A two-mile loop round the crofting township of Milovaig in Glendale, above Loch Pooltiel.
Milovaig is a crofting township on the shore of Loch Pooltiel, at the far western edge of Skye, and this loop takes an hour to walk right round it.
It keeps to the single-track roads between Lower and Upper Milovaig, from the old pier past whitewashed houses, fields of sheep and the common grazings, with the loch below.
The best view is from the hill part way up: the whole of Loch Pooltiel, the dark sea cliffs across the water streaked with waterfalls, and the Minch running out to the Western Isles. It is a fine place to watch the sun go down.
A quiet loop on the township roads, with a short climb off the road for the view and a detour down the burn.
In 1882 John MacPherson of Milovaig led the Glendale crofters against their landlord. Early in 1883 the gunboat Jackal landed marines at Meanish Pier to arrest him, and he spent two months in prison in Edinburgh.
MacPherson and the other Glendale Martyrs helped bring about the Napier Commission, and with it security of tenure for crofters all over Scotland.
The Glendale Estate was bought in 1904 by the Congested Districts Commission and sold to its crofters in 1908, the first community land buy-out in Scotland.
Until the 1950s Glendale was reached mainly by sea. A coastal puffer from Glasgow brought coal to the pier, and older Milovaig people remember selling their potatoes to its boatman for half a crown a sack.
Cattle from the Uists were landed at Meanish Pier, driven right across Skye to Kylerhea, and swum over the sound to the mainland.
The old store at Meanish Pier was built in the early 1800s as a herring station and wool store, and is now a listed building.
In April 2008 a car advert was filmed at the pier: a lifeboat crew racing to a rescue on a stormy night. It was shot on a glorious sunny day, with the road wetted between takes and the storm added later.
New places, news and stories, as we find them.
What is on on SkyeAt Milovaig on the shore of Loch Pooltiel, in Glendale in the far west of Skye.
Cafe LephinA family café with a wood-burning stove, on the road out to Neist Point.2 miles2 min by road
GlendaleA glen of fields and scattered crofts, a few minutes on from Milovaig.2 miles2 min by road
Neist PointA headland into the Minch known for its sunsets, with a lighthouse of 1909.3 miles3 min by road
Skye WeaversTweed and throws made on pedal-powered looms beside an old croft house.3 miles4 min by road
Skye SilverTraditional jewellery in gold and silver, made since 1974.3 miles4 min by road
Ramasaig to Orbost Coastal WalkA dramatic 14-mile coastal walk for the experienced, with two cars.4 miles6 min by road
Dunvegan CastleThe seat of the chiefs of MacLeod for 800 years, on a rock above Loch Dunvegan.10 miles16 min by road
Coral BeachA white beach of crushed red seaweed north of Dunvegan, four kilometres there and back from Claigan.14 miles21 min by roadPlaces to stay near the loop, and when each is next free.
Harlosh Wood h
Milovaig House
Black Box Cabin
The Three ChimneysEvery photograph commissioned, every word written by somebody who went. Printed twice a year, made in Scotland.
For further reading, before you go.
