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This abandoned croft house by the shores of Loch Bad an Sgalaig has long appealed to me. I'm not sure how hard life was in a practical sense living in this spot in days gone by, but for those who appreciate the beauty of nature this is a very fine spot to live in. There are excellent views over the loch to Baosbheinn that would be a joy to wake up to each day.
For me there is something sad about the sight of abandoned homes in remote places. They raise questions such as when was it abandoned, why, are any of the family or their descendants still in this area? I researched my books and the internet; the only reference I found to this building is given in J H Dixon's 'Gairloch and Guide to Loch Maree'. In his book published in 1886 he says;
Near the road, but on the other side of the River Kerry where it leaves Loch Bad na Sgalaig, is a keepers house; and a little beyond it the old road diverges to the right, at the foot of a hill called Meall Aundrairidh.
So at least we know it was a keepers house, but for which estate? If anyone reading this has any further information concerning this keepers house or who lived there I be very glad to receive it and update this story.
North-west Highland Place Names
The landscape of the North-west Highlands and the Gaelic language are intimately connected. Other languages have contributed to the richness of our place names, notably Norse, but the North-west Highlands have for centuries been a Gaelic landscape. In listing the meanings of place names I have relied on authoritative sources wherever possible. For further information about sources please refer to North-west Highland Place Names in the main menu.
Baosbheinn; Watson lists it as Bus-bheinn; Gaelic Badhais-bhinn (or baoghais-bhinn, ao short). The phonetics do not admit the popular explanation - Forehead Hill from the Gaelic bathais. The name is probably a hybrid of the same type as Suilven, Blaven, Goatfell, Gaelic Gaota-bheinn, where Norse fell, a wild hill, has been translated into Gaelic beinn, the first part being left untranslated. The Apamapa website states that the current local Gaelic is Badhaisbheinn which might mean the ’mountain of the hunt’.
Loch Bad an Sgalaig; Professor Watson spells this as Loch Bad na’ Sgalag meaning the ‘Loch of the clump of the farm-workers’.
Meall Aundrary; Gaelic is Meall Andrairigh; a Norse formation; possibly meaning Andrew’s shieling, Andreserg (erg borrowed from Gaelic àirigh). But this should give Andrasairigh.
River Kerry; River Kerrie in 1638. Gaelic Abhainn Chearraidh, Norse kjarr-á, copse river, still as descriptive as ever. Also Inverkerry, Gaelic Inbhir-Chearraidh, and Loch Kerry. But Kerrysdale in Gaelic is a’ Chathair Bheag, the little fairy knoll or seat.
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