Loch Buie

Loch Buie is a wide open bay with wonderful sandy beaches, rock pools, a castle, highland cattle, a medieval chapel – and a stone circle. All surrounded by low mountains and a horizon out to Colonsay. And yet it is not much visited, maybe in part because obviously the wind has to be in the north. Castle Moy, a 15th century tower house more or less on the beach, is currently being restored, I think by Historic Scotland and is wrapped up in scaffolding. If they do as good a job as they did for Gylen Castle then there is a treat in store. Just below the castle is a double row of boulders which was once a boat landing, and then in an arc further out beyond the stream is a curved row of boulders put there it is said either as a fish trap or to make some sort of artificial anchorage. It is worth walking round by Laggan beach to the east of the castle to St Kenneth’s Chapel (Caibeal Mheamhair), a small late medieval church in a group of trees which was converted into a mausoleum by the MacLeans of Lochbuie in the 19th Century. It was restored in the 1990s when I presume the rather vulgar coloured glass was put in the roof – rather kitsch. The font is medieval, made from Carsaig sandstone. Loch Buie House is Georgian with an Edwardian bit struck on the west end with a rather nice bow fronted gable. It is owned by Jim Corbett who runs the estate. But do walk behind it to find the stone circle in a field, fairly complete with quite low stones, and a couple of outliers. What were these things for? We don’t know. I think this is probably the only example within reach of the anchorages in this area.