Rathad Chaluim
After years of unsuccessful attempts to have a road providing access for the crofters at the north end of the Isle of Raasay, Calum MacLeod decided to build a road himself to replace the old narrow footpath. Over 10 years (1964 to 1974), using little more than a shovel, pick and wheelbarrow, he constructed close to a two mile stretch of road between Brochel Castle and Arnish. Several years after its completion, the road was finally adopted and surfaced by the local council. His task is well-documented in the book 'Calum's Road' by Roger Hutchinson, and is well worth the read.
On the day I finally managed to visit, we walked the length of the road in the cold and rain, to get a small taste of the difficulties that Calum would have had to contend with during the construction.
Rathad Chaluim
After years of unsuccessful attempts to have a road providing access for the crofters at the north end of the Isle of Raasay, Calum MacLeod decided to build a road himself to replace the old narrow footpath. Over 10 years (1964 to 1974), using little more than a shovel, pick and wheelbarrow, he constructed close to a two mile stretch of road between Brochel Castle and Arnish. Several years after its completion, the road was finally adopted and surfaced by the local council. His task is well-documented in the book 'Calum's Road' by Roger Hutchinson, and is well worth the read.
On the day I finally managed to visit, we walked the length of the road in the cold and rain, to get a small taste of the difficulties that Calum would have had to contend with during the construction.