KNOYDART PENINSULA

Knoydart is one of the wildest, least accessible parts of mainland Britain. The peninsula's 11 miles of road are not connected to the UK road network, meaning that the only way of getting to the peninsula is by sea or by means of a 16-mile walk over rough terrain. Even flying in is only an option by helicopter. The main sea route is from Mallaig to Knoydart's only village, Inverie. The ferry service which operates on this route is not only used by visitors to the peninsula, but provides a vital lifeline for the residents, bringing essential supplies to the village. Knoydart's past has been a turbulent one, marked by conflict between clans over control of the land and by forced evictions as part of the infamous Highland Clearances. In 1948 a group of men known as the "Seven Men of Knoydart" mounted a raid in an attempt to claim land for their own use, but the owner of the estate took the case to the Court of Session, and the claim was overturned. A subsequent appeal to the Secretary of State for Scotland was also rejected. There is a monument to the seven men in Inverie. Nowadays the preservation and development of Knoydart is looked after by the Knoydart Foundation, which bought the estate in 1999, ending years of conflict with private landlords. The estate is powered by a micro hydro-electric scheme operated by the Foundation. Inverie has a population of around 100 and its few amenities include Britain's remotest pub, The Old Forge Inn.

Map of the area.

Inverie Knoydart. Photo by Subarite, via Wikimedia Commons.