Glenelg Travel Guide - Scotland

Enjoy the peace and tranquility of a quiet village in Skye and Lochalsh in the Highlands of western Scotland, when you choose to visit Glenelg. The name of the town is a palindrome, which means that it is the same when spelled backwards and forwards. It is located on the road from Inverness to Skye and has long been the gateway to the Isle of Skye. There is also a seasonal ferry that operates between Glenelg and Kylerhea across the Sound of Sleet and can carry six cars on each crossing.

Many tourists come to Glenelg to see two of the best preserved brochs on the mainland of Scotland, which shows that people settled here in prehistoric times. Dun Telve is the largest of these brochs and has an outside wall that is more than 10m high. Dun Trodden is a third broch in the area and much of the stone was removed from the site to build military barracks in the early 1700's. Glenelg was very important to Skye in earlier times as the farmers that reared cattle on the island made the cattle swim across the to Glenelg when they were ready to go to market.

During the Jacobite uprisings, Glenelg was the site of a military barracks in the Highlands. It was linked with the rest of General Wade's road in 1725. The presence of the military in the area was successful in the uprising of 1745 and after the Highland Clearances the barracks were no longer used. However, the ruins of the barracks still remain. The barracks are in a surprisingly good state, but it is dangerous to try to explore the inside.

The waters around Glenelg are the playground for seals and otters. Here you can spend many enjoyable hours watching these animals as they frolic and play just off the coast. You may also be able to see them sunning themselves on the beach. The novel by Gavin Maxwell entitled "Ring of Bright Water" is based in Glenelg, which is a community of whitewashed houses dominated by the overgrowth of Fort Bernera, the old army barracks. The mountains of the area rise to elevations of 3000 feet and there are streams aplenty where you can enjoy quiet fishing. The picturesque setting provides the backdrop of some of the most beautiful photographs you can ever have in your album to remind you of your visit here.

There are many types of accommodation for you to choose from when you decide to stay in Glenelg for your vacation. There are also restaurants and pubs where you will be surrounded by the Highland hospitality.