Hebridean Hop 21: Kisimul Castle and Northbay
Friday 17th August 2018
Our last day dawned dull and wet, but we hadn’t been to Kisimul Castle yet so this had to be the time. There is a little jetty to wait on, above, and a boat comes from the castle to pick up passengers on the hour and half hour. Here it is!
Kisimul Castle probably dates from the 1400s, though the rocky islet it is built on might have been fortified for several centuries before that. The stronghold of Clan MacNeil, it was significantly restored in the 20th century and since 2000 has been on 1,000 year lease to Historic Scotland.
Compare and contrast – the pictures below are from our visit in 1992 with our friends Pat and John. The basket, presumably for a beacon, above Pat’s head suggests these were taken at the top of the tower (the same basket can be seen in the gallery above if you look hard enough). It’s not possible to climb the tower now, which I found disappointing.
The weather showed no signs of improving, so once back on dry land we collected the car from the hotel and set off for Northbay. If nothing else, we knew there was a good place for lunch there! We were lucky to get a short, dry stroll on the Woodland Walk (woodland, however small, is something of a rarity on the islands).
Once we arrived in Northbay itself though, the heavens opened. We could have done with those yellow and orange waterproofs below. Fortunately, we could shelter in St Barr’s Church for the worst of it.
For lunch we visited the Heathbank Hotel which we remembered as a seedy dive on our last visit, but which has come up in the world since then. Our waiter confirmed our memories, that it had been very much a fishermans’ pub. His granny probably told him – he turned out to be the young man who played the fiddle as we ate our curry in Castlebay the previous evening. He’s also a student at Glasgow University, though we haven’t spotted him around. These coincidences don’t happen so much in Glasgow!
After lunch, we stopped once more to walk ( across rather wet ground) to the abandoned village of Bolnabodach on the shores of Loch Ob. These collapsed blackhouses date from 1810-1840.
From here it was back to the hotel to pack and load up the car, keeping just an overnight bag behind. Our ferry in the morning was at 0755 and we had to be in the queue by 0710 at the latest. A good night’s sleep was required!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
It must have been so interesting to compare each place you visited with your earlier visit in the ‘90s. I am impressed that you still have photos, and that you were able to find them!
Jude
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They were in boxes in the loft, neatly labelled with dates. I am a librarian, don’t forget!
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What a wonderful day out to end your Hebridean Hop. 🙂
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They were all wonderful days, rain or shine – as I know you found too!
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I love this castle and wonder if it was surrounded by water when it was first built. It just shows how ingenious people were back then without all we have today. I wonder why they closed off the stairway?? It looks cold and damp but that didn’t stop you and so good to hear that. It is -18 today
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Yes, it was built on that rock! Amazing. There’s probably some health and safety reason for shutting off the tower. -18, yikes! We’ve been down to about -3 which is bad enough.
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A shame the weather wasn’t too good for your last day but it looks like you made the best of things. I like the mosaic sign outside the church and the church itself looks nice inside. A pity you couldn’t go up the castle tower – I’d have been miffed too! 🙂
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I know, I always like getting up a tower for the views from the top.
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I’m not usually too into religious art, but I really like that mosaic in the church – it’s kind of adorable. Shame about not being able to climb the tower though!
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I like it in context. Yes, was miffed about the tower!
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What a change in the weather, and how very typical. Still you seemed to have a fabulous final day 😊
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No two days the same! That’s Scotland for you.
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Guess it keeps you on your toes (And in need of an enormous suitcase for all the changes!!)
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We never manage to travel light …
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Impossible to go in UK, and then when you throw a book lover into the mix………..
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Well, I was relying on ebooks till we hit the bookshop in Ullapool on day1!
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The photographs were great – the weather not so much. I have never been to Barra but from what little I was told of the place, I kind of expected Kisimul Castle to be somewhat grander. Like the photographs of John – he takes a good photograph.
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As castles go, it’s quite small – not much scope for expansion! John does take a good photo – always looks happy and relaxed.
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Great photos! But what are black houses?
