Villages and Places : Arnisdale

Arnisdale is the collective area which contains the villages of Cambusbane and Corran although the village of Cambusbane, even on maps is called Arnisdale.

The old days in Arnisdale ...

Going back more than one hundred years, Arnisdale (which is made up of two villages, Camusbane and Corran) was a small fishing community, with three inns (one in Corran, Camusbane and Skiary), a Blacksmith up Glen Arnisdale and around two hundred inhabitants.

Cambusbane (Arnisdale) looking in both directions (pictures above and below)

Arnisdale is on the shores of Loch Hourn, which is Gaelic for Loch of Hell, and so named because of the terrible spin drifts which capsized many sailing boats. At this time, Loch Hourn was one of the major herring fisheries in Scotland, and it was said that you could walk around Arnisdale bay, where they sorted and salted the herring, stepping from one boat to the next. (You can still see the old Herring Sheds at Corran)

All this was to end once the ring netting and trawling for herring and sprats began. If there was more than 10 or 12% of a mixture of fish in the nets, the nets would be opened and the fish would be dumped. Around forty years ago, the Loch was stinking of dead fish, and the fishing was completely ruined. At this time, a lot of the younger generation went on to higher education or to seek work from elsewhere, and never returned. The local community then depended on estate work, long line fishing (for eels, skate, mackeral and cod) and the Forestry Commission.

Forestry Team from 1950
The people portrayed above are at theback from left to right, John MacLean, John Cree, Alistair MacDonald, Donnie MacPherson and Jimmy Houston. At the front are Tommy Moffat, Mary Flora Cameron and Jean Houston.

Up until nearly fifty years ago, Arnisdale had a school, a shop, a district nurse and a post office (there is still a post office). There was a coal boat that came in once a year, and people would buy one or two tons of coal – whatever they could afford. Groceries and provisions came every Tuesday by boat, run by The Marine Hotel in Mallaig. There were only three vehicles – the schoolmaster, Kennedy had one, the farmer, Roddy MacLeod, another, and John Sinclair had the third vehicle.

John Sinclair was contracted by the Post Office to deliver and pick up the mail to Callum Garde in Glenelg, who in turn would deliver the mail by boat to Kyle. When the mail was returned to the Post Office, it would be sorted by Willie MacKenzie (father of Willie MacKenzie, now) and delivered by foot throughout Arnisdale, and by boat around the Loch.

Before Willie MacKenzie, the post was delivered by Duncan Campbell, who drowned opposite Barrasdale on the day of his retirement. It is not known whether he was caught in seaweed or was taken ill, although he was a good swimmer. He had lived with his sister in Corran, but they would argue quite a lot, and she would often sleep in a tree in the garden.

THE SEA MONSTER

Willie MacKenzie was 9 years of age when he was sitting on a small knoll, near the sea, waiting for his father, to return from delivering the mail, by boat. The head of a creature, that could only be described as a big eel or a serpent emerged, ten feet out of the water, moving its head from side to side, about 250 yards in front of him. Willie had to be forced back in the boat to go home, and to this day, his heart still races when he crosses that part of the Loch.

It was suspected that Rob Foster, a fisherman from Corran also saw the monster, around this time. As he refused to go out in the boat, and never went further than the edge of the shore.

At this time, there were also sightings of the monster in Sandaig, by the MacDiarmids'.

Loch Hourn at Arnisdale

Nowadays...

As in years gone by Cambusbane is a tranquil scenic spot on the shores of Loch Hourn, beloved by residents and visitors alike. Walking here is a joy as there are many more challenging routes (one up a Munro, Beinn Sgritheall). Around every corner is a different view, as breathtaking as the last and if you do meet someone out on the hills they are likely to stop and strike up a conversation as this is a frendly place, known for its hospitality.