Gàidhlig san Àrainneachd – Loch Ma-Ruibhe agus Beinn Eighe

  

 

 

Am mìos sa chaidh bha mi fortanach a bhith air cuairt stiùraichte ann an Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta Bheinn Eighe air bruach Loch Ma-Ruibhe, còmhla ri Ruairidh MacIlleathainn na fhear-iùil. Chaidh a cur air dòigh le Dualchas Nàdair na h-Alba gus  sealltainn air Gàidhlig san àrainneachd, air ainmean lusan is chraobhan gu h-àiridh, agus ainmean-àite ionadail cuideachd. Bha na mìneachaidhean sa Bheurla, agus mar sin bha a’ chuairt fosgailte do dhuine sam bith aig an robh ùidh. Bha latha blàth is grianach againn, gun a bhith ro theth, agus bha an turas fhèin bho Ros an Ear gu Loch Ma-Ruibhe air leth brèagha cuideachd.

Tha eachdraidh ainm Loch Ma-Ruibhe fhèin inntinneach. Leis gu bheil am baile Cheann Loch Iù aig ceann an loch, bhiodh dùil againn gur e Loch Iùbh a bhiodh ann, agus ‘s e sin an t-ainm a bha air an loch da-rìribh gus an 17mh linn. Ach bha Loch Iùbh eile ann mar-thà, an loch-mara air a bheil sinn eòlach an-diugh, agus thug Loch Maruibhe ainm bho eilean beag san loch, Eilean Maruibhe, far an robh tobhta de chaibeal a stèidhich am manach Èireannach, Maolrubha, san t-seachdamh linn.

 

Tha ainmean nam beanntan freagarrach cuideachd.  Tha Beinn Eighe air ainmeachadh airson a chrutha, a tha coltach ri eighe thrì-thaobhach, agus a mhullaichean airson an datha – A’ Chreag Dhubh, no An Ruadh-stac Beag – no na craobhan – Meall a’ Ghiuthais.  ‘S e ‘sleagh’ a th’ ann am freumh an t-Sleaghaich, beinn fhollaiseach eile ri taobh Loch Ma-Ruibhe, ‘s dòcha bhon chruth aice cuideachd – tha aon sealladh ainmeil ann far a bheil a’ bheinn coltach ri pasgan shleaghan, no shaighdean, gu h-àiridh sa gheamhradh.

Thòisich sinn ar cuairt air bruach an Loch,  ann am pàirc-chàraichean luchd-tadhail “Coille na Glas Leitir” – ainm freagarrach eile, leis na craobhan a tha measail air uisge, mar bheithe agus fheàrna (tùs an ainm ‘Fearn’ againne ann an Ros an Ear). Tha na freumhan fada toinnte na feàrna rim faicainn air uachdar a’ chladaich, am measg nan clachan, is iad gu math cudromach an aghaidh bleith talmhainn. Ach cha b’ fhada gus an d’ rainig sinn na giuthais Albannach, is iadsan na craobhan as ainmeile aig Beinn Eighe. Tha iad am measg na craobhan as aosta san dùthaich; ‘s urrainn dhaibh a bhith còrr is 350 bliadhna a dh’aois, mar chuid de na craobhan-sìl an

seo, agus ràinig iad Alba 8200 bliadhna air ais. ‘S e stòras prìseil a th’ anns na h-eisimpleirean ann an Tèarmann Bheinn Eighe oir tha iad air crìonadh ann an àitichean eile tro bhuaidh dhaoine fad linntean.

‘S e ‘coille boglaich’ a’ th’ anns na pàirtean nas ìsle de Choille na Glas Leitir, agus ‘s e seo seòrsa àrainneachd nach eil glè chumanta tuilleadh ann am Breatainn (seach anns na dùthchannan Lochlannach) – stòras cudromach eile aig Tèarmann Bheinn Eighe. Chunnaic sinn mòran còinnich deirg ‘spagnum’,  riatanach airson mòine agus feumail mar bhann lota (a chaidh a chleachdadh sna Cogaidhean), agus lusan boglaich beaga mar ròs an t-solais. Ged a tha seo cho beag is cho bòidheach, ‘s e seòrsa meanbh-Venus Flytrap a th’ ann – ithidh e biastagan. Bu toil leinn nam b’ e meanbh-chuilleagan a dh’itheadh iad…  Bha pailteas de lusan boglaich eile ann cuideachd – am bliochan buidhe, sìoda na monaidh (ainm brèagha air seòrsa canaich nas mìne), agus fiù ‘s mogairlean boglaich beaga geala.

Ach tha lusan nas treasa le blàthan no dearcan a’ fàs sa choille cuideachd. Tha na trì seòrsaichean fraoich rin lorg –  fraoch cumanta, fraoch a’ bhadain agus fraoch Frangach, agus lus nan dearc agus lus nam braoileag- am fear seo nas chumanta anns an t-Suain, mar ‘lingonberry’. Agus (gu math pailt am bliadhna, purpaidh is geal) lusan nam Ban-Sìth – lus cumhachdach, fàidheanta as urrainn do leigheas no do mharbhadh. Chaidh barrachd is aon chailleach bhochd a chur gu bàs mar bhana-bhuidseach is i air an tomhas ceàrr a ghabhail.

