Loch a' Chadha-chàrnaich

Loch a' Chadha-chàrnaich is a small freshwater loch on the east coast of the Isle of Raasay, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It sits on the hillside above the Inner Sound, a short walk inland from the abandoned township of Hallaig, at roughly 57.38° N, 6.02° W. There is no visitor centre or ticket office here, just open moorland, quiet, and traces of people who once farmed these slopes.

What does the name mean, and where exactly is it?

The Gaelic name was translated in the Ordnance Survey Name Books of the 1870s as roughly "loch of the pass of the cairns". The surveyors placed it south-east of the hill Dùn Ceann and a little north-east of Hallaig. A burn, the Allt Loch a' Chadha-chàrnaich, drains the loch and runs north to meet the Inner Sound.

What can you see around it?

This corner of Raasay rewards people who like landscape archaeology more than lake photography. The Highland Historic Environment Record and Canmore list several features nearby:

• two large enclosures with stone-and-turf banks on the loch's western shore, surrounded by old cultivation ridges (rig and furrow), plus a possible prehistoric hut circle;
• five well-preserved turf-and-stone shielings in a shallow saddle at the north end of the ridge east of the loch, the kind of hut where families stayed while grazing cattle in summer;
• the ruins of a house and byre on boggy ground at the foot of cliffs, crossed by a small stream;
• two stone structures west of the burn, one later fitted with a lambing pen.

Most of this information comes from a field survey carried out in 1991. Together the remains show that the upland parts of the island were once actively used, before the people who farmed them left or were cleared.

How do you get there?

Take the CalMac ferry from Sconser on Skye to Raasay, a crossing of about 25 minutes. From the ferry, roads lead along the east side of the island towards Hallaig, where a waymarked walk passes through the old township. The loch lies higher up the slope and has no surfaced access, so wear proper walking boots, carry an OS map and be ready for uneven, sometimes boggy ground.

When should you visit?

Late spring and summer are best: the days are long and the ground is at its driest. In winter the slopes are slippery and daylight is short. Hebridean weather can change within the hour, so pack waterproofs, and midge repellent for summer evenings.

What else is nearby?

Hallaig is well known through the poetry of Sorley MacLean, one of the major Gaelic poets of the twentieth century, and for the birch woodland on its hillside. A visit to the loch combines well with a full day on Raasay's east side, with views across to the mountains of Skye and the mainland.

Frequently asked questions

Which island is Loch a' Chadha-chàrnaich on? Raasay, in the Highland region, on the east coast close to Hallaig.

Are there historic remains beside the loch? Yes. The records list stone-and-turf enclosures, old field systems, shielings, and the ruins of a house and byre.

Can I walk there without a guide? Yes, if you carry a map and are used to pathless terrain. There is no marked path to the loch itself.

What does the name mean? According to the Ordnance Survey, "loch of the pass of the cairns".