Clanranalds' Kelp Road

Start location: Stansa na Feille, A865, Benbecula (NF 804 536)
End location: Sgaraileod, Benbecula (NF 850 519)
Geographical area: Western Isles
Path Type: Industrial Path, Drove Road
Path distance: 5km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians

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Route Description

From Stansa na Feille (the Market Stance) in Benbecula (NF805535), there's a signpost "Rueval Footpath" at the start, and a sign on the gate beyond the landfill site: "Footpaths to Rossinish, Meanish and Scarilode". Continue on a good, hard-surfaced, wide track passing Rueval (408m) on the left, to the junction at NF836534. Here continue straight ahead on a clear but grassy track, with a fence on the left, which leads down to a pier at Scarilode.

Alternatively, at NF836534 take the route to the left which continues as a hard track for some distance, later becoming grassy, to the coast at Rossinish. A branch to the right near the base of an old tin school leads to the ruin at Meanish.

OS Landranger 22 (Benbecula)
 

Heritage Information

There was a market stance at the west end of this route on what is now the vehicular road.  It is thought that cattle driven from the Market Stance were shipped to Skye from Scarilode.

Rossinish is alleged to be where Bonnie Prince Charlie, dressed as Flora Macdonald's serving maid, took off to Skye in June 1746.

It is said that this route was also used to collect kelp from the shore to be used for fertiliser on the fields.  This was a very effective way of increasing the fertility of the soil but must have been very smelly as well.

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