Colour in the Highlands and Islands

on Aug 1, 2025

One of the most viewed articles on this site is “Colour on the Clyde” where a collection of coloured postcards of the steamers in Edwardian times are presented in more or less chronological order. A similar treatment might be possible for the steamers of the West Highlands and Islands. However, the material is much more scarce, and the general quality of the postcards is not as good as that for the Clyde, with less focus on steamers, and rather more on their surroundings. Some of the best material is published in Ian M‘Crorie’s book, “Steamers of the Highlands and Islands”, published by Orr, Pollock, & Co., Ltd., Greenock in 1987. This article will duplicate some of the material from that book but sourced exclusively from my own collection. No attempt will be made to produce a chronological order, and the best way to present the material focuses on the different routes on which the...

All the way to Stornoway

on Jan 22, 2019

The prospects of serving the most remote parts of the western isles by steamboat featured early the annals. In the Herald of December 22, 1820, the following appeared:— “Steam-Packets to the Hebrides and North-west of Scotland.—The great facilities now afforded for visiting many parts of this country, by means of the cheap and safe conveyance of these vessels, continue to be everywhere on the increase. At present, it must afford much satisfaction to all interested in the northern parts of our Island, to learn, that a communication is now to be opened, by this admirable invention, to many parts of the Highlands which were lately, and are yet, comparatively inaccessible by roads. It is now intended that a Steam-boat shall begin to ply from the Clyde—to the Lewes, through the Crinan Canal and Sound of Mull—to call at Tobermory—from thence to the Sound of Skye—call at Isle Ornsay,...