My Hebridean School Days
(1963-64)

Connected to North Uist and South Uist by two causeways, one of which was opened recently by the Queen Mother, is the island of Benbecula. There are many small hills spread over the island, on one of which stands whitewashed Balivanich Primary School, which is conspicuous from almost everywhere on the Island.

From our school we could see the Cuillins in Skye and the mountains of Harris, which make a splendid scene, especially in winter when covered in snow. Out in the Atlantic the Monach Isles and Maskier, with its lighthouse, dominate the horizon and, when the visibility is very good, the St. Kilda group, fifty-six miles away, can also be seen.

The school buildings consist of the master's house, the school dining room and two classrooms. The children, some of whom travel to school by bus, are mainly from the crofts. There were also children from the adjacent Army Camp, along with my brother and me from the aerodrome. There are about sixty pupils altogether in the school, and they are divided into classes, or "Primaries" as we called them, according to their age group. The two teachers' jobs were very complicated as they had to teach pupils at various stages in their education. At the same time they had to contend with the noise of the rain and the wind. Gales of up to fifty miles per hour are frequent in the winter.

Our school day began at nine-thirty a.m. and finished at four. We were often interrupted in our lessons by heavy American transport planes, which make a terrific noise, bringing equipment for the nearby Rocket Range. In summer we could sometimes hear the "Corporal" missiles roar overhead towards the tracking station at St. Kilda.

Life on the island was very interesting as there was always something to do. Fishing in Benbecula is a popular pastime. You can always go to the Badminton Club, Highland Dancing, or to the Cinema. There is a nine-hole golf course on the airfield which attracts many players from the island. In spring there is always the peat-cutting.

A point of interest to visitors is Bonnie Prince Charlie's Cave and Well on Rueval Hill, and also Flora Macdonald's Cottage (now in the care of the National Trust) in nearby South Uist, where the Prince hid after Culloden. In the same area is Loch Druidibeg with its three hundred and sixty-five islands, and Loch Bee, which has recently been made a bird sanctuary