Hi!,
In trying to locate Tayvallich I came across your website, and thoroughly enjoyed your entry and pictures listed as Early Summer in Scotland.(2004)  I thought I would let you know that I visited the Kiellmore jetty for the second time last month. You imagined this place to probably be very wild in the winter.

The first time I visited this area was about twenty years ago with my father, now deceased. The reason for the trip was during the depression (the 1930's) my Dad was out of work and his unemployment benefit was to be stopped unless he "volunteered " to take up a position in a farm near Lochgilphead,so as a young man of 16 yrs., from the city of Glasgow, he had to make his way to Tayvallich to work.

On arrival at Lochgilphead he was met by the farmer who ran the farm at Kiellmore with his wife.The lady had her own small hut for her toilet (dry of course) and the farmer and my Dad had their facilities anywhere they chose!! The lady only spoke the Gaelic and came from Jura originally. My Dad had to make a visit to a dentist in Lochgilphead at one time to have a tooth removed. He had to walk there and back again in one day. I think the distance is about 15 miles each way, and it was in the winter. I think he was a wee bit tired when he returned, and frightened as well of the church and graveyard in the dark coming back.In the church there is a large stone over a grave with a hole in it at the deceased request, so that his spirit could escape when he was buried. Needless to say when my Dad was allowed a holiday after spending two years in the wilds he did not return. At least he got a good education in nature!! (On the death of her husband, I understand the lady returned to Jura, and only passed away in 1987.)

When we visited last time we were invited inside the house, it had all been modernised by a ships chandler from down south with lovely wood all polished and varnished inside. My Dad was dumbstruck over the changes. I was very sorry to see that it now seems to have seen better days, and I see on the net that it is up for sale. I don't suppose you would be interested??

Regards,
Jim McLeod

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Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera.

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