Tigh-na-sleubhaich, on the West Highland Way, Lochaber, Scotland

Tigh-na-sleubhaich, on the West Highland Way

Tigh-na-sleubhaich, Lairig Mor, looking west towards Fort William.

This ruined cottage was occupied until relatively recently, as the rusted remains of a vehicle parked next to it testify. This picture was taken in September 2015, and the cottage has collapsed even more in the time since then.

It sits on the Old Military Road, built by General William Caulfield and his troops between 1748 and 1752, as part of the UK Governments attempts to control and subdue the Highland Clans, many of whom still held Jacobite loyalties, despite their defeat at Culloden. The road was used to quickly transfer troops between Stirling and the garrison at Fort William.

Despite their best efforts, it was also used by the Jacobites to quickly move their own forces around the Highlands. Before being formalised by the military, the route was part of a drover's road that stretched from the Hebrides through Fort William to the trysts at Falkirk, and on through Linlithgow before crossing the Pentlands and over the border into England.

Comments