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Elgol is a Village on the west coast of the
Isle of Skye, 14 miles southwest of Broadford.
Elgol is popular for a wide range of Boat
Trips, Spar Cave and Prince Charlie's
Cave. The road out to the Village is one of
the most scenic on Skye. Postcode: IV49 9BJ
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The top image right is of Mary's Thatched Cottages at
Elgol, four thatched cottages that can be
booked for holidays on the outskirts of
Elgol.
The second image is looking down to Elgol
Harbour where you can take a number of boat
tours, from leisurely cruisers to fast
RIBs.
Bella Jane Boat Trips
offer three types of boat trips, Bella Jane to
visit Loch Coruisk, the Cuillin mountains, and
view Seals. AquaXplore RIBs for exhilarating
wildlife and sightseeing trips to the Small
Isles. Island Cruiser for Island & Wildlife
trips.
Misty Isle Boat
Trips offer trips to Loch Coruisk in the
heart of the Cuillin Hills, also trips out to
Rum, Canna or any of the other nearby islands
looking for Wildlife such as sea birds, golden
eagles, sea eagles, dolphins, porpoises, whales
and basking sharks.
Prince Charlie's
Cave is about 1 mile south of Elgol via a
coastal path, can only be visited during a Low
Tide.
Spar Cave is 2 miles south of Elgol
with a Car Park close to the Cave. This Cave is
real impressive but can only be visited for
about 2 hours at Low Tide.
Elgol History
1300s - Clan MacKinnon were the top Clan in
this area with Castle Findanus being their main
Castle at that time, 3 miles northeast of Elgol
at the Hamlet of Kilmarie.
1600s - Castle Findanus was abandoned with
the MacKinnon's then using Caisteal Maol
at Kyleakin as their main Castle, where
the Skye Bridge is today.
1746 - after his defeat at the Battle of
Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie visited
Elgol while Captain John MacKinnon of Elgol was
helping to arrange his transfer to safety in
France.
There is a Cave about 1 mile south of Elgol
where Charlie spent a night.
John MacKinnon and the elderly Chief, Iain
Og MacKinnon, were imprisoned for several years
for helping Prince Charlie, they were released
around 1750.
The Government is said to have taken the
land from Clan MacKinnon at that time, other
reports say they were forced to sell the land
to pay off debts.
1750s - following the defeat of the
Jacobite's at Culloden, the Highland Clearances
began to make way for large scale Sheep
Farming, and to reduce the number of people in
the Highlands and Islands, so as to reduce the
risk of further Jacobite Risings.
The population at Elgol was dramatically
reduced from that time with MacKinnon's
emigrating to Canada, America, and
Australia.
1888 - Kilmarie House
was built for Sir William
MacKinnon, a Scottish shipping tycoon,
close to the ruins of Castle Findanus, with the
ruins of the Old Church and Clan MacKinnon
Graveyard by the House.
The Rocky Beach at Kilmarie House is popular
for Fossil Hunting,
the half mile road down to Kilmarie House is
real narrow.
1969 - Seumas MacKinnon began running boat
trips from Elgol to Loch Coruisk using the 12
seater boat Apollo, with Alfred Hitchcock one
of his first customers. This company evolved
into Misty Isle Boat Trips.
1978 - Ian Anderson of
the rock band Jethro Tull bought Kilmarie House
and Estate.
1991? - Bella Jane Boat
Trips began operating out of Elgol.
AquaXplore fast RIBs joined Bella Jane in the
2010s?
1994 - Ian Anderson sold Kilmarie House
Estate to the John Muir Trust, the House is
Private.
Today - Elgol is a scenic Village that just
has to be visited, with the road out one of the
top drives in the UK.
The population is about 150, in homes well
spread out.
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