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Thanks, Ann. Black houses are old stone cottages with thatched roofs and a central hearth with no chimney. The name might refer to the resulting soot! People lived at one end and animals lived at the other with a partition between them. Not pleasant!
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Thanks for the tour. It was wonderful. 😊
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Thanks for visiting – I’m glad you enjoyed the tour.
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Hi Anabel – reminds me of Cornish weather … which I’ve experienced often over the years my Ma was down there … soggy. One day I must get further north in Scotland … your blog will be in handy should the day arrive … I hope it does as your photos are delightful – cheers Hilary
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Thanks Hilary! Some soggy days, definitely, but others were wonderful.
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Always wanted to visit that castle. So iconic a situation. Typical weather for up there. Last time we (my pals and me) did the hills in the Hebrides it was a Scotland wide clear sky heat wave everywhere except for Lewis and Harris buried under sea mist and drizzle and about 10 degrees colder than the scorching bone dry mainland. Other than that it was great.
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It’s definitely iconic, hope you get there some day. Overall, I think we were lucky with this one. Most days weren’t bad and a few were brilliant which counterbalanced the few miserable ones.
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We have good friends from Dunedin heading to explore Scotland this year. I have sent them a link to your blog as I am sure they will appreciate all the information! I do miss being surrounded by so much history. You are right Anabel, there is something special visiting an area by boat. At least photos from the 1990s were less cringe-making than the 1970s:-)
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I hope your friends find the blog useful and have a great trip. Yeah, I don’t think I will be posting any 70s pictures any time soon!
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Hi, Anabel – I agree with the other commenters that the gloomy weather further enhances the incredible setting. Of course I write this as I am warm, dry and indoors!
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That might influence your perspective! It wasn’t too bad at the castle, but the downpour in Northbay was really miserable.
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Great photos as usual and Kisimul Castle looks fascinating.
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Yes it was, I like anywhere you have to get a boat to like that.
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Could you do a small post on St. Barr’s church? I’d love to know more about it. I presume that is where the pictures of the strange Christ/apostle-like figure standing in the boat and the grotto come from? Certainly a fascinating area and I would love to do that trip to the castle. The picture of John in the golden bracken is wonderful and reminded me of how, as a child, I was always told to avoid walking near bracken when it turned gold as that’s when badgers nested there and they would dash out and break my leg!! This was during summer holidays spent at my Granny’s, a place of fairy-rings and fairy-trees, rainbows and leprechauns, where the real and the imagined were fairly close together.
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Oh dear, i’ve taken so long to write this up that I can’t remember much about the church! The statue and wall painting are both St Barr (or Finbar) and the grotto is behind the church. See https://barracatholic.co.uk/northbay
Not sure about badgers, but i’ve always avoided touching bracken with my bare skin because i’ve read it is carcinogenic, so maybe the folklore comes from a true reason to be wary of it.
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it is extraordinary to think how long man’s influence has been about isn’t it. And what a splendid castle. Funny how dated 1990s fashions now seem
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I’m thinking my pink socks rival yours on your coast to coast!
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Yep, it was definitely a thing then…
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My favourite photo is the one taken of the castle from the water. It looks so formidable for this angle! Building such a structure at the time would have been an amazing feat of engineering!
It seems that this entire trip was a rather soggy one which gives it a moody and sober appearance. I can imagine that in bright sunshine, it would look so very different!
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I know, building alll that on a small rocky island! Formidable was presumably the effect they were aiming for, so they certainly succeeded.
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Even though the weather looked pretty miserable, it looks so atmospheric and moody, perfect for the pictures! I’m glad you found a dry place to seek haven. 🙂
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Getting wet is never fun, but yes, the gloomy weather did make tha castle look formidable which I suppose is what they wanted when they built it.
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It is easy for me to say but the weather seems almost appropriate, it complements the granite. I do like the then and now pictures!
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It does fit well, you’re right. Glad you like the now and then pics, it’s good to look back from time to time.
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That was a very small boat you went on. I hope you were holding on tightly! Worth it though to enjoy all the beautiful scenery and the castle even if it was a bit damp.
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We didn’t have far to go in the boat and it wasn’t choppy! Thank goodness.
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