of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The Atlantic west coast from Gallan Head to Loch Reasort is dominated by cliffs and many small chasms. This area was recruiting ground for soldiers in the 78th Seaforth Highlanders for the Napoleonic Wars and were notably recruited in four waves in 1778, 1793, 1794 and 1804. Most notable in battle honours won was the victory at Maida, Italy 1806 and Java in 1811. Despite military service and the ultimate sacrifice by many, the district was the subject of widespread evictions during the Highland Clearances in the nineteenth century to make way for enlarged sheep farms and sporting estates. Villages that were cleared were included: Capadale, Pennydonald, Baileneacail, Baileghreusaich and Earastadh and the largest township in the district, Mealastadh was also cleared. Parallel with the Highland clearances arose the birth of organised crofting in the 1840s. This produced the individual land holdings and linear township pattern recognisable today. The crofting system has always proved inadequate to provide an income for the people so other forms of income have always been crucial for the survival of these communities. Notable were the kelp industry and the great line fishing industry. This area is the ancestral seat of the Clan MacAulay, Mac Amhlaigh, who are of Norse descent, Olavsson. The most famous clan chief was Donald Cam MacAulay, and his descendants have included the anti slavery campaigner Zachary Macaulay and his son Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay who wrote A History of England. A later ancestor, T B MacAulay, founded the Sun Life of Canada insurance company. According to Lewis tradition, it is the birthplace of Coinneach Odhar, the Brahan Seer, a Nostradamus-type figure of the 16th century All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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