Calgary occupies a particularly lovely corner of Mull, nestling in Calgary Bay with its brilliant white sands. The beach, dunes and machair which make up the bay have been turned into a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in recognition of the need to preserve this beautiful location, where the wildlife includes otters, seals, deer and a variety of sea birds. From the beach, the
Calgary Art In Nature sculpture walk leads to an
art gallery with accommodation, weaving around the woodland, with interesting artworks around every corner. Calgary House, previously known as Calgary Castle, is a gothic mansion dating from 1817. One of the castle's guests in the 1800s was the head of the Canadian North West Mounted Polilce, Colonel James Macleod, and on his return from a stay there he suggested a fort back in Canada be named Fort Calgary. This in turn gave rise to the present-day city of Calgary, gateway to the Canadian Rockies. During the Highland Clearances people from settlements around the Calgary Bay area were evicted from their homes and many made their way to Canada. One of these settlements was Invea, above Calgary Pier, where the remains of the abandoned homes of the former inhabitants can still be discerned.
Map of the area.
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Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull - geograph.org.uk - 1309754. Photo by David Hambidge, via Wikimedia Commons. |
Calgary also provides a wonderful setting for the cemetery where my mother Marianne Hesketh who co founded the Mull Little Theatre is buried. Whilst also being the venue for all my childhood sports day defeats!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about the theatre, it sounds as if it's gone from strength to strength. You must be proud of your mum. What a lovely environment to have grown up in too.
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