Gruilin, Highland Clearances

With no need of armed men after the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, Clan chiefs found sheep farming and the harvesting of seaweed for kelp more profitable.

Discover the ruins of the remote townships, which were subject to population clearance in the 19th century by the landlords, to make way for sheep. The tour will take you from the Pier on Eigg, to the townships of Upper and Lower Gruilin. See where the 14 Families remaining in Gruilin were cleared from in 1852, with all but three of these families heading to Nova Scotia.

En route to the cleared townships you will pass many historic sites, including an iron age fort, four windmills, part of the Eigg Electricity grid, The largest single piece of pitchstone in the UK, the Sgurr of Eigg.

The islands are alive with history, come and explore the cleared crofting townships of Gruilin, Isle of Eigg.