Where and What?

Ocklepoint · Post by **Ocklepoint** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:23 am

Where is it and what is it?

jim.r · Post by **jim.r** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:17 am

its a boat anchored in a bay?

bigwow · Post by **bigwow** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:35 am

Garry Glitter hiding on the West coast of Scotland, surrounded by his friends?

Telo · Post by **Telo** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:48 am

I have a feeling that this could be Mull, looking up Loch Scridain, from, possibly, around Bun an Leoib, towards Ben More.

Ocklepoint · Post by **Ocklepoint** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:38 pm

Yes it is a boat in a bay, but I'm afraid its not Mull, another island further north.

There is perhaps a clue in the stonework of the burn.

Unfortunately photobucket has turned awkward so I cannot upload the view looking in the other direction............yet

Cheers

jim.r · Post by **jim.r** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:46 pm

Harris and ita a culvert for gold panning?

Ocklepoint · Post by **Ocklepoint** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:01 pm

Photobucket now behaving
Here's the view in the opposite direction

Windfinder · Post by **Windfinder** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:06 pm

Spill the beans it's been driving me crazy!

Telo · Post by **Telo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:40 pm

Windfinder wrote:Spill the beans it's been driving me crazy!

Me too. Looks like a fish trap somewhere, but can't work it out.

Ocklepoint · Post by **Ocklepoint** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:29 am

Its the Viking Canal, Ru an Dunain, Skye.

Ru an Dunain is the SW corner of Skye, just west of Soay

2002 M Lawrance, Skye and NW Scot,pages 51/52 with photo

Its an extraordinary place, as the photo below shows alot of big bits of rock have been moved. No society would have dedicated that amount of work to civil engineering without very good purpose

Highland Council in their Sites and Monument record say of it

"The Viking canal, Isle of Skye

Canal from Loch na h-Airde to the Sea. There is water in the canal at Mean High Water Springs, but scarcely at Mean Low Water Springs.
It is obvious that this canal is made by man. Rocks have been removed from the channel and these have been piled up as a rough wall on the west side."

On the headland above the canal there is a formidable curtain wall fortification

Ru an Dunain is in a very strategic position, half way up the eastern side of the minch

Thats Rhum and Canna in the background

The canal looks about big enough to get a birlinn through especially with a few hairy giants to push and shove.

The fish trap idea is also interesting, perhaps it served as that as well. As the photo below shows there is a part of the canal which dries at low water and would trap fish

Altogether a really interesting place well worth a visit.
Does anyone else have any information on the canal?

Cheers
Paul

Telo · Post by **Telo** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:00 pm

Fascinating. I had no idea. We must have been close to it before, but it never registered. Will make a point of exploring it in future.

Many thanks.

D

Clyde_Wanderer · Post by **Clyde_Wanderer** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:28 am

I would say it was designed to trap atlantic salmon, which would enter on the head of a rising tide, then they would fit a tenporary trap to hold them in while the tide went out, and then would gaff or spear them out.
Great pics.