Benbecula (pictured left, click to enlarge) Gaelic: Beinn a' Faoghla 'mountain of fords'. The island is sandwiched between North Uist and South Uist, and is joined to its north and south neighbours by causeways. Benbecula is roughly eight miles long and five miles wide, and the interior is filled with a mass of small lochans. The east coast is rougher and hillier with many inlets, sea lochs, bogs, moors and islands, while the west coast has fine sandy beaches. The highest hill is Rueval, which rises to over 400 feet.

Benbecula has a population of about 1800, which is a mixture of presbyterians to the north and Catholics to the south. Balivanich is the largest settlement where you will find the Council offices. Also at Balivanich is the Royal Artillery missile range of South Uist (with up to 500 personnel based there).

Christianity was reputedly brought to Benbecula by St Torrannan in the 6th century, and there is an old chapel (dedicated to St Columba) which is believed to be built on the site of St Torrannan's monastery. There was reputedly a nunnery at the aptly named Nunton, dating from the 14th century but suppressed during the Reformation.

Benbecula was long held by the MacDonalds of Clan Ranald, then the MacDonalds of Sleat, who had a castle at Borve, but in the 17th century moved to Nunton. In 1839 the island was sold to the Gordons of Cluny, who themselves held the island until 1942. Bonnie Prince Charlie was sheltered in a cave here after defeat at Culloden in 1746, and was taken across to Skye, disguised as Flora MacDonald's maid Betty Burke.

More details soon............