Date of walk: 8/3/19
The Table. Inverie, Knoydart, Scotland.
”So you’re the torch guy!” says a man in Inverie, “Last night we watched your light for a bit coming down the mountain to check you were ok… and then we decided to go to bed”! another chap with his foot in a cast ”injured myself at the cèilidh last week”. In the pouring rain at Inverguseran farm I’m invited in for a tea by shepherdess Anna Wilson, who shows me her fine pencil drawings as her grandmother places a towel below my chair to stem the growing pool of rain water draining off my clothes. “Oh don’t you worry this is a working kitchen!”.
Sgurr Coire Choinnichea with Aultvoulin, Inverie, Knoydart, Scotland.
Bridge over Allt Slochd a’ Mhogha, Inverie, Knoydart, Scotland.
From The Table. Inverie, Knoydart, Scotland.
Pebbles in the rain at Satial, Knoydart, Scotland.
Eigg from Knoydart, Scotland.
Doune to Doune, Knoydart, Scotland.
Land Rover at the end of the road, Airor, Knoydart, Scotland.
Iron Hourse, Airor, Knoydart, Scotland.
Honda, Airor, Knoydart, Scotland.
Wave at sunset, Skye from Camas Garbhl, Knoydart, Scotland.
When the clouds made the night come an hour earlier. The Sound of Sleat near Inverguseran, Knoydart, Scotland.
The Sound of Sleat at dusk. Near Inverguseran, Knoydart, Scotland.
Rain clouds over The Sound of Sleat at dusk. Near Inverguseran, Knoydart, Scotland.
Drying out at the Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse. At this time of year I had the place to myself.
Freshly waxed boots after a rest day.
The clearances were especially brutal in Knoydart.
Magnificent pebble at Satial, Knoydart, Scotland.
Looking North to Sandaig bay, Knoydart.
Treasure map at Inverguseran
The ford at Inverguseran.
Camp, Rubha Ard Slisneach, Knoydart.
The Perimeter is a labour of love: it’s taken 454 days of walking, hundreds of hours of planning and thousands of hours of editing. If you have the means, I’d appreciate your support by buying a print or contributing so I can continue to share the project with you.
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
You probably know the story of “The Table” at Inverie but I think the summary is the locals had a big falling out with the landlord of The Old Forge pub and refused to go in there, so set up “The table” on the loch side to drink there instead. The landlord was certainly a “character” I gather he could be very rude to customers at times, was taken to court by the community for refusing to pay the electric bill (being off-grid it is generate locally) and has I believe also be in trouble with the law for having an un-licensed gun. This landlord has since closed the pub at the end of 2020 and put it on the market. The locals have been successful (I think partly with a lottery grant?) in buying it for the community, so perhaps “The Table” will be confined to history.
I enjoyed this walk a lot, I did it as a circular from Invervie so followed the path at Inverguseran beside the river back to Inverie. Actually not quite, I did the walk in reverse. I remember the farmer at Inverguseran was most helpful. I forded the river (it was easier in summer) and then went through a gate in the deer fence on the other side. The farmer saw me and came racing over on a quad-bike (with dog in tow). I thought I was in trouble for some reason, but no he wanted to tell me that probably wasn’t the way I wanted to go and if I wanted to join up along the coast I needed to stick outside of the fence. Very helpful and kind of him.
From your “torch man” tail it does sound like the locals really look out for walkers to make sure they don’t get into trouble which is lovely to know. Inverie was a rather sad place when I was there. Everything closed and even the bunk house was not properly open as a bunk house, I think you had to book out the entire place due to restrictions on household mixing in place at the time. Both ways I was the only passenger on the Mallaig to Inverie ferry and on the way back they actually picked me up (as the only booked passenger) in an old Mersey class lifeboat, as the ferry had broken down. Knoydart is always an adventure!
Thanks for Sharing your experience. The Old Forge pub story is an interesting one! I hope the table stays – I had an enjoyable beer there a couple of weeks ago, as I did in 2019. I too have warm feelings from the kindness I met on the whole peninsula.
I was sent this anonymous message by an Inverie local which I’m posting for an alternative perspective:
“landlord not actually taken to court – it never got that far as the Knoydart Renewables were on the back foot. The supposedly unpaid bill had to be forfeited because of ineptitude from those running KR..! Pub is up for sale but not sold, ‘community’ fund has only secured enough funding (Scottish Land Fund) – sale has not been agreed or even muted as yet..!”