A lifetime of Islands: Island 13 - South Uist, Outer Hebrides

South Uist (Uibhist a Deas) is linked to Benbecula in the north and Eriskay in the south by causeways. The South Ford Crossing from South Uist to Benbecula was originally constructed as an 82 span concrete bridge, which opened in 1942. It was built to enable access from the air base on Benbecula to the ferry port at Lochboisdale. The bridge was 800 metres long and carried only a single lane of road. However by the early 1980s the condition of the bridge was deteriorating rapidly and the Western Isles Island Council decided to replace it with a causeway and a short bridge from Benbecula to Creagorry. The new bridge and causeway opened in November 1982. The Eriskay Causeway was constructed in 2000. A Calmac vehicle ferry runs from Lochboisdale to Mallaig.

In 2011 the population of South Uist was 1,754, a 29% decrease since 1951. Most of the people on the island who are Christians are Catholics. Lochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail) is the largest settlement on the island. When I visited in June 2016 money had obviously been spent recently on smartening up the waterfront. However most of the row of shops seemed to be empty. There is a lovely café with a distinctive pink roof at Lochboisdale.

The highest point on the island is Beinn Mhor at 620 metres and neighbouring Hecla is almost as high at 606 metres. However most of the island is low lying with beautiful beaches running for 20 miles down the west coast. There is fertile machair grassland behind the beaches. The east coast is mainly hilly peat moorland and is indented by several sea lochs. The island also has nearly 200 lochs and lochans.

South Uist is 21 miles from north to south and 6 miles from east to west and has an area of approximately 141 square miles. The main road on the island runs from north to south but not that much of it has two carriageways, making for slow progress at "rush hour".

South Uist has a large number of archaeological sites dating from the early Bronze Age to the 19th Century. The following are some of the main sites:

Neolithic chambered cairn at Reineabhal near Mingarry
Bronze Age round houses at Cladh Hallen near Daliburgh
Aisled wheelhouse at Kilpheder near Daliburgh
Medieval chapels at Howmore
Iron Age broch of Dun Mhulan at Bornish
Flora MacDonald's birthplace at Milton
Pollachar Standing Stone near East Kilbride
Ormacleit Castle
15th or 16th century Caisteal Bheagram at Drimsdale
An Carra Standing Stone near Ormacleit

South Uist was ruled by the Clanranald chiefs from Viking times until 1838 when it was sold to Colonel John Gordon of Cluny. He evicted crofters from their homes and their land to make way for sheep and many of the people were forced to emigrate to North America.

Beach at Howmore

Howmore

Our Lady of the Isles, Rueval Hill

The 30 feet high statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus was designed by Sir Hew Lorimer and constructed from Creetown granite in 1957. It was dedicated on 15th August 1958. Mary is portrayed as a Celtic princess presenting her son. Jesus has one hand held aloft, blessing the world, the island and its people. The statue was the idea of Father John Morrison, the parish priest of St Michael's Church in Ardkenneth.

Our Lady of the Isles, Rueval Hill

South Lochboisdale

Another of the Uist Sculpture Trail installations is located here - The Listening Place

The Listening Place

Loch Druidibeag

National Nature Reserve and SSSI - a good place to see wildfowl, corncrakes and waders. We tried to go for a walk here in September 2006 but it was just too boggy.

Loch Sgioport on the east coast

Loch Sgioport

Howmore Chapels

Ruined Chapels, Howmore (Tobha Mor)

There are two medieval churches and two surviving chapels on this site, which is one of the most important religious sites in the Outer Hebrides. It became an important seat of learning during the Lordship of the Isles and was the burial place of the Clanranald chiefs after the Reformation. By the end of the 17th century the buildings were probably ruinous. The Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust own a hostel at Howmore, which is in a traditionally thatched black house.

Howmore Gatliff Hostel

Howmore Hostel

Beach at Howmore

Flora MacDonald's Birthplace Memorial

Flora MacDonald was born at Milton on South Uist in 1722. A memorial to her can be seen there. She helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from Scotland after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. He landed in Corodale Bay beneath Beinn Mhor on 14th May 1746 and initially hid in a forester's hut. Neil MacEachain MacDonald helped him and suggested to Flora MacDonald, who was on South Uist visiting her brother, that the prince should escape to Skye disguised as her maid.

A typical view of South Uist

Burial Ground at South Boisdale.

It was here that I heard my first ever corncrake rasping away in the machair.

Café at Lochboisdale
As well as having a very lovely pink roof, this cafe also serves excellent lunches.

Lochboisdale

Ormacleit Castle Ruins

This castle had a very short life: it was built 1701-8 by a French architect and burnt down in 1715 during a boisterous party.

Catholic Shrine at Ardmore

Great Auk sculptures in a garden at Bornais

In Praise of Uist Sculpture at Kildonan Museum

This sculpture was designed by Malcolm Robertson. The verses from a Gaelic emigrant song have been cut into the steel sheet. The museum is an excellent way to spend a few hours on a wet day. It holds more than 10,000 items related to the social, domestic and cultural history of South Uist. It also has a café and craft shop.