IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PRINCE IN HIDING
In this historical sketch, I would like to present a few places associated with the figure of Bonnie Charlie, or more precisely, the places where he stayed whilst fleeing after the Battle of Culloden. It is known that, following the battle fought at Culloden Moor, 5 miles from Inverness, he was on the run for six months before leaving Scotland for France. As far as I am aware, the pursuit of the Prince of Wales – as he was also known – was unprecedented by the standards of 1746. He hid literally everywhere, taking advantage of every opportunity for help and rescue, narrowly avoiding the militia soldiers. These soldiers were stationed on every road and at every possible vantage point in the mountains and towns. Please click (here) for a more detailed account of this period in the Prince’s history, which ended with him setting sail from the very same spot in Scotland to which he had first arrived. This place is Loch Nan Uamh, on the road to Mallaig, where a monument stands commemorating the event. Before I move on to the next part, I’ll add that the Prince’s last day on Scottish soil was 19 September 1746. It’s worth noting that the reward for his head was, by the standards of the time, incredibly high, amounting to 30,000 pounds.
Prince Bonnie Charlie’s Rock
The first place I’d like to tell you about I found thanks to a stranger I met one day. When I asked him what he wrote about, he surprisingly said it was about the historical places he visits. It was amazing that he shared this information with me, which inspired me to find this place and share it with you all. I send my regards to this person and wish them all the best on their future travels.
This spot is situated on the steep south-western slope of a mountain called Sgùrr na Ciste Duibhe. I reached it by starting my route from a small bridge, which is situated about 2 miles from the Battle of Glenshiel on a river that flows into the River Shiel. Walking along the river stream towards the confluence, I spotted a rather large rock in a beautifully situated little valley on the other side of the River Shiel. The place immediately struck me as mysterious and beautiful at the same time. However, after a short while, the presence of tiny flies known as midges forced me to move on. It was then that I realised that, during his escape, the Prince must not only have had to hide from the army, but also battle the insects.
From there, I followed a path that runs along the slope of Sgùrr na Ciste Duibhe towards the site of the Battle of Glenshiel. The path is barely visible in places, so I had to keep an eye out for deer tracks to help me find my way. It may well be that the Prince, wishing to avoid the main roads, took this very same route towards Corriedhoga Cave. This cave will be the subject of a future article and is situated closer to Glenmoriston, where the valley narrows towards Loch Cluanie.
After crossing over from Skye to the mainland, the Prince hid beneath this rock for just one day. He then set off to meet the ‘Glenmoriston Seven’ further along in Kintail. Whilst there, one thing struck me: how history can be so close at hand, and how it has drawn events from years both before and after to this very spot – Glen Shiel. I’ve included some photographs and a map for anyone interested in this mysterious and beautiful place.
