Old Tales of Lochranza and Skipness

A half an hour ferry journey connects Lochranza with Claonaig on Kintyre. From Claonaig it is two miles along the scenic shore road to the remote village of Skipness. In the past, both Lochranza and Skipness were locations of strategic importance. Both villages had imposing castles which still dominate their local landscapes today. Both are in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

Skipness’s pretty cottages look across the Kilbrannan Sound to the mountains of Arran. Using the ferry for a day out on Kintyre, you can explore Skipness Castle, St. Brendan’s medieval chapel, with its carved tomb slabs, bask on the sandy south-facing beach, enjoy eating at the ever popular Skipness Seafood Cabin (open end of May to end of September, not Saturdays) and visit the Skipness Smokehouse shop.

Not much more than a century ago, the settlements in the mountains of West Scotland were more easily connected by seaway than road. Folk tales of Arran tell of marauding by the inhabitants of Kintyre on Arran’s west coast, with men carrying off women and sometimes Arran women carrying off men. In the book ‘Skipness, Memories of a Highland Estate’ by Angus Graham, who was writing about his childhood in the early 20^th century, local folklore is remembered. One story tells of the surprise of Skipness villagers when a baby fell out of the sky into the fields, apparently dropped by an eagle which had snatched it up on Arran. Remarkably, the baby was fine and the villagers took it back to its parents on Arran by boat. Another tale is of a stag swimming from Lochranza to Skipness. I can believe this because once I saw a stag swimming north off Newton Point. I thought it was a floating tree.

Another of Angus’s tales tells how a woman arrived in Skipness from Lochranza carrying a bundle of cloth. Inside was a baby, apparently conceived on a jaunt over to Arran by a Skipness man. As he was used to bringing up orphan lambs, he made a good Dad and the baby thrived. The baby became Mrs. Higginson, who recorded Kintyre folklore. My favourite of her tales involves the gruagach of Skipness Castle- a small green figure with a great head of wild hair. This gruagach would appear and disappear at will and would help a widow, Mrs. Barton, to clean the castle after dark. She liked to kneel at Mrs. Barton’s lap to have her unruly hair brushed. However, one night she found a man asleep in Mrs. Barton’s bed and he had made it very untidy so she thrashed him almost to death. Who knows what costly mistakes you could make in castles after dusk?

The Book of Arran Two by W.M. Mackenzie tells of a different strange creature: the Meileachan or The Bleaters. Like the Gruagach, a Bleater could be helpful in tidying up the household at night. However, a Bleater could also be peevish and easily insulted (I’m like that if I do too much housework!) You have to throw a cloak over a Bleater to get rid of it.

The Book of Arran Two gives you insights to the past you would never imagine. It tells how, in the lawless times of early 17^th century Arran, there was much ‘theft, slaughter, murder, mutilation, witchcraft, and sorning.’ Sorning? I was curious to know what sort of terrible crime sorning was. I learned that it is ‘imposing oneself as a guest without invitation for an indefinite period’. I know that guests who outstay their welcome can be annoying, but they must have really gone a step too far to be on a par with murder and mutilation!

On a less dramatic, but still on a magical and enchanting note, this year at Brodick Castle you can discover a Fairy Trail of tiny and enchanting fairy houses. You are most likely to find them if you have a small child with you.

If, like me, you like old tales, old books and folklore, contact  Johnston’s Arran Bookroom in Lamlash: heather@johnstonsarranbookroom.co.uk