Gairloch lies amid spectacular scenery at the head of Gairloch ( Gearrloch in Gaelic means the short loch). The rugged beauty of the area has attracted tourists for over 200 years and today's visitors follow in the footsteps of several famous people. The renowned English traveller, Thomas Pennant, toured the region in 1772 but it was the visit of Queen Victoria in 1877 that really opened up tourism. The Queen's glowing account of her visit, subsequently published in her Journal, encouraged more and more visitors to the area. Tourism is now the biggest single influence on the economy in the area.

The Vikings

A thousand years ago, when much of Scotland's western seaboard was under Norse rule, Gairloch was visited frequently by Viking longships. The sheltered waters of the loch provided a welcome respite from the harsh waters of The Minch for those travelling the well known route between Scandinavia, Western Scotland and Ireland. Today nothing remains of these early explorers, except an abundance of place-names, e.g. Isle of Horrisdale or Thorsdale named after the Norse god of thunder.

Warring Clans

Following the end of Norse rule in the late 1200's, Gairloch came into the possession of Clan MacLeod, The MacLeods ruled from the refortified Iron Age dun 'An Dun'- on the headland at the southern tip of Gairloch Beach. A fierce struggle soon ensued between the MacLeods and the MacKenzies for possession of the region and following many violent clashes, Hector Roy MacKenzie (Eachainn Ruadh MacCoinnich) was granted the lands by James IV in 1494 and took the title of First Chief. The MacKenzies ruled their new possession from their clan seat amid the wooded glen at Flowerdale. Up until the late 18th century, the reigning Chief and four clansmen sat in judgement on local criminals at the 'Islands of Justice' opposite the present Flowerdale House. Those sentenced to death were taken to Cnoc a Croiche (Gallows Hill) above the north end of Gairloch Beach. Much of the region remains in MacKenzie ownership today.

The History of the Gairloch Community

The history of Gairloch and it's people has been long and hard. Life has always been influenced by man's struggle to survive on the edge of the land. Crofting was once the main support of the people and families made a harsh living from the soil and the sea. In Gairloch, the sea was vital to the community, for it provided both a plentiful harvest of fish and an easy way to travel - an important point in days gone by when it was easier to travel to Gairloch from the Hebrides than it was from Inverness! For centuries, Gairloch was the centre of a renowned cod fishery. Much of the catchwas dried at Badachro and exported to Bilbao in Spain. Pickled and dried fish werealso exported to Liverpool, Ireland and London. Along with the cod local oyster beds were exploited. Today not much remains of this once thriving fishing community, but you can still visit the Gairloch pier and watch the boats land catches of crab, lobster and prawns. Much of the produce is still sent to Spain, but nowadays by road.