Larach Sithe
Larach Sithe (Pronounced Lara Sheea) means "tranquil place" in Gaelic and this is a pretty good description of the location of the house. It is tucked well away from the main road at Scallasaig two miles from the quiet and friendly village of Glenelg. It is situated on the edge of a small quiet croft and it’s open airy aspect gives beautiful views down the valley.
Larach Sithe is a large well-built modern house with accommodation for up to 16 people and has it’s own private sauna. It has 3 large public rooms, 5 en-suite bedrooms and parking for about 6 cars. This house is an ideal choice for groups or large families who are looking for an active, outdoor holiday in a beautiful part of Scotland. It is available for hire throughout the year, the sauna coming in to it’s own after activity filled days in the open air.
The house was built in 2000 by one of the crofters who works the surrounding land. My family bought the house in 2006 and since then we have added a large sun room, a laundry and an 8 person sauna.
The surrounding area
The countryside around is a perfect example of dramatic Scottish highland landscape and it is a paradise for those who wish to walk, cycle or climb. Many "Drove Roads", long distance footpaths and gentle tracks cross the area. Several of the surrounding peaks exceed 3000ft and are thus classified as “Munros". The roads nearby are quiet and relatively safe for family cycling and for the more adventurous there are many mountain bike tracks. Glenelg has for centuries been a stopping off point for travellers going to and from Skye. Here you will find the shortest crossing to Skye where previous generations swam their cattle across the narrows tied head to tail. Nowadays, most travellers use the local Ferry - believed to be the last working example of a turntable ferry anywhere in the world.
Glenelg has a flourishing local community and has always been a haven for writers, painters, musicians and craftspeople. The author Gavin Maxwell lived near here in the 1960’s, and wrote about his experiences of living in the Scottish Highlands with pet otters, in the book “Ring of Bright Water”. In the village there is a well-stocked shop and a convivial inn, both of which are focal points in the Glenelg Community and well worth visiting.
The Glenelg area is rich in history. At Bernera, beside the village of Glenelg, you will find the ruins of soldiers barracks built by General Wade after the 1715 Jacobite uprising. Two miles south, in Glen Beag, you can visit he ruins of two ancient Iron Age Brochs “Dun Telve” and “Dun Trodden.” They are considered to be the best preserved Brochs on the Scottish mainland.
There are many other visitor attractions in the surrounding area: Shiel Bridge (7 miles) has horse riding, Dornie, (14 miles), has Eileen Donan Castle, ancient home of the Mackenzie Clan and one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, Kyle of Lochalsh, (24 miles), boasts a swimming pool, a leisure centre, a bank, a supermarket, an Iron Mongers, glass bottom boat and seal viewing trips.