Rhenigidale is a township (village or hamlet) on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It had 7 houses plus an almost completed new one and not many more of a population. Not all the houses are occupied permanently. Until 1987 the township had no road and the only access was by footpath from Urgha 3.26 miles away near Tarbert or by sea. The landing place for boats was a rock face roughly turned into a crude wharf or jetty. It's still used today but mainly for servicing fish farms in the area. In 1987 a road was built connecting the township to the main Tarbert to Stornoway Road at Maaruig; a distance of about about 5 miles of which nearly 4 miles was completely new road over bogs and through solid Lewisian Gneiss some of the oldest rock on earth. The cost at that time was £750,000.
Anna and I took a trip there last week. The journey itself took about 10 minutes. Quite a few hours less than the first time I visited Rhenigidale on foot in a gale and pouring rain.
Anna and I took a trip there last week. The journey itself took about 10 minutes. Quite a few hours less than the first time I visited Rhenigidale on foot in a gale and pouring rain.
Looking down from the plateau to the main Stornoway to Tarbert road
Down from the plateau to Rhenigidale (which is just around the corner)
The old footpath from Rhenigidale to Urgha and Tarbert
Nestled into the hills
The jetty is to the left of the moored boat
The Gatliffe Trust Youth Hostel - basic but as I discovered many years ago when I stayed there before there was a road - very welcome after a long walk through driving wind and rain.
The school is on the left. By the time the road was made there was one pupil - that of the schoolteacher. The house is that of the principal campaigner for the road, Kenny Mackay, who was married to the schoolteacher.