Air ais air bruach an loch bha lusan nan lòintean ann – an neòinean, a bhios làn-fhòsgailte aig àm ‘noon’, bho ‘Nones’ (9 uairean às dèidh briseadh an latha, a rèir an latha eaglaiseil), seamragan dearga is geala, le an duilleagan trì-fillte a chleachd Naomh Pàdraig gus an Trianaid a mhìneachadh dha na Ceiltich,  buidheag an t-samhraidh, cho buidhe ri ìm, am Beàrnan-Brìde leis na duilleagan cabach, agus mòran, mòran eile.

Sheall a’ chuairt dhuinn gu bheil gu leòr ri fhaicinn san àrainneachd nàdarrach timcheall oirnn, fiù ‘s air ceàrnaidh gu math beag – ma bhios fios agad càit an lorgadh tu agus gu h-àraidh ma bhios tu ann an àite gun cus de bhuaidh dhaoine, mar Thèarmann Nàdair Bheinn Eighe. Tha thu a’ faireachdainn nas ceangailte dhan tìr, tha thu ga thuigsinn nas fheàrr, nuair a chluinneas tu na sgeulachdan, an eachdraidh no na cleachdaidhean air cùl nan ainmean uile sin. Airson sin tha sinn fada ann an comain Ruairidh, a dh’innis uiread dhuinn cho dìoghrasach, is a h-uile rud cho tarraingeach.

Agus aon rud eile ris nach robh dùil againn air ar cuairt – bho àite gu àite am meadhan na coille chuala sinn ceòl tlachdmhor air a’ phìob no air a’ chlàrsaich, agus seinn, agus cò sin ach luchd-ciùil òg Fèis Rois a thog na h-innealan-ciùil aca tron phreaslach gus tlachd  – is barrachd Gàidhlig san àrainneachd – a thoirt dhuinn. Thug sin ciall eile do ‘Chèilidhean air Cuairt’… Agus bha fiù ‘s caileag à Manachainn Rois ann!

Ach cha robh sinn aig deireadh an latha fhathast – bha barbecue uabhasach blasta a’ feitheamh rinn aig Ionad-tadhail Bheinn Eige, le burgers sithinn-fèidh, bradan, breac, feusgain agus salaid – a h-uile rud ionadail, blasta is slàn. Bha oileanaich Frangach ann agus dh’fhàg ‘Blas na h-Alba’ seo làrach fiù ‘s orrasan. Agus nochd Cèilidh air Chuairt Fèis Rois a-rithist le cuirm-chiùil dhuinn – dòigh a b’ fheàrr latha cho brèagha a chrìochnachadh.

Chan urrainn dhomh blas a’ bharbecue a thoirt dhuibh, ach seo blas beag Fèis Rois an àite sin:

http://youtu.be/7Me_d3rkg7I

Feumaidh mi tàing mhòr a thoirt do Dhualchas Nàdair na h-Alba airson latha a bha cho inntinneach, feumail is tlachdmhor. Chan urrainn dhomh ach tachartasan mar sin a mholadh do dhuine sam bith – tha e math dhuinn uile a bhith air a’ bhlàr-a-muigh air ar dùthaich bhrèagha, agus gum bi cuimhne againn air an stòras phrìseil a bhios againn uile anns na pàircean nàdair mar sin a tha air fhàgail dhuinn. 

Bha Ruairidh ag ràdh gum biodh e deiseil, ‘s dòcha, cuairt coltach ri sin a dhèanamh air cladach Machair Rois, leis an fheumainn aig muir-traigh cuideachd, nam biodh ùidh gu leòr ann. Saoil an urrainn dhuinn rudeigin a chur air dòigh as t-samhradh sa tighinn?

Barrachd fiosrachaidh:  http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/nnr/Beinn_Eighe_gaelic_visit.pdf

http://www.feisceilidhtrails.org/fegraveis-rois.html

  Gaelic in the Landscape – Beinn Eighe and Loch Maree

Last month I was lucky enough to be on a guided walk in the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve on the banks of Loch Maree, with Ruairidh MacIlleathain (Roddy Maclean, Gaelic broadcaster and outdoor enthusiast) as guide. It was organised by Scottish National Heritage (SNH) to look at Gaelic in the landscape, names of plants and trees in particular, but also local placenames. The explanations and stories were in English, so that the walk was accessible to anyone with an interest. We had a lovely warm day for it, not too hot, and that made the drive over to Loch Maree exceptionally scenic too.

The history of the name of Loch Maree is interesting in itself. With the town of Kinlochewe at the head of the loch, we’d expect it to be called Loch Ewe, and in fact it was until the 17th century. But there was another Loch Ewe already, the sea-loch we know today, and Loch Maree took its name from a small island in the loch where there were ruins of a chapel founded by the Irish monk Maolrubha in the 7th century.

The names of the mountains are also appropriate. Beinn Eighe (‘file’) is named for its shape – it looks like a three-edged file, and its peaks for their colour – A’ Chreag Dhubh  (‘the black crag’), or An Ruadh-stac Beac (‘the small red stac’) or their trees – Meall a’ Ghuithais (’round hill of the pines’). The root of the name Slioch (in Gaelic An t-Sleaghach), the other prominent mountain beside Loch Maree, is ‘sleagh’ (a spear), maybe from its shape too. There is one famous view of it where it’s like a bundle of spear-tips or arrows, especially in winter.

We started out on the banks of the loch, in the visitors’ carpark ‘Coille na Glas Leitir’ (wood of the grey slope) – another appropriate name, with trees which are fond of water, like the alder (Gaelic ‘feàrna’, the origin of our own Fearn in Easter Ross). The long twisted roots of the alder can be seen on the surface of the shore, among the stones, doing an important job in the battle against soil erosion. But it wasn’t long till we reached the Caledonian pines, Beinn Eighe’s most famous trees.  They are among the most ancient trees in the country; they can be more than 350 years old, as some of the seed-trees here are, and they came to Scotland 8200 years ago.The specimens in the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve are a precious resource, as they have declined in other places due to human activity.

The lowest parts of the Coille na Glas Leitir form a ‘bog woodland’ , a kind of environment which is no longer common in Britain  (compared to Scandinavia), an important resource of the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve. We saw a lot of spagnum moss, essential for peat and useful for wound dressings (used in the two Wars), and little marsh plants like the round-leaved sundew (‘ròs an t-solais’ – rose of the light). Although this is so tiny and pretty, it’s a kind of miniature Venus flytrap – it eats insects. We would have liked it to eat the midgies….  There was an abundance of marsh plants – the yellow bog asphodel, harestail cottongrass (in Gaelic ‘sìoda na monaidh’ – silk of the moor, a beautiful name for this finer kind of bog-cotton), and even little white marsh orchids.

But more robust plants with blossoms or berries also grow in the wood. There are three kinds of heather – common heather, bell heather and cross-leaved heath (in Gaelic ‘French heather’), and blaeberries and cowberries, the latter more common in Sweden, as ‘lingonberry’. And (very plentiful this year, purple and white), foxgloves, known in Gaelic as the ‘fairy plant’, a powerful, mystical herb that can cure or kill. More than one poor old woman has been put to death as a witch for administering the wrong dose.

Back down on the shores of the loch were the meadow wildflowers – the daisy, in Gaelic ‘neòinean’, which is traditionally wide open at noon, from  ‘Nones’ (9 hours after dawn in the monastic day); red and white clover, with their trefoil leaves which St Patrick used to explain the Trinity to the Celts; buttercups, the Gaelic name meaning ‘the little yellow one of summer’; the dandelion, in Gaelic ‘St Bride’s gaps’, with its gap-toothed leaves; and many, many more.

The walk showed us that there’s plenty to see in the natural environment around us, even in quite a small patch – if you know where to look, and especially if you are in an area without much human interference, like the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve. You feel closer to the landscape, you understand it better, when you hear the stories, the history and the customs behind all those names. For that we’re indebted to Ruairidh, who told us so much so enthusiastically, and all of it fascinating.

And one other thing we hadn’t expected on our walk – here and there in the middle of the woods we heard lovely music on the pipes or the clarsach, or singing, and who was there but some young Fèis Rois musicians who had hauled their instruments through the undergrowth to bring us pleasure – and more Gaelic in the landscape. It gave a whole new meaning to ‘Ceilidh Trail’… And there was even a girl from Fearn among them!

But we hadn’t come to the end of the day yet – there was an extremely tasty barbecue waiting for us at the Beinn Eighe Visitor Centre, with venison burgers, salmon, trout, mussels and salad – all local, healthy and delicious. There were some French students there and the ‘taste of Scotland’ made a strong impression even on them. And then the Fèis Rois Ceilidh trail re-appeared and gave us a concert – the best possible way to end such a lovely day.

I can’t give you a taste of the barbecue, but here’s a wee taste of Fèis Rois instead:

http://youtu.be/7Me_d3rkg7I

I have to say a big thank you to Scottish Natural Heritage for giving us such an interesting, useful and enjoyable day. I can only recommend events like this to everyone – it’s good for us all to get out of doors into our beautiful countryside, and to remember the precious heritage we all have in the nature reserves like this that we still have left.

Ruairidh mentioned that he might be willing to do a similar coastal walk on the Seaboard if there was enough interest. Maybe we can get something organised for next summer?

Further information:
http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/nnr/Beinn_Eighe_gaelic_visit.pdf

http://www.feisceilidhtrails.org/fegraveis-rois.html

 

 

Fèis Rois + a’ mheanbh-chuileag – midgies!