Tigh na Cailleach

We packedup the tents this morning and, while Roz and Maddy headed home my friend Dave and I drove to Glen Lyon to walk up to Tigh Na Cailleach or the house of the old woman. It's the site of one of the last active pagan rituals in Scotland. Every year around the time of Beltane someone takes the Cailleach, the Bodach and several other stones representing their Children out of a small sheiling to watch over the herds. Around the time of Samhain the thatch on the roof and the shieling itself are tidied up and repaired if necessary and the stones are put inside and closed up for the winter. No one is exactly sure how long this tradition has been going on for, but the last known person responsible for it a shepherd balled Bob Bisset, when asked why he did it, said "because it's what's always been done." He apparently died a while backbut someone still carries on the tradition.

The Cailleach herself is a figure of Celtic mythology tied in with this area amongst many other places. The Glen this is in is called Glen Cailleach and the river next to it is Alt na Cailleach. Legend states she was a goddess descriped alternatively as teh motheror the crone. She is associated with various Scottish and general Cltic creation myths and loads of other legends. She'd considered to be the winter aspect of Bridhe who was adopted into Christianity as St Bridgit.

I should point out that I am not a pagan but I do find it fascinating that this ritual has gone on for so long.

It's a bit of a walk to get there, possibly a twelve mile round trip but it's one of those beautifully remote plages despite being only around an hour and a half from both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

If you want to read more about Tigh na Cailleach you can here. If you want to read more about the Cailleach herself have a look here.