The Old Wife’s Headland

Is one "Is one of the stormiest and most dangerous headlands on the west coast of Scotland. From base to top it is rocky, and for a considerable distance on each side.

It faces the Island of Coll, and commands a view of the Point of Ardnamurchan, from which it is distant about seven or eight miles. At its base there is a strong tidal channel which has never been known to be dry at the lowest ebb tide. From its highest point the spectre of “Hugh of the Little Head” is said to cross on horseback to Coll to give warning, as he is wont to do, to any descendants of the house of Lochbuie of their approaching end. Hugh is said to have had his head cut off by a broad sword in one of the clan skirmishes of old times. He has his head in a blaze of fire, and the tracks of his horse seen on the snow shew only three legs, and the terror of children and credulous people is increased by his being said to drag a chain after him. To the south of the Point there is a cave, which becomes accessible only when the tide has half fallen. Its Gaelic name is _Uamh Bhuaile nan Drogh_. Wild pigeons tenant it, and are seen emerging when the tide has fallen. The cooing sound of the birds heard under water seems to have led to the name, which means, the Cave of the Cattle-fold of the fairies, and it is noticeable that the word _Drogh_ denotes that it first received its name from a Teutonic source, very possibly from the race that came ultimately to tenant the Orkney islands. It is said, however, that Dutchmen possessed the fisheries on the west coast of Scotland, and it has been suggested that the word _Drogh_ is from Dragnet, which they kept in the cave. The tides which sweep past this point render it more difficult and dangerous to get past in a head wind than even the Point of Ardnamurchan, of which the dangerous character is well known. To the north of the Point in the direction of Croig in Mull, there is an indentation which is called _Achlais na Caillich_ (the old woman’s oxter or armpit) where salmon nets are set. It has been characterised as not the armpit of a smooth woman (_Achlais na mnà mìne_) and the story which is said to have given its name to the Headland, is, that an old woman was gathering shell-fish in the neighbourhood when the tide began to make, and the woman finding no other means of escape made a last effort by climbing up the rocks. When at the top, and almost out of danger, she said “I am safe now, in spite of God and men” (_Tha mi tearuinte nis ge b’ oil le Dia ’s le daoine_). She was converted into a stone forming part of the rock distinctly to be seen from the highest point of _Cailleach_. It is said that the figure of the old woman was very distinctly to be seen at first, and hence the name of the Headland, but time has done its own work and the figure is not now so unmistakable. Even the origin of the name is only known to those who are natives of the neighbourhood.

On one occasion, the writer being himself ensconced under the side deck of a smack, then plying to the island, heard a Tiree boatman, who was conversing with a minister from the south of Argyleshire, and had no fancy for the overly pious talk of the too-zealous stranger, remarking that there was an old woman here and when she gave a snort, she could be heard over in Coll. [“_Tha Cailleach an so ’s trà nì i sreothart cluinnidh iad ’an Cola i._”] The minister said that that was most extraordinary, and as it now began to rain the boatman began to exhort him to go below, and professed much regard for the minister’s health. At last he got rid of him."of the stormiest and most dangerous headlands on the west coast
of Scotland. From base to top it is rocky, and for a considerable
distance on each side.

It faces the Island of Coll, and commands a view of the Point of
Ardnamurchan, from which it is distant about seven or eight miles. At
its base there is a strong tidal channel which has never been known to
be dry at the lowest ebb tide. From its highest point the spectre of
“Hugh of the Little Head” is said to cross on horseback to Coll to
give warning, as he is wont to do, to any descendants of the house of
Lochbuie of their approaching end. Hugh is said to have had his head
cut off by a broad sword in one of the clan skirmishes of old times. He
has his head in a blaze of fire, and the tracks of his horse seen on
the snow shew only three legs, and the terror of children and credulous
people is increased by his being said to drag a chain after him. To the
south of the Point there is a cave, which becomes accessible only when
the tide has half fallen. Its Gaelic name is _Uamh Bhuaile nan Drogh_.
Wild pigeons tenant it, and are seen emerging when the tide has fallen.
The cooing sound of the birds heard under water seems to have led to
the name, which means, the Cave of the Cattle-fold of the fairies, and
it is noticeable that the word _Drogh_ denotes that it first received
its name from a Teutonic source, very possibly from the race that came
ultimately to tenant the Orkney islands. It is said, however, that
Dutchmen possessed the fisheries on the west coast of Scotland, and
it has been suggested that the word _Drogh_ is from Dragnet, which
they kept in the cave. The tides which sweep past this point render it
more difficult and dangerous to get past in a head wind than even the
Point of Ardnamurchan, of which the dangerous character is well known.
To the north of the Point in the direction of Croig in Mull, there is
an indentation which is called _Achlais na Caillich_ (the old woman’s
oxter or armpit) where salmon nets are set. It has been characterised
as not the armpit of a smooth woman (_Achlais na mnà mìne_) and the
story which is said to have given its name to the Headland, is, that an
old woman was gathering shell-fish in the neighbourhood when the tide
began to make, and the woman finding no other means of escape made a
last effort by climbing up the rocks. When at the top, and almost out
of danger, she said “I am safe now, in spite of God and men” (_Tha
mi tearuinte nis ge b’ oil le Dia ’s le daoine_). She was converted
into a stone forming part of the rock distinctly to be seen from the
highest point of _Cailleach_. It is said that the figure of the old
woman was very distinctly to be seen at first, and hence the name of
the Headland, but time has done its own work and the figure is not now
so unmistakable. Even the origin of the name is only known to those who
are natives of the neighbourhood.

On one occasion, the writer being himself ensconced under the side deck
of a smack, then plying to the island, heard a Tiree boatman, who was
conversing with a minister from the south of Argyleshire, and had no
fancy for the overly pious talk of the too-zealous stranger, remarking
that there was an old woman here and when she gave a snort, she could
be heard over in Coll. [“_Tha Cailleach an so ’s trà nì i sreothart
cluinnidh iad ’an Cola i._”] The minister said that that was most
extraordinary, and as it now began to rain the boatman began to exhort
him to go below, and professed much regard for the minister’s health.
At last he got rid of him